B.C. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick said Wed., April 23, that he’s willing to reconsider legislation that would change the Agricultural Land Reserve, but wants to hear from all British Columbians before he makes up his mind.
VICTORIA — B.C.’s agriculture minister says he’s willing to reconsider legislation that would change the Agricultural Land Reserve, but wants to hear from all British Columbians before he makes up his mind.
Norm Letnick emerged from a seven-hour meeting with farmers and ranchers in Abbotsford on Wednesday to say he needs to hear from the rest of the province before deciding whether to change or withdraw from the legislature the proposed legislation that would alter the ALR.
“The opportunity is everything from amending the bill to leaving it alone to removing the bill,” Letnick said in an interview. “I haven’t landed on any particular recommendation yet, because I’m not finished my consultation process.”
Letnick said he’s asked ministry staff to organize a B.C.-wide consultation, which could take the form of a phone, Twitter or Web-based town hall meeting.
Core Review Minister Bill Bennett crafted the bill to change the ALR in late March, saying it was necessary to modernize and improve the management of protected farmland in the province, as well as the Agricultural Land Commission that oversees that land.
The changes include splitting the ALR into two administrative zones, which would relax the rules for development of protected farmland in the province’s North and Interior.
It would also make it easier for farmers to use land that isn’t suitable for agriculture for some other purpose, with the social and economic value of proposed projects given weight by the Agricultural Land Commission when reviewing development proposals.
Letnick inherited the file, along with the controversy, when he was named agriculture minister on April 11.
The organization representing more than 14,000 B.C. farmers and ranchers, the B.C. Agriculture Council, withdrew its support for the changes this month, saying the overhaul would leave northern farmland at risk of development for resource projects.
But other groups have suggested the changes are necessary because they’ll allow aging farmers more opportunity to launch money-generating economic projects on their land, which will ultimately allow them to stay on their farms longer.
Letnick said he’s heard arguments from both supporters and opponents, and has personally read every email sent to his ministry on the subject.
B.C. Agriculture Council chairman Stan Vander Waal said he’s pleased to hear Letnick will conduct provincewide consultation.
“That’s a great idea, because what it does is involve all British Columbians in the future of agriculture,” he said.
Farmers and ranchers were “really pleased with how the meeting went” with Letnick, he said, and while they still oppose the bill in its current form they are happy to see the minister at least considering options.
“There’s definitely a path forward,” said Vander Waal.
After the consultation, Letnick said he’ll make recommendations to his B.C. Liberal caucus on what to do and then talk to farmers again.
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Core Review ALC Changes Threaten BC’s Food Security: Agriculture Advocates Respond to Bill 24
BC minister of energy and mines Bill Bennett announces the BC Liberal government’s proposed changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve and Commission, March 27, 2014
FROM THE BC FOOD SYSTEMS NETWORK
www.FoodDemocracy.org
www.FoodDemocracy.org
March 27, 2014
Victoria—Like forests and water, our foodlands are a public trust. We must retain agricultural land for a food secure future.
Changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) and Commission (ALC) announced today in the Legislature refer to regional differences, fertile land and benefits for BC farmers. A common interpretation of the “fertile land” and two-zone emphasis from the Premier and Ministers is the Okanagan and Fraser Valleys and southern Vancouver Island as deserving of more protection and the rest of the province less. What this does is to weaken protection for 90 per cent of lands currently in the ALR.
Less than five percent of BC`s total land base is suitable for agriculture and protected in the Agricultural Land Reserve. “This is potentially disastrous: it could leave just one-half of one per cent (0.5%) of BC’s land base with the present standard of farmland protection,” said Brent Mansfield, Co-Chair of the BC Food Systems Network (BCFSN). “That is not enough!”
It also raises questions about agricultural lands in BC’s north. “We already know that we will have to look north for food production as growing seasons change due to the effects of climate change, such as the present drought in California,” said Co-chair Abra Brynne. “Almost half of the ALR lands are in the north, with 72 per cent of BC’s remaining prime quality lands in the Peace River Valley. Future generations cannot afford to lose that food growing potential. There is just too much at stake.”
The ALR has earned broad public support over 40 years. As well as preserving farmland, it is a key element of regional and community planning, defining urban containment boundaries. “Cannibalizing the ALR – with two zones and six regional panels – is no way to improve it,” said Brynne. She questioned the process that led to these changes. “The Core Review process promised but did not deliver public consultation,” she stated. “Farm and food organizations, local governments and the Agricultural Land Commission itself have not had a proper opportunity for dialogue.”
Given the importance of access to both land and water for food production, this rushed and unusual process is a marked contrast to the public consultation process undertaken before introduction of the Water Sustainability Act. “We understand that farmers need more flexibility from the farmland protection system for succession planning and for agriculture-related ancillary businesses,” said Mansfield. “But the methods need more discussion.”
The BCFSN calls on the government to set this Bill aside and consult properly with stakeholders and the public on any changes to the Agricultural Land Commission Act, just as it did with the Water Sustainability Act. Let’s find a way to work together to update a province-wide farmland protection system for the 21st century that will serve food producers and support food security for all British Columbians.
Protesters call on Clark to save ALR
Citizens rally at Premier Christy Clark’s constituency office in West Kelowna, demanding that her government respect the autonomy of the Agricultural Land Reserve and Commission. The rally was organized by the Kelowna chapter of the Council of Canadians.
The growing season seemed a long way off Monday as 50 people gathered in snow and cold to express their support for farming in B.C.
But it wasn’t just the coming summer that was on the mind of Sheila Paynter. The 93-year-old Westbank woman was thinking of all the summers to come as she joined the others in calling for the perpetual preservation of the Agricultural Land Reserve.
“The ALR is so precious to us,” Paynter said. “We need to safeguard it for the future.”
Paynter and others who gathered outside the Westside-Kelowna constituency office of Liberal Premier Christy Clark fear the
government is not committed to ensuring the primacy of the ALR in the province’s agricultural strategy.
government is not committed to ensuring the primacy of the ALR in the province’s agricultural strategy.
The Westbank rally in support of the ALR was one of about 60 held across B.C. to mark the creation of the land freeze 40 years ago. Properties designated as having high agricultural capacity cannot easily be developed, though exclusions are sometimes made for new residential, commercial, or industrial projects.
“It seems like this government is slowly chipping away at the ALR,” said Karen Abramsen of the Kelowna chapter of the Council of Canadians, which organized the rally.
“They want to make it easy to use farmland for oil and gas development,” Abramsen said. “They’re putting all our eggs in the basket of economic development, which I think is a short-sighted strategy because it means we’ll end up having to import more and more of the food we need.” When the ALR was created, there was 33,077 hectares of farmland protected in the Central Okanagan. Now, there is 26,000 hectares in the ALR in †the Central Okanagan.
Province-wide, however, the total amount of land in the ALR is 4.7 million hectares, the same as 40 years ago. Critics say the numbers are equal because productive farmland excluded from the ALR has been replaced by less-desirable agricultural lands in northern and central B.C.
“It’s a numbers game to make it seem things haven’t changed, when the reality is there’s a lot less good farmland than there used to be,” said Aidan Smith, a third-generation orchardist.
Protesters carried signs such as ‘Agriculture, not greed culure’, ‘Save the ALR’, and ‘Enough ALReady’. During the protest, several passing motorists honked in apparent support.
Standing up for farmland in Summerland
300 people rallied in Summerland on February 10 demanding that the provincial government as well as the District of Summerland council respect the integrity of the Agricultural Land Reserve.
By John Moorehouse, Penticton Herald, February 11, 2014
Close to 300 people turned out to a rally in Memorial Park on Monday in a show of opposition against Summerland council’s proposed ALR land swap.
Council is scheduled to decide this evening whether to give initial support to proposed amendments to the official community plan, in accordance with the recently-completed urban growth strategy.
A key part of the strategy calls for the municipality to apply to the Agricultural Land Commission for the removal of 87 hectares of farmland close to the downtown core in exchange for91 hectares in the north Prairie Valley area. This would allow for future residential growth.
However, Summerland’s advisory planning commission has refused to endorse council’s plan.
Former NDP agriculture minister Corky Evans told the rally rather than see the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) as a hindrance, council should realize the business sense in saving farmland for agriculture.
“The communities that people are going to want to come and live in in the future aren’t those that are highrises and sprawl,” he said. “People are going to want to live in a community where they can see the diversity.”
Evans pointed to the Courtenay-Comox area on Vancouver Island a where the regional district realized the ALR was an advertising opportunity for future growth.
“They could print brochures and send them to Edmonton and say: ‘Come here to our pastoral community where we care about land,’” he said to loud cheers for the crowd. The retired MLA said British Columbians have grown to appreciate the ALR more than ever before.
“Today we have actually come together in a different era where we have experienced 40 years of protection of food land and now the people don’t want to let it go.”
Evans also praised the young people involved in the Save the Summerland ALR campaign who organized Monday’s rally.
“I used to go to meetings with farmers where I was the youngest guy in the room,” he said. “Now there’s a whole generation of young people that wants to work the land.”
Campaign spokesperson Erin Carlson said in an interview she was delighted by the turnout. More than 2,000 people have also signed an on-line petition in support of the ALR.
However, Carlson said they intend to take their views directly to theArgicultural Land Commission, rather than Summerland council.
“We are focusing our energy on the land commission because we don’t think the town council will listen to what we’re saying,” she said.
Crowd rallies at legislature to support agricultural land reserve
More than a 1,000 people gathered Monday at the B.C. legislature for a “food for the future” rally. The noon-hour event attracted several opposition politicians and a diverse group of citizens waving placards. Photo: Darren Stone, Times Colonist
By Cindy Harnett, Victoria Times Colonist, February 10, 2014
About 1,000 people were on the lawns of the B.C. legislature on Family Day Monday for a “food for the future” rally, seeking to preserve the province’s agricultural land reserve.
The rally was put together by the Farmland Protection Coalition and endorsed by about 50 organizations — from the National Farmers Union to the B.C. Federation of Labour, organizers said.
The noon-hour rally attracted several NDP and Green politicians and a diverse group of citizens waving placards that included the phrases: “Protect Agricultural Lands Against Oil Pipelines”; “Maintain B.C.’s Food Security”; “Getting Rid of the ALR Is Not the Answer”; and the “ALR is awesome,” held by a young girl.
“British Columbians from all walks of life are coming together to demand that Premier Christy Clark and her government respect the autonomy of the Agricultural Land Reserve, strengthen the Agricultural Land Commission [an independent Crown agency] and uphold the spirit and the letter of the Land Commission Act,” Nathalie Chambers, a Saanich farmer and co-chairwoman of the Farmland Protection Coalition, said prior to the event.
The movement to protect farmland picked up momentum in November when leaked cabinet documents suggested B.C. Agriculture Minister Pat Pimm was proposing to restrain the Agricultural Land Commission and give more power over farmland to the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission.
“Site C power project is already being excluded from the ALR core review,” Chambers said to the crowd. “Our voices are not being heard. Why? Why?
“We write letters, and we’re not being heard, so we had to put billboards on the Pat Bay Highway north and south so when the elected officials leave [today] after the [speech from the throne], they will see what British Columbians want as they race to the ferry,” Chambers told cheering crowd.
The ALR protects agricultural land in the province.
NDP Leader Adrian Dix charges the government is out to dismantle the land commission.
Farmers need to be able to grow food for the future, Chambers said. She introduced a long list of speakers. One of them was Cowichan Valley farmer Dan Ferguson, vice-president of the Cowichan Agricultural Society and a member of the executive of the National Farmers Union. He said British Columbians should be outraged the province is trying to dismantle the ALR. “Farms on Vancouver Island are the lifeboats for our communities,” Ferguson said.
“Currently, we are importing 97 per cent of our food. If there is ever a disaster, there is only three days of food at any given time on this Island. Very few people are growing any of our needs,” he said.
Ferguson said strengthening the commission and expanding the Agricultural Land Reserve is fundamental to food sovereignty for the province and Vancouver Island and its future generations.
Ferguson said he was buoyed by the large size of the crowd: “I’m proud of British Columbians.”
Video footage from Feb 10 Food for the Future Rally
Watch this video on Youtube
MEDIA RELEASE: Rally to the save the Agricultural Land Reserve, today at the BC Legislature
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2014
Rally to the save the Agricultural Land Reserve, today at the BC Legislature
VICTORIA, BC – Farmers and citizens from across Vancouver Island and beyond are converging on the BC Legislature today at 12 Noon for “Food for the Future!”, the Family Day Rally to Save the Agricultural Land Reserve – the day before the house opens for the new legislative session.
More than 60 organizations – from the National Farmers Union and BC Federation of Labour to the Sierra Club, Wilderness Committee, LeadNow, David Suzuki Foundaton and local farm, seniors’ and church groups – have endorsed the Rally.
The Rally features musical performances by the Capital City Syncopators (beginning at 11:30am) and Oliver Swain’s Big Machine, as well as speakers including:
> Joan Morris, Songhees Nation
> Harold Steves, Richmond farmer, city councillor & co-founder of the ALR
> Dan Ferguson, National Farmers Union
> Vicki Huntington, Independent MLA for Delta South
> Nicholas Simons, Opposition Critic for Agriculture
> Adam Olsen, Green Party of BC Interim Leader
> Janet Rogers, City of Victoria Poet Laureate
> Garrett Schack, Island Chef’s Collaborative
> Harold Steves, Richmond farmer, city councillor & co-founder of the ALR
> Dan Ferguson, National Farmers Union
> Vicki Huntington, Independent MLA for Delta South
> Nicholas Simons, Opposition Critic for Agriculture
> Adam Olsen, Green Party of BC Interim Leader
> Janet Rogers, City of Victoria Poet Laureate
> Garrett Schack, Island Chef’s Collaborative
“We are rallying today to demonstrate to Premier Christy Clark and her government that farmers and a broad cross-section of British Columbians support the Agricultural Land Reserve and will stand up to defend it,” says Nathalie Chambers, a Saanich farmer and co-chair of the Farmland Protection Coalition, which has organized the Rally. “We need a reliable supply of farmland to grow food for the future. We will oppose any legislative changes that erode the autonomy of the ALR or the Agricultural Land Commission.”
Media and the public are invited to attend the rally.
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Contact:
Nathalie Chambers, Farmland Protection Coalition, 250-893-4505
Ben Isitt, Victoria City Councillor and CRD Director, 250-507-4257
Ben Isitt, Victoria City Councillor and CRD Director, 250-507-4257
Additional information can be found at: www.FarmlandProtection.ca
The Coalition’s new Logo!
Thanks Colin Macrae from the Sunshine Coast for designing
the Farmland Protection Coalition’s new logo!
the Farmland Protection Coalition’s new logo!
MEDIA RELEASE: Rally planned on Family Day holiday to save Agricultural Land Reserve
- For Immediate Release -
February 5, 2014
February 5, 2014
VICTORIA, BC—Farmers and their supporters will be rallying at the British Columbia Legislature on the Family Day holiday, Monday February 10, at a Noon-hour “Food for the Future” rally to save the Agricultural Land Reserve.
The rally is being organized by the Farmland Protection Coalition and has been endorsed by more than 50 organizations, from the National Farmers Union and Sierra Club of BC to the BC Federation of Labour and local church, seniors’ and farm groups.
“British Columbians from all walks of life are coming together to demand that Premier Christy Clark and her government respect the autonomy of the Agricultural Land Reserve, strengthen the Agricultural Land Commission, and uphold the spirit and the letter of the Land Commission Act,” says Nathalie Chambers, a Saanich farmer and co-chair of the Farmland Protection Coalition.
Chambers says the demonstration and wider farmland-protection movement has been building for years and picked up steam in November when leaked Cabinet documents suggested the BC government was considering far-reaching changes to the ALR and ALC, including a proposed two-zone system that would expedite the removal of farmland for oil and gas development as well as the Site C power project.
“We need farmland to grow food for the future,” says Chambers, who spearheaded the successful effort to save Madrona Farm in the Capital Region’s Blenkinsop Valley in perpetuity. “The ALR protects the soils that are essential to agricultural as well as to the health, economy and security of British Columbians. Even on so-called ‘marginal’ ALR lands, soils can be improved through sustainable farming practices. The ALR really is a key to the future in our mountainous province.”
The February 10 Family Day Rally features musical performances by the Capital City Syncopators and Oliver Swain’s Big Machine, beginning at 11:30am on the Legislature Grounds, with speakers beginning at 12 Noon from organizations including the National Farmers Union, Island Chef’s Collaborative and the Peace Valley Environmental Association.
Families and all members of the public are encouraged to attend Monday’s rally.
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For further information, please contact:
Nathalie Chambers, Farmland Protection Coalition, 250-893-4505
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