[BCFSN] FW: Protect the ALR from "Agri-Industries"

Thu Jun 4 05:53:22 EDT 2020

BC Food Systems Network,

This Richmond FarmWatch newsletter features our letter to Premier John Horgan. It expresses concern about ALR land becoming agri-industrial land. We hope this fairly short letter, like the excellent letters we’ve seen in this forum, may inspire ideas for your own persuasive messages to the premier. 

Jim Wright

Richmond FarmWatch 
Executive Team Member

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Dear Farmland Defenders,

Please read Richmond FarmWatch's open letter to Premier John Horgan on the recommendation of the “Food Security Task Force” that ALR land be used for agricultural industries,  or “agri-industries”. 

Please email the premier at the email address below to ask that the ALR be protected from "agri-industries".

Thank you,
Richmond FarmWatch

June 2, 2020

Honourable John Horgan, Office of the Premier, Premier at gov.bc.ca
Delivered Electronically

Dear Premier John Horgan,

British Columbia needs agri-industries, and Richmond FarmWatch wants agri-industries to thrive. However, they should not erode the ALR’s ability to enable food security and its range of values. This includes ALR lands in Classes 4 to 6, which suit crops like tree fruits, berries and nuts, as well as forage crops our livestock industry depends on.

Much of the prime agricultural land in Richmond has Class 4 soil. It is often improved to Class 2 with a farm plan of drainage upgrades, organic amendment and other improvements. Treating Class 4 as poor land would reward those who let it degrade for industrial use instead of enriching it for ground crops. 

The “Food Security Task Force” proposes that ALR lands in Classes 4 to 7 be used for buildings and other agri-industry infrastructure. That has much potential for loss of ALR land, especially if an Agri-Industrial Land Commissioner gets allowed to grab ALR land for industry without Agricultural Land Commission approval. (That applies even if the ALC gets consulted “in areas of mutual interest.”)

We strongly support the points that ALC Chair Jennifer Dyson has made in the attached letter to you (March 9, 2020). As you know, the ALC protects the ALR for the present and future benefit of British Columbians. Your government’s legislation to revitalize the ALR and ALC has helped the ALC to do its job. Keep up the good work! Retain the regulations that require ALC approval for agri-industry on ALR lands.

No doubt there are prominent ALR landowners who would love to increase the monetary value of their land by being freer to add agri-industrial infrastructure there. It will be hard to resist such powerful advocates, but please stand strong.

As an example, the City of Mission has an available 300 acres of prime industrial land not in the ALR and would like see it revitalized with agri-industries there. We believe that the A-I Land Commissioner’s first task should be to identify all the locations in BC, like Mission, with land that is not in the ALR that is available for agri-industries.

Even when non-ALR land is in short supply, ALC approval should be a requirement before ALR land is used for agri-industries. Even then, the ALC may suggest alternative locations that limit any ALR loss.

We can encourage agri-Industry in BC and still retain our strong ALR for current and future food security.

Yours sincerely,

 Richmond FarmWatch
cc: Jennifer Dyson, Chair, Agricultural Land Commission, and Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture 

Our mailing address is: Richmond FarmWatch175-6660 Graybar Road
Richmond, BC V6W 1H9 Canada

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