B.C. takes over local delivery of agriculture programs

January 29, 2010

WINFIELD – The Governments of Canada and British Columbia announced the AgriStability program will now be delivered provincially by local experts.

The transfer will better tailor service to the needs of B.C. farmers and will bring 25 jobs to the province. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands Steve Thomson, made the announcement today in Winfield as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
 
“Farmers in different parts of the country have different needs, so we’re proud to partner with the Government of B.C. to give farmers the local service they deserve,” said Minister Ritz. “This move will bring 25 jobs to B.C. and will boost the local economy as we continue to move forward with our Economic Action Plan.”
 
“The Province’s goal is to ensure our producers get the services they need. By bringing administration of this program to B.C. we are able to draw on our staff’s understanding of specific challenges and conditions that are unique to our agriculture sector,” said Thomson. “The difference between commodity sectors, combined with diverse landscapes and economic conditions across the country, make this shift to local business risk management a positive change.”
 
The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands (BCMAL) will deliver AgriStability for B.C. farmers on behalf of the federal and provincial governments, starting with the 2009 program year.  The federal administration will complete the processing of B.C. files for the 2008 and prior program years.
 
BCMAL program experts will be located in four regional offices across the province to serve producers in-person or by telephone. Federal and provincial governments are working together to ensure a smooth transfer with no disruption to producers.
 
AgriStability helps farmers protect their farm income from large income declines, and is one of four programs in the suite of business risk management (BRM) programs under ‘Growing Forward’, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
 
The transfer of AgriStability administration to British Columbia is another commitment met under Canada’s Economic Action Plan.