October 21, 2002 meeting:

General meeting was held at the rural service center in Yorkton. Minutes of the August 7 general meeting were approved. Subcommittee reports on water, soil and odour monitoring were presented, along with a web site update (it is now up and running and can be accessed at www.spiritcreek.ca )and a Big Sky Farms Inc. site report.

Presentation on the VIDO (Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization) project was made by Dr. Philip Willson from the Vet College at the U of S. The objective of the exercise was to measure airborne dust, endotoxin and DNA downwind from the three hog barns and collected on a filter three times during the year (preseeding, seeding and summer). Each barn site had three sample locations: one at 2,400 meters upwind ("fresh air"), one at 600 meters downwind from the barn and one at a barn vent outlet (0.1 meters). Results: "We found high amounts of total dust and endotoxin at the barn site, but air 600 meters downwind was not statistically different from the 'fresh air' upwind of the barn".

August 7, 2002 meeting:

General meeting was held at the rural service center in Yorkton. Minutes of the May 7 general meeting and June 6 web page meetings were approved. Subcommittee reports on water, soil and odour monitoring programs were presented, along with reports from Big Sky Farms Inc. project status, web page progress, Agriculture & Food, and a general committee report.

Concern was expressed to the steadily declining number of odour forms being returned for evaluation. Could this indicate a drop in interest or concern? The presentation by The Committee of Concerned Citizens For A Safe and Healthy Environment did not take place because they did not show up.

May 7, 2002 general meeting

The SCWMC met at the Kuziak Building in Yorkton.

VIDO (Veterinary Infectious Diseases Organization) from the University of Saskatchewan Veterinary College will conduct a research project around the Matsalla finishing barn.

Signs marking the quarters involved in the soils sampling program will be installed.

March 12, 2002 general meeting

Rama and area seminar. Two seminars were conducted in the training of odour specialists. 28 people attended the first seminar and 10 people attended the second. A total of 38 people were trained as “Rama Area Nasal Rangers” and the group will conduct the nasal odour research program.

February 13, 2002 general meeting

Public Information Meeting was held at the R.C. Hall in Rama. Approximately 50 people attended. Questions on water, soil and air (odour) followed. The meeting was well received, keep everyone informed of our findings.

Guest speaker was Dr. Claude Laque, Professor, Department of Agriculture and Bio-resource Engineering, University of Saskatchewan. His presentation was on “Odour.”

January 8, 2002 general meeting

The SCWMC MET AT THE Good Spirit REDA boardroom. Discussion followed the presentation of reports by the subcommittee’s on water, soil and odour. Plans were made for an upcoming “Information Public Meeting” to be held in Rama.