Emergency management for agriculture

On this page:

The ministry has a legislative requirement to have plans and procedures in place in the event of an emergency or disaster. The ministry is the designated lead provincial agency for responding to animal diseases, plant diseases and pest infestations. For all other types of hazards that may impact the agricultural sector, including natural disasters, the ministry provides a supporting role in responding to these emergencies.

The ministry follows the B.C. Emergency Management System (BCEMS), which includes the Prevention/Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery phases of emergency management.

Prevention and mitigation

Programs and funding to support on-farm environmental sustainability are available through the ministry. These programs support farmers from planning to implementation to address climate change impacts and contribute to a cleaner environment.

The BC Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) also offers resources, webinars, and tools to help producers mitigate regional challenges caused by climate change such as increased wildfire risk, wetter conditions, pest variability, and erosion management.

Preparedness planning for agriculture

Agricultural producers, like all business managers, need to have a comprehensive strategy to manage the risks they face.

B.C.’s agricultural industry faces many natural hazards. Learn about what actions you can take to prepare your operations for different types of emergencies.

Business insurance and risk management

The farm manager is responsible for understanding the risks they are exposed to. Emergencies and disasters can result in substantial material losses. Learn about the programs that can help protect agricultural producers against the financial impact of a disaster:

Your role in an emergency response

Emergency management is a shared responsibility across all levels of government who need to have plans in place for responding to emergencies that affect their areas of jurisdiction. Learn more about the roles agricultural producers and governments play during an emergency response:

Be aware of active natural hazards in B.C.

If there is an active large-scale natural hazard event in B.C. (i.e., wildfires, floods), response and recovery resources are brought together on a single resources webpage. Keeping information in one place makes it easier for B.C. producers and industry to access key contacts and resources.

  • Check if there are any active emergencies that might impact you and your animals here. 

Recovering from a disaster

Information about recovery programs and initiatives available to support operations impacted by a recent emergency event are available. These programs aid in offsetting the extraordinary costs required to return to production:

Recovery resources

Emergencies can have a profound effect on our lives and wellbeing. Owning a farm business in general can be very stressful. If you are struggling with the impact of these stresses, you are not alone. Support is available to help you move forward after this traumatic event.