The final draft of the Yukon Agriculture Policy has high expectations for the territory's agriculture industry.

By the year 2015, the government is planning to revolutionize agriculture to make it better serve the Yukon's economy.

Plans include making up to 25 per cent more land available for farm use, increasing production sales by up to 200 per cent and creating legislation and programs that ensure high-quality products are being produced.

There are approximately 170 farms in the Yukon which currently bring approximately $4.2 million to the territory annually.

'It's a big deal,' Dave Beckman, director of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources' agriculture branch, said in an interview. 'The agriculture industry is not going to walk away.'

However, the output of Yukon farms is small due to difficult growing conditions, high operating costs and limited local markets.

Less than two per cent of the Yukon's land is suitable for agricultural development because of limitations due to geography, climate and soils.

'There's always the possibility of coming up short,' said Beckman, referring to the policy's 2015 goals.

However, he adds the policy is meant to promote the industry by encouraging development, economic viability and environmental sustainability.

'There's some comfort level around that,' he said.

The main products on the Yukon's farms are forage crops, bedding plants, sod, vegetables, broilers, eggs, meat and some game animal products.

The final draft of the agriculture policy is meant to permit the Yukon government to meet its commitments under the Canada-Yukon Agricultural Policy Framework Agreement.

Though some of its goals are lofty, Beckman said the policy clearly lays out the plans on how the goals will be reached within the next decade.

Since 1986, the Yukon's agricultural industry has expanded by 300 per cent, from contributing $1.5 million to the economy, to what Beckman estimates as being approximately $5 million by the end of this year.

Whitehorse-area farmer Bill Drury agreed that the agriculture policy provides for some positive and realistic changes in the industry.

The increases, in reality, aren't very much, he said.

He added he also hopes it will encourage Yukoners to think more about whether their food is Yukon-grown.

Of all the food consumed in the territory, Drury estimated that likely only two per cent is locally grown. However, there is clearly a demand for certain items, he said.

The equivalent of about 5,000 head of beef cows are consumed each year by Yukoners, but the territory only produces about 50, he said.

Even small changes in the policy and in Yukoners' attitudes will make a big difference for the agriculture industry, he added.

Too many people want to 'eat mangos and drink coffee' when there are other items that can be grown are ignored, he said.

Changes in the fuel costs, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S., may also help people think twice about eating their exotic menu items as their costs likely rise, said Drury.

The Yukon is able to supply organic vegetables, elk and cranberries among several other local products, he said.

'But some people are not going to be willing to sacrifice their exotic foods.'

Changes in the agriculture policy won't change the whole industry, he conceded, but added that if there's a demand, there will be people who want to fill it.

Al Falle, president of the Yukon Agricultural Association, agreed there will be people who will want to buy farms, but he suggested there needs to be some amendments to the final draft of the agriculture agreement to better allow it.

'Everyone wants to own a rural home, but not everyone wants to live on a farm,' said Drury.

Falle said in the past, many people have taken up farm land, because it was the only land they could get. Yet, they have their house built and are not using the rest of the land.

Falle said he would like to see the agriculture policy amended to allow for the subdivision of the rest of the owners' acreage so the land can be properly used.

The former Yukon Conservative MLA added that the current 'two for one' suggestion for purchasing land places a 160-acre farm at a $320,000 price tag.

'Would you give that to the government for bush land?' he asked.

He said a 'one for one' policy, which would place a small farm at about $160,000, would better serve the industry.

However, on the whole, Falle said the policy is good and realistic in its goals.

'It's a big policy. All in all, the department has done a good job on the issue,' he said.

Today is the final date for Yukoners to submit their thoughts to the department regarding the final draft of the agriculture policy.