Definition

1   In this Act, "farm income plan" means a program, arrangement, proposal, plan, scheme or similar measure, however described, that provides in any way for the payment of money to, or the guarantee or assurance of income for, farmers or classes of farmers in British Columbia.

Administration of plan

2   The Lieutenant Governor in Council may do one or more of the following to establish, carry out and administer a farm income plan:

(a) authorize the Minister of Finance to establish a fund and prescribe rules and procedures governing terms and conditions on which money may be paid out of the fund;

(b) establish and maintain, or authorize the minister to establish and maintain, a corporation, branch or agency, and prescribe its powers and duties;

(c) prescribe the powers and duties of the minister, a corporation, branch or agency or any other person, in carrying out a farm income plan, and the terms and conditions of the farm income plan;

(d) prescribe the powers of, and the methods and procedures to be followed by, the minister or a corporation, branch or agency, or any other person, for the security required for any money advanced to, and for the collection of money owing by, a person under a farm income plan;

(e) prescribe procedures for appealing a refusal or failure to pay an appropriate amount of money under a farm income plan;

(f) direct the Minister of Finance to guarantee, in the form prescribed, on the terms authorized in the direction, the repayment of money advanced under or for a farm income plan;

(g) designate areas of British Columbia or persons or classes of persons to which the farm income plan applies;

(h) authorize the minister to consult on any aspect of a farm income plan with any association of farmers that establishes to the minister's satisfaction that it represents a majority of farmers or classes of farmers in all or part of British Columbia.

Recovery of money paid

3   (1) If under a farm income plan a person is paid money to which the person is not entitled, the amount improperly paid may be deducted from any future money payable to that person under a farm income plan.

(2) The remedy in subsection (1) is in addition to any other remedy.

Offence

4   A person who provides false or misleading information for the purpose of obtaining money under this Act commits an offence.

Agreements

5   The minister, on behalf of the government, may enter into any agreement that the minister considers would provide for the joint participation by British Columbia, Canada or another province in a farm income plan.

Power to make regulations

6   The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.