Canada and B.C. fund agri-food research programs

In the first half of 2016, the governments of Canada and Victoria, British Columbia (B.C.) invested approximately $6.9 million to support business development, innovation, food safety, sustainability, and future agriculture leaders in B.C.'s agri-food sector.

The B.C. agri-food sector had record sales of more than $13 billion for their products in 2015. Building on this achievement, the governments of Canada and B.C. are providing support through Growing Forward 2 programs so that industry can continue to test the latest knowledge and technology as they compete internationally.

The funding was provided under the Growing Forward 2 Agreement between January 1 and June 30, 2016, and supports the development of new products, processes and markets for B.C. agri-food products through the B.C. Agrifood and Seafood Export Program and the Canada-B.C. Agri-Innovation Program. The main goal is to help producers maximize the potential for earning new dollars while meeting the growing demand for high quality food.

Growing Forward 2 includes support for the Environmental Farm Plan and the Beneficial Management Practices programs that help farmers ensure their operations are sustainable, and the Climate Change Adaptation Program, which better prepares farmers for changing weather patterns in the future.

The B.C. government is committed to increasing provincial revenues from the agri-food and seafood sector to $15 billion a year by 2020, by increasing production, driving competitiveness and building markets.