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Lana Popham returns as B.C. minister of agriculture

Lana Popham returns as B.C. minister of agriculture

Premier John Horgan unveiled his new cabinet on Nov. 26

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A familiar face will represent British Columbia farmers in the provincial legislature as Lana Popham will continue to serve as the province’s minister of agriculture.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and it’s exactly what I was hoping would happen,” Minister Popham told Farms.com. “I’m passionate about the agriculture file and the fish file, and it’s work that I absolutely love doing.”

Popham’s title received an upgrade to include food and fisheries.

“It’s an acknowledgement of the importance of the fisheries and food processing sectors here in B.C.,” she said.

Popham and the rest of Premier John Horgan’s cabinet were sworn in on Nov. 26.

The next morning. Popham joined her provincial and federal ag counterparts for the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers Meeting of Agriculture.

“The theme for every province is resilience and how we sustain ourselves through such a difficult event like the pandemic,” she said. “Food security is top of mind and always has been, but now even the term “food security” is more commonplace and I like that shift.”

One of the major discussion topics during the FPT meeting was changes to AgriStability.

The federal government proposed removing Reference Margin Limits and leaving the 70 per cent trigger unchanged but increasing payment levels from 70 per cent to 80 per cent.

These changes would be retroactive for 2020.

Minister Popham and her provincial counterparts will require a general consensus on how to shape the program and bring that template to Minister Bibeau, the federal ag minister.

“We’ve come to a point where we need to make these decisions quite quickly,” she said. “Our next FPT is in the summer (of 2021) but I’m fairly sure we’ll come to a resolution before then.”

While waiting for changes to the federal AgriStability program, the B.C. government implemented its own AgriStability Enhancement Program last year.

This program includes some of the same ideas the federal government proposed at the 2020 FPT, which B.C supports, Popham said.

Popham, like all ministers in Premier Horgan’s cabinet, received individual mandate letters.

Her responsibilities over the next four years include expanding the Grow, Feed and Buy BC programs and working with other ministries to create jobs and create local school meal programs.

Some of this work began during her first term as minister, she said.

“I feel like we were on the right path to being more resilient, and then of course the pandemic struck,” she said. “The pandemic emphasized a greater need for us to do the kind of work we’re doing.”

Premier John Horgan introduced his 25-person cabinet on Nov. 26. The makeup is divided between 20 ministers, four ministers of state and the premier.

Ministers of state assist cabinet ministers with responsibilities or sections of the specific department.

Thirteen parliamentary secretaries will also support Horgan’s cabinet.


Trending Video

The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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