Terms of Reference:

 1.       Purpose:

(a)        The purpose of the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) is to establish liaison and maintain communication between the agricultural community and the City on agricultural issues.

2.        Mandate:

           The Agricultural Advisory Committee is established to:

(a)        advise and aqssist City Council in developing a plan to sustain the agricultural community and improve agricultural viability within Surrey with assistance from the Agricultural Land Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;

 (b)        work in conjunction with staff regarding submissions to other levels of government;

 (c)        make recommendations on all aspects of the agricultural community, including land use and economic development matters;

 (d)        review and comment from the agricultural viability perspective on issues, plans and specific development applications referred by staff or Council.

 (e)        promote awareness and education of agricultural issues in Surrey;

 (f)         review the objectives of the Agricultural Advisory Committee every Year and to recommend changes if any; and

 (g)        report annually on projects and progress of the Agricultural Advisory Committee for the information of City Council.

  3.        Membership:

(a)        The Committee shall consist of nine (9) voting members appointed by Council, including:

·         a minimum of five (5) 'farming representatives' chosen from nominations by the Surrey Farmers' Institute.  A 'farming representative' is defined as a farmer who derives at least 75% of his/her income from farming.

·         a maximum of two (2) representatives from other agricultural sectors, such as from a diversity of commodity groups and the agriculture processing and distribution sectors.

·         One (1) representative from the Environmental Advisory Committee.

·         One (1) City Councillor.

(b)        For the Year of 1998, five (5) members shall be appointed for a one (1) Year term and four (4) members for a two (2) Year term, and thereafter all members shall be appointed for a two (2) Year term.

 (c)        The chairperson shall be elected from the Committee membership at the first meeting of each term and shall preside at all the meetings where possible and in his/her absence, an acting chairperson shall be appointed for that meeting by those members present.  The chairperson shall be entitled to vote at all meetings.

 Non-Voting Members

(a)        The Committee shall consist of four (4) non-voting members including:

·         a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

·         a representative from the Agricultural Land Commission

·         a staff member from the Engineering Department

·         a staff member from the Planning & Development Department

4.          Meetings:

·         The Committee shall meet a minimum of three times a Year.  The meetings shall be open meetings held at City Hall.

·         That at all meetings a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.  Recommendations of a quorum shall be considered those of the full Committee.

·         Notes of each Committee meeting shall be kept by City staff.