Landmark initiative will protect agricultural land, support new farmers, and secure B.C.’s food future for generations to come

PENTICTON, B.C. – June 26, 2026: BC Agriculture Council (BCAC) is advancing its plans to establish a Farmland Trust model aimed at keeping British Columbia farmland in agricultural production for generations to come, while urging the federal government to modernize tax and charitable policy tools needed to help make the model viable at scale. The announcement was made at the inaugural BC Agriculture Forum in Penticton yesterday evening.

The proposed trust model would provide a long-term mechanism to preserve agricultural land, support farm succession and help ensure productive farmland remains available for farming rather than being lost to non-agricultural uses. BCAC says the work comes at a time when farmland affordability pressures, rising land values and a significant wave of farm transitions are making it increasingly difficult for new and next-generation farmers to access land.

BCAC President Jennifer Woike states, “Today’s announcement is backed by over a year of research documenting the empirical case for the Trust, surveying Canadian and international models, and setting out the federal policy reforms required to make it durable. Over the past year, and especially this spring, the initiative has moved from a concept into a well-supported, federally visible file with a clear route into formation — the changes we need federally are critical to enabling a trust model that can help preserve agricultural capacity, strengthen food security and provide retiring landowners with an alternative pathway to keep their land in farming.”

That policy progress reflects a pressing reality on the ground for B.C. farmers, ranchers and landowners.

“Farmland in British Columbia is increasingly beyond the reach of the next generation of farmers,” says BCAC Executive Director, Danielle Synotte. “As the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in Canadian history gets underway, many farms have no successor prepared to take over, and there is no straightforward mechanism — and no tax recognition — for an owner who would prefer to see their land kept in agriculture rather than sold at market value. A farmland trust would hold land in perpetuity, keep it in agricultural use, and lease it to active farmers at affordable rates, offering a succession pathway that does not depend on a family member taking over.”

Over the past year, BCAC engaged Chris Bodnar, Assistant Professor of Agriculture at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), to undertake research examining the feasibility of farmland trust models and their applicability in British Columbia. This research provided a solid foundation of knowledge; examining several farmland-trust models, the legal and tax framework, the gaps in existing tools, and comparable efforts in other jurisdictions. The research has been led by UFV’s Chris Bodnar, Assistant Professor of Agriculture.

“The research highlights the scale of the farmland affordability and access challenges facing agriculture in British Columbia,” says Bodnar. “Our research found that farmland values in British Columbia have increasingly diverged from what the land can earn through farming, creating growing barriers for new entrants and adding pressure to farm succession and transition. That makes it increasingly important to explore mechanisms that can help keep farmland accessible and in agricultural production over the long term.”

BCAC will immediately begin incorporating the society and applying for charitable status. This will enable the Farmland Trust to accept cash donations to support its operations and receive gifts of farmland and financial contributions to, over time, support land acquisition. Federal advocacy will continue in parallel — sustaining engagement with the Senate committee and pressing for CRA action. Legal scoping is expected to complete this summer, with formal incorporation targeted for fall 2026. Landowners interested in donation or conservation easement options, and farmers interested in future lease opportunities, are encouraged to contact BCAC.

-30-

For more information:
Ursula Klein
Communications Manager
T: (604) 854-4454 ext. 205
E: communications@bcac.ca

For access to the templates and support materials:
Farmland Access Challenges in Canada and the Case for a BC Farmland Trust

About BC Agriculture Council: BCAC’s mission is to support and grow a competitive agriculture sector by fostering industry collaboration and shaping effective public policy. This is achieved by delivering a unified voice for the sector to government through member farm associations that in turn represent approximately 96% of provincial farm gate sales.