WHEREAS BCs agricultural fairs and exhibitions are in the strategic position to continue and enhance their work of educating and promoting BC agriculture awareness through serving excess of 1.5 million visitors to BCs agricultural fairs, exhibitions and related festivals each year; AND WHEREAS in over 50 communities throughout BC, the use of a combined total of 20,000 volunteers has resulted in affordable family entertainment and agriculture awareness; AND WHEREAS agriculture, food production and food security is an important economic contributor to the British Columbia economy: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request that the provincial government negotiate a viable funding envelope with the BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions to be included in the Ministry of Agriculture budget, in order to preserve the existence of agriculture fairs and exhibitions across the province.
Ministry of Agriculture The Ministry of Agriculture Ministry is aware of the positive impacts that BCs agricultural fairs and exhibitions have in educating and promoting BC agriculture awareness and that agriculture, food production and food security are important economic contributors to the British Columbia economy. The BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions BCAAFE has received verbal and financial support from previous Ministers of Agriculture, resulting in ongoing and sustained financial assistance over the past decade. The Ministry provided annual grants averaging 210,000 between 199798 and 200910. In 201011, BCAAFE received a grant of 75,000 to implement their 2010-2015 Strategic Plan. Part of BCAAFEs Strategic Plan was to identify non-government long-term funding solutions. The Ministry encourages BCAAFE to continue to identify alternative funding opportunities. In 2013, BCAAFE succeeded in receiving funding from other sources including 20,200 from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC for a study on BCs agricultural fairs and their impact in BC communities. In addition, Community Gaming Grants Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development provided BCAAFE with 105,000 to sustain core operations in 2011 and 2012.