Ministry of Agriculture
Agricultural Advisory Committees
With only 1.5% of British Columbians living on farms, it is increasingly important for local governments to find ways to keep in touch with their farm and ranch communities. To do so, some municipalities and regional districts have appointed Agricultural Advisory Committees (AACs) to give them advice on a wide range of agricultural issues.
Typical AAC Duties
Some typical AAC duties relate to plans, policies, and development applications:
- Official community plan amendments
- Zoning bylaw changes or rezoning applications
- Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) applications
- Transportation – roads, railroads, and trails
- Urban-agricultural edge planning
- Water supply and drainage
- Agricultural economic strategies
- Steering committee for an agricultural area plan
- Policies, like agritourism
- Agricultural awareness, including farm tours.
Provincial Support for AACs
The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and the Agricultural Land Commission have provided knowledgeable personnel and information-sharing opportunities for AACs:
- An information package, including a model terms of reference
- Staff attendance at AAC meetings as non-voting technical resource members of the committee
- This Web site as a link to existing AACs
- Biennial AAC workshops.
