Socioeconomic issues: Industry
The agricultural industry
BC Federation of Agriculture Brief to BCUC August, 1982
BCUC Document G-41-81 Site C Exhibit 398b
"As B.C. Hydro's evidence has indicated, the Peace Valley is a very small part of the world agricultural land resource - a finite and shrinking land resource. Failure to consider the implications of the rapidly growing world population and the continued inability of many countries to efficiently mobilize their agricultural resource may lead to serious underestimating of the value, in the long-run, of the Peace River valley agricultural resource.
"According to the Global 2000 report, world food production is projected to increase 90 percent over the 30 years from 1970-2000 while arable land will increase only 4 percent. Production per acre of cultivated land will have to increase more than 50 percent to fulfill these projections." p.1
"The Peace Valley has the largest single block of developed and potential farmland in B.C. In this picture we see class 2 and 3 land near Charlie Lake. Note the rural subdivision in the foreground, one of the potential impacts of the proposed Site C dam project." p.4
"Much emphasis has been put on vegetable production both as a measure of land capability and the economic value of the land. The vegetable capability of Site C land is part of the reason why it is valuable.
"But there are other valuable crops that can be grown in the Peace Valley and which compete with vegetables for land use in other parts of the province. Corn for silage is grown in conjunction with beef or dairy operations, neither of which were included in the potential production scenario presented by B.C. Hydro.... Berries are a high value potential crop for Site C lands. Raspberries are just one of the berry crops which would grow there.... Strawberries are another crop that could be grown on the Site C lands." p.5-8
"You may recall that B.C. Hydro says there is 1,450 acres of class 4 and 5. The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food suggests there may be 1,485 acres. Whatever the correct figure is, no value has been given to any class 4 or 5 land in the calculation of loss in the Peace Valley." p.8
BCUC Document G-41-81 Site C Exhibit 398b
"As B.C. Hydro's evidence has indicated, the Peace Valley is a very small part of the world agricultural land resource - a finite and shrinking land resource. Failure to consider the implications of the rapidly growing world population and the continued inability of many countries to efficiently mobilize their agricultural resource may lead to serious underestimating of the value, in the long-run, of the Peace River valley agricultural resource.
"According to the Global 2000 report, world food production is projected to increase 90 percent over the 30 years from 1970-2000 while arable land will increase only 4 percent. Production per acre of cultivated land will have to increase more than 50 percent to fulfill these projections." p.1
"The Peace Valley has the largest single block of developed and potential farmland in B.C. In this picture we see class 2 and 3 land near Charlie Lake. Note the rural subdivision in the foreground, one of the potential impacts of the proposed Site C dam project." p.4
"Much emphasis has been put on vegetable production both as a measure of land capability and the economic value of the land. The vegetable capability of Site C land is part of the reason why it is valuable.
"But there are other valuable crops that can be grown in the Peace Valley and which compete with vegetables for land use in other parts of the province. Corn for silage is grown in conjunction with beef or dairy operations, neither of which were included in the potential production scenario presented by B.C. Hydro.... Berries are a high value potential crop for Site C lands. Raspberries are just one of the berry crops which would grow there.... Strawberries are another crop that could be grown on the Site C lands." p.5-8
"You may recall that B.C. Hydro says there is 1,450 acres of class 4 and 5. The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food suggests there may be 1,485 acres. Whatever the correct figure is, no value has been given to any class 4 or 5 land in the calculation of loss in the Peace Valley." p.8