He’s ready, willing and able
Richard Bullock brings plenty of first-hand experience to his new role as head of the province’s Agricultural Land Commission.
T
he challenges faced by the head of the Agricultural Land Commission don’t faze its new chairman and chief executive officer, Richard Bullock.
He moves into the post from being chairman of the Farm Industry Review Board, where controversy and conflict were the reasons for it to meet. An orchardist with deep roots in the Okanagan, Bullock has been in agriculture all his life and has served on a number of industry boards. He has been a member of the FIRB board for 12 years and chairman for the past six. Bullock says he has favoured the Agricultural Land Reserve since it was created in 1973 and believes it is necessary in this province to protect land for agriculture.
“God knows where we would be without it today. It would be a different landscape in this province,” he commented.
“Without land, nothing else matters in agriculture. And the good stuff lies close to people who want it for other purposes. That’s life in our tight valleys,” he said.
Whether on Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley or the Okanagan, he said development desires have put huge pressure on prime agricultural land. In his new position Bullock will oversee the work of 19 land commissioners and 20 staff, although four of those commissioner positions are vacant right now.
Appointing new commissioners will not have anything to do with him, but he expects announcements on those vacancies shortly.
Bullock says he will mainly work out of his home office in Kelowna, as well as travelling throughout the province. His first task will be to get to know the position, although he doesn’t expect the
16 British Columbia Berry Grower • Fall 2010
work will be at all strange to him, after his time on the FIRB. Over the years, he says, the issues haven’t really changed all that much, although they’re much more complex now. As well, he noted, people have far more resources with which to argue their case today, with the Internet as a resource. All in all, Bullock says it’s an interesting position, with some complex issues and tough decisions to make.
He says he’s used to facing opposition, so the fact the ALR has many opponents doesn’t concern him.
Bullock
It’s a part-time position, but he says his 100 or so acres of orchard and agri- tourism business are being taken care of by other family members, so time won’t be an issue.
“They’ll be happy Dad isn’t around as much to bug them,” he commented with a laugh.
Agriculture minister Steve Thomson also announced the appointment of Ron Kilmury to chair the FIRB, the position recently vacated by Bullock.
Both appointments are until Nov. 30, 2013, although Bullock’s CEO appointment is for one year. Kilmury has more than 30 years international experience leading diverse
business ventures. He has worked in the agriculture and agri-food sectors and served on the boards of such industry associations as the B.C. Salmon Farmers’ Association. The ALC is an independent
administrative board responsible for administering the province’s ALR. The commission’s mission is to preserve agricultural land
and encourage and enable farm businesses throughout B.C. The ALR is the largest it has ever been in its history, with more than 4.7 million hectares set aside for farming. For more information, visit
www.alc.gov.bc.ca.
BCFIRB is an independent
administrative tribunal, which operates as a general supervisory body over commodity boards and has overall responsibility for marketing of regulated agricultural products in B.C. It hears appeals from people dissatisfied by orders, decisions or determinations of the commodity boards, and is a signatory to federal- provincial agreements about supply- managed commodities.
NEED A BUILDING?
Wild Goose Vineyards, Okanagan Falls, BC
Stag’s Hollow Winery, Okanagan Falls, BC
MSC Metal Structure Concepts Inc. is a leader in the pre-engineered steel building business. With 37 years’ experience selling and erecting pre-engineered steel buildings, MSC has the expertise to complete your project in a cost-effective and timely manner.
40
Metal Structure Concepts Inc.
www.mscsteel.com
1-800-979-2993 FAX: 250-717-5751
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20