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Minimum pay for hand harvesting farm crops increases 6.9% in B.C.

The minimum piece rate for hand harvesting some farm crops in British Columbia increased by 6.9% on Jan. 1, 2024.

The increase applies to 15 agricultural crops harvested by hand as specified in the employment standards regulation. The hand-harvested crops are peaches, apricots, Brussels sprouts, daffodils, mushrooms, apples, beans, blueberries, cherries, grapes, pears, peas, prune plums, raspberries and strawberries.

The increase is based on B.C.’s average annual inflation rate in 2022 and is consistent with the 6.9% increase to the minimum hourly wage that came into effect on June 1, 2023, the province said.

Piece-rate farm workers harvest crops such as blueberries and mushrooms by hand. Each of the 15 crops has its own minimum pay rate.

Farm-worker piece rates in B.C. were increased by 11.5% in January 2019 and 2.8% in January 2023. B.C.’s farm-worker minimum piece-rate system has been in place since 1981.