Climate Action Initiative | BC Agriculture & Food

Hot off the presses!  This new report explores the potential for carbon footprints and labels for BC agri-food products, summarizing current approaches and identifying the challenges and opportunities for businesses interested in determining their carbon footprint.  It also provides recommendations regarding next steps for strategic support in this area.   The full report is now available here: Carbon Footprints & Labels BC Agriculture

Applications from BC agricultural operations interested in participating in cost-shared renewable energy technology feasibility studies are currently being accepted.   Funded through the federal-provincial Growing Forward Agreement, the studies will evaluate the potential feasibility of renewable energy technologies for selected agricultural operations.  The first two technologies to be evaluated are geoexchange and solar thermal.  The deadline for applications for these technologies is September 5, 2011.  Participants are required to contribute 30% (to a maximum of $5,000) towards the cost of in-depth, site specific assessments.  The cost for such assessments is typically $20,000 to $25,000.  For full details about the program and how to participate please visit: www.kmwpp.ca/climate_action/

What is the Adaptation Risk & Opportunity Assessment and why does it matter?

Through the BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative, the BC Agriculture Council is undertaking a Climate Change Risk and Opportunity Assessment for the BC agriculture sector. This 12 month project is now underway and will be guided by agricultural producer perspectives of impacts, risks and capacity to manage through climate change.    Weather has always been a challenge for the agriculture sector, and farmers have developed many ways of adapting. However, in the context of a changing climate, the scope and scale of change is expected to exceed anything previously experienced. Patterns of normal weather will shift, and the frequency of unpredictable and extreme weather "events" will increase. This will test the capacity of individual agricultural producers to respond, and is likely to push beyond the threshold of current adaptations. A changing climate will have direct consequences for food production by affecting the health and quality of crops, pastures, forests and livestock. Compounding the uncertainty associated with climate change, impacts will vary considerably across geographic regions and many other factors influence the capacity of regions and agricultural producers to adapt.

 What will the project achieve?

The project will increase understanding of the potential impacts of climate change for the BC agriculture sector. It will identify risks and opportunities, as well as practices that farmers currently use to manage difficult or extreme weather conditions.  To support future work, the project will highlight gaps in the information and resources currently available. This project is the first step in a broad strategic approach to climate change adaptation, as outlined in the industry's BC Agriculture Climate Change Action Plan.  The Risk and Opportunity Assessment will contribute to the development of knowledge, tools and resources to improve the resilience of the BC agriculture sector and individual farm operations in the context of a changing climate. For more information, please see the project handout or contact: Emily MacNair (Coordinator) at Emily@BCAgClimateAction.ca Erica Crawford (Adaptation Specialist) at Erica@BCAgClimateAction.ca

Phase I of the BC Farm Energy Assessment pilot project, initiated in March of 2010, is now complete. Through the pilot project, a tool has been developed to conduct high level assessments of energy and fuel use on BC farms.  This, in turn,  enables identification of opportunities for increased energy efficiency and the associated cost savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions.  The tool was piloted by conducting all fuels energy assessments for 27 BC farms. Each participating farm received a high level report on their energy use and potential efficiency opportunities. To maximize the bredth of the pilot, a small number of farms were assessed across a range of commodity types. Commodities participating in the project included: greenhouse vegetable, floriculture, dairy, poultry, cattle, potatoes and blueberries. Keep an eye out for the Energy Efficiency Fact Sheets (soon to be available on this website) that will highlight key project findings.

In June of 2010, the BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative Advisory Committee accomplished its mandate and completed an action plan for the sector to begin addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with climate change.  The BC Agriculture Climate Change Action Plan covers a three year span (2010 to 2013) and is intended to be accomplished with the participation of many private and public sector partners. The Plan covers a range of topics including: Strategic Adaptation, Farm Practices and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Energy & Fuel Efficiency and Clean Energy Production. Next steps for Plan implementation are still under development. To see the Plan, please click on the document title above or visit our Document Library.  An BC Agriculture Climate Change Action Plan Executive Summary is also available.

Launched in March 2010, the BC Farm Energy Assessment Pilot Project will conduct high level energy assessments (including all fuel types) on 25 farms across the province. A range of commodity types will be included and the assessments will take place between April and July of 2010.  By collecting and analyzing energy and fuel consumption data from participating farms, the project will identify key opportunities for increasing energy efficiency on BC farms. The project is anticipated to highlight potential for both cost-savings (for producers) and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The pilot project reflects the need for a specialized approach to energy efficiency assessments in agriculture because of the sector's specific production systems and technologies.  However, before new programming can be put into place, a better understanding of the needs of the agriculture sector must be developed. Project partners include the BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative, BC Agriculture Research and Development Corporation, Terasen Gas, BC Hydro, the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources, and the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.  Terasen Gas is the primary financial sponsor of the project. For more information, please contact Emily MacNair of the BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative (250-356-1666).

On February 22, 2010, the Federal Government announced the creation of the Farm Credit Canada Energy Loan. This loan is designed to assist producers and agribusiness owners who want to move towards producing their own renewable energy. A recent Farm Credit Canada Vision survey showed that 60 per cent of indivdiuals surveyed are considering new ways to find financial value by reducing their environmental impact. Available on March 1, the Energy Loan will help producers and agribusiness operators purchase and install on-farm energy sources like biogas, geo-thermal, wind or solar power. The Energy Loan offers an interest term of up to five years at variable or fixed rates and with monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual payments. For more information about the new loan, please contact Shaun Humphries, Farm Credit Canada, (306) 780-6987.

On December 17, 2009, the BC Agricultural Research and Development Corporation (ARDCorp) announced the launch of the Renewable Agri-energy Initiative, to support renewable agri-energy production throughout BC's agricultural sector. Renewable agri-energy production ranges from the adoption of on-farm technologies to the use of significant proportions of agricultural feedstocks (including crop by-products, livestock and food processing waste). The BC Bioenergy Network has contributed a $100,000 investment to support the Initiative which is intended to help overcome hurdles in the adoption of on-farm renewable agri-energy projects.  ARDCorp has appointed Mathew Dickson as the Initiative's program manager.   For more information, visit the ARDCorp website or contact Mathew Dickson, Program Manager.

The Provincial government's Innovative Clean Energy Program (ICE) has recently issued a new Call for Proposals for pre-commercial energy projects anywhere in the province.  A total of $25 million is available for projects that meet provincial government priorities including: production of clean or renewable energy, improving the way that energy moves from producers to BC users and improving the ways energy is used in communities and across all sectors of the province. The ICE Fund Showcase Call has three intake deadlines to enable applicants to chose the date that fits best with their project.  Intake dates are November 20, 2009, January 29, 2010 and July 5, 2010.  However, the Program requires project abstracts to be submitted in advance. For full details regarding application please go to: http://www.tted.gov.bc.ca/ICEFund/CurrentCall/Pages/default.aspx

British Columbia's Pacific Carbon Trust, the Crown corporation that serves as the exclusive supplier of offsets for the Province of BC, has issued an open solicitation for offset suppliers and developers across the BC economy.  Eligible types of project include landfill management (methane capture), fuel switching, energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage.  Detailed requirements for offset projects  are available through the BC Bid website www.bcbid.ca by referencing Solicitation #PCT-2376.  The closing date for submissions is November 9, 2009. Project proponents may also attend an information meeting (requiring pre-registration) at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver on October 14th.  To receive notifications regarding future calls or to be added to the Pacific Carbon Trust industry interest list, email your contact information to info@pacificcarbontrust.ca   You can also contact: Ron Zeilstra (Director, Offset Delivery) at 250-952-6793 or info@pacificcarbontrust.ca

The offset system is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2006 levels by 2020. It will encourage cost-effective domestic greenhouse gas reductions or removals in activities or sectors that are not covered by planned federal regulations of greenhouse gas emissions. In June the government of Canada released its proposed rules for a national offset system.  The draft program guides and an overview are available on the Offset website at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/creditscompensatoires-offsets.  Written comments on the draft guides were accepted prior to August 12, 2009. After reviewing the comments received and making any necessary revisions, final versions of the guides will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. The final overview will also be made available on the Offset System website. It is anticipated that this will happen in the fall of 2009. This system will very likely include opportunities for Canadian agricultural producers to sell offsets for greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals. However, it is the program rules that will define the types of projects will be eligible.