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Wednesday, April 2, 2014 The Valley Echo
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Local producer critical of agriculture land changes GREG AMOS editor@invermerevalleyecho.com Agricultural land in the Kootenays may be more prone to development pressures after a new bill tabled last Thursday (March 27th) proposes to break B.C. into two agricultural zones. Government Bill 24, the Agricultural Land Commission Amendment Act, would place the Kootenays, Northern B.C. and the Interior under less stringent regional panels of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), opening up more possible land uses. The decision arose from the core review process headed by East Kootenay MLA and Energy Minister Bill Bennett, who drew fire when a document contemplating changes to the Agricultural Land Commission was leaked to The Globe and Mail newspaper last November. The new bill has also caught some East Kootenay producers off guard.
“There was inadequate consultation,” government failed to see whether farmsaid Dave Zehnder, a co-owner of the ers and B.C. residents wanted to see Zehnder Ranch west of Invermere, a changes to the farmland reserve sysdirector of the BC Cattlemen’s Associ- tem. ation and the BCCA’s ALR committee “If this was their plan, they had the chair. “It’s missing half the equation — opportunity to get a mandate during the support for the producers.” the election, and they didn’t talk about Regulations under the act would al- significant changes to the ALR at all,” low non-farm, home-based businesses he said. “They’re going to fire the exon agricultural isting head of There was inadequate the Agricultural land in the Kootenays and the consultation. It’s missing Land Commistwo other afsion, and it will half the equation — the support be significant fected regions. Details will be for the producers. who they reDAVE ZEHNDER worked out in ZEHNDER RANCH place him with.” consultation “The risk with industry and placed in regula- with flexibility is that cannibalization tions, said Mr. Bennett. Value-added of farmland can occur, which jeoparactivities such as food processing on dizes the future of agriculture in this farmland are being considered across province,” said Cattlemen’s Associathe province, he added. tion General Manager Kevin Boon in Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA reaction to the bill. “It will take strong Norm Macdonald said the provincial guidance and monitoring by the ALC to
VJ (Butch) Bishop Owner/Operator 4846 Holland Creek Ridge Rd. Invermere, BC V0A 1K0
ensure agriculture is put first.” The ALC has preserved highly productive crop land in the Lower Mainland from being developed. Just 10 per cent of Agricultural Land Reserve in the Fraser Valley and southern Vancouver Island produces 85 per cent of farm revenues in B.C. “We’re saying we weren’t consulted — maybe that’s understandable; we’re a little fish out here in the Kootenays, but this whole thing is being driven from the Kootenays,” he said. “It’s driven by about five people in the Kootenays. It’s the result of these producers in this region. We asked for consultation, and didn’t get it locally here, nor was it ever done at any level.” In the Legislature last Thursday, Mr. Bennett said the only change to the Interior zones is the addition of social and economic factors in considering permitted uses. See A4
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