Township of Langley Agricultural Viability (Phase 3)

Topic	Sub-topic	Policy or Policy Excerpt	Document Location
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Encourage regional, provincial, and federal governments to establish agricultural policies and protocols that are sensitive to the needs of farm producers and processors (AAC, EDD, commodity groups)	2.1.1
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Support participating in regional and provincial discussions where agriculture is encouraged (AAC)	2.1.1
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Support positive staff contact with individuals and all industry groups, including agriculture, wishing to expand or establish their businesses (AAC, EDAC)	2.1.1
education; economic development;		Support increasing staff knowledge about agriculture by supporting staff training and attendance at relevant agricultural workshops and seminars (AAC). Assess current expectations of various services to agriculture and determine resources that may be necessary to assist the industry with appropriate economic development and support (AAC, EDD)	2.1.1
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Support partnerships with other organizations and agencies and working together to enhance agricultural production in the Township and the region (AAC, farm community, commodity groups, other agencies)	2.1.3
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	agricultural advisory committee;	Support having an active and effective Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC)	2.1.2
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	agricultural advisory committee;	Support ongoing monitoring by the Agricultural Advisory Committee of selected indicators affecting agriculture in the Township (AAC, staff) Request an annual work plan from the Agricultural Advisory Committee and ensure an appropriate budget for completion of the work plan	2.1.2
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	agricultural advisory committee;	Provide reports on agricultural activities and update the Agricultural Profile as appropriate (AAC, IAF)	2.1.2
economic development;		Support the agricultural industry as an important economic contributor to the Township economy (AAC, EDD, EDAC, commodity groups)	2.1.4
education;	agricultural advisory committee;	Support the annual farm tour organized and conducted by the Agricultural Advisory Committee and the Langley Environmental Partners Society (AAC)	2.1.4
education;	local food culture;	Encourage additional cultural and heritage events related to food and culinary products and agricultural background of the community	2.1.4
First Nations and indigenous food systems;		Support First Nations agricultural development on First Nations land within the Township	2.1.4
	emergency preparedness;	Support working with all relevant government agencies and agricultural groups and associations to address crises and disasters affecting the agricultural and rural community (BCMA, PEP, farm community)	2.1.5
	emergency preparedness;	Support emergency planning at the Township and Provincial levels to address flooding issues and concerns (BCMA, PEP, farm community, Drainage and Dyking Committee)	2.1.5
education;		Encourage the students of School District #35, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and Trinity Western University to consider seasonal or temporary agricultural employment in conjunction with their studies (AAC, School District #35, KPU, TWU, farm community)	2.1.7
education;		Encourage local educational institutions to promote work experiences on local farms to their students (AAC, farm community, educators)	2.1.7
	farm worker accommodation;	Encourage non-permanent housing for seasonal or temporary workers that conforms to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Guidelines for the Provision of Seasonal Housing for Migrant Farm Workers in BC and that conforms to amendments to the Township’s Zoning Bylaw (AAC)	2.1.7
development and productive use of agricultural land;		Support the promotion of farming options to owners of smaller parcel land in the ALR that is not being farmed (AAC, IAF)	2.1.8
development and productive use of agricultural land;	ALR; residential development;	Support agricultural production on ALR land where residential use may be the primary use (AAC, land owners).	2.1.8
development and productive use of agricultural land;		Support agricultural production on Township land or land owned by other governments where practical and possible (AAC)	2.1.8
education; urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	nuisance complaints;	Support efforts of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and the agricultural industry to inform the public about normal farm practices occurring on area farms (AAC, BCMA, farm community)	2.1.9
education; urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	covenants; commercial development; residential development; nuisance complaints;	Support the use of a Restrictive Covenant, using Section 219 of the Land Title Act, on all new residential and commercial parcels adjacent to agricultural properties notifying purchasers that the use of their property may be impacted by normal farm practices (AAC)	2.1.9
education; urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	nuisance complaints;	Encourage area realtors to ensure purchasers of properties adjacent to, or in close proximity to, active farm operations are aware of normal farm practices protected from bylaw enforcement or private nuisance suits by the Farm Practices Protection Act (AAC, FVREB)	2.1.9
education;	community food system education;	Support the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation’s “Agriculture in the Classroom” program to educate young people about farming (School District #35, farm community)	2.1.9
economic development;	agri-tourism;	Encourage agri-tourism and culinary tourism (AAC, Tourism Langley, EDAC)	2.1.11
economic development; policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	agri-tourism;	Support organizations working to increase agri-tourism and culinary tourism in the Township such as Circle Farm Tours and the Fraser Valley Farm Direct Marketing Association (EDAC, AAC, Tourism Langley)	2.1.11
education;		Recognize the importance of education and training for the growth and development of the agricultural sector in the Township (School District #35, KPU, TWU, AAC)	2.1.12
education;		Support additional education and training for local farmers and others interested in agriculture (AAC, educators)	2.1.12
	new entrants to farming;	Support efforts to encourage people to enter farming, through the work of educational institutions and the farm community (AAC, educators, commodity groups)	2.1.13
	amenity density zoning/contributions;	Consider amenity bonuses for the agricultural industry where reasonable and possible (AAC, other municipal committees)	2.1.14
water management;	water restrictions and conservation;	Support water conservation by all citizens	2.2.1
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Support the provision of sufficient water for agriculture for all farms practicing efficient water use (AAC)	2.2.1
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Support appropriate ways to measure water use (Property owners, AAC)	2.2.1
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Encourage farmers unprotected by the dyke system to be aware of the dangers from flooding and to take the steps necessary to minimize risk to their families and farm operations (AAC, BCMA)	2.2.2
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Support the maintenance and upgrading of the dykes and other related infrastructure (AAC)	2.2.2
water management; policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	irrigation and drainage;	Encourage senior governments to protect all farm land from flooding using appropriate dykes and other methods (AAC, BCMoE, BCMA)	2.2.2
water management; policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	irrigation and drainage;	Work closely with the farm community to ensure ditch drainage and maintenance address farmer needs (AAC, DDC)	2.2.3
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Support ditch drainage and maintenance activities that are environmentally sustainable (DDC)	2.2.3
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Encourage farmers who practice management strategies on their farms to reduce the levels of vegetative growth occurring in ditches (AAC)	2.2.3
development and productive use of agricultural land;	roads in agricultural land; ALR;	Require Agricultural Impact Assessments (see 2.3.1) be completed for new roads within the Agricultural Land Reserve.	2.2.4
development and productive use of agricultural land;	roads in agricultural land;	Review rural road standards for arterial and collector roads to ensure that road development meets the growing road demand and has proper lighting and traffic control (AAC)	2.2.4
urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	signage in agricultural areas;	Support appropriate agricultural signage in the Township (AAC)	2.2.4
food production; food processing, storage, and distribution;		Support food processing on area farms when consistent with the Agricultural Land Commission Act and Regulations (AAC, ALC)	2.2.5
food processing, storage, and distribution;	food processing; ALR;	Support efforts to attract food processors to the Township and work with interested processors to provide the infrastructure needs of larger-scale food processing industries within existing and future industrial parks (EDD, AAC, EDAC)	2.2.5
food processing, storage, and distribution;	food processing;	Support the use of food hubs or clustering, where relevant, as a strategy for increasing agricultural production in the Township (AAC, EDD, BCMA, LSAF)	2.2.5
food sales, access and production;	farmers' markets; farm retail/farm gate sales;	Support the efforts of local farmers in making their products available for local purchase from the farm gate, through farmers’ markets, or in cooperation with other local retailers(AAC, farm community	2.2.5
food sales, access and production;	farmers' markets; farm retail/farm gate sales;	Encourage the establishment of appropriate farmers’ markets in the Township (AAC, EDD)	2.2.5
urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	recreational use of agricultural land;	Support multi-use trails in or adjacent to agricultural land when implementation takes into consideration concerns of the agricultural community and minimizing conflict (AAC, Parks and Recreation, BCMA, ALC)	2.2.7
development and productive use of agricultural land;	ALR exclusion; ALR subdivision; ALR; agricultural advisory committee;	Support seeking advice from its Agricultural Advisory Committee for all applications for removal, boundary adjustment, sub-division or non-farm use on land within the Agricultural Land Reserve (AAC)	2.3.1
	ALR exclusion; ALR subdivision; ALR; agricultural advisory committee;	Support providing input to the Agricultural Land Commission on applications for exclusion, boundary adjustment, non-farm use and subdivision in the Agricultural Land Reserve as to their benefits to agriculture (AAC)	2.3.1
development and productive use of agricultural land;	zoning;	Encourage agricultural use for all land zoned for agriculture and within the Agricultural Land Reserve (AAC, BCMA, ALC)	2.3.3
	zoning;	Continue to review rural zones within Zoning Bylaw No. 2500 to reduce the number of zones and provide consistency with the BC Ministry of Agriculture's Guide for Bylaw Development in Farming Areas (BCMA, ALC)	2.3.3
urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;		Support the concentration of new urban growth within the six existing established urban centres in the Township The Township of Langley, in the medium term and ongoing,	2.3.4
urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	ALR;	Support strategies for edge planning in areas of the Township where the Agricultural Land Reserve abuts non-ALR land (AAC, BCMA, ALC)	2.3.4
urban-agriculture conflict/edge planning;	buffer at agricultural edge; ALR;	Encourage citizens residing in the ALR, but not farming, to consider appropriate buffering or residential site planning on their land where it may abut active and productive farming operations (AAC, BCMA, ALC)	2.3.4
waste management;		Encourage farmers to reduce, or eliminate, open air burning when diseased crops are not present and where recycling programs for the material exist (AAC)	2.4.1
waste management;		Support the use of air curtain incinerators (mainly suitable for large burns) and other technological options by farmers who are committed to open air burning for diseased crops (AAC, BCMA)	2.4.1
waste management;		Support the burning of regular agricultural waste when it cannot be recycled and when all bylaw considerations are being followed (AAC)	2.4.1
education;		Encourage all farmers to ensure those applying chemicals on their farms have the required training for the application and use of chemicals (AAC, BCMA)	2.4.2
wildlife/environmental/pest management; policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	wildlife and ecosystem management;	Support working with farmers and other rural landowners, agricultural and wildlife organizations, and agencies to identify farming practices that enhance wildlife and wildlife habitat (AAC, LEPS,BCMA, BCMoE, farm community)	2.4.3
water management; policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	wildlife and ecosystem management;	Work closely with the farm community regarding farming near watercourses to balance farming requirements with the requirements for safe water (AAC, BCMA)	2.4.4
wildlife/environmental/pest management;	wildlife and ecosystem management;	Support farmers using best management practices for activities that may impact the quality of surface and groundwater such as proper storage of manure and wood waste, fuel storage, compost sites building locations and livestock access to surface water courses (AAC, BCMA, IAF)	2.4.4
wildlife/environmental/pest management;	livestock;	Support livestock farmers, and other farmers that use manure on their properties, having a nutrient management plan in place to identify farm wastes and how they are to be treated.	2.4.5
wildlife/environmental/pest management;	wildlife and ecosystem management;	Support the Environmental Farm Plan Program and encourage all area farmers to participate in the program (AAC, BCMA, AAFC)	2.4.6
wildlife/environmental/pest management;		Support the principle of farmer compensation when there is an environmental benefit to the Township, when funding sources are available, and when the investments undertaken on farms exceed existing requirements of law and regulation and result in benefits to citizens at large (AAC)	2.4.7