About 40 tractors were driven to the Waterloo Regional government’s head office in Kitchener Wednesday to protest the purchase of 770 acres at New Hamburg for an industrial park.
They were joined by hundreds of pedestrian protestors who are angry about secrecy, lack of consultation, loss of farmland and destruction of 160 acres of corn.
Mark Reusser, president of the Waterloo Federation of Agriculture, has criticized the region for launching the project without changing the official plan and consulting the public.
The government has a deal to buy the 160-acre farm and has told the other land owners it will use expropriation if they do not agree to sell.
Kevin Thomason said the tractor parade protest is something that "hasn't been seen in years if ever in Waterloo Region."
Thomason is the vice-chair of the Grand River Environmental Network.
"Farmers are really angry and concerned they aren't being heard by the Region or province so they are calling out the tractors,” he wrote in an e-mail to CBC News.
The parade began at the Wilmot Township site east of New Hamburg and south of Highway 7 & 8.
Many political officials were in attendance including Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife and Jenn Pfenning, president the National Farmers Union who farms within a few kilometers of the land assembly.
Punkeydoodles Steve provided live entertainment by performing his song titled 770 Acres, inspired by the farmer's fight to keep their land.
