Private Member’s Bill 21 misses the mark on the fundamental causes of soil erosion with the recent changes in land tenure in Ontario.
Putting blind faith in Independent MPP Brady and Green Party leader Mike Schreiner in supporting Bill 21 without having the details of that bill spelled out is a taking a lazy position on something that could significantly affect how farms operate in the future.
Has anyone seen new legislation that does not create more red tape, regulations and bureaucracy?
Why would anyone support a Bill that is so vague on the details of the restrictions that the proposed “Food Belt” legislation would contain?
Senator Black’s Critical Ground discussion paper has many recommendations on implementing new soil conservation regulations on farmers, most likely by using “carrot and stick” bureaucracy.
It fails to address the fact that small family farm operators are the very best stewards of the land, yet promises to enforce a more regulatory burden on those same farmers.
Independent MPP Brady states that Private Member’s Bill 21, arising from the Critical Ground paper, is sound agricultural policy thinking.
I disagree!
While we know small family farms are the backbone of agriculture, we also know that red tape, bureaucracy and mandatory reporting will only serve to drive the best stewards of the land off their farms at an even faster pace than we have witnessed in the last quarter century.
Family farms, rural residents and hobby farms are very likely to experience more restrictions with Bill 21 and potentially erode the rural property rights of all folks who end up living in a “food belt” designated area.
The fact that the Bill is so vague is a compelling reason not to support it.
Any Bill attempting to create economic zones based on a single economic sector in today’s geopolitical world may expose the local economy to serious economic risks.
The downsizing of Tobacco farming in Norfolk is one striking example that comes to mind.
All of us need to carefully consider the potential ramifications of Bill 21 before we just simply put blind faith into support for “food belt” designations in Ontario.