June 29, 2010
Bite into B.C.'s Summer Harvest & Support Local Farmers

VICTORIA– All of the fresh food, wine, spirits and microbrews you need for a summer picnic or barbeque are available at British Columbia’s local farms and markets.

“Buying locally produced foods is an excellent opportunity for consumers to connect and support famers in their community and gain a greater appreciation of where their delicious foods come from,” says Saanich North and the Islands MLA Murray Coell.

“Local produce has travelled a short distance from the farm to the fork, ensuring fresh quality products that are healthy and tasty for you and your family. When planning Canada Day weekend picnics and barbeques, check out foods from your local family farm,” says Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Ida Chong.

The agri-food industry is an important contributor to the provincial economy with more than 225 food commodities produced in B.C., totalling over $22 billion annually in consumer sales and supporting over 305,000 jobs.

Farmers in B.C. are able to grow a wide variety of food crops, from grains to vegetables and berries, due to climatic conditions in the province.  During summer and into the fall season, harvests from these widely varied local crops are available at markets and grocery stores across the province. 

There are more than 130 farmers markets in B.C.  Together they contribute more than $118 million a year to local economies.

B.C. is also home to 175 wineries and more than 700 vineyards that annually produce approximately 15 million litres of wine.

Sales of B.C. grown food, including grains, vegetables, fruits, livestock and other crops totalled more than $2.3 billion in 2009.  B.C. leads the nation in sales of finfish aquaculture, blueberries, sweet cherries, apricots, raspberries and farmed clams. We rank second to Ontario in the production of floriculture, nursery products, green house tomatoes, greenhouse peppers, greenhouse cucumbers, mushrooms, grapes, apples and most soft tree fruits.

To find your local farms, visit www.gov.bc.ca/al or http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/ and click on the Market Finder tab to find a farmers’ market in your area.

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