Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick has introduced the Food and Agricultural Products Classification Act in the Legislature.
The regulatory changes would require all food and beverage products marketed as “organic” in B.C. to be certified under either a provincial or national certification program by 2018, and consider the certification of products made with B.C. ingredients in the future.
“This legislation provides us with an opportunity. We want to build on the momentum of our record $12.3 billion in B.C. agrifood and seafood sector revenues,” said Letnick, Lake Country MLA.
If passed, the Food and Agricultural Products Classification Act will replace the Food Products Standards Act, Agri-food Choice and Quality Act and the Agricultural Produce Grading Act.
“We appreciate the enormous effort involved in evaluating and reformatting the act to provide clarity for consumers and producers within the organic marketplace,” said Carmen Wakeling, Certified Organic Associations of B.C. co-president.
