Unless someone invents a real "food replicator" a la Star Trek, British Columbia is going to end up incapable of producing its own food, simply because its best farmland (the land that represents 60% of BC’s agriculture production) will be underneath housing developments and industrial parks.
It’s not too late to act before the developers persuade (ie. bribe, confuse, or bully) your local government to remove Canada’s most productive farmland from the Agricultural Land Reserve. Attend the public meeting with the Land Commisson this coming Thursday night, and help make common sense prevail. Don’t leave it to the farmers to fight a battle that we all could lose… there are lot more city slickers to speak out than there are farmers, and we all have to eat.
Pass this on to anyone you know who lives in B.C.’s Lower Mainland:
WHAT:
A public information meeting regarding the removal of 920 acres of land from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) in AbbotsfordWHEN:
Thursday, November 25, 2004 from 7PM to 10PMWHERE:
Salvation Army Cascade Community Church, 35190 Delair Road, Abbotsford, B.C.WHY:
The outcome of this application, while important in itself, may also influence future decisions on exclusion applications by other BC municipalities. Municipalities and landowners are already preparing more proposals to remove over 2000 acres of farmland from the ALR for non-farm uses such as industrial development.
For more information:
Download ALR brochure (252.6K) (Adobe Acrobat file)
Visit www.greenbelt.bc.ca to find out how you can help.
Past blog entries on this subject:
Newspaper articles:
Input Wanted on Plan to Removed Farmland (Abbotsford Times) note: meeting rescheduled to Nov. 25, 2004
Farmland Resolution Defeated (Abbotsford Times)
POLLENATRIX 