25. Chinese people who eat American-style fast food four
or more times a week are nearly twice as likely to die of
cardiac illness than those who eat no fast food.
26.
27. Food grown using chemical pesticides…
• Over 45 pesticides are known or
potential carcinogens: almost half are
still used in North America.
• Farmers in industrialized countries
develop and die of more cancers than
the general population.
• In a 2001 study of 96 Seattle children,
only one child, who had eaten
exclusively organic food, showed no
measurable concentration of
organophosphates from pesticides.
29. Alzheimer's Disease
Worldwide, 36 million people
have the disease
115 million people will get
Alzheimer's by 2050
36% of people in the US are
obese, putting them at greater
risk of Alzheimer's
5.4 million adults in the US have
Alzheimer’s. Their healthcare
cost $130 billion in 2011.
40. .
Since the 1940s & 1950s,
the mineral content of
non-organic food has fallen:
50% less iron
50% less calcium
50% less sodium
50% less copper
50% less magnesium
50% less selenium
Meat / cheese: 50% less iron
Broccoli: 63% less calcium
Potatoes: 100% less vitamin A
41. Non-organic tomatoes:
61% less calcium
43% less Vitamin A
25% less iron
23% less protein
17% less Vitamin C
11% less phosphorus
8% less niacin
65% more fat
200% more sodium (salt)
42. Non-Organic Potatoes:
100% less vitamin A
57% less vitamin C
50% less iron
50% less riboflavin
28% less calcium
18% less thiamine
Source: Globe & Mail, June 6, 2002. Story by Andre Picard
quoted in The End of Food by Thomas Pawlick
43. Plants have evolved on the land over 400 million
years. They know every trick in the book.
When they are attacked by a fungus,
they produce phytochemicals and metabolites
to defend themselves.
44. When plants are sprayed
against pests and fungi they are
never attacked, so they have no
need to defend themselves.
45. Since they are not attacked,
they don’t use energy generating
defensive phytochemical compounds.
46. Organic crops must still defend themselves,
and we are the beneficiaries:
Organic corn: 58% more antioxidants
Organic strawberries: 19% more antioxidants
Organic produce: higher levels of vitamin C
Organic fruits: higher levels of salvestrols
47. When humans and animals eat the
phytochemicals that are abundant in organic
food, they play an important role
in protecting against cancer.
Vitamins
Antioxidants
Salvestrols
Salicylic acid
48.
49.
50. CO2 CO2
CO2
CO2 CO2 CO2
100 million tonnes a day
= 4 million tonnes an hour
= 67,000 tonnes a minute
As we burn the fossil fuels…
= 1,000 tonnes a second
Guy Dauncey 2011
Guy Dauncey 2007
www.earthfuture.com www.earthfuture.com
53. California
In a worst case, up to 90% of
the Sierra snowpack could
disappear, all but eliminating
the natural storage system
that feeds the valleys at the
heart of the farm industry.
California supplies more than
half of America’s fruits,
vegetables and nuts.
57. “The rule of thumb is that we lose about 10% of
world food production for every rise of one degree C
in average global temperature.
So the shortages will grow and the price of food will
rise inexorably over the years. The riots will return
again and again.”
- Gwynne Dyer, author of Climate Wars
58.
59.
60.
61.
62. There are 7,702 hectares of land in the Alberni Valley ALR.
Only 3,171 hectares ‐ about 41% - are actively farmed.
4,531 hectares of ALR farmland are not being farmed.
Over 90% of the farmed land is used for livestock
production or feed for the livestock industry.
Only 239 hectares are used for vegetables, berries, grapes
and other horticultural food crops. 3% of the farmland.
The valley produces between 5% and 11% of the food
consumed locally.
Clearly, there is significant capacity for increased
agricultural production in the Alberni Valley.
So why isn’t it happening? Alberni Valley Agricultural Plan, 2011-2031
65. Profitability, or lack thereof, is probably the main
reason.
The combined gross farm receipts for the 89 farms in
the area are $5.49 million – average $61,797 per farm.
Total operating expenses are $5.08 million.
The farmer keeps about 8 cents of every dollar sold –
an average of about $4,606 per farm to cover overhead
costs.
Alberni Valley Agricultural Plan, 2011-2031
66. Agricultural capability maps indicate that 5,184 ha
could be improved to prime capability with
irrigation – only 554 ha are currently irrigated.
Land could be converted to higher value crops,
with better margins, if there was more water
available for irrigation.
The average farm operator is 55 years old
It is expensive and time consuming and it may
take different resources to convert to higher
valued crops, so long term farmers are resisting
changing.
Alberni Valley Agricultural Plan, 2011-2031
67. Production is down from historic levels.
Processing and distribution facilities have shifted
to other areas so access to markets is more
challenging for many producers.
The livestock industry is in a state of decline.
In the past decade, the number of dairy farms has
dropped from seven or eight down to one active
farm.
Long‐term livestock farmers are not inclined to
switch to horticultural enterprises.
Alberni Valley Agricultural Plan, 2011-2031
68. Despite this, the demand for local food has never been
stronger.
Consumers want to buy food they trust from people
they trust.
The Alberni Valley has experienced farmers and quality
soils.
There are opportunities to increase direct‐marketed
products to local consumer and to tourists.
… food for thought for developing a vision and plan for
agriculture in the Alberni Valley.
Alberni Valley Agricultural Plan, 2011-2031
77. PROPOSED ALR RULE CHANGE #1:
Allow any farm of more than than 20 hectares to
build a clustered farm village on 1 hectare.
The residents must obtain at least 50% of
income from farm-related work.
Build or self-build the village as strata-title
community housing.
Assign 1 hectare of farmland per household to
be bought or leased by the new farm villagers.
78. PROPOSED RULE CHANGE #2
(Carolyn’s Rule)
Require an ALR land-holder to grow food
(not hay) on at least 10% of the land.
If a farm-owner is unable to do so, he or
she must lease the land to another farmer
or pay increased tax on the land.