New program helps B.C. farmers handle wildfires, flooding, extreme heat

VICTORIA, B.C. – The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food has released a pilot program to help the province’s farmers reduce the risks from extreme weather, such as wildfires, flooding and extreme heat.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen the extreme impacts of climate-related weather events on our farming communities, and we are taking action to support farmers and ranchers with climate-change adaptation tools and projects,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food.

“Agriculture and being able to feed British Columbians are intricately tied to climate change, and by taking increased steps to focus on how we can best prepare for and mitigate future climate impacts, we will be able to better protect the livelihoods of our food producers while strengthening our food security and food economy.”

In its pilot year, the Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture program will support up to $1.5 million in projects to help farmers conduct risk assessments and make infrastructure upgrades.

“Agricultural producers in British Columbia know how important it is to act now, so we are better prepared for extreme weather and climate change,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

“B.C. is recognized globally for the high-quality food we produce. By working together to reduce these risks, we’re building a more resilient agricultural sector to maintain and enhance that success. This program is an important part of our Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, which outlines actions across sectors to help people, communities, and businesses prepare for climate impacts in the future.”

The release from the ministry states the program is open to farm and ranch businesses in B.C., and applications are being accepted between July 25th and August 15th, 2022.

The ministry is anticipating the program to continue in 2023 and 2024, with possible adjustments based on experiences in the pilot year.

For eligible businesses, funding will be allocated on a “first-come, first-served” basis.

This program is part of B.C.’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, which is the province’s plan to “help people, communities and businesses work together to be better prepared for the impacts of climate change.”

The strategy reportedly includes actions to build a stronger, more resilient future for everyone and is supported by more than $500 million in provincial investments.

Examples of projects eligible for funding:

• FireSmart Critical Infrastructure assessments
• Farm building retrofits for wildfire preparedness
• Improved on-farm fuel storage and well protection for flood preparedness
• Reconfiguration of high-value feed storage for flood preparedness
• Farm building retrofits to improve cooling during extreme heat
• Enhanced water and shade to mitigate crop and livestock heat stress
• Infrastructure improvements to support tree and berry canopy cooling as well as shade and heat protection for harvested fruit, berry or vegetable crops

For more information on the Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture funding, click here.

B.C.’s Climate Preparedness and Adaption Strategy can be found on the government website.

To learn to help prepare for wildfire season, visit the FireSmart website.

For FireSmart resources specific to farmers and ranchers, click here.