MAY 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


IAF showcases innovative ag projects


Exhibitors benefitted from funding partnerships with organization


by RONDA PAYNE ABBOTSFORD – Investment


Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAF) was at the centre of a multi-functional event in Abbotsford on April 12. Key to the affair was the Award for Excellence in Innovation and a showcase of IAF projects from around the province. Fraser Valley IAF director Alistair Johnston presented the Award of Excellence for Innovation to Philip Vanderpol, president and CEO of Vitalus Nutrition Inc., for the creation of Vitagos, a dietary fibre created from milk byproducts. “Almost 15 years of


research [led to]… the development of the proprietary technology for Vitagos, a pre-biotic fibre from unused dairy byproducts,” Johnston said, admiringly. “It can be used in infant formulas, granola bars and other foods – even animal feeds – to provide a full- spectrum food opportunity.” Vanderpol says the dream is to improve lives by unlocking the nutritional value of milk. Creation of Vitagos hinged on collaborative relationships both inside and outside Vitalus. This included funding from IAF. “It’s important to


remember we cannot innovate without a supportive collaboration environment across all sectors,” Vanderpol says. “It truly was and is a team effort.”


Showcase This year’s showcase event


drew 18 exhibitors. “We reached out to a variety of different


organizations that we have delivered funding to,” explains Kelsi Stiles, communications manager with IAF. “We tried to get a diverse group.” Dan Baker, a fish pathologist at the International Centre for Sturgeon Studies at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, presented the benefits of a cold-water aquaponics system using sturgeon. “We have winters where


there’s no light and it’s cold,” he says, explaining the rationale for the study. “And why not use species already here in Canada?” Aquaponic sturgeon


production is possible, but heat and light are key challenges. Still, Baker says three sturgeon-run aquaponics facilities are operating commercially, in Duncan, Nanoose Bay and Powell River. “They live a long time and they can grow quite large,” he explained. “They also show a variability of growth within a group.” BC Association of Farmers’


Markets (BCAFM) showcased the different components of their strategy to help farmers succeed at farm markets. Kwantlen Polytechnic University helped interview farmers to provide a foundation for the strategy. Georgia Stanley, BCAFM’s manager of membership and communications, notes the project included the Successful Farmers’ Market Farmers in British Columbia booklet, the Farmers’ Markets Toolkit handout and webinars. The booklet presents case studies of 15 farmers. “We wanted to highlight


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IAF director Alistair Johnston, left, presented Vitalus Nutrition president Philip Vanderpol with the Award for Excellence for Innovation during an exhibition of IAF projects in Abbotsford last month. RONDA PAYNE PHOTO


the farmers who have been a success,” she says. Software creator Chad Smith, of Qualo Software, had his craft beverage operation software on display. The program manages everything from the front end of a craft beverage operation to the back end – point-of-sale management to temperature readings from tanks. It even uploads excise tax data to the liquor control board. “We made software to run


cideries, wineries and breweries,” he says. “We’re starting with BC.”


IAF funding allowed Smith and his partner to develop the software from scratch and create it in a way that will work in other provinces when they’re ready to expand. Sofi Hindmarch attended with the Fraser Basin Council’s project on understanding voles and owls in blueberry fields. Funding from IAF allows the study of best control practices of voles and may lead to short videos to help farmers with identification and management. “The key thing we want to


get to farmers is identification of voles in a blueberry field,” she says.


While the showcase itself lasted just two hours, visitors from agriculture, government and finance were able to learn about a wide range of projects funded by IAF and see how those activities benefit agriculture in the province. The event was held in


conjunction with annual general meetings for IAF, the BC Agriculture Council and the BC Research and Development Corp.


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