Webinar: Get Farm Status in BC
Date: August 5 2025
KBFA farm advisor Andrew Bennett led a session on how to qualify for BC Assessment Farm Classification (a.k.a. farm status) to lower property taxes, access funding, and strengthen lease agreements. With the annual application deadline on October 31, the session helped participants prepare by covering the requirements, application process, and common examples, with plenty of time for questions.
Watch Recording Here:
This webinar reviews how to get farm classification (farm status) in British Columbia, Canada. Presented live, it was re-recorded on September 30, 2025, with input from farm classification experts at BC Assessment. The presenter, Andrew Bennett, is a farm advisor with the Kootenay and Boundary Farm Advisors (KBFA) and a homesteader who maintains farm status on owned and leased properties in Rossland, BC. For questions about farm classification, contact BC Assessment directly: 1-866-825-8322 farms@bcassessment.ca www.bcassessment.ca
CONTENTS
00:00 Intro
01:11 Experts = BC Assessment
02:27 Why get farm status?
04:02 Lower property taxes
07:27 Taxes on buildings
09:45 How do I get farm status?
11:28 Income Requirement
13:37 Area in production
15:15 Marginal land
17:38 Gross income
20:48 Reporting
22:46 No production yet?
24:48 Qualifying farm activities
26:28 Non-qualifying activities
28:31 Qualifying farm products
30:06 Foraging, woodlots, pets
31:29 Services
33:11 Cannabis etc
34:06 How to apply
35:02 Application example
36:21 1, 2, 3… Basics
38:07 4… Land
39:37 5, 6… ALR, housing
40:15 7… Gross income
41:01 7. Livestock born on farm
42:45 7. Livestock purchased
43:38 7. Poultry and eggs
45:33 7. Other income (vegetables etc)
47:46 7. Sum of “past” income
48:31 7. Unrealized income
48:58 7. Income summary
49:50 8… Farm Development Plan
51:28 8. Livestock
52:45 8. Prepared, planted, viable?
53:19 9… Buildings
53:44 10… Maps
56:01 11… Make your case!
56:42 12… Signatures
57:04 Multiple properties
57:58 13… Lease
58:37 Contact BC Assessment
