Big Industry has the Tenure, We Get the Black Market

Ocean to Land, we don’t have the rights to our resources. The fisherman, can’t sell me his fish; it goes for pennies to the fishbar destined for export. The rancher can’t sell me his meat; it is illegal. Our resources, our food is owned by big industry. I can buy meat from large companies that source their food from around the world. I can buy fish as long as a big industry owns the tenure, the product. I have lived in tiny fishing villages, big cities and now ranching country. Eating close to home has meant different things through this journey, but one link across my BC home is that eating local meant sourcing food that is in somehow restricted by industry to the point of it being illegal.Resource and food regulations support and drive industry, but prevent small-scale food producers from legally selling their food close to home. Tenure resides not with the community but with an industry that is not accountable to me, or you or even government, but to their shareholders.

In reading the responses to the US proposed Food Safety Modernization Act (bill HR 875) this situation could get much worse on our continent. Unfortunately, my country follows the states, mostly to the detriment of our citizens. With much of our local and I argue ethically produced food already akin to the black market, what will the future look like. Many people are already prevented from buying from local farmers, fisherman and wildcrafters for the fear of breaking the law. These food regulations, have decentralized the resources, and have resulted in there fall. Large companies decimated our fish, and shutting down our family farms. I see it happen all through this province. Many people are left, only with industrial food, and no livelihood. This in a land of plenty.