Ministry 2003/04 Annual Service Plan Report - Government of British Columbia.
   

Performance Reporting

Core Business Area 1: Industry Competitiveness

Goal 1: 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.

The ministry enabled industry sectors to act on opportunities for market growth by promoting their interests through government programs and services, supportive regulations and international and interprovincial trade negotiations; by securing a fair share of federal and provincial funding, and by promoting industry-led research and market development initiatives.

Measure Baseline 2003/04 Target 2003/04 Actual
Per cent yearly growth in agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries sectors (net income or wholesale values)

 

Agriculture 2002: $2.21 billion farm cash receipts

 

Agriculture: 2.5% growth in farm cash receipts over baseline

Target achieved:

Agriculture: $2.31 billion farm cash receipts — 2003 preliminary data (4% growth over baseline);
 

 

Fish 2001: $1.04 billion wholesale value

 

Fish: 4% increase in wholesale value over baseline

Target achieved:

Fish: $1.15 billion wholesale value was reported for 2002 — an increase of approximately 10% in one year.

Objective 1: Increase B.C.'s ability to access the domestic and international market.

Strategies:

  • Facilitate innovation and investment in bio-based industry e.g.: nutraceuticals, health foods, etc.
  • Increase access to government information and expertise over three years to give farmers and businesses online access 24 hours/day seven days/week.
  • Resolve existing and new trade impediments such as international and interprovincial barriers affecting B.C. agri- and seafood products by 2005 or according to trade negotiations and agreements.

Performance Measures and Results

Performance in relation to Objective 1 is measured by tracking the value of goods exported out of B.C. and by tracking key trade barriers addressed.

Measure Baseline 2003/04 Target 2003/04 Actual
Dollar value of exports for agriculture, food and seafood products

 

$2.38 billion/yr. — 2001 data (agriculture and seafood)

 

4% growth/year

Target not met:

$2.45 billion/yr. — 2002 data (2.7% growth)

$2.35 billion/yr. — preliminary 2003 data (4% decline)
Favourable trade agreements in place; removal of current trade barriers

 

Several trade impediments in place

 

Removal of impediments within trade rules

On target:

Dairy analogues — dispute settlement process initiated with Ontario.

Federal grain transportation policies found in contravention of WTO rules, reforms promised.
Note:  BSE, and a higher Canadian dollar had significant negative impacts on exports in 2003, which is reflected in the lower-than-expected level of growth in the value of agriculture, food and seafood products.

 

Activities Related to this Objective:

Increasing Access to Government Information and Expertise:

InfoBasket InfoBasket, an award-winning, Internet-based electronic information delivery tool, was expanded in 2003/04 to a total of 20 communities by including agritourism, berries and greenhouse vegetables.

InfoBasket was also expanded to include hot topics and alerts to enable industry to access important information on BSE, National Sheep Identification Program, sudden oak death, forage exchange, avian influenza, and pest alerts for berries. This provided specific information to groups that were affected by these events.

Effective Advocacy to Resolve Trade Issues:

WTO agriculture negotiations Supported minister's advocacy efforts at WTO ministerial conference. Held two meetings of the B.C. Agrifood Trade Council.
BSE-related trade restrictions Supported minister's and Canada's advocacy efforts in the U.S. for science-based approaches to Canada-U.S. cattle and beef trade, after a single occurrence of BSE in Canada. U.S. market partially re-opened beginning August 2003.
U.S. prior notice requirements Bioterrorism Act — Supported minister's and Canada's advocacy efforts. Organized information session for B.C. industry. Submitted technical comments to U.S. authorities. Key problems addressed in revised regulations.
U.S. Farm Bill Country of origin labeling — Supported minister's and Canada's advocacy efforts in U.S. to have the measure withdrawn.

Building Linkages and Resolving Trade Issues:

Nursery and floriculture trade Obtained agreement with Washington State, Idaho and Missouri for a regional nursery and floriculture industry meeting in 2004 to build linkages, increase industry communication and facilitate trade.
Horticulture trade — invasive species B.C. joined with Ontario and U.S. states to establish a working group to facilitate and encourage a co-ordinated approach to prevention, control and eradication of invasive pests, to effectively utilize resources and to minimize the potential for unwarranted trade restrictions.

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

Strategies:

  • Reduce regulation and barriers to improve the agriculture industry's ability to be economically viable.
  • Promote self-funding mechanisms for farmers through their organizations to enable industry to fund its own technology and development.
  • Assess the tax system to determine how B.C. compares to other jurisdictions.

Performance Measures and Results

A key measure for examining progress in creating a more positive business and investment climate is the reduction in regulations.

Measure Baseline 2003/04 target 2003/04 Actual
Per cent reduction in regulations (ministry-controlled)

 

4,538 regulatory requirements

(June 2001)

 

Reduce by 27% of baseline

Reduce by 33% by June 2004

On target:

The overall reduction as of March 31, 2004 stood at 25% (1,131 fewer requirements).
Note:  The ministry has put in place a number of statutes, which repeal obsolete and redundant statutes and regulations. This legislation will continue to be brought into force over the remainder of 2004, as consequential changes to other regulatory requirements are made. When completed the ministry's regulatory requirements will have been reduced by 37 per cent, and will have exceeded its deregulation commitment.

 

Activities Related to this Objective:

Improving Industry Viability by Addressing Regulatory and other Barriers

Regulatory reform Participated in the Range Act Legislation and Regulation Rewrite Committee (MOF, BCCA, MAFF), Forest and Range Practices Act Legislation and Regulation Rewrite Committee (MOF, BCCA, WLAP, MAFF).
Standards for organic finfish and shellfish production Initiated development of provincial standards for organic aquaculture production, consultations with industry and interested environmental groups to develop a set of draft organic finfish and shellfish production standards. The draft standards will be assessed through a pilot project to be initiated this year.
B.C. Organic Certification Program The U.S. Department of Agriculture recognized the B.C. Organic Certification Program as meeting its certification requirements for shipping products into U.S. markets.
Agriculture labour New labour regulations were introduced in May 2003 that put B.C. on equal competitive footing with the rest of Canada and Washington State. The Agriculture Labour Partnership Committee (ALPC) continues to meet to develop long-term, strategic solutions to agriculture's labour market problems. A management committee comprising ALPC m

embers will oversee the Agri-Food Futures Fund (AFFF) labour initiative.
Destination tourism The ministry worked with the B.C. Agri-Tourism Alliance and B.C. Fairs and Exhibitions to implement a code of standards for B.C. agritourism operations.

Promoting Innovation and Development:

Investment, branding and value chain strategies — working in partnership with industry Strategic plans and first-year work plans for four AFFF initiatives were approved by the Investment Agriculture Foundation, trustee for the fund. Nearly $5.5 million (over a five-year period) was allocated to initiatives that included agroforestry, food quality and safety, an agri-food initiative for Vancouver Island, food and beverage processing, and revisions to the strategic plan developed for agriculture labour and skills development.

Commodity specific strategies were also developed in partnership with the B.C. Agriculture Council, B.C. Cattlemen's Association and the new B.C. Food Processors Council.
Industry development trust funds 10 industry development trust funds, established between 1992 and 2000, had a total market value of $17,462,561

as of March 31, 2004 (compared to $17,038,676 as at March 31, 2003). A total of $1,293,908 was disbursed during 2003/03 to fund industry development projects, which was matched 50:50 with industry contributions, both cash and in-kind.
Industry development councils Industry development councils are established by the minister under the Farming and Fishing Industries Development Act.

The Mushroom Industry Development Council was established on April 2, 2004, and will administer the levy for mushroom producers.

 

  
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