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10 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, December 7, 1999 "Scugog"s Community Newspaper of Choice" Agriculture a billion-dollar indust By Heather McCrae Port Perry Star When you read articles about the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), agriculture seems rarely to be mentioned yet 60 per cent of the land in the GTA is rural. ) It's mainly for this reason the Federations of Agriculture in Durham, Halton, Peel and York joined forces to conduct an agricultural economic impact study in the GTA. The purpose of the study was to identify the bene- fits that agriculture provides to the urban populations of the GTA, and the circumstances required to ensure that agriculture continues to exist in this area. The study, conducted by Walton & Hunter Planning Associates, cost $64,000. Durham Region's share was $16,000. At the Durham Federation of Agriculture's general meeting held last week at the OMAFRA offices, consultants Margaret Walton and Rick Hunter described the research and compilation of the year- PORT PERRY STAR FOSOCRD 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 [21 22 23 24 |25 126 27 28 29 30 [31 32 33 34 35 36 37 |38 39 40 |41 42 43 44 45 46 |47 48 49 |50 |51 52 53 |54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 ACROSS DovinN 0. puneratil, e.y. . OPS wr pots so and the Firecat" (Cat Stevens album) . Accrues . After bath or hot 12. Garfield's canine companion 13. Strong java 14. Place for an earring 5 15. Leontyne Price role 6 16. Lawyers' org. 7. Patriot-brewer Samuel 17. Mirabella competitor 8. Music's Sister 18. Tangles 9. Enjoy the hammock 20. Singer Bette 10. Adept 22. Certain railroads 11. Swerve 19 23. Slump . New Haven student 24. More irate 21." Joe's Body" (Reader's 28. Army doc Digest offering) (2 wds.) 32. Society gal 24. Fruity thirst quencher 33. Sally, to Charlie Brown 25. TV's" and Stacey" 35. Sphere, poetically 26. Literary monogram 36. Ford flop 27. Curved bone 39. Woody Allen film 29. Funnyman Knotts 42. TV's "Gentle ~~ 30. Lyricist Gershwin 44. Cesar Chavez's gp. 31. "60 Minutes" network 45. Mideast peninsula 34. Jesters' scepters 48. Accused 37. Abating 52. Burt's ex 38. Luau garland 53. at ease 40. Gridiron gp. 55. Spinach cousin 41. Comes to life 56. Educator Horace 43. Innocent 57. "Take Good Care Of My 45. Handout Baby" singer 46. Behave like a Bedouin 58. Guitarist Clapton 47. Domini 59. Smoke and fog 49. Moon feature 60. Naval rank: abbr. 50. Author Wiesel 61. Pursue 51. Flight or sun 54. AFL quarterback Dawson SPONSORED RY Crossword Answers on pg. 13 FORDER-PARKS INSURANCE BROKERS INC. 34 Water Street, Port Perry All Lines of General Insurance DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE Including Claims Free © Mortgage Free * Seniors © New Home Multi-Policy Convenient Payment Plans Available Call for a "085-8: 9 uote is 5-8471 long study. Two weeks ago the results of the study were pre- sented to the mayors and regional chairs of the GTA, and were also released at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture convention. "There has been a tremendous amount of interest in this," said Ms Walton. "The politicians are looking at it. I think you have their ear." The most significant finding in the study was that agriculture in the GTA generates about $1.3 billion in revenue annually, and employs 35,000 people, making it a leading economic sector in the GTA. The average productivity of farms in the GTA is higher than farms elsewhere across the province, said Ms Walton. "On a per acre average the GTA's productivity is $770 per acre, but the provincial average is $560 an acre," she said. "It's higher productivity, and a lot of that is to do with the higher cost of land and with the type of farming being done in the GTA." The highest productivity per acre in Durham is in Pickering, while the lowest is in Brock Township, she said. The study includes a profile of the agricultural industry and identifies the industry's economic impact in the GTA region. The dairy and equine industries are crucial to the ry in Durham: study GTA. The region's 363 dairy farms are models of effi- ciency and technological innovation, producing 107 million litres worth of milk for gross farm receipts totalling $67.71 million. And dairy farmers have a social impact, donating 25,000 litres of milk to area food banks each month, the study says. The equine industry in the GTA is one of the most dynamic in the province and country. York Region is home to the number one horse industry in the province. The fruit and vegetable industry is very diverse, while the field crop industry produced $73 million in gross farm receipts in 1996, the study shows. The conclusion reached in the study is that agri- culture in the GTA is a resource worth protecting. While the GTA has the best agricultural land in Canada, prime land is disappearing at an alarming rate, something which must be stopped, it notes. Between 1976 and 1996 there was a loss of approxi- mately 150,000 acres of prime land in the GTA, and another 160,000 acres are slated for development. "There are still 4,500 farms in the GTA and over all, they have a higher productivity over farms in other parts of the country," said Ms Walton. "If agriculture is to remain a strong industry, it has to be protected." Christmas concert is for library Directory of Coming Events Saturday & annual Christmas con- Sunday Dec. 11 & 12 cert at 7:30 p.m. Christmas Floral & Admission is $3 at the Gift Clearance Sale - door. Children under 104 Robinglade 12 free. Estates - Saturday - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Food donations The Manilla Library Association will be con- ducting a Christmas Concert and Dinner at the Manilla United Church on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Dinner will be fol- lowed by music provided by the multi-talented group, the Mariposa Singers and Players. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m., the concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for both meal and concert are $8 for adults, $4 for chil- dren. The association is also offering Kurz smoked hams again in time for Christmas. A one kg ham is only $10. For information on either event, please call Amanda at 357-2181. Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Info. call 985- St. John Ambulance 2935. + Is a donor location for Sunday, Dec. 12 the 1990 Helping Victorian Christmas Hands Christmas Carol Service, Head Food Bank Drive. Church, Museum Helping Hands pro- Grounds, Scugog vides a food bank to Island - 7:30 p.m. Oshawa, Whitby, Sunday, Dec. 12 countice Port Perr Port Perry United and SO Church Choir with spe- Durham communities. gal guests Gospel, St. John Ambulance PIritual, and volunteers Contemporary and : Traditional Christmas Wi bs galing food Music - 3 p.m. in Port Perry United Church If you spot our St. Sanctuary. Reception John volunteers in the and Refreshments fol- COMmunity, please donate a non-perish- lowi . wing program able food item. Tuesday, Dec. 14 College Information St. John Ambulance Durham Region office Session - 9 am. - | Durham College North !S open 8:30 a.m. to accepted Campus, Uxbridge. 4:30 p.m. Monday 852-7848. through Friday if you Wednesday, Dec. 15 Wish to drop off non- Port Perry perishable food items. The office is located at 65 Colborne St. E., Oshawa. Christmas Concert - The music students of Port High will hold their Coming Events sponsored by. 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