Two years after the province cut farmers some slack when it came to proving their qualification for farm class status with BC Assessment, proof is once again required. “We have currently returned to [the] standard practice of mailouts/income requests to property owners as per regulations to maintain/qualify for farm class for the 2023 roll,” BC Assessment …
BCAC
Good land at risk
SURREY – This spring’s cool, wet weather has made it difficult for farmers to get on fields across the Lower Mainland, particularly in low-lying areas of Delta and on Sumas Prairie. But in Campbell Heights, the Heppell family was seeding its 220 acres in early March – a little bit later than usual, but earlier …
Wages rise June 1
BC’s minimum wage has increased to $15.65 an hour effective June 1, a 2.8% increase from $15.20 last year. The increase was announced in March and reflects the annual inflation rate for 2021. Piece rates for hand-harvesters will rise by a similar percentage on January 1, 2023. The increase adds to input costs farmers face, …
Historic relief package delivered
Tough negotiations have delivered BC farmers a landmark recovery package that promises to help farmers recover from catastrophic flooding and landslides last November. The provincial and federal agriculture ministers have combined two relief programs to secure $228 million in funding under what’s billed as the “2021 Flood Recovery Program for Food Security.” Delivered through AgriRecovery, …
BCAC gala goes online
COVID-19 continues to cast a long shadow, with the BC Agriculture Council making yet another change to plans for its annual gala. Originally scheduled for January 26 in advance of the Pacific Agriculture Show, the gala was rescheduled for April 1 in view of a surge in cases of COVID-19 attributable to the highly transmissible …
BC farmers have public trust
BC Agriculture Council’s fourth annual consumer research survey suggests consumers’ perceptions of farmers, the agriculture industry and the province’s food supply chain have strengthened since 2018. A key finding from this year’s survey is that British Columbians continue to have very positive views of BC farmers. The results show that 96% of respondents believe that …