Corporate Agricultural Investment in First Nation Reserves in Canada: The Case of One Earth Farms

David C. Natcher; Tom Allen

doi:10.29173/jaed383

Authors

David C. Natcher
Tom Allen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/jaed383

Keywords:

Agriculture, Business And Economics, Discontinued, Economic growth, Employees, Entitlement, Ethnic Interests, Fair market value, Farmers, Farms, Native North Americans, Partnerships, Reserves, Social welfare, First Nations reserves in Canada, First Nations agriculture, Indigenous agriculture, Private sector - Indigenous partnerships, Case Study

Abstract

In 2009, One Earth Farms (OEF) established farming operations on First Nation reserves in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada. The partnership that was created with First Nations was seen by some as a new model for Canadian agriculture; one that reduced agribusiness risk while enhancing the economic and social welfare of First Nation communities. Notwithstanding the purported social and economic advantages, by 2014, OEF discontinued its contracts with its First Nation partners. The failings of OEF have since been attributed to a flawed foundation, built on a culture and people with a sense of entitlement. Yet this research has found that conflicting timelines, the misalignment of goals, and failure to deliver on what was most important to First Nations are most attributable to the failing of OEF. In this paper we present important lessons learned that if considered can result in more informed and sustained partnerships between First Nations and the private agricultural sector.

References

AGI (2009, December 23). Ag Growth International announces investment in One Earth Farms [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.aggrowth.com/news/200/ag-growth-internationalannounces-investment-in-one-earth-farms?return=press-releases&page=5.

Bateman, R. (1996). Talking with the plow: Agricultural policy and Indian farming in the Canadian and U.S. prairies. Canadian Journal of Native Studies, 16(2), 211–228.

Buckley, H. (1992). From wooden ploughs to welfare. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.

Cape Fund (2010, January 22). CAPE Fund L.P. announces $3 million investment in One Earth Farms Corp [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.capefund.ca/en/about-capefund/pressreleases.html.

Champ, J., Bitner R., & Nicholat, C. (2010). First Nation and Métis farming in Saskatchewan. Western Development Museum, Research Paper No. 7. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Cross, B. (2014, May 15). One Earth Farms restructure: CEO says efforts will now be focused on beef production. The Western Producer. Retrieved from: http://www.producer.com/2014/05/one-earth-farms-restructures/.

Daschuk, J. (2013). Clearing the plains: Disease, politics of starvation and the loss of aboriginal life. Regina: University of Regina Press.

Friesen, J. (2009, March 26). Natives, Bay Street form country’s biggest farm. Globe and Mail. Retrieved from: http://nationtalk.ca/story/natives-bay-street-form-countrys-biggest-farmglobe-and-mail/.

Lappano, J.E. (2009). Growing capital. Corporate Knights, Fall Issue. Retrieved from: http://www.corporateknights.com/channels/food-beverage/growing-capital-12522509/.

Magnan, A. (2012). New avenues of farm corporatization in the prairie grains sector: farm family entrepreneurs and the case of One Earth Farms. Agriculture Human Values, 29: 161. doi:10.1007/s10460-011-9327-9

Natcher, D.C., Allen T., & Schmid, T. (2011). Canadian policy interventions during the mad cow crisis: Cause and consequence of First Nation exclusion. Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development, 7(2): 70–78.

OEF website — News (2010, January 22). CAPE Fund L.P. Announces $3 million investment in One Earth Farms Corp. Retrieved from: http://www.oneearthfarms.ca/about_us/news/cape_fund_announcement_2009/.

Olfert, R., & Natcher, D.C. 2016. Adaptation in a resource-based economy in the northern great plains. Great Plains Research, 26, 35–49.

Pratt, S. (2014, November 27). Size isn’t always the answer: One Earth. The Western Producer. Retrieved from: http://www.producer.com/2014/11/size-isnt-always-the-answer-one-earth/.

Sommerville, M., & Magnan A. (2015). Pinstripes on the prairies’: Examining the financialization of farming systems in the Canadian prairie provinces. Journal of Peasant Studies 42(1), 119–144.

Sorensen, C. (2010, September 23). Investment house on the prairies. Maclean’s. Retrieved from: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/09/23/investment-house-on-the-prairies/.

Tang, E. (2003). Agriculture: The relationship between Aboriginal farmers and non-Aboriginal farmers. Western Development Museum/Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre Partnership Project. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

SRC. (2009, August 13). Sprott Resource Corp announces second quarter 2009 results [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/pressrelease/?prId=122549.

SRC (2010, December 16). Sprott Resource Corp to invest additional $30 million in One Earth Farms — Canada’s largest farm in 2011 [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122523.

SRC. (2011a, March 28). Sprott Resource Corp [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122517.

SRC. (2011b, July 18). Kevin Bambrough receives honourary chieftainship and chief’s headdress from the Blood Tribe [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122508.

SRC. (2011c, August 15). Sprott Resource Corp announces second quarter results [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122507.

SRC (2012, March 29). Sprott Resource Corp announces 2011 annual results [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122495.

SRC. (2013a, February 19). Sprott Resource Corp announces acquisition of Beretta Farms Inc. by subsidiary OEF Corp. [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122613.

SRC. (2013b, May 13). Sprott Resource Corp announces 2013 first quarter results [Press Release]. Retrieved from: http://www.sprottresource.com/investors/press-releases/press-release/?prId=122619.