By Global Desklast Updated
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.鈥淏C is the most expensive province to farm in Canada,鈥 said Jennifer Woike, president of the BC Agriculture Council. 鈥淔armers in the Lower Mainland are often carrying millions of dollars in debt.鈥滱mong the biggest challenges facing BC farmers is the cost and availability of agricultural land, particularly for new farmers without inherited assets. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just build a poultry farm on a five-acre parcel of land. It doesn鈥檛 fit,鈥 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.Live EventsOver 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.鈥淔armers and producers have told us about the challenges they face, from high costs to climate impacts,鈥 said Agriculture Minister Lana Popham. 鈥淲e鈥檝e launched a new Premier鈥檚 Task Force to address the most pressing issues for agriculture and food security.鈥漈he 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.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onBC farmers lossesBritish Columbia agricultureAgriculture CanadaClimate changeclimate change newsrising land costs BCStatistics CanadaagricultureAgricultural Land Reserve(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless