2009 highlights for BC agriculture

by Hon. Steve Thomson,
Minister of Agriculture and Lands.

As another year winds to a close, I would like to extend my best wishes this holiday season and share some of the highlights in my first few months as Minister of Agriculture and Lands.

One of my first priorities was to take a look at ways we could make things easier for B.C.’s producers through innovation and streamlined processes. Bringing administration of the business risk management program, AgriStability, to B.C. was requested by producers and I am pleased that starting January 2010 we will see the benefits of this new process. The ministry also continues to work with the Report of the Ranching Task Force released this year with recommendations for innovative solutions to assist the economic viability of B.C.’s cattle ranching sector.

In June of this year the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed that Canada has achieved a national disease-free status for avian influenza, based on the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health. Since the avian influenza incidents of 2004 and 2005 the provincial and federal governments have contributed $3 million to help industry implement mandatory biosecurity measures and improve emergency response systems. Our fully commissioned Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratory in Abbotsford also increases provincial, national and international capacity in case of an animal disease pandemic, enabling scientists to deliver faster test results for a quicker response to disease outbreaks. Only one other province has a CL3 lab devoted to animal health.

Together with our federal counterparts during 2009 we were able to announce a number of programs under the Growing Forward Agreement, which puts $553 million into B.C.’s agriculture sector over the term of the deal. Environmental Farm Planning and Beneficial Management Practices received $3.23 million and $6.7 million respectively, giving B.C.’s farmers the opportunity to assess their operational strengths and risks, determine their overall environmental footprint, and develop an action plan. The recently announced Farm Business Advisory Services program will provide $965,000 in funding to help producers access financial analysis and specialized business planning services. This will help B.C. farmers effect better, more informed management decisions.

We are also working with the Small Scale Food Processors Association of B.C. to deliver the Food Safety Systems Implementation program across the province under Growing Forward. This program will receive up to $3 million to ensure the food products in British Columbia are amongst the safest and highest quality in the world.

Initial planning is underway for the establishment of a B.C. Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. This project envisions an industry-supported virtual hub that will connect existing agri-food facilities throughout B.C. under one brand and create a go-to place for support services from concept to commercialization. The Province is committed to acting as a catalyst to promote industry collaboration. Other measures taken this year will simplify business for the agriculture sector, such as savings created by the HST, equalization of organic standards across the continent, and recent changes to the Farm Assessment Classification System.

These accomplishments give me great confidence that in spite of the challenges presented this past year by the global economic recession, B.C. agriculture will continue to grow. British Columbia enjoys an outstanding competitive advantage in Canada in terms of the diversity of our food commodities and our commitment to food safety and environmental stewardship. Increasingly, consumers are looking for local products, learning about how they are produced, and choosing premium quality. Looking to the New Year, I believe our industry is well positioned to meet this demand.

Early in 2010 we will partner with the federal government to host Canada Agriculture Day at the Vancouver 2010 Winter and Paralympic Games. In order to take advantage of the international exposure created by these Games we will provide opportunities and venues to showcase high quality food, beverages and wine from B.C. and Canadian producers. I look forward to seeing you there as we welcome the world.

For more information on Ministry initiatives and programs, please visit us online: http://www.gov.bc.ca/al/.

December 21, 2009
Minister of Agriculture and Lands