Agriculture and seafood programs

Agriculture and seafood producers and processors can access programs and funding to support their businesses.

NEW Food Security Programming - now available
Please check back as more programs are added 
(updated May 2, 2023).  Read more

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Apply for programs

Business, innovation and market development

Programs are available to support farmers and food processors to start, grow and innovate their business and more effectively market their products.

Innovative greenhouse system

Argritech Concierge Program

The Agritech Concierge Program provides government support for agritech businesses to grow, diversify, access new markets and attract investment opportunities.

Woman holding crop in hand

B.C. Agri-Business Planning Program

Applications are now closed

The Program provides funding support for agriculture and agrifood producers to support informed decision making and ensure business development.

B.C. agrifood trade show booth

B.C. Agriculture and Food Export Program

Accepting applications (August 28, 2023 – September 15, 2023)

The program provides cost-shared funding to undertake market development activities outside of B.C., enabling sector businesses and associations to maintain, expand and/or diversify export markets.

Huckleberries

B.C. Indigenous Agriculture Development Program

Applications are now closed 

Provides supports for Indigenous people’s success in the food and agriculture sector through agriculture business support services. 
 

Fraser Delta Aerial View

B.C. Land Matching Program

Accepting applications

Provides land matching and business support services to new farmers looking for land to farm as well as landowners interested in finding someone to farm their land.

A stack of crackers

B.C. Lean for Food Processors Program

Accepting applications

Supports processors to make more informed decisions, optimize operating procedures, improve production capacity, labour productivity and strengthen their business.

Honeybee on lavender

Bee BC

Provides funding to enhance bee health throughout the province.

Applications are now closed

buyBC logo

Buy BC Logo Licensing

Accepting applications

The Buy BC Logo Licensing system allows eligible businesses to use the Buy BC logo free of charge to make it easier for consumers to identify local B.C. products at markets and grocery stores across the province.

buyBC logo

Buy BC Partnership Program

Applications are now closed

Provides cost-shared funding to support B.C.’s producers, processors, and associations to undertake local marketing activities that increase consumer awareness and sales of local agriculture, food and beverage products.  To be considered eligible for cost-shared funding, all applicants must first register their food and beverage products for Buy BC Logo Licensing.

Horticulture

Horticulture Upskill Program

Provides funding for eligible workers to complete the Horticulture Upskill Program, a training program administered by Okanagan College to provide tangible upskill opportunities for agricultural workers employed by the tree fruit and wine grape industries.

Innovative greenhouse system

Innovation (Canada-BC Agri-Innovation)

Applications are now closed

Provides cost-shared funding to support promising new products, practices, processes and technologies that have the potential to generate a benefit to the agriculture sector.

Professionals seated around a conference table watching a presentation

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Program

Provides funding to support knowledge transfer events for B.C. producers and food processors.

Hazelnut orchard

New Perennial Crop Renewal Program

This program provides support to agricultural sectors such as berries, tree fruit, grapes, and hazelnuts to evaluate and define agronomic and market opportunities, and to support farmers to adapt to environmental and market conditions by diversifying, renovating, or expanding production. Investment Agriculture Foundation delivers the Perennial Crop Renewal Program. To learn more and apply for the program, visit www.iafbc.ca

Man standing in front of farming equipment

Small Farm Business Acceleration Program

Applications are now closed

Provides funding for small and new farm businesses to make the investments necessary to achieve farm income growth goals, ensure commercial viability and strengthen financial sustainability.

 

Food security programs

Cans in production

The Food Processing Growth Fund (FPG)

Applications are now closed

The Food Processing Growth Fund (FPG) is a program of up to $20M funded through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. This fund will help established B.C. food businesses upgrade or expand facilities, technology, staff training, product development and commercialization to increase productivity, economic opportunities and competitiveness. Visit https://iafbc.ca/fpg/ for more details.

 

Insurance and income protection

Agricultural producers can protect their business against severe market volatility and disaster situations through the B.C. government’s Business Risk Management programs.

Canola crop

Agriculture Income Protection (AgriStability)

Accepting applications

Helps stabilize farm income by managing the risk of large income declines.

Deer

Crop Loss and Damage Due to Wildlife (Agriculture Wildlife)

Accepting applications

Provides compensation for crop loss due to wildlife damage

Central Saanaich farmland

Income Savings Account (AgriInvest)

Accepting applications

Helps manage small income declines, and provides support for investments to mitigate risks or improve market income.

Coldstream ranch

Livestock Price Insurance

Accepting applications

Offers protection against an unexpected drop in livestock prices.

Wheat field

Production Insurance

Accepting applications

Helps producers manage their risk of crop losses caused by the weather, such as hail, spring frost, excessive rain, flooding and drought.

 

Food safety and traceability

Food safety and traceability programs provide education and awareness of food safety practices, as well as activities to identify and analyze new and emerging food safety hazards.

Livestock Tag Reader

Livestock Tag Reader Rebate

Provides rebate to livestock operators who implement approved livestock tag readers.

field sanitation station

On-Farm Food Safety (OFFS) Program

Applications are now closed

Provides funding to eligible B.C. farm-based businesses (i.e. growers, packers and ranchers) to address existing food safety issues, increase implementation of food safety practices and to meet national and international food safety requirements.

hand washing

Post-Farm Food Safety (PFFS) Program

Applications are now closed

Provides funding to eligible B.C. processors, value adding producers, wholesalers, importers and distributors, to address existing food safety issues, increase implementation of food safety practices and to meet national and international food safety requirements.

Premises ID aerial mapping

Premises ID

Register Now

Premises Identification links livestock and poultry to geographic locations, and is an important step in protecting the health and safety of animals.

Tracability bar codes on produce boxes

Traceability Adoption

Provides funding to agriculture, agrifood and seafood businesses to implement facility-based traceability practices, systems, infrastructure and technologies.

Staff watching a traceability knowledge transfer presentation

Traceability Knowledge Transfer

Accepting applications

Supports agrifood and seafood industry organizations to educate their membership about traceability systems, practices, infrastructure and technologies.

Traceability bar codes on produce boxes

Traceability Value Chain

Provides funding to agriculture, agrifood and seafood sector organizations and value chains to implement sector-wide or value chain traceability practices, systems, infrastructure and technologies.


Environmental sustainability

Environmental programs are available to support sustainable agriculture practices. 

abbotsford farm

Beneficial Management Practices

Check intake status

Supports producers to implement practices, identified through an Environmental Farm Plan, to increase agricultural sustainability, address climate change and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Environmental Farm Plan logo

Environmental Farm Plan

Accepting applications

Supports producers to complete environmental and climate change risk assessments related to agriculture.

Pepper greenhouse

Greenhouse Carbon Tax Relief Grant

Accepting applications

Provides carbon tax relief to B.C. commercial vegetable, floriculture, wholesale nursery and forest seedling greenhouse.

 

Recognition

Farmers make a significant contribution to the economy and the health and well-being of British Columbia as a whole.

century farm award

Century Farm Award

Accepting applications

The Century Farm Award honours pioneers whose farm, ranch or agricultural organization have been active in B.C. for 100 years.

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