Environment committee  Thank you. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the York Region Federation of Agriculture for giving me the opportunity to speak to you on behalf of its 700 farmer members in the region, including those farming in the proposed Rouge national urban park. We represent the farmers in

Environment committee  The need to preserve the farmland is so it stays in production. Adopting conservation projects that would take land out of production would be one thing, but as far as having farmers using best management practices or methods that would still guarantee production at the same leve

Environment committee  We're worried that we will gradually over time lose the land we have. When equal priority isn't given, it's hard for farmers and for agriculture to hold its ground and to maintain that level field.

Environment committee  I gave none.

Environment committee  He didn't consult with us at all, the federation or the farmers in the park, that I'm aware of.

Environment committee  In the region it's 700.

Environment committee  That's correct.

Environment committee  That's correct.

Environment committee  It bothers us. Those millions of other people eat just about every day. But as for the industrial comments, some people believe that because the tractors are bigger, because the equipment is bigger, because of economies of scale, this has meant that we farm...as in a lot of oth

Environment committee  No.

Environment committee  Yes.

Environment committee  We watched the farmland south of Steeles disappear, so that only that 10% of heritage farms were left. We became much more involved once the farmers started getting notices to cancel their lease in creating the Bob Hunter park. There is definitely the fear that there will be othe

Environment committee  The prioritization we would like to be equal with the environmental concerns and natural heritage protection. I'm sorry, what was the other point?

Environment committee  The farmers already are using environmental farm plans. They're already using best management practices. From our initial consultations with Parks Canada, we have suggested that those would be what we would be looking for as a standard so that the farmers know what's expected of

Environment committee  An environmental farm plan is a plan that was created by farmers. It is a plan that comes with a workshop. You sit down with a binder that shows what.... It's basically around water health and environmental health. You look at your farm based on the criteria that are in the book.