MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FISHERIES

The mission of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries is to deliver programs that maintain a positive business climate for a competitive market-responsive agri-food and fisheries sector, and safeguard BC’s ability to provide safe and high quality British Columbia agri-food and seafood products for consumers.

MINISTRY SUMMARY

($000)

Estimates
2002/03¹

Estimates
2003/04

VOTED APPROPRIATION

Vote 10— Ministry Operations

64,041 

49,133 

STATUTORY APPROPRIATION

Livestock Protection Special Account

20 

20 

OPERATING EXPENSE

64,061 

49,153 

PREPAID CAPITAL ADVANCES²

— 

— 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES³

1,230 

1,990 

LOANS, INVESTMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS⁴

(1,096)

(870)

REVENUE COLLECTED FOR, AND TRANSFERRED TO, OTHER ENTITIES⁵

— 

— 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT⁶

351 

329 

NOTES

¹    For comparative purposes only, figures shown for 2002/03 operating expense, capital expenditures, and FTEs have been restated to be consistent with the presentation of the 2003/04 Estimates. Schedule A presents a detailed reconciliation.

²    Details of prepaid capital advances are presented in Schedule C.

³    Details of capital expenditures are presented in Schedule D.

⁴    Details of loans, investments and other requirements are presented in Schedule E.

⁵    Details of revenue collected for, and transferred to, other entities is presented in Schedule F.

⁶    Details of FTEs are presented in Schedule G.

CORE BUSINESS SUMMARY

$000

2002/03

2003/04 ESTIMATES

OPERATING EXPENSE

Net

Gross

External
Recoveries

Net

Core Business

Industry Competitiveness

14,297 

4,621 

(17)

4,604 

Fisheries and Aquaculture Management

4,871 

5,146 

— 

5,146 

Food Safety and Quality

6,642 

6,239 

(50)

6,189 

Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development

8,362 

7,466 

— 

7,466 

Risk Management (includes special account)

20,481 

17,763 

(1,414)

16,349 

Executive and Support Services

9,408 

9,474 

(75)

9,399 

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE

64,061 

50,709 

(1,556)

49,153 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Net

Disbursements

Receipts

Net

Core Business

Industry Competitiveness

75 

70 

— 

70 

Fisheries and Aquaculture Management

225 

494 

— 

494 

Food Safety and Quality

386 

300 

— 

300 

Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development

140 

667 

— 

667 

Risk Management (includes special account)

179 

366 

— 

366 

Executive and Support Services

225 

93 

— 

93 

TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

1,230 

1,990 

— 

1,990 

LOANS, INVESTMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Net

Disbursements

Receipts

Net

Core Business

Industry Competitiveness

(1,096)

— 

(870)

(870)

Risk Management (includes special account)

— 

3,000 

(3,000)

— 

TOTAL LOANS, INVESTMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

(1,096)

3,000 

(3,870)

(870)

OPERATING EXPENSE BY CORE BUSINESS

$000

Estimates
2002/03

Estimates
2003/04

VOTE  10 - MINISTRY OPERATIONS

This vote provides for ministry programs and operations described in the voted appropriations under the following six core businesses: Industry Competitiveness, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Food Safety and Quality, Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development, Risk Management, and Executive and Support Services.

INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS

Voted Appropriations

Industry Competitiveness

5,647 

4,604 

Okanagan Valley Tree Fruit Authority

8,650 

— 

14,297 

4,604 

Voted Appropriations Description: This sub-vote provides for agri-food industry competitiveness programs and includes work in partnership with agriculture and agri-food organizations to provide advice on competitiveness issues affecting the production, marketing and business management of the agri-food sector; provides for internal to government advocacy on behalf of the agri-food and fish sectors to improve the business climate in which the sector operates; provides for assembly and dissemination of technical information to producers and other agencies; provides for the provincial component of the 4-H program, agriculture and food research and demonstration projects plus related food safety and quality, environmental and risk management initiatives; provides for the administration of Industry Loan Guarantee Programs under the Financial Administration Act and credit programs under the Agriculture Credit Act; also provides for industry development and renewal initiatives and trusts. In the 2002/03 fiscal year, this sub-vote also provided for transfers to the Okanagan Valley Tree Fruit Authority for operating costs and delivery of the interior tree fruit industry revitalization program. The operation of the Authority will be wound up by March 31, 2003 and responsibility for the program will be transferred to a private sector organization. Transfers are made to agriculture and business organizations and in support of agriculture, food, resource development and federal-provincial initiatives. Recoveries are received from parties external to government for ministry services.

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE MANAGEMENT

Voted Appropriation

Fisheries and Aquaculture Management

4,871 

5,146 

Voted Appropriation Description: This sub-vote provides for technical review of applications for tenure and for the licensing and enforcement of regulations as required under the Fisheries Act and the Fisheries Inspection Act; administration of relevant sections of the Fisheries Act; licensing and regulation of finfish and shellfish aquaculture; development and diversification of the fisheries and aquaculture (seafood) sectors; including development of strategies to create jobs and enhance the competitiveness of British Columbia’s seafood products; and transfers to support the province’s seafood sector’s management and development.

FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY

Voted Appropriation

Food Safety and Quality

6,642 

6,189 

Voted Appropriation Description: This sub-vote provides for the animal health centre and plant diagnostic services; monitoring of animal and plant health; licensing, monitoring and inspecting dairy farms, tank milk receivers, tank milk trucks, game farms, fur farms, veterinary drug outlets, feed mills, apiaries, sale yard operations, livestock dealers, slaughter houses, feed mills, poultry processors and others as required by legislation; transfers to various agencies for pest management, veterinary services; transfers in support of agriculture and food research. This sub-vote also provides for assembly and dissemination of technological information to producers and other agencies; for agriculture, food and fish research and demonstration projects and related environmental, industry competitiveness and risk management initiatives. Recoveries are received from parties external to government for ministry services.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Voted Appropriation

Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development.

8,362 

7,466 

Voted Appropriation Description: This sub-vote provides services and programs to initiate, plan and coordinate province-wide land and water policies regarding soil management, waste management and water management; for administration of the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act; for cooperation with the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management to enhance sustainable resource development opportunities throughout the province, and support to joint planning with local governments to achieve growth of the agriculture and aquaculture sectors. Transfers are provided to local government to support agricultural land use planning. 

RISK MANAGEMENT

Voted Appropriations

National Safety Net Programs

19,479 

15,335 

BC Marketing Board.

982 

994 

20,461 

16,329 

Statutory Appropriation

Livestock Protection Special Account

20 

20 

20,481 

16,349 

Voted Appropriations Description: This sub-vote provides for management of provincial and federal-provincial agricultural risk management programs and for transfers defined under the Agricultural Policy Framework Agreement as well as Crop Insurance, Net Income Stabilization and the Whole Farm Insurance Program agreements.  This sub-vote also provides for the operation of the British Columbia Marketing Board which is responsible for supervising the operations of the marketing boards and commissions formed under the Natural Products Marketing (BC) Act, and hearing related appeals.  This sub-vote also provides for the operation of the Farm Practices Board formed under the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act and the hearing of related appeals.  Recoveries are received from the federal government for crop insurance administration costs and from other parties external to government for British Columbia Marketing Board services.

Statutory Appropriation Description: This statutory appropriation provides for the Livestock Protection Special Account which is governed under theLivestock Protection Act.

EXECUTIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICES

Voted Appropriations

Minister's Office

434 

390 

Corporate Services

8,974 

9,009 

9,408 

9,399 

Voted Appropriations Description: This sub-vote provides for the office of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, and includes salaries, benefits, allowances and operating expenses of the minister and the minister’s staff.  It provides for executive direction of the ministry and administrative support services including financial planning, human resources, communications, information systems and program audit.  This sub-vote also provides for policy development, economic and statistical analysis and trade competition programs. Transfers are provided to business organizations in support of agricultural initiatives. Recoveries are received from parties external to government for ministry services.

VOTE 10 — MINISTRY OPERATIONS

64,041 

49,133 

STATUTORY —  LIVESTOCK PROTECTION SPECIAL ACCOUNT

20 

20 

MINISTRY GROUP ACCOUNT CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY

GROUP ACCOUNT CLASSIFICATION

Salaries and Benefits

23,580 

22,444 

Operating Costs

13,407 

12,956 

Government Transfers

29,311 

14,990 

Other Expenses

226 

319 

External Recoveries

(2,463)

(1,556)

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE

64,061 

49,153 

SPECIAL ACCOUNT¹

$000

LIVESTOCK PROTECTION

This account was originally created as a fund by the Domestic Animal Protection Act, 1973; was continued under the Livestock Protection Act; and was changed to a Special Account under the Special Appropriations Act, 1982. The purpose of the account is to provide compensation to an owner for livestock killed or injured by a dog that is not owned or kept by the livestock owner, and to encourage good dog husbandry practices in the province.

All fees, licences and cost assessments levied under the Livestock Protection Act are credited to the account as revenue. Expenses include compensation transfers and administration costs.

No financing transactions are provided for under this account.

Estimates
2002/03

Estimates
2003/04

SPENDING AUTHORITY AVAILABLE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR

108 

108 

OPERATING TRANSACTIONS

Revenue

20 

20 

Transfer from the Ministry Operations Vote

Expense

(20)

(20)

FINANCING TRANSACTIONS

Loans, Investments and Capital Acquisitions

Receipts.

— 

— 

Disbursements - Capital

— 

— 

Disbursements - Other

— 

— 

Net Cash Source (Requirement)

— 

— 

PROJECTED SPENDING AUTHORITY AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR²

108 

108 

NOTES

¹     A Special Account is an account in the General Fund where the authorization to spend money from the account is located in an Act other than the Supply Act.

²    The Projected Spending Authority Available represents the cash and temporary investments projected to be available at the end of the fiscal year.

LOANS, INVESTMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS BY CORE BUSINESS

$000

Estimates
2002/03

Estimates
2003/04

INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS

AGRICULTURE CREDIT ACT — Receipts represent principal repayments on outstanding loans issued under the Agricultural Land Development Program. This program was terminated on March 31, 1995.

Receipts

1,096 

870 

Disbursements

— 

— 

Net Cash Source (Requirement)

1,096 

870 

RISK MANAGEMENT

CROP INSURANCE STABILIZATION — Disbursements are provided to cover deficits in the Crop Insurance Trust Account that may arise due to payment of indemnity claims in excess of premiums and other revenue in the trust account. These advances are fully recovered from Crop Insurance Program premium revenue in subsequent years (receipts).

Receipts

3,000 

3,000 

Disbursements

3,000 

3,000 

Net Cash Source (Requirement)

— 

—