British Columbia grows less than half of the fresh produce it needs. Much of what we consume comes from California. The ongoing drought conditions, and a weak loony, have sent vegetable prices spiralling 11.7% this year. Fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables are becoming an occasional luxury for some middle-low income B.C. families. Though this will only worsen worse as global temperatures continue to rise, the government of BC is far more preoccupied with the get-rich promise of mega-energy projects. Once it is completed, Site C will submerge prime agricultural lands.
The Clark government introduced legislation dividing the province’s Agriculture Land Reserve in half. In the South, “decisions will continue to be made on the basis of the original principle of preserving agricultural land.” They want freedom to reconsider how parcels the Northern section will be used. A news release entitled “Food for Thought” explained this by saying 85% of agricultural revenues came from a mere 10% of the land. It looks like the BC Government wants to frack BC’s Agricultural Land Reserve in the north.
Opposition MLA Vicki Huntington had stronger words, “Without consultation, this government has introduced legislation to remove 90 per cent of BC’s farmland from the ALC’s (Agricultural Land Commission) independent mandate to protect farmland and farming.”
Concerns about changes to the Agricultural Land Commission are growing. The Commission was established in 1972 and currently oversees 4.7 million ha of agricultural land, roughly 5% of BC. A leaked cabinet document, from Agricultural Minister Pat Prim’s office, reveled plans to divide the ALR into northern and southern zones, with the Oil and Gas Commission taking authority over the northern zone.
