New funding sprouts more growth for B.C. seeds

May 13, 2022

The Province is increasing support for B.C. seed growers to enhance and expand their operations, bolster food security and create a thriving food economy.

“There’s so much potential contained in the thin coat of a seed. From an apple tree to winter squash, seeds can grow into nutritious food for B.C. families,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “By investing in B.C. seed growers, we’re helping produce seeds adapted to B.C.’s unique climate regions, making us more resilient. As our seed businesses grow and expand, so will our economy and food security.”

To scale up seed production and processing in B.C., the Province is investing $90,000 to:

support seed growers through seed-education workshops throughout B.C.;
create a seed mentorship program and knowledge-transfer events;
conduct seed trials to select breeds best suited to B.C.’s climate;
continue seed-cleaning and processing services throughout B.C. using mobile seed-cleaning units;
work with existing seed libraries to identify seed-storage capacity; and
develop a database of seed-exchange systems.

As a small-scale seed grower, I know the mentorship, education workshops and access to seed-cleaning equipment that I’ve benefited from will help other growers increase production of locally grown and adapted seed varieties,” said Arzeena Hamir, owner of Amara Farm. “More local seeds will improve the resiliency of food and farming as we weather climate change and other challenges.”

David Catzel, BC Seed Security program manager with FarmFolk CityFolk, a Vancouver-based food and agriculture non-profit organization, said: “Through ongoing education and help establishing efficient and shared production systems, we can create a secure food system that values seeds as a shared resource that's stewarded by growers for future generations. Continued support from the Province will allow us to build this system together, feeding British Columbians and ensuring we can do so into the future.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.