Dean Murdock Saanich Councillor

Saanich girl goes for the goat
Saanich News - June 13, 2013

Residents in suburban Saanich can raise chickens on their property, and in one case, even cattle. A nine-year-old girl is petitioning the municipality to add goats to the list of allowable residential farm animals.

Jillian McCue says there are a slew of benefits to owning a goat – something she hopes to be able to do at her Gordon Head home in the near future, if she can garner support from Saanich.

“One of the reasons is they eat grass, so the air- and sound-polluting lawn mowers wouldn’t have to be used as frequently.

Saanich hands decision on Gordon Head farmland to Agricultural Land Commission
By Kyle Slavin, Saanich News December 11, 2012

The fate of an unused parcel of agricultural land in suburban Gordon Head is now in the hands of the Agricultural Land Commission.

The four-acre property at 1516 Mount Douglas Cross Rd. was recently slated to become a 12,000-hen poultry operation or, failing that, a cattle farm with 100 cows.

Saanich landowner feeling henpecked
Saanich News October 17, 2012

The chickens aren’t coming home to roost, yet.

A Saanich family’s plan to open a chicken farm on their agricultural land has hit a stumbling block at the municipal level.

Gordon Alberg said his hands were tied after Saanich council twice denied his family’s request to developing housing on property at 1516 Mount Douglas X Rd.

So the family – Gord and his siblings Don Alberg and Florence Davis – went the route council suggested, and proposed a poultry operation that would house 12,000 birds in four barns.

Saanich hosts local food fest
Saanich News September 25, 2012

The Healthy Saanich advisory committee will host an event next weekend to help promote locally grown food.

“It’s an opportunity to showcase local food and local food producers. There will also be opportunities for people to learn more about growing their own food in their own yard or garden,” said Coun. Dean Murdock, who chairs the committee.

Saanich pressured to ban bird cannons
By Saanich News September 12, 2012

When Canada geese were continually attacking blueberry crops at Beckwith Farm in 2010, the farm launched its bird predation plan – which includes a noise cannon.

“The predator kites and other visual deterrents had no effect on the Canada geese,” said Wayne Hopkins, president of Beckwith Farm. “These geese were landing and eating the leaves. They killed somewhere around 12,000 plants in a matter of a few days. It all happened very quickly, so we had to employ noise devices very quickly.”

Saanich chews over genetically modified foods
By Saanich News September 11, 2012

After weighing in on such global issues as oil tanker traffic, plastic water bottles and shark fin soup, Saanich has now set its crosshairs on genetically modified food.

The Healthy Saanich advisory committee will host a public meeting next month to gather input from residents, members of the industry and people involved in food production on issues surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and seed crops.

Price of food goes up with the temperature
U.S. drought caused by extreme heat a sign of things to come, expert says
By Jeff Bell, Times Colonist August 19, 2012

The high price of corn, driven up by a searing drought in the United States, could be an indicator of more problems to come, says the executive director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions.

Saanich Councillors voted against re-zoning property on Mt. Douglas X Road for a second time Monday night.
CFAX 1070 July 22, 2012

The owners of the property at 1516 Mt. Douglas X Rd wanted to remove it from the Agricultural Land Reserve and rezone it for 10 new units.

Councillor Dean Murdock says that isn't going to happen.

It could get more expensive for Saanich families to put food on the dinner table this summer. The worst drought to hit the United States in nearly 25 years is threatening to drive up food prices around the world.

Corn prices will likely rise dramatically as mid-western farmers suffer enormous crop losses due to dry, hot weather. Corn is used in hundreds of products, affecting everything from the price of cereal to meat.

By supporting local producers and buying local food we can avoid sudden price increases on the grocery bill.