Farmers who fear jail given $350,000 grant to clean-up

The Wilton Creek Association of landowners, near Napanee, is getting a $350,000 Healthy Futures grant. A year ago, the 16 farmers who form the group were threatened with $200,000 fines and six months in jail each by Environment Canada, for polluting the waterway

Spokesman Larry Wannamaker says the money will go through the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority for individual projects proposed by landowners along the 35 mile long waterway.

While faecal matter was found along the creek last fall, in only three places, 16 farmers received threatening letters from the ministry of environment. One home had been sending white water into the creek.

The grant from Healthy Futures will pay 50 per cent of the cost of fencing, creating berms or restoring septic systems to a maximum of $5,000 per project. Wannamaker says a landowner can apply for a grant for more than one project, but 50 per cent of the total cost of construction comes out of the landowner's pocket.

Even with the grant, farmers are unhappy. "Money has to be spent on this (environment). It's a loss that will never be recovered," Wannamaker says. He's predicting some of the farmers will sell off their livestock, as he did last fall.

However, he has since brought in more cattle. Why does he put up with the aggravation? "I've had cattle all my life," he says.

But costs are beginning to mount. Last year, he put up an electric fence at a cost of $5,000. It didn't work. Now he has 50 acres of low ground he can't pasture.

Wannamaker believes Wilton Creek is only the tip of the iceberg. "It's only a matter of time before these inspectors get to farms all across the country," he says. A cash crop and beef farmer, he says the environmental hardship comes after two years of poor crops in the region.

The Wilton Creek investigation was in response to a complaint from a resident. The Department of Oceans and Fisheries targets one or two areas in the province, and lowers the iron fist. The threat of a $200,000 fine and jail is believed by most to be a scare tactic designed to elicit publicity.

Farmers at Wilton Creek were to have corrective construction in place by last spring.