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ministry of agriculture

Where Scientists and Farmers Converge: The Summerland Research and Development Centre

in 2024/Crop Production/Current Issue/Grow Organic/Tools & Techniques/Winter 2024

By Annelise Grube-Cavers

This fall, as part of the BC Organic Conference, attendees had the opportunity to tour the Summerland Research and Development Centre. It was quite exciting to wander around the 80s era research center perched on a hill above Okanagan Lake (if you get excited about that kind of thing, of course, and I venture that farmers do).

This tour was supported by the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund (BCCAF). BCCAF provides funding to support producers in adopting beneficial management practices (BMPs) in three specific areas: nitrogen management, cover cropping and rotational grazing. In addition, the program funds activities to support the adoption of BMPs—such as this tour!

The centre really does bring to mind desert landscapes from images of NASA space stations or bomb testing zones. The building is a bit of a bunker, architecturally speaking, and the surrounding terrain is the typical dry scrubby grassland of the Okanagan. But instead of launching rockets, this center is the jumping-off point for the research needs of a slower-moving science—one that regularly takes generations to make it to the mainstream: the genetic diversity and breeding of tree fruits. There are other fields of research as well (30 different programs in total!), including cover cropping and intercropping studies, as well as the testing and monitoring of biological controls, but the longest running research trials are all tree-fruit-based.

We were greeted upon entering the facility by Knowledge and Technology Transfer program specialist and biologist, Jesse MacDonald. He offered to show us around the gardens and field areas after our more formal facility tour. The offer was extended “even if only a couple of people were interested.” Hours later our entire group of some 40-odd agriculturalists disbanded as the sun went down, following a thorough introduction to several varieties of cherry (all named starting with S since they were developed there in Summerland).

The research centre is a fascinating space—we witnessed presentations on field trials as well as scholarly research. I learned, for the first time, about lentils being used as an in-row cover crop in vineyards and orchards (later in the conference we heard from Gene Covert that he had experienced reduced powdery mildew in the areas of his vineyard where lentils had been planted).

I only wish that there were more field research centres looking at other diverse crops. Jesse noted that there had previously been livestock and field crop components at the research centre, but that tree fruits had been the primary focus, including the breeding program had started in the 1930s. Now it seems that forage and animal feed research happens in Agassiz, field crops are largely studied in Ontario, and vineyard and tree fruit research dominate at the Summerland Research Centre, though more research centres are sprinkled across the country. Research priorities are sometimes industry driven, but government funding is almost entirely determined by national priorities, which don’t always capture the research needs of the smallest and most diverse systems.

Molly Thurston, a tree fruit and cherry grower with orchards in Lake Country and Creston, notes that in her experience the impact and success of the Research Centre has had one caveat: access. In other words, can farmers reach scientists, and is the research coming from the centre readily available to producers?

Our tour felt like a step to improving accessibility going forward, with many more opportunities to share the research in the future. There is fascinating research being done, and ensuring that the people who need to utilize the practices under research can learn about them, question them them, and implement them on-farm, is essential to making that research worthwhile. When it comes to adaptation for climate change, the push to bring research to producers is even more expedient.

For participant Sarah Martel, the biological and pest control aspects of the tour were the most applicable and interesting. “It’s great that there is some research being done that applies to organic growers,” she said. The rigorous testing and assessments of possible controls, and past examples of biological control gone wrong, reinforced the importance of treating our natural ecosystems with respect.

Within the system of nationally-selected priorities, there is apparently also room for innovation and collaboration. A new Indigenous garden at the Summerland Research Centre hosts stsǝrsɬmix (oregon grape) and soopalallie among many other native species, and is centered around a large Ponderosa pine. Originally, the goal was to have this garden accessible to the public, but it ended up being planted behind a tall locked gate. Perhaps the garden will spill down beyond the gate and the riches of research and knowledge will become more accessible soon.

For more information on how to learn from researchers at the centre, or to read about possibilities for on-farm collaborations and research visit: bit.ly/3OEyIhS

Annelise raises pasture-raised livestock with her partner Steve at Fresh Valley Farms on unceded Secwepemc territory outside of Armstrong, BC. They have two farm kids and have just started an adventure in agri-tourism because life wasn’t busy enough… 

freshvalleyfarms.ca

This project was supported by the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund; delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. Funding for the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund.

Featured image: Grapes ripe for harvest at Kalala Estate Winery. Credit: Maylies Lang.

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Meet the Ministry: Amy Norgaard

in Climate Change/Fall 2023/Meet the Ministry/Organic Community/Organic Standards/Soil

Emma Holmes

As BC’s organic industry specialist, I have been able to meet many members of our organic community across the province. I also get to collaborate with other experts at the Ministry of Agriculture, and am keen to highlight them and the important work they do, so you can get to know them—and hopefully collaborate with them too! This issue, I interviewed Amy Norgaard, the Ministry’s Climate Change Extension Specialist.

Emma Holmes (EH): Hey Amy, I’m excited to be talking to you today! Let’s kick things off. When did you join the ministry and what is your role?

Amy Norgaard (AN): Thanks for having me. I love sharing about my work. I joined the ministry two years ago and my role is climate change extension specialist.

EH: You studied at UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. What were your favourite classes from your time there?

AN: Yes, I was at UBC for quite a few years. My bachelor’s is in agroecology and my master’s degree is in soil science with a focus on nutrient management on organic vegetable farms. In terms of my favorite classes, it’s hard to choose one!

When I think about my time at UBC, I mostly think about the experiential learning approach, where I was working with either community partners or on a research project or on problem-based case studies that have been created for active learning. But I think there’s two classes that I’d probably choose as my favourites.

My very first soil science class, Soils 200, was life changing. Maybe that is an overstatement, but at that point in time I was still trying to figure out what I was doing and why I was studying agriculture. Taking that soil science class changed my trajectory and definitely is why I am here now, as a soil scientist so many years later. I just felt like that class explained so much about how the world works.

EH: The class was life changing for me too. It got me excited about soil science and put me on my current career path.

AN: Yeah, it was a pivotal class for so many people. It really was.

The other class was a directed studies during my undergrad, which basically meant I chose a topic of study and I created my own learning goals. I didn’t actually have a course to attend. Instead, I spent half of my time at the UBC farm looking after the chickens and collecting and washing eggs and getting them ready for sale. And moving the chickens and rotating them through both their paddock and then following the vegetable rotation. And the other half of my time was doing a literature review about the benefits of rotational integration of poultry into vegetable production systems, in terms of economics, animal welfare, and impacts to soil properties like nutrient cycling.

And as part of that, I did interviews with producers who were rotating poultry in their vegetable fields. I’m grateful that producers shared their time and knowledge with me. I was just a young undergraduate looking to talk to some farmers about their experiences and challenges and I remember after those interviews I sent each of them a handwritten thank you card with 20 bucks of my own cash in it. Because of course, I didn’t have a stipend from the university. It wasn’t much but I’m always appreciative of people who are willing to share their time and knowledge.

EH: That was thoughtful of you. And then you did your masters and worked quite closely with several organic farms. Tell me more about that.

AN: So my master’s project started in 2018 and I worked with 20 producers across three different regions: Pemberton Valley, Vancouver Island, and the Fraser Valley. I did two years managing on-farm trials of three different nutrient management strategies. Jordan Marr interviewed me on the Organic BC podcast so people who are interested in more details about the project should check that out.

Throughout my research I really got to know the producers well. I visited their farms about four times a year for two years. I used to make this joke “the only person who’s busier than a farmer in the spring is the researcher who’s trying to chase 20 farmers to align with when they’re applying nutrients and when they’re plowing and planting.”

This project just deepened my respect for how knowledgeable and creative farmers are. They’re always doing their own research and testing out new changes, even if they don’t call it research. It really reinforced that support for food producers is not a top-down process. It’s not that knowledge is held in institutions, like universities or government, and that we need to come in and share information. It’s about sharing between producers, academics, and agrologists. Everybody has a different piece of the puzzle and our role, as a researcher or an agrologist, is to create tools or resources or ways to think about things that help producers do their work. That could be an online tool or researching a new practice that a producer is interested in, or a wildfire preparedness planning guide. It is any or all of those pieces. Producers already have so much of this knowledge and capacity, and it’s just helping them put all the pieces together or give them a missing piece. Or maybe setting up farmer-to-farmer gathering opportunities so they can glean those important lessons learnt from each other.

EH: Ministry agrologists have diverse roles, and your title, climate change agrologist could be interpreted quite broadly. Can you speak a bit to some of your current projects?

AN: Yeah, of course. I would say given the fact that my area of work is “climate change,” which in itself is quite broad, I definitely have a variety of projects. My projects right now range from program reporting, greenhouse gas emissions research, farm and ranch wildfire resiliency planning, and we’re also just starting a knowledge translation project to help move research from the hands of academics or researchers into the hands of producers, in a way that works better for producers.

That last one is a smaller project, but I think it has the ability to kind of scale up over time and be really impactful in the long term. We’re creating a process for research briefs that researchers at universities and other extension agrologists can use to succinctly and effectively translate their research in a standardized way and in language that makes sense to that target audience. The goal is to make agricultural research more accessible and useful to producers.

I laugh when I think about the extension products I created when I was finishing my masters. I think this templated process would have helped me to translate my research more effectively, and will help future researchers going forward.

And of course, linking those briefs to any podcasts, videos, or other relevant resources.

EH: What makes you excited about your work?

AN: My goal, or what would make me so happy, is a situation where I’m at a conference or at a field day, and I overhear producers talking about a tool or resource I’ve developed, and they’re saying how it’s made their day-to-day a little bit easier or has had a positive impact on their operation in some way. It’s not that I need the credit for it, I just want to feel like all these hours I spend at work might actually be making a difference!

Emma Holmes is the Organics Industry Specialist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. She studied Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Science at UBC, and then farmed on Salt Spring and worked on a permaculture homestead on Orcas Island. She now lives in Vernon and loves spending time in the garden. She can be reached at: Emma.Holmes@ gov.bc.ca

Featured image: Amy Norgaard in the field. Credit: Garnett Grove

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Meet the Ministry: Megan Halstead

in 2023/Meet the Ministry/Organic Community/Spring/Summer 2023

By Emma Holmes

As BC’s organic industry specialist, I have been able to meet many members of our organic community across the province. I also get to collaborate with other experts at the Ministry of Agriculture, and am keen to highlight them and the important work they do, so you can get to know them—and hopefully collaborate with them too! This issue, I interviewed Megan Halstead, regional agrologist for South Vancouver Island. Some of you may know Megan from her time as an organic inspector, so it’s my pleasure to re-introduce her.

Emma Holmes: Okay, let’s kick things off – when did you join the Ministry and what is your role?

Megan Halstead: I joined in July 2022 as the regional agrologist for South Vancouver Island. My role involves supporting the agriculture community with knowledge transfer, extension, and events, and helping folks navigate agriculture regulation and provincial resources. I also provide regional context and a producer perspective for folks that are within the Ministry and other related agencies.

EH: I understand you have deep ties to the island and farming. Can you speak a bit to that?

MH: Yes, I do. I grew up on a farm in the Comox valley. My dad purchased a homesteader soldier settler property in Merville and raised sheep and cattle and sold hay, as well as doing all of the extensive homesteading that people do. He had lived through the depression in England and came to Canada and wanted to have food security. So that was kind of a big part of our dinner time conversations we had, you know, orchard and berries and chickens and the vegetable garden. Pretty similar to a lot of the farming operations that were happening in the Comox Valley back in those days.

I returned and farmed there for about 9 or 10 years until recently. I raised broilers and had some sheep as well, all certified organic.

Lettuce seedlings at Square Root Farm on Southern Vancouver Island. Credit: Maylies Lang.

EH: You have a bachelor’s degree from UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. What were your favourite classes during your university days?

MH: I do have one favourite that surprised me, because I’m sort of an animal person. I took weed science with Dr. Mahesh Upadhyaya and it just blew my mind. It was such a hands-on perspective, providing practical information and also bringing so much more depth to what I already knew about weeds. I feel like it just always comes back to me, like, “Oh yeah, I learned this.” It informed how I farmed and what I notice now when on farms.

I really enjoyed the core Land, Food, and Community classes that everyone in the Faculty takes. It was such a mix of students with different backgrounds, and the material covered everything from food, nutrition, and health, to economics and food policy, to animal nutrition, to agroecology. It was almost exclusively group projects so communication and understanding different perspectives was a big part of it. You would come to the table with a group of people you had never met before and you would all have very different perspectives and backgrounds and have to pull something together in a few weeks. And it would be something that would be unachievable for one or two people to do on their own. You needed the whole team to come together and find a way to get it done.

I lean on the skills I learned in that class in my current role and also when I was an organic inspector. Being able to work with people and achieve something together is so important.
And then wine science with Dr. McArthur. It was the summer class and it was fun and it was also like, wow, viticulture is great, so cool.

EH: You used to be an organic inspector and have visited a lot of farms. How has your previous experience translated into your current role?

MH: I had a lot of connections already and I was very familiar with a lot of the farming community, in the organic sector at least. The community here has been really welcoming to me. The farmers I know have connected me to folks outside of the organic industry and have been really helpful. I did a bit of work outside of the organic industry as well before, so I’ve drawn on that too.

I think this role is primarily making relationships and it really helps that I’ve already known a lot of the folks here and I can build on that those connections which is really great.

As an organic inspector I did a lot of talking with farmers and seeing and understanding what farmers do, the diversity of what people do, the different challenges that they face, and how different types of people can address similar challenges differently.

There are a high number of organic farms here relative to other areas of the island and probably the province. I held a Preparing for Organic Certification Workshop recently on request from a few different folks, and coordinated it through one of the organic farm incubators here. I always wanted to do that when I was an inspector—I was always wishing I had more opportunity to give back and do the education part of it. I was really happy to be able to get Ministry support to do that.

And it has been a benefit to have hands on farming experience having been an organic farmer myself. Smaller-scale mixed regenerative farming is the norm on the island and I can draw on my own experience as well as the wide range of farms I have visited over the years.

Sheep by the roadside.
Credit: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0.

EH: Regional agrologists have dynamic and diverse jobs. Can you speak a bit to some of your current projects?

MH: I have a lot in the fire right now. The Ministry has a new five-year agreement with the federal government for agricultural programming funding. I’m very excited about the sustainable focus. And our Ministry had already been advancing regenerative agriculture knowledge and research.

We’ve had some extreme weather and climate events, as well as food security issues with supply chains due to Covid and flooding. On the island in general and on the smaller islands food security has always been something that people are a little bit more aware of maybe than average because we’re so isolated—but the weather and food security stuff was shocking.
And so, the Ministry is really interested in working closely with producers and determining how we can best be supporting farmers with climate change adaptation, adoption of Beneficial Management Practices, and improving provincial food security.

It all comes back to relationship building and communications. I’m still establishing myself in this region and getting to know folks. So that’s a major focus for me. My role is about supporting the agriculture community by finding out what their challenges are and working with them and supporting knowledge transfer.

EH: Final question, what are you most excited about for the upcoming season?

MH: Well, I’ve got a lot of things I’m excited about. I’m definitely excited to get to know more people in the region and about getting more established in the role and being able to help people. That’s what gets me really fired up and excited to do my job every day.

And I’m also really excited about getting to know people more within the Ministry. I just keep discovering, oh, there’s this whole team over here.

I have a soft spot for farm succession planning because of selling my family farm in spite of a lot of coordination over the years and planning and work to try and keep it, so that’s a definitely topic that resonates with me personally and that I would like to work on. I’m also really passionate about animal welfare.

EH: For any farmers who are reading this and want to reach out to you, what is the best way for them to do that?

MH: AgriServiceBC is the easiest way. If you send them an email or give them a call, they will connect you to the correct regional agrologist, industry specialist or resource specialist to help you. agriservicebc@gov.bc.ca or 1-888-221-7141.

And South Island folks can reach out to me directly at: megan.halstead@gov.bc.ca.

Emma Holmes is the Organics Industry Specialist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. She studied Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Science at UBC, and then farmed on Salt Spring and worked on a permaculture homestead on Orcas Island. She now lives in Vernon and loves spending time in the garden. She can be reached at: Emma.Holmes@ gov.bc.ca

Featured image: Megan Halstead is the regional agrologist for South Vancouver Island. Credit: Amy Crook.

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All Dressed Up & Nowhere to Go

Ready for Growth, Small-Scale Meat Producers are Limited by Access to Processing By Julia Smith The Small-Scale Meat Producers Association

All Dressed Up & Nowhere to Go

in 2022/Livestock/Spring 2022/Standards Updates

Ready for Growth, Small-Scale Meat Producers are Limited by Access to Processing

By Julia Smith

The Small-Scale Meat Producers Association recently completed a province-wide survey of the small-scale meat producing sector in which we heard from 708 operations representing 2,110 producers across all 27 regional districts of the province. Eighteen respondents reported being certified organic, and 15 of these were located in the Okanagan.

The survey identified that small-scale meat producers in BC tend to have very diverse operations, and are practicing a range of land management techniques. Of the respondents, 97% reported using at least one of the following practices to steward their land:

  • multiple species grazing (43%)
  • intensive grazing (38%)
  • regenerative agriculture (38%)
  • no-till farming (36%)
  • diversified forage (36%)

It will be interesting to see if these types of land management techniques become even more popular given the rising costs and supply chain issues associated with more conventional methods and inputs.

Not surprisingly, the biggest obstacle preventing the growth of the small-scale meat industry in BC was access to slaughter and butchery services. While this has proven to all but stop the industry as a whole in its tracks, it hits certified organic producers even harder, as there are very few, if any, certified organic abattoirs or butcher shops offering custom services to small-scale producers.

Chickens at UBC Farm. Credit: Hannah Lewis.

There is a little wiggle room: it is possible for a processor whose facility is not certified organic to complete an “Organic Compliance Declaration” in which they agree to uphold the certification requirements for a producer. However, it is unlikely that most processors would be willing to accommodate this. Processors are completely booked up months (often over a year) in advance without having to jump through any additional hoops.

At a time when it is extremely difficult for anyone to book slaughter and butcher dates for their livestock, organic producers are faced with the added burden of needing their processing facilities to comply with their organic certification standards. Survey respondents reported that they often can’t even reach their abattoir on the phone. It seems unlikely that a business that doesn’t even have time to answer their phone would be willing to entertain the extra steps and paperwork required to serve the certified organic market.

Even if the butcher is willing to take these steps, they are only allowed to cut into basic raw cuts if the product is to remain certified organic. Products of further processing, such as sausage making or smoking, are not able to remain certified organic unless the facility itself is also certified organic. Furthermore, not even the raw cuts can be labeled as certified organic by the butcher unless their facility is also certified organic. The producer themselves must take that meat home, unpack it and label everything to remain in compliance.

Happy pigs. Credit: Small Scale Meat Producers Association

It seems unfair that a producer who complies with the necessary production and animal welfare standards to achieve organic certification should not be able to market that product as certified organic due to insurmountable obstacles in the final step of the process. It may take three years to finish a certified organic steer and a matter of hours to process it.

The new Farmgate Plus slaughter license has the potential to offer some hope. 41% of survey respondents indicated that they are interested in pursuing a license which would allow them to slaughter up to 25 animal units (AU – 1,000 pounds of live weight = 1 AU) per year on their farm or ranch. This license is for slaughter only, and the carcass needs to be butchered at a licensed cut and wrap facility. Unfortunately, 25 AU isn’t likely to be enough volume for one operation to justify the expense of setting up a certified organic cut and wrap facility, but perhaps if there were enough organic livestock producers in a community, they could come together to solve this piece of the puzzle.

Profitability was another challenge identified by the survey and one where organic producers will certainly be feeling the pinch with rising costs and limited availability of everything from feed, to fuel, to fertilizer.

Overall, producers reported that they would like to grow their businesses and that market demand far exceeds their current production capacity given processing challenges. There is tremendous potential for this industry to make a significant contribution to food security and the economy. Given the undeniable need to move toward more environmentally sustainable production methods, the need for growth in the organic sector has never been greater.

To find the survey report, learn more about SSMPA and join as a Producer Member for $35 or as a Supporter Member for free, visit smallscalemeat.ca

Julia is a founding member and currently serving as Vice-President of the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association. She farms and ranches in the Nicola Valley where she raises critically endangered Red Wattle hogs and beef cattle.

Feature image: Turkeys on pasture. Credit: SSMPA.

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Reflections on the History of Organic BC

in 2022/Grow Organic/Marketing/Organic Community/Organic Standards/Spring 2022

We asked past presidents and board members of Organic BC to share memories from their time on the board—so many people have contributed so much over the years. These reflections are snapshots from the past 30 years, as we grew from small group of dedicated farmers, ranchers, and processors to the incredible community we have today. Here’s to many more decades of cultivating a resilient organic movement in BC!

Robert Hettler – Pilgrim’s Produce

Board member from 1993 to 1995

I was chosen by the North Okanagan Organic Association in the early 1990’s to be their representative on the board of what is now Organic BC.

I have many memories from the era of being on the board. The strongest is the commitment of all the board members of the time to get the job done, no matter the distance travelled, the time spent reviewing the few other standards written at the time, and the long hours spent thrashing out our first versions and then revisions after revisions.

Beginning with the travel, most of the board members came from the interior, Hans Buchler from Oliver, but more so Paddy Doherty and Lee Taylor from the Cariboo (an eight-hour drive), and especially Bill Smith from the Peace and his overnight drives of 12 or 16 hours. If I felt like whining over my four to six hours of winter driving, the guys from the north had us beat by a long shot. Sure, there was Fred Reid just half an hour down the road in Abbotsford, and Harvey Snow, who at the time worked for the BC Ministry of Agriculture, who also had little travel. Harvey Snow had a small office in Cloverdale, where we would all pile in and get to work.

Many a time I would arrive at Harvey’s Ministry of Agriculture office before 8 am to find Hans asleep in the cab of his Datsun pickup.

I remember reviewing the organic regulations from California and Oregon especially, but also some from Europe. None of us had experience writing regulations like many do now, so there were hours and hours of working out the principles we wished to convey, and then the tough job of choosing the right words and phrases with which to express our ideas. There seemed to be endless revisions made in those early days.

Since we met one day per month in the winter, in most cases we would work all day on regulations, and then usually it meant a drive back home at the end of the day, at least for me.

At the time the Apple 11e computer was the latest aid in doing regulations, which Harvey used to record our meetings, as were fax machines, which aided greatly in sending documents to each other. No cell phones back then and selfies had not been invented, so no pictures even contemplated —but we had Tim Hortons coffee and doughnuts to keep us going.

Paddy Doherty (centre) washing carrots at West Enderby Farm. Credit: West Enderby Farm.

Paddy Doherty – West Enderby Farm

Board member 1993-2000; 2012-2020; Staff 2001-2005

I remember particularly the friends I made. There were so many, and so many are still close friends. Gunta Vitins was working at the Ministry of Agriculture in the early 1990’s. She was assigned to the fledgling Certified Organic Association of BC (COABC) to help us get the organization off the ground. She found the funding somewhere and got us started on our first strategic plan.

I must admit I didn’t know what a strategic plan was. Bill Smith, Rob Hettler, Fred Reid, Harvey Snow, Brian Mennell, Brian Hughes, and I all worked on this plan, but Gunta made it happen. It was a great plan. We’ve accomplished most of the aspirations described in it—I don’t have a copy anymore.

I recall Bill Smith saying, “We have a great organization on paper, but we don’t have anything on the ground.” The COABC was the administrator of the Organic Agricultural Product Certification Regulations under the Food Choice and Disclosure Act. We were in charge of administering an act of the BC legislature but we had no office, no money, and no employees.

The economic development official in Quesnel happened to be a friend. He told me, “You need a secretariat. Ask the government for a secretariat for your organization until you can get on your feet.” A friend and I went to visit David Zirnhelt, then the Minister of Agriculture, who coincidentally owned a ranch in the next valley over from our place. We brought a proposal—this was another thing I had no experience with, but luckily had help from people who did.

People in the Ministry said it was irregular to approach the Minister in such an informal fashion, but it worked. We were provided with $275,000 in seed money to get us started, as well as a ministry staff person (and office) for three years. The next week I received a cheque in the mail for $80,000. We didn’t even have a bank account so I opened one at the Quesnel Credit Union.

The Ministry was holding an agriculture standing committee—in the summer, which was awkward. I was haying, but I really felt it was important to attend. After I finished baling, I drove all night to catch the first ferry to Victoria. I met Brian Hughes and Mary Alice Johnson outside the legislature, and they accompanied me. Somehow, I had managed to draft a speech for the standing committee. I don’t have it anymore, but I recall the opening: “I’m here to give you some good news about organic farming in BC.” I didn’t ask for anything, I just told them how great we were and what great things we were going to do. I also told them about the incredible market for organic food, and how fast it was growing. I could see the committee’s eyes light-up.

That was the first of many meetings where I was one of a group representing agriculture in BC. I was hanging out with the commodity groups like the chicken farmers, cattlemen, etc. Once the BC Agriculture Council was formed, I spent many hours attending meetings—often not doing much, but just being there.

Carmen and Glen Wakeling in the sunflower shoot house at Eatmore Sprouts. Credit: Eatmore Sprouts.

Glenn Wakeling – Eatmore Sprouts

Board member 1997-2001

I first attended a COABC AGM as a board representative from the Comox Region. I was thirty-something at the time and in the first decade of operating Eatmore Sprouts with three business partners. One of them, Carmen, was the whole reason I was here—a Kiwi growing sprouts in BC.

At the time, Hans Buchler was wrapping up his presidency. Paddy Doherty was coaxed in as president with a cell phone provided by COABC, and later a computer provided by Cathleen Kneen. Somehow, I ended up on the executive and became president several years later (the world is run by those who show up!).

The big issues of the day were recognition of the Standard (e.g. getting BC organic apples into Europe) and marketing boards (chickens and eggs). The Ministry was engaged. As is still the case, many farmers wanted little or no governance, with a handful who wanted everything, both federally and provincially.

Both of my parents in rural New Zealand did a lot of community time on boards. I felt it was important to participate. I jumped in deep, learning lots. We were still using dial up internet and basic computers. This kept the beginners mind active—looking back I was in way over my head!

I met a lot of amazing people, and we had a lot of good times.

Deb Foote – The Organic Grocer

Board member 2004-2008

I think I was the first non-producer coming from the world of distribution, retail, and marketing.

The mid-2000s were a time of big growth for COABC and organics. Just some of the issues that the sector faced during that time were:

  • West Nile virus and the potential impacts of use of malathion on organic farmers. The Province asked COABC for input
  • Plant Breeder Rights and seed severity
  • Marketing board accommodations for organic and specialty producers
  • National Standards development and implementation
  • Discussion of aquaculture certification
  • Collaboration with BC Ministry of Agriculture and Ag Canada
  • Introduction of the Environmental Farm Plan program
  • Abattoir regulations
  • GMO contamination
  • Organic Harvest Awards
  • BC’s adoption of the Canadian Organic Standards
  • An Organic Extension Officer position was created
  • Buy Local and the 100-mile diet took off

Hermann Bruns – Wild Flight Farm

Board member 1998-99; 2004-2006; 2011-2013

I was the NOOA rep on the COABC board over 20 years ago now. The world was a lot simpler back then, and we were all making it up somewhat as we went along.

My strongest memories are of getting an office set up for COABC. NOOA also needed an office space. At that time the Ministry of Agriculture was downsizing a lot, so one of the NOOA board members was bold enough to ask the Minister at the time, Corky Evans, if we could take up one of the empty offices in their Vernon building—and he agreed! Not all of the Ministry staff were pleased, however, so they created an outside entrance to the office.

NOOA moved in first and COABC followed soon after. The NOOA part-time administrator, Shelly Chvala, was also tasked with some of the COABC administrative work. Prior to that time, all the work was being done by board members from their homes, with regular meetings to get the organization up and running.

When that office space become too small, NOOA and COABC moved to a second office down on Kalamalka Lake Road for a number of years, then to a small house downtown that was also shared with PACS. In 2008, COABC moved to its own office at the current location.

Accreditation in the early years was being done by a committee of a few board members, with a government representative funded by the Ministry acting as Chair. At first it was about trying to get the certification bodies to work together, and then eventually our own standards came over time.

The first COABC website was created by Tim Jackson, son of a local organic fruit grower and university student who knew a little bit about html. I had to convince the board that a website would be a good thing; I thought it was important to have information more easily available for the organic community—as a kind of ‘open filing cabinet.’ Right from the beginning we envisioned a directory of all the certified operations, and we created the listserv which was very active at the time.

Carmen Wakeling – Eatmore Sprouts

Board member 2003-04; 2009-10; 2014-2019; 2021

I stepped into the role of president of COABC right when mandatory organic labelling in BC was announced in 2015. If I had known what that meant I may not have taken the job! So much work but a definite strengthening of organics. We worked with ministry, consumers, producers, and everyone in between to develop a staged approach to achieving this outcome. I remember one moment particularly well, when we were given a bit of an ultimatum: “If you want this, you must…” I felt my heart hit the floor—and then we figured out how to get through it. When I walk around the grocery stores now, I can see that our work on this has helped so much in giving consumers a clearer way to purchase certified organic products. This makes me very happy!

The current strategic plan was developed during my time as president. I feel very pleased that we were able to take the organization’s ability to work together and to identify gaps so solutions could be found to overcome challenges and build on opportunities. It was through this strategic plan that “iCertify” and the core review were undertaken. I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead for Organic BC, as I know that many of the identified gaps will be addressed in the short- and medium-term.

It was so great to be supporting the work of the generations of leaders before me, and building opportunity for generations of leaders to come. It was an honor and a privilege to hold this position and contribute the important work of making the world a better place through organic agriculture. Step by step, bit by bit, building stronger communities and building stronger bridges is essential to humanity currently.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Feature image: Hermann Bruns with early spring greens in his moveable greenhouse at Wild Flight Farm as part of the Organic BC Virutal Field Tours 2022. Credit: Organic BC.

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Grazing the Way for Small Scale Meat

in 2021/Fall 2021/Grow Organic/Livestock/Marketing/Organic Community

By Ava Reeve

Drive down any rural road in this province and you’re sure to pass cattle on the range, a flock of sheep, or mobile pens for pastured poultry. Small-scale livestock production has a long tradition in BC, and has been reinvigorated in recent years with practices such as rotational grazing and regenerative agriculture that allow for significant meat production without industrial practices. Demand also seems to be growing for local and sustainable meats.

But are there really enough of these small producers to play a serious role in BC’s economy today? And how much potential does this industry have for the future?

Associations representing commercial livestock producers collect data on their own members – those producing over 300 hogs with BC Pork, for example. Commodity producers also enjoy the benefits of their association’s advocacy, and commerce support from marketing boards.

Meanwhile, producers selling directly to consumers, raising multiple livestock species, or simply operating at a smaller scale have lacked a collective voice in provincial conversations about agricultural policies. And little is known about the current scale and potential capacity of these producers.

Credit: Small Scale Meat Producers Association.

The Small-Scale Meat Producers Association (SSMPA) aims to address both of these issues. In spite of a diversity of livestock types and sizes of operations, the organization says that its members are united by operating without the supports of the existing commodity associations or marketing boards.

SSMPA was established by a group of farmers and ranchers in 2017, and its membership now includes representation from all livestock sectors. “The Small-Scale Meat Producers Association represents British Columbia farmers and ranchers who are raising meat outside of the conventional, industrial system,” reads the SSMPA website home page.

This might include a pork producer raising 200 hogs per year, and all poultry producers who sell direct to consumer. It can also include cow-calf operations that process a few cull cows for sale to friends and neighbours, even if they otherwise primarily sell at auction.

It has also succeeded in becoming recognized in consultations and conversations with the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, such as in the development of changes to on-farm slaughter licensing that the province recently announced.

Julia Smith of Blue Sky Ranch near Merritt is the President of SSMPA. “We’re happy with the regulatory changes,” she says of the announcement. But, she notes, “There’s more work to be done to build a thriving small-scale meat industry.”

Including Smith, SSMPA’s founding members were selling their meat products directly to members of their communities, rather than through a marketing board or distributor, and feeding communities in the process. And their experience was that their industry was growing.

Suckling piglets. Credit: Small Scale Meat Producers Association.

Smith raises a rare heritage breed of hog as well as a small herd of cattle on pasture. Selling directly has helped her see better margins than many commercial producers, where processors and retailers realize the lion’s share of the profit.

The demand for her product has been enough to enable Smith to grow her operation, from raising just two pigs in her first year, to running a farrow-to-finish operation with fourteen sows and two boars just four years later. She has supplied meat and other farm products to hundreds of British Columbians and currently has a waitlist for both meat and breeding stock.

Smith says this experience is repeated across the province. “We know that a small-scale operation can contribute to food security and the local economy. What we don’t know is the cumulative potential of producers like this spread all over the province – or their specific barriers to reaching that potential.”

She says information like this hasn’t been available because the right questions weren’t being asked. This summer, SSMPA launched a comprehensive survey of meat producers. She says the resulting information will help the organization define its policies and priorities to support these producers moving forward.

The province seems to agree that the industry has promise; many of the new changes to the slaughter regulations had been advocated for by SSMPA for years. Smith believes the number of producers that could be affected by policies like this is in the thousands. And they should all be giving their two cents to SSMPA.

“Everyone who processes at a provincially-inspected abattoir or on-farm should be participating in this survey,” she says. “Tell us: What is your path to growth? What obstacles do you need to overcome in order to reach your goals?”

At Blue Sky Ranch, Smith’s own goal was to produce just under 300 hogs per year. But the operation met with processing roadblocks at 125 hogs.

“We’re not the only operation that isn’t reaching its full capacity,” says Smith. “SSMPA is using the survey to document this. We want to know what would happen if we could create the conditions for successful operations across the province. For example, how many abattoirs would need to be built before producers could book the slaughter dates they need, with enough reliability to scale their businesses?”

“We’re connecting the dots, but without data to prove our case we won’t get the resources and support to let our industry thrive.”

Smith emphasizes that this survey is an independent project. “SSMPA is a producer-led organization and our mandate is to look out for producers,” she says. “We’ve gone to great lengths to protect the anonymity of survey participants and we will not be sharing survey responses or any other raw data with government, or anyone else.”

For an added incentive SSMPA connected with BC-based fencing company FenceFast, which has offered a $25 discount to every current producer who participates. Smith says FenceFast recognized the potential. “Really, this is just an example of the ripples of impact that can come from growing a locally-based industry like this.”

She adds, “We might be surprised at the opportunities being squandered because of challenges that are within our capacity to address. Even producers might be taken aback. We hope that there will be findings in our report that invigorate and inspire producers with a vision of what could be possible. We have so many people who want to enter this industry. Imagine the impact if these producers will have a fair chance at success.”

The survey is open until September 10, 2021 and can be accessed at smallscalemeat.ca/survey or it can be completed over the phone by appointment at 250-999-0296. SSMPA can also be reached at info@smallscalemeat.ca.

SSMPA is conducting regional focus groups in mid-September to dig deeper into potential solutions to the problems identified through the survey. By early 2022 they will be releasing a report on their findings, and announce how they will ensure that their own programming is geared to meet the needs of its membership.

Producers – and all supporters of local and sustainable meat production – are invited to join SSMPA by signing up for a membership.

Ava Reeve is the Executive Director of the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association, where she gets to pursue her passion for the sustainable practices that result in a high quality of life for both livestock and people.

Featured image: Spray Creek Ranch Cattle. Credit: Small Scale Meat Producers Association.

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Ask an Expert: Fire Season Need-to-Knows

in 2021/Ask an Expert/Climate Change/Fall 2021/Organic Standards

By Emma Holmes

The BC Wildfire Service website has information on current wildfire activity, evacuation alerts and orders, wildfire preparedness information, and an interactive map, etc.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries (AFF) supports livestock relocation during emergencies. See website here for more information.

AFF supports Wildfire 2021 Emergency Feed Program that is meant to support commercial livestock businesses who due to wildfire activity cannot access their normal forage/feed supply.

Feed Considerations

The Organic Standard outlines the clauses pertaining to the use of non-organic feed during a catastrophic event in CGSB-32.310, 6.4.7:

“If organic feed is unobtainable as the result of a catastrophic event with a direct impact on the production unit (for example, fire, flood, or extraordinary weather conditions), non-organic feed may be used for a maximum of ten consecutive days (or up to 30% non-organic feed for up to 30 consecutive days), to ensure a balanced livestock ration. Non-organic feed from land in transition to organic production and free of prohibited substances shall be used in preference to non-organic feed.”

  • When you move animals to a non-organic farm (in the event of an emergency), you can feed them complete non-organic feed for a 10-day period.
  • After those 10 days, if you need to stay on that non-organic farm for a longer period, then you can feed the animals 30% non-organic feed (remainder must be organic) for 20 days.
  • After that 20-day period, you can feed the animals 25% non-organic forage (remainder must be organic) if there is a documented forage shortage.
  • Crown range or community pasture can be used without affecting the organic integrity provided that documentation confirms that the land has not been treated with prohibited substances for at least 36 months.
  • Should a producer not be able to meet the above requirements, their animals will lose their organic status and will require a 1-year transition back to organic status. One caveat to this is that breeding stock can be fed non-organic feed and be transitioned back immediately to organic status once they begin eating organic feed again, but their nursing young and any offspring whose mother was fed non-organic feed in the last trimester will lose their organic status and will require 1-year transition period.

*BC has never experienced such widespread fires and feed shortages before. The Organic Standard was developed at a time when the above feed considerations for climatic events provided enough allowances for an organic operator to maintain their organic integrity. If an operator is at risk of losing their organic certification due to feed shortages, please keep the Organics Industry Specialist in the loop as they are working closely with the Executive Director of Organic BC to support producers in maintaining their organic status during evacuations and unprecedented feed shortages.

Treatment Considerations

If the organic livestock should require treatment, those will need to be worked out on a case-by-case basis with the certifying body.

Steps an Organic Livestock Producer Needs to Follow to Maintain Organic Status in the Event of an Evacuation

  1. Call operator’s certifying body in advance (if possible) for guidance and to talk through plans.
  2. Inform the Organics Industry Specialist that an organic operation is under evacuation alert. The Organics Industry Specialist can also call the certifying body on behalf of the producer if needed. Currently, the position is filled by Emma Holmes who can be reached at emma.holmes@gov.bc.ca or 250-241-1337.
  3. Ideally, organic livestock would be able to find an organic buddy farm. Organic BC has a search tool that allows you to search organic operations by sector and region: organicbc.org/findorganic. The Organics Industry Specialist can also help with this.
  4. The primary concern to organic integrity is how the organic livestock are managed (feeding and treatments) with feeding being the biggest concern.

Emma Homes is the Organic Industry Specialist at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Featured image: Chickens at UBC Farm. Credit: Hannah Lewis.

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Ask an Expert: COVID-19 Supports for the Organic Sector

in 2020/Ask an Expert/Organic Community/Summer 2020/Tools & Techniques

A Network of Support for BC’s Ag Industry in COVID-19

Karina Sakalauskas

I know the past two months have been a challenge to all. I hope your families and workers are staying healthy and safe at your farms.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and to respect physical distancing measures, Ministry staff are working remotely but are still available to assist you. We continue to support the sector’s needs by providing services via email, phone, and through virtual meetings whenever possible. As we move on to the next stage of BC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are attempting to regain a sense of normalcy.

During these last two months, the Sector Development Branch at the Ministry, to which regional agrologists and industry specialists such as myself belong, has been reaching out to industry stakeholders and reporting to executives on the impacts experienced by the agriculture sector with regards to COVID-19 containment efforts.

I am in constant contact with COABC and representatives specific to their commodity portfolio such as organic farmers from different areas and from different food and beverage categories (poultry, livestock, dairy, veggies, fruit), organic processors and distributors, the accreditation board of COABC, certification bodies, and inspectors among others.

Some of the current impacts on the organic sector, identified through outreach efforts, are as follows:

  • Revenue losses from closed farmers’ markets, restaurants, and other sales outlets and difficulties in finding new supply routes.
  • Lack of support for small-scale diversified farmers (lack of qualification for support and insurance programs).
  • Lack of capacity for non-profit industry associations to address issues without stable revenues.
  • Delays in audits and inspections, including for organic certification. New growers or those in transition to be certified organic will be most impacted by cancellations or delays.
  • Information technology challenges in conducting remote inspections as well as in the transition to e-commerce by farmers.
  • Labour concerns and difficulty in productivity due to physical distancing measures.
  • Loss of WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) impacts organic farmers, farmers’ markets, and small-scale diversified producers.
  • Shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other supplies.

Throughout the last week of April and first week of May, the Ministry of Agriculture planned a series of meetings for Minister Lana Popham to engage directly with industries of varying commodities and food system groups over a phone call (Phase 1). COABC’s executive director, Eva-Lena Lang, members of the COABC board, and organic farmers were invited to participate in a roundtable on April 30th, 2020.

Some highlights of the topics discussed include: support for certification bodies and COABC, support for small farms and market gardeners, collaboration between the organic sector and the Ministry, access to slaughter and processing capacity, alternative food supply chains, seed production shortages, and infrastructure and postharvest storage facilities for the organic sector. I have followed up with COABC, providing resources and initiatives related to the topics discussed. The Minister of Agriculture, Lana Popham is planning to engage with the industry again around June (Phase 2).

During this time of uncertainty, there is an overwhelming amount of information to digest. Here is a summary of the latest activities that the Ministry is conducting in response to COVID-19:

Funding Opportunities

BC Agri-Business Planning Program

The BC Agri-Business Planning Program is now open to support producers and food processors through two streams:

  • COVID-19 Business Recovery Planning to help BC producers and processors develop and implement an immediate and long-term recovery plan.
  • Specialized Business Planning to enable BC producers and processors to make more informed decisions and strengthen their business.

BC Food and Beverage (BCFB) Protecting our People: PPE Access Program

BCFB announced a program to procure and offer PPE for the exclusive benefit of the food production, seafood, and agriculture sectors in BC. Companies needing PPE can purchase through this initiative. BCFB’s goal is to order in large enough quantities to make them more affordable for industry to purchase them.

On-Farm and Post-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFS): COVID-19 funding now available

OFFS is offering funding for protective and safety equipment for the April 2020 to March 2021 fiscal year. Eligible companies can seek funding to acquire PPE and other approved safety supplies for use at their facilities in order to maintain a safe workplace and mitigate the risk of COVID-19. With applications for personal protective equipment funding only, the usually mandatory Good Agricultural Practices assessment requirement is waived.

Funding Updates

Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)

CEBA has decreased the requirements for a payroll of $20k to make the funds more eligible for sole proprietors (i.e. owner/operators of small farms).

Resources and More

Recommendations for U-Pick, Farm Stands and Agri-tourism

These new documents outline information for U-pick, farm stands, and agri-tourism operators to meet Provincial Health Officer (PHO) orders, notices, and guidance. The information in these documents is meant to complement PHO recommendations.

BC Food Product Notification and Tracking Tool

The Ministry Food Service and Distribution working group has developed a tool to track existing overages and shortages of BC products due to COVID-19, sharing this information with potential markets. If you are experiencing difficulty in finding sales channels for your products or are lacking in inventory, please email me at karina.sakalauskas@gov.bc.ca

BC’s Restart Plan and the Agriculture and Seafood Sector – Important Information

Many sectors, including Agriculture, are encouraged to make plans and establish protocols on how they can operate safely in line with Public Health and Safety Guidelines. WorkSafeBC and the Ministry of Agriculture will work with industry associations to ensure the direction and guidance they provide to their members meets the requirements set out by the Provincial Health Officer. Individual businesses will need to ensure their own plans align with these sectoral plans.

Receiving Temporary Foreign Workers – Provincial Inspections for COVID-19

All temporary foreign workers arriving in BC for seasonal farm work are required to self-isolate in government-managed accommodations for 14 days before being transported to their farm. Host farm operators must ensure a safe workplace and demonstrate proof of an inspection control plan with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Guidelines for Protecting BC Farmers and Farm Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

On-Farm Food Safety and Good Agriculture Practices: COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Small Lot Pork Producer Management & Production

BC AGRI, in collaboration with BC Pork, have released a new resource manual titled Small Lot Pork Producer Management & Production. While not related to COVID specifically, it is of special interest as many people are starting to raise their own animals and would like to learn more about best management and recommended animal husbandry practices.

To keep up-to-date on how we are supporting you, I would recommend signing up for our AgriService BC bulletin. Sign up here.

The Ministry of Agriculture maintains a list of resources for businesses, including support for businesses on our website.

As we continue to adjust to the ever-changing social landscape in the face of COVID-19, I would like to say thank you to everyone continuing to work on your farms to support the local organic food sector.

Please feel free to send me your comments, ideas, and questions at karina.sakalauskas@gov.bc.ca

Karina is the Organic Specialist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture.

Feature image credit: Gabriel Jimenez

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Protecting Organic Integrity

in 2020/Ask an Expert/Marketing/Organic Standards/Standards Updates/Winter 2020

Karina Sakalauskas

We, as organic producers, retailers, stakeholders, academia, and government bodies, among others, will shape the future of the organic sector. We must be informed, connected, and vocal about our concerns and suggestions to maintain the integrity of the industry.

How are we working towards an improved future?

We might begin with a discussion of the new Organic Certification Regulation that came into effect in British Columbia on September 1, 2018. This regulation requires all producers and processors selling food and beverage products marketed in British Columbia as “organic” to be certified through an accredited federal or provincial program. The term “organic” is now a protected label within B.C. The aim of this regulation is to clarify the term “organic” for consumers, stakeholders, producers, and growers.

Previously, BC had a voluntary organic program, meaning operators could get organic certification but were not required to have it in order to make an organic claim. In 2009, the Federal Government adopted Organic Certification for any organic products crossing provincial or international borders. Other provinces, such as Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Alberta later adopted regulations that protected the use of the term organic for products produced, processed, and marketed within provincial boundaries.

The BC Ministry of Agriculture announced the Organic Certification Regulation in 2015 and provided three years of transition for the sector to come into compliance. During this time, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture worked closely with the Certified Organic Associations of BC (COABC) on education and outreach about organics and the new regulation to support the sector.

What does this new regulation entail?

Producers and processors must have organic certification from an accredited certification body if they want to make any sort of organic claim on a product, including “grown following organic principles,” or “made with organic ingredients” Claims such as “uncertified organic” or “more than organic” are not permitted. Organic producers, processors, and others in the supply chain who use the ‘organic” protected label are expected to be able to provide proof of up-to-date certification upon request by a Ministry of Agriculture enforcement officer. Violations under the regulation will result in legal repercussions that could include tickets being issued ($350 fine) or court prosecutions against the seller.

What does this mean for the industry?

Greater clarity around what organic means is something consumers in B.C. have been requesting, and the Organic Certification Regulation is significantly contributing to promote and protect consumer confidence in B.C. organic products.

How do we contribute to the strength of the B.C. Organic sector?

One way we can protect the reputation of the BC Organic label is to ensure we follow the principles of organic integrity. Organic integrity is what separates organic food from non-organic food, referring to the adherence to organic standards at the production level, which must be maintained through handling to the point of final sale, for the final product to be labeled and/or marketed as organic.

What role does retail play?

Maintaining organic integrity through to retail sale is important. BC and Canada’s organic regulations require that the organic integrity of a product is not compromised in any stage of preparation or handling, which includes storing, grading, packing, shipping, marketing, and labelling. Retailer certification improves consumer trust and strengthens the organic label. The Ministry of Agriculture has published guidelines to provide clarity to operators, manufacturers, and retailers in BC on how to be compliant with BC’s Organic Certification Regulation.

How can we sustain this progress?

As an industry, we must continue to work together, learn from our experiences and be open to new perspectives. We must encourage communication between parties in the BC Organic Sector to ensure all groups, small or large, are well represented and have their needs addressed. This industry-wide collaboration helps to maintain organic integrity along the production chain.

You can find out more about BC’s amendments to current provincial regulation on the Ministry of Agriculture’s website.

If you have concerns of a business marketing agricultural products using the organic label, without organic certification, please contact AgriServiceBC at 1-888-221-7141 or AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.ca.

Karina is the Organic Specialist with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. She can be reached at Karina.Sakalauskas@gov.bc.ca

All photos: Taken at a KPU event on July 5, 2019. Credit: Karina Sakalauskas.

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Ask An Expert: A New Agricultural Environmental Management Regulation

in 2019/Ask an Expert/Fall 2019/Grow Organic/Land Stewardship/Organic Standards/Water Management
Agricultural Management code of practice BC ministry of Agriculture Farmer in a field

By the Province of British Columbia

In keeping with the respect BC’s agricultural operators have for the land, air, and water, new rules for agricultural environmental management are now in place. After years of science and evidence-based analysis, as well as conversations with agricultural operators throughout the province, a new regulation called the Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM Code) came into effect on February 28, 2019. The goal of this Code is to provide more clarity for the agriculture sector while better protecting the environment for all British Columbians.

Organic farmers will see that some requirements are continued from the previous regulation, such as no direct discharges into watercourses, some have been revised to clarify expectations, and some are new, several of which are being phased in over the next decade.

Why a new regulation?

Through several consultations we heard that the old rules were too vague for operators and weren’t adequately protecting the environment. Working with farmers, we built a fair set of rules that ensure agricultural practices protect our drinking water, watercourses, and air.

The new AEM Code takes a different approach to the previous regulation. Requirements are more clearly outlined, and they’re both risk-based and science-based. For example, more protective measures now need to be taken in high-risk areas and during high-risk conditions. Also, soil samples are required to be taken to help determine what measures are necessary on specific farms.

Who does this regulation apply to?

It applies to all agricultural operations in BC, from small hobby farms to large commercial operations, including organic farms. That said, the regulation has been built with the understanding that not all agricultural operations are the same and that there are differences from one region of this province to another. Various requirements are contingent on an operation’s location, size, and type of activity. Many farms won’t need to make big changes to adjust to the new regulation.

What does this regulation include?

The new regulation includes provisions that aim to: ensure watercourses and groundwater are protected through proper storage and use of manure, other nutrient sources, and other materials, such as wood residue; prevent water quality impacts from contaminated run-off; prohibit direct discharges into watercourses; require nutrient management planning; allow for increased monitoring in high-risk areas; provide clear compliance expectations for agricultural operators for setbacks, storage, and nutrient applications; and, require record-keeping.

When is this happening?

The new rules came into effect on February 28, 2019, but some of the requirements, such as nutrient management plans, will be phased-in over the next decade. This approach will give agricultural operators time to plan for and adjust to the new rules, and for government to work collaboratively with industry to develop the necessary tools to support implementation.

What does this mean for me?

Organic farmers will need to demonstrate a basic level of environmental protection, but many are already doing what the regulation requires. This includes:

  • ensuring minimum setbacks for various activities and proper storage requirements are followed;
  • preventing contaminated runoff, leachate, solids, and air contaminants from entering watercourses, crossing property boundaries, or going below the seasonal high water table;
  • registration for boilers and heaters with greater than 0.15 MW capacity, and meeting emissions limits for opacity and particulate matter;
  • nitrogen application rates that meet the crop’s needs and not more, for applications to land and other than to land (e.g., grown in containers);
  • collecting and containing wastewater, contaminated runoff, or leachate;
  • wastewater needs to be treated prior to discharge into the environment; and
  • record-keeping to demonstrate compliance.

Requirements will affect farms differently depending on whether they are in a high-risk area, what their current practices are, and the nature and size of the farm. In addition to the basic level of protection above, these include increased monitoring and protective measures in high-risk areas and during high-risk conditions, such as:

  • protective bases for greenhouses and storage structures in vulnerable aquifer recharge areas to ensure no leaching down into the aquifer;
  • covering temporary field-stored piles, including agricultural by-products or wood residue, and outdoor agricultural composting piles, in high precipitation areas from October 1 to April 1.

How will the regulation be enforced?

As we roll out the new regulation, we will be working with you on how to best help you comply with the new rules. Our goal is to support agricultural operators so that, working together, we can better protect the environment.

There are dedicated staff within the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy who will work with you to understand your obligations under the Environmental Management Act, which this regulation falls under. The team uses a consistent and risk-based approach for establishing compliance and enforcement priorities.

Learn more: to find out if you are in a high-risk area, or need more information on what records you need to keep, or what minimum setbacks you need to follow, please visit the following website at: gov.bc.ca/Agricultural-Environmental-Management.

Questions? Contact: AEMCoPenquiries@gov.bc.ca 

All photos: Province of British Columbia

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