WHEREAS certain agricultural activities are undergoing extensive economic hardship; AND WHEREAS the 2009 Farm Assessment Review Panel FARP conducted numerous public consultation sessions where concerns were raised that the present list of Primary Agricultural Products PAP was too restrictive: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the BC provincial government be encouraged to implement the recommendations made in their 2009 FARP Report as it relates to the review and modernization of the Primary Agricultural Production Schedule products; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Primary Agricultural Products list be modernized and expanded to include a wider scope of activities and value-added products such as food processing and other such examples as referenced in the 2009 FARP Report; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that there is a strong consensus indicating the need to review the list of products that constitute the PAP Schedule in the Farm Class Regulation and the need to recognize and include value-added products, more equine activities, new innovative agricultural products and activities.
Ministry of Community, Sport Cultural Development The Province has already implemented the Farm Assessment Review Panel FARP recommendations for 2010, which clarified the practice of split classifying both Agricultural Land Reserve ALR and non-ALR farm properties. Based on an extensive review of the remaining recommendations, government will implement four recommendations starting in the 2013 assessment year: - Government introduced Bill 8, Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Statutes Amendment Act, 2011 in October 2011 received the Second Reading on November 14, 2011 to implement two of the FARP recommendations i.e., retired farmer benefits and increased farm outbuildings exemptions. - Government will also implement two FARP recommendations through regulatory amendments and policy changes legislative authority already exists: 1 change the farm income reporting period to be consistent with that used by the Canada Revenue Agency; and 2 expand the PAP Schedule and provide more flexibility for farmers to meet farm status requirements. Further details will be announced once the amendments come into force.