Specialty Market Allocation Consultation and Pilot Project

Since early 2024, the BCCMB has been developing a pilot project that will address the ongoing inequitable quota allocation among specialty growers. The Board’s Specialty Market Allocation Committee (SMAC) reviewed and provided feedback to the Board April 10, 2024. Staff have since met with individual processors to explain the project in more detail and hear their concerns.

The pilot project will change the way in which specialty quota allocation is assigned. The result is that there will be some growers who receive more quota than they were previously allotted and some necessarily will receive less, but the distribution will be fair. This is the goal of the proposed policy changes. Nevertheless, we recognize that there may be other unintended consequences of any policy change, so the Board plans to carry out the ‘pilot project’ for a period of not less than 18 months and not more than two years. This allows for any necessary amendments before committing to any changes in the General Orders.

The pilot project is proposed to be implemented with the A-194 allocation (Feb. 9, 2025 – April 5, 2025). The proposal will be reviewed in detail by the Board at its scheduled meeting on August 13, 2024. Before that meeting, the Board sought further feedback from specialty growers, hatcheries and processors. Please see the link below for more information and the consultation timeline.