Study
A study released late in 2020 under the Cultivating Prosperity in BC Project found the agriculture sector will be a critical component in helping the Province of BC recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study was launched last March by the BC Agriculture Council and Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAF), with the help of financial analysts from MNP LLP.
The purpose of the study was to assess agriculture’s current and potential contributions to the many challenges facing our society and provide baseline data and qualitative information to help guide future consultations with industry stakeholders for the identification and development of a long-term vision.
The next phase of the project, starting this year, will include further engagement with industry and government as the sector’s vision begins to take shape.
“I believe that this report is an important step in developing an overall vision and strategy for the agriculture, seafood and processing sectors in BC,” says James Donaldson, CEO of BC Food and Beverage. “Ensuring our industries long-term competitiveness – both domestically and globally – is critical.”
The report found that agriculture provides a stable economic backbone because food production is a necessity no matter what happens to the economy.