Gatekeeping Soil Knowledge: How BC’s Agrologist Law Goes Too Far and Hurts Everyday Gardeners

In British Columbia, a law called the Agrologists Regulation (BC Reg 10/2021) says only registered Professional Agrologists (PAgs) can give certain kinds of advice or services about soil. The goal is to protect people and the environment in big, risky situations. But the law is written so broadly that it also blocks ordinary gardeners, community groups, and small growers from sharing basic soil knowledge—even when no money changes hands and the risk is tiny.

What the Law Actually Says

Here are the key words from section 4 of the regulation:

“…the practice of agrology … is a reserved practice that may only be carried out by or under the supervision of a registrant, if the practice relates to providing advice or another service … relating to the state or quality of soil … for an agrology purpose.”

In plain English: If you tell someone else about their soil’s condition (or help them find out what it is) for growing food or caring for land, and you’re not a registered PAg, you could be breaking the law. It doesn’t matter if you’re charging money or doing it for free. The only clear exception is working on your own property.

How This Law Limits Free Speech

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (section 2(b)) protects our right to share ideas and information. Teaching someone how to take a soil sample, explaining what a lab report means in general terms, or posting raw soil data online are all ways of sharing ideas about food, health, and the environment.

This law makes people afraid to speak up or teach others. Courts have struck down similar “gag” rules before. For example, in 2024 an Ontario court threw out parts of an “ag-gag” law that tried to stop people from exposing problems on farms (Animal Justice Canada v. Ontario (Attorney General)). The judge said it violated free speech. Many U.S. “ag-gag” laws have been overturned for the same reason.

The BC law fails the Charter test that asks if limits on rights are fair and necessary. Protecting the public is important, but the law goes too far (overbroad) by banning harmless, everyday teaching with no proof that it causes harm.

What This Means for Small Growers and Gardeners

• You can’t easily run a free workshop showing neighbours how to test their soil.
• Small farmers may have to pay a professional just to understand basic lab results.
• People with little money or who live far from experts lose out the most.
• Community gardens and school projects get harder to organize.

Worst of all, the law slows down the spread of simple, planet-friendly practices—like composting or building healthy soil without chemicals.

How It Slows Down New Ideas

When everyday people can’t freely share soil knowledge, new ideas spread more slowly. Citizen science projects, local soil maps, or even using AI tools to help organic farmers all become riskier or more expensive. Big farms that can afford professionals win; small, creative growers lose.

A Possible Court Case

If the BC Civil Liberties Association took this to court, they could argue:

Free speech is blocked when ordinary people can’t teach or share basic soil information.
The government’s goal (public safety) is fair, but the law is not the least restrictive way to achieve it.
The harm done—silencing gardeners, raising costs, slowing green innovation—is greater than any tiny risk from backyard teaching.

We would ask the court to strike down the overly broad parts or add a clear exemption for non-commercial, educational activities.

In Short: This Law Is Too Wide

The agrologist regulation tries to protect us but ends up blocking harmless sharing of useful knowledge. It scares people away from teaching and learning about soil—even when the stakes are low and the methods are safe. In a time when we need more home-grown food, better soil health, and faster green ideas (including smart AI tools for organic farming), this law works against the public good. It’s time to narrow it so experts stay protected while everyday growers and gardeners can freely help each other.