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PAGE 2THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MARCH 21,2001 Hoof and mouth outbreak overseas leaves Clarington farmers with 'fingers crossed' HOOF from page / fanners can do is "keep your fingers fingers crossed" and hope no one breaks the rules, leaving Canada susceptible to the disease. "If people people sneak in some meat or something, something, or plants, (from affected countries), it's foolish," says Mr. Coombes. Hoof and mouth disease docs not pose a threat to human health or food safety, says a report from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). At least one Bow- manville dairy fanner concurs. ■ "As for the consumer in Canada, Canada, I don't think they have to xvony at all," notes Tom Banic. But, in cloven-hoofed animals, the disease causes fever and blisterlike blisterlike sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on teats and between hooves. Many affected animals recover recover but are left weaker and less productive. The disease spreads by air and contaminated vehicles, facilities, facilities, feed, water, and even on clothing, says OMAFRA's Web site. It's enough to make at least one local couple re-think their vacation plans. "Our son and daughter-in-, law are booked to go to England at the end of June," says Mrs. VanEyk. "But they feel they may have to cancel. Part of the reason is that their plans include going to Devon (County in England), where the disease is rampant." For now, local farmers are wait- There him 7 been an outbreak of hoof anil mouth disease in Canada since 1952, but the disease has led to the destruction of herds in the U.K. this ing and hoping the disease doesn't make its way to this area. "The fear is there," says Maty Ann Found, whose family raises pigs in Cour- ticc. "I don't think they're fooling when they say, if it gets into the country, it would be a disaster." More information on the disease disease and what is being done to keep it out of the country is available available at CFIA's Web site, located at www.inspection.gc.ca. Food Inspection Agency urges precautions The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the lead agency for all reportable reportable livestock diseases. It has issued a number of recommendations to avoid the spread of foot and mouth disease to Canada. • Travellers must declare all meat, dairy or other animal products they wish to bring back to Canada. • Travellers who visited a farm while abroad are asked to make sure clothing clothing and footwear worn during the visit are free from soil or manure, as well as cleaned and disinfected. Dry cleaning of clothes is recommended. •Those who have recently returned from an affected area of the world are asked to stay away from Canadian farms for 14 days. Meaty Pork Back Ribs SAVE $1 Our Famous Ham Readers' \ Choice 1 Awards meat cutters on location & we will gladly for you! School bus operators to meet with MPPs this Friday WALTER PASSARELLA/ Statesman photo month and local farmers are hoping the illness isn 7 carried into Canada. It affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs and sheep. SCHOOL from page I agreement simply carried over from year to year. "If an operator had an issue, he basically basically went in (to board staff) and negotiated that on his own," says Mr. Gcrow. "Contracts basically carry on year-to-year until they're renegotiated," Mr. Hubbard explains. He adds the board and school bus operators are "currently meeting to try to create a new contract for the next school year." The operators hope the meeting with Mr. O'Toole, Northumberland representative representative Dr. Doug Galt, and Peterborough's Peterborough's Gary Stewart will drive the message home to Queen's Park. "Without their co-operation and assistance to take this back to cabinet, this whole thing is going nowhere," says Mr. Gerow. Mr. O'Toole says he'd like to see bus operators and boards work together to find efficiencies. But given the uncontrollable uncontrollable costs operators are facing, he says there may be a need to help them out Sale elective until closing Sunday, March >ÿ, 2001 over the short term. "We've got to make sure we don't destroy destroy the school bus operators' operators' infrastructure" while efficiencies efficiencies are being found, notes the Durham MPP. "I'm quite sympathetic," he says. "I believe they do need to have us look closely at their situation." School board officials with both local boards have told operators that the Province holds the purse strings when it comes to school boards, and, as a result, result, transportation funding. But operators say they need help from somewhere, given the fact fuel has risen from 49 cents to 79 cents a litre since September 1999. Bus operators have met with public school board staff, says board spokesman Judy Malfara. 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