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.

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.

The Government of British Columbia has issued a proclamation that Sept. 21-28, 2013, shall be known as "Organic Week".