Last week’s deep government spending cuts, aimed at turning British
Columbia’s ailing economy around, hit the province’s agriculture and
fisheries ministry hard.
The department’s budget will be cut 45 percent over three years, down
to $44.5 million from $81 million. Only the forestry and transportation
department had deeper cuts.
Overall, the province’s budget will be cut $1.9 billion, about eight
percent over three years, announced Liberal premier Gordon Campbell,
who hopes to have a balanced budget within three years.
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Agriculture minister John van Dongen put a bright face on his
ministry’s budget cuts during a media teleconference.
“I believe this is an appropriate budget and budget plan over the next
three years in the context of the overall fiscal situation,” he said.
“I think it strikes a good balance to help drive the economy but do it
in a frugal way with taxpayers’ dollars.”
Closing offices and eliminating programs, rather than cutting staff,
saved much of the money on the agriculture side. There are 381
agriculture positions within the department and there will be 55 fewer
after three years, a 17 percent cut. Overall, the province will
eliminate 11,700 jobs over three years, about one-third of provincial
civil servants.
Specific cuts to agriculture:
- Discontinuation of participation in either the Net Income
Stabilization Account program or the Whole Farm Insurance Program, the
province’s part of the federal risk management program, by 2004-05.
The province puts $4 million annually into NISA, including the $460,000
interest incentive and $6.8 million into a trust fund for the Whole
Farm Insurance Program. It said it cannot afford to maintain both
programs.
“We’re indicating either NISA or the Whole Farm Insurance Program will
be eliminated,” said van Dongen.
- Six agricultural offices will be closed by March 31, 2003 in
Courtney, Creston, Dawson Creek, Vanderhoof, Sidney and Smithers.
Instead of providing direct advisory services to farmers, the remaining
staff will focus on food safety, environmental sustainability and
resource development.
- The Buy B.C. program designed to encourage consumers to buy local
products will be eliminated.
- The Rural Development Office will be closed. The office was
established two years ago to help rural people and organizations deal
with intergovernmental bureaucracy.
- The Grazing Enhancement Fund will be eliminated. The $2.5 million
annual fund was established in 1995 to help ranchers build fences and
water areas after the province doubled the amount of protected area on
the province’s crown land to 12 percent from six percent.
- Elimination of the $200,000 B.C. Ag Council grant.
- Elimination the $375,000 annual grant to provincial fairs and
exhibitions.
- Elimination of the B.C. wine institute grant.
- Elimination of the in-house desk publishing service.
- Discontinuation of the Farm Business Advisory Service.
- Elimination of the $25,000 grant to the B.C. Women’s Institute.
- Elimination of the $800,000 premium support for crop insurance and
move to have the sales and marketing of crop insurance privatized by
2004-05.
- The Okanagan tree replant program will be phased out early.
- The Agriculture in the Classroom program will continue but the
province will no longer provide active support. The 4-H program will
remain.
- Elimination of the $460,000 Net Income Stabilization Account interest
bonus grant.
Dave Borth, general manager of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, said
the agriculture ministry fared relatively well.
“We understand the fiscal situation the provincial government found
itself in and understand the need for some of the drastic measures they
took,” said Borth.
He is less clear how ranchers will be affected by cuts in forestry.
More than 95 percent of the province is crown land used jointly by
ranchers, forestry and wildlife. He expects there will be higher
grazing fees and an increased responsibility for land-use planning on
range users.
Ross Ravelli, with the British Columbia Grain Producers, said farmers
must do their share to help improve the province’s financial situation.
The closing of rural offices and a reduction of direct farm support
won’t affect most grain farmers in B.C.’s Peace River area. There were
so few staff to offer advice that most farmers sought agrology advice
from private companies, he said.
