B.C. farmers are accessing new technology through federal and provincial government funding to grow their businesses and increase production to help strengthen food security in the province.

Four B.C. businesses that are developing solutions to help ensure the province’s food systems remain secure, resilient and sustainable are the first to receive funding through the recently launched B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI).

The B.C. government is planning to build a new Plant and Animal Health Centre to provide diagnostic services that support agricultural producers, food safety and the growth of a resilient food system in the province.

In the heart of the Fraser Valley, the Donaldson family of Bradner Farms has been innovating and working the land for more than a century.

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, travelled to British Columbia to meet with B.C. farmers and hear how the recent extreme flooding and landslide events in the province have impacted farm operations, families and livelihoods.

Two mink have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, on a farm under quarantine after it had mink test positive in May 2021.

Food and beverage producers will soon have more opportunities to grow their businesses while increasing food security with the development of a new food hub in Abbotsford.

Test results from five mink samples taken from a Fraser Valley mink farm have all been confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans.