$457 million gone? BC farmers sound alarm after seven years of losses amid exploding land prices and climate disaster
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Farmers in British Columbia recorded a net loss of $456.9 million in 2024, the highest agricultural loss among all Canadian provinces, according to new data from Statistics Canada It marks the seventh consecutive year that BC's farming sector has failed to turn a profit. The BC Agriculture Council says several factors contributed to the decline, including rising land costs, climate-related disasters, and ongoing global supply chain disruptions.'BC is the most expensive province to farm in Canada,' said Jennifer Woike, president of the BC Agriculture Council. 'Farmers in the Lower Mainland are often carrying millions of dollars in debt.'Among the biggest challenges facing BC farmers is the cost and availability of agricultural land, particularly for new farmers without inherited assets. 'You can't just build a poultry farm on a five-acre parcel of land. It doesn't fit,' Woike added.The council is urging the provincial government to update the 52-year-old Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), a zoning law designed to protect farmland. The group is also asking for increased compensation for farmers impacted by climate disasters, noting that current relief programs often cover only up to 70 percent of losses.Over the past few years, BC farmers have endured a series of climate-related crises. The 2021 floods in the Fraser Valley affected more than 1,100 farms, and a record-setting heat dome the same year severely damaged fruit crops. In 2024, a prolonged cold snap destroyed entire yields of grapes and other produce.In response, the BC government says it has allocated $175 million in climate-related support to fruit growers between 2020 and 2024 and is working with federal partners to streamline disaster relief.'Farmers and producers have told us about the challenges they face, from high costs to climate impacts,' said Agriculture Minister Lana Popham. 'We've launched a new Premier's Task Force to address the most pressing issues for agriculture and food security.'The province says it is reviewing the ALR land inventory and plans to make updates that better support food production and processing.Woike also emphasized the need for public support, encouraging consumers to buy local whenever possible to help struggling farmers stay in business.
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