Representatives from the Bruce and Grey federations of agriculture had the opportunity to bend the ear of area politicians from three levels of government.
The federations co-hosted the seventh annual Politicians Day in Chesley, allowing producers to share concerns with municipal, provincial and federal elected officials.
One issue which seemed to not have an apparent solution is the battle for the road between cars and farm machinery.
Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie says it can be a scary sight when cars attempt to pass farm equipment, pointing out it's particularly an issue during the summer months when the tourism season is in full swing.
She says urban drivers often have little to no experience dealing with large, slow moving equipment, so she's suggesting placing signage on major routes to remind drivers to give farmers the time and space they need on the road.
The Bruce County Federation of Agriculture also renewed its long-standing concerns over the 911 and civic addressing system used in the county.
Past-President John Gillespie says the green "fire number" at end of each driveway does little on its own to provide information on the geographic location of the property, adding its a concern during an emergency when every minute counts.
He says they are making progress with Bruce County council, who they have urged to switch to a civic addressing system that provides more information to first responders, adding they also want to see digital mapping improved so it can be easier for GPS systems to find rural addresses.
There's also growing concern over losing valuable expertise at OMAFRA.
Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson says she has repeatedly heard that extension staff are retiring from their positions, with little thought on how to pass the knowledge along to the next employees.
She adds there have been bureaucrats moved over from other provincial ministries and they may not have the knowledge to be a benefit to young farmers.
Thompson says she and Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker will be lobbying through a petition for OMAFRA to review its hiring practices and succession planning.
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Thompson says moving bureaucrats over from other ministries isn't helping young farmers gain the knowledge they need.
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Past-president of the Bruce County federation, John Gillespie, says rural addresses in Bruce County are a constant source of confusion because each township has its own property numbers and road names.
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