Fred Steele
Today many terms are used to describe the changes we are dealing with in agriculture. Terms such as Agri Tourism, RV Parking, non farm use and worker housing. They are related only in terms of being challenges for the farmer, the municipal governments and the public at large and governed by social license.
First let us shed some light on what each term really means, let’s explore the challenges and how we might find some common ground solutions.
Agri Tourism draws people to the farm so they better understand what farms do and why they follow certain practices. In other words, “The Farm Experience”. The second part of the equation is the benefit for the farmer - Agri Tourism generates revenue for the farm enabling the farmer to reinvest the money into the farm operation - at least, that’s the concept. Please note, even with a successful Agri Tourism operation, farming should still be the main focus of the farm.
RV Parking was initially thought of in the context of Agri Tourism and still is part of the equation for many. However, the experiment has endured challenges and in some cases has steered away from the original intent - namely, a farm experience and a benefit to a farm operation, with the farm operation maintaining its priority.
Worker housing is often confused in the same groupings as Agri Tourism, but it is not. In these days of labour shortages and when many agricultural operations rely, in whole or in part, on foreign workers, the worker housing is not optional. Worker housing is in fact a requirement of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, both the Caribbean and Mexican flavours.
Both Agri Tourism and Farm Worker Housing take up some of the ALR, and both can contribute to the success of the ALR. Though the vast majority of Agri Tourism operations and Farm Worker Housing maintain and respect the ALR, both are subject to forms of abuse. It is these few instances of abuse that lead to regulation. Now, we are approaching a series of confusing rules that could end up being a conundrum for all if we do not seek some common solutions.
The ALC (Agricultural Land Commission) has changed many rules as to what is and is not permitted. The Municipal and Regional Governments, are also playing a role through developing bylaws, and often neighbouring jurisdictions have different by-laws which leads to confusion and frustration.
The problem is two fold. Municipal officials may not be familiar with the needs or requirements of farmers - only 2% of us farm today, so many municipal employees have not experienced “farm living”.
At the same time, many farmers have difficulty understanding the complexities of administering land use or development. First we must come to terms with the terms - a mutual understanding of what we are talking about, second we must understand the intent of the ALC and the needs of farmers and community. Thirdly, we must understand worker housing, RV Parking and Agri Tourism are different issues and cannot be resolved as a packaged solution.
If the principal players, the Municipal Governments and the Agriculture community cannot work out a joint solution and explain our positions to the general public how are they to understand the facts on individual merit? Such an information vacuum allows even the concept of social license to become muddied and fraught with misconceptions.
Agri Tourism is an enhancement to a farm operation that draws attention the economic, environmental and social contributions of farming. Communities can benefit by having people come to enjoy a celebration. It could be a corn maze or a wedding, if the rules are followed it’s beneficial that the community be linked to a farming experience - it shows where the food comes from and educates about what is involved. This is a benefit for agriculture and may even build consumer loyalty to buy locally grown farm products.
Let us explore the RV Parking debate for a moment. This was originally seen as a tourist advantage much like a bed and breakfast operation on wheels as it were. People would set up in the park location for a specific period of time and move on. In some cases this has not happened, it became longer-term living or RV Storage. That is an infringement on the intent of the rules - it changes the ‘educational’ aspect into a business-only aspect and could take away from the farming intent altogether in extreme cases. Some municipal governments are looking to shut the door on Agri Tourism accommodation altogether. This is turn creates more problems than it solves. Many operations act within the rules providing Agri Tourism experiences as intended and should not be excluded purely because of the ‘bad apples’.
First address the violators and enforce the rules - do not punish everyone for the transgressions of those who flaunt the law. In addition there are those who are in the planning stages of creating facilities within the rules and they would be punished for no reason other than the few who abuse the system. Agri Tourism and RV Parking issues are enforcement issues and need to be addressed as such.
As for worker housing, this is a separate issue. In today's farming operations, many are getting larger as consolidation occurs (oddly enough, it is not the smallest farms that are being consolidated, but the middle sized farms). More houses in higher density are required - the alternative is to have a larger but more widely distributed footprint on many farms. Now that is another problem to be first understood, then balance the needs of the ALR and the farmer trying to diversify and add new income streams without adversely affecting the farm operation.
To fully understand each other I think the time has come to sit down with cooperating communities and the Agriculture Industry and rationally discuss the challenges and find solutions. This approach is in the category of leadership and if we are going to explain the complexities of the problems to the public at large, we have to know what the challenges and the solutions are.
Some say that would be a futile effort. But look at the progress the industry and Municipal and Regional Governments of the Okanagan have already accomplished. The Sterile Insect Release Program, The Starling Control Program, and the wood chipping programs that reduces burning. We have demonstrated leadership in the past and we can do so again.
If we do not work together with regulators, an unaware public will take social license to the extreme and impose unworkable requirements (think propane cannons in the Lower Mainland).
Working together we can find solutions that work for Agri Tourism and Worker Housing. ■
Fred Steele, President, BC Fruit Growers’ Association