Objectives, Strategies, Performance Measures and Targets — Continued

Core Business Area 1 — Industry Competitiveness

Context: British Columbia’s agriculture and seafood industries have an opportunity to grow. There are a number of barriers to competitiveness including access to markets, trade barriers, inability to influence global prices and foreign production, and internal government red tape.

The ministry’s work in this core business area is reducing the regulatory burden (government-imposed costs) on businesses, delivering programs that create a positive investment climate and influencing international and interprovincial trade negotiations and disputes. It is also working to foster research, development and innovation. Another key role for the ministry in this core business area is to advocate for agriculture and fisheries interests within government.

Goal: An agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and food sector that is competitive in a global economy and provides economic benefit and stability to British Columbia’s rural and coastal communities.

Outcome: More profitable and growing sector.

Measure	2002/03 Base	2003/04 Target	2004/05 Target	2005/06 Target
% yearly growth in agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries sectors (net income or wholesale values)	Agriculture = $2.2 bil. farm cash receipts — 2001 data Fish = $1.01 bil. wholesale value 2001	Agriculture = 2.5%/yr growth in farm cash receipts Fish = 4% increase in wholesale value	Agriculture = 3%/yr growth in farm cash receipts Fish = 4% increase in wholesale value	Agriculture = 5%/yr growth in farm cash receipts Fish = 4% increase in wholesale value

Objective 1: Increase BC’s ability to access the domestic and international market.

Measure	2002/03 Base	2003/04 Target	2004/05 Target	2005/06 Target
$ value of exports for agriculture, food and seafood products	$2.35 billion/yr. — 2001 data (agriculture and seafood)	4% growth/yr.	4% growth/yr.	4% growth/yr.
Favourable trade agreements in place; removal of current trade barriers	Several trade impediments in place	Removal of impediments within trade rules	Removal of impediments as they arise	Removal of impediments as they arise

Strategies

1. Facilitate innovation and investment in bio-based industry, e.g.: nutraceuticals, health foods, etc. (the Agricultural Policy Framework is one of the key tools to accomplish this).
2. Increase access to government information and expertise over 3 years to give farmers and businesses on-line access to core services 24 hours/day seven days/week.
3. Resolve existing and new trade impediments such as international and interprovincial barriers affecting British Columbia agri- and seafood products by 2005 or according to trade negotiations and agreements.

Objective 2: A positive business and investment climate within the agriculture/fish sectors in BC.

Measure	2002/03 Base	2003/04 Target	2004/05 Target	2005/06 Target
% reduction in regulations (ministry-controlled)	4,538 regulatory requirements (June 2001)	Reduce by 27% of baseline	Reduce by one-third of baseline to approxi- mately 3,000 requirements	Continue to shift to outcome-based regulations, and further deregulate where feasible.

Strategy

1. Reduce regulation and barriers to improve the industry’s ability to be economically viable.
2. Promote self-funding mechanisms for farmers through their organizations to enable industry to fund its own technology and development.
3. Assess the tax system to determine how BC compares to other jurisdictions.

Core Business Area		2002/03 Restated  Estimates		2003/04  Estimates	2004/05 Plan	2005/06 Plan
Operating Expenses ($000)
Operating Expenses		14,2971		4,604	4,604	4,604
Full-time Equivalents (FTE)
FTEs		51.0		44.5	43.5	43.5
Ministry Capital Expenditures (Consolidated Revenue Fund) $000
Capital Expenditures		75		70	72	72
Other Financing Transactions ($000)
Agricultural Credit Act (ALDA)
	Receipts	1,096		870	790	750
	Disbursements	—		—	—	—
	Net cash source (requirement)	1,096		870	790	750

1	Note: Additional contingency funds of up to $8.65 million may be accessed by the ministry to meet its commitment for the orchard replant program currently delivered through the Okanagan Valley Tree Fruit Authority. This program will be transitioned to the private sector in trust by March 31, 2003, and will continue to be available to the tree fruit industry through to March 31, 2006.

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Core Business Area 1 — Industry Competitiveness
Core Business Area 2 — Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
Core Business Area 3 — Food Safety and Quality
Core Business Area 4 — Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development
Core Business Area 5 — Risk Management
Core Business Area 6 — Executive and Support Services