The BC Conservatives have unveiled their plan to strengthen the province's farming industry and ramp up production of locally-grown food.Leader John Rustad vowed to do away with "excessive regulation" put in place by the BC NDP and invest in the farmers who make the products enjoyed both within the province and around the world.Speaking in Abbotsford, the heart of the farm-filled Fraser Valley, Rustad outlined how a Conservative government would accomplish the aforementioned goals. He explained that the government needed to be on the side of farmers, providing financial support for yield-increasing measures and recovery from extreme weather events.He also drew attention to the fact that many small and medium-sized farms have been unable to keep up with ever-improving agricultural technology, offering to streamline grant programs to provide access.Rustad went on to address the rising cost of growing food, promising to ditch the carbon tax, provide tax relief to make it easier for new farmers to get into the industry, establish a microloan program, and increase access to temporary labour. He also said he'd expand the Buy BC program to prioritize locally-grown products in stores across the province and improve rural transportation infrastructure to ensure goods move around safely.On the issue of pollination, Rustad explained that bees from the United States were banned from being imported into BC, despite the fact that they can fly across the border whenever they please. He said the policy "doesn't make any sense," vowing to do what he can to change it."Our farmers contend with enough challenges from nature — they shouldn't have to fight the government too," Rustad concluded. "The NDP has neglected BC's agricultural sector for too long, leading to a drop in farm jobs, higher costs at the grocery store, and a growing food crisis. The Conservative Party of BC will get BC growing again by investing in our farmers, expanding access to local markets, and cutting the unnecessary red tape that’s holding them back."
The BC Conservatives have unveiled their plan to strengthen the province's farming industry and ramp up production of locally-grown food.Leader John Rustad vowed to do away with "excessive regulation" put in place by the BC NDP and invest in the farmers who make the products enjoyed both within the province and around the world.Speaking in Abbotsford, the heart of the farm-filled Fraser Valley, Rustad outlined how a Conservative government would accomplish the aforementioned goals. He explained that the government needed to be on the side of farmers, providing financial support for yield-increasing measures and recovery from extreme weather events.He also drew attention to the fact that many small and medium-sized farms have been unable to keep up with ever-improving agricultural technology, offering to streamline grant programs to provide access.Rustad went on to address the rising cost of growing food, promising to ditch the carbon tax, provide tax relief to make it easier for new farmers to get into the industry, establish a microloan program, and increase access to temporary labour. He also said he'd expand the Buy BC program to prioritize locally-grown products in stores across the province and improve rural transportation infrastructure to ensure goods move around safely.On the issue of pollination, Rustad explained that bees from the United States were banned from being imported into BC, despite the fact that they can fly across the border whenever they please. He said the policy "doesn't make any sense," vowing to do what he can to change it."Our farmers contend with enough challenges from nature — they shouldn't have to fight the government too," Rustad concluded. "The NDP has neglected BC's agricultural sector for too long, leading to a drop in farm jobs, higher costs at the grocery store, and a growing food crisis. The Conservative Party of BC will get BC growing again by investing in our farmers, expanding access to local markets, and cutting the unnecessary red tape that’s holding them back."
