The Salmon Arm Fair turns 115 this year, and to celebrate the occasion the government of British Columbia presented the Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association with a Century Farm Award.

Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick commended fair organizers for the century of hard work and contributions the fair has made to British Columbia's long legacy of food production and agriculture.

The first Salmon Arm Fair was held in 1897, and the Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association was incorporated in 1911 with one of its mandates being to hold an annual fair and cattle show. Over the years, the association has run the Salmon Arm Fair and maintained and operated the fairgrounds year round.

The association was also created to promote and encourage agricultural development in the Salmon Arm area and to provide a location where community activities could take place. Nowadays, the Salmon Arm Fair provides entertainment and attractions for people of all ages at the three-day event.

The focus of the fair is still on agriculture, with competitions and displays of livestock and fresh produce, along with traditional baking and canning using locally-grown foods. Local 4-H groups are there to talk about their projects to fairgoers, and homemakers and craftspeople exhibit their creations.

Century Farm Awards honour agricultural organizations that have been active for a century or longer, as well as pioneers whose farms and ranches have been in families for a 100 years or more. Each Century Farm Award celebrates the rich heritage of farming and ranching families and organizations in B.C.

Quotes:

Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick -

"Congratulations to the Salmon Arm Fair for over one hundred years of promoting agriculture in B.C. A trip to the fair offers families a memorable way to spend the day and provides the opportunity to share the connection between local foods and people."

Shuswap MLA George Abbott -

"The Salmon Arm Fair is an event I look forward to every year. I applaud the Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association for the decades of work that have gone into making this fair what it is today."

The Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association, first vice president, Star MacGregor -

"The Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association operates our fair, and we are thankful to our pioneers who started the fair in 1897. Now, 115 years later, we are grateful to accept this award for our many volunteers who continue the tradition. The award truly is a tribute to those past and present for the Salmon Arm Fair."

Quick Facts:

• To date, 99 family farms or organizations have received the Century Farm Award.
• The Century Farm award program was created in 1994 to mark the centennial of the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Nine out of ten B.C. farms are family owned and operated.

Learn More:

For more information about B.C.'s Century Farm Program:

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/regional/CenturyFarmAwards/CenturyFarms.htm

To find out more about the Salmon Arm Fair:

http://www.salmonarmfair.com/index.html

Media Contact:

Robert Boelens
Government Communications and Public Engagement Ministry of Agriculture
250 882-2485