B.C.'s Agricultural Land Commission has rejected an application to turn most of Barnston Island in the Lower Mainland into an industrial park.

Most of the 560-hectare island in the Fraser River near Surrey has been set aside as farmland for decades as part of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).

Three years ago, a majority of Barnston landowners applied to have their properties removed from the ALR so they could be redeveloped. Twenty-three landowners were involved in the application to develop the island.

But the commission has ruled the 441 hectares of the Barnston lands in question have agricultural capability and should remain farmland.

The decision announced Tuesday is seen by many as a landmark, as many similar applications are being considered by the commission.

"This is a wonderful victory. It's a huge symbol that we're finally taking our farmland seriously," said Donna Passmore of the Fraser Valley Conservation Coalition.

She added that Barnston Island has some of the best soil and farmland in the world.

Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell says it's the right decision.

"I think it sends a very strong message that this government and the Agricultural Land Commission support the agriculture industry."

However, the Vancouver spokesman for the owners, Norman Stowe, told CBC News that farming on the island is not viable.

"For someone to look at this idyllic island in the middle of the river and so on, if you're not one of the owners, if you're not someone who has tried to farm on the island and been unsuccessful, you probably look at this as a wonderful pastoral setting," he said.

"But if you're an owner, and you're trying to make a living or make agriculture viable and it's just not happening, you have a different point of view."

There's no word on whether the owners will appeal.

The ALR was brought in by B.C.'s first NDP government in the early 1970s.