John Rustad’s party promises to support farmers and reduce costs of production
Just over one week remains before British Columbians head to the polls in the provincial election.
Ahead of the Oct. 19 voting day, Farms.com is going through the platforms of the two parties likely to form government and identifying what each party is promising for the ag sector.
The Conservatives promise to “unlock B.C.’s agricultural potential, support our farmers and ensure British Columbians have access to affordable, locally-produced food,” Leader John Rustad said in a Sept. 28 statement about the party’s plans for ag.
The party calls its plan Grown In BC.
The plan is divided into multiple sections.
The first is about supporting farmers, with the Conservatives saying that farmers know best how to increase food production.
If elected, the party would support farmers by:
- Investing in ag research & development,
- Provide financial incentives for farmers to employ yield-increasing measures,
- Making grant programs easy for all farmers to apply for,
- Help farmers access capital to replant and nurture crops in the face of extreme weather events,
- Supporting tree fruit farmers to get their products to market and provide financial relief to producers who suffered losses because of the BC. Tree Fruits Cooperative closure,
- Compensate Agricultural Land Reserve landowners to bring down food production costs, and
- Supporting farmers who employ measures to enhance pollinator populations.
The second part of the Conservative plan for farmers is to expand infrastructure and market access.
The party would accomplish this by:
- Expanding the Buy BC program to prioritize local products,
- Creating tax incentives to increase local food processing
- Review the Agricultural Land Commission to ensure farmers have affordable and timely access to supply chain partners,
- Open new international markets, and
- Improve rural transportation infrastructure.
The third component of the Conservative plan for ag is to reduce the cost of growing food.
The first part of this plan is to scrap B.C.’s carbon tax.
Additional promises include:
- Launching land access incentives to make land more affordable for new and small-scale farmers,
- Support B.C.’s aquaculture sector,
- Establish a microloan program for small farmers to purchase inputs or equipment,
- Cut red tape on housing for temporary workers, and
- Reviewing all input costs for the ag sector to drive down costs and increase production.
The final piece of the Conservative plan for B.C. ag is to secure the water supply for agriculture.
If elected, a Rustad government promises to:
- Establish permanent flood protection in high-risk agricultural areas,
- Provide funding for on-farm water storage and irrigation systems, and expanding reservoir capacity on farms and in rural communities,
- Protect the ag water supply through legislation,
- Plan for water sustainability with the help of farmers and ranchers, and
- Research and monitor the state of the province’s water supply.
To see what a re-elected NDP government under David Eby promises for farmers and ag, click here.