Can you spot the B.C. Agriculture Minister in this photo?

KELOWNA – Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick posed shirtless in an orchard to raise awareness of a new tax credit from the province.

Letnick, who is also the Minister of Agriculture, had his body painted to match a Kelowna orchard backdrop creating an optical illusion he hopes will get more people to donate to local food banks.

The tax credit was announced this year as a way to encourage donations to local food banks and school meal programs. Part of the campaign includes a call for farmers to post photos of themselves with their donations to social media with the hashtag #bcfoodtaxcredit.

The credit is worth up to 25 per cent of the fair-market value of qualifying agricultural products. The credit is in addition to the charitable-and-other-gifts credit or the deduction.

Agricultural products include meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs, honey, syrup, mushrooms, nuts or other produce that has been grown, raised or harvested on a B.C. farm.

“You can have the best program in the world, but if no one knows about it, its effectiveness is limited,” Letnick says. “I hope these pictures and other social media postings will increase awareness and result in more donations.”

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