The Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust
The Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust was established to help this community turn the corner on the eroding farm base on Salt Spring and provide opportunities for young, educated farmers. It is the vision of the Farmland Trust to help create access to affordable land, while offering other compatible agricultural uses for the community.
Island farmers once produced most of our food supply, now it is less than 6%. With a rising cost in fuel, a changing climate and a recognition of the health hazards of industrial agriculture, a return to safe, fresh, locally produced sustainable food production is critical. Precious farmland zoned for agricultural use requires protection and young, hard-working farmers seeking long-term tenure should be supported. The Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust Society has everything to do with meeting these needs.
Our goals are consistent with the existing agricultural zoning regulations, the Salt Spring Island Area Farm Plan and the Official Community Plan. The Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust offers a model that islanders, the surrounding Gulf Islands and the Province can feel proud to support.
Our constitution was created to facilitate a diversity of strategies such as the purchase and leasing of farmland, education and training, sustainable farming practices and to enhance the island’s capabilities. The Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust Society believes that the values we hold and the work we will do will serve this greater community as well.
The purposes of this Society are exclusively charitable and are:
To promote agriculture on Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Islands by acquiring, managing and leasing land for farming.
To educate farmers and the public on the benefits and practices of locally produced agriculture.
To develop and maintain community gardens on Salt Spring Island for the benefit of the community.
For information contact Marguerite Lee, President at 250-537-5302
Mail:
Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust Society,
c/o 107 Castle Cross Road,
Salt Spring Island, B.C. V8K 2G1
E-mail: ssifarmlandtrust@gmail.com
We welcome you to learn more about us, and we appreciate your interest, ideas and support. Charitable receipts will be given for donations.