Feb 19 – VFPC 2014 Workplan

Review VFPC Goals and Policies COV & Vancouver Food Strategy Update Working Group updates 2014 meeting topics

Jan 22 – A Citizens Guide to the ALR: Information and Actions Feb 19 – VFPV 2014 Workplan March 19 - April 16 May 28 June 25 July 23 Sept 17 Oct 22 Nov 26

Planning for planning committee members (Dave, Llana, Kim, and I missed some)

2014 Potential Meeting Topics

How to move policy through the COV - what are the avenues and options for VFPC?

Youth engagement in food in Vancouver (Ilana and Zsuzsi) Active Transportation Council and 2040 Translink Plan (Kim

Hodgson and Zsuzsi) Urban Farming - Practices and Policy (Tara, Zsuzsi, Soul, Ed -

urban farmer that is getting organic certification) Social event with VFPC and City Counsellors Healthy food retailers and restaurants  Urban-rural continuum - Invite AAC from other nearby

municipalities to learn more about the issues they face (perhaps from cities with large agriculture base - Surrey, Langley, etc)

Migrant workers/workers rights Others?

Fisheries (Ilana)

A Citizen’s Guide to the ALR

(1) What is the most important information that the VFPC and our communities need to know about the ALR?

(2) What actions can the VFPC and Citizens take to support the ALR?

Stakeholder groups:1. VFPC & Community Groups2. Government3. Farmers4. Academics5. Scientists

Dr. Lenore Newman

Issues

Lack of capital for new farmers Illegal dumping on ALR lands BC liberal government lack of public process and public

consultation Development pressures and land speculation The ALR is taken for granted Climate impacts on local and global agriculture Liquid Natural Gas (aka fracking) Cite C located in the Peace River The ALR is really just a land-base in reserve for future government

projects Gateway – removed of Class A farmland for highways We are the gateway of food transportation between North America

and China Speculation

Information

There is so much to loose!!!! There are many agriculture services in the lower mainland because they

know there will be farmers in the future through the ALR (key potential allies?)

When Surrey implemented a policy that for every acre of land removed, 2 more had to be added elsewhere, ALR exclusions dramatically decreased.

Many crops in BC are supply managed which means that the cost of food is fixed according the cost of production. Supply management however is a very complex issue.

Many agricultural land owners that lease their land to farmers do not want daily activity – they want minimal disturbance

Early ALR boundaries were based on Canada Land Inventory classification. Soils 1 = best soil, 6 bad soil, 7 no capability to grow food

2 key features of the ALR: land + CLIMATE! We have a class 1 climate. Site C is a CLASS 1 CLIMATE The BC Liberal government is proposing 2 types of ALR classifications. Most costly cities in the world: London, Hong Kong and Vancouver

Actions

Halt any further ALR exclusions Launch a We heart the ALR, we heart food, we heart soil, campaign Develop strategies to expand the ALR Launch an ALR education campaign in schools Talk more about the soil Mobilize support – growers, agriculture service providers, and others! The public must stop electing governments that support trade agreements and free

enterprise models of development Target MLAs? Better yet! Get the local media on board. Develop a pressure gauge to assess the urgency of issues COV motion from October and 11 other cities have also passed motions. What is the

collective strength of motions? Family Day SAVE the farmers! Land will be saved if there is a viable income Establish a fund to help new entrants to farming gain capital Owners of farmland need to be farmers US policy tool to preserve agriculture land purchase/transfer of development rights Provide farmers with a lower rate of income tax Evaluate the ecological impacts on water salinity of removing the massey tunnel.

Breakout Sessions

VFPC Media strategy

VFPC members are trained in how to communicate to the press VFPC develop a position statement on the ALR

Public Education: Launch a we heart the ALR campaign Partner with other agencies Launch it around Valentines Day to promote local food

Policy tools Identify policy avenues such as motions, proclamations etc that can further address the issue Bring in agriculture advisory groups to share their stories

Academics Use their voice Reach out to contacts Study idea – look at grouping small parcels into lease groups

Farmers (how to help them save themselves) Fund set aside (from land speculation?) Get involved with mentoring programs Redevelop relationships with retailers

Science Organize organizations Address the anti-science attitude at Fed and Provincial levels Mobilize scientists Policy and issues – lack of awareness Align with businesses – government listens to businesses Get education into schools

Government Promote Residential Use Bylaw ALC needs to stop accepting applications for non farm use Federal Trade Agreements

Community Tell 5 people why the ALR matter Rally Outreach