Three local farmers have signed long-term leases with the Tsawwassen First Nation.
Peter Guichon of Felix Farms, Brent Harris of Fraserland Farms and Danny Chong of Bow Chong Farms have inked 25-year deals to farm land owned by the TFN.
The deals cover just over 156 hectares (385 acres), a significant portion of the 217 hectares (536 acres) of ALR land the TFN acquired in its treaty.
Part of the First Nation's Agricultural Plan, the deals were formally announced at a brief signing ceremony at one of the properties Monday morning.
"The signing of these agreements marks another exciting step in the development of our community," said Chief Bryce Williams.
"Under our treaty, signed in 2009, TFN acquired 217 hectares of agricultural land. Since that time, we have consulted with our members and local farmers, the agricultural steering committee and advisory council, on how to best enhance the productivity of these lands and benefit the community."
The TFN supports local food production, job creation and stewardship of farmland resources, Williams said.
Guichon said he's pleased to have a long-term lease that will add to his certainty.
"The year-to-year leasing just doesn't cut it. We want to make improvements on the land that we farm and to do that you need more than a one- or two- or even five-year lease. I really want to applaud the Tsawwassen First Nation for taking this step forward and wanting to develop their farmland along with their community," Guichon said.
"There's opportunities here for members of the TFN to maybe look at agriculture," he added. "Also with the partnership with Kwantlen College on a piece of land, that's a real good step for younger farmers going forward because there just isn't any."
Both Harris and Chong agreed the amount of land available is becoming scarce for future generations of farmers.
The TFN's Agricultural Plan states that farmland leases can be negotiated and land brought in to productivity if it's "not currently required by TFN members."
The First Nation retained an agricultural assistant this summer to help develop farmland leases, which was followed by a request for proposals. The TFN notes two of the three tenants will be organic farming operations.
Although the acreage under new leases is all part of the TFN's treaty settlement lands, only two of the parcels actually fall within TFN government jurisdiction. The third parcel, 60 hectares (148 acres) on 64th Street that will be farmed by Fraserland Farms, is within the Corporation of Delta. Because the site not contiguous with the rest of the TFN, it falls under Delta's jurisdiction.
