A forum on food sovereignty, hosted by MP of B.C.’s Southern Interior Alex Atamanenko, was held in Grand Forks with special guest Colleen Ross on March 19.
The Seniors’ Centre in Grand Forks’ City Park was full of farmers, gardeners and interested residents who were keen on finding out more about local sustainability.
Ross, the first vice-president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) in Canada and the owner of Waratah Downs Organic Farm, discussed the importance of small farmers and fighting back against global corporations.
According to the NFU website, “Farmers producing diverse products must work together to advance effective solutions. The organization also works toward the development of economic and social policies that will maintain the family farm as the primary food-producing unit in Canada.”
The NFU is an organization that believes that problems facing farmers in Canada are common.
“I hope that farmers become less discouraged and to start thinking creatively on how they can reach out and market to the eaters in this community,” she explained. “I hope that the eaters out here who aren’t farming, start to think more strategically about what they choose to eat, how they make their purchases and who they’re buying their foods from.”
What is important is bringing farmers and eaters closer together, stated Ross.
She hopes that the farmers, gardeners and eaters who attended the presentation will start to join hands and work together.
At the same time, Ross hopes that they farmers don’t settle for less.
“I want them to push back so that they don’t let the federal government, the local government or the provincial government dictate what’s going on and for them to start saying no,” she stated. “I want them to start doing things that make sense instead of doing things that are dictated from above.”
Atamanenko agreed.
“They can make this an election issue in the next B.C. federal election,” he explained. “Each province has to sign on to the trade agreements so let’s get a position from all the parties and see what they say.”
For Atamanenko, the issue of food sovereignty is not an issue that belongs to one political party.
“A country that loses control of (its) own food supply is, I believe, vulnerable,” he stated. “We are a trading nation and we can find a healthy compromise between trading and at the same time having control of our food systems.”
To Ross, there is a distinct difference between being a farmer and being a gardener.
“I think there’s a romantic idea of being a farmer and I think a lot of people who grow food are gardeners who think they’re farmers. If you lose your crop and you’re a gardener, you’re going to be OK,” she stated. “If I lose my crop and I’m a farmer, I’m going to lose my home, there’s a big difference.”
The overall message was to become more engaged with where the food one buys and eats comes from.
“Buy some seeds, dig up some soil and plant them, it is not that difficult. There’s so much life in a seed, put the seed in the ground, (and) ask your friends who have success growing food,” she concluded. “Under every bit of grass there’s soil. Rip out that soil and plant.”
Roly Russell, president of the Grand Forks and Boundary Regional Agricultural Society (GFBRAS), Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Area D Director Irene Perepolkin and past-president of GFBRAS Doug Zorn were also in attendance.