The Cost of Growing Food in Chilliwack

Agriculture is woven into Chilliwack’s landscape, economy and identity. With approximately two-thirds of the city’s land base in agriculture, farming is part of what we see every day: dairy barns along rural roads, greenhouses stretching across properties, poultry operations, cornfields, farm stands and equipment moving between fields. It is a familiar landscape, but the economics behind maintaining it are becoming increasingly difficult.

New research released by the BC Agriculture Council in September 2026 examines the financial health of British Columbia’s commercial farms and reinforces concerns producers have been raising for years. The cost of feed, labour, land, rent, financing and other essential inputs continues to put pressure on farm businesses. Since 2004, farm debt in British Columbia has increased by 286%, a greater increase than in any other province.

Those pressures are particularly relevant in an agricultural community like Chilliwack. According to the 2021 Census of Agriculture, 721 farms in Chilliwack and Electoral Areas E and H generated approximately $684 million in operating revenue. Agriculture also represents an estimated 29% of Chilliwack’s economic activity.

The size of those numbers can make it easy to overlook an important distinction: farm revenue does not tell us how much money remains after the cost of producing food.

Farm businesses carry significant operating and capital expenses. Feed, fuel, labour, energy, equipment, repairs, transportation, insurance and financing are part of the ongoing cost of production. Farms also require continued investment in buildings, technology, environmental improvements, equipment and infrastructure. For operations looking toward succession, there is the additional challenge of creating a business that is financially sustainable enough for another generation to take over.

The recent research draws particular attention to approximately 1,150 B.C. commercial farms generating between $500,000 and $2 million in annual revenue. These farms represent an important part of the agricultural economy because they are at a scale where continued investment, expansion, innovation and succession should be possible. Yet the number of B.C. farms within this revenue range has remained relatively flat over the past decade, while nationally the category has grown by nearly 40%.

For Chilliwack, the implications extend well beyond individual farm businesses. Agriculture supports employment, suppliers, processors, transportation companies, equipment dealers, professional services and many other businesses throughout the Fraser Valley. The financial health of farms has a direct relationship with the strength of the broader local economy.

It also raises an important question about the future of food production in British Columbia. Protecting agricultural land is essential, but preserving farmland alone cannot ensure that land continues to produce food. Farmers also need an economic environment that allows them to operate viable businesses, reinvest in their farms and plan for succession.

Public conversations about agriculture often focus on the price consumers pay for food. There is considerably less understanding of the cost required to produce it. Building that understanding is an important part of supporting local agriculture. The pressures facing producers need to be considered in discussions about financing, infrastructure, labour, regulation, technology, water, land and long-term agricultural policy.

Chilliwack has generations of agricultural knowledge, some of the most productive farmland in British Columbia and a farming community that continues to invest and innovate. Maintaining that strength requires more than appreciation for local agriculture. It requires an understanding of the economic conditions necessary to keep farming viable.

The Chilliwack Farm Story Project exists in part to help tell that fuller story. When we understand what it takes to operate a farm, we are better equipped to have meaningful conversations about what is required to sustain agriculture in this community for the generations that follow.

Sources

BC Agriculture Council. New Report Finds Growing Financial Pressures Threaten the Long-Term Viability of BC’s Farms. September 14, 2026. Research prepared by University of the Fraser Valley agriculture professor Dr. Chris Bodnar.

Fraser Valley Regional District. 2025 Regional Economic Review. Statistics Canada 2021 Census of Agriculture data.

City of Chilliwack. Agricultural Planning. Agriculture represents approximately 67% of Chilliwack’s land base and an estimated 29% of local economic activity.

BC Agriculture Council. Budget 2027 Consultation Report Reflects Agriculture Sector Priorities. August 2026.