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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, MAY 22, 2008 11THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, MAY 22, 200810 The 24th of May Is Our 79th Anniversary Tyler Transport Ltd. Ted Tyler Senior - Founder of Tyler Transport Transporting Your Children Safely Since 1948 25 Passenger Mini Coach For all Your Charter Needs Modern School Buses For Comfort & Safety Service that Satisfies Since 1929 Transporting Your Children Safely Since 1948 519-853-1550 Thank you to our customers, friends, family & employees! ??????????????????????????????????????? Farmers say Greenbelt no way to save land F a rme r s w i t h t h e Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) are voicing concerns about On t a r i o s po t e n t i a l Greenbelt expansion, as they own close to 100 per cent of Greenbelt land and stand to lose the most. Farmers support pre- serving farmland but steps need to be taken to ensure Greenbelted farmland stays produc- tive so we can continue to provide safe, high quality food in Ontario, say Geri Kamenz, Presi- dent of the OFA. A recent study of the first Greenbelt Act of 2005 shows a decrease in Greenbelted farmland value of up to 30 per cent, while farms that border Greenbelt areas but are not included in the zoning have shot up in value, making it dif- ficult for those farmers to expand their opera- tions. Lowered value is only one problem farmers face. Recommendations were put forth by a Gov- ernment Task Force in 2004 to address wildlife predation of livestock, trespassing, crop dam- age and ecological goods and services. Farmers are already contributing positively to the envi- ronment out of their own pockets, unlike Europe- an Union or US farmers who are compensated for these efforts, says Wendy Omvlee, Chair of the OFA Greenbelt Taskforce and Executive Member. Omvlee owns and op- erates a dairy goat farm in Haldimand county, one of the areas vulner- able to further Greenbelt expansion. Greenbelt, defined as an area of open land around a city, designated for preser- vation, has farmers as far away from the GTA as Waterloo, Welling- ton, Dufferin, Niagara, Brant, Northumberland and Simcoe counties worried. These farmers are aware of the im- pacts of the Greenbelt and demand studies be done on the benefits, opportunities and farm sustainability impacts. No b e n c hma r k o r baseline studies have been done to date other than Richard Vyns re- cent Doctoral thesis on Greenbelts effects on land values. The OFA is submit- ting recommendations on the EBR posting to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the criteria for assess- ing a municipal request to be added into the Greenbelt. OFA would like to see a compre- hensive, province-wide study of transportation infrastructure and needs (public and private) and an assessment of the ag- ricultural capability of our best farmland. It would be more ben- eficial to Greenbelt the more fertile class one farmland than class five for example. Some of Ontarios best farmland is being paved over as we speak, says Omvlee. Thanks to Samaritan To the good Samaritans who helped me out on May 9 around 2 pm when I had my nasty fall on the sidewalk..To Helen(I asked her name) who stopped and asked if I needed help and to the young lad Brendan who also stopped and phoned 911 and waited with his girlfriend til the ambulance came....To the ambulance drivers Rory and Dale who took me to Georgetown Hospital and later when released I had no way home....I phoned a friend Dorothy (who is 90) who came and picked me up with no questions asked and took me back to Acton....but first made a side trip to the library to drop off my books and then took me home. Thank you all very much for your help....I ended up with a fractured ankle. Rosemarie Luoma Kingham Rd, Acton PRESIGIOUS AWARD: Ontario State Deputy Nat Gallo of the Knights of Columbus presents the Culture of Life Award to Grand Knight James Raats of St. Joseph Council, Acton, for the pro-life activities and works the Acton Council accomplished in the past year. The presentation took place at the annual Knights of Columbus Ontario State Convention held in Toronto during the Victoria Day long weekend. submitted photo