• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Country Life In BC Logo

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915

  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
  • Search

Primary Sidebar

Originally published:

NOVEMBER 2021
Vol. 107 Issue 11

Subscribe Now!

Sign up for free weekly FARM NEWS UPDATES


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Your information will not be
shared or sold ever

Stories In This Edition

Down to the crunch

Producer prices on the rise

Feeling burned

Groundwater users could lose rights next year

The right thing

Editorial: Freedom worth having

Back 40: The battle continues long after the war is over

Viewpoint: Stories bridge the gap between producers, consumers

Growers wrestle with irrigation upgrades

Wildfire 2021

Abbotsford updates farmland policies

Stormy skies

Ag Briefs: Douglas Lake “right to roam” challenge dismissed

Ag Briefs: Creston food hub opens

Ag Briefs: Food processors receive funding

Ag Briefs: Vanderspek appointed

Summerland grape specialists retire

Grapevine virus spread threatens BC industry

Caught in the act

Abbotsford sheep grower honoured

Tag readers help with livestock recordkeeping

RegenBC kicks off agritech network

Producers silent on Columbia River Treaty impacts

Cranberry fields forever

Manitoba farmers make dreams a reality

Enderby dairy is anything but conventional

Improvement to classification services explored

Up close and personal

Partnering with farmers to reduce food loss

Sidebar: Upcycled food

Slow and steady wins the day for irrigation

Research: Study takes soil health to the next level

Nelson farm builds soil and local community

Cash flow analysis is key to resilience

New app zeroes in on reducing lost produce

Sidebar: Food hub offers room to grow

Farm Story: To hoard or not to hoard: that is the question

Bursary benefits rising farm professionals

Woodshed: So much for a little peace and quiet

Saanichton Farm receives Century Farm award

Jude’s Kitchen: Fall Flavours

More Headlines

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

4 days ago

The Great Spallumcheen Farm & Food Festival and North Okanagan Plowing Match is happening this Sunday, September 24 from 10-3 at Fieldstone Organics, 4851 Schubert Rd, Armstrong. The outdoor festival features tastings and a market brimming with local food and beverage vendors, a horse and tractor plowing competition and vintage farm equipment displays. ... See MoreSee Less

The Great Spallumcheen Farm & Food Festival and North Okanagan Plowing Match is happening this Sunday, September 24 from 10-3 at Fieldstone Organics, 4851 Schubert Rd, Armstrong. The outdoor festival features tastings and a market brimming with local food and beverage vendors, a horse and tractor plowing competition and vintage farm equipment displays.
View Comments
  • Likes: 8
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Patti 😊

7 days ago

... See MoreSee Less

View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

7 days ago

The top five issues the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity identified in a recent survey were the cost of food, inflation, the cost of energy, keeping healthy food affordable and the Canadian economy. “We are seeing that environmental concerns are not in the top 10,” says Amy Peck, manager of the Canadian Cattle Association’s public and stakeholder engagement program. “If you are concerned about being able to afford to feed your family, the environment becomes less important.” ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Ranchers get the backstory on public perception

www.countrylifeinbc.com

VERNON – Ranchers might be concerned about how the public sees their industry, but a producer-funded team at the Canadian Cattle Association has their back. Amy Peck, manager of the Canadian Cattle...
View Comments
  • Likes: 3
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

1 week ago

BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million. ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Lake Country packing house sold

www.countrylifeinbc.com

BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million.
View Comments
  • Likes: 7
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 5

Comment on Facebook

Who bought it ffs ?

Ted Nedjelski Karen Turner

One of my first jobs was apple grading in a packing plant in Vernon

Vivian, is this where you worked?

I’d hear the company that owns the big Cannabis company that owns the green houses all around this packing plant was buying up everything around to expand. Wonder if it’s them that got it.

View more comments

1 week ago

The federal government has committed $1.81 million over the next three years to support the BC Poultry Association's preparation for direct participation in responses to future outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the province. “The persistence of the virus in wildlife and recurrence of outbreaks globally, presents additional risks during the migratory bird season in North America later in 2023,” the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health in Vancouver advised in July. For more, visit www.countrylifeinbc.com/ai-risk-rises-with-fall/ ... See MoreSee Less

The federal government has committed $1.81 million over the next three years to support the BC Poultry Associations preparation  for direct participation in responses to future outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the province. “The persistence of the virus in wildlife and recurrence of outbreaks globally, presents additional risks during the migratory bird season in North America later in 2023,” the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health in Vancouver advised in July. For more, visit https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/ai-risk-rises-with-fall/
View Comments
  • Likes: 2
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Subscribe | Advertise

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Stories bridge the gap between producers, consumers

Building relationships requires authentic, verifiable messaging

November 1, 2021 byBrenda Schoepp

As a farmer, you know the goodness in every meal made from the food you raise in field, frame, forest or sea. As a food processor, you link that product to the next level and together as farmer and food processor, you bring the best of BC to the table. The question is: what do consumers feel are the best in foods and how does the story of the food from the farm carry through to the plate?

A recently released NielsenIQ study revealed the top five brain foods as named by Canadian consumers. These brain foods were also recognized for their power in reducing anxiety, depression and helping with sleep – properties for the body and the mind. This new way of looking at food is an opportunity for the agricultural and agri-food community.

The concept of food for the body and the mind is exploding and the message to food processors is simply that no brand can afford to ignore this trend. Rather than simply name the source, food processing must also think about portraying the story behind who is at the origin and the why behind their processing of the product.

The five foods – tuna, blueberries, shrimp, raspberries and fresh beef – are all products harvested in BC. If these foods are perceived to keep the mind sharp, reduce anxiety and depression and help one get a good night’s sleep, then it is imperative to tell the story why this food is important to you as the farmer, fisher or food processor.

Take beef for example. Consumers have not given up on eating beef, they’re just taking into account different factors for protein beyond nutrition and taste. Decision factors such as their brain health and well-being in harmony with animal welfare, animal diet and environmental impact. All now fall under the label of ‘sustainability.’ Buyers of beef and other proteins now have a single word that summarizes the whole story.

What is the story? If the first exposure and initial influence to a food is an image on Instagram (even in farm direct sales) and the rest of the story is based on digital or social media coverage, then what do farmers, fishermen and food processors need to say to keep the product growing and the consumer hooked?

Research has shown blueberries, raspberries, beef and fatty fish enhance brain activity. But ocean protein and beef have other challenges in terms of consumer perception in regards to overfishing, production practices and the perceived impact of cattle on the environment. The story of any food goes far beyond the farm gate to include such things as processing and packaging.

Cher Mereweather of Provision Coalition reminded audiences at the recent SIAL Canada Connect event that the story must be both authentic and verifiable, adding that you must measure it “so people can stand with you.” Wherever there is an intersection of values, there is a “stand with you” point. Going back to our example of beef, it holds onto its place by aligning with values outside of the nutritional contribution.

As a producer, it is important to say why you do what you do and why you care. If there is value being added to the food through processing, then that message has to transfer to your branding and packaging. And there must be a digital presence. Trust is built on similar values, one data point at a time.

This transparency applies to the farm as well. If berries are made into syrup, then the story behind the berries should carry through to the label.

The transparency in this new way of thinking in food production, processing and branding builds strong linkages. For BC, this represents abundant opportunity as the province is home to over 200 food commodities and 100 foods from the sea. We also house over a third of Canada’s food processors. Like farms, many are family-owned. Together, agriculture and agri-food processing are a major economic driver in this province.

No farm or brand can afford not to care about the personal values of consumers, even if their product is as popular as the brain foods are. These values are often shared between buyer and seller but the story is often missing, either at the farm or on the label. Figuring out what those shared values are is important for the success of all the beautiful foods from the land, barns, greenhouses, urban boxes and seas of BC.

Authentic, verifiable, values-based story telling connects us all.

Brenda Schoepp lives on Vancouver Island where she brings agriculture and food leadership to life through stories and conversation. She can be contacted through her website at [www.brendaschoepp.com].

 

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Previous Post: « Pilot program bridges the extension gap for Gulf Island farmers
Next Post: Developers shut out »

Copyright © 2023 Country Life in BC · All Rights Reserved