WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. – The British Columbia Agriculture Council wants a stable income.”There is an increasing need to have an established fund of industry dollars that can be sourced and leveraged for the benefit of B.C. agriculture,” said council chair Garnett Etsell, who made the case for more money at the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting in Williams Lake May 28-29. The cattlemen passed a motion directing the association president or a designate to discuss stable funding with the council and report back to the board.The council represents B.C. commodity groups on issues like taxation, farm safety nets, labour, food promotion, environmental issues and animal welfare. But working with government and administering farm programs costs money.”As government downsizes, more responsibility is placed on farm groups to do the analysis, prepare the arguments and administer the programs,” he said. “BCAC cannot achieve this under its current funding practice.”Council vice-chair Dennis LaPierre said five out of 10 provincial farm organizations have stable funding. The B.C. council is looking at a provincewide levy based on land ownership, increased membership fees or any other proposals.The cattlemen’s association budgeted $19,853 for its 2010 council contribution but was in danger of running a deficit of more than $200,000 until it cut costs. The association depends on $125 membership fees and checkoffs for specific projects.”We as cattlemen don’t have stable funding, why does the ag council think they should have stable funding,” said Duncan Barnett of the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association.Barnett would prefer farmers select the organizations of their choice to receive any levies collected because all farm groups struggle.Rancher Larry Garrett said there are philosophical differences between council members and cattlemen. He wanted assurances of flexibility so protection of one group like the supply managed sector does not damage the aspirations of other groups in world trade.
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