For immediate release: 01 May2006

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT ASSISTS FARMERS BY SUPPORTING VITAL SERVICE FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS
Funding To Assist With Deadstock Disposal Projects And Collection

ATWOOD - The McGuinty government is continuing to assist Ontario's farmers by supporting affordable deadstock collection, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky announced today.

"We are providing $4 million in new funding to provide transitional support for deadstock collection," said Dombrowsky. "This will ensure that Ontario has continued deadstock removal in the short term, and provides time to develop a sustainable plan for managing livestock mortalities in the future."

The minister also announced the government was providing $1.7 million to support Atwood Pet Food Limited, in Atwood. Atwood Pet Food has made a commitment to the livestock industry to find an affordable, environmentally safe rendering and recycling system for a portion of livestock mortalities, which are an everyday part of livestock farming in Ontario.

"I am proud to have been a strong advocate for the vision of an environmentally and economically sustainable future proposed by Atwood Pet Food," said John Wilkinson, MPP for Perth-Middlesex. "I want to thank Minister Dombrowsky for helping to make that vision a reality."

"This plant was identified by the Livestock Mortality Recycling Assistance Program as a vital facility to deal with the challenges that have come since BSE," said program coordinator Graeme Hedley. "Atwood Pet Food will help us meet the industry's needs."

The McGuinty government has supported an affordable deadstock collection system throughout the BSE crisis. In total, more than $9 million has gone to support this service that is so important to Ontario's livestock producers.

"Ministry staff will continue to work with industry and government partners to develop safe and innovative long-term solutions to deadstock disposal issues," said Dombrowsky. "We are all interested in building opportunities for our agricultural and rural communities now and in the future."

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Contact:
Christopher Flavelle
Minister's Office
(416) 326-3072