cover story


Demonstration barn nears completion at the University of Fraser Valley’s B.C. Agriculture Centre of Excellence.


Focus on excellence N


Leading-edge agricultural research centre emerging at University of Fraser Valley with public and private backing.


By Tamara Leigh


ot so long ago, the Faculty of Agriculturewas tucked in an aging building on theUniversity of Fraser Valley (UFV) campus, at risk of being cut. Today, the faculty is


becoming a jewel in the crown of the university,with new facilities, a newdegree program, and the support of industry and government behind it. “Our dean and our president have supported this initiative,


and nowthe entire university is behind it,” says Tom Baumann, director of the Pacific BerryResource Centre. “Everyone in the university has been askedwhat they can bring to the agriculture industry,which is a very big part of the economy and community in this part of the province.” InMay 2013, Premier Christy Clark sent a letter instructing


Minister of Advanced Education Amrik Virk andMinister of Agriculture Pat PimmtomakeUFV a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for agriculture. Since then, the university has received funding fromgovernment and the private sector to build the facilities thatwillmake it all possible. On a visit to theUFV campus inDecember, Virk announced


$1million for newfacilities in the Canada Education Park at theUFV Chilliwack campus . This, alongwith contributions fromChilliwack Economic Partners Corporation, Envision Financial and other community and industry partners, has facilitated the construction of a $2.3million growing centre, including greenhouses, a barn and soil-based test plots. “The capacity thatwe gain is going to be incredible,” says


Baumann. “The greenhouseswill be used to give us two seasons per year. Thiswill speed up the breeding programand testing of newvarieties, and theworkwe need to bring into the lab.” The newgreenhouse is the first of its kind inNorth America.


At 12metres high, the structure is completely enclosed, allowing researchers tomanage all elements of the crop. Innovative fromthe inside out, it include a high-pressure misting systemfromGermany to provide cooling and humidity control in the greenhouse, and uses a polycarbonate covering produced in Israel instead of glass. “The polycarbonate is lighter, cheaper and safer,” says


Baumann. “It also builds in light diffusion, sowhen the light enters the greenhouse it’s coming fromall directions,which meansmore light penetration into the canopy of the plant.” The barns are connected to the greenhouse, and house the


boilers and compressors for the heat and high-pressure fans. Residual heat fromthe greenhousewillwarmone side of the barn and house animals that require heat,while the cool side of the barnwill house themilking parlour, cows and


British Columbia Berry Grower • Spring 2014 5


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