Features Business & Policy
B.C. promotes food donation tax credit for farmers

The credit allows farmers and producers who donate qualifying agricultural products to registered charities, such as food banks and school meal programs, to receive a tax credit for their donation. Eligible agricultural products may include meat products, eggs or dairy products, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, herbs, honey, maple syrup, mushrooms, nuts or other produce that has been grown, raised or harvested on a farm in B.C.

The credit is worth up to 25 per cent of the fair-market value of the qualifying agricultural product and must be claimed in the same year that a charitable-and-other-gifts tax credit for individuals or deduction is claimed for the donation by a corporation.

The farmers’ food donation tax credit is in addition to the charitable-and-other-gifts credit or the deduction.

To help raise awareness of the program, Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick is encouraging farmers to post pictures on social media of themselves with agricultural products that are eligible for the credit with the hashtag “#bcfoodtaxcredit.”