David Zirnhelt
Observer Contributor
Recently, two developments in government programs have been announced which should help producers and processors get their products to the local and regional markets.
The first is the Traceability Adoption and Traceability Value Chain program under the Federal-Provincial CAP agreement (Canadian Agriculture Partnership).
The goal of the program is “to increase the adoption of traceability systems, practices, technologies and infrastructure across the agrifood and seafood sectors, enabling businesses to meet existing and emerging market and regulatory requirements.”
To submit your application, go to the website as of June 1, www.bctraceability.ca.
Agriculture, food, seafood sector organizations or value chains consisting of: inputs distributors, warehouses producers, retail processors, transporters, packagers, importers, and exporters.
What is a value chain? A value chain is a group of three or more agriculture, food or seafood businesses connected along a supply chain that is producing and delivering agriculture or seafood products to consumers. E.g. a business partnership between a producer, processor and distributor.
In the last few days, the Ministry of Agriculture announced a second program: the B.C. Farm, Fish & Food Job Connector to showcase current vacancies within the industry.
British Columbians can access this new online resource that will enable learning about jobs and careers in agriculture.
The site will provide farmers, seafood businesses and food processors with a one-stop to support their hiring and planning needs.
The new B.C. Farm, Fish and Food Job Connector will showcase current job vacancies throughout the province, including those for crop and seafood harvesters, food processing and farm workers, agrologists, large machinery operators and marketing specialists.
The site also has specific information to support businesses as they adapt their recruitment and human resource management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The connector site will also provide information and about the opportunities that exist within the different regions of B.C.’s agriculture and will highlight the available jobs.
The site will connect to agriculture, food processing, aquaculture and marine fisheries jobs posted on Work BC, industry sites and the BC Food and Beverage websites. It will also be a centralized source to find information and tools provided by B.C.’s industry groups.
For more information about the B.C. Farm, Fish and Food Job Connector, contact the Ministry of Agriculture at AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.
The B.C. Farm, Fish and Food Job Connector site can be found at: www.bcagjobs.gov.bc.ca
David Zirnhelt is a rancher and member of the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association. He is also chair of the Advisory Committee for the Applied Sustainable Ranching Program at Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake.
READ MORE: Ranch Musings: More on meat processing
editor@quesnelobserver.com
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