Agriculture & Food Co-op Conference & Trade Show – Summary and Thank You

We were excited to host BC’s first Agriculture & Food Co-op Conference & Trade Show at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops on March 24 and 25. This two day event was curated through the lens of agriculture and food co-operatives, with themes that included transformational leadership to be relevant in today’s context, designing community resiliency, and participatory / people-centred processes. Throughout ten sessions over two days, the Conference focussed on:

  • People (building relationships and processes that support vitality in our work, organizations, and communities over time)
  • Land (exploring the complexities of land access and ownership, as well as how climate chaos is impacting people on the ground)
  • Food (supporting growth and diversification in service to sustainable supply chains where local food is celebrated here and beyond)

With speakers from BC, across Canada, the U.S., Australia, and Italy, the Conference was a dynamic space for people to network, explore, dive into deeper conversations, and participate in sessions with practical takeaways. We were thrilled to welcome about 120 (both in-person and virtually) to the Conference including a wide variety of presenters (including Minister Popham representing the Government of British Columbia!) and exhibitors who contributed to a lively and useful Trade Show space.

the BCCA would like to thank all who presented, attended, and our many sponsors listed below, without whom this event would not have been possible.

BC Co-op Association gratefully acknowledges the funding support of the Government of Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the B.C. Government’s Feed BC initiative.