More Rules = Less
Farmers = Less Food Choices
Most farmers and
ranchers will have done something on their land with management practices over
the last few years to protect the environment and wildlife. Some of them will
have completed and acted on an official Farm Environmental Plan, and possibly
completed a Biodiversity plan to manage for wildlife. Others will have worked
towards and obtained Organic Certification, and a small few will have been
Certified Salmon Safe. I have completed all of the above over the last 4 years
and was feeling rather smug.
Then over the email a few short days ago I received a copy of the Ministry
of Environments proposed new revised Waste Control Regulation. This Draconian
sledge hammer will put Livestock Agriculture firmly in the hands of large well
heeled agribusiness ensuring all critters will spend their entire lives on
concrete in covered sheds in extremely large numbers and concentrations due to
the economies of scale. Now don’t you veggie, fruit and berry farmers think you
are off the hook, any composting of vegetable materials falls under the same
rules.
My own
farm has a Salmon bearing river running through the middle and two public roads
on the sides, this leaves me about 10 acres in the middle to store and make
compost. But first of all in has to be sealed so no run off escapes, then a
roof to keep out the rain, oh and also fenced to keep out birds! $100,000 later
I will be able to do what I was safely doing before, making compost from 50
ewes and a hand full of goats! I do not have enough manure each year to
properly fertilize my land as it is, so I am hardly a threat to the
environment, especially after all the Certification requirements I have met so
far. The practice of winter feeding on hay fields and pasture to build
fertility, (encouraged by Ag departments across the country when done properly)
will be stopped after two weeks as it is then classed as Manure Storage
according to the small print. Even on open range with no fences it will be
viewed as the same. The true catch all in this is that a high-risk area
includes any area with an unconfirmed aquifer. Well golly gee, that could be
any where in the province, and as few aquifers have been mapped in the BC it’s
a case of guilty until you prove your innocence with your money. This appears
to be another form of legislation to get rid of the small and medium farms.
This is a great way to get rid of your competition in the local food market
when you have the financial means to meet the rules and they don’t. Better yet
when the government does it at taxpayers expense and you are left squeaky clean
and blameless.
Who gains from all this you ask? Well no doubt a few salmon, though if
we quit over fishing them for a while (and ate lamb)we would see far better
improvements in their numbers. The big gainers here are the MOE employees,
guaranteed job security more funding and work till the pension kicks in. The
loser’s beside the farmers who cannot meet the new requirements’ will be you, the
consumers. With less people in production, higher prices and less choice will
be the result in the food aisle. Finally, soil fertility will take a hit with
lower livestock numbers across the province. See the following link for more
info www.
env.gov.bc.ca/epd/codes/awcr/index.htm
I thought I
would give you all a break for the last couple of months plus it gave me time
to plan and organize the Homestead’s busy spring lineup. April sees two
workshops, one on sheep and goat production and the other on small flock
chicken care. The chicken one is ideal even for you folks in town as it covers
back yard production, eggs, chicken and that valuable soon to be outlawed
manure for your veggies. The other big thing is our Knee Deep in Spring event,
on 21st April with special guests appearing for the day. I hope you
are as excited about warmer weather and spring as we are. I know it was a mild
winter, but hey, they are always too long, especially as you get older!!
Rob
Fensom farms at Harmonious Homestead and ewe in Salmon Arm BC. and can be
reached at
harmonioushomestead@live.ca
