Mayor calls CRD proposal for farmlands trust unfair
Metchosin Mayor John Ranns is warning that a proposal by the Capital Regional District to create a “foodlands trust” could create a “bureaucracy for farming” that will unfairly compete against existing farmers.
“Once again, we’ve got the presumption here that this is the only way to achieve food security,” Ranns, an organic farmer, told CRD directors. “It isn’t.” Ranns said he supports the notion of having farmland protected and made available to farmers under lease.
But he said the proposed foodlands trust would create a twotier system of farming that would enable “certain selected people” to have all of their costs paid for by taxpayers.
The proposed farmlands trust would initially target existing lands that are municipally owned, protecting them as farmland in perpetuity and reduce the need to acquire private land.
Despite Ranns’ concerns, CRD directors agreed to write to local municipalities asking if they support a regional foodlands trust in partnership with a non-profit organization and whether they have any municipal land for such a trust.
A study suggests it would cost about $120,000 to establish the trust and about $190,000 in annual ongoing operating costs. After about three years, CRD costs are expected to stabilize at about $143,000 a year.
“For the same costs that we would have that are indicated in this report for setting up this bureaucracy, you could employ six employees at a living wage, full time to do actually the farming,” Ranns said.
“Or better than that we could establish a co-op program where the costs of the farm help is split and that would give you a pool of 11 full-time, fair-wage people to assist farmers in this region.”
An affordable labour pool would see farming in the region expand, Ranns said, because one of the biggest obstacles to farming is labour costs. “You would be able to have mentorship and training over a very broad range of farming. So all of the objectives would be met. Young farmers, people who wanted to get in could learn and mentor from a very broad range of people.”
Langford Coun. Denise Blackwell, CRD vice-chair, agreed with Ranns, saying she doesn’t believe the CRD should get into the farming business. “I don’t think it’s a reasonable thing to ask. I like director Ranns’ approach,” she said.
Depending on the responses from municipalities, the proposal would probably end up with only those municipalities interested — “a coalition of the willing” — participating, said Victoria Coun. Ben Isitt.
“I guess I’m kind of asking you to not get in the way of Victoria and anyone else who might want to explore what this might look like,” Isitt said. “I think food security is one of the foundational issues of long-term sustainability and my gut feeling is that residents of the city of Victoria would be happy to participate in a service along these lines.”
The study recommends investigating a foodlands trust in partnership with a not-for-profit organization to help improve farmland access and increase local food production.
It notes only 50 per cent of the CRD’s Agricultural Land Reserve is in production.
“With over 50 per cent of the region’s farmers retiring in the next 10 years, there is concern that new farmers will not be able to afford to enter the sector to replace them,” it says.
Municipalities are to be asked whether they support CRD operation of a foodlands trust, whether they are willing to participate in funding a foodlands trust and whether they have any municipal land for such a trust.