New Rules Boost Small-Farm Processing and Tourism

Summary#

This bill sets special rules for small farms and small farming co‑operatives in British Columbia. It adjusts how much off‑farm product a small farm can process on agricultural land, sets limits on agri‑tourism accommodation, and requires record‑keeping. It also requires the minister to publish an annual report on B.C. food production. The goal appears to be to support local food production while keeping farmland focused on farming.

Key changes:

• Defines “small farm” as a farm with up to $750,000 in annual gross revenue from primary production and on‑site processing (this dollar limit could be changed by future rules).
• Lets small farms process, pack, and store products on agricultural land when at least 25% comes from their own farm; the rest must be produced in B.C. (currently the general rule is 50% from the farm itself).
• Recognizes “small farming cooperatives” and ties certain processing permissions to these co‑ops.
• Treats agri‑tourism activities on small farms as a farm use that local governments may not prohibit, if the activity is directly tied to the farm, does not use permanent facilities, and farming remains the primary use.
• Caps agri‑tourism accommodation on small farms at 3 sleeping units and limits stays to no more than 120 days at a time.
• Requires small farms and small farming co‑ops to keep records proving they qualify and to share them with the minister or the Agricultural Land Commission on request.
• Requires the minister to post an annual public report by March 31 on progress and strategies to increase B.C. food production.
• Other laws still apply. The Act will start on a date set later.

What it means for you#

• Small farms

  • You could process, pack, and store more B.C.‑grown products on your farm even if only 25% comes from your own fields or livestock. This could make small‑scale processing more viable while staying within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) rules.
  • You must keep records that show you meet the “small farm” definition and make them available if asked. Including false information is prohibited.
  • You may offer agri‑tourism activities (like tours, tastings, workshops) as a farm use that cannot be banned by local governments if they are tied to your farm products or practices, do not use permanent facilities, and farming stays the main use.
  • You face stricter limits for agri‑tourism accommodation than larger farms: up to 3 sleeping units, and each stay can be no longer than 120 days at a time.
  • You still must follow all other health, safety, building, and local bylaws that apply.

• Small farming cooperatives

  • Your co‑op is recognized in law (made up of at least 2 small farms, up to a limit set later) and may act for member farms for production, processing, or marketing.
  • Agri‑tourism activities run by the co‑op on member land count as a farm use if they meet the same conditions (no permanent facilities, directly connected to the farm, farming remains primary).
  • You must keep and provide records if asked.

• Larger farms (over the small‑farm revenue limit)

  • The new processing percentage and the accommodation cap do not apply to you; current ALR rules continue to apply.

• Municipalities and regional districts

  • You may not prohibit qualifying agri‑tourism activities on small farms as described in the bill (subject to ALR and other applicable laws). Other local bylaws still apply where consistent with ALR and this Act.

• Consumers and visitors

  • You could see more small‑farm offerings like on‑farm tastings or workshops without new permanent facilities. Accommodation on small farms would be more limited than on larger farms.
  • The annual report may provide more public information about local food availability.

• Timing

  • These changes will take effect on a date the government sets by order.

Expenses#

The bill may increase administrative costs, but no estimate is available.

• Government could face costs to collect and review records, and to produce the annual food production report.
• Small farms and small farming co‑ops may face compliance costs for record‑keeping and responding to information requests.
• No new fees, fines, or funding are identified in the bill.
• Enforcement costs are unclear because the bill does not set specific penalties and says a standard offence provision does not apply.

Proponents' View#

• The bill appears intended to help small farms add value by processing more B.C.‑grown products on their land, which could support local food availability.
• Lowering the on‑farm input requirement to 25% for small farms, while requiring the rest be B.C.‑produced, could make small‑scale processing more practical and still keep benefits within the province.
• Recognizing small farming co‑ops could help small farms collaborate on production, processing, and marketing.
• Treating agri‑tourism as a permitted farm use, with clear limits on permanent facilities, could diversify farm income while keeping farmland focused on agriculture.
• Tighter limits on agri‑tourism accommodation for small farms (fewer units, time‑limited stays) could reduce pressure to convert farmland into tourism lodging.
• An annual public report could improve transparency and planning for increasing B.C.’s food production capacity.

Opponents' View#

• One concern is administrative burden: small farms and co‑ops must keep and share detailed records, which can take time and money.
• The bill lowers the on‑farm input share for processing, which may raise questions about whether this could encourage more processing that relies on off‑farm inputs rather than on‑farm production, even if those inputs are B.C.‑grown.
• Changing references to “an association” to “a small farming cooperative” could exclude some existing producer associations from certain processing permissions.
• The cap of 3 sleeping units and the 120‑day limit could reduce agri‑tourism revenue options for small farms compared with current ALR allowances.
• Enforcement is unclear. The bill prohibits false or misleading information but does not set penalties and says a standard offence provision does not apply, so it is uncertain how violations would be addressed.
• Some terms are open‑ended and left to future rules, such as the revenue threshold for a small farm and the maximum size of a small farming co‑op.