Governance, investment for growth and development, accessing institutional markets, and land management were among the topics covered at the inaugural BC Agriculture and Food Co-op Conference in Kamloops, March 24-25. Hosted by the BC Co-operative Association, the event attracted about 120 growers, processors, retailers, academics, government representatives, policymakers and others came together to raise awareness …
Young Agrarians
Nelson farm builds soil and local community
NELSON – One of the Nelson area’s larger market gardens, Bent Plow Farm, is a model that other farmers and agriculture enthusiasts are excited to see. About 30 people braved heavy rains September 27 to attend a field day organized by Kootenay & Boundary Farm Advisors and Young Agrarians. But if visitors huddled under umbrellas …
Leasing farmland a vital strategy for farmers
METCHOSIN – While the province has been keen to support land-matching to help new farmers launch their operations, leasing farmland is a long-standing practice in BC that’s been vital to many farm businesses. Recent research by the provincial government’s Behavioural Insights Group underlined the importance of land leases to agriculture, stating that it’s commonplace for …
Province rethinks land matching pitch
VICTORIA – To increase landowner participation in the BC Land Matching Program administered by Young Agrarians, the BC Ministry of Agriculture is drawing on behavioural insights to nudge landowners into leasing their unused farmland to new farmers. Behavioural scientist Christine Kormos presented details and results of the project at the BIG Difference BC online conference …
Land matching pays off
A provincial investment of $700,000 in a program to match farmers with landowners is nearing 95 successful pairings and more than 7,000 acres brought into production. The program, originally launched by the Young Agrarians organization in 2016, has completed 73 matches that have paired producers with 900 acres. But if all goes well, an additional …
Reeve leads BC Young Farmers
BC Young Farmers has a new executive director. Ava Reeve, a farmer in Langley, succeeded Christine Koch on February 1. She will attend her first board meeting in her new role on February 20. Reeve has developed significant experience with farm organizations as a vice-president with the Langley Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, agriculture program coordinator with …