Farmland disappearing at ‘alarming rate,’ needs to be preserved, says Sen. Black
‘We must preserve our country’s food sovereignty and food security before we lose our farmland,’ Canadian Senators Group Sen. Robert Black says. / SCREENSHOT
Canada is losing farmland at an “alarming rate,” says Canadian Senators Group Sen. Robert Black, who is calling for federal programs to encourage land preservation through farmland easement agreements.
“There must be more federal programming to incentivize Canadians to save their farmland from development through farmland easement agreements, which protect land for farming,” Black said, citing the Census of Agriculture figures that show between 2016 and 2021, Canada lost 2,740 acres of farmland per day.
He also noted during the Senate debate that Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program, which offers tax benefits for donating ecologically sensitive land, does not currently include agricultural land. “Various agricultural groups have called on the government to develop a similar program called ‘Agri-Gift’ that would provide similar federal programs to facilitate the preservation of farmland,” he added.
Pierre Moreau, government representative in the Senate, acknowledged the concerns but did not commit to new programs. “I cannot speculate on any future government program or funding,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of keeping farmland in active production: “I’m sure you would agree that instead of encouraging farmers to give their land, we should encourage them to continue working the land for generations to come.”
Moreau also reaffirmed the government’s support for farm families and the intergenerational transfer of farm businesses.
Black noted the urgency of preserving farmland, citing data from Canadians for a Sustainable Society showing that only 3.2 per cent of Canada’s land is arable and 4.2 per cent can be used for pasture. “We must preserve our country’s food sovereignty and food security before we lose our farmland. How will your government lead in preserving prime agricultural land before we realize it’s too late?” he asked.
Moreau pointed out that agricultural land management is primarily a provincial responsibility. “I think that one action that the government may take is to maintain a discussion with all provinces to ensure that those agricultural lands are protected,” he said, highlighting Quebec’s existing legal protections for farmland.
