The British Columbia Agricultural Council (BCAC) is hosting a high-stakes panel discussion at the BC Young Farmers’ Farm Fest 2024 on November 19 in Abbotsford.  

The panel is titled: "The Loss of Agricultural Land and the Ever-Growing Pressures - What Will Be Left for Ag Production?" 

With Canada’s farmland facing unprecedented threats from rapid urban expansion, speculative investments, and climate change, this essential panel will explore what’s at risk if we fail to protect our agricultural lands—and the future of our food security along with it. Panelists from across Canada will examine the urgent need to preserve farmland, presenting both the challenges and practical solutions needed to sustain Canada’s capacity for local food production, economic resilience, and environmental stability.

This conversation promises to bring fresh insights and actionable ideas at a time when protecting  farmland has never been more essential.

BC Agriculture Council (BCAC) is the lead industry advocate for key sector-wide priorities in British Columbia. 

WHEN:  
Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 10:50am PST

WHERE:
Clarion Hotel & Conference Centre
36035 N Parallel Rd, Abbotsford, B.C.

PANELISTS: 

Panelists representing diverse agricultural communities across Canada:

• Ian Boxall – president, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan
• Allan Melvin – president, Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture
• Charles-Félix Ross – directeur général, L’Union des Producteurs Agricoles
• Rebecca Senicar – chair, BC Young Farmers Committee, BC Agriculture Council
• Drew Spoelstra – president, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

The discussion will be moderated by Kim Grout, CEO of the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission, a leader in protecting B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve.

Source: BC Agricultural Council November 15, 2024 news release