We will help bring new seed processing equipment to up to a dozen BC Food Hub Network facilities. The equipment will increase the production of high-quality vegetable, grain, and plant seed for commercial sale in support of a sustainable and resilient provincial food system.

“Demand for our first mobile seed cleaner has exceeded all of our expectations with over 100,000 pounds of seeds from over 50 varieties being cleaned since early 2019,” says Anita Georgy, Executive Director, FarmFolk CityFolk. “This tells us farmers are ready and eager to add seed production to their crop plans. Being able to partner with the Food Hub network to increase access to seed cleaning equipment will directly increase BC’s seed and food security.”

Our team will lead a ministry-funded study to determine the feasibility of adding mobile seed cleaning units at Food Hubs across BC. We will consult with food hub operators to determine which facilities are interested and most appropriate to house the seed processing equipment. Additionally, we will work with BC farmers to ensure this expansion of seed services, training, and infrastructure will support them and their operations year-round.

“Many seed producers are smaller, family-run farms that cannot afford their own seed cleaning and packaging equipment, but by expanding the role of our food hubs to include those services, we can help solve that problem.”

– Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries.

The seed-specific equipment will allow small-scale farmers to clean, treat, weigh, package, and label their products for sale and distribution in an economically viable way. Participation in the Food Hub network will contribute to our growing network of farmers who want to incorporate seed production as part of their operations.

To learn more about our mobile seed cleaner, visit our Mobile Seed Cleaning Trailer page.

• Three food hubs are operating in Vancouver, Surrey, and Port Alberni.
• Hubs are under development in Quesnel, Salmon Arm, Creston, Rock Creek, Kamloops, Abbotsford-Mission, the Cowichan Valley, Bowser (near Parksville), and Victoria.
• Made-in-BC mobile seed cleaner has operated in communities across BC since 2019.
• Through StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan, $5.6 million has been earmarked for the expansion of the BC Food Hub Network.

BC Food Hub Network

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/growbc-feedbc-buybc/bc-food-hub-network

StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan

https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/