COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • MAY 2019
27
Cheesemakers unite to grow niche market New artisan organization will also provide support to new producers
by JACKIE PEARASE VERNON – BC’s artisan cheesemakers know their
product is unique and now a new association will help them find a niche in the marketplace by effectively conveying that message. BC Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham announced the creation of the BC Artisan Cheese Association (BCACA) March 15 to represent BC artisan cheesemakers and individuals from different sectors involved in the cheesemaking process, starting with the source of the milk to the finished product on store shelves. “The (BCACA) is creating a space for BC’s cheesemakers to share experiences, challenges and successes with one another,” says Popham. “It’s also an opportunity for them to network and connect with other British Columbians to increase value- added food processing right here in BC.” BCACA chair Emma Davison says BC handcrafted
artisan cheese is the Cadillac of cheeses and it is important to find effective ways to highlight its unique qualities. She says artisan cheese uses only animal milk, with no modified milk ingredients, created using traditional methods. “One of the main goals [of BCACA] is to make us stand out in the marketplace; to make those artisan producers who are literally putting blood, sweat and tears every day into their businesses, for them to be set apart from the whole category of cheese,” explains Davison, who operates Golden Ears Cheesecrafters in Maple Ridge with her sister. “[We want] to educate the public and teach them that real artisan cheese that is made with wholesome British Columbia milk, whether it be cow or goat or sheep or buffalo … is a completely different craft than [mainstream] cheese.”
The BC Dairy Association (BCDA) began talking with cheesemakers about creating an association about six years ago but the idea sat on the back burner until recently. “It really started to get rolling two years ago when all the cheesemakers got together and talked about what they want to see, what are some of the challenges that we face that maybe an association can help us out with,” Davison says. BCDA communications manager Christine
Terpsma said they want to continue their early support of artisan cheesemakers by providing resources to build on the work already done. Terpsma says the BCDA is supportive of efforts to
develop and market value-added products using BC milk. “We look forward to working with the association
to further this goal,” she says. BC Ministry of Agriculture dairy and pork industry specialist Tom Droppo says the association’s creation was supported with funding and in-kind professional accounting services through BCDA’s Dairy Industry Research and Education Committee (DIREC), as well as the BC Milk Marketing Board (BCMMB) and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP).
“I think it shows a keen interest to see this group succeed and grow,” Droppo notes. There are approximately 25 BC artisan cheesemakers. Thirteen attended a two-day strategic planning session in Vernon in March along with representatives from the BC Ministry of Agriculture, BCDA, BCMMB and BC Centre for Disease Control. Davison was impressed by the turnout, the ideas
put forward and the enthusiasm of the cheesemakers in attendance, including some aspiring cheesemakers.
“We’re really excited to welcome people that do want to get involved and want to start,” she adds. “We’re hoping we can be a voice for them and help provide them with some solutions to get started.” The group wants to develop an action plan that includes a marketing campaign educating people about artisan cheese and directing them to where they can find local product. Exploring avenues for better distribution of their
product, which can be very expensive and difficult for smaller producers, is also high on the to-do list. “We’d love to have some distributors look at us
collectively and consider patching some bridges and avenues to make [distribution] more accessible,” Davison notes.
A membership drive is now underway, with fees being waived for the first year. Plans are in the works for the first annual general meeting, a logo is being created, and cheesemakers are encouraged to attend events to promote the association and their product. Davison says the future could include specific
certification or labelling for artisan cheese to set it apart and provide more consumer confidence. Davison is joined on the new board of directors
by vice-chair and secretary Raymond Gourlay of Little Qualicum Cheeseworks on Vancouver Island and treasurer Jason Dykstra of Mt. Lehman Cheese Co. in Abbotsford. Droppo says it is a motivated board with vision and an ability to work well together, qualities required to bring together the membership and create a good action plan with common goals for BC artisan cheesemakers. “They’re not going to be able to do everything in the first year,” Droppo notes. “But it creates a vision; they’re starting to identify areas that are important to them and their members.”
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