Film Review: Food Security, It's In Your Hands by Joy Story

On Saturday Feb. 12/2011, the film, Food Security, It's in your Hands by Nick Versteeg was shown in Duncan at the Christian Reform Church and here are some of the highlights incase you couldn't make it.

- Talking to a chef in Victoria recently, Nick learned that peppers were expected to increase in price 198%.  That should get our attention.  All food prices will increase as  the cost of fuel increases.
- 15 % of the world population is starving
- There are only 4% of the Canadian people who are farmers, the rest are urbanites
- 33% of Canadian Children have never been to a farm
- Bees are the MOST important insect we have and they are presently in danger due to climate change, hive parasites and the increase in pesticide use in agriculture and bee keeping.
- If bees disappear, all the tasty foods we enjoy, fruit, citrus, will become increasingly rare
- Start using mason bees in your gardens, orchards and farms for pollination.

From the Discussion After the Film.....
- 2/3 rds of every dollar spent here on Vancouver Island stays here on Vancouver Island
- Many farmers must turn towards value added products
- We need to solve farming challenges at local grassroots level
- To keep agriculture land for agriculture use, it was proposed that different levels of taxation be used for land owners who were not growing food.  As high as 5 - 6 times.  There would be less buyers, and less competition, keeping the price of farms more affordable for new farmers.  It has not passed yet, and it would only apply to new developments.
- Discussion around whether farm land should be broken into 5 and 10 acre lots raised many issues around whether it was sufficient area for growing food on a commercial basis, when you consider some land may be marshy, forrest, rocky, hillside and unsuitable for vegetable growing.  Maintaining and increasing soil fertility is the main concern for farmers
- Agriculture Land is falling into the hands of people who are not farming it.
- In the future, we are going to have to consider new ways of farming.  Eg. Human Urine pelletized
- We all need to grow food, just like in World War II
- It is illegal to grow food on your front lawn in Toronto
- Leasing land to farm is still a popular way to farm at approx. $150.00 an acre.
- This film can be purchased at the Cowichan Green Community Store

Nick is giving a course on Hobby Farming at UVIC on March 26 and at his farm on March 27