Environmental farm plan

A farm buyer meets the environmental farm plan when asking what environmental work the seller has done and whether a record of it exists. Both provinces covered here describe a program for farmers to assess environmental risks on their own farms.

British Columbia and Ontario

The British Columbia government says participation is confidential, has no cost, and starts with an on-farm consultation with a trained EFP Planning Advisor who helps complete an agri-environmental risk assessment. It adds that producers with tax Farm Status can reach funding through the Beneficial Management Practices program. The Ontario government calls its program voluntary, with each step voluntary, and says the plan is submitted to the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association for confidential review. It says the farm review and action plan belong to the farmer and are not shared with other parties.

What to check or ask

• Whether a plan was completed, and when
• Whether the seller will show the risk assessment and action plan, since the plan belongs to the farmer
• Which actions were listed and which were carried out
• Whether any cost-share or program funding was received and on what conditions

The farm business buyer checklist places this among the other farm records. Check the program rules where the farm is located.