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Supervisory Activities: National Activities

Last updated on June 5, 2019

BCFIRB works to advance the interests of B.C., and support the effective regulated and supply managed systems overall, by a range of activities including:

  • Supporting B.C.’s regulated marketing boards and commissions at national and regional meetings; for example, to secure agreements that will provide:
    • Ongoing opportunities for industry growth and new opportunities in primary and further processing
    • Sufficient allocations for the development of specialty markets, such as organic and other products differentiated at the farm level
  • Working jointly with the regulated marketing boards and commissions on applications and appeals to Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC)
  • Advancing the interests of B.C.’s regulated marketing sectors within the National Association of Agri-food Supervisory Agencies (NAASA)

Federal-Provincial Agreements (FPAs)

BCFIRB, the Minister of Agriculture and the four poultry marketing boards (broiler hatching eggs, chickens, table eggs, and turkeys) are the B.C. signatories to Federal-Provincial Agreements with the Federal Minister, national agencies and their supervisory agency – the FPCC – and other provincial ministers, supervisory agencies and commodity boards in Canada. These agreements provide for the cooperative application of federal and provincial legislation in managing the production and marketing of broiler hatching eggs, chicken, table eggs, and turkey in Canada.

BCFIRB is not a signatory to the federal-provincial agreement in the dairy industry – the National Milk Marketing Agreement – although BCFIRB approval is required before the B.C. Milk Marketing Board may enter into federal or inter-provincial agreements.

National Association of Agri-food Supervisory Agencies (NAASA)

The National Association of Agri-Food Supervisory Agencies (NAASA) was established in 1997 and is composed of 11 provincial and territorial supervisory boards, as well as the FPCC and the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC), which joined in 2007. 

NAASA’s purpose is to assist the Canadian supply managed agri-food industry by sharing information, providing direction and supporting an environment that promotes industry development and prosperity. It provides a forum for communication among its members in support of the progressive evolution of orderly marketing systems within a globally competitive environment.

Recognizing that good governance is a critical component of a regulated industry’s success, NAASA members developed a set of supervisory principles to guide its members in their supervisory responsibilities.

BCFIRB meets with NAASA members regularly and provides updates on regulated marketing in B.C. through a roundtable process. Members periodically elect a Chair.