B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands Steve Thomson paid a visit to the East Kootenay last week in the company of Kootenay East MLA and Energy Minister Bill Bennett.

Thomson, elected as MLA for Kelowna-Mission in 2009, was conducting a familiarization tour of the region, meeting with producer organizations like Fort Steele Farms and the Kootenay Livestock Association, checking out areas of ecosystem restoration, and having lunch with representatives of diverse groups, like the Cranbrook Farmers’ Market.

“It’s an important part of our work as ministers,” Thomson said.

Thomson took some time to discuss the broad spectrum of B.C.’s agriculture industry, and the government’s involvement in smaller scale production for local consumption.

“It is something we’re very interested in. It’s an opportunity for the industry,” he said. “We’re seeing it here and around the province — the growing interest and emphasis on local food production, buying closer to home, supporting local food systems.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth around the province in farmers’ markets, in direct farm marketing opportunities. It’s something as a ministry we support, that we work towards.”

Examples of this support Thomson said, includes assisting the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, working with organizations like B.C. Fairs and Exhibitions and 4H organizations, and helping “create that awareness and understanding of the agriculture industry in the regions.

“We’re seeing lots of interest from people in finding those extra opportunities.”

Thomson said the province also has a strong commercial agricultural sector, providing products for export. “B.C. has a strong export interest in terms of market opportunities, like our cattle industry, like our blueberry industry. We have to keep a balanced approach in developing policies with those areas in mind as well.

“But we’re paying good attention to helping assist those local food systems. We have a program within the agriculture foundation that help develop local systems, and how we and local governments can help.

“They’re not mutually exclusive. We see some people who are looking for those opportunities and significant interest from what you may call commercial level producers in those same opportunities. So it’s added opportunities.

“It’s a way to connect directly between the consumer and the producer, and the consumer demands are moving a lot in that direction. As a ministry we work with smaller scale producers and larger commercial level operations.”

The Province has also recently brought in new classes of license to assist local meat producers — smaller organizations like the Kootenay Livestock Assocation, for example.

“There are opportunities now for areas that are not serviced by existing abattoir operations. That allows for local slaughter and sale,” Thomson said.

A recent amendment to B.C.’s MIR created the Class D licence which allows for the slaughter of up to 25 animal units per year (an animal unit is 1,000 lb. or 454 kg) and means that producers can sell meat to restaurants and retail outlets in the regional district where it is produced, as well as directly to local consumers at the farm gate.

Class D licences are currently available only in the initial consultation areas of Powell River, Bella Coola and Haida Gwaii, but will be available in six other designated areas before the end of the year. Applications for Class E licences, which allow for slaughter of up to 10 animal units per year, will also be accepted from across B.C. before the start of 2011.