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Agriculture Business CommunityChapters: Perth East, Perth South, Wilmot West.

C/o 3649 Road 107RR#2Tavistock, OntarioN0B 2R0

May, 1, 2013

To the members of Perth County Council:

The Agriculture Business Community of Perth East, Perth South and Wilmot West (ABC) areinformed, active participants in the Highway 7&8 Class EA process. We have researched andsubmitted eight extensive reports to the Consultants/ MTO in response to their work.

Over a four year period we have provided the study team with data, examples, information andprobably unprecedented access to our members to help them understand the business of

agriculture. We hoped to move them from their narrow perspective of equating the business ofagriculture to only maps of class 1, 2 and 3 agricultural lands.

We told them not to judge the value of agriculture in the study area by the outward appearanceof barns. They were told they only had to drive a short distance on many of our rural roads tofind producers who are world leaders in the transfer of embryos around the world; of producerswho have led their industry provincially or nationally or young producers who are among thebest and the brightest in North America.

In the fall of 2012 ABC submitted its comments in Volume Eight to the study team responding tothe draft directions they outlined at the fall PIC. In December, the consultants responded to

ABC, individual members, Perth East Council, Perth County Council, Perth Federation ofAgriculture and the joint local government submission. Following our review of these responses,at our April 2013 meeting, ABC volunteers directed us to present to Perth County Council.

First, ABC wants to thank Perth County for submitting, with Perth South, Stratford and PerthEast strong letters laying out this regions case and supporting the agriculture industry. Asvolunteers working on behalf of agriculture we appreciate this acknowledgement of theimportance of our industry to the County and the community and the clarity with which it waspresented to the provincial representatives and their consultants.

Secondly we want to point out that the Consultants/MTO responses about agriculture were

consistently:

"While the importance of agriculture within the study area is understood, theenvironmental assessment process does not permit one criterion to be paramount. Theassessment and evaluation of preliminary design alternatives will be based on over 60 criteriafrom four major factor areas, specifically the natural environment, land use/socio-economic,cultural environment and transportation factors."

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For four years ABC has provided MTO and its Consultants with data, mapping, interviews,written reports and individual comments detailing how agriculture falls into all of their studycategories. We have also tried to educate them through a mapping process and submissions bymembers of the huge footprint and economic importance this industry has to this region.

We are fully conversant with the EA process and understand it includes a range of criteria. The

Perth area community and the Municipalities have made it quite clear that Agriculture isn't justone of the 60 variables they have identified. It is a key variable and therefore must receive ahigher priority in the EA. The MTO cannot continue to pave class #1 land in an age wheredomestic food production is even more important than ever.The MTO cannot continue to hidebehind the process.

Agriculture is a very significant economic driver in the study area and must be given a muchhigher priority in this process. The route location and eventual highway design must inherentlyreflect the importance of agriculture to this region.

ABC requests that Perth County write the MTO and its consultants prior to the announcement ofthe next scheduled PIC indicating:

. The winter 2013 response from the Consultants does not reflect the central value ofagriculture in the study area and will not be accepted; and

. The location and design considerations to be presented in the next scheduled PIC mustreflect the central value of agriculture to this area or it will not receive municipal support.

ABC believes time is of the essence and the proactive approach should be taken.

Thank you

Agriculture Business Community of Perth East, Perth South and Wilmot West