New BC field vegetable specialist

A changing of the guard is underway in BC field vegetables.

Karina Sakalauskas will succeed the province’s long-time field vegetable specialist Susan Smith, who retires later this month after two decades with the province’s agriculture ministry.

Smith’s contributions were recognized at the BC Certified Seed Potato Growers Association’s annual general meeting in Squamish on November 19.

Smith joined the BC Ministry of Agriculture in 2004 and became a trusted resource for local growers, first in field vegetables and later in the organic and nursery sectors. A trusted and knowledgeable resource on horticultural matters, she has been integral to developing programming for the annual growers short course held each winter in Abbotsford.

Sakalauskas joined Smith at this week’s meeting of seed potato growers as part of the transition.

Sakalauskas joined the ministry in 2017 and her work has paralleled that of Smith in many respects. Originally acting berry specialist, Sakalauskas became the province’s hazelnut specialist, and served briefly as interim organic sector specialist.

Sakalauskas was appointed greenhouse sector specialist earlier this year, a role Smith was given in 2022 following the retirement in 2020 of long-time greenhouse and nursery specialist Dave Woodske.

Sakalauskas ran her own greenhouse in Argentina prior to emigrating to Canada and also has roots in the potato sector that made her an appealing choice to succeed Smith.

The new responsibilities position Sakalauskas as the go-to resource for vegetable production in the province.