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Partnership Committee
on Agriculture and the Environment
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
between
The Ministry of Agriculture and
Lands
and
The Ministry of Environment
On April 17, 1998, the Ministers of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, and Environment,
Lands and Parks and the B.C. Agriculture Council signed a 10-point action plan on agriculture and the environment. Point 8 states: "The two ministries will develop a memorandum of understanding that will result in Ministry of Agriculture
and Lands staff providing technical policy support to Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks enforcement staff on agriculture issues, to be in place by the end of May."
Objective
To outline a procedure whereby Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries will provide technical policy support to Ministry of Environment,
Lands and Parks staff in their administration and enforcement activities related to the Waste Management Act and the Code of Agricultural Practice for Waste Management.
Principles
All farmers and ranchers in British Columbia must comply with the Code of Agricultural Practice for Waste Management.
All enforcement policies and actions should consider adopting a flexible approach to ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Waste Management Act, where such flexibility is scientifically justifiable.
Any significant changes to enforcement policies that impact long-standing, conventional farming practices should only be implemented following a consultation process with affected parties.
The Ministries Recognize that
BCMAFF staff have expertise in farming and ranching, soil behaviour, plant physiology, and agricultural waste management.
BCMELP staff have expertise in waste management and pollution control of agricultural wastes and in protecting air, land and water quality and judging potential impacts of human activities on environmental resources.
Therefore the Ministries Agree that
A BCMELP/BCMAFF committee is to be created specifically for the purpose of overseeing the implications of this MOU and will meet at regular intervals each year.
The Committee shall:
- establish a priority list of agricultural environmental issues that require attention, and
- formulate a work plan to address issues on the list, including identification of staff that will lead the work related to each issue.
BCMENV will seek and give due consideration to agricultural technical assistance from
BCMAFF in the following circumstances:
- development of new and amended legislation or regulations of consequence to agriculture.
- prior to taking any broad scale enforcement initiative.
- when unusual climatic or operational conditions require a unique assessment of agricultural practices in relation to environmental conditions.
- in the assessment of novel agricultural practices.
- in any mediation process where both agencies have an interest.
Gordon Macatee
Assistant Deputy Minister
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
Jon O'Riordan
Assistant Deputy Minister
Environment, Lands and Parks
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