HAY RIVER
The ground is still frozen but plans to turn earth at the proposed Northern Farm Training Institute campus are still underway for everything but the land itself.

Fred Punch from Trout Lake, left, Sharon Pekok, Jackie Milne of Hay River, and Yellowknife resident Whitney Jason prepare to work on Milne's garden at her home last summer during one of the NFTI workshops. - NNSL file photo

"This delay could potentially have serious ramifications," said project proponent and founder Jackie Milne. "We entered into an agreement with the town that said they wanted NFTI here in Hay River and that they wanted to partner with us."

Town council tabled the motion to lease the land at the site of the old hog barn out on Highway 1 to the institute for five years plus a possible extension of another five years last week.

"We have some internal issues we need to work out, we need to make it fit with our bylaw," said deputy mayor Donna Lee Jungkind. "It just needs some more time."

Milne said council has been aware of the proposal to use the abandoned site since early last summer but understands that all the paperwork must be in order before proceeding.

"We're hoping to resolve this fairly quickly," said Jungkind. "I know they want to get moving on some things, so we're looking at the next few weeks for a decision."

The sooner the better, for Milne, who said she did not anticipate this level of administrative work at this point in the process.

"I'm getting a little bit fatigued," she admitted. "This running around has taken time away from working on the actual project but we really want this to be professional and get it all sorted out before we move forward."

The farm training institute received $2 million from the federal government to build a campus and expand its programming, along with international recognition a few months ago from the Savory Institute -- an organization dedicated to the protection of the world's grasslands through holistic management. The plan to start construction this spring is largely contingent on the access to the land.

"There is simply nothing better for that land," said Milne, adding that the jobs -- both direct and spinoff -- could be a huge boon to the community. "If people working for the mines or whatever hear that Hay River has this vibrant local food movement, it may make it a more attractive place to settle down."

After years of work on the project, Milne said she is eager to see it really get under way.

"I also want to make sure everything is satisfied, all the questions answered," she said. "From my perspective, there's a majority of people who are in favour, they just want to make sure it's rock solid."