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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • NOVEMBER 2018


Samantha Ballan, right, received the lieutenant governor's medal for the student with the highest grades in any TRU first year certificate program. The award was presented by sustainable ranching program coordinator Gillian Watt and Tom Dickinson, TRU Dean of Science. TOM WALKER PHOTO


BUSINESS plans pitched


manager with BMO Financial Group and the executive director of the Kamloops Innovation Centre, who has a part-time sheep ranching business.


Business plans ranged from a cattle backgrounding operation to organic pasture- raised poultry, a goat dairy with a targeted browsing service that uses goats for weed and shrub control, and a mixed operation including cow-calf, red beet production and raising White German Shepherd dogs. Students


fielded questions about financing, crops, labour, marketing and maintenance for their proposed business. “This is such a wonderful opportunity to have


experienced business people review the students plans and give them feedback,” says Watt.


The Sustainable Ranching


Program is unique in Canada and perhaps the world for the combination of practical agribusiness skills delivered in the real-life setting of the local farming community.


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Students have the opportunity to live and work at a host operation, either a cattle or sheep ranch or a commercial vegetable farm. Field days are held at local businesses and community members often assist with course instruction. During the ceremonies,


speakers mentioned two aspects of the program that are seeking financial support. The “TRU Grit” awards program is a local community group that supports first-time Williams Lake campus students with up to $2,000 for first-year tuition. “Nine of our ASUR students


PROVINCIAL LIVESTOCK FENCING PROGRAM Applications Close:


September 30, 2019 View program updates at


www.cattlemen.bc.ca/fencing


Office: 1.778.412.7000 Toll Free: 1.866.398.2848 email: fencebc@gmail.com


have received this award,” says Watt. “We remind everyone to come out and support the spring gala that funds the TRU Grit awards.”


A centerpiece of the ASUR courses are the seminars taught by experts working in the field. “We are looking for


In partnership with:


industry sponsors who will agree to back each one of our courses and sponsor the speakers,” says Watt. Watt credits the local community with much of ASUR’s success, but Freya Kellet and Natalie Ballan, the two students who delivered the valedictorian address, captured it best: “In reflecting upon what has shaped our experience in this program as students over the past two years, it is clear that the absolute foundation for the Applied Sustainable Ranching program are the ranchers, farmers and wider community in the Cariboo and surrounding area. This program could not be in any other place, as all of you here tonight and many others in the community, are the fabric of the experience.”


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