香蕉视频直播淚 see a kid walking down the street, I just want to give them a hug and say I香蕉视频直播檓 sorry.香蕉视频直播�
John McLeod is referring to the destruction of agricultural land in B.C. and the subsequent lack of locally grown food available for the future.
Although reluctant to be featured in the newspaper, McLeod speaks passionately about the need to think more about future generations 香蕉视频直播� what and how they香蕉视频直播檙e going to source food.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e got to change our mentality. It香蕉视频直播檚 not just about 香蕉视频直播榤e香蕉视频直播� all the time香蕉视频直播� We can learn from our First Nations香蕉视频直播� neighbours. We香蕉视频直播檝e let greed rule for too long. I hear people saying kids today are all entitled. I think it was our generation that was entitled. Hair straight back and do what we want.香蕉视频直播�
He stresses Canada must have the ability to feed its own people.
香蕉视频直播淚f you have to rely on foreign corporations and other countries to feed you香蕉视频直播�. when they control your stomach, they香蕉视频直播檝e got your brain. It香蕉视频直播檚 up to us to protect and maintain all viable land. And by viable, I mean all land. We have to get away from soil classifications; poor dirt is better than no dirt. You can香蕉视频直播檛 grow vegetables out of concrete and asphalt.香蕉视频直播�
With only a small percentage of land in B.C. available as viable agricultural land, McLeod would like to see more hillsides and mountains used for residential, commercial and industrial.
This community grew out of agriculture and forestry, he reminds.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e kind of kicked it to the curb because of a boat coming from offshore with our food.香蕉视频直播�
He points to existing starvation on the planet.
香蕉视频直播淲e kind of ignore it and think there香蕉视频直播檚 always going to be food in the grocery store. I think that香蕉视频直播檚 false bravado.香蕉视频直播�
McLeod香蕉视频直播檚 family has been farming in Salmon Arm since 1911. He was born and raised on the property next door to where he and his spouse Lois now live. In 1979, when his uncle was ready to quit farming, he began farming Edgemont Farms, near the corner of Foothill and 30th Street SW.
Related:
He香蕉视频直播檚 a long-time member of the city香蕉视频直播檚 agricultural advisory committee and the environmental advisory committee; in fact he was instrumental in the formation of the agricultural committee. He is also a member of the Shuswap Food Action Co-op.
Related:
McLeod presented a report to Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and the Standing Committee on Agriculture regarding an idea he香蕉视频直播檚 been touting for many years. He would like to see hospitals source local ingredients to help ensure healthier outcomes and support local economies. The report was well received and he is pleased the minister is moving forward with the initiative.
McLeod points to a recent report from the BC Real Estate Foundation on sustainable food systems in B.C. as well one from Kwantlen College on the future of the food system in the Southwest B.C. Bioregion. Both emphasize the need to look to the future regarding land use and food provision.
In a submission to the province on the Agricultural Land Reserve, the Union of BC Municipalities asked the agriculture ministry to 香蕉视频直播渞ecognize that local governments are a key component of agricultural planning and protection in B.C. and that thorough consultation with local governments is an integral aspect of enabling a robust and effective ALC and ALR.香蕉视频直播�
McLeod believes food security and food sovereignty should be part of official community plans.
香蕉视频直播淪ixty communities in B.C. have a strategy to start moving agricultural land into their OCPs (official community plans). We香蕉视频直播檙e a way behind the curve. It would be nice to see that change. We香蕉视频直播檙e having civic elections in the fall. I think we should have this asked of the candidates.香蕉视频直播�
He finds that local and regional governments don香蕉视频直播檛 have the desire to preserve agricultural land.
香蕉视频直播淲hat we have to do is get broad representation in the community to work on agricultural policy and the importance 香蕉视频直播� importance isn香蕉视频直播檛 a strong enough word 香蕉视频直播� the necessity of looking out for future generations. We香蕉视频直播檙e only looking for our own return on investment. We have to think of two and three generations down the road. Minimum. That香蕉视频直播檚 the thing I want to try and hit home.
香蕉视频直播淲e just have to keep our eye on the proper focus and not rely on the multinational industrial complex to keep feeding us.香蕉视频直播�
Then there香蕉视频直播檚 climate change, which has huge implications for agriculture.
香蕉视频直播淭here again, it香蕉视频直播檚 a thing we香蕉视频直播檙e oblivious to香蕉视频直播� There香蕉视频直播檚 a whole host of birds we don香蕉视频直播檛 have anymore. What happened there? Did they just decide to go somewhere else? We shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be oblivious to this. We香蕉视频直播檙e the stewards for the next generations. The way I see things, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think we香蕉视频直播檝e been very good at our jobs.香蕉视频直播�
Related:
On the positive side, McLeod points out there香蕉视频直播檚 been a good turnout for the recent Shuswap Food Action Co-op香蕉视频直播檚 series of food conversations towards a local food system, and more people with young families have been participating in the co-op. Canning is making a comeback.
On the global scale, however, he香蕉视频直播檚 concerned about trade agreements.
香蕉视频直播淭he NAFTA trade agreements control what governments can and can香蕉视频直播檛 do. How did we allow that to happen? The NAFTA agreement we香蕉视频直播檙e now negotiating, they want no labelling of ingredients on food. We get to go vote once every four years, after that the lobbyist has an open door to government and the constituent has been told to sit down and shut up.香蕉视频直播�
He quips, with his characteristic wit: 香蕉视频直播淚 quit drinking 10 years ago and it was too soon.香蕉视频直播�
But, despite any discouragement, McLeod is driven to keep working towards a sustainable food supply.
He remarks, this time deadly serious: 香蕉视频直播淚 see that little kid and I can香蕉视频直播檛 let it go.香蕉视频直播�
marthawickett@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on
