The British Columbia government wants agrifood business in the province to expand by almost $4 billion in the next five years.
A new initiative of Christy Clark’s Liberal government, outlined in the BC Agrifoods: A Strategy for Growth document, sets a target: $14 billion in agrifood revenue by 2017, up from the current $10.5 billion.
The document outlines broad goals to ensure a safe and secure food supply, advance innovation and provide a sustainable land base for production, while strengthening and expanding domestic and international markets for its fruit, vegetable, livestock and seafood producers.
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Rhonda Driediger of the B.C. Agriculture Council applauded the move, but wants to see more than just a document.
Policy, she said, is the easy part.
“It’s one thing to talk about it. It’s one thing to write it down. But it’s another thing to put the dollars behind it to affect a change,” said Driediger.
The document is part of the B.C. Jobs Plan, a long-term initiative to boost jobs and investment in the province.
Agriculture and food, which employs 61,000 people in B.C., producing more than 200 commodities and 100 seafood species, is included alongside strategies for other resource sectors, including forestry, mining and natural gas.
“We employ a lot of people. We pay a lot of taxes. We invest in our own farms …,” said Driediger.
“What they’re finally figuring out is how big of a generator we are, especially in the low-skill job market and the value in smaller communities.”
Many pledges made in the document, such as support for an integrated national traceability system for B.C. livestock, are already ongoing.
Kevin Boon, general manager of the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association, said an effective traceability program and animal health framework, which tracks where cattle move and its inputs, can help build confidence in the feedlot industry.
As well, it can assist the B.C. ‘buy local’ movement and other Canadian producers, he said during an interview.
“British Columbia is often viewed, especially in the Asian community, as the gateway to Canada,” he said.
“This is where they come to first … being able to put a good picture on, and show the marketplace in these other countries the operations that we have here, we’re a good place to show exactly what the beef industry is all about in Canada ….”
