| June 28, 2010 Support Local Farmers: Bite into B.C.'s Summer Harvest ABBOTSFORD– All of the fresh food and delicious wine you need for a summer picnic or barbeque are available at local farms and markets. “When I joined the 100 Mile Challenge, I learned first-hand how easy it is to find all types of food close to home,” says Abbotsford-Mission MLA Randy Hawes. “Buying from local growers and producers ensures that we are feeding ourselves and our families healthy and fresh preservative-free food.” The agri-food industry is an important contributor to the provincial economy with more than 225 food commodities produced in B.C., totalling over $22 billion annually in consumer sales and supporting over 305,000 jobs. Farmers in B.C. grow a wide variety of food crops, from grains to vegetables and berries. During summer and into the fall season, harvests from these widely varied local crops are available at markets and grocery stores across the province. There are more than 130 farmers markets in B.C. Together they contribute more than $118 million per year to local economies. B.C. is also home to 175 wineries and more than 700 vineyards that annually produce approximately 15 million litres of wine. B.C. leads the nation in sales of finfish aquaculture, blueberries, sweet cherries, apricots, raspberries, and farmed clams. We rank second to Ontario in the production of floriculture, nursery products, green house tomatoes, greenhouse peppers, greenhouse cucumbers, mushrooms, grapes, apples and most soft tree fruits. To find your local farms, visit www.gov.bc.ca/al or http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/ and click on the Market Finder tab to find a farmers’ market in your area. Watch past episodes of Randy and his wife Alma give up coffee to eat locally for 100 days at http://100mile.foodtv.ca/. -30- | |
| © 2007 Government Caucus of British Columbia. All Rights Reserved. |