It’s an abusive relationship – the Irvings are not farmers, they are industrialists. Farming isn't their thing and Islanders will suffer greatly for their industrialized attitude toward production of products as opposed to a balanced approach toward soil usage.
For the most part, the potato farmers around P.E.I. are all great farmers. That's why they are still in business. They know what the land needs. They do the best they can for the land and the water of P.E.I. They are working on too thin of a margin. This is a result of bad governance. This must be changed through reforms of land laws and initiatives to get them a better return. The rewards of better environmental stewardship will follow.
More potato farmers are being told to buy more land and get bigger. They all would. Right in the middle of the area Irving is buying up huge blocks of land at prices beyond what is reasonable for my friends and neighbours to make work.
I was a card-carrying Tory since I could vote because J. Angus Maclean saw the need for land rules to keep farmers farming. Now I'm not because the Tories dropped the ball too.
Islanders must address the situation the Liberals have put us in now of letting oil giants and others buy all our land for investment. It is not in our best interest.
I think IRAC has turned the latest 2,200-acre deal down and the Liberals should respect IRAC's decision. They may let the land go to Irving anyway on Tuesday in cabinet meeting. They have a tendency to do that. Please call on your local Liberal today to tell them ‘NO’ to Irving buying even more farm land
Ranald Macfarlane,
Fernwood
