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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • SEPTEMBER 2018 New public trust manager planning workshops The BC Agriculture Council


has hired Becky Parker as the manager of community trust. Previously, Parker was on secondment to Agriculture in


Ag Briefs EDITED BY PETER MITHAM


the Classroom Canada during her eight years with Agscapes, out of her home province of Ontario. She’s a seventh- generation farmer with a B.Sc. in applied science and a Masters in education with an emphasis on environmental and sustainability education. Based in Penticton, her education, skills and background tie in nicely with her objective at BCAC. “My goal is really to build


relationships between farmers and the ag sector in BC and build connections with consumers,” she says. To that end, Parker is planning two Speak-up workshops in November that will focus on teaching farmers and ranchers how to tell producer- based stories with


ease and meaning while gaining special tips about difficult subjects, positive conversations and effective communication. Parker sees these


workshops as helping with the third pillar of public trust: communication. Pillar one is doing the right thing; pillar two is about assurance systems and verification, another area she will be working on.


“I think I bring a very holistic and objective view of agriculture, having worked in education. I was always very tuned into the idea that it’s about promoting the industry as a whole,” says Parker. Look for Parker at various


events, including the BC Sheep Federation’s annual meeting in Armstrong at the end of September.


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BCAC hires new environmental programs manager The BC Agriculture Council


has hired Ray O’Farrell as its new manager for environmental programs. He joined BCAC in August, allowing ARDCorp program manager Geoff Hughes-Games to step down into a technical capacity one day per week starting


September 1. “When I


originally came to ARDCorp, it was meant to be temporary,” notes Hughes- Games. This transition allows Hughes-Games to continue his private consulting in agri- environmental work. O’Farrell is no stranger to


“Ray is bringing some new ROY O’FARRELL


perspectives,” notes Hughes- Games. His background in environmental science and planning is different than mine or previous program managers ... He’s seen agriculture from the insurance side – from the risk side.” The environmental aspect of the job appealed to O’Farrell, which is ideal given the focus he will have on the Environmental Farm Plan program and the Species-at-Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Land program. He will also be working with the Climate Action Initiative. —Ronda Payne


Poultry specialist joins IAF


agriculture. In Ireland, he spent time on his uncle’s dairy farm. He has a degree in planning and environmental management from Dublin Institute of Technology and worked for Mutual Fire Insurance Company of BC as an underwriter.


BC Ministry of Agriculture


poultry specialist Clayton Botkin is taking an 18-month hiatus from the ministry to serve as a program manager with the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. Botkin has been the


ministry’s industry specialist for poultry and regulated markets for four years. Prior to that, he spent two years in youth development and also verification for AgriStability with the ministry. He started with IAF in June.


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He’s finding the diversity of IAF applicants – from small sectors to massive food producers – interesting and hopes to bring value to the position through his farming and biology background. Botkin is still busy


volunteering in the poultry world outside of his professional role. He is in his twelfth year as president of the Fraser Valley Poultry Fanciers Association and serves as a director of the International Wild Waterfowl Association.


—Ronda Payne


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Salmon farmers hire new


executive director The BC Salmon Farmers


Association has a new executive director. John Paul Fraser was BC’s deputy minister responsible for government communications and public engagement until last year.


“I was drawn to this role by the opportunity to become an advocate for this important but misunderstood industry at a critical time,” says Fraser. BC’s salmon farmers


provide nearly 75% of the salmon harvested in the province each year, Fraser notes. The industry supports thousands of families in rural coastal communities with good jobs – many held by young, local First Nations people. Fraser’s previous experience as a lobbyist for the pipeline company Enbridge will likely come in handy for his first task. “My first priority will be to gain the public’s trust,” he says. “While the importance of salmon farming is well understood in the communities where our members operate, that is not the case in urban centres and there is no question we have work to do on that front.” —Tom Walker


New Island agrologist The BC Ministry of


Agriculture has hired Doug Pepper as the new regional agrologist for the southern Vancouver Island. Pepper started with the


ministry’s risk management branch in 2010 and has worked with forage and grain production, the Agriculture Wildlife Program, Western Livestock Price Insurance Program, AgriRecovery and Emergency Management BC. —Barbara Johnstone Grimmer


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