Letter from L. Geggie Re: CRD Foodlands Access Program Feasibility Study
Letter from CRFAIR urging municipal support for the regional foodlands trust proposal.
May 6, 2019
Dear Mayor Screech and Councillors Kowalewich, Lemon, Mattson and Rogers,
As you may know the CRD recently completed a Foodlands Access Program Feasibility Study the purpose of which was to determine the best way to increase farmers’ access to land examining seven land access tools. As shown in the report, the tool with the greatest impact and that is within the jurisdiction of local government is a food and farmland trust where land would be secured in perpetuity for the purposes of increasing levels of agricultural production. The accompanying recommendation is that of a hybrid model whereas the CRD partners with a not-for-profit organization to operationalize the trust.
With motions that were passed by the CRD Board on April 10, staff is currently canvassing all municipalities to a) assess whether there is a desire to have the CRD operate a foodlands trust in partnership with a non-profit organization, and; b) whether any municipal lands could be made available for inclusion in a trust. In many communities, there are already vacant (or underutilized) publicly owned lands that could be coordinated as the basis of an access program.
As a local organization working in the arena of food and farmland access for over two decades, we wanted to share with you a few additional resources that may be helpful in providing a reply to the Planning and Protective Services Committee by the May 31 deadline. In particular, we would like to let you know that 19 people spoke in favour of the Foodlands Trust at the CRD as part of the delegation process. Over 40 letters of support have been written by farmers and local residents in favour of the proposal. We have included a sample of those letters with this package. Additionally, a show of support from residents can also be see via the online petition at: https://bit.ly/2VHkhiR. Further information is conveniently compiled at www.crfair.ca/foodandfarmlandtrust. Significant consultations with community organizations, local farmers, residents, and elected officials over the past six years regarding this topic. We can confidently state that there is widespread support behind this proposal.
We also wanted to let you know that CRFAIR can be of assistance in terms of providing criteria for assessing your lands for agriculture and food growing suitability that has been piloted with the District of Saanich. It was created in partnership with Dr. Deborah Curran and her 400 level Environmental Studies students.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Linda Geggie Executive Director, CRFAIR Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable
FOOD & FARMLAND TRUST
WHAT?
A food and farmland trust will secure land over the long term for agricultural and food activities.
WHY?
- AVERAGE INCREASE IN VALUE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND’S FARMLAND FROM 2016 TO 2017: 23.6%
- PERCENTAGE OF BC RESIDENTS WHO BELIEVE LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION IS "VERY IMPORTANT": 92%
- CURRENT LAND PRICE: up to $100,000/acre
- HALF OF FARMERS WILL RETIRE IN THE NEXT DECADE: 50% (new farmers need support!)
BENEFITS
- Creates affordable access to land for new entrants
- Improved regional food security
- Partnerships with First Nations
- Job creation and spin-off enterprises
- Stimulation of support sector businesses
- Increased agri-tourism opportunities
- New education and learning programs
- Protection of undeveloped green space
HOW IT WORKS
- Municipalities provide land they already own that is appropriate for agriculture to be centrally managed for minimum of 10 years
- CRD would partner with a not-for-profit organization who would centrally manage the land and hold leases with farmers or community organizations supporting food and farming activities
COST
For less than $2 we can grow our local food security! A levy of $0.70 to $1.91 per household annually is all that would be required, depending on the number of municipalities participating
HOW TO SUPPORT
- Write or speak to your mayor and council asking them to indicate their support to the CRD
- Sign the online petition
- Attend a council meeting
Learn more at: www.crfair.ca/foodandfarmlandtrust
May 6, 2019
The following documents are a selection of letters of support for a Regional Food and Farmland Trust from CRD residents submitted to the CRD Planning and Protective Services Committee for the Feb 20, 2019 meeting in response to agenda item 5, Regional Foodlands Access Program Feasibility Study. Additional letters can be provided upon request and an additional show of support from residents can also be see via the online petition at: https://bit.ly/2VHkhiR. For letters and motions of support from municipalities, please see the file at: https://bit.ly/2PKUb9g from the September 6, 2017 Planning and Protective Services Committee.
Sincerely,
Linda Geggie Executive Director, CRFAIR Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable
