{"id":64092,"date":"2025-04-10T11:26:01","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T18:26:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/?post_type=engagement&#038;p=64092"},"modified":"2025-04-11T15:58:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T22:58:46","slug":"stewarding-agricultural-watercourses","status":"publish","type":"engagement","link":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/stewarding-agricultural-watercourses\/","title":{"rendered":"Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group engage-banner has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fbda80\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"top\">Engagement was open March 28 to May 10, 2023<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1700\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-2992\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-scaled.jpg\" style=\"object-position:65% 86%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"65% 86%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-2048x1360.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/01\/15335102843_d3b88b89db_o-1200x797.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-engagement-container\"><div class=\"engagement-page\"><div class=\"engagement-content-wrapper\"><h1 class=\"engagement-title-banner \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/themes\/bcgov-engagement\/dist\/images\/blue-curve-bg.svg)\">Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-engagement-content\"><bcgov-breadcrumb>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\">Home<\/a>\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/\">Engagement Opportunities<\/a> \n                  <span>\n        Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses\n  <\/span>\n  <div style=\"display: flex\" slot=\"breadcrumb-extra\">\n      <\/div>\n  <\/bcgov-breadcrumb>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On this page&#8230;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#summary\" title=\"\">Engagement Summary<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#contribution\" title=\"\">How your contribution makes a difference<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Phase-one\" title=\"Phase One\">Phase One<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-govtogether-engagement-header\"><div class=\"text-column\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who: <\/strong>The Ministry of Agriculture and Food<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What: <\/strong>Watercourse stewardship on agricultural lands<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong> Province of British Columbia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why:<\/strong> To support farmers <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How:<\/strong> By identifying opportunities and challenges <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-engagement_category wp-block-post-terms\"><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__prefix\"><strong>Category: <\/strong><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/agriculture-and-food-security\/\" rel=\"tag\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/land-and-water\/\" rel=\"tag\">Land and Water<\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"image-column\"><span role=\"img\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"engagement-image\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/02\/Contaminated-Sites1.jpg);background-position:52% 93%\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"summary\">Engagement Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ministry of Agriculture and Food (AF) created the <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/industry\/agriculture-seafood\/agricultural-land-and-environment\/water\/riparian-areas\/stewarding-agricultural-watercourses\" title=\"Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses (SAW) project\">Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses (SAW) project<\/a> to identify challenges and opportunities, build on the successes of current programs such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/industry\/agriculture-seafood\/programs\/environmental-farm-plan\">Environmental Farm Plan<\/a> (EFP) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/industry\/agriculture-seafood\/programs\/beneficial-management-practices\" title=\"Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) programs\">Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) programs<\/a>, and take next steps toward watercourse stewardship on agricultural lands. These next steps are outlined in the <span class=\"has-inline-text has-inline-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/04\/saw_discussion_paper.pdf\" title=\"discussion paper\">discussion paper (PDF, 11MB)<\/a><\/span>. The SAW is separate from the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/watershedsecurity\/\" title=\"Watershed Security Strategy\">Watershed Security Strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first goal of the SAW project was to better understand how farmers and ranchers are managing watercourses. This phase focused on public engagement, information gathering, and planning. Participants shared concerns and ideas for change through an online survey, one on one interviews, and focus group sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"contribution\">Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The feedback on the discussion paper informed the SAW Action Plan. The Action Plan provides strategic direction for the ministry to act on the recommendations proposed by the public and agricultural parties. It provides strategies to address barriers facing farmers and ranchers who wish to steward watercourses on their properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/04\/what_we_heard_document.pdf\" title=\"\">Public Engagement Summary (PDF, 2MB)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/04\/stewarding_agriculture_watercourses_saw_action_plan.pdf\" title=\"\">SAW Action Plan (PDF, 2MB)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"663\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-663x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-663x1024.jpg 663w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-768x1187.jpg 768w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-994x1536.jpg 994w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-1325x2048.jpg 1325w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-1200x1855.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/03\/saw_what_we_heard_infographic-scaled.jpg 1656w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 663px) 100vw, 663px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">SAW What We Heard Infographic<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related engagements<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"related-engagements\">\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Rural Meat Production Modernization. Categories: Agriculture and Food Security. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/rural-meat-production-modernization-results\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Rural Meat Production Modernization                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/rural-meat-production-modernization-results\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/plugins\/bcgov-engagement-blocks\/src\/images\/engagement-card\/bcgov-black-bg.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Supporting B.C. Farmers. Categories: Agriculture and Food Security. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/supporting-b-c-farmers-results\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Supporting B.C. Farmers                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/supporting-b-c-farmers-results\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/plugins\/bcgov-engagement-blocks\/src\/images\/engagement-card\/bcgov-black-bg.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Food Security Task Force. Categories: Agriculture and Food Security, Natural Resource Sector. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/food-security-task-force-results\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Food Security Task Force                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Natural Resource Sector<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/food-security-task-force-results\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/plugins\/bcgov-engagement-blocks\/src\/images\/engagement-card\/bcgov-black-bg.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Agricultural Land Reserve. Categories: Agriculture and Food Security. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/agricultural-land-reserve-results\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Agricultural Land Reserve                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/agricultural-land-reserve-results\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/plugins\/bcgov-engagement-blocks\/src\/images\/engagement-card\/bcgov-black-bg.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Hullcar Valley Aquifer. Categories: Agriculture and Food Security, Environmental Protection. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/hullcar-valley-aquifer-results\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Hullcar Valley Aquifer                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Environmental Protection<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/hullcar-valley-aquifer-results\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/plugins\/bcgov-engagement-blocks\/src\/images\/engagement-card\/bcgov-black-bg.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Growing Forward 2. Categories: Agriculture and Food Security, Natural Resource Sector. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/growing-forward-2-results\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Growing Forward 2                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Agriculture and Food Security<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Natural Resource Sector<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/growing-forward-2-results\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/plugins\/bcgov-engagement-blocks\/src\/images\/engagement-card\/bcgov-black-bg.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#top\" title=\"\">Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-govtogether-engagement-header\"><div class=\"text-column\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"image-column\"><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2992,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","engagement_category":[287,277],"engagement_region":[192],"engagement_status":[207],"engagement_pin_group":[],"class_list":["post-64092","engagement","type-engagement","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","engagement_category-agriculture-and-food-security","engagement_category-land-and-water","engagement_region-province-wide","engagement_status-closed-with-results"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"pinned_engagement_toggle":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/64092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/engagement"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/64092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78407,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/64092\/revisions\/78407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"engagement_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_category?post=64092"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_region?post=64092"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_status","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_status?post=64092"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_pin_group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_pin_group?post=64092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}