Farm business incubator workshop

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

June 11, 2015 - 6:07 PM

KAMLOOPS – Are you interested in farming? Do you need access to land? If so, please join us for an exciting opportunity to discuss land and business planning for new farmers on June 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Interior Savings Centre. The City of Kamloops has partnered with Community Futures Thompson Country to offer a one day workshop to solicit interest in a Farm Business Incubator Program (FBIP) in Kamloops.

The completion of the City of Kamloops Agriculture Area Plan (AAP) in 2013 identified preservation, growth, and diversification of the local agricultural sector as fundamental goals. In particular, education and support for new farmers was an identified priority. One of the action items of the AAP aims to help address these issues by providing existing public land for a FBIP.

This workshop aims to evaluate demand for a FBIP in Kamloops. The workshop will create awareness of what a FBIP would mean to the community/region and identify best practices, governance, struggles, operations, financing and ongoing opportunities with FBIPs.

Keynote speakers will include Christie Young, Executive Director of FarmStart, a leading Agriculture Business Incubator Program in Canada; and Elmarie Roberts of Haliburton Community Organic Garden in Saanich, B.C., who will be speaking from the perspective of the Incubator Farm's Introductory Guide.

The remainder of the workshop will be dedicated to obtaining suggestions and ideas from participants and identifying potential new and aspiring farmers for the Farm Business Incubator Program.

For details on the workshop and to register, please view the event poster at www.kamloops.ca/letstalk or call Community Futures Thompson Country at 250-828-8772.