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Suburban henhouses may prove hard to block

By: Laura Rance / Rural Revival

2/01/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 8

It is widely accepted in principle, although not in practice, that one of the basic human rights is the right to food. So much so, that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has a "Right to Food Unit" that works to raise awareness and support global strategies toward that goal.

And although it is not widely accepted, local and regional governments in North America are routinely asked to pass legislation enshrining farmers' right to farm -- usually aimed at protecting farmers' ability to carry out the business of farming in the face of disapproving neighbours.

But there is a new food rights discussion that has emerged in jurisdictions big and small.

What about the right to grow food?

This issue is at the heart of the World Trade Organization negotiations that have droned on for eight years now. Less-developed countries who can't afford to subsidize their farmers to the same degree as governments in industrialized countries want to keep tariff barriers that protect their domestic agriculture from unnaturally competitive imports. The industrialized exporting countries want more market access, but the agreement as it is currently drafted would deliver little by way of meaningful reductions in domestic subsidies.

Almost every country views domestic food production as an issue of national security.

But the question of food independence is also surfacing on a local scale in municipal jurisdictions across North America, particularly as it relates to suburban residents who wish to dabble in poultry.

A Lac du Bonnet-area family unexpectedly found themselves at the centre of this one last fall after their decision to keep a few laying hens and a rooster on their one-acre property ran into conflict with a local bylaw.

The municipality prohibits keeping livestock on properties that are zoned residential. So Allison and Jeremy Maki received a letter saying their chickens would have to go.

They fought the edict and the municipality backed down, saying they could keep their 14 chickens, as long as no one complained. But it refuses to change the bylaw or their zoning.

"The main reason we got them was because we want to produce our own food," says Allison, who also gardens extensively. In her view, the home-raised birds, which are free-range when the weather is decent, produce more wholesome eggs than those she can buy in the grocery store. What's more, the birds teach their children about where food comes from and how to grow it.

Tom Carter, a University of Winnipeg geography professor and Canada Research Chair in urban change and adaptation, said the issue has forced administrations to rethink their zoning bylaws, and the pressure is likely to rise. "It is a debate that is surfacing in many cities, and not just in Canada, but in the U.S. as well," he said.

While urban agriculture involving livestock is commonplace in other parts of the world, it has for the most part been regulated out of existence in North American cities under zoning and nuisance bylaws.

But when up against a "right to grow food" challenge, it is doubtful jurisdictions would be able to defend their bylaws on the basis of nuisance or noise. For example, can you categorize a clucking hen as more annoying to the neighbours than a barking dog?

What about environmental contamination? Is a grazing goat, which is truly a lean, green, mowing machine that recycles nutrients and produces nutrition while keeping the grass in check, more of an environmental hazard than a gasoline-powered lawn mower spewing fumes and consuming non-renewable resources? Goats have been known to nibble dandelions and other weeds out of existence better than herbicides.

True, the goat becomes a traffic hazard and a threat to the neighbour's flower beds if it gets loose, but so do small children and household pets.

Public health is one argument that might hold up, given the rise in deadly diseases capable of jumping the species barrier. It has also been argued that backyard poultry operations attract rats. Then again, so do some backyards without poultry.

Provided the proper care is taken, a growing number of municipalities on this continent are saying "why not?" to the question of home-grown food, although some have drawn the line at roosters in the hen house.

To the extent that it takes place, this development should not unduly worry mainstream food producers. While many consumers might flirt with the idea and some will actually try it, only the most dedicated will persevere.

The rest will have gained a new appreciation for the hard work that farmers do and be happy to support those efforts -- all the way to their grocer's.

Laura Rance is editor of the Manitoba Co-operator. She can be reached at 792-4382 or by email:

laura@fbcpublishing.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 2, 2010 B4

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8 Commentscomment icon

No wonder you paper has the lowest level of public participation if you allow so few posts.

Many cities in Canada (eg Victoria, BC) have permitted keeping hens for many years without problems. By keeping flocks small and no roosters, there is very little possibility of disturbing neighbours. Caring for any animal requires diligence, but most people can handle the simple requirements of domestic fowl. The rodent issue mentioned in the article is completely unfounded when talking reasonable care and feeding practices. Other supposedly acceptable animals, like dogs, have much greater potential for problems as was pointed out in the article. Laws should be used to curtail behavior that actually causes harm.

As always a great column. Why is it that I, city born and raised, find her columns consistently more interesting and more humane than virtually anything else in the editorial or business sections? How about hiring her to run your editorial department.

canadian-one Jan 2:12:24 would you please supply the section of the Human Rights Act for your reference? Thanks.

There are very many rules,regulations, policies ( fine print) and LAWS that prevent people from producing their own food, building their own home, producing their own energy and of course "creating their own jobs". Farmers feed cities is something the city mice do not understand.
This is all perfectly orchestrated to keep villages, towns and cities from becoming self-reliant. We must be under the thumb of the corporate system and they ensured that enough regulations were passed to establish their strong hold over citizens. Power and control they must have to keep the money flowing their way.
When the economic base of communities is strong, recession, inflation, boom and bust cycles have less impact on them.

As usual, excellent column.
I enjoy reading this column every week as it keeps me (and others) in perspective of what our rural neighbours plights and innovations are.
As far as I am concerned the Farmers are the backbone of this country and their hardships eventually trickle down to us, the city people who complain about the high food costs (that are not related to the original producer supposedly being greedy)
I myself buy farm fresh eggs (which do taste a lot better than store bought) and my 'producer' has to buy his chicks from Saskatchewan because the MB government run monopoly prevents him from buying locally because of quantity purchased, higher prices for lower quality chicks etc.

In the Canada's Human Rights Act ... any individual living within Canada has the right to grow a garden or have live stock for their own consumption. These bylaws violate the Human Rights Act and can not contravene Federal law. That is why they backed down and rightly so. If the local municipality what's to provide to these people the food that they want then they would not be violating the Act. I would like to know how in world that this bylaw is allowed to stand.

Thank you for this column and others.
Being a "farm girl" it evoked memories of my mother raising her chickens, turkeys, selling milk and cream from her cows,etc., all of which provided fresh food and "her own money" - my first experience of a woman being independent.
Your story is very much on point. I honestly believe some of the violence in our urban centres is due to our disassociation from the natural world. I hope that local powers rescind some of their zoning laws and allow people to grow some of their own food. (I’m not going to raise chickens on my balcony so my councillor can relax...)
Moreover, human overpopulation is a lot more dangerous to our survival than a few animals in the backyard.
PS:My parents subscribed to the Co-operator 1937-85 so reading your columns helps me keep in touch. Thanks again.
Nadyak

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