People are more powerful when they unite for a common cause, and that's what the new Ridge Meadows Farmers Institute hopes to encourage with its upcoming inaugural meeting.
Spearheaded by Teresa Vader, Steve Robinson, and Joe Bachmann, this new initiative aims to bring together farmers from both Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows to tackle some of the biggest problems currently facing the agricultural industry.
Robinson listed proper irrigation and flood control as being just some of the hot-button issues that the group will address. He also said that the current levels of unfarmed land in the ALR are particularly alarming.
"We can't have unused farmland laying around, which is unused because it's not profitable," said Robinson.
He wants to help fix that, with the help of other local farmers – both big and small – as part of the Ridge Meadows Farmers Institute.
"We're looking for more than just large-scale traditional farming families and want to include small-scale farmers as well," said Robinson. "Belonging to a significant group of similar people will help drive change."
After an initial meeting of some local farming families about a year ago, the need to reinstate the Pitt Meadows Farmers' Institute that existed in the early 1900s became very clear, explained Robinson.
"Farmers are sort of trapped by the dictates of the ALC, the province, and local governments," he said.
With the existence of the Ridge Meadows Farmers Institute, Robinson is hopeful that the local agricultural industry can be guided in the right direction for the coming years.
"We'll be forward-thinking about what the future of farming looks like."
The first meeting of this new group will commence on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 a.m. at Pitt Meadows Plumbing.
At this inaugural meeting, a vote will take place to elect directors as well as make decisions about the structure of the group.
People from both Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are invited to join the Ridge Meadows Farmers Institute.
"Whether you are a stakeholder in the ALR or not - even if you not actively farming the land and leasing it to a farmer, you are still affected by the numerous challenges we are facing," explained the meeting invitation.
Anyone who is interested in attending the first meeting can RSVP by emailing sara@pittmeadows.net.
