2 HIGHER compensation rates


to 80%,” she said. “All farms participating in the program will benefit from the higher compensation rates. Every payment that will come from AgriStability in these two years will be 14.3% higher.” AgriStability typically


provides assistance to producers when farm margins are more than 30% below the average of the previous five years. But the paperwork required to demonstrate reference margins and support a claim means upwards of half the province’s 7,500 commercial producers don’t enroll. The elimination of reference margins removes a major hurdle to participation.


Failed efforts The announcement


followed the ongoing failure of efforts by the federal government in partnership with provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture to reform federal business risk management programs, the costs of which are shared with the provinces. The Canadian Federation of


Agriculture, the umbrella group that represents provincial farm organizations, including the BC Agriculture Council, expressed disappointment following the federal-provincial-territorial agriculture ministers’ meeting in Ottawa in December. It issued a statement noting its belief that “enhanced AgriStability coverage is needed to ensure farmers have the help they need moving forward to help


manage the increasing risks they face beyond their control.” “The fact that ministers


were unable to commit to truly meaningful program reforms, while pushing this issue further down the road through further program reviews, suggests a lack of urgency and a continued disconnect between FPT governments and the realities facing farmers,” CFA president Mary Robinson said at the time. “Farmers continue to see increased trade and policy- related risks exacerbate already challenging weather conditions, threatening the viability of many farms and undermining the primary agriculture sector's capacity for economic growth.” Ideally, farm organizations


would like to see AgriStability coverage boosted to 85% without a reference margin limit. This is where it was at prior to changes under the Conservative government of Stephen Harper in 2013. The move would be a simple, interim solution with


immediate benefits to farmers while ministers reach an agreement on long-term programming changes.


Flawed AgriStability grew out of


the Whole Farm Insurance Program pioneered in BC, and Popham positioned the province as a continued champion of a program that has assisted farmers across the country. “I’ve felt for a long time that the design of AgriStability has


some flaws and it’s not working for farmers in our province. It’s not working for some farmers right across the country,” she said. “I’ve been working very hard to negotiate improvements to that program nationally, but it’s been very challenging to get all of the other provinces and territories on board. At the latest national meeting in December, I signalled that our province might have to go it alone and address what our farmers need.” This is exactly what it’s


done. The announcement also follows on past moves to make assistance more responsive to the immediate circumstances of BC farmers – even those who haven’t viewed it as essential. A year ago, for example, losses in BC associated with flooding, drought and wildfires in 2018 saw Ottawa and the province open the AgriStability program to those who hadn’t originally enrolled. The late participation element of the AgriStability program can be triggered when there is a significant income decline in the farm sector and a gap in program participation. By opening it up for late participation, producers who have suffered significant losses can access the help they need. A precedent for the latest announcement occurred in December 2017, as farmers and ranchers took stock of that year’s devastating wildfires. Once again acting unilaterally, the province provided enhanced


AgriStability coverage to producers even if they hadn’t previously enrolled in the program. Reference margins were eliminated, and


compensation was boosted to 80%. The initiative was valued at upwards of $10 million in addition to the $10 million available through the joint federal-provincial program.


Tax deferral The province’s changes to


AgriStability were joined by a federal announcement in February expanding regions eligible for the livestock tax deferral provision. Regions eligible in BC include southern Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii and much of the central Interior from the coast to the Alberta border. “[The] provision allows


livestock producers in prescribed drought, flood or excess moisture regions to defer a portion of their 2019 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until 2020 to help replenish the herd,” explains a statement announcing the eligible regions. “The cost of replacing the animals in 2020 will offset the deferred income, thereby reducing the


LESS money


institutional purchasing of local products through Feed BC and land matching under the auspices of Grow BC. The past two years have brought a revamp of the Agricultural Land Commission and annual conferences for the province’s farmers institutes.


Reduced fudning means


projects will likely proceed with more modest budgets. This is not a positive step, says BC Agriculture Council


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • MARCH 2020 nfrom page 1


tax burden associated with the original sale.” Regions eligible for


coverage under the provision must experience forage shortfalls of 50% or more caused by drought or excess moisture. Producers in many regions


in BC have been eligible for tax deferrals for several consecutive years,


underscoring the persistent nature of the challenges facing them. Popham told the


agriculture gala in January that she wants to see a more robust risk management program developed to provide the support they need, and wanted BC to set an example of what was possible. “We want government


laws, regulations, policies and programs to contribute to the success of BC agriculture,” she said. “I’m hopeful that by 2021, BC will be successful at negotiating enhancements for all farmers across Canada, but we thought it was important that we showed leadership to make sure that we’re standing up for our farmers.”


nfrom page 1


president Stan Vander Waal. “Agriculture has significant potential to grow Canada’s economy. We believe this is also possible in BC, however, our province still invests less money into the agriculture sector, relative to its size, than any other province in Canada,” he told Country Life in BC. “We need to invest in this sector if we want to realize the potential that it can bring.”


NEW REPLACEMENT PARTS for MOST TRACTORS & FARM IMPLEMENTS


WANTED: KVERNELAND & PARMITER BALE WRAPPERS 100-120 HP TRACTORS


FORD 7000 2WD OPEN STATION, 83 HP, 540 PTO, ONE OWNER ... $7,000 NH 8160 4X4, CAB, 3358 HRS, 100 HP, PS TRANS, 540-1000, GOOD CONDITION ........................................................................... 45,000 NH TS115A 4X4,CAB, SYNCHRO-COM TRANS, SHUTTLE, 115HP, 8000 HRS, LOADER MOUNT...............................................................28,900 MF 265 2WD, CAB, 60 PTO HP, INDUSTRIAL LOADER, SPIKE MOUNT,


FRONT HYD REMOTE, 2,200 HRS, ONE OWNER................................. 9,500 JD 336 SQUARE BALER, SMALL CHAMBER, HYD TENSIONER, ¼ TURN, GOOD CONDITION .............................................................. 6,500 NH 1047 SELF PROP BALE WAGON OPEN STATION, 120 BALE, 6CYL GAS........................................................................... 9,000 NH 166 HAY INVERTOR, 6FT PICKUP ................................................. 3,800 GMC CAB OVER 5 TON DIESEL TRUCK WITH 18 FT TYCROP SILAGE BOX, GOOD CONDITION ............................. 14,000


Come by my booth for a chat at the BC Poultry Conference, March 4-6, 2020


LOEWEN 9612 VERTICAL MIXER . GOOD CONDITION ................... 18,000 CASE CHIESEL PLOW 9 FT WIDE, HD SPRING SHANK ................... 2,500 TYCROP 12 FT HYDUMP, GOOD CONDITION .................................... 3,500


Tractor/Equipment Repair Mobile Service Available We accept Interact, Visa and Mastercard


www.tractorparts4sale.ca ABBOTSFORD, BC


Bus. 604/807-2391 Fax. 604/854-6708 email: sales@tractorparts4sale.ca GD Repair Ltd


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  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52