The BC Ministry of Ag has proposed rule changes for food processing in the ALR that would make it much easier to build food processing facilities on classes 4-7 land, with a much lower requirement for the use of BC-produced food.

I've already produced two episodes about this; in this one I'll share some listener feedback about this topic.

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The proposed rule is as follows: On class 5-7 soil (and class 4 if the parcel is serviced by the date this rule is implemented), ALC approval is not necessary to build food processing plants in the ALR, so long as 5 percent of the primary product used in the processing is grown or raised in the province.

Read the Ministry of Ag's proposal and discussion paper here.

You can tell the government what you think of this proposal by emailing Ag Minister Popham at AF.Minister@gov.bc.ca

Mentioned in this episode:

The Cover Cropping Field Day Advertised at the Head of this Episode

Head to https://organicbc.org/events/ to register for the field day at Lakeland Farms on October 2nd. Here's a summary: On Friday, October 2nd, join Organic BC and Ecocert at Lakeland Farms in Salmon Arm for a hands-on day exploring cover cropping, soil health, and drought resilience. Tour Lakeland Farms and learn more about their business model and where cover cropping fits in, along with the economics of cover cropping, the tools used to manage hundreds of acres of cover crops, and how they’re integrating cattle grazing into their cover crops. You’ll also hear from agrologist Tanya Brouwers on using cover crops to build soil organic matter, retain moisture, and strengthen farm resilience, and will have the opportunity to take part in simple, practical soil assessments you can use on your own farm. Refreshments and snacks will be generously provided by Askew’s Foods. This event is free and open to anyone interested, but registration is required. Learn more and save your spot at: eventbrite.ca/e/cover-cropping-drought-resilience-soil-assessment-lakeland-farms-tickets-1998671910487 Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF).