A familiar face has taken the helm of the BC Landscape and Nursery Association, which recently celebrated its 70th anniversary with a tribute to long-time COO Hedy Dyck.
Dyck died earlier this year and was succeeded by Virpi Kangas, who kept the administration side of the association humming along.
Now, Coreen Rodger Berrisford, who stepped into a full-time role with the association this summer as grower’s sector coordinator and the main contact for the retail sector and Japanese Beetle response team, is taking the helm.
“Coreen has a proven track record of leadership and strategic vision, and we have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead our operations effectively,” the association said in announcing the change.
In addition to her recent experience with BCLNA, Berrisford spent four years as general manager of the BC Cranberry Marketing Commission and also served as executive director of industry association activities with the United Flower Growers Cooperative Association.
She also has in-depth experience in funding as well as a strong relationship with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, all of which promise to serve the nursery sector well as it enters a new era.
Besides playing a critical role as part of a collaborative group working to control and eradicate Japanese beetle in the province, BCLNA is working to address the entrenched labour shortage facing the horticultural sector.
Preliminary findings of the most recent labour market analysis by the Conference Board of Canada for the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council indicates that horticulture faces the biggest labour gap of any farm sector due to the seasonal nature of the work.
Within BC, peak season demand for labour currently tops 15,250 workers but will rise to approximately 18,000 by 2030.
A full labour market analysis with detailed provincial breakdowns will be available in the coming weeks.
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