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Agriculture

 

Industry Snapshot

Agriculture is an important component of the local economy and has been since the establishment of pioneer settlements during the Cariboo Gold Rush.  Agriculture in the region has traditionally been hard fruit-orchards, fodder and livestock operations of beef, sheep, dairy, and horses.

The Thompson Rivers Basin area can support a wide range of crops including fruits and vegetables.  Large valleys with lakes and rivers provide fertile soil and a ready water supply.  The diverse climate of the region supports major crops like alfalfa, hay, most vegetables, and hard fruit along with specialty crops such as herbs, berries, and Christmas trees.  Local crop production is consumed partly within the region, with about 50 per cent of production being shipped to the coast of British Columbia.

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Beef production continues to be the primary agricultural activity in the region.  The beef industry and accompanying crops (hay and fodder) account for 85-90 per cent of total agricultural acres.  Both the B.C. Cattlemen's Association and the B.C. Livestock Producers Co-op Association are headquartered in Kamloops.  A small dairy industry serves the local market.

Agri-tourism has gained a strong presence in the region as many farms and ranches have diversified to now provide tours and B+B services.  Besides direct employment, a strong service industry including equipment, irrigation, and general supply firms, supports the agricultural sector.   

 

Competitive Advantages

Kamloops has an ideal climate for agriculture.  The warm, dry summers here are desirable for field, fruit, and vegetable crops as well as specialty crops such as herbs, berries and Christmas trees. 

Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre

The Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in British Columbia is one of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's national network of 19 research centres.  The Centre consists of two research sites - including the Kamloops Range Research Unit.  Research at both sites addresses national agricultural priorities in the areas of horticultural and field crop production and protection including tree fruits, small fruits, advanced processing, utilization, quality, and safety of plant products; the cellular and molecular biology of plant pathogens; soil resource conservation and land evaluation; poultry production and genetic resources; and dairy cattle behaviour and welfare.  

Agri-Food Initiatives at TRU

Grasslands Research is a highly developed department at TRU with many faculty members involved.  The department offers expertise on the effects of global climate change on grasslands, trophic interactions in grassland food webs and the impacts of cattle on grassland-associated wetlands.  

The BC Regional Chair in Cattle Industry Sustainability is working with the beef industry in BC to utilize BC's rangelands and forage resource to produce the healthiest beef in the world.  TRU has been involved in a project under the University's new Centre for Innovation in Ranching, Range and Meat Production, to facilitate research and development to help ranchers, producers and suppliers adopt new technologies that support sustainable ranching practices.

Agri-food products and agri-tourism research and development initiative is working to develop a latch key service for regional food producers to be able to obtain assistance in overcoming hurdles associated with commercialization and distribution of their food products and agri-tourism services to regional and provincial markets.

 

Incentives

First Nations Community Food Systems for Healthy Living is a project funded by BC Government, ActNow Incentive Fund.  The project is implemented by Minister of Agriculture & Lands in collaboration with First Nations Agricultural Lending Association (FNALA) to further agricultural programs benefitting First Nations in B.C

 

Resource Organizations