BC Agriculture and Food Export Program

• Completed Project Budget document (uploaded in the application portal)
• Supporting quotes for any budget items over $5,000

Who is eligible?

• Primary agriculture producers
• Seafood producers, fishers, and harvesters
• Agriculture, food and beverage processors
• Seafood processors
• Agriculture, food and beverage and/or seafood industry associations, boards, and councils

Who is not eligible

• Seafood fishers, harvesters, producers, processors, processor cooperatives, and seafood industry associations applying for funding for interprovincial-focused market development activities (their eligible activities must be entirely focused on developing markets outside of Canada).
• Businesses or organizations proposing consumer-focused tradeshows or events (these events are not eligible for project funding).
• Cannabis businesses proposing consumer-focused promotional activities in export markets (all activities under this category are ineligible for cannabis specifically).
• Any organization planning Search Engine Optimization (SEO) activities, including Google Search Ads, as a funded activity (these are not eligible under the program).

Eligible expenses

• Booth rentals (e.g., tables, chairs, podiums) for approved tradeshows, food fairs and sales exhibitions.
• Booth accessories and services for approved tradeshows, food fairs and sales exhibitions.
• Translation services for approved events where non-English speakers are the primary audience.
• Shipping costs to send product samples to and from approved events or promotions.
• Costs to conduct consumer promotions in export markets (e.g., brand ambassadors, pop-up booth rentals, serving utensils).
• Creation of export-focused marketing collateral (e.g., videos, brochures, rack cards, posters, banners, recipe cards, point-of-sale signage such as shelf talkers and menu inserts).
• Paid advertising to promote specific products (print, radio, TV, digital) and third-party social media contractor fees in an export market (community management, social outreach, content curation, analytics).
• Translation of online or print communications into a foreign language to promote products in export markets.
• Purchase of tailored market data and market research from qualified firms (e.g., Nielsen, Mintel, Euromonitor), including retail/consumer data and targeted sector insights.
• Inbound mission costs (industry associations/boards/councils only): basic accommodation (room rate and taxes), local transportation, and meals as part of mission activities.
• Product adaptation planning costs, such as concept design and development of new packaging, including samples or prototypes to meet market-specific requirements.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• GST, PST, or any other taxes included in project costs
• Meals and per diems (except for approved Inbound Mission activities)
• Standalone buyers’ meetings (i.e., not directly related to an approved tradeshow exhibition)
• Marketing/advertising not eligible under the program (e.g., SEO activities including Google Search Ads; expenses for consumer-focused tradeshows or events)
• Website or e-commerce build/implementation costs

Eligible geographic areas

• British Columbia (head office in B.C. or entitled to do business in B.C.).

• Program Administration (MNP LLP) reviews applications in a competitive, merit-based process and assesses them based only on the information submitted; incomplete or ineligible applications are not considered.
• Applications are adjudicated between February and March 2026.
• Applicants are notified of the decision by email; unsuccessful applicants may request feedback.
• If approved, the applicant is invited to sign a Funding Agreement outlining terms and conditions and the obligations of both parties.
• Once the Funding Agreement is executed, the recipient can begin incurring eligible costs and must submit project reports and expense claims (including invoices and proof of payment) by the deadlines in the agreement for reimbursement consideration.

• The program is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year (2023–2028) federal-provincial-territorial investment to strengthen and grow the agriculture and food sector.
• The program is administered on behalf of the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food by MNP LLP.
• The program operates through time-limited application intakes (for 2026/2027: January 19 to February 13, 2026 at 16:00 PST), with late submissions not accepted.
• Projects are expected to start April 1, 2026 and be completed by March 1, 2027.