COUNTRY LIFE IN BC MAY 2020 | 11
BCAC focuses on public trust with lower budget
Membership fees unchanged during pandemic
by PETER MITHAM
ABBOTSFORD – A million-dollar
budget will underpin the work of the
BC Agriculture Council in the year
ahead as it seeks to build public trust
in local food and make sure there are
workers on hand to harvest it.
The budget for the coming year
was passed during the council’s
annual general meeting, which was
held via videoconference on April 16
to meet its obligations under the
Societies Act, as well as public health
orders banning large gatherings.
Close to 70 people attended the
meeting, well above the limit of 50
people permitted by the province.
The budget includes more than
$141,000 for public trust initiatives.
“People appreciated the work that’s
being done around public trust and
there was discussion that it actually
needs to increase awareness of
farming as a critical industry during
the pandemic,” BCAC executive
director Reg Ens said.
Several members felt a proposed
levy of $100,000 to fund the work was
unaordable, however. On April 15,
the BCAC board voted to eliminate
quarterly payments scheduled for the
remainder of 2020. Just $22,560 has
been collected to date, and the
shortfall – or about $63,435 – will be
allocated from reserve funds to
support the work.
A slightly smaller budget means
that scheduled program activities will
be pared back, with in-person
activities moved online where
possible.
BCAC is also allocating $50,000 to
support the Western Agricultural
Labour Initiative’s work with foreign
workers. This was another late
amendment to the budget, in view of
reduced revenue from certain
programs and the greater role WALI
will have to play in managing workers
this year.
However, the dues BCAC charges
members will be unchanged. While
this may seem odd given that the
budget is forecasting a deficit of
$215,800 in the coming fiscal year,
expectations of a deficit in excess of
$181,500 last year did not
materialize.
In fact, the council ended up with a
surplus of $70,173, thanks in part to
strong growth in revenues from the
annual agriculture gala and a
revitalized Farmer ID card program.
“Overall expenditures were less
than budgeted, and this is primarily
due to savings in both Ag Days and
stang,” reported BCAC controller
Jackie Mays. “These savings, along
with increased revenues, resulted in a
surplus rather than the originally
budgeted decit.”
The budget was passed with one
abstention. Organic sector
representative Niklaus Forstbauer
abstained, “due to the public trust
levy.”
All sectors view building trust with
the public as important work.
However, the Certied Organic
Associations of BC has long been
concerned that work by the
conventional sector builds on and
ultimately dilutes its own work to
educate and build trust with
consumers.
Forstbauer seconded a motion
conrming the BCAC board of
directors. The current slate was
accepted, with one seat – for Interior
horticulture – left vacant by the
departure of cherry grower Sukhpal
Bal. The vacancy is expected to be
lled shortly.
The Western Agricultural Labour Initiative is expecting to play a greater role in managing
workers this year. SUBMITTED / BC WINE INSTITUTE
A message from Ian Paton Opposition Critic for Agriculture
As the COVID-19 pandemic
continues to unfold across our country
and the world, we are only now starting
to realize the full impact and long-
reaching eects that it will have on our
economy.
is unprecedented crisis has
brought tourism to a halt and lead to the
closure or partial closure of nearly 80 per
cent of Canadian businesses. But what
many do not realize is the dramatic
impact that COVID-19 is having on
agriculture here in BC.
Farmers are experiencing
unprecedented labour shortages,
disruptions in the packing, processing
and transportation sectors, and
increasing domestic and international
market uncertainty. ese fears are
resulting in dicult decisions about
which crops to grow and whether or not
to leave elds fallow for the season.
e Canadian Federation of
Agriculture cautions these
compounding challenges could result in
a decrease in the amount and quality of
food in grocery stores and higher prices
in the months ahead.
It is imperative that British
Columbia’s government work with
federal counterparts and industry
partners to help to re-stabilize our
province’s agriculture industry.
To whether this storm and ensure the
security and longevity of our local food
system, BC’s agriculture industry must
become more self-sucient. As the old
proverb goes, “those who cannot
remember the past are condemned to
repeat it.” Pre-emptively, BC should
prepare for future interruptions in the
international food supply chain, as
COVID-19 has made us realize just how
reliant we are on food imports. We can
no longer rely on imports of meats,
fruits, and vegetables from other
countries like China, the United States
and Mexico. We need to incentivize both
buying and growing BC products.
is can be done by utilizing more of
BC’s crown ALR land and transitioning it
into better and more ecient food
production uses. More homegrown
vegetables under glass is also to be
considered, as well as increased
opportunities to butcher, process, and
package BC beef, pork, lamb and
poultry.
Every crisis in our nation’s history has
spurred innovation. Let’s utilize this
opportunity to remediate and revive
British Columbia’s agriculture industry.
Now is the time to consider bold ideas
rooted in new technological
developments. Vertical farming, for
example, could be utilized to maximize
crop yields and reduce the carbon
footprint of food transportation in
increasingly urban areas such as Metro
Vancouver and Greater Victoria. e
biggest barrier to vertical farming is
start-up costs. Our Ministry of
Agriculture could play a pivotal role
helping to fund research and
development in this exciting new
industry.
Recently, BC’s new Food Security
Taskforce recommended a certain
amount of ALR land be set aside
specically for agricultural-industrial
use. is will be critical if BC is to bolster
our packing and processing industries,
as well as to provide local cold-storage
facilities to help keep produce fresh,
retain its value, and increase its shelf life.
Additionally, we need to allow farm
families to be creative and
entrepreneurial in order to come up
with supplemental income to support
their farm operations. I get concerned
when out-of-the-box ideas like festivals,
processing facilities, eateries, roadside
stands, and cafes are shut down by the
Agricultural Land Commission. Agri-
tourism is essential in this province.
ese activities should be encouraged,
not regulated into oblivion.
Finally, if we are to truly take control
of our own destiny when it comes to the
preservation of our food system, we
must invest heavily in education
programs. Let’s re-establish farming as a
subject of inquiry in our schools, and
expand the oering of post-secondary
programs in agriculture, horticulture,
and agronomy. Let’s raise up the next
generation of growers, ranchers,
greenhouse operators, hobby farmers,
and community garden enthusiasts.
e time has come for BC to diversify
its agriculture economy to better equip
future generations of farming.
Agriculture has been labelled as an
essential service during this crisis and
we need to ensure that it is treated as
such, for the good of all British
Columbians.
Paid communication
Ian Paton
MLA for Delta South
604-940-7930
ian.paton.MLA@leg.bc.ca