Northwest Edition

Regional Newsletter
November 2025

Feature of the month:

• New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program (NEFBA)

Upcoming Events:

• Nov 25-27: 2025 BC Organic Conference
• Jan 22-24: Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference
• Feb 11-12: Southern Interior Horticultural Show
• Jan 30-31: Island Agriculture Show

Programs and funding opportunities:

• Agriculture Water Infrastructure (AWP) Stream 1 and Stream 4
• The BC Agri-Business Planning Program (ABPP)
• BC Producer Survey on New Technologies

Business Risk Management Programs:

• Production Insurance (Deadline: Nov 30)
• AgriStability

Resources:

• BC Soil Information Finder Tool
• Livestock Drought Management series

The New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator (NEFBA) program is now open!

The New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator (NEFBA) Program supports the growth of new entrants by providing financial support for the development and implementation of farm business plans and growth strategies. The NEFBA Program supports business planning and cost-shared purchasing of commercial farm infrastructure and equipment needed to accelerate the revenue growth of farm businesses.

Through the NEFBA Program, a new farm business can receive support to develop a growth strategy and to make investments necessary to achieve farm income growth goals, ensure commercial viability and strengthen financial sustainability.

Applications are open from November 3 to November 24, 2025.

Funded in part by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative

2025 BC Organic Conference

Don’t miss the 2025 BC Organic Conference! Join Organic BC in Harrison Hot Springs from November 25 - 27 to farm ideas and build community.

This year’s highlights include:

• Keynotes: Jacob Beaton, Gillian Flies, Brent Preston and virtual keynote, Paul Holmbeck
• Workshops: 20+ sessions featuring practical, hands-on learning
• Trade show: The latest products, services, equipment and more
• Organic banquet: A delicious feast featuring local, organic products 
• Farm tours: A close-up look at innovative practices, techniques, and tools
• Seed swap table: Bring seeds. Take seeds. Share stories!

Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference

When: January 22 - 24, 2026
Where: TRADEX, Abbotsford

The Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference provides producers the opportunity to get the latest information on research, farming practices and market opportunities from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable experts.

The Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference is delivered by the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food in partnership with the Lower Mainland Horticultural Improvement Association and the Pacific Agriculture Show.

Register today: 
Early Bird registration rate (before January 9, 2026): $60 + tax
Regular registration rate (after January 9, 2026): $85 + tax

Funding for the conference is provided in part by the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial- territorial initiative.

Southern Interior Horticultural Show

When: February 11 - 12, 2026
Where: Penticton Trade and Convention Centre

The Southern Interior Horticultural Show provides producers with the opportunity to network and access the latest information on research, innovation, and farming practices from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable experts.

The ever-popular tradeshow is back! Click the link below to apply to exhibit. Exhibitor early-bird rates end on Friday November 28, 2025, 5:00 PM PST. If this is of interest to you, please reach out to sihs@pacegroup.com and we will add you to our distribution list.

The event is delivered by the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food in partnership with: B.C. Cherry Association, B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association, B.C. Grapegrowers’ Association, B.C. Wine Grape Council, Wine Growers British Columbia, Sustainable Winegrowing B.C., Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release, Summerland Varieties Corp., and the Cross-Commodity Leadership Support Project.

Register today:
Early Bird registration rate (before January 16, 2026): $50 + tax
Regular registration rate (after January 16, 2026): $75 + tax

Funding for the conference is provided in part by the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Islands Agriculture Show

The 2026 Islands Agriculture Show will be held at the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds in North Cowichan on January 30th and 31st, 2026.

For registration forms and full details, visit: www.iashow.ca

The 2026 Islands Agriculture Show will be organized and presented by the Islands Agriculture Show Society. If you would like to find out more, please contact cowex@shaw.ca.

Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program (AWP) Stream 1 opening November 18

Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program (AWP) will be accepting funding applications on November 18 under Stream 1 (Producer Projects) and Stream 4 (Strategic Projects).

Stream 1: Producer Projects

Stream 1 provides cost-shared funding support for large-scale water infrastructure projects led by producers with a focus on water storage and conveyance system improvements.

For more information on Stream 1 including a list of eligible activities and eligible applicants, please visit the links below:

Stream 4: Strategic Projects

Stream 4 focuses on supporting strategic and collaborative community projects in areas with high water use conflict, risks to the aquatic ecosystem (e.g., environmental flow needs), existing and potential risks of agricultural water shortage, and/or opportunities to expand water availability through community-led strategic projects.

For more information on Stream 4 including eligible activities, eligible applicants, and priority watersheds being considered for Stream 4, please visit the links below:

Prospective applicants with questions are encouraged to reach out to IAF by email (awp@iafbc.ca) or by phone (250) 940-6150 and (or) book a 10-minute appointment (completed by phone) with an IAF staff member.

The BC Agri-Business Planning Program (ABPP) is opening soon!

The BC Agri-Business Planning Program (ABPP) will open for applications on November 17^th, 2025. Funding is available under two streams:

• Stream 1: Agri-business skills and leadership development
  Funding up to 70% to a maximum contribution of $2,000
   
• Stream 2: Business planning, preparedness, and disaster recovery
  Funding up to $7,500 for individual business

Program funding will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants until the application deadline on 4:30 pm on December 08, 2025, or the funding has been fully allocated.

Applications are open from November 17 to December 8, 2025.

BC Producer Survey on New Technologies

We invite you to take part in a short survey for a research project led by Royal Roads University and the University of the Fraser Valley. This survey looks at how fruit and vegetable farmers in BC are using or may be interested in using different types of farming technology. These technologies include digital tools, controlled environment agriculture systems, and agri-genomics. Your responses in this survey will be used to help improve farming policies, tools, and support programs for BC farmers.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Your answers will be kept private. Names or any other personal identifiers will not be collected. When reporting on the outcomes of the study, the results will be aggregated and not linked to any individual.

Production Insurance

Insurance and Income Protection Programs are an important part of a farmer’s overall risk management strategy. AgriStability and Production Insurance work together to provide the best coverage for producers.

Production Insurance helps producers manage their risk of crop losses caused by hail, spring frost, excessive rain, drought, flooding and other extreme weather events. 

Upcoming application deadlines

November 30:

• Forage application and renewal deadline
• Tree fruit application and renewal deadline

Need Help? Production Insurance Representatives are available to help with the application and renewal process. 

• Phone: 1-888-332-3352 toll-free 
• ProductionInsurance.Kelowna@gov.bc.ca 
• Visit: www.gov.bc.ca/CropInsurance 

AgriStability

AgriStability helps stabilize farm income by managing the risk of large income declines. The AgriStability program is based on the income and expenses of individual farms. 

AgriStability offers enhanced benefits for 2025:

• increased compensation rate to 90% (on income declines greater than 30%) 
• provides up to 75% for early payments
• maximum payment limit increased to $6 million

Upcoming AgriStability deadlines

December 31:

• 2025 Enrollment fee deadline (with penalty) – last chance to ensure coverage is in place for the 2025 year!
• 2024 Statement A Submission Deadline (with penalty) - the supplemental page must be completed for you to be eligible. 
  • Individuals: Supplemental page is Page 7 of the Statement A (T1273)
  • Corporations: Supplemental page is Page 5 of the Statement A (1373-E) Corporations can easily submit Statement A details using our online form.

Staff are available to answer questions and help with the enrollment process.

• Phone: 1-877-343-2767 toll-free. Support is available in English and Punjabi.
• Email: AgriStability@gov.bc.ca 
• Visit: www.gov.bc.ca/AgriStability

BC Soil Information Finder Tool

Did you know? Soil and land capability mapping is now online at SIFT? Check out this amazing digital archive resource for your farm today!

Livestock Drought Management Series

What if your hay barn could save you thousands every year? Learn how strategic investments in forage and feed infrastructure can pay off for decades in Article 6 of the Livestock Drought Management Series.

Missed the last e-bulletin? Catch-up on previous issues here.