84-year-old says he’ll die if gov’t takes his cropland

TRENTON — Frank Meyers is a feisty 84-year-old farmer who doesn’t want to give up his cropland. But the expropriation papers are signed and 200 acres of Meyers’ land north of Canadian Forces Base Trenton is set to become the new home for Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, which includes secret commando unit Joint Task Force 2. When the federal government began making deals with neighbours to acquire land for training, Meyers refused to budge.

Meyers says the government was supposed to make him an offer for his land by Aug. 27 but not much was said or settled when they called.

The former dairy farmer sold his quota and most of his cows in 2007, forcing his son to find off-farm work. Meyers planted 100 acres of corn and 40 acres of soybeans in the spring and is determined to keep fighting to keep his land, even if he is all out of moves and options, except for much huffing and scowling.

"It’s not over and it will never be over," says Meyers, whose house and 60 acres of crop and scrub land aren’t part of the expropriation. "If I quit, I won’t live long."