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MNR will vaccinate rac- coons again this year along the Niagara River and in an area along the St. Lawrence River to pre- vent raccoon rabies from entering Ontario. The trap-vaccinate- release (TVR) program is" scheduled to take place be- tween June and od ber this year. Under the two TVR programs, rac- coons will be tripped; vac- cinated and ACH with- in a 680 square kilometre area between the Welland Canal and the Niagara River, and along an area three to ten kilometres deep on the St. Lawrence River. "Trained MNR staff will conduct the TVR pro- grams by setting up live traps," said Natural Re- sources." Minister Chris Hodgson. - "Captured rac- coons, skunks and foxes will be tagged for identifi- ' INVENTORY CLEAROUT GAS FIREPLACES AS LOW AS Hours: Mon. to Fri. 7-6 sat. 7-5 "A Family Tradition for 130 Years" YOU SET YOUR PAYMENT OAC Our knowledgeable staff will provide FREE estimates for any job! DON & SON Building Supplies Limited 1289 Sommerville St. N. (One block W. of Simcoe St.) 576- 1 765 cation, vaccinated b -- in- jection with rabies vac- cine, then released. Ministry staff will check the traps every morning." MNR is asking the pub- lic to leave the traps alone, especially if they contain animals. To date, there are no confirmed cases of raccoon rabies in Ontario. Howev- er, raccoon rabies has been reported in New York State, along the 'banks of the Niagara Riv- er, and within 10 kilome- ters of the St. Lawrence River in an area across from Gananoque. This will be the third year for the TVR program in the Niagara area. Dur- ing the 1995 season, MNR captured 75.per cent of the raccoon population in that area. It is the second year for the TVR program in the St. Lawrence region, which has also been iden- per month tifedas a likely entry point forraccoonrabies. = For the second year, a study which involves test- ing blood samples from a number of wild raccoons for signs of certain virus- es, will be conducted in the TVR areas of the St. Law- rence and the whole Niag- ara Peninsula. Agricul ture + and Agn-Food Canada requires that this study be done before any consideration can be given to using oral rabies vac- cines for raccoons: Oral vaccine is currently being tested in the United States as an approach to preventing rabies in rac- coons and other wildlife. Contingency plans have been developed by MNR and its partners on the province's Raccoon Rabies Task Force should raccoon rabies be reported in areas other than those with TVR programs. A provincial contingency plan is Ase in place if raccoon rabies should enter Ontario. As well, the Ministry of Natural Resouces i is con- tinuing its work on elimi- nating fox rabies in Onta- : By Joel Bagg Agriculture Minister Noble Villeneuve has re- cently announced the in- troduction of a Biotech hotline to make it easier forinvestors and research- ers to obtain information about Ontario's biotech- nology industry. There is tremendous growth in the biotechnolo- gy field and opportunities are unprecedented. Im- proved food safety and processing, human and animal health, crop and environmental protection, and increased yields are 198 QUEEN ST.,, PORT PERRY, ONT. (905) 985-7306 . FARM LIABILITY ® EQUIPMENT iE BSoN 4 INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED rio > this year. Since 1989, aerial baiting programs have taken place through- out the province and, by 2001, expects to have 'eliminated fox rabies from Ontario. examples of biotechnology benefits. Examples of ex- br meth- ods included gene transfer in plants to produce dis- ease resistant varieties, the transfer of genetically superior and sexed frozen cattle embryos to recipient dams, and human insulin synthesis by microorgan- isms. The phone number 1- 888-ONT-AGRI (1-888- 668-2474) will offer com- "panies and research or- ganizations one call access to all the information they need to participate in agri- SPECIALIZING IN ALL TYPES OF FARM INSURANCE : ~~ Since 1917 fis A rabies hot two_toll-free 1 available to the pu direct and i1 cess to 1 bies. Ne is a pi ner Tr > Agr izations and in support the deve dat and make it rea able through 1 aly 3 number. ; a