Minutes for the Growers of Organic Food Yukon meeting February 19,2006

In Attendance: Joan, Joanne, Sheila, Rosa Brown, Brian, Simone, Tom

• Meeting was called to order by Joanne at 1:10pm. Minutes of the previous meeting on January 15 were read. They were amended for errors and omissions and were moved Brian/seconded Joanne and passed.

Spelling errors were mentioned but did not require changes. Changes included Sheila’s report, here figures should have read $1750.00 earmarked for GoOFY and $2500.00 for conferences. Also within the report Sheila and Joanne were NOT going to look into the idea of the rock crusher, rather, they were willing to help write up a proposal. Under new business Claire Desmarais will be taking her Organic Livestock Certification. Omitted was the item that Heidi will contact COG and obtain more Banterminator postcards. A question arose as to how much we should donate for this.

Correspondence:

• Tony Hill, from the Yukon Agriculture department, responded in writing to our letter regarding the Biodiesel project. Not only did Tony reiterate the outline of the project he stated that the Agriculture department supports not introducing GM crops into the Yukon. Discussion included helping Tony to source a non-GM canola source (perhaps a brasica Rapa) and another flax variety (Cammilina Sativa). Joanne will respond to Tony’s concerns and also confirm his department’s commitment to a no GMO crop position for the Yukon. The members present felt that Tony’s letter could form the basis for a large movement forward toward a no GM crop in the Yukon.

Reports:

• Simone reported that GoOFY currently has $680 in the bank but that $500 of this is earmarked for Garret’s work on determining the amendments needed for the Legume study. Moved Brian/seconded Sheila that $50 be donated to COG for the Banterminator postcards. Motion passed.

• Brian is currently almost finished writing the submission for the Legume project, 2006 season. Aurora Mountain farm and Joanne Jackson-Johnson confirmed their continued participation in the project. Other farms will be confirmed as well. Brian will phone Partridge Creek farm to see if they are willing to try a different location on their farm to continue in the project. Joan volunteered their farm should it be required for an additional test site.

On the strength that this is a continuing project, GoOFY members feel strongly that Karen Digby should be given first right of refusal on the Technician’s contract for the up coming season.

Included in the 2006 budget will be an amount for fencing for the plots. Last years crop was severely damaged by both wild and domestic animals.

• Sheila said the APF Industry meetings were better now and commended Tony Hill on the improvement. There will be a meeting of interested farmers on March 29 to discuss the new mobile abatoire.

There is a national APF review committee and they would like a Yukon representative. Tony Hill is the local Government representative. Al Falle, YAA president, was recommended and GoOFY members supported this provided that he be asked to attend one of our meetings and keep us up to date. Sheila will undertake communicating this.

Sheila mentioned that the new Agriculture Policy has been deferred by Cabinet for unknown reasons.

The farm income payment program will be in effect soon. This was brought in as a result of the BSE crises. Farms will have a form to fill out and submit for one lump sum payment.

All of the APF transition money has been applied for now and that program will be complete.

The double wall fuel tank program under the environmental pillar is now available through the APF program. It is 50:50 funding and sweat equity can be included.

• Andy & Ruth visited the bubble house green house and we are looking forward to hearing all about it. Sheila said the LMCA would be approachable for such a project on their property.

• No information was available on the Education project.

Old Business:

• There seems to have been some confusion over the complicated system of receipts and invoices for certification cost reimbursements. Through talking with Roz (pacs), Joanne has confirmed that Roz will scan and forward these documents to Rose (YAA). There will be a fee of $35.00 for Roz to do this.

• Joanne has talked with Russ Tait about trailers. At this point it appears that a lift off trailer would not be a good choice. Although he has several other trailers to choose from GoOFY members decided to source out local trailers instead and let this project go.

• Joanne has talked to Roz about asking Rochelle to come up for the seminar on fertilizer and soil amendments previously brought up by Tony Hill. At this point Joanne was going to email Rochelle, however, since this project was to be funded through APF transition funds and they have been completed this all might be a moot point.

• Garret submitted a twelve-point email to Joanne on how he felt the ball mill idea should go ahead. With discussion, GoOFY members felt that this proposal should include a business plan with a tangible goal. At this point there seems to be a lack of substantial information on the idea and that to submit anything at this point would not prove advantageous. Joanne said that Matt Ball suggested there be more information (ie: testing and results) on the available minerals. More concise costs and information on the project must be found. Joanne to look into helping Garret write up a proposal. It was brought up that at this point any purchases could not be added retroactively to a proposal. If this is going to hinder the Legume project, Garret had suggested several places to find amendments. Brian is going to phone Kinsey to see where our results are.

• Several books have been recommended for purchase from COG. Although this was initially thought to be a project through the APF transition fund, it might be available through a pillar of ACAAF

• Brian has committed to writing a letter/memorandum of support for a GE Crop free Yukon to be submitted to the No GMO Yukon group c/o Tom.

New Business:

• Simone and Kathy Spalding are planning a trip to Portage la Prairie to gather information on a food development centre for the Yukon. The centre would really entail a kitchen/office environment where tests could be done on food or feed for nutritive values.

• The Fireweed Community Market’s (FCM) recipe book project is doing really well and is within 2 weeks of going to the printers.

• Sheila has completed a proposal for a market manager position for the FCM and has asked GoOFY for a letter of support for this proposal. A letter will be drafted and included with the proposal. The proposal is for a 3 year term and includes trip for training at sites outside of the Yukon.

• Tom mentioned an interest in the idea of pelleting/coating seeds. In California there is a huge following for this. Several GoOFY members have tried these seeds with mixed results. Tom will look into this with the idea of information gathering and perhaps a trip to a seed coating plant.

• Tom brought up the Slow Food reminder of Terra Madre 2006 in October. Names were mentioned and several more were added as possible nominees to attend the meeting. Tom is the new leader for the convivium here in Whitehorse however there needs to be more information on it so people can join.

• On or about May 19 Icy Waters is going to be draining and dredging out one of their fish ponds. They have offered the sludge to any willing farmers for fertilizer. Apparently there was an analysis done and sent to YAA. Any organic grower will have to make sure that the sludge is acceptable in content with organic guidelines and will also have to compost said sludge.

• Joanne is having a hard time coordinating lists of amendments that are approved for Organic use. It was suggested she phone Roz for clarification between OMRI and COABC lists.

• Joan brought a box of Banterminator postcards to be distributed to different locations, ngos. Tom volunteered to get them out to YCS, CPAWS, YAA and Yukon Ag Department.

• Sheila announced the Wildwood Festival put on by the LMCA will be on 4-5 of August. She asked that GoOfy think about participating with the food portion of the weekend. Perhaps a "salon `a manger"?

• the COG-GoOFY relationship item is carried over.

Next Meeting: April 9, 2006 The Whitehorse Public Library meeting room 1-4pm

Tom moved the meeting be adjourned at 4:30pm.

An updated email list of members:

doall@northwestel.net (Debbie Throssel),

gsinclair@northwestel.net (Gordon Sinclair),

debgledhill@hotmail.com (Deborah Gledhill),

northernjoanie@hotmail.com (Joan Alan Norberg),

jjj@northwestel.net (Joanne Jackson Johnson),

rooruth@mail.com (Ruth Lera),

shielaalexandrovich@hotmail.com (Shiela Alexandrovich),

auroramountain@yahoo.ca (Simone Rudge),

rudge@yknet.ca (Tom Rudge),

lendrumross@polarcom.com (Brian Lendrum),

wildblueyonder@yt.sympatico.ca (Heidi Marion),

girouard@northwestel.net (Rolland Girouard)