NDP MLA Pam Alexis says new BC Agritech Grants and Concierge program will help modernize and grow our farm industry

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ABBOTSFORD – New Democrat MLA Pam Alexis says that provincial supports will help grow B.C.’s Agritech industry, linking local agriculture companies with resources to help grow their business. These programs will boost British Columbia’s agriculture and technology industries, strengthen food security and will position B.C. to attract investment and be a global leader in Agritech as we look towards economic recovery.

“I am truly amazed at the innovation of the people here in the Fraser Valley, and across the province,” said Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission. “When we’re able to invest in the incredible creativity and skill of the people that make British Columbia great, everybody wins. These Agritech concierge and grant programs will help boost our agriculture industry province-wide.”

B.C.’s new Agritech Concierge Program will help businesses access new markets, diversify and grow while linking them with investment opportunities. Food producers and AgriTech innovators, including recipients of the Agritech Grant program, will be eligible to access the concierge services.

The Agritech Grant program was put in place to help B.C. Agritech, agriculture and technology companies as they develop technologies and strategies to increase regenerative food production and sustainability.

The following projects in Abbotsford will benefit from over $1.6 million from Agritech Grants.

  • Bakersview EcoDairy– home to dairy, beef cattle and layer hens. Bakerview EcoDairy will work to pilot a blockchain encrypted information management system to follow beef products from farm to consumer. Bakerview Eco Dairy will partner with KPMG to use existing software in a new way.
  • BW Global-  is Western Canada’s largest food systems/greenhouse design and manufacturing company. It is building the Better World Innovation Centre, an international collaboration on a 18.2-hectacre regenerative organic farm in Abbotsford to demonstrate new agriculture and clean technology, along with new business models that will decarbonize food production and distribution and improve food supply, security and sovereignty in B.C. and around the world.
  • i-Open Technologies Inc.-specializes in geospatial web-mapping applications, data integration and spatial artificial intelligence. The company is developing Agrilyze, B.C.’s first spatial data analytics platform for precision agriculture that collects, tracks and maps data allowing for efficiency and better regulatory compliance while optimizing resource usage (such as human, equipment, consumables and waste).
  • Trident Processes- develops and automates processing systems for liquid and solid separation of agricultural wastewater into high-value fibre biomass, nutrients and water. Trident’s project will determine community needs and whether a business case exists to establish a future manure processing plant.

Funding for the Agritech Grant Program is a part of StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan. StrongerBC has increased funding for the Agritech Grant Program by $4.5 million, doubling its recipients.

Learn More:

Link to provincial release:   https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021PREM0022-000556

Learn more about the Agritech Grant program: www.gov.bc.ca/agritechgrant

Learn more about the Agritech Concierge program: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/economic-recovery/agritech-concierge