British Columbians shopping for a bottle of B.C. wine will see a new area recognized for their grape-growing and winemaking on the label – the Cowichan Valley.

Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture, has appointed Rayna Gunvaldsen as British Columbia’s new chief veterinarian.

More opportunities are coming for B.C.’s Indigenous entrepreneurs interested in developing food and agriculture businesses and supporting local food security in their communities.

Updates to Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) Act regulations will make it more affordable for multi-generational farmers on the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) to apply to build housing that meets their needs.

The Province is investing in Okanagan communities to help with the annual arrival of seasonal fruit pickers and to better protect worker, employer and community health and safety with respect to COVID-19.

More locally raised meat will be available for restaurants and retail outlets following provincial government efforts to establish a more resilient B.C. food system.

To help more lower-income British Columbians, people expecting children and seniors gain access to healthy, locally grown food, the Province has provided approximately $1.88 million in funding to the BC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.

Due to high demand from B.C. farmers and food companies, additional funding has been added to support more of the Buy BC e-commerce applications that were received after the initial funding was committed.

Agriculture, seafood, and food processing businesses in British Columbia can begin to access consulting and planning services to help with COVID-19 response and recovery, through a program offered by the federal and provincial governments.