British Columbians are being encouraged to pick local when shopping for plants and flowers for Valentine's Day gifts and throughout the year, and to enjoy the high-quality buds and blooms while supporting B.C.'s economy.

Restaurant servers and retail staff throughout B.C. are using the skills from B.C. Wine Institute-led training to help diners pair the right BC VQA wine with local meals, through $50,000 from the B.C. government's Buy Local program.

An innovative new livestock price insurance program will be available this spring to help cattle and hog producers in western provinces manage price risks faced by the industry.

British Columbia's newest centre of excellence is dedicated to agriculture, with construction progressing at the University of the Fraser Valley on a brand-new barn and greenhouses after an investment of $1 million by government.

Producers, retailers, chefs and consumers will receive enhanced information on British Columbia meat products through two separate projects the BC Association of Abattoirs is running as a result of $63,250 in Buy Local Program funding.

The Governments of Canada and British Columbia are supporting B.C. agrifoods producers to export to international marketplaces through a new program under the Growing Forward 2 agreement.

The BC Greenhouse Growers' Association is receiving $100,000 in Buy Local program funding to help British Columbians identify local, greenhouse-grown cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and eggplants and the benefits of supporting B.C. growers.

Agriculture Minister Pat Pimm is taking a moment to highlight the benefits of buying local and celebrating the contribution of B.C's agriculture sector.