Reconsider the B.C. Meat Inspection Regulation

On the 30th of September, new meat inspection regulations will come into effect making it illegal for farmers to sell meat at the farm gate as they have always done.

Even if farmers wanted to comply, there are not enough approved facilities to accommodate them all. In addition, many farmers pride themselves on having their animals processed on the farm where they were born, not causing the stresses associated with transport and off farm slaughtering.

The reason given by the province is to increase food safety. Yet, when asked what data leads to the conclusion that farm gate sales are unsafe, the province is mute. There simply is NONE.

This is a step backward. In this age of climate change, other countries are trying to eliminate transport every way possible, not increase it by removing local sources of food. If new regulations are required, we should first be told of the problem so that communities can help develop solutions that work for us, not against us.

If, like the Green Party, you also have a vision of a safe local food economy and think customers should have the right to chose, please sign this petition and tell everyone you know to do the same now. We need to send it to the ministers before September 30!

On the 30th of September, new meat inspection regulations will come into effect making it illegal for farmers to sell meat at the farm gate as they have always done.

Even if farmers wanted to comply, there are not enough approved facilities to accommodate them all. In addition, many farmers pride themselves on having their animals processed on the farm where they were born, not causing the stresses associated with transport and off farm slaughtering.

The reason given by the province is to increase food safety. Yet, when asked what data leads to the conclusion that farm gate sales are unsafe, the province is mute. There simply is NONE.

This is a step backward. In this age of climate change, other countries are trying to eliminate transport every way possible, not increase it by removing local sources of food. If new regulations are required, we should first be told of the problem so that communities can help develop solutions that work for us, not against us.

If, like the Green Party, you also have a vision of a safe local food economy and think customers should have the right to chose, please sign this petition and tell everyone you know to do the same now. We need to send it to the ministers before September 30!

Whereas:

1. There are no clear data indicating health risks associated with current farm gate sales in BC.

2. There are proven cases of health risks associated with imported foods in BC.

3. Epidemics such as Avian Flu, and SARS that experts project will occur as a result of intensive farming practices, are likely to interrupt imports at some point.

4. This regulation will shut down many family farms as well as smaller food processors, resulting in:

   • LACK OF FOOD SAFETY AND LOSS OF FOOD SELF-RELIANCE because it will be impossible for anyone in BC to buy safe, traceable, locally produced food in a quantity sufficient to provide food safety.

   • THE DESTRUCTION OF BC's RURAL COMMUNITIES since it will push out of business the thousands of small family operations and businesses that they depend on, paving the way for high-risk factory farming that turn lively communities into deserted polluted areas.

   • INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE by transport required for all food items.

   • INCREASED VULNERABILITY to disruptions in our food supply due to natural or man-made disturbances.

   • UNNECESSARY STRESS AND CRUELTY to animals because of extra transport and crowded slaughtering conditions.

   • UNEMPLOYMENT & POVERTY throughout BC by turning currently attractive tourism destinations into places to avoid due to smells, pollution and lack of community events and spirit, and by lack of access to local food for low income citizens.

5. The people of BC want local regional solutions, developed to sustain family farms and to secure an ecologically sustainable and safe food supply.

We the undersigned therefore petition

• The Honorable George Abbott, B.C. provincial Health Minister
• The Honourable Gerry Ritz, federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister

to intervene and halt implementation of the %u201CMeat Inspection Regulations (B.C. Reg. 349/2004)%u201D, due to take effect on September 30th, 2007, until such time as the problems giving rise to such a regulation are clearly identified and documented, and also until such time as the solutions proposed have allowed for public input concerning affordable ways of maintaining local small-scale agriculture in BC.