2010 Review of BC Egg Marketing Board New Producer Program Lottery
Note: BCFIRB has approved a request from the Egg Board to extend the deadline for holding its 2011 New Producer Program lottery from March to May 2011. Please see below (under 'Documents and Links' section) for related correspondence.
Background
In accordance with section 37(c) of the British Columbia Egg Marketing Scheme, 1967, the British Columbia Egg Marketing Board (Egg Board) requires prior approval from the British Columbia Farm Industry Review Board (BCFIRB) to establish terms and conditions for the allocation and transfer of quotas to registered producers.
Between July and November, 2009, BCFIRB undertook a prior approval review of the Egg Board’s New Producer Program Rules as part of a broader review on the Egg Board's 2009 ‘Quota Distribution Policy for National and Provincial Allocations’.
The prior approval review included two public comment periods, where BCFIRB sought feedback from industry stakeholders and members of the public on the format of the New Producer Program, as set out in the Rules. Following consideration of the comments received, BCFIRB issued its prior approval of the New Producer Program Rules on November 30, 2009. Documents pertaining to the review can be viewed on a separate area of the BCFIRB website, accessible here.
Egg Board New Producer Program Lottery
On March 1, 2010, the Egg Board completed a lottery under the New Producer Program, in accordance with the prior approved rules. The Egg Board lottery selected four applicants who have been invited to produce specialty eggs for British Columbia’s markets. The results of the lottery were announced on the Egg Board website, accessible here.
The lottery and draw were administered by L.A. Larson and Associates, a Certified General Accounting firm, and supervised by an independent observer. On March 5, the administrator submitted a report on the lottery to BCFIRB, available below.
Following the successful lottery, applicants prepared business plans that were reviewed by a committee consisting of representatives from the agriculture, finance and accounting sectors. The Egg Board indicated that the committee was satisfied with the applicants' business plans and that the applicants are proceeding with establishing egg production facilities. Quota issuance will follow when each applicant is ready to commence egg production.
BCFIRB/Egg Board Joint Review
BCFIRB and the Egg Board agreed to undertake a joint review of the New Producer Program lottery and review process. The intent of the review was to explore whether there were improvements that could be made to the process, which could then be applied in selecting the next round of entrants to the New Producer Program.
Current Status
- As the first step in the review, the Egg Board was requested to submit to BCFIRB, no later than June 30, 2010, a detailed report outlining the lottery and review process; the current status of the four lottery candidates; and any recommendations the Egg Board has with respect to the New Producer Program Rules or the lottery and review process resulting from its experiences with the first draw.
- The Egg Board's report was released on June 22, 2010 and is available below.
- Next, industry stakeholders and the public were invited to provide written responses to the Egg Board's report from June 25th to July 12th. Over the public comment period, thirteen submissions were received from twelve individuals. A compilation of the submissions is available below.
- On September 22, 2010, BCFIRB held meetings with egg industry stakeholders and interested persons to receive oral submissions on this review, as well as on the review of the Egg Board's distribution of the 2010 BC egg allocation increase. Egg Board representatives were also in attendance to answer questions raised in the meetings. BCFIRB sent a letter to the Egg Board with follow-up questions on
September 27, 2010. This letter is also available below. - On October 5, 2010, the Egg Board provided responses (available below) to each of the written comments received from stakeholders during the June 25 to July 12, 2010 public comment period.
- On October 7, 2010, the Egg Board submitted its final recommendations with respect to the 2010 quota allocation and the New Producer Program lottery (available below).
- On November 30, 2010, following a careful review of all submissions, BCFIRB released its decision with respect to the Egg Board's New Producer Program lottery (available below).
Documents and Links
December 1, 2010 - BCFIRB Cover Letter to Decision on the Egg Board New Producer Program Lottery - updated December 6, 2010
November 30, 2010 - Decision on the Egg Board New Producer Program Lottery - updated December 6, 2010
October 4, 2010 - Follow-up email from Rehoboth Farm Re: September 22, 2010 consultation meeting
September 8, 2010 - BCFIRB September 22, 2010 meeting notice
June 25 - July 12, 2010 - Stakeholder Submissions
June 22, 2010 - Egg Board Report on the New Producer Program lottery
April 30, 2010 - Egg Board Letter to Successful Lottery Applicants Re: New Producer Program Lottery - Phase III and New Producer Program Lottery Quota Transfer Application Form
March 5, 2010 - Report on New Producer Program lottery from L.A. Larson and Associates
Note: This review is distinct from BCFIRB's Prior Approval Review of the Egg Board Distribution of BC's Increase in Egg Quota Allocation, which can be followed here.
