Formation and Authority
The British Columbia Peace River Grain Industry Development Council (the Council) was established under the FARMING AND FISHING INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT ACT – Bill 44 (1989).
The Council currently has the authority to collect four levies:
- The Grain, Pulse and Oilseeds Levy:
- The GRAIN INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT FUND REGULATION (approved by Order in Council #1113 dated July 26, 1990) provides for a levy of 1/3 of 1% of the gross amount payable to the producer of “all grains, oilseeds, forage seeds and pulse crops grown in the Canadian Wheat Board designated area of the British Columbia Peace River region”. As of July 1, 2004 this levy no longer includes Forage Seeds (see Forage Seed Levy below).
- The Forage Seed Levy:
- Order in Council #363 dated April 15, 2004, and effective July 1, 2004 authorizes the collection of the Forage Seed Levy at 0.75% of the gross amount payable by the first receiver, and is collected by Seed Companies at the time of seed purchase.
- The Barley Levy:
- Order in Council #232 dated July 28, 2017, and effective August 1, 2017, authorizes levy collection of $0.56 / tonne on barley; this is in addition to the existing BC Grain, Pulse, and Oilseeds Levy described above.
- The Wheat Levy:
- Order in Council #232 dated July 28, 2017, and effective August 1, 2017, authorizes levy collection of $0.48 / tonne on wheat; this is in addition to the existing BC Grain, Pulse, and Oilseeds Levy described above.
The Grain, Pulse and Oilseeds Levy, Barley Levy, and Wheat Levy are collected by “First Receivers” (i.e.. Grain elevators) and is remitted to Council. The Forage Seed Levy is collected by the Peace River Forage Seed Association from First Receivers before being remitted to Council. Producers are entitled to claim a refund of all or part of these levies by filing an Application for Refund form during the month of January for levy collected during the preceding calendar year.
