B.C. Agrifoods Day celebrates agrifood sales milestone

Nov 06, 2015

Sales increased by $700 million from 2014

Farmers and other food producers made their way to the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, British Columbia with provincial Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick to celebrate B.C. Agrifoods Day and celebrate a sales milestone.

Sales

British Columbia’s agriculture and agrifood industry sold $12.3 billion worth of B.C. agrifood products in 2014 – an increase of $700 million from 2013 and a $1.8 billion increase since 2010.

“With $12.3 billion in sales, it is clear that the B.C. government’s Agrifoods Strategy is working,” said B.C. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick. “The B.C. government is committed to providing B.C. farm families with the chance to earn a higher income while ensuring our province has a growing agrifoods economy and a reliable food source for years to come.”

Chair of the BC Agriculture Council Stan Vander Waal is hopeful that with the success of the province’s agriculture industry comes a better relationship between consumers and producers.

“I think as British Columbians become more informed of what agriculture is to them, they’ll be more connected with where their food comes from and we also hope they’ll become more comfortable and trust the food source of British Columbia because it is among some of the healthiest and best food worldwide,” Vander Waal said.

According to the 2011 Census of Agriculture:

There are 19,759 farms in British Columbia
Total farm area in the province is 6.5 million acres
Average farm area is 327 acres
Women made up more than one third of farm operators in the province
No-till methods were used on 28.3% of land prepared for seeding – up from 19.1% in 2006

Video: Early Fall Colors | Scenic Ontario Road Trip!

All adventures must come to an end, but not without one more journey! Join The Wandering Shepherds as we say farewell to our cozy Calabogie cottage and take the scenic road trip home to Ewetopia Farms. Our first stop was a breathtaking hydroelectric generating station, framed by cliffs, rushing water, and brilliant fall leaves that seemed to have changed overnight. From there, we meandered along winding backroads through lakes and hills, soaking in the spectacular autumn scenery. This year, the colors seemed to arrive earlier than usual—perhaps due to the summer’s drought? Whatever the reason, it was an unforgettable display of Ontario’s fall beauty. Finally, our holiday drew to a close as we pulled back into Ewetopia Farms, ready to return to the sheep and our daily vlogs. But this trip reminded us how important it is to pause, explore, and appreciate the simple beauty around us.