Agriculture and the Environment

The City of Chilliwack partners with the agricultural community to ensure environmental sustainability.

Principles on Achieving Environmental Goals on Farmland

For more information, please check the Agricultural Land and Environment BC Website 

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

The agriculture industry has had to comply with various laws and regulations for decades, including those dealing with environmental protection. The Waste Management Act, Water Sustainability Act, Fisheries Act, and Pesticide Control Act are a few of the laws with which farmers and ranchers must comply. When conducting their businesses, agricultural operators are expected to exercise due diligence to ensure that their businesses conform to the requirements of these laws. Contaminants from manure, fertilizers, and pesticides include ammonia, nutrients, pathogens and sediments.

Achieving Enhanced Environmental Goals

Compliance with laws is not sufficient to achieve all environmental goals.
Examples include:

• enhancing the function of shoreline areas
• improving habitat for migratory birds by providing feed and shelter on farmland
• conserving wildlife habitat by keeping farmland in native vegetation

(*source: Ministry of Agriculture)

Agriculture - Manure Spreading

Manure is an important nutrient source for farms, but applying it at the wrong time can harm water quality and the environment. In British Columbia’s high-precipitation areas, including the South Coast, provincial regulations prohibit spreading manure in November, December and January, and require a risk assessment before spreading in the “shoulder” months of October, February and March to help protect soil and water resources. For all regions of the province, manure must not be applied on frozen or snow-covered ground, on saturated soils, or during adverse weather such as heavy rain or strong winds, as these conditions increase the risk of runoff entering streams and ditches. Farmers are encouraged to use tools like the BC Application Risk Management (ARM) tool to assess field and weather conditions before applying manure to fields. If you are unsure whether your farm is in a high-precipitation area, you can view this map. 

For more information, you can visit BC's manure and seasonal restrictions webpage.