As a farmer, I am very happy…

As a farmer, I am very happy to see these lands be returned to the Greenbelt and the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve. We must put in place better protections for the future so that these lands are not removed again. These lands were protected for a reason, as they are prime agricultural land close to our cities that need feeding, as well as a significant and sustainable contributions to Ontario's economy. It is our duty as a province to see that they are protected in perpetuity. These lands should be placed under permanent agricultural and conservation easement.

We should also see about putting these Agriculture preserve lands into a land trust, instead of developer/ speculator ownership. Land speculation such as this promotes pressure on urban areas to expand onto rural/ agricultural lands at the lobbying of developers. It also prevents farmers, who do not have the financial means to buy the land (who's value has artificially risen due to speculation) from owning the land. Which makes long term agricultural decisions such as tiling, grain storage or barn building from becoming a reality. By putting the land into a trust or agricultural easement, this makes it easier for long term agricultural decisions to take place, as was the intent behind the preservation of the lands.