Province changes farm assessment classification system
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The Governments of British Columbia and Canada are working together to help farmers improve their business management skills and boost their bottom line. As part of the Growing Forward initiative, Agriculture and Lands Minister Steve Thomson and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced today the creation of the Farm Business Advisory Services program for farmers in British Columbia.
“We are building the business management capacity of farmers in B.C. by providing them with the tools and knowledge to do so,” said Thomson. “The agriculture industry is increasingly dependent on innovative business practices to remain competitive and incorporating a sound, strategic, business development plan is the foundation to success.”
“Our Governments are working together to help farmers tap new opportunities by keeping on the current edge of strong farm business management practices,” said Ritz. “This program will put farmers first by helping our agricultural industry become more competitive here at home and around the world.”
The Farm Business Advisory Services program will provide total funding support of $965,000 over four years to help producers access basic financial analysis and specialized business planning services that will enable them to effect better, more informed management decisions.
The program provides two tiers of funding support to producers for business consulting services. Tier 1 provides consulting services for a basic farm financial assessment to a value of up to $1,900, at a cost of only $100 to the producer. Tier 2 covers up to 85 per cent of the cost of consulting services to a maximum of $3,000, for specialized business planning to adopt progressive farm business management practices and strategies in nine business management areas. They include:
· Business strategy
· Succession planning
· Marketing strategy
· Business structure
· Production economics
· Risk assessment
· Human resources
· Value-added ventures
· Financial management
To access funding through the Farm Business Advisory Services program, producers must complete a farm action plan and submit an application. Once their application has been approved, the applicant can select from a list of pre-approved consultants to begin the business planning process. For more information about the program or to apply, contact B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Agri-Food Business Development Program at 1-877 702-5585 (toll-free).
The Growing Forward Agri-Food Business Development initiative provides enhanced business management extension, advisory and referral services that contribute to improved business management skills, information resources and related support to the industry.
Growing Forward is a national agriculture framework to co-ordinate federal and provincial agriculture policy and related activities. Federal, provincial, and territorial governments are delivering $1.3 billion to Canadian farm families from 2008 to 2013. British Columbia’s share under these agreements will total $78 million.
The Government of Canada and Province of B.C. have been working with farmers and processors to develop the Growing Forward framework, and to develop programs that are tailored with the flexibility to meet B.C.’s diverse regional requirements.
For a complete list of Growing Forward programs in B.C., visit or .
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