TROIS RIVIERES, Que. – The Ontario government has decided it’s time to give its provincial farmers, including those with proposals for intensive hog operations, some protection from the complaints of neighbors with sensitive noses.
By autumn, it expects to have in force a law protecting “normal farming practices” from non-farm complaints.
And it will have a set of rules that rural municipalities must refer to as they draft bylaws to govern new farm and agriculture businesses.
“We simply want to make sure normal farming practices are protected from harassment,” Ontario agriculture minister Noble Villeneuve said in a July 3 interview during the annual federal-provincial agriculture ministers’ meeting.
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“The importance of the food producing industry is such that we are having an increasing number of disputes between people who love the serenity of the country but also who happened to sign the agreement of purchase when there wasn’t manure being spread and crops being harvested and dried.”
He said the bill was drafted in part with proposals for larger livestock and hog operations in mind.
“In the concentrated livestock production that we’re seeing coming in, hog operations particularly, odors that emanate are not always pleasant but that is part of the normal business of that sector,” said the minister. “This act will give some comfort to these producers making the investment and also help our municipalities, which are becoming less agriculture-oriented, by giving them guidelines on what normal practices are.”
He also noted of almost 700 complaints last year to the Ontario Farm Practices Board, some were from angry neighbors in southwestern Ontario complaining about bright lights being used at night to help workers harvest horticultural crops during the crucial few days when they ripen.
His proposed Act to Protect Farming and Food Production, tabled in the legislature in late June, has received the enthusiastic support of provincial farm lobby spokespersons.
Provincial interest
“This new legislation clearly reinforces agriculture as a provincial interest,” Ontario Federation of Agriculture vice-president Mary O’Connor, said in a statement.
“Mr. Villeneuve supports the business of farming … . Farmers now have the assurance they need to get on with the job of providing the people of Ontario with quality food and fueling the provincial economy.”
Villeneuve said he expects general public support when the legislation is subjected to public hearings this autumn.
He said the public will have to be reassured that farmers will not take this protection from “nuisance” lawsuits as a licence to pollute or to engage in irresponsible farming practices.
The Farm Practices Board, which has been hearing complaints against farmers, will be transformed into the Normal Farm Practices Board and it will interpret evidence and render decisions on what is “normal” farm practice.
Its members will be drawn from rural residents, farmers and municipal councillors.
