[getsmart-l] Fw: Newsletter from Ontario Farmland Trust

[John O'Gorman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: I Lee 
To: jcogorman at sympatico.ca 
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:15 PM
Subject: Newsletter from Ontario Farmland Trust



                  Farmland Preservation News 
           
           
                  The Newsletter of the Ontario Farmland Trust  November 2007 
                  In this Issue: 
                  What We've Been Up To 
                  Outlook: The Role of Land Trusts in Protecting Private Land 
                  OFT Volunteers 
                  Ontario Farmland Trust Annual General Meeting 
                  Pumpkin Harvest 
                  Commentary: The Tension between Farmland Preservation and Development 
           
           
                 
                        What We've Been Up To

                         


                        Since our last newsletter, the Ontario Farmland Trust has been hard at work!  On the land securement side, we've been working to secure some of Ontario's best farmland in Ontario, including properties in Brant County, Goderich and Wellington.  While nothing has been done finalized yet, we hope to protecting some of these farms with easements in the near future.  



                        We're also still diligently working on getting a fiscal incentive program for donations of agricultural land.  We are currently proposing the establishment of an Agricultural Gifts program, much like the very successful Ecological Gifts Program for ecologically sensitive land.  For more information on Ecological Gifts Program visit:http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/egp-pde/



                        On the education side, we've recently obtained a three year grant from the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation to work on a project titled "Places to Grow Food".  The goal of this project, arising in part as our response to the recent "Places to Grow Act", develop a blueprint for how and where Ontario is going to grow its food.  



                        The OFT has been out and about in the community spreading the message of farmland preservation.  We have had a display in the Agricultural Awareness tent at the Fergus Fall fair on September 15 - 16, 2007 and at the International Plowing Match that took place in Crosby, Ontario from September 18 - 22, 2007.  At each of these events, we spoke to a wide range of people who were passionate about farmland preservation.  It was also a lot of fun as there were many interesting displays and exhibitions.  We plan to be at more conferences in the fall and spring so look for us there!



                        Photo: Alan Northsworthy
                       
                        Outlook: The Role of Land Trusts in Protecting Private Land

                        By Rodger Cummins


                        The vast majority of arable land in Ontario is in private hands. Responsibility for the stewardship of the important assets on the land, like the soil, water, woodlots streams and wildlife habitats is in the hands of its private owners. 


                        Many farmland owners are concerned about the steady disappearance of farmland and natural habitat. They know that a time will come when society will sorely miss these assets that are disappearing the world over in the face of growing populations that have wealth and appetites for richer foods. Older landowners who have seen vast areas of prime land in the best climate zones built upon in their life time are understandably skeptical about the ability of planning and zoning laws to do more than slow down the relentless encroachment. The mantra, "you can't stop progress" is part of our culture and bulldozes everything in its path. For the time being, growing things to eat is not considered "progress". Wiser heads know this will not always be the case. 



                        Do landowners stand helplessly by or are there things they can do? The Ontario Farmland Trust and its sister land trusts have been established as private charitable organizations that can accept these lands or limited interests in land as donations and ensure that the lands continue to be owned and used for the purposes the owners want the land to be used for in perpetuity. Recent amendments to provincial land law have introduced Conservation Agreements whereby a designated piece of land continues to be held in private ownership but the landowner and the Trust agree that the land can never be subdivided as well as any other terms about the land that they wish.  These terms are written into the Conservation Agreement, which is then registered on title to bind future owners. These agreements qualify as receiptable charitable donations under the Income Tax Act. Some donations qualify for enhanced income tax benefits under the Ecological Gifts program administered by Environment Canada.  



                        The Land and Fundraising Committee of the Trust are currently in negotiations with a number of farmland owners in various parts of the province to put Conservation Agreements in place. A prototype agreement has been prepared. Members of committee review the prototype with the owners who have expressed interest in participating in this program. If the owner decides to proceed, the landowner and the Trust begin the process of drafting an agreement tailored to the owner's particular property. The owners must have their own independent legal and financial advice in the drafting process. 



                        Each property is unique. The owner and Trust identify the special features of the property and work out a set of restrictions that the owner wishes to place on the future use of the land. There are certain essential restrictions that the Trust demands to participate in such an agreement such as forbidding subdivision of the land and removing soil from the land. If satisfactory progress is made, experts like ecologists, surveyors, appraisers and lawyers are brought in to ensure that documentation is properly drawn. Once all the steps have been taken, the agreement is registered on title. The Trust then becomes responsible for monitoring compliance with these restrictions on into the future, ensuring that the special places that sustain us are protected for future generations to enjoy.  


                       
                        Ontario Farmland Trust Volunteer Program

                        In the past few months, the beginnings of a volunteers program has been established at the Ontario Farmland Trust.  Many enthusiastic and skilled people have expressed their interest in volunteering, and the program is slowly growing.  Some of the accomplishments made by our volunteers include:



                        (i) Alan Northsworthy has taken many beautiful photographs of our rural countryside that will be used in our promotional material



                        (ii) Roli Wilhelm has been documenting the farms in Wellington region that are found just outside the urban zone (and thus the most susceptible to development)



                        (iii) Matt Kochan has been archiving articles on farmland from some of the national newspapers



                        (iv) Tristan Dineen has written a short article on the importance of farmland preservation (an excerpt of which can be found below)



                        (v) Angela Schinas has helped edit a Citizens' Guide to Farmland Preservation


                        (vi) Nikki Hammond for helping edit this newsletter.


                        Many of our other volunteers are working on many interesting  projects.  If you would like to volunteer with the Ontario Farmland Trust, contact Ivan Lee at 519-824-4120 x. 58382, or farmland at uoguelph.ca

                       
                        Attention: Ontario Farmland Trust Annual General Meeting

                        The Ontario Farmland Trust will be holding it's Annual General Meeting on Wednesday November 28, 2007 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am in the Board Room at the Arboretum Centre in Guelph, Ontario.  All members are welcome, please contact us if you have any questions. 

                        519-824-4120 x. 52686
                        farmland at uoguelph.ca
                       
                        A Harvest Photo
                         

                         














                        Hundreds of glowing orange pumpkins sit ready for a Halloween harvest on the Crinklaw farm in the south end of London. The family planted a one acre plot of pumpkins this year in an effort to diversify the produce available at their sugar house this fall, where they also sell their maple syrup and other maple products. The large number and high quality of fruit produced on the vines this year translates into a successful first attempt, which will likely see the farm continue to experiment in other ways to capitalize on their near-urban location. The readily accessible urban population creates a market for fresh farm produce, but also brings with it issues such as trespass and theft, which the Crinklaw's note their pumpkin and sweet corn fields were not immune to this year.

                        Photo and Text: Drew Crinklaw 
                       
                        Commentary
                        Title: The Tension between Farmland Preservation and Development



                        By Rick DeGraaf           



                        The topic of farmland preservation creates a tension in most farmers. And it's a tension that should be there! It's a tension that drives us to greater scrutiny and higher levels of land stewardship.



                        Consider what has happened in the Niagara fruitbelt where I grew up. I can recall fields of fruit trees that I used to help harvest around Fruitland and Winona - but now they're all gone! And it's all for highway expansion and more buildings. That kind of development stands in contrast to the more marginal, neglected farm land just a few kilometers south on the escarpment. 



                        Recently, we were asked by the 'Stop the 424' highway protest group to allow it to put up a large sign at the frontage of our farm property. At stake is land that is now being farmed or is ecologically sensitive land that is part of the Grand River basin. At issue is the route that the proposed Highway 424 will finally take from Brantford to Highway 401 northeast of Cambridge. Several variations are proposed. However, the favoured one is the one that impacts the most farmland!



                        Why is it that farmland seems to lose out time and time again? Several reasons come to mind - reasons that farm organizations like the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario are eager help Canadians understand:



                        ·         Farmland is easy to develop

                        ·         Farmland is cheap compared to the alternatives

                        ·         There are fewer people to deal with for the same area of land

                        ·         Weak competition: farm profits per acre just can't compete and cover all the costs

                        ·         Farmers are getting old and leaving - more sell out each year and few are coming in

                        ·         The public appreciation for farms is in decline: the ecologists carry more sway - sensitive land gets protected before Class 1 farmland

                        ·         Weak farm connections: the urban-rural connection is disconnecting

                        ·         Decline of the family farm and rural population 

                        ·         Fewer and bigger industrial type farming operations



                        Farmland needs a stronger voice. Each acre taken out of farm production is another acre of land that no longer takes in carbon dioxide and generates oxygen. More intensive agriculture and forestry needs to happen to counter the rise in carbon dioxide today.



                        What about the sign? As you approach Cambridge - you'll see it.  We're not opposed to development of Highway 424. We favour a route that makes only a marginal impact on farmland and makes better use of existing roadways to handle the growth of our community.  More can also be done to increase mass transit in our area which will also be encouraged if we continue to direct the developers and planners to think of more 'land stewardly' alternatives. 



                        The tension over farmland development should stay - it's healthy and makes everyone think! 



                        I'm Rick DeGraaf for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and the Ontario Farmland Trust.





                        Rick DeGraaf is a director on the Board of the Ontario Farmland Trust, the Executive Board of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and a chicken producer.  The preceding article appeared in the Ontario Farmer on August 14, 2007.

                       
                 
                 
             Meet the Board

                  The Board of Directors of the Ontario Farmland Trust consists of a group of very dedicated and knowledgeable people from a variety of backgrounds.  Our current Board members are:
                    a.. Chair: Stew Hilts 
                    Professor at the University of Guelph  
                    b.. Vice Chair: Nancy Walther
                    Farmer, Oxford Countyand Ontario Federation of Agriculture Representative
                    c.. Harry Brander 
                    Farmer, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
                    Representative
                    d.. Dan Breen
                    Dairy farmer - Putnam 
                    e.. Drew Crinklaw
                    Farmer; Rural Planner at OMAFRA
                    f.. Rodger Cummins
                    Farmland owner, Retired civil servant  
                    g.. Bruce Flattery
                    Professor at York University
                    h.. Rick DeGraaf                 Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario
                    i.. Mark Juhasz
                    Ph.D. student - University of Guelph 
                    j.. Elbert van Donkersgoed 
                    Executive Director, GTA Agricultural Action Plan Committee 
                    k.. Bronwynne Wilton
                    Ph.D. (ABD) - University of Guelph



                  Photo: Alan Northsworthy
                 
                 
                  Metcalf Intern Report 
                  By Ivan Lee

                  Hi, so it's already October, and my one year internship is almost up!  It's hard to believe how fast the year has gone by.  Since my last update in the May 2007 newsletter several things have happened.  Most of my work has been centred around establishing a volunteer program at OFT.  This was a challenging endeavor, but in the end it was relatively successful and, on a personal note, rewarding - OFT now has a list of skilled and willing volunteers.



                  Some of the other tasks that I have been working on include helping run the day to day operation of OFT, assisting with land securement work, organising the membership and doing some public outreach.  While working on all of these things has been hectic at times,  overall I'm  grateful for my experience working at OFT.  It has been a fun place to work, with great people and  I've learned a lot about farmland conservation and the running of an environmental non-governmental organization.
                 
                 
                  Read about Farmland Preservation!

                  An excellent book to read if you wish to learn more about farmland preservation, is Farmland Preservation - Land for Future Generations.  This book is a reader on issues and challenges related to farmland preservation and is edited by two Board members of the Ontario Farmland Trust, Dr. Stew Hilts and Bronwynne Wilton, along with Dr. Wayne Caldwell.  Topics covered in this book include general overview of farmland preservation along with definitions of popular approaches; perspectives from different provinces in Canada; perspectives on issues and approaches in the United States; and global perspectives from Australia and the United Kingdom.


                  Click here to order your copy today! 
                 
                  Donations, Memberships and Volunteering

                        There are a number of wasy to help out the Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT).  

                        First you can make a charitable donation that will help support our work.  Your cash donations will help support our efforts to preserve Canada's best farmland. We also accept donations of land or easements (which allow you to protect your farm while you still own your land and have the right to sell it).   In most instances donors have the opportunity of obtaining significant tax benefits.

                        Second, you can buy a membership with the Ontario Farmland Trust.  Your membership fees will go a long way to helping the OFT achieve its goals.  Membership categories:
                        (i) Individual/Family - $50 per year
                        (ii) Non profit organization - $250 per year
                        (iii) Corporate - $500 per year

                        Third, you can volunteer at the OFT.  There are numerous exiting position just waiting for the right volunteer.

                        If you are interested in learning more about how you can support our work please contact the Ontario Farmland Trust at farmland at uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120 x. 52686. 
                 
                 
                  The Importance of Farmland Preservation

                  Below is an excerpt of the article written by Tristan Dineen on the importance of preserving farmland: 


                  With the world's population growing we cannot sacrifice our ability to grow food to feed the masses of humanity...  Gwynne Dyer cites the economist Lester Brown as saying that "The stage is now set for direct competition for grain between the 800 million people who own automobiles, and the world's two billion poorest people (Dyer)"... 


                  Indeed, farmland preservation is not only important for the obvious reasons of ensuring a reliable food supply and resource management to feed a growing population.  Farmland has inherent ecological value beyond its economic value and possesses cultural value as well in that it embodies rural qualities such as "open space, recreation, clean air and water, wildlife, and historical character (Wilton pp 23)." These things are called "local amenities" and define rural areas as distinct - with farmland as a public good and pollution control via the water cycle (Wilton pp 23). This goes hand in hand with the so-called "Agrarian ideal" which holds the farmer as the steward of the land and as the basis of community life (Wilton pp 24).


                  Sources



                  Dyer, Gwynne, "Cheap food is a thing of the past, and the world's poorest will suffer," Guelph Mercury, Thursday July 12th, 2007.



                  Wilton, Bronwynne, "Farmland Preservation Perspectives," in Farmland Preservation: Land for Future Generations, Wayne Caldwell, Stew Hilts, Bronwynne Wilton eds.  Guelph: Farmland Preservation Research Project, University of Guelph, 2007 pp 13-32.

                 
           
     
            The Ontario Farmland Trust is a non-government, non-profit, charitable organization that has been established to work with farmers, rural communities and other interested parties to promote the protection of farmland in the province of Ontario. 

            The mission of the Ontario Farmland Trust is to protect and preserve farmlands and the associated agricultural, natural and cultural features of the countryside and to research and educate to further the preservation of these lands for the benefit of current and future generations. 
           
            Contact Info

            Melissa Watkins, Executive Director
            Ontario Farmland Trust
            Richards Building 
            University of Guelph
            Guelph, ON, Canada
            N1G 2W1 
            Tel: (519) 824-4120 x52686 
            Fax: (519) 824-5730 
            farmland at uoguelph.ca 
     

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