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Ministry of Agriculture & Lands

Frequently Asked Questions

* This will take you directly Agri-Food BC search site. Or this link will take you directly to the InfoBasket Community list, where you can choose a community and drill down through the folder to find the paper you want.

    General

  1. Where do I find information on Farm Classification?
  2. How do I contact the various marketing boards?
  3. Does BC have an agricultural employment centre?
  4. How do I get a BC Farmer Identity Card for tax exemption?

    5. Education

  5. Do you have brochures and posters for my group/class?
  6. Is there a list of farms available for agricultural tours?

    7. * For more 4-H and Youth Development questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

    Organics

  7. How do you become certified as an organic grower, processor or handler?
  8. Do you have any information on Organic Dairy Farming?

    9. * For more Organic questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

    Livestock/Game Farming

  9. Where do I find information on game farming?
  10. Who can I contact to get rid of problem wildlife?
  11. I need to haul some livestock on the highway; what are the rules?
  12. What are the going rates for selling livestock, etc?

    13. * For Beef questions , please search Agri-Food BC site
    * For Goats questions , please search Agri-Food BC site
    * For Sheep and Lambs questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

    Plants, Weeds and Pests

  13. Where do I find more information about the Gypsy Moth Aerial Spray Program?
  14. Where can I get more information about Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
  15. How do I get a pesticide applicator certificate?
  16. I am a home gardener. Where can I get information on pest control?
  17. I've been told in a "Weed Control Notice" that I have to get rid of my weeds. How do I do it?

    18. Soils and Maps

  18. Where do I get my soil tested? Is there a list of soil labs available?

    19. Specialty Crops

  19. Where do I get information about growing hemp?
  20. Where do I find information on growing herbs?
  21. Do you have any information on mushroom farming?
  22. Where can I pick wild mushrooms?

    23. * For more specialty crop questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

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    General

  1. Where do I find information on Farm Classification?
    General information for regarding farm classification can be found on the BC Assessment Authority's website.

  2. How do I contact the various marketing boards?
    Contact names and phone numbers for the various marketing boards supervised by the BC Farm Industry Review Board are available on the FIRB webpages.

  3. Does BC have an agricultural employment centre?
    Information on agricultural employment is available from the BC Agricultural Labour Pool. The Labour Pool is a recruitment assistance service for people seeking employment in the agricultural sector. The Labour Pool is located at:

    BC Agricultural Labour Pool
    #24 - 2337 Townline Road
    Abbotsford BC V2T 6G1
    Phone: (604) 855-7281 Fax: (604) 855-7189
    Voice Mail for Job Information: (604) 855-9261

  4. How do I get a BC Farmer Identity Card for tax exemption?
    All bona fide BC farmers are eligible for the BC Farmer Identity Card. BC Farmer ID Card holders can produce the card when purchasing provincial tax exempt supplies. The BC Farmer ID Card verifies provincial tax exempt status. To apply for a BC Farmer Identity Card, please contact the:

    BC Agriculture Council
    #230 - 32160 South Fraser Way
    Abbotsford, BC V2T 1W5
    Tel: 604.854.4454
    Toll-free: 866.522.3447
    Fax: 604.854.4485
    Contact: info@bcac.bc.ca

    5. Back to topTop

    Education

  5. Do you have brochures and posters for my group/class?
    The Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation has many teacher resources to help them teach about agriculture and food.

  6. Is there a list of farms available for agricultural tours?
    The Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation maintains a list of farm tours available in areas throughout the province.

    7. * For more 4-H and Youth Development questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

    Back to topTop

    Organics

  7. How do you become certified as an organic grower, processor or handler?
    Please refer to the certification and standards pages on the Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia (COABC) website.

  8. Do you have any information on Organic Dairy Farming?
    Please search the Organic Dairy Farming Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf) for more information.

    9. * For more Organic questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

    Back to topTop

    Livestock/Game Farming

  9. Where do I find information on game farming?
    Contact the ministry’s Livestock Health Management and Regulatory Unit in Abbotsford (Phone: 604 556-3093). For bison, you can contact the BC Bison Association:

    BC Bison Association
    Bill Bouffioux, President
    RR 1 Site 1 Comp 1
    Fort St John BC  V1J 4M6
    Phone/Fax – 250-785-4183
    Email  xybison@pris.ca

  10. Who can I contact to report problem wildlife?
    Contact your local conservation officer through the 24 Hour R.A.P.P Hotline (Report All Poachers and Polluters) at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) or #7277 on cellular.

  11. I need to haul some livestock on the highway. What are the rules?
    Contact the Regulatory Program in Kamloops (Phone: 250 371-6051), and/or your local Ministry of Transportation Office listed in the blue pages of your local phone book.

  12. What are the going rates for selling livestock, etc?
    Commodity price lists, market reports, and outlook reports can be accessed through the Farm Business Management Information Network. The FBMInet was developed by the Canadian Farm Business Management Council as part of the National Farm Business Management Program, in co-operation with the various Canadian provincial agriculture departments.

    13. * For Beef questions , please search Agri-Food BC site
    * For Goats questions , please search Agri-Food BC site

    Back to topTop

    Plants, Weeds and Pests

  13. Where do I find more information about the Gypsy Moth Aerial Spray Program?
    Information on the Gypsy Moth Aerial Spray Program may be found on the Ministry of Forests and Range website. You may also call 250 387-8494 (for Victoria callers) or 1 877-552-1122 (toll free) for additional information. The Ministry of Forests and Range has taken the lead role in managing infestations of gypsy moth on the southern half of Vancouver Island.

  14. Where can I get more information about Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
    Information on Integrated Pest Management is located in the Crop Pest and Diseases section of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands website. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a systematic decision-making process that supports a balanced approach to managing crop and livestock production systems for the effective, economical and environmentally-sound suppression of pests.

  15. How do I get a pesticide applicator certificate?
    Pesticide applicator certificates are issued by the Ministry of Environment. Contact your local Ministry of Environment district office listed in the blue pages of your local phone book for further information on applicator courses and examinations.

  16. I am a home gardener. Where can I get information on pest control?
    The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands does not provide a pest control advisory service for home gardeners. However, common pest problems and their solutions are described in the latest version of "A Gardener's Guide to Pest Prevention and Control in the Home and Garden" available from many book stores, garden centres and nurseries throughout the province. You can also consult your local garden centre or nursery for information.

  17. I've been told in a "Weed Control Notice" that I have to get rid of my weeds. How do I do it?
    Contact the local government Weed Inspector who issued the notice to determine what you need to do. If the local inspector is unable to provide information on control strategies, contact the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands for a copy of Integrated Weed Management - An Introductory Manual.

    You can obtain a recommendation from:

    • Provincial Weed Specialist, Abbotsford at (604) 556-3066.
    • Coast, Invasive Plant Coordinator, Victoria (250) 356-6646
    • Interior, Provincial Weed Technologist, Kamloops (250)371-6062

    To identify BC's noxious weeks, refer to the "Field Guide to Noxious and Other Selected Weeds of BC".

    * For more information on pesticides, see Pesticide Wise

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    Soils and Maps

  18. Where do I get my soil tested? Is there a list of soil labs available?
    There are many labs that complete soil testing for agricultural purposes. These labs can analyze soil for crop nutritional requirements (such as pH, salts and fertilizer nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). They may also be able to investigate concerns about soil contamination or look at soil physical properties such as texture, porosity or particle size distribution.

    If you need a listing for labs in B.C., please contact the ministry’s Soil and Nutrient Management Specialist at 604 556-3098.

    You can also find related information on soil sampling and testing on the ministry’s publications web page.

    19. Back to topTop

    Specialty Crops

  19. Where do I get information about growing hemp?
    As of March 12, 1998 it became legal after a 60 year ban to grow industrial hemp in Canada, under licence of Health Canada. The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands has prepared a Hemp Factsheet to explain this special crop. For additional information, visit the Specialty Crops Community on Agri-Food BC

  20. Where do I find Information on growing herbs?
    Call the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands office in Abbotsford at 604 556-3001 or Toll Free at 1 888 221-7141. For additional information, visit the Specialty Crops Community on Agri-Food BC

  21. Do you have any information on mushroom farming?
    Call the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands office in Abbotsford at 604 556-3001 or Toll Free at 1 888 221-7141.

  22. Where can I pick wild mushrooms?
    Information on "Harvesting Edible Wild Mushrooms in BC" is on the Ministry of Forests and Range website. Mushroom picking is permitted on provincial forest lands, but permission is required to pick on First Nations reserves, tree farm licences, leased Crown land, and private lands. Picking is not permitted in provincial or national parks, protected areas including ecological and special reserves, recreation areas and federal defence lands.  For questions about harvesting edible wild mushrooms, please contact the Ministry of Forests Forest Practices Branch (250 387-1946).

* For more specialty crop questions , please search Agri-Food BC site