The B.C. government is providing a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) exemption for qualifying farmers who obtain, on or after Feb. 17, telescopic handlers, skid steers and polycarbonate greenhouse panels for use solely for a farm purpose, Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick announced today.

The PST exemption will directly help B.C.’s family farms in growing their business as they continue to provide us with food supply security for future generations. B.C. has one of the most diverse agrifood industries in Canada, producing more than 200 agriculture commodities and 100 seafood species, a Ministry of Agriculture press release states.

The telescopic handlers (pictured above) and skid steers are both large, wheeled machines that are commonly used in the agriculture sector.

The durability of the rigid plastic, polycarbonate panels are becoming popular for greenhouse growers as an alternative to glass. To qualify for the exemption, the polycarbonate greenhouse panels must be purchased in a minimum of 500 square meters.

“We are always looking at innovative ways to support B.C. farmers and the PST exemption will do just that. The 55,000 British Columbians working in our provincial agrifood and seafood sector are an integral part of B.C.’s economy and the B.C. government will continue to work closely with them as we build provincial agrifood revenues to $15 billion a year by 2020,” Letnick stated.

B.C. farms provide valuable food supply security producing about 1.2 million tonnes of crops and meats a year as well as about 700 million litres of milk and more than 800 million eggs.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s AgriService BC is a toll-free phone and e-mail service to connect farmers, and agri-businesses with the people and information they need to help their businesses succeed and grow.

AgriService BC is available online at: www.gov.bc.ca/agriservicebc, by phone (1 888 221-7141) and email: [email protected], or by visiting a Ministry of Agriculture office.

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