By Liam Verster

B.C. agricultural sector can participate in income-protection program

Mar 14, 2023 | 2:00 PM

Farmers and producers in British Columbia can participate in an income-protection program.

The AgriStability program for the 2022 farming year will stay open for B.C.’s agricultural sector until June 30, 2023, for farmers and producers to pay fees and secure coverage.

The provincial-territorial program supports growers who face large financial declines caused by production loss, disease outbreak, and increased costs or declining market conditions.

The federal ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food stated some B.C. crop producers have been dealing with production losses and revenue declines due to extreme weather events, while many poultry producers in the Fraser Valley have been affected by severe avian influenza outbreaks.

These factors are what led B.C. producers to be included within the program.

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“Allowing late participation in AgriStability will help more farmers manage the impacts of the many challenges they face on their farms,” Marie-Claude Bibeau, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, said.

“I encourage eligible farmers to take advantage of the support available to improve their situation and get back to what they do best – producing high quality foods.”

AgriStability provides personalized coverage for each farm based on income tax and production information. It is described as a whole-farm, low-cost business risk-management program aimed at helping farms facing large declines in net income.

Late participants in the program will have their fees reduced by 20 per cent.

“By allowing late participation in AgriStability, we will be able to offer financial support to more farmers and producers who need assistance due to factors, such as weather and disease, that were out of their control,” B.C.’s Minister of Agriculture and Food, Pam Alexis, said.

“We recognize the challenges our agricultural community have faced over the past year, and we encourage anyone who is eligible to retroactively sign up, so they can improve their financial situation for the coming year, while continuing to produce the products we all appreciate and rely on.”

AgriStability program costs are shared 60 per cent by Canada and 40 per cent by B.C.

Farmers and food producers can sign up for the AgriStability program through the B.C. government’s website.