Land prices go hog wild

Hundreds of acres of farm land are being churned up by bulldozers, steam shovels and backhoes in the riding of the minister of agriculture, Brian Coburn.

Another 150 acres at Innes and Trim Road, about 12 kilometres from the proposed hog farm at Sarsfield that raised the ire of the City of Ottawa, is about ready to go under asphalt and brick.

Several months ago the city hastily passed a by-law that prohibited, in essence, 

hog operations.

Last year's troubled corn crop still stood in the field on Innes and Trim Road the beginning of April, but don't cry for the owner's loss. Eighty-seven acres are offered for $12 million, and will 

be used for 480 units, including single family dwellings and town houses. An acre costs almost $138,000.

A Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Burger King will be established several miles away.

During the spring farm show, one Cumberland farmer told Farmers Forum he sold 20 acres for $200,000.

On the political front, the City of Ottawa is putting an interim by-law in place that will require all farms to reduce odours by installing bio-filters on ventilation systems.

Transporting manure more than 10 kilometres will be illegal. In February, Coburn issued a directive preventing a challenge to a "good" municipal by-law.