MARCH 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Ag critic listens to concerns at


farmers’ institute Seed sovereignty, federal policies key issues for farmers


by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER


NANOOSE BAY – Federal


NDP agriculture critic Alistair MacGregor, MP for Cowichan- Malahat-Langford, dropped into the annual general meeting of the District ‘A’ Farmers’ Institute in Nanoose Bay on January 27 to meet with delegates and hear their concerns. The meeting included representatives of farmers’ institutes from Vancouver Island, Powell River and the Gulf Islands. MacGregor, who is also second vice-chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, was accompanied and introduced by fellow NDP MP Gord Johns of Courtenay- Alberni. MacGregor grew up in the


Cowichan Valley and has a small flock of sheep and chickens. He’s also developing an orchard. He has been the NDP’s agriculture critic one


year and sees climate change as critical for farmers, requiring quick action by the federal government. “Farmers are at the


forefront of climate change,” says MacGregor. “The future of farming is at risk, and farmers have an integral role to play. Policy makers need farmers at the centre of it.” MacGregor also discussed private member’s Bill C-281, which proposes designating the Friday before Thanksgiving as National Local Food Day. The bill, introduced by another NDP MP, Wayne Stetski of Kootenay-Columbia, has passed unanimously through second reading in the House of Commons and is now before the Senate. MacGregor pointed out


that Vancouver Island only produces 3% of the food residents consume, underscoring the need for more local food. He also reported on his


ISLANDTRACTORS.com USED EQUIPMENT


N/H FP230 27P GRASS HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL N/H FP230 PROCESSOR, GRASS HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL AQUAPEL AP400S 2000, 400FT HOSE REEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,000 BRILLION 6 FT GRASS SEEDER, 3 PT HITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,500 FORD 542 SMALL SQUARE BALER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 FELLA TS670 1998, DUAL ROTOR RAKE, CENTRE DELIVERY . . . IN STOCK FELLA TH800 2001, 6 BASKET TEDDER, 3PT HITCH . . . . . . . . IN STOCK LEON M375 2017, MANURE SPREADER, VERT BEATERS, AS NEW . 49,500 HAGEDOORN 275 MANURE SPREADER, HYDRA-PUSH . . . . . . . . 19,950 MASCHIO A180 TILLER, 73” WORKING WIDTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,990 ERSKINE 6-WAY BLADE, S/S MOUNT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 NH HARLEY POWER RAKE, 72” WIDTH, S/S MOUNT . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 USED TRACTORS


M/F 5455 TRACTOR/LOADER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46,500 JD 1026R 2011, 540HRS, TRACTOR/LOADER/MID-MWR . . . . . . 15,500 KUB L3901HST 2016, 140HRS, TRAC/LDR, R4 TIRES . . . . . . . 28,000 KUB L285 1980, 2WD, LOADER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,300 N/H TN90F 1998, 7,600 HRS, CAB, MFWD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,500 CASE MAGNUM 225 CVT NEW ALO LOADER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL KUB BX2360 2011, 450HRS, TRACTOR/LDR/MWR . . . . . . . . . 15,500 KUB F2880E 2008, 2WD, 2,900HRS, 60” MOWER . . . . . . . . . . 7,995 KUB Z122EBR-48 2016, ZERO-TURN, 48” DECK, GRASS CATCHER 5,300 NEW INVENTORY


NH BC5070 SMALL SQ BALER, ALL HYD OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . 39,000 KUBOTA RAKES, TEDDERS, MOWERS AND ROUND BALER. . . . . . CALL JAYLOR 5575 MIXER WAGON, FLAT CONVEYOR, DEMO UNIT . . . . . CALL JBS VMEC1636 VERT. SPREADER, SAWDUST & SAND THROWERS CONSTRUCTION


KUB SSV65 2016, ROPS, HYD Q/C, H&F, 270 hrs . . . . . . . . . . 38,500 CAT 305-ECR 2015, HYD THUMB, 2 BUCKETS, RUBBER,1650HRS . 58,145 KUB R530C 2016, CAB, HYD Q/C, SIDE-SHIFT FORKS . . . . . . . . 69,500


islandtractors.com


ISLAND TRACTOR & SUPPLY LTD. DUNCAN 1-888-795-1755 NORTH ISLAND TRACTOR COURTENAY 1-866-501-0801


Experience the powerful


Th


handling into one dependable workh K OTI®


test drive at yo


h performance co y ur local KI


CASHBack Offers


Bas d oasedon pu hase of lligibl your


Base on pur See your


ased on pur has of See youSee youour au hor


urchase o a eof eliigib gib e nibli en w our authoriuthor zeho zed KIOTI T orized KIO ITOTI Tracto Deale


ble new equiipment df ct rDealller orer for de


ble newequipment def Tractor D aler


pmen defi defi ctor Deale fo det er for details


ef ned in etailslls


o


ABBOTSFORD Matsqui Ag Repair 604-826-3281


VERNON


Timberstar Tractor 250-545-5441


ompac


he CK10 Seriei s is fully featured, comfortable, an demands a durable compact tractor of high- erf m c


r. Ranging fro


a t tract rs pac dealer.


a to


CK10 0%


a k impres k orse. Learn mo m re at Kio defined np omot on


fined iin promotio al s. ©201 KIO


n prom tiional p ogr 20


om tional progr mog am. Fina cing ing iis subjt 018 KIOT Tr ctorracto Companypany a Divis


OTI Tracto C


gram F nanciiing is subject ctor Compan


gram. Financingis u jje any aDiv


Financing vis o of


e t to cred t re it approva visiion of Daedo g-


15


Federal NDP ag critic Alistair MacGregor, right, fielded questions and discussion at a District ‘A’ Farmers’ Institute meeting on Vancouver Island in January. PAUL KYBA PHOTO


committee’s recent work regarding the mental health challenges of Canadian farmers and ranchers. The standing committee is


currently undertaking a study to understand how to support Indigenous Canadians in the agriculture and agri-food industry. Johns, who serves as NDP


critic for small business and tourism as well as for veterans, discussed the importance of tourism to many farms and the need to keep small business taxes low. Farmers’ institute delegates and guests raised concerns such as seed sovereignty, the new federal requirement for a prescription to access


antibiotics for livestock and the lack of veterinarians to meet this requirement. The added regulatory burden new traceability regulations will impose on farmers, growing water shortages and the need for the federal government to reinstate the National Water Supply Enhancement program were also raised.


power change


The CK10 Series to your mind.


nd ready for any job that om24.5 HP to 40HP, this s ries ssive pow r and smooth com or take a


se


o er oti.c


Kioti.com ect to cred t a p oval. Off r subj val. Offer sub pany a Divi on fDaedo g-USA,Inc.A Inc vision of Daedong-dong-USA,I cInc. DUNCAN


Harbour City Equipment 778-422-3376


PRINCE GEORGE


Northern Acreage Supply Ltd 250-596-2273


edit approvall Offer ubje b ct to ch bjej ct toc bjjectto change w ht ri g wiiitho


Powertrain Warranty chang without


Unlimited Hour


hou prou prior noti out prior not not ce. Som o notice. Some restrestiiction ma otice. Som restric tricti nsmay apply rici tions may appypply. ply y.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52