Pacific Agriculture Show kicks off

The first all-digital edition of the Pacific Agriculture Show kicks off Thursday morning, treating participants to the direction of future trade shows and conferences.

This winter’s industry events have been transformed as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which continue to limit in-person gatherings and events. Organizations have embraced a variety of conferencing platforms, often incorporating familiar elements such as Zoom videoconferencing and profile pages for attendees not unlike social networking platforms.

Organizers of the Pacific Agriculture Show chose Pheedloop, a made-in-Canada platform to host this year’s event. A tested platform, it will allow participants to interact and engage with each other, and ensure access to show content for up to a year.

Preregistrations have exceeded 500, and visitors to the show will have more than 140 virtual booths to explore, including equipment dealers, government agencies and, of course, Country Life in BC.

While there will be no pressing of the flesh, Shepard hopes visitors will consider it a one-stop networking spot during and between the presentations making up the growers’ short course organized by the Lower Mainland Horticultural Improvement Association.

“This year’s show is definitely going to be different but the response from the entire ag community has been really supportive,” he says. “It’s shaping up to be great venue to stay in touch until life gets back to normal!”

In addition to the regular short-course sessions covering berries, vegetables, floriculture and hazelnuts, several sessions will be free to all trade show attendees. These include agricultural water management on Thursday, and farm business management and agri-innovation on Friday.

Co-organizer of this year’s event is the BC Agriculture Council, which will host its annual BC Agri-Food Industry Gala on Thursday evening. The hour-long event begins at 5:30pm and features keynote speaker and nationally recognized personality Rex Murphy.

Registration for all events other than the short course is free, but participants must sign up. To register, visit [https://pheedloop.com/register/agricultureshow/attendee/] (access code: pas2021).

To register for the short course, visit [https://www.agricultureshow.net/horticultural-growers-short-course/].

All content on this website is copyrighted, and cannot be republished or reproduced without permission.

2 weeks ago

Channels of communication remain open between the provincial and federal governments with respect to financial relief for extraordinary costs stemming from this summer's ongoing drought and wildfires, but the BC Cattlemen's Association is urging producers to register for AgriStability to position themselves for any AgriRecovery package. "Hardworking families in the ranching and agriculture sectors, who provide food for the province, need the AgriRecovery program in place as soon as possible," says BC Cattlemen's president Alex Kuchar. But the provincial election creates an unfortunate delay. "It's not fair, in any form of the word, to see all those people who have lost so much in the fires to have to wait in limbo," says BC Cattlemen's general manager Kevin Boon.

Photo | Barb Edmonson / Firefly Ranch, Clinton

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

View Comments

Likes: 6
Shares: 7
Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Feedback on changes to rules governing food processing in the Agricultural Land Reserve has drawn about 250 submissions. But the proposal now hangs in the balance with Premier David Eby's decision to call a snap election, which also delays discussions of assistance for farmers hit hard by this year's wildfires and historic #BCAght.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 12
Shares: 2
Comments: 3

What would you expect from the NDP, when they still had a 2 year mandate?

Ridiculous timing. We have people needing answers and have to plan for winter supplies. Fires are long past, months have gone by knowing there was going to be the need for support. Drought was written on the wall even before summer began with no snow pack. This is not new to government and they are calling for another year just as bad for 2027. I throw my hands up and wonder what else needs to be more challenging than what we've experienced over the last 6 years in BC?

250 submissions.... I'm pretty sure there are more than 250 farmers in BC

With a provincial election called for October 24, BC agriculture is set to enter a new era. Veteran agriculture minister Lana Popham is not seeking re-election in Saanich South after 17 years as an MLA. BC's longest-serving agriculture minister, she fought for a stronger Agricultural Land Reserve and celebrated the diversity of BC's agriculture sector, but also took flak for shutting down mink farming and not securing more funding for the Agricultural Land Commission. She was also on the front lines of responses to multiple disasters, including the 2021 floods on Sumas Prairie. In a statement announcing her departure from political life, she said, "I look forward to contributing in other ways and ensuring that food security, protection of the Agricultural Land Reserve, and the people who feed us remain in the spotlight for years to come."

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 132
Shares: 9
Comments: 21

Lana is/was an amazing Minister of Ag. I may not support her party but I think the world of her for her knowledge of, and connection to, our industry! Amazing!

You will be missed and congratulations on new horizons!

What a loss it will be not to have you as a hardworking cabinet member! Thank you for your dedication to agriculture!

I remember that day Lana! Wishing you all the best!

I had really hoped to see Lana Popham as our Premiere at some point but I am also happy for her, moving onto her next chapter. 😊

Thank you Lana for all the years of service, I can't even imagine how challenging your work has been.

That is an amazing run, thank you for your service!💐

Lana is an awesome supporter of agriculture in BC, she was amazing to work with as a minister and always there to listen and try to find solutions. 🌽🐓🚜🌾🐮🍎

Thank you, Ms. Popham, for your service. With you in your portfolio many of us felt that we had truly 'responsible government.'

This is great loss to agriculture in BC .No matter your politics you have to appreciate the energy and empathy she brought to the industry.She will be difficult to replace.

You will be missed but wishing you all the best - thank you.

Lana is the Best Minister of Agriculture and we are going to miss her! Hardworking for the people and leads with heart. I wish more politicians were like her. Thank you Minister Popham for your service! 🐝💕

Great picture!

I love this picture of you Lana.

What a super pic! We are going to miss you Lana.

Thank you so much for your public service. Wishing you well in this next phase of your work.

Vote conservative! Save bc!

Too bad Eby ignored her and is pushing for the 95% out of province, and out of country, food processing facilities on the ALR. Probably why she stepped down.

Thank god. Time for new blood that gives a shit and not just show up for photo ops…

End Eby! Save BC!

View more comments

3 weeks ago

With the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line turbocharging development of the Fraser Hwy corridor and surrounding agricultural lands, the BC NDP today announced it is naming the new line after former Premier Dave Barrett, whose government created the Agricultural Land Reserve to protect farmland. The announcment comes in advance of this Friday’s deadline for submitting feedback on a proposal to open the ALR to processors using as little as 5% local ingredients.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 4
Shares: 1
Comments: 5

Thousands of big round bales of hay got shipped, and are getting shipped from the lower mainland to the interior due to dry weather and low water supply up country. Those ranchers are sure glad that we still have a few acres down here that can produce when other parts of the province dry up.

No disrespect meant but perhaps they should have named it the "ALR Line" to help educate those who don't know what the ALR is and what it does and doesn't allow.

This NDP government has done more to destroy the ALR than any government since the legislation was enacted in 1973. The Skytrain will bring more people. Processing plants that process only 5% of local produce will require more people to work there and housing for them to live in. And the processing plants will take large acreages of farmland to process 95% non-local ingredients that may even compete with local producers.

The A.L.R is a pain in the A.S.S

I do not agree with this proposed change to the ALR. It is a trojan horse designed to open up the ALR for development. Gary Runka must be turning in his grave. :(

More than two years after the BC Tree Fruits Co-op shut down, a payout of $11.5 million is heading to former members this week. The payout follows a share purchase agreement approved this spring allowing the new privately owned BC Tree Fruits partnership to acquire the co-op’s shares in addition to the assets previously acquired. A further, final payout to growers is expected in December, once other outstanding claims have been resolved.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 6
Shares: 1
Comments: 0