Parties are starting to reveal their commitments ahead of Oct. 24
With just over two weeks before British Columbians head to the polls in the Oct. 24 provincial election, political parties are unveiling their plans for the province including its ag and food sectors.
Farms.com will be highlighting those promises as they become available to provide B.C. farmers with targeted information before casting a ballot.
This piece focuses on the David Eby’s NDP and Emily Lowan’s BC Greens.
NDP
Since the writ dropped on Sept. 22, Premier David Eby and the NDP announced plans to address food affordability.
On Oct. 2, the party committed to a “price guard” on groceries like milk, eggs, cheese, butter, and poultry.
“This applies to corporate retailers only and prevents them from unfairly marking up food for customers and from reducing compensation for local farmers,” the plan says.
In addition, a newly elected NDP government promises to work with the federal government to build a regional wholesale food terminal in the Lower Mainland “to help local farmers and smaller grocers thrive.”
BC Greens
As of Oct. 7, Emily Lowan and the BC Greens are the only party to publish specific commitments for farmers and the greater ag sector.
This plan, also released on Oct. 2, emphasizes the importance of local production and banning foreign interests from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
Here’s what the party is promising for farmers and farmland.
- Limiting ownership of ALR parcels of 4 hectares (10 acres) or larger to citizens and permanent B.C. residents unless prospective owners can demonstrate intent to become residents.
- Establish food sovereignty as part of the Agricultura Land Commission’s mandate to prioritize agricultural use.
- Improve public data about B.C. farmland ownership and how the land is being used.
- Allow municipalities to tax productive farmland left idle.
- Create a public interest test related to “significant farmland purchases” to ensure these transactions support B.C. agriculture.
- Incentivize regenerative farming practices.
- Mandate the ministry of water, land and resource stewardship work with farmers to protect food crops during drought.
- Prioritize local food in public institutions.
- Create a school food program allowing farmers to promote sustainable practices.
- Establish a public agricultural land bank for lease by new farmers.
- Address food insecurity in First Nations communities.
Stay tuned as Farms.com will highlight other party ag promises leading up to the provincial election in B.C.
For a full breakdown of how complete party policies stack against one another, check out bcballot.ca.