Farmers union worried about changes to land rules

The National Farmers Union is concerned about a change to legislation that allows corporations to own more land on P.E.I.

A change to the Lands Protection Act in January 2015 allows corporations to own 607more hectaresthan in the past, if they are leased out.

They knew it wasn't going to sell with the farmers outside of the corporate farmers, and that's why they were sneaky about it.- RanaldMacFarlane, NFUmember

That puts the possible corporate level of ownership at 2,307 hectares, including arable, non-arable and leased land.

The union'sregional co-ordinator for the Maritimes, Reg Phelan, said the NFU was not consulted when these changes were implemented almost two years ago, and they were shocked when they were informed of themby theIsland Regulatory and Appeals Commissionearlier this year.

Concerns about going over the limit

"We thought it was kind of excessive ... because, I mean, the recommendations of many of the commissions that were held over the years was not to increase the limits," said Phelan.

However, the province said NFU was part of the consultations thatled to the change.

The NFU also has concerns about whether corporations ownmore than the allowable limitof 2,307hectares. It plans to ask IRAC to review how much land corporations currently own because it believes corporations are getting around rules by, for example,putting land under different names.

IRAC said it constantly keeps track of how much land corporations own and, according to its records, no corporation exceeds the limit.

Difficulties for average farmers

The NFU has had concerns for years about the increasing land acquisition by corporations, and said it has brought those concerns to the province on numerous occasions. Phelan said things will get worse if corporations are able to access even more land.

"It makes it more difficult for the smaller and average type of farmer," he said. "I know one potato farmer in the area who was expecting to be able to increase their acreage ... and the land was bought up by someone else, who then in turn sold it to a large processor. It makes it difficult for people in their own community to hopefully have land close to them and to be able to continue farming,or, if some more of the younger people in the family wish to be involved in farming, to have that option," he said.

• From 2013: Land ownership debated at public meeting

NFU member Ranald MacFarlane said he was upset when he learned the province had made changes to the ownership limits.

"They knew it wasn't going to sell with the farmers outside of the corporate farmers, and that's why they were sneaky about it," said MacFarlane.

Larger companies taking over

He said there is very little land available to buy in western P.E.I. He owns 40hectares, but would like to expand because his children would like to farm. However he said it's difficult to get nearby land. He said it's all been bought up by corporate potato farmers.

Phelan said the NFU feels the changes are going against the intent of the original Lands Protection Act, which was put in place 30 years ago, to stop larger companies from taking over farmland.

The NFU has spoken with government officials from two provincial government departments. Phelan said the NFU tried to speak with Premier Wade MacLauchlan about this issue, but was told by the premier's office he wouldn't be commenting on it at this time.

"We're not very pleased about that ... We represent probably half of the farmers on P.E.I. ... and we think they should have some responsibility to speak with us and inform us of those types of decisions that have been made," said Phelan.

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