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Friday, April 20, 2012
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Valley farmers protest in Vancouver
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS Woman surrounded by family on milestone birthday
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Unkept ditches raising water table and causing flooding in Agassiz
SHELLEY BACK ON BALLOT
Jeff Nagel
Firefighter throws name in for Harrison council again
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BLACK PRESS
EVAN SEAL / BLACK PRESS
Agassiz dairy farmer Bill Klop (not shown) transported two of his calves to a farm protest in outside the Regional Department of Fisheries and Oceans in downtown Vancouver Tuesday.
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'We're losing crops'
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Farmers continue fight to regain control of ditches
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Jessica Peters
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Ten years of slowed maintenance on Agassiz drainage ditches has been leading to everworsening farming conditions, local farmers said Tuesday. They say their farmland ditches being identified as critical fish habitat has led to a bureaucratic maze of red tape, and keeps them from cleaning their own ditches to allow for proper water flow — and more importantly, drainage. It's an issue they've been trying to have addressed for several years now, to no avail. They've crowded the local council chamber meetings at times to have their voices heard, written letters upon letters to all levels of government, and attended public meetings regarding critical habitat discussions. And on Tuesday, they gathered together to rally at DFO offices in Vancouver. (See related story on this page.)
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"We went down there because for the last 10 years, they've not been letting farmers drain ditches," said Agassiz farmer John Wouda. "We want to have the right to do that on our own land." Wouda's property doesn't have a substantial amount of ditching, but he has a low swale area that collects water. And when the ditches aren't doing their job, his property pays the price, too. "Especially when we have the monsoons in the fall," he said. Wouda and several other farmers spoke with The Observer as they stepped off a charter bus on Tuesday, after their return from Vancouver. They demonstrated as a way to get their voices heard. Mostly, they'd like to see the word "habitat" removed from DFO regulations. "We've got a few local environmentalists trying to save a few fish and a few frogs," he said. "And CONTINUED ON 3
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A busload of Fraser Valley farmers traveled to Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) headquarters in downtown Vancouver Tuesday, for a demonstration that included placards, speeches and even livestock. They say their ability to farm is being hurt because endangered fish species have colonized ditches. About 50 farmers from Agassiz, Chillliwack and other parts of the Valley said fisheries officers are unreasonably restricting them from clearing or dredging ditches because they've been deemed fish habitat. Ditches that aren't kept clear can flood farmland, raise the water table and degrade the ability to grow crops or graze cattle, farmers said. "I'm concerned for my farmland," said Agassiz dairy farmer Gary Wikkerink, adding the allotted time each fall to conduct work in fish streams is too short. Protesters brought two calves to the protest Tuesday to emphasize their point. "It's caused a lot of concern in the Agassiz area," said Canadian Taxpayers' Federation B.C. director Jordan Bateman, who organized the protest on behalf of farmers. He said they want consistent enforcement of Fisheries Act rules that require setbacks and protection of fishbearing streams. "Fisheries officers seem to have a lot of discretion in how they interpret it," he said. "That really bothers them." Bateman said farmers want to influence the outcome CONTINUED ON 3