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Growing Green

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

  2. What is Growing Green? • Two-year law & policy reform project on sustainable food systems funded by Canada’s Voluntary Sector Initiative & Tides Canada • Focused on Southwestern BC: exurban Vancouver & Victoria Growing Green

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

  4. Project Team • West Coast Environmental Law (Lawrence Alexander), Mark Haddock • FarmFolk/CityFolk Herb Barbolet, Kathleen Gibson • Liu Institute for Global Issues Evan Fraser, Kristina Bouris Growing Green

  5. 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

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

  7. Strategic Law ReformPriorities • Making sustainable food systems work • Making sustainable food systems pay Growing Green

  8. Strategic Law ReformMaking sustainable food systems work • Community-based food councils in GVRD, CRD • Model Official Community Plans & Bylaws • Junk food in schools (with Environmental Law Centre) • Provincial public health legislation • Small-scale food processors Growing Green

  9. Strategic Law ReformMaking sustainable food systems pay Making long-term land management pay • Co-farming/multi-family housing • Farmland trusts & conservation covenants • Organics & regulated marketing • Farm labour practices • Farm leases Making ecological practices pay • Ecological services: incentives & rewards Growing Green

  10. Ancillary Projects • “Think piece” on BC agri-food • Voluntary sector tools • Case studies Growing Green

  11. Ancillary Projects “Think piece” on BC agri-food Farm & food businesses, other aspects of food systems that are off government radar/fall between cracks Growing Green

  12. Ancillary Projects Voluntary Sector Tools • Manual on basics re input to government • “Mind map” of food systems • Research/resources on state-of-art praxis re community-based food councils • Workshop “Policy Input 201” for agri-food voluntary sector organizations Growing Green

  13. Ancillary Projects Case Studies • Engeler Farm • Noble Food & Education Centre • Local sourcing for school food Growing Green

  14. Project Promotion • Growing Green presentations • Conference presentations • Launch event March 2004 • Communications strategy • Web site • List serves Growing Green

  15. Project PromotionGrowing Green presentations Federal govt, Ottawa, April 2003 • Office of Auditor General • National Round Table • Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada • Voluntary Sector Initiative Growing Green

  16. Project PromotionGrowing Green presentations Provincial/local govt, Apr-Sep 2003 • Agricultural Land Commission • BC Agriculture Council • Capital Regional District • Environment Canada/Cdn Wildlife Service • Ministry Agriculture, Food & Fisheries • Ministry Sustainable Resource Management • Ministry Water, Land & Air Protection • Provincial Health Officer Growing Green

  17. Project PromotionConference presentations • Salt Spring Island Farmers Institute • GVRD Economic Strategy for Ag/Lower Mainland • UBC Agroecology Forum • Land Trust Alliance 2003 AGM • Leading Edge Conference: Stewardship & Conservation in Canada • Economics Co-ops course, Bologna, Italy • BC Food Systems Network 2002 & 2003 Conferences • Community Food Security Coalition 2003, Boston • National Food Security Conference 2004, Winnipeg Growing Green

  18. Project PromotionLaunch Event March 2004 • Interactive final report • Wrap & evaluate project, plant seeds • Showcase work of voluntary sector partners • Day-long forum with • Keynote address • 3 workshops • Introduction of tools • Participatory evaluation Growing Green

  19. Project Promotion Communications strategy • Preliminary work with IMPACS Web site • www.ffcf.bc.ca/GrowingGreen.html List serves Growing Green

  20. Project OverviewReport Card • Actual policy & law reform proposals & results? • Stronger policy capacity in agri-food voluntary sector organizations? Growing Green

  21. Project OverviewReport Card: Policy • GVRD: recommendations made to Task Force, Task Force to draft food policy & plan • CRD: recommendations to be summarized • OCPS/bylaws: models to be summarized (with Smart Growth help) • Junk food/schools: recommendations to be summarized (with Env. Law Centre help) • Public health: ideas submitted through CNC • Small-scale food processors: recommen-dations, Emilia Romagna paper to come Growing Green

  22. Project OverviewReport Card: Policy • Farmland trusts: recommendations made to LTA & Salt Spring partners • Organics/regulated marketing: policy options offered to organics partners/coalition • Farm leases: partners’ support sought for amendment • Farm labour practices: identify priorities • Ecological services: policy options summarized, need implementation strategy Growing Green

  23. Project OverviewReport Card: Voluntary Sector Capacity • Contacted over 65 organizations • Working with ~10 strategic partners • “Sharing the Benefits” Program • Tools • Roles • Links Growing Green

  24. Project OverviewReport Card: Voluntary Sector Capacity Key Strategic Partners • Lower Mainland Food Coalition: re-convened coalition, assisting input to local/regional govt • CR-FAIR: expanding coalition, assisting with input to local/regional govt • SSFPA: assisting with strategy & positioning re MAFF, Investment Agriculture • COABC: linking to BC Marketing Board review Growing Green

  25. Project OverviewReport Card: Voluntary Sector Capacity “Sharing the Benefits” Program 1/2 Fostered policy dialogues with/for: • BC Food Systems Network • COABC • Land Trust Alliance • POLIS Project • Small-Scale Food Processors Association • Your Local Farmers’ Market Society Growing Green

  26. Project OverviewReport Card: Voluntary Sector Capacity “Sharing the Benefits” Program 2/2 Proposing policy dialogues with: • COABC: meet with organics coalition • CR-FAIR: action workshop re Capital Region Food Council • District A Farmers’ Institute: pilot farmland trust project • POLIS Project: ecological services incentives for farmers in GVRD, CRD • PICSS: farm labour co-op Growing Green

  27. Project OverviewReport Card: Voluntary Sector Capacity Tools • Advisory memos (strategy, tactics) • Blueprints (for govt, for circulation) Roles • “Honest broker” roles between voluntary sector & government agencies Links • New policy links & partnerships between NGOs, legal & academic communities Growing Green

  28. Project OverviewReport Card: Strengths/Weaknesses Strengths • In-person outreach • Effective in providing ideas to partners • Flexibility: taking advice & opportunities • Reference Group: useful tips, guidance • Project team: strong mix of skills • Demonstrated useful new partnership models • Attracted attention & great volunteers Growing Green

  29. Project OverviewReport Card: Strengths/Weaknesses Weaknesses • Priorities hard to integrate coherently • Too many issues – spread too thin? • Little connection with AAFC, APF • Drawn into some voluntary sector politics • Advisory role -> limited control over outcomes • Lack of broadcast project communications Growing Green

  30. Project OverviewProposed Policy Focus/Effort to Mar 2004 Major effort • GVRD: long-term food policy & plan • CRD: baseline food security assessment, proposal for food council • Organics coalition: policy options input to specialty programs review • “Think piece” on BC alternative agri-food • Voluntary sector tools Growing Green

  31. Project OverviewProposed Policy Focus/Effort to Mar 2004 Minor effort • OCPS/bylaws: models summary • Junk food in schools: policy recommendations • Public health: grassroots links • SSFPA: lessons from Emilia Romagna • Farmland trusts: pilot project startup • Farm leases: amendment filed • Farm labour practices: action plan • Ecological services: implementation strategy Growing Green

  32. Project OverviewAfter Growing Green: new initiatives? • Community food councils in GVRD, CRD • Farmland trust pilot on Salt Spring • More on Emilia Romagna models for BC • Business case for BC “alternative” agri-food • Ecological services programs in GVRD, CRD • LEED farm program • Agri-food specialist at WCEL • National healthy eating challenge Growing Green

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