One of the many problems presented to B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham by angry farmers this week was that the NDP governmentB次元官网网址檚 new regulations against dumping fill on farmland have included gravelling driveways to keep them passable in bad weather.

Under fire about elderly people or grown children not allowed to stay on family farms, the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) shutting down non-farm activities including a restaurant and a womenB次元官网网址檚 addiction recovery centre, and other aspects of her overhaul of farm legislation, Popham has made a concession on the gravel issue.

B次元官网网址淚n rural B.C. thereB次元官网网址檚 often cases where farmers need to add gravel onto their driveways annually, because of weather conditions and climate up in the rural areas, and the driveways are long. So they would need to bring on fill onto their properties, onto their farms, in quite large amounts,B次元官网网址� Popham told reporters at the legislature this week.

B次元官网网址淚n our legislation we actually tried to stop dumping of garbage and fill on farmland. That doesnB次元官网网址檛 work in rural B.C. because itB次元官网网址檚 an annual process for them. So we are now requiring a letter of intent every time someone brings new soil or fill onto their property.B次元官网网址�

The latest round of ministry consultations heard about this problem and Popham said she is fixing it, by getting rid of the letter of intent requirement and the fee that goes with it.

B次元官网网址淲e heard from rural B.C. that this would mean paperwork annually for them, and a fee annually for them. And so while weB次元官网网址檙e doing our regulations, weB次元官网网址檙e going to actually change that,B次元官网网址� Popham said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to tweak it, because that was great input, and thatB次元官网网址檚 the great thing about doing the regulations while youB次元官网网址檙e consulting, because you can hear stuff, and then change it.B次元官网网址�

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More than 100 rural people descended on the B.C. legislature this week to push back on PophamB次元官网网址檚 changes, particularly the elimination of B次元官网网址渮one twoB次元官网网址� farmland outside the prime farm areas of the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan and PophamB次元官网网址檚 home turf of southern Vancouver Island.

A major objection is housing restrictions. PophamB次元官网网址檚 revamped ALC restricts additional housing to farm worker use, and that has created cases where multi-generational farmers canB次元官网网址檛 provide accommodation for aging parents or young farmers taking over the operation.

AgMin says there is B次元官网网址渇lexibilityB次元官网网址� for additional living space on family farms under her new regime

B次元官网网址� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)

Christine Watts of Loon Lake spoke to the rally, describing her life on a small ranch where her husband has lived for 62 years.

B次元官网网址淲e looked after, on the farm, both of his parents until just a few days before they passed away, each of them,B次元官网网址� Watts said. B次元官网网址淎nd we were hoping to do the same now as we age. And that doesnB次元官网网址檛 look like itB次元官网网址檚 going to be able to be the case, unless my son lives in our basement.B次元官网网址�

Popham said some of the protesters are farmers, but others are living on agricultural land but not farming. She said there is a procedure with the new ALC, centralized in Burnaby as part of the overhaul, to review additional home applications.

B次元官网网址淵ou can put an application into the Agricultural Land Commission, and you can have a non-adhering permit, so you can apply to have an additional home,B次元官网网址� Popham said. B次元官网网址淏ut of course the ALC uses the agricultural lens when theyB次元官网网址檙e approving that.B次元官网网址�

Popham also cited the example of house size restrictions aimed at preventing B次元官网网址渕ega-mansionsB次元官网网址� from being build on protected farmland. Big homes are popular with berry farming families in the Lower Mainland, so regulations were adapted to fit that need, she said.

On the Fraser Valley Gleaners recovery centre for women in an Abbotsford farmhouse, Popham was unmoved.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an Agricultural Land Commission decision,B次元官网网址� Popham said. B次元官网网址淭hey are an independent tribunal, and so I canB次元官网网址檛 interfere with any decision that they do. But theyB次元官网网址檙e also very reasonable, and so two years is quite a bit of time to find a new accommodation.B次元官网网址�

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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