Ensuring Agricultural Land for is Used for Agriculture: Six Additional Areas of Interest Secured for Future Farming

  • Fisheries and Land Resources

July 27, 2018

The Department of Fisheries and Land Resources is making six additional Agriculture Areas of Interest – totalling approximately 5,800 hectares – available to ensure prime agricultural land continues to be protected and secured for long-term use.

Properties are now available in the Gander area, Roberts Arm, South Brook, Cormack and Crabbes River, bringing the total area of land available in the province to commercial farmers, part-time commercial farmers or new farmers to approximately 50,000 hectares.

Notices will be posted on the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources website as additional land is identified and made available. The Areas of Interest process was established in February 2017 to identify and secure the productive land base available in the province, and simplify the approval process for farmers.

Fifty-nine Crown Land Areas of Interest totalling approximately 62,000 hectares have been identified for long-term exclusive agricultural use. Interested persons will follow a streamlined Request for Proposals process for a 50-year Crown Land Agriculture Lease, unless otherwise indicated.

Information packages can be downloaded from the Provincial Government website or requested through the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources. Packages will contain background information and necessary application forms to outline the farm development proposal.

Increasing Crown land for agriculture helps deliver on targets identified in The Way Forward, which specifies increasing food self-sufficiency by at least 20 per cent by 2022. The Summit on Agriculture also launched 43 actions to double the province’s food self-sufficiency, and double the number of people directly employed in the provincial agriculture sector.

This initiative also delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.

Quotes
“The Provincial Government is continuing to fulfil its long-term commitment to making valuable farm land available to current farmers and new entrants. Over time, this ongoing initiative will ensure the future growth and sustainability of the Newfoundland and Labrador agriculture sector and protect valuable farmland for long-term agricultural use. We are committed to the process of working with applicants to continue to build our province’s agriculture industry.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources

“The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture supports the Provincial Government’s ongoing initiative to make agricultural land available to farmers and new entrants through a simplified Request for Proposals process for Crown land access. This improved process is removing barriers for farmers wishing to access land and will help stimulate the economy and continue to strengthen our agriculture sector.”
Merv Wiseman
President, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture

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Learn More

Land and Agriculture
www.faa.gov.nl.ca/agrifoods/land/obtaining_land/requests_for_proposals.html

Land Resource Stewardship Division
www.flr.gov.nl.ca/department/contact_lrsd.html#eastern_rfp

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @FLR_GovNL

Media contacts
Linda Skinner
Fisheries and Land Resources
709-637-2284, 632-8167
lindaskinner@gov.nl.ca

Merv Wiseman
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture
709-689-5735
mervinwiseman@yahoo.ca

2018 07 27 2:10 pm