WHEREAS provincial funding for agriculture in British Columbia as a percentage of agriculture Gross Domestic Product GDP is the lowest in Canada; AND WHEREAS it is imperative that BC farmers obtain the financial support necessary to sustain their industry: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request the provincial government raise agriculture funding in British Columbia to the national average.
Ministry of Agriculture BC Agrifoods, A Strategy for Growth focuses on job creation and economic development, recognizing the Provinces competitive advantage as a trusted producer of high-quality foods, beverages and increasingly high-value niche-market products. The industry growth objectives are continually being updated. For example, the Minister of Agriculture established a British Columbia Ministers Agrifood Advisory Committee in March 2014 to recommend priorities and provide strategic advice on how to grow a strong agrifood economy and create sustainable jobs for British Columbians in the agriculture, fisheries and food sector. Through the Growing Forward 2 Program, the governments of Canada and British Columbia have committed a total of 13.4 million to industry between 2013 and 2018 through the Canada-BC Agri-Innovation Program. In 2013-14, 36 projects have shared more than 3.3 million in funding. The projects announced include: - Commercializing a system that uses dry processing technology to create food products from BC fruits and vegetables not sold as fresh or frozen products. - The development of a specialized transfer tool to improve the success rate and accessibility of embryo transfers for commercial cattle operations and other agricultural applications. - Field testing several new bio-herbicides for weed control in cranberries. Projects funded through the program must have the potential to lead to the commercialization andor adoption of innovative products, technologies and practices. Other achievements include: the creation of the new Agriculture Centre of Excellence at the University of Fraser Valley; implementation of a new meat inspection system in British Columbia; implementation of the carbon tax exemption for greenhouse growers, nursery and forest seedling sectors and on coloured fuels, for the other members of the farming community; and, numerous trade related events to encourage the overseas sales of BC Agrifood products as committed in the Strategy for Growth.