Hay River looks at agriculture policy
Representatives from all aspects of food supply chain invited to broaden scope of production around town
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 14, 2013
HAY RIVER
The municipal administration of Hay River is looking to connect with stakeholders in the agriculture sector after hiring a consultant to study the state of and potential for sustainable farming in the town.
"The opportunity for agriculture in the area is totally unexploited," said Jordan Stackhouse, economic co-ordinator for the Town of Hay River. "To areas or provinces that do take it seriously, it's a huge part of their economy. We can't really do that on a massive scale, but this is a good step towards development."
A meeting on the issue will be held at the community hall in the Don Stewart Recreation Centre on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.
Discussion will largely be based on a few key concepts unearthed by Markus Weber, a consultant from Serecon Consulting Group, after spending time in Hay River and talking to local producers.
The three key areas he identified as important to stakeholders are land stewardship, food security and variety, and economic opportunity.
"I think the big thing people are looking for to come out of this meeting are concrete steps towards making this a reality," said Stackhouse, adding changes to legislation and zoning regulations would be key to developing local agriculture in a sustainable way that would also see it grow to be an industry with some impact.
Weber is optimistic about the possibilities for food production in Hay River, and said with the right planning, the industry could be a viable one.
