Jobs, Businesses, & Labour

Agriculture platforms

Here's what the 2024 BC election parties are promising.

BC NDP
  • Establish a Premier's Task Force to develop a Provincial Agri-Food Competitiveness and Growth Strategy

    "Establishing a Premier’s Task Force – as requested by the BC Agriculture Council – to work with agriculture industry stakeholders, First Nations, and local governments to co- develop a Provincial Agri-Food Competitiveness and Growth Strategy." — An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Inventory and project agricultural land
  • Match young farmers with farmland available for purchase or lease
  • Provide a topped-up perennial crop renewal programme
  • Expand the agricultural Extreme Weather Preparedness fund

    "Expanding the agricultural Extreme Weather Preparedness fund to help farmers and ranchers prepare and protect their farms and animals from extreme-weather emergencies." — An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Increase the amount of food processed in BC to reduce costs

    "Increasing the amount of food processed here in BC to avoid exchange rate pressures, transportation costs, and the impacts of climate change — which all drive the price of food higher." — An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Fund communities to identify and prioritise local water use

    "Making sure BC communities have secure sources of clean water for the future by putting land use and watershed planning in the hands of local communities, farmers and businesses, in partnership with First Nations, and funding those communities to identify and prioritize local water use. This builds on our existing Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program that supports food producers to store and improve their water supply for irrigation and livestock." — An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

BC Conservatives
  • Invest in agricultural R&D

    "Invest in agricultural R&D, focusing on disease-resistant crops, climate-resilient farming practices, and innovative technologies to improve crop varieties and livestock productivity." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Provide financial incentives for farmers who take measures to increase their yield

    "Improve crop productivity by providing financial incentives for farmers to employ yield-increasing measures, including both conventional and alternative practices such as crop rotation, organic farming, and regenerative agriculture." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Ensure that agricultural technology grants are easy for farmers to apply for

    "Expand access to advanced agricultural technologies by ensuring grant programs are easy for all farmers to apply for – not just the big players." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Help farmers access capital for replanting and nurturing crops after extreme weather events

    "Help farmers access the capital needed to replant and nurture crops after the devastation of recent extreme weather events such as the heat dome and back-to-back cold snaps in our changing climate. Existing replant supports are insufficient." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Provide financial relief to farmers who incurred losses from the closure of the BC Fruit-Growers Co-Op

    "Support tree fruit farmers by ensuring small farms can still get their products to market, and providing appropriate financial relief to farmers who incurred losses from the closure of the co-op." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Support farmers to use beneficial practices for the bee population

    "Enhance pollinator populations by supporting farmers to employ beneficial practices for the bee population, improving crown land stewardship practices, and introducing policy changes to augment BC’s supply of pollinators." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Expand the Buy BC programme for prioritising locally-produced goods

    "Expand the Buy BC program to prioritize locally-produced dairy, fruits, wines, grains, meats, and other products on store shelves, giving British Columbians more access to home-grown products." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Create tax incentives for dairy and fruit processors to operate in BC

    "Increase local food processing by creating tax incentives that encourage dairy and fruit processors as well as other food manufacturing facilities to operate in BC. This boosts local manufacturing, reduces reliance on imports, and supports BC farmers by creating local markets for their products." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Review the Agricultural Land Commission

    "Review the Agricultural Land Commission to make sure that farmers have cost-effective and timely access to the supply chain for processing, distribution, and retail." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Identify land in the Agricultural Land Reserve to use for building new towns
  • Provide tax release or subsidies for small farmers renting land

    "Launch land access incentives by providing tax relief or subsidies for small farmers renting land, making it more affordable for new entrants and small-scale operators to access land for agricultural use. This could include programs to convert unused or underused public land into small farm plots." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Start a microloan programme to provide low-interest loans to small farmers for equipment, seeds, or livestock

    "Establish a microloan program that provides small farmers with low-interest loans to purchase necessary equipment, seeds, or livestock, helping them overcome financial barriers to growth." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Cut red tape on farm housing for agricultural workers
  • Expand water reservoir capacity on farms and in rural communities

    "Invest in large-scale water storage and infrastructure by expanding reservoir capacity on farms and in rural communities. We will provide funding for on-farm water storage and irrigation systems, reducing dependence on fluctuating water sources." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Protect agricultural water supply in legislation

    "Protect the agricultural water supply in legislation, to ensure farmers have secure and long-term access to water for food production." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Plan for water sustainability in partnership with farmers and ranchers, and include climate resilience measures and protections

    "Plan for water sustainability in partnership with farmers and ranchers to balance the water needs of food producers and local communities. These plans should include climate resilience measures and protections to sustain food production during droughts or floods." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Appoint a research chair to conduct an ongoing study into the state of water reserves

    "Comprehensively research and monitor the state of BC’s water supply by measures including a research chair to conduct ongoing study into the state of water reserves and availability in BC for people, agriculture, and wildlife." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Support increased access to temporary labour for farms

BC Greens
  • Provide $90M for a publicly-owned agricultural land bank, available for lease by new farmers

    "Expand the area of land under food production by providing $90 million in funding for a publicly owned agricultural land bank - available for lease by new farmers." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Make food production and food security part of the Agricultural Land Commission's mandate

    "Make food production and food security part of the Agricultural Land Commission’s (ALC) mandate to protect and prioritize agricultural use." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Restrict and regulate foreign ownership of Agricultural Land Reserve land

    "Restrict and regulate foreign ownership of Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) land to ensure that farmland remains in local hands and supports food security." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Investigate how to mitigate the impacts of oil and gas operations on agricultural land in the northeast
  • Incentivise regenerative farming practices

    "Incentivize regenerative farming practices that build healthier soils, improve water management (e.g., rainwater harvesting systems), reduce energy use and sequester carbon." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Streamline approvals for water storage dugouts on farms

    "Streamline the approval processes for water storage dugouts on farms to improve drought resilience and water availability." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Commit the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship to protect food crops during drought periods

    "Commit the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship to work with farmers to ensure the protection of food crops during drought periods." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Improve access to credit and capital for new farmers

    "Improve access to credit and capital for new farmers to make it easier to start and sustain farming operations." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Identify options to make farming more attractive and sustainable, including exploring a Basic Income Guarantee for farmers

    "Identify options to make farming a more attractive and sustainable endeavor, including exploring a Basic Income Guarantee for farmers to secure income and encourage the next generation of farmers." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Invest $9M in bolstering local food systems
  • Rebuild local food processing, storage, and distribution systems
  • Support small-scale, cooperatively-owned infrastructure and businesses, including grocery retailers
  • Ensure schools, hospitals, and other public institutions prioritise locally-produced food
  • Invest in farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, and non-profit food hubs
  • Increase support for the Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program
  • Create a universal school food programme, with access regardless of family income

    "Create a universal school food program ensuring all students, regardless of family income, have access to healthy meals." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

    "Create a universal school food program that provides:

    ° Equal Access: Ensuring every child in British Columbia has access to healthy meals, regardless of their family’s financial situation.

    ° Nutritional Standards: Meals will meet nutritional guidelines to support children’s health and development.

    ° School and Community Collaboration: Work with schools, organizations, and local farmers to promote sustainable practices and educate children on healthy eating habits."

    — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Support systems for addressing food insecurity in First Nations communities, and invest in Indigenous food sovereignty programmes

    "• Support the development of systems to address food insecurity in First Nations communities that honour Indigenous knowledge, values, harvesting areas and practices.

    • Invest in Indigenous food sovereignty programs that promote community-led initiatives and sustainable food systems."

    — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Support Indigenous communities' access to and use of traditional foods

Looking for the parties' positions on other topics?

See our full 2024 BC election platform comparison
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