American folk humourist Samuel Clemens lived over 100 years ago, but his supposed words of wisdom on the importance of prime real estate still rings true today.
Clemens, more famously known as Mark Twain, is often credited for the quip ‘buy land-they ain’t making anymore of it.’
Whether Twain actually penned this one-liner or not is up for debate among historians, but the merits of the sentiment are not. The basis of this phrase could be just as easily applied today as farmers across the province celebrate Doug Ford’s recent abandonment of a proposal that would have allowed severed farmland to be used for housing. Right from the get-go the proposal was met with resistance from farmers who claimed the proposal would have a ‘catastrophic’ impact on the province’s farmland and livestock operations. If it had gone ahead, the proposal could have potentially ruled out expansion for livestock farmers, reduce the agricultural land base and caused the remaining farmland to skyrocket in price, all but eliminating any hope for new farmers to get into the game. That’s particularly alarming because the farming industry is already dangerously short staffed and should be doing everything it can to recruit new farmers, not chase them away. According to an April 2023 article by the CBC, Canada will see 40 per cent of its current farmers retire by 2033 while the agricultural sector will be short 24,000 general workers.
Residents of Lennox and Addington are well aware of the slogan ‘If you ate today, thank a farmer.’ There really doesn’t need to be any more said on the importance of agriculture to-well, just about everything.
That’s what makes the Ford government’s decision to ease back on plans to turn farmland into housing is reason to breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now. To be fair, the proposal was aimed at building homes on farmland with the hope younger generation farmers would continue the farm the family farm. Perhaps a good idea in spirit, but anything that reduces the amount of farmable land in this province needs to be well researched and meticulously thought out before it gets the green light. Once that farmland is gone, it’s gone. Too much farmable land has already been lost in the name of ‘progress’, focusing more on the instant benefits such as increased tax bases, not enough thought on the long-term consequences. Shopping malls are great and all, but what great is a grocery store with an empty produce and meat section?
-A hearty congratulations goes out to Greater Napanee Pride for hosting its second annual Pride weekend.
Bigger and better than its debut year, the festival was great fun for the whole family while promoting the idea of being free to love whoever you want.
Now an established tradition within the town, just a few short years ago such an event would have seemed unfathomable within Greater Napanee. Events like the Pride March are a great way to show that everyone belongs in this community and shouldn’t be afraid to be themselves.
-Adam Prudhomme