Northern farmers share concerns on new vegetable production regulations

At the beginning of this year, the BC Vegetable Marketing Commission expanded its General Orders – the framework which ensures food safety, market regulation, and safe transportation in the vegetable production industry – to apply everywhere in the province.

Previously, the Commission only regulated producers below the 53rd parallel latitude, which encompasses the area south of Quesnel. Now, northern B.C. producers who produce 1,000 pounds or more of vegetables will pay levy and service fees to the Commission, and annually pay for a license fee – a change which has drawn some criticism from now-affected producers.

The change was made in anticipation of rapid growth in the northern agriculture industry as climate change makes larger agricultural operations more viable in the area, said the Commission’s General Manager, Andre Solymosi.

“The Commission feels that it would be inappropriate to regulate vegetable production in the south but not in the north because of an arbitrary line,” he added. “It was believed that [the change] would be a step in the right direction to expand to the whole province, so that everyone can experience the benefits of the regulatory environment.”

These benefits include marketing regulations that contribute to financial stability for producers, Solymosi said. The Commission designates marketing agencies – groups of licensed producers – which allow for the coordinated marketing of vegetables.

“Agencies harness the collective marketing power of producers and are the means by which the Commission achieves its main policy objective of maximizing producer returns,” the Commission’s website reads. “[Agencies] provide producers with the ability to organize themselves to maximize the opportunities and investment options not normally available to smaller producers.”

Solymosi told The Goat this coordination helps the Commission maximize returns for producers, and ensures the safe processing of vegetables.

“It’s about providing some structure that improves economic stability and viability [for producers],” he said.

The Commission did not consult with northern producers before deciding to expand its General Orders, according to Solymosi.

“It makes sense that we expand it,” Solymosi said when asked why the Commission did not consult producers. “There’s no reason why not to expand it. We could have done some consultation, but it was felt that this was the way to go.”

This lack of consultation is in part what prompted criticism from producers and representatives in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. At their April 18th meeting, District Directors Dannielle Alan and Victor Mobley raised their concerns.

“There’s no provision for a member from [the north] to take part in the vegetable commission’s decisions,” Alan said of the changes. “You’re imposing rules, regulations and costs on people who have no representation on the Commission.”

Mobley agreed, and said the change came out of left field and will heavily affect small businesses in the area.

In a follow-up phone call with the Goat, Mobley – himself a producer – said he feels the Commission’s expansion is an overreach that will negatively impact smaller producers.

“1,000 pounds is a micro-producer, essentially. So they’re trying to take over any small producers,” he said. “But the board members are massive producers down in the Fraser Valley.”

Mobley estimates his farm produced over 2,000 pounds of vegetables last year, and most of that revenue went towards buying more seeds and supplies. Introducing new licensing fees will cut down on his already-thin profit margin, he said.

Alan told The Goat she is concerned about a lack of northern representation in the Commission’s decisionmaking process.

“[They’re] making unilateral decisions without representation from northern growers,” she said. “Until this year, there was no marketing agency application fee [...] now they’ve instituted a $20,000 agency application fee. Same thing with the $6,000 producer shipping fee.”

Solymosi said these fees were introduced for consistency, as the other licenses administered by the Commission have similar fees. He added that the Commission reduced other fees – for example, the levy fees for potatoes and cabbage have been halved.

Mobley said poor communication regarding the expansion leaves him wondering how effectively they can be enforced.

“The reality is, noncompliance will be super high,” Mobley said. “That puts us in violation of provincial law [...] no one really knows what’s on the books.”

Andrew Adams, a producer in the Prince George area, said the rollout of the expansion was a surprise, and that communication with producers could be improved. However, he feels the regulations will ultimately benefit the B.C. vegetable industry, he said.

“Making farmers improve their production in terms of food safety, and where food is distributed, is extremely complex and extremely important,” Adams said. “It’s ensuring that we have a robust food system that can meet the needs of the public safely. By having a price regulation, you ensure that farmers can actually grow and hopefully increase production here.”

Adams added that the Commission has been helpful in answering his questions about the Orders.

“The answered my emails immediately, and when I called, they answered, or got back to me relatively fast,” Adams said.

Despite his surprise at the Commission’s announcement that Orders would be expanded, Adams understands the reasoning behind it, he said.

“Climate’s changing, technologies are changing, production is changing,” Adams said. “I kind of expected this to happen at some point.”

Adams added that while he hopes the Commission will expand its board to include northern representatives, he is glad to have its regulatory structures in place.

In his interview with The Goat, Solymosi could not confirm whether the Commission’s board will add a seat dedicated to northern producers. The Commission is treating the next year as a transitional period, he said, during which time feedback from producers will be used to refine the Orders and the Commission’s governing structure as necessary.

“If it makes sense going forward, it’s under the Commission’s authority to determine what elective model would actually benefit the industry,” he said. “If [a northern producer board seat] is something that would add value, then maybe that’s something the Commission will consider going forward.”

The Regional District and the District C Farmers’ Institute – which encompasses McBride and the surrounding area – are taking advantage of the transitional year to share feedback with the Commission.

At the Regional District’s April meeting, the board of directors approved a motion from Alan and Mobley to invite the Commission to a future meeting. Solymosi told The Goat the Commission is in the process of setting up a meeting with the Regional District.

Additionally, the District C Farmers’ Institute passed a motion to form a committee on the expanded General Orders at their Annual General Meeting on May 4th.

“Our main goal is to gather everybody that is impacted [...] get these voices together to the Ministry of Agriculture and say, ‘These are our issues, and how it’s impacting farmers up here,’” said Michelle Miller, President of the District C Farmers’ Institute.

Solymosi said he has been in touch with Miller, and while the Commission was unable to send a representative to the Farmers’ Institute meeting, the Commission will maintain an open line of communication with the Institute.

In the meantime, the Commission will post any updates to its website, bcveg.com, Solymosi said. Producers can also contact the Commission at info@bcveg.com, or at (604) 542-9734.

Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Rocky Mountain Goat