Before asphalt is paved over and warehouses are built, a farmers’ association is urging the government to rectify this issue and have launched a petition concerned citizens to sign.
More than a fourth of the potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and squash available in British Columbia from spring to early summer are gathered from a single, unprotected property in Surrey.
The Campbell Heights property, located near the intersection of 192nd Street and 36th Avenue, is essential for food security in British Columbia, particularly during rainy and cold years.
The federal government owns the 300-acre land and has leased the 220-acre field to Heppell’s for 50 years. The field produces 30 to 50 million servings of vegetables annually, which are frequently the only locally grown veggies available in spring and late fall in British Columbia grocery shops.
Vegetables cultivated from the field reduce the province’s reliance on food from Mexico and the United States.
There are a number of characteristics that make the site exceptional for farming. The area is sandy and situated on a slope. It drains quite effectively, allowing farmers to grow and harvest despite rain and damp conditions.
Read more here: https://globalnews.ca/news/8934598/surrey-farmers-protect-farmland-from-sale/