Enhanced economic growth and consumer confidence through reliable food safety/quality programs.

• Control options are in place for managing risks resulting from animal, fish and plant diseases and pests.

• Strong use of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques and environmental best management practices (2002 analysis of available data).

• Fish health guidelines were developed for use by producers, and an audit and surveillance program was initiated.

• Active monitoring of animal diseases such as the West Nile Virus allowed health control agencies to maintain public health.

Economic development in the agri-food and seafood sectors that maintains high environmental standards and respects the environmental concerns of all British Columbians.

• Environmental farm planning (EFP) program developed for use on farms as part of the federal-provincial Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) agreement beginning in 2003/04.

• Standards of Practice for Escape Prevention were introduced for the fish sector. These contributed to a drop in fish escapes from about 55,400 in 2001/02 to about 20,400 in 2002/03.

• New more enforceable Waste Control regulations were implemented for finfish aquaculture.

Maximize economic benefits while protecting the environment and fisheries resources.

• Aquaculture licence application streamlined by formalizing a one-window procedure through Land and Water B.C.

• In September 2002, the moratorium on finfish aquaculture was lifted to allow sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry and create new jobs in coastal communities.

• B.C. proposed a new Pacific Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers to work cooperatively on fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic habitat matters. The intent is to increase its influence in federal fisheries management policies.

Provide basic protection to farmers for uncontrollable and unpredictable disasters such as weather hazards, natural disasters, disease, pests and erratic markets consistent with trade obligations.

• A national business risk management program is being developed with the federal government — as part of a five-year federal-provincial Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) agreement. It encourages new public and private risk management tools. It broadens the focus of risk to include food safety and environmental hazards. It could provide in excess of $200 million of new federal funding to B.C. to support these activities.

• A review of regulated marketing was completed resulting in a revised policy and governance framework for marketing boards to improve market responsiveness, encourage specialty products and further processing in B.C.

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.

• Costly anti-dumping duties or other trade actions against B.C. producers were avoided through advocacy positions taken by the ministry at international trade discussions and in international disputes.

• Significantly more commodity information was added to the ministry's award-winning "InfoBasket" internet service website to markedly enhance the range of technical information available electronically to producers and agri-food businesses.

• Inequities in the property and sales tax systems (e.g., new crops and certain expense items eligible for farm operations) were corrected to put farmers on a more level footing with other competing jurisdictions and markets.

• Significant advances in building industry partnerships with Ministry of Skills Development and Labour in dealing with chronic labour standard issues in the hand-harvest crop sector.

Effective administration.

• Budget targets were met.

• The ministry reduced regulatory requirements by 12% (544 requirements) as of March 31, 2003.

• A comprehensive human resource management plan is in development