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Growing Green

Growing Green. Sustainable Food Policy and Legal Reform. Project Partners: FarmFolk/CityFolk West Coast Environmental Law Liu Institute for Global Issues (UBC). What is Growing Green ?.

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Growing Green

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  1. Growing Green Sustainable Food Policy and Legal Reform Project Partners: FarmFolk/CityFolk West Coast Environmental Law Liu Institute for Global Issues (UBC)

  2. What is Growing Green? • Two-year law and policy reform project on food and sustainability funded by Canada’s Voluntary Sector Initiative and Tides Canada Growing Green

  3. Project Objectives • Develop, in strategic areas, practical law and policy models and reform proposals Growing Green

  4. Project Objectives • Develop in strategic areas, practical law and policy models and reform proposals • Strengthen capacity of voluntary organizations to contribute to law and policy Growing Green

  5. Project Team • West Coast Environmental Law • FarmFolk/CityFolk • Liu Institute for Global Issues Growing Green

  6. Project Focus • Federal, provincial and local law/policy as it applies to growing food in and around BC’s urban areas • Innovative ideas generated across Canada and around the world • Community groups and Reference Group asked to identify priorities Growing Green

  7. Case for Growing Green • Food system produces environmental services • Food system needs to produce more environmental services to be sustainable • Wide spectrum of solutions proposed, including: • Help sustainable farmers by removing regulatory barriers • Prepare ‘Plan B’ to current reliance on cheap fuel • Overhaul system; build a local food economy • Growing Green: reforms that offer meaningful progress towards all three Growing Green

  8. Project Approach:community collaboration Work with farm, food and voluntary organizations to: • Solicit and review policy suggestions • Develop policy recommendations • Solicit comments on recommendations • Refine policy recommendations • Report results/further developments Growing Green

  9. Strengthening Capacity:network building • Work with other NGOs, academics, farmers, gov’t • Encourage policy dialogues • Use creative problem solving techniques • Use most effective ways to share information • Provide tools, resources to assist voluntary sector policy input Growing Green

  10. Strengthening Capacity:policy dialogue-’sharing the benefits’ Year 1 financial contributions to: • Certified Organic Associations of BC • Lower Mainland Food Council • POLIS Project on Ecological Governance • Small Scale Food Processor Association • BC Food Systems Network Growing Green

  11. Strategic Law Reform:determining project priorities • Over 50 potential projects identified in collaboration with farm, food, and voluntary organizations • Priorities shaped and determined with advice from Reference Group, based on: • Requested by farm, food, or voluntary group? • Can Growing Green can add value? • Practical, useful, and doable? Growing Green

  12. Strategic Law Reform:priorities • Making sustainable food systems work • Making sustainable food systems pay Growing Green

  13. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems work • Making the case for community based food councils • Showcasing model Official Community Plans and Bylaws • Contributing to provincial public health legislation • Attracting small scale food processors Growing Green

  14. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems work Making the case for community food councils • Importance of community-based food systems • Need for inter-sectoral food forums • Need for food policy and planning • Food councils help deliver economic, environmental, social benefits in communities Growing Green

  15. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems work Showcasing model OCPs and bylaws • Work with Smart Growth, other partners • Inform and educate regional/municipal partners • Link food councils to Agricultural Advisory Committees • Draft or amend bylaws, sections of OCPs Growing Green

  16. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems work Contributing to BC public health legislation • Negotiate for new Public Health Act that: • includes healthy eating as a core service • includes food security as basis for healthy eating and chronic disease prevention • includes key duties and obligations • Explore development of a BC Food Council Growing Green

  17. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems work Attracting small-scale food processors • Help develop BC Food and Beverage Processor Association with input from small-scale operators • Help develop a pilot regional manufacturing/distribution network • Explore regional brands (e.g. Fresh from the Islands) Growing Green

  18. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems pay • Making long-term land management pay • Making ecological practices pay Growing Green

  19. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems pay Making long-term land management pay • Investigating co-farming/multi-family housing • Bringing UK National Trust and other ‘working farm’ trust models to BC • Restoring right to conservation covenants • Obtaining quota to use collectively • Registering short-term leases against title Growing Green

  20. Strategic Law Reformmaking sustainable food systems pay Making ecological practices pay • Accounting mechanisms • Reward mechanisms Growing Green

  21. Strategic Law Reformmaking ecological practices pay • Rationale:Carefully managed, farmland protects the soil, provides a buffer against droughts and floods, and can provide habitat for a range of species. • Problem:In many situations, farmers are penalized for protecting the environment, since “sustainable practices” increase costs and make farms uncompetitive. • Goal:Investigate methods that will reward farmers who use “sustainable practices.” Growing Green

  22. Strategic Law Reformmaking ecological practices pay Accounting Mechanisms • The USDA’sProper Ecosystem Functioning Condition has been successfully applied in a number of cases on Vancouver Island. • The LEED programme of certifying green buildings in the US could be applied to farms in British Columbia. • Organic standards could also be extended to encompass farms that promote ecological functions like wildlife habitat. Growing Green

  23. Strategic Law Reformmaking ecological practices pay Mechanisms to reward: • Tax Shifting: using municipal property tax to provide breaks for farmers who promote habitat on their farms; • Marketing:government sponsored marketing for farmers who promote habitat and are certified through a mechanism identified in proposal #1, • Compensation: compensation for wildlife damage. Growing Green

  24. Ancillary Projects • Case studies • Noble Food and Education Centre • Engeler Farm • Local sourcing for school food • Host information from related food initiatives on Growing Green website • Further ‘think pieces’ Growing Green

  25. Growing Green Website:www.ffcf.bc.ca/GrowingGreen.html • Project description • ‘Making the Case for Growing Green’ • Project priorities • Biographies • Links Growing Green

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