Core Business Areas

1. Industry Competitiveness

Industry competitiveness is the measure of how well an individual business or industry sector can profitably compete for market share in the domestic and/or export marketplace on a sustainable basis. It is affected by many factors, including technology that can reduce costs or enhance quality, the regulatory environment such as labour and processing plant regulations, trade and economic policies, access to markets including trade barriers, infrastructure, industry/company growth strategies, industry structure and product characteristics. It can also be affected by factors that cannot be controlled including the performance of both domestic and world economies or natural events such as drought, pests or disease.

If British Columbia's agriculture, food and fisheries related industries are to maintain and grow their existing market shares, they must address the above factors/barriers. The ministry's work in this core business area includes:

• reducing the regulatory burden on businesses;
• increasing industry access to information and expertise;
• assisting industry associations to be independent and self-reliant;
• delivering programs that create a positive investment climate;
• influencing international and inter-provincial trade negotiations and disputes;
• fostering research, development and innovation within industry; and
• advocating for agriculture, food and fisheries interests within government.

The ministry works with industry and other stakeholders to ensure that B.C. agriculture, food and fisheries industry interests are considered in government programs, services, regulations and in international and interprovincial trade negotiations; that they receive a fair share of federal and provincial funding; and that they are promoted in industry-led research and market development initiatives.

2. Fisheries and Aquaculture Management

The fisheries and aquaculture management business area consolidates sector expertise (shellfish and finfish aquaculture, and wild fisheries) in one business area to increase the capacity to identify and act on opportunities to promote growth.

Key functions include:

• developing and promoting management approaches that encourage economic growth and meet environmental objectives;
• harmonizing policies and regulations at the federal and provincial levels;
• strengthening monitoring and enforcement regimes;
• participating in coastal and marine planning; and
• building awareness of fisheries and aquaculture practices and economic benefits.

The fisheries and aquaculture business area works in partnership with industry and other business areas of the ministry, as well as external agencies and other levels of government.

3. Food Safety and Quality (including animal, fish and plant health)

The food safety and quality business area helps ensure that B.C. produces high-quality agriculture, food and fisheries products, and that plant, animal and human health risks are effectively managed. The ministry works with other regulatory agencies to manage risks across the agriculture, food and fisheries sectors — from monitoring and managing plant and animal health and production systems on the farm right through to food processing.

The business area is based on prevention, early detection and rapid response to maintain consumer confidence and market assurance, and it strengthens these activities by:

• working with the agriculture and fish sectors to promote the use of best management practices on farms including disease and pest management; waste management; weed control; and on-farm food safety and quality systems; operating a plant diagnostic laboratory and an internationally accredited animal health laboratory to diagnose and monitor disease occurrences to support effective management of animal health risks;
• continuing to develop effective tracking systems to protect against major disease or pest outbreaks, and supporting the implementation of improved systems for food safety and quality and product tracking throughout the food system; encouraging the development and implementation of international standards for safety and quality in order to ensure access to domestic and international markets and to maintain public health standards; and
• facilitating market access — government's role is shifting from prescriptive regulations to establishing outcome-based regulations with government oversight and improving the consistency between federal and provincial standards.

Together these activities are designed to achieve a high standard of food safety and quality while contributing to economic, environmental and social sustainability. The ministry shares information and collaborates with other ministries and the federal government in promoting animal and plant health, responding to disease problems and operating food inspection programs.

4. Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development

The environmental sustainability and resource development business area ensures that growth in agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries is managed in an environmentally and socially sound manner by:

• developing and delivering programs on best farm practices related to management of soil, waste and water;
• promoting co-operation and understanding among neighbours at the rural/urban interface;
• reviewing official plans and bylaws to ensure local government officials support farm operations and therefore encourage investment in their local economies; and
• working in partnership with other government agencies to maintain and improve access to Crown and agricultural resources.

Through these functions, the ministry will continue to promote economic growth that is environmentally and socially sustainable.

5. Risk Management

Agriculture faces many uncertainties in relation to weather, diseases and markets and these can often lead to unstable incomes and very significant losses. The objective of risk management is to reduce or mitigate the impact of these fluctuations so farmers can remain competitive. The risk management business area fosters a shared approach that includes improved risk management by farmers themselves.

The risk management business area includes the following functions:

• developing, delivering and promoting risk management products such as disaster insurance to be consistent with the new federal/provincial Agricultural Policy Framework and international trade obligations; and
• building partnerships to involve the private sector in risk management programs and to reduce the province's exposure to associated financial risks.

A key focus of this business area will be to implement the risk management chapter of the Agricultural Policy Framework.

6. Executive and Support Services

The province has made a commitment to creating a government that is innovative, enterprising, results-oriented and accountable. Government has re-emphasized the need to be cost-effective in program and service delivery, to reduce regulation and red tape, and ensure government employees are well-managed and results-oriented.

Executive and support services supports the ministry and each of its business areas by:

• leading the development, implementation and ongoing evaluation of the ministry's human resource management plan and providing supporting strategies including succession planning, recruitment, retention and individual performance management, rewards recognition and learning and development;
• providing financial management services such as preparing annual expenditure, revenue and capital budgets, and carrying out budgetary control functions;
• implementing processes to increase administrative efficiency and manage risks; and
• supporting policy development within particular business areas and at the broader ministry and government levels.