MARCH 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
13
Dairy, aquaculture take home awards at gala Fish farm receives Scotiabank Champion of Agriculture for mental health, inclusiveness
by DAVID SCHMIDT ABBOTSFORD –Thirty-five
years after being named BC’s Outstanding Young Farmer, Abbotsford dairyman Louis Schurmann has another prestigious accolade. He received the BC Agriculture Council Award for Excellence in Agriculture Leadership at the sold-out BC Agriculture Gala in Abbotsford, January 27.
In announcing the award,
BCAC chair Stan Vander Waal noted Schurmann has made “outstanding contributions to the dairy community for the entire span of his career.” Schurmann spent 30 years
as a director of the Mainland Milk Producers Association, several years as a director of the BC Milk Marketing Board and 17 years as a director of the BC Dairy Association. Schurmann called his
involvement a labour of love. “Dairy’s been great for our
family,” he told the crowd. “I’m just so happy and proud to be part of agriculture.” Scotiabank used the gala
to present the third annual Champion of Agriculture award. After focusing on farm safety in year one and
to nutrition experts, fitness programs and mental health programs. “Through [Grieg’s] efforts,
we are building stronger communities,” Holscherer said.
The third award presented at the gala was the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (BCAITC) Outstanding Teacher award. The recipient was Brian Smith, a culinary arts instructor at Thomas Haney Secondary in Maple Ridge. BCAITC executive director
Louis Schurmann, centre, was congratulated by BC Agriculture Council president Stan Vander Waal and BC Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham after receiving the BC Agriculture Council Award for Excellence in Agricluture Leadership at the BC Agriculture Gala in January. SEAN HITREC PHOTO
journalism in year two, this year’s award focused on mental health and inclusivity. To that end, the 2019 award went to Grieg Seafood BC Ltd. of Campbell River. In presenting the award to
Marilyn Hutchinson, Scotiabank national head of agriculture Janice Holscherer noted Grieg’s 140-plus workforce is comprised entirely of Indigenous persons. A recent winner of
the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s Brigid Rivoire Award for Champions of Agricultural Mental Health, Grieg was lauded for creating “a sense of wellness in their workplace,” providing access
Pat Tonn credited Smith, the former president of BC’s chef instructor association, for ensuring BC agriculture is included in the BC Ministry of Education’s new culinary arts curriculum for grades 10 to12. She said Smith “has been instrumental in promoting the Take a Bite of BC and BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition programs to staff and students at his school.” BCAITC was also the beneficiary of the silent auction at the gala. The digital auction was a huge success, exceeding the BC Agriculture Council’s ambitious goal of raising $10,000 for the foundation.
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