MANITOULIN ISLAND The provincial agriculture minister denied a request to force a farm tribunal to hear the case of a Manitoulin Island chicken farmer who is looking to raise more chickens without quota. Glenn Black, of Manitoulin Island, has been fighting the Chicken Farmers of Ontario over its 300-limit quota policy as he wants to raise 2,000 chickens without quota. The Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal declined to hear Blacks three appeals, saying that they were lengthy, vexatious and unfocused. So he then asked Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal to force the tribunal to listen to the case, a power the ag minister has but rarely uses. Leal denied the request. British Columbia and Alberta have limits of 2,000 non-quota birds, while Saskatchewan and Manitoba allow 999 each. New Brunswick has a limit of 200 and Quebec 100. |