Let's protect the bees!

If you think bees are important for our fruit growing community please take steps to join efforts to protect the bee population!

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This is what happens to domestic water when used for irrigation.

There was a brisk, 10-15 km wind at the time. Large plumes of water was blown away. It costs 5-6 cents per cubic meter for irrigation. I costs about $3.00 to treat and deliver it to domestic customers.

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Glyphosate (roundup) is proven carcigen.

It is now admitted by the International Cancer Agency that glyphosate residues in engineered food cause cancer.

 

The glyphosate used in Roundup ready GM crops is now proven to be a human carcinogen and it is also proven it makes its way into underground and surface water. Shouldn't this be enough to cause great concerns among people responsible for the safety of our water?

One way councils can make sure they put safety first would be to declare their intention to see GM crops replaced by organic agriculture, without pesticides and herbicides. Read more.

 

Huguette Allen

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The Russians Prove Small Scale Organic CAN Feed the World

 by Christina Sarich
May 29th, 2013
Updated 05/07/2014

If you’ve already been through an economic collapse, you might know a thing or two about how to feed your family with little money. More importantly, you might know how to do it without pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and GMO seed. On a total of about 20 million acres managed by over 35 million Russian families, Russians are carrying on an old-world technique, which we Americans might learn from. They are growing their own organic crops - and it’s working.

According to some statistics, they grow 92% of the entire countries’ potatoes, 77% of its vegetables, 87% of its fruit, and feed 71% of the entire population from privately owned, organic farms or house gardens all across the country. These aren’t huge Agro-farms run by pharmaceutical companies; these are small family farms and less-than-an-acre gardens.

A recent report from Agro-ecology and the Right to Food says that organic and sustainable small-scale farming could double food production in the parts of the world where hunger is the biggest issue. Within five to 10 years we could see a big jump in crop cultivation. It could also take the teeth out of GMO business in the US. Read more: Small scale organic

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Brazil Seeks Ban on Monsanto Herbicide Due to Alarming Toxicity Risks

 

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Improvements to ALC protect farmland, support farmers - News release

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Rural Lumby overwhelmingly votes to be GMO FREE!

April 15^th, 2013

Lumby – On April 15^th, Area D of RDNO has overwhelmingly said NO to Genetically Modified Crops, joining Cherryville and the more than 60 other BC communities who have supported a resolution in favour of banning GMO crops. While declaring a community a GMO FREE zone is not a bylaw it makes everyone understand the level of opposition to GM crops.

Three weeks ago, Bee SAFE, a local volunteer group started by Huguette Allen, Jane Emlyn and Carla Vierke, held a public meeting at the Lumby Community hall to discuss how GMO crops affect other crops and why they're being banned in many regions. Lately, Vancouver Island and 51 Coastal Communities have all voted in favour of being GM crop free.

“GMO crops were accepted in our communities without people's knowledge and contamination is occurring without people's consent. There is no co-existence possible between GMO crops and other crops – by not deciding to ban them, we're deciding to ban every other type of agriculture and to put the future of our food and our farms in the hands of corporations like Monsanto, who own patents on GMO seeds” said Huguette Allen.

Along with a presentation and discussion, Bee SAFE asked the public to cast a vote to show whether they were in favour of passing a resolution to ban GMO crops in their community. Looking at the vote results, Carla Vierke said: "It's scary to see that had we not called for a vote, 7% of rural Lumby voters and 4% of Cherryville voters would have decided on the future of our communities. It is a very clear example that by not making a choice, you are in fact making a choice.”

Out of 405 votes cast, 293 were from area D, 53 from Lumby and the rest from neighbouring communities. Area D voted 92.8% in favour of a ban. “If people had not been pro-active and the GMO trend had continued, it would soon have become impossible for anyone to grow organic or conventional crops" said Jane Emlyn. "The solution now is to support diversified farming, to develop a resilient economy based on health, quality of life & protection of the environment."

For more information:

Huguette Allen

250-547-0272

www.beesafemonashees.org

 

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You are invited!

 

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Readers write - UN calls for Fundamental Shift in Farming - Bee SAFE

Privatizing Profits and Socializing Deficits.

People who grow food are the most needed people in the world. While professionals, artisans and artists make our lives easier, farmers are needed daily to keep us alive. However, since corporations have persuaded governments to turn farming into an industry that benefits multinational corporations, farming has also become a health hazard.

As multinationals profit from the sale of machines and fossil fuel, seeds, chemicals and pharmaceuticals needed to raise animals in factories, the environment, the animals and all of us suffer negative consequences. While the profits are privatized, the deficits are socialized. Every part of nature suffers from the air, soil and water pollution caused by industrial farming and its chemicals, as well as from the lack of nutrients industrial crops produce.

Emotional impacts of farming.

However, the industrial farmers themselves may be the most harmed, for they suffer huge emotional deficits. While farmers develop bonds with their animals, factory farm workers learn to think of their animals as “production units” that must be replaced as soon as productivity drops. While farmers can enjoy the sight of a mother hen outside with her chicks, the industrialist cannot stand to be among the stench produced by thousands of hens crowded in a windowless building.

While farmers enjoy the yearly rituals of sowing seeds in and reaping crops from soil enriched with cover crops, compost and manure, industrial farmers must cover themselves from the toxic chemicals they spray on ever increasingly arid land. They must learn to raise crops or/and animals for profit, in an environment they know to be toxic and one they eventually hate.

Farmers profit from learning how to collaborate with an integrated natural system whereas industrial farmers are made to profit from fighting the natural system every step of the way. How tiring. It is easy to imagine how the former feels at the end of the day compared to the latter. Perhaps the shift in farming called for by the United Nations will change this.

Agro-Ecological Farming.

A few months ago I wrote about Olivier de Schutter, United Nations right-to-food envoy, blasting Canada for its “self-righteous” attitude about how great a country it is, saying that instead Canada should start dealing with its widespread problem of food insecurity.  Prime Minister Harper declined to set up any meetings between cabinet ministers and De Schutter, something highly unusual for UN special rapporteur missions.

Now Monsieur de Schutter has gone much farther in his statements about what every country has to do if we are to avoid mass starvation. In an eloquent presentation to the United Nations, Mr. de Schutter called for a fundamental shift in farming methods, saying that “conventional farming simply is not the best choice anymore” and that agro-ecological farming aka Eco Farming, must replace industrial farming. “We won't solve hunger and stop climate change with industrial farming on large plantations. The solution lies in supporting small-scale farmers' knowledge and experimentation ...”

Eco-farming means growing food using no or very few imported resources, water and fuel, reducing GhG emissions by using few mechanized tools and having diversified crops enrich the soil. It can be used for millennia on the same lands without undermining the resources on which it depends.

Creating local jobs and developing skills.

It is more work and thought intensive than conventional farming, which means it creates more local jobs. “In the UK, farms under 100 acres provide five times more jobs per acre than those over 500 acres. Moreover, wages paid to farm workers benefit local economies and communities far more than money paid for heavy equipment and the fuel to run it.” (Bringing the Food Economy Home). And wouldn't you agree that growing food in a healthy environment with people one learns from, is a lot more pleasurable than working on an assembly line or with toxic chemicals?

Farmers gain in wisdom since they are constantly learning about the land and nature around it. To transition to eco farming means embarking on a captivating and enriching learning experience. It means learning the skills necessary to grow food without depending on corporations. It means experimenting and failing at times, but because crops are diversified, each failure is not drastic but increases understanding of the whole system. The very opposite occurs with monocultures.

Can Industrial farmers transition to Eco-Farming?

There can be many stages to transitioning from conventional farming to eco farming and although each of them requires thought, knowledge and work, the most important component is the willingness to learn how nature works and to want to work with it instead of against it.

The burgeoning soil sciences taught by permaculture and soil experts are proving to save money for industrial farmers. As the price of GMO seeds and their necessary chemicals increase, many industrial farmers are transitioning to more natural crop growing techniques and finding that their work satisfaction increases along with their profits.

Developing a plan to help industrial farmers transition to Eco-farming seems a  perfect opportunity for the newly formed RDNO Agricultural Advisory Committee to help make agriculture profitable for everyone.

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Cherryville to decide on GMO crops.

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Genetic engineers publish damning evidence-based report about GMO food

A damning new evidence-based report about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has just been published – and it reveals that most of the claims made by the pro-GM camp are nothing more than hot air. Genetic engineers on genetic modification of food This comprehensive and fascinating report, published by non-governmental organisation Earth Open Source, is entitled GMO Myths and Truths: An evidence-based examination of the claims made for the safety and efficacy of genetically modified crops.  What makes it so powerful is that two of the authors are genetic engineers – Michael Antoniou PhD, of King’s College London School of Medicine in the UK, and John Fagan PhD, a leading sustainability expert in food system, biosafety, and GMO testing, and founder/chief scientific officer of the Global Id Group.    Dispelling the GM myths The report effectively dismisses the “far reaching claims” used as the basis for extensive promotion of GMO crops by the biotech industry, governments and government agencies and proponents of GMO technology.  It reveals that the exact opposite of the pro-GM claims is true pretty much universally.  Most notably, the reports shows that GMOs are associated with hazards to health and the environment – none of which comes as a surprise to those of us who have been following GMO developments closely. Rather than representing the solution to world hunger, GMOs, according to these authors, not only fail to deal with the problem, but they also distract from its real causes: “Poverty, lack of access to food and, increasingly, lack of access to land to grow it on”. Traditional plant breeding outperforms GM The report provides evidence that conventional plant breeding outperforms GM crops in terms of yield, drought tolerance, disease and pest resistance – all of which confirms the findings of a 30-year study comparing organic with conventional farming methods, including GMOs.  GMO-free farming is absolutely able to meet our present and future food needs, without all the risks and damage being wreaked by GMO technology! The new report also echoes the findings of 400 scientists from 60 countries who concluded, back in 2008, that GMOs were no solution to food shortages in the developing world.  This research was detailed in the UN’s International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) report. The 2008 report concluded that GM raises numerous contentious issues for developing countries, such as gene transfer, contamination of organic crops, undermining of local practices, reduced food security and unpredictable or reduced yields. The biotech industry and government agencies must now be answerable Opposition to GMO technology can no longer be dismissed as emotional anti-science or pseudoscience.  With every uncomfortable truth and dirty trick now exposed by solid science from genetic engineers themselves, GMO food and agriculture now looks less like an impressive, modern technology, and more like a dangerous and foolhardy con trick designed to secure ownership of the world’s food supply for highly unscrupulous and unethical corporations. *************************************************************************** The most insidious consequence of the GMO food and agriculture is the fact that corporations holding proprietary rights will control prices of seed and production further increasing food prices.

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Richmond City Council Finalizes GE Free Zone

Press Release

Richmond City Council Finalizes GE Free Zone

May 29, 2012. Ottawa. - Last night, Richmond City Council (British Columbia) unanimously confirmed a decision to make the city a GE Free Zone.

Following the initial unanimous decision by the General Purposes Committee on May 24, 250 Richmond residents turned out last night to support final approval at City Council. The biotechnology industry lobby group CropLife presented in a failed effort to dissuade councilors from approving the resolution.

“Teachers, parents, farmers, high school students, and other ordinary citizens packed City Hall and spent almost 3 hours making presentations to Council,” said local agrologist Arzeena Hamir with the Richmond Food Security Society. “We’re really proud of our City Council for taking this bold decision on our behalf. We hope that other communities can take similar action to stop these unwanted and unnecessary crops.”

Richmond is a municipality of almost 200,000 people to the south of Vancouver in British Columbia and has about 200 farms.

The City of Richmond agreed to oppose the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE, also called genetically modified or GM) plants and trees in the City, making an exception for the 3 dairy farms that already grow GM corn. The resolution states, “no further GM crops, trees or plants should be grown in the City of Richmond. This also includes GM fruit trees, all GM plants and shrubbery, GM vegetables, GM commodity crops and any and all field tests for medical and experimental GM crops.” The City also agreed to send letters to all levels of government “requesting strengthened management of genetically modified plants, and including the introduction of mandatory labelling requirements, more transparent assessment procedures and enhanced communication with the public.”

“There’s no room in our communities for crops like the proposed GM apple. We need to invest in organic farming rather than risk its future from GM contamination,” said Tony Beck of the Society for a GE Free BC.

“Last night, the industry tried to dismiss people's concerns about the safety of GM foods and crops but the public is right not to trust corporate tests that are kept secret from them and independent scientists.” said Dag Falck who presented at the meeting on behalf of Nature’s Path Foods which is headquartered in Richmond.

“Local communities are stepping up to protect BC’s environment and economy,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. “The markets for iconic and economically important BC products could soon be destroyed if genetically modified organisms like GM apples and GM salmon are introduced.”

The Richmond Food Security Society and the Society for a Genetically Free (GE) BC introduced the resolution in 2010. Richmond joins other GE free zones in British Columbia such as Powell River, Kaslo, Nelson, New Denver, and Rossland.

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For more information: Arzeena Hamir, cell 604 727 9728; Dag Falck, cell 250 307 4992, Lucy Sharratt, 613 241 2267 x 25.

Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN)
Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice
Suite 206, 180 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2P 1P5
Phone: 613 241 2267 ext. 25
Fax: 613 241 2506
coordinator@cban.ca
www.cban.ca

Stop the GM Apple: http://www.cban.ca/apple

Donate today! http://www.cban.ca/donate

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Readers write -- Agricultural Bylaw debate!.

The following messages were submitted by readers in reverse chronological order. Comments are welcome,

 

Thanks Maria,

Recently CKNW radio had a discussion re the issue of "Country Estates", I couldn't find the story on their website, however, the following article provides an excellent overview re both the issues, and proposed solutions to this troubling trend:

 

http://www.abbynews.com/news/117442983.html

 

Regards,

Katy

P.S. feel free to pass this info on to the others you have c.c'd

 

 

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Further information from Councillor Besso. 

 

-------Original Message-------

From: Maria Besso

Date: 3/29/2012 12:36:21 AM

To: Coldstreamer

 

Perhaps it would be useful to inform the readers that the ALR land in Coldstream is already very heavily parcelized.

57 % of Coldstream's land base is within the ALR. The total land base in Coldstream is 6,429 ha.

 

According to Map 2.1 of the July 2009 Coldstream Agricultural Plan, there are 824 parcels in Coldstream that are all or partially in the ALR, of those 824 parcels, 640 of them are already less than 4 hectares ( ie 77.6 % of the parcels are NOT sub dividable because they are already under 4ha.)

* note that under the present RU-2, it would imply that the minimum parcel size you could subdivide to would be 2 hectares, since you could not subdivide anything smaller than 4 hectares to arrive at parcels 2 ha or bigger, then all the parcels that are already less than 4 ha are non-subdividable (unless they are excluded from the ALR, or qualify for a homesite severance.)

The reality of owning property in the ALR ( regardless of the implied zoning under the Official Community Plan OCP) is that all subdivision must be approved by the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) . In the last 10 years in Coldstream there have been 17 applications for subdivision in the ALR ( apart from ALR exclusions or non-farm use, or Homesite severances ) of these 17 applications to subdivide - all were refused by the ALC. So wether you designate your minimum lot size as 2 ha or 10 ha, if your land is in the ALR, the ALC, for all practical purposes, does NOT approve ANY subdivision.

So designating all the ALR land in Coldstream as RU-10 changes nothing for 77.6% of the parcels. Wether they are called RU-2 or RU-10, they remain the same size that they are, and they are clearly not able to be subdivided. The perceived change comes for the owners of the remaining 184 parcels (22.33% of the parcels), these parcels are over 4ha.

We have already established that the ALC practice is NOT to approve subdivision in the ALR regardless of the minimum parcel size stipulated in a Community's OCP.

So in changing the zoning to RU-10 in our OCP we are simply bringing the Community zoning in line with the reality of the rules of the ALC, and the desire to maintain land in the ALR in the Province of British Columbia, rather than see it cut up into smaller and smaller chunks. In Coldstream there are only 32 parcels totally or partially in the ALR that are larger than 20 ha., so theoretically they may still be sub-dividable into minimum 10 ha. parcels but that is unlikely because it would also require ALC approval. That portion only represents 3.9% of the ALR parcels in Coldstream and the Agricultural Advisory Committee felt that there would not be significantly higher advantage to increase the minimum lot size to 30hectares ( as recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture) because it would be perceived as too harsh. So therefore the 10 ha minimum parcel size is a compromise, but it does not change the reality of ALC policy and historical decisions.

The sad reality is that Coldstream's ALR has already been subdivided into small chunks, it just may not appear that way because many of those smaller chunks may be farmed together as one larger entity. For example; the Coldstream Ranch is made up of 129 parcels, and 47% of these parcels ( 61) are already subdivided into chunks that are less than 4hectares in size.

We have just witnessed the sale of Jamie Kidston's orchard, it had appeared to everyone as one farm, but it was actually made up of 4 parcels ( that were subdivided long ago), three were sold off to separate owners, and they risk becoming Country Estates. Fortunately, for now, the new owners have agreed to keep farming the land as one orchard and pool their resources, hopefully this will set a good example and keep farming viable for those owners.

Gyula please feel free to post this as I hope it will serve to better explain the reasoning behind the changes to zoning proposed in the new Coldstream Agricultural Plan.

Thanks,

Maria Besso

 

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Urgent Message To the CRA membership:

If you are in support of Coldstream Council's Zoning Bylaw Amendment (to preserve ALR land) which specifies that future subdivision of ALR land be limited to a minimum parcel size of 10 hectares, please go to Municipal Hall and fill out the appropriate form, or go to Coldstream's Website:
 http://www.districtofcoldstream.ca/notices/comment_sheet.php

The deadline for doing this is today (Mar. 28).
Since this is such short notice, please respond at least by supporting the item entitled New Rural 10 (RU.10) Zone – lot area 2ha to 10ha, as it sends the message that you support this council in its endeavours to honour the OCP and protect and preserve our agricultural lands.

Thank you for your support.
Steve Heeren, Acting President,
Coldstream Ratepayers Association

 

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Water issues -- Presentations by Dr Hans Schrier.

Professor Dr Hans Schrier kindly made his presentations available for viewing by the general public. If you are interested in the presentations they can be found at the following websites:

The Urban water Challenge

Agriculture: Water Use and Water Quality

The agriculture presentation is a Power Point presentation. If you have difficulty viewing it, send me an email and I can make it available in PDF format.

Gyula

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Province to strengthen Agricultural Land Commission

Details on the improvements to theALC include:

·      Preserving Farmland: Legislation introduced today supports the ALC focusing its resources on its core functions. The legislation would place a five-year moratorium on repeat applications to the ALC.

·      Sustainable Operations: An additional $1.6 million provides the ALC with resources to transition to a more self-supporting operating model by 2013. The proposed legislation would also allow the ALC to charge service fees to augment provincial funding. The fee structure will be set by provincial regulation following consultation with producers, local governments and other stakeholders.

·      Increased Enforcement:  The Province has already increased the number of provincial government officials authorized to investigate and respond to ALR violations to approximately 30 through coordinated multi-ministry enforcement. The proposed legislation would further expand enforcement by allowing qualified officials from other government agencies and levels of government to conduct enforcement activities.

·      Strategic Governance: The recruitment of a chief executive officer (CEO) for the ALC is underway. The CEO will lead the ALC’s evolution into a sustainably structured organization. The proposed legislation would also enable the chair of the ALC to have greater oversight of regional panels to ensure fairness, transparency and consistency in the decision-making process.

·      Upgraded Information Services: Government ministries and agencies are already working to improve the ALC’s business processes and information management capacity through its online application tracking system. Upon completion, this effort will provide enhanced web services to clients through full integration with the Province’s online mapping database and interactive tools.

·      Encouraging Farming:  These changes will free up resources to allow the Province and the ALC to be more proactive in their work with local governments to encourage agriculture in their land use plans, bylaws and policies, and to promote agriculture, farm diversification and value-added processing in their communities.

  ·      A new minister’s bylaw standard: The bylaw standard provides local governments with a ready-to-use model that restricts building large residential homes in the centre of ALR lots and ensures the majority of the land is preserved for agricultural use. The resulting standard follows extensive consultation with local governments, agriculture producers, stakeholders and the general public. The standard is posted at:

www.agf.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/sf/residential_uses_in_ALR_consultation/residential_uses_index.htm

The chair’s report is available at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/agri/alcreview.html

The proposed legislation is posted as part of Bill 19 at: http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th4th/1st_read/index.htm

Posted by Don Quixote at 11/26/2011

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Readers write - Coldstream's first winter farmers' market.

Coldstream's first winter farmers' market was held this week. The above photos show some of the merchants, customers and products presented at the market. Enjoy! 

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Readers write -- An Open Letter to the Coldstream Municipality

August 5th 2010

As a member of the District of Coldstream Agriculture Advisory Committee I have personally outlined my thoughts for Coldstream Council that they might consider advocating changes that could help the Municipality of Coldstream remain as a rural community.

I began farming in the Municipality of Coldstream in 1964. Coldstream has changed since then particularly because of the increase in its population. Farming changed because of marketing, Free Trade, and new highways that have allowed the world access to the Okanagan. Many of the old farms still exist, crowded between new subdivisions, but they still imbue Coldstream with the aura from their rural heritage. It appears to me as if Coldstream is suffering an upheaval in deciding whether to pursue a “Coney Island Atmosphere” or the pastoral agricultural setting of Long Island in New York. If we truly want agriculture in Coldstream we must make changes to our Municipality.

We have Mother Nature cleaning our fields for us every few years when the ground freezes before the Spring run off, but if the Municipality would provide some ditches and culverts to control flooding, the little streams that come from springs in our fields would not form sewage creeks that carry debris to our famous Kalamalka Lake. We could stop looking to animals to offer up as pollutants because of our neglect to the water courses.

“The Government of Canada is investing more than $500,000 to help British Columbia livestock and poultry producers to share information and raise industry awareness of farm animal care best practices.” Source: Government of Canada, 2009.

This investment is thought to be a benefit to animals, farmers, ranchers and the industry, and to allow recognition of the ecological goods and services provided by farmland and establish means of providing benefits to producers for these public goods.

I believe that changes must be allowed in the standards for the classification of land as a farm. Farming standards should include proven receipts of supplies raised for family consumption, so that small properties can be country farms with beef cattle, milk cows, poultry and egg production. Animals are raised in humane and healthy surroundings with any other products that small farms can manage, such as strawberries, raspberries, tree fruits even honey. This overflow in neighborhoods could feed many people if necessary. This food has been proven healthier than when animals are raised under the fear and stress of intense battery operations.

Of particular interest to myself are horses. The sport of Kings and the history of the Equine sport helped open our nation. The industry they created, is one of the largest in many Provinces. The current criteria for farm status regarding horses gives credit for horse rearing only. When the economy causes sales to slow, farms are still forced to produce foals with no market to sell them . The only beneficiary of this situation is the packing house. In 2009, statisticians published the fact that 72,199 horses met their death in Canadian Slaughterhouses. Approximately 1775 horses go to the slaughterhouse every week in Canada. Horses in North America are not normally bred for human consumption. Their systems have received antibodies and many prohibited substances when they were racehorses, some were even Champions and many have been beloved pets and companions. These substances in their bodies have made them unsuitable for human food.

Laws must change to facilitate small farm survival in the Coldstream and in British Columbia. Horse boarding, training, stud fees, renting, and trail rides, are included in business receipts normally. I do not understand why this must be qualified by reproduction. My father in the early 1900’s had a Livery stable .He drove horses instead of cars to deliver Doctors and others. He looked after horses in small towns until they were picked up. This is a very old business that still exists.

The Vernon District Riding Club has existed for over fifty-five years. Members of the riding club that don’t have horse trailers must ride on Aberdeen Road. This narrow road has become popular as a speed testing track. Numerous letters to the Municipality still have not reduced the speed allowed. Horse signs hung by the road do not make Coldstream a safe rural community. Why not reduce speed in the Coldstream? If in a hurry, take the highway.

As we have many horse farms in the Coldstream, why would horse trails not be a priority? New York City has a famous trail in Central Park where horses are ridden and driven.

Kin Race Track has a history in Vernon that goes back to 1885, and was confirmed, in the year 2000, to be Canada’s oldest active racetrack by Louis Cauz, the longtime historian for Woodbine Race Track. In Vernon, Kin Race Track is facing destruction at the discretion of court proceedings because the present active politicians in Vernon want a few more playing fields. History and tradition has not removed their course of action. The District of Coldstream has supported the horse industry at Agriculture Advisory Meetings. They now should lobby the Regional District of the North Okanagan to support and maintain Kin Race Track as a “Regional Park” that continues to accommodate the sport of horse racing, and other equine and agricultural activities.

Our wonderful heritage should allow us to cherish and enjoy the beauty of Coldstream and the Okanagan by maintaining the traditions established on our own small farms and the surrounding cities and countryside.

Lois Philp,

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Why is Saudi Arabia buying up African farmland?

The Christian Science Monitor highlights an April report by the International Food Policy Research Institute entitled "'Land Grabbing' by Foreign Investors in Developing Countries." The report details purchases of farmland in developing countries by China, South Korea, India, and a handful of gulf states.

Saudi Arabia recently purchased 500,000 hectares of land in Tanzania and Indian companies have bought land in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Mozambique.

Another analysis of the "land-grabbing" trend released in June by the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization and two other agricultural research groups examines more closely the potential positives and negatives of the purchases.

Increased investment may bring macro-level benefits (such as GDP growth and improved government revenues), and may create opportunities for economic development and livelihood improvement in rural areas.

But as governments or markets make land available to prospecting investors, large-scale land acquisitions may result in local people losing access to the resources on which they depend for their food security – particularly as some key recipient countries are themselves faced with food security challenges.

And, as Devindeer Sharma from India's Forum for Biotechnology and Food Security told the Telegraph on June 28, there is a high chance of a local backlash and investors will have to avoid a neo-colonial image:

"There are 80 Indian companies trying to get land in Ethiopia, and it's all to be imported back to India. The government of India has been encouraging them," he said, and warned of danger if famine returned to Africa.

"If food is being shipped out and poor people are dying, what will happen? There would be riots," he said.

Thoughts? Is the investment good or bad for the recipient countries?
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Is Canada vulnerable? According to a recent discussion on CBC's Almanac, Canada has some of the cheapest agricultural land in the world and ripe for similar exploitations.

Think about it!

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Cattlemen Satisfied with the First Ranching Task Force Report

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