Provincial Agriculture Minister Lana Popham has strong words for Surrey council for dissolving the city香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渓ongstanding and well-respected香蕉视频直播� Agriculture and Food Policy Advisory Committee.

香蕉视频直播淚 am disappointed that the city leadership did not seek dialogue nor public input prior to the planned committee re-assignment,香蕉视频直播� Popham wrote in a letter to Surrey council on Feb. 23. 香蕉视频直播淚t was brought to my attention than not even the members of the AFPAC were aware of the imminent dissolution of the committee.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淧lease be reminded that municipalities with the intention to restrict or prohibit agriculture within a farming area may need to become 香蕉视频直播榬egulated香蕉视频直播� under Section 553 of the Local Government Act,香蕉视频直播� she warned.

Popham said committees such as the AFPAC provide 香蕉视频直播渋nvaluable香蕉视频直播� input to civic governments to make sure planning and decisions are consistent with a local government香蕉视频直播檚 obligation to support agriculture in accordance with the Agricultural Land Commission Act and the Local Government Act.

Lana Popham, B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 agriculture minister. (Photo submitted)

Popham noted that as Surrey is the largest city geographically in Metro Vancouver, with more than 9,000 hectares in the Agricultural Land Reserve, it is 香蕉视频直播減oised to play a role in supporting the primary production of safe local produce and bolstering food security for the region.香蕉视频直播� That said, she told council it香蕉视频直播檚 been her experience that 香蕉视频直播渁ctive involvement of local producers in the fabric of local government is the foundation of a vibrant and economically sustainable agricultural sector.香蕉视频直播�

On Dec. 7, the Safe Surrey Coalition majority on council voted to dissolve the AFPAC and fold it, along with the Environment Advisory Committee, into a new Agricultural, Environment and Investment Committee with Council Allison Patton as its chairwoman, Councillor Mandeep Nagra as its vice-chairman, and also Councillor Jack Hundial plus three community members.

The agriculture minister called the new joint committee 香蕉视频直播渃oncerning香蕉视频直播� and noted that ministry staff advise her that having only three experts between the two disciplines 香蕉视频直播渨ill not likely provide adequate representation for Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 diverse agricultural community.香蕉视频直播�

Patton in reply said it香蕉视频直播檚 hard for her to comment 香蕉视频直播渁t the moment香蕉视频直播� because she hasn香蕉视频直播檛 spoken to city staff yet about Popham香蕉视频直播檚 concerns. 香蕉视频直播淚 may have skimmed the letter but I香蕉视频直播檓 not sure it was brought to my attention, no, not yet.香蕉视频直播�

The new committee has met twice, Patton said. 香蕉视频直播淭he good news is this committee doesn香蕉视频直播檛 want to do anything to restrict agriculture, so I think that in time perhaps she can observe the committee and perhaps adjust her viewpoint over time if she feels that香蕉视频直播檚 warranted for her,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of the farmers want improved productivity, and local farm-to-table and produce and other products, so we香蕉视频直播檙e looking at how can we help these farmers to do that.香蕉视频直播�

Popham was alerted to the situation by Surrey Councillors Hundial and Brenda Locke, of the rival Surrey Connect slate.

香蕉视频直播淚f the province decides to regulate Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 farmland, it香蕉视频直播檚 huge,香蕉视频直播� Locke said.

香蕉视频直播淚 can tell you Langley, Abbotsford, Delta and Kelowna I think have all been regulated and I know they香蕉视频直播檙e not happy. I know for sure Langley香蕉视频直播檚 trying to get out of it but it香蕉视频直播檚 a forever deal, like it was 20 years ago that they regulated them.香蕉视频直播�

Hundial told the Now-Leader that people in the agriculture sector need to be aware of these recent developments in Surrey.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a pretty hard stand for her to take on it,香蕉视频直播� Hundial said of Popham, 香蕉视频直播渂ut I think that香蕉视频直播檚 partly because she sees the risk of not having the public engaged in developing policy that involves farmland. I mean the city is a product of the province and I think people sometimes tend to forget that.

香蕉视频直播淪o for the minister to come out and issue really such a stern letter should be a clear indication that I don香蕉视频直播檛 think she香蕉视频直播檚 too happy with the decision made by the mayor, and secondly, there will be oversight provided,香蕉视频直播� Hundial said. 香蕉视频直播淥nce she invokes those powers, under the Act, it makes things a lot more complicated and laborious for applications coming out of the city absolutely to deal with agriculture and also the decision-making process around when you start looking at land and the uses, or ALR land.香蕉视频直播�

Hundial added that Popham香蕉视频直播檚 concern about having only three experts on a committee dealing with both agriculture and the environment is 香蕉视频直播渁bsolutely spot-on.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淓ven the three councillors, myself included, that are on that committee, none of us are experts in the ALR,香蕉视频直播� the retired Surrey Mountie noted. Patton is a naturopath and Nagra is a businessman.

香蕉视频直播淎nd you can only have three individuals from the farming community, you know, Surrey is so much larger than that,香蕉视频直播� Hundial said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen you look at one third of our land mass is ALR, it makes it very difficult to bring that level of expertise here.香蕉视频直播�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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