• Support government and sector in developing/adopting new techniques, varieties, and pest control mechanisms suited to climate change; and planning and systems to deal with short-term extremes in weather that cause impacts on livestock production (feed supply, waste disposal, and access to market).

• Ensure efficient use of water for crop and livestock production. Fish and food processing will become more critical, for optimal production and to help maintain freshwater flows for fish in streams. Efficient water use is included in environmental farm planning program/Agricultural Policy Framework for primary agriculture.

• Facilitate the development of an action plan for the B.C. agri-food industry to adopt new technologies and production systems in response/anticipation of climate change and its effects.

• Encourage the use of alternate fuels for marine vessels, or the use of hybrid vessels (i.e. fuel/wind). Without incentives, the fleet is unlikely to explore alternatives to current technologies and fuels

• Evaluate rates of disease transfer and types of diseases in land and aquatic based farms due to climate change.

• Continue to promote environmental farm planning. On-farm nutrient management plan program, to ensure efficient use of nutrients (manures and fertilizers) and other beneficial management practices for livestock and crops, petroleum handling and storage; energy use; composting; greenhouses; and other farm activities, will generally assist in greenhouse gas emission reduction and the potential for reducing emissions is large.

• Research/design of systems and structures is needed if the occurrences/severity of 1-in-100 years storm/weather events increase.

• Review work done on the effects of climate change on agricultural commodities/regions.

• Information systems need to be in place for crops, livestock and aquaculture including

• long-term weather forecasting and predictions of climate/weather for the season, to allow managers to make changes in response to weather/climate change.

• Work with the federal government to develop policy clarifications and/or changes to secure credits for agriculture where soil capacity to sequester carbon is improved and to achieve maximum carbon sequestration potential. Examine legal/economic ramifications of using farm land for carbon sequestration.

• Work with the federal government to fund the study and modeling of emissions by geographical regions/sector, and develop targets for reductions. Amount of emissions from much of B.C. agriculture and sink potential is very poorly understood.