Farmers’ Roundup Looks to the Future of Farming in the Shuswap
By Jo Boxwell
(L to R) Shuswap Community Farm Coop board members Syd Loeppky, Sanam Kashfi, Jay Simpson and Una St. Clair (photo credit Scoop staff)
A large gathering of farmers, food producers and people interested in learning more about local agriculture attended a “Farmers’ Roundup” event at Shuswap Lake Estates on February 21. The event was hosted by the newly formed Shuswap Community Farm Coop. The 75 registered attendees came from the North Shuswap, South Shuswap, Chase, Falkland and Kamloops.
Shuswap Community Farm Coop Board Chair Una St. Clair organized the event along with fellow board members, Syd Loeppky, CSRD Area F Director Jay Simpson and Sanam Kashfi. Their goal was to collect the opinions of farmers to inform the future activities of the co-op. Una acknowledged the efforts of Sue McCrae (a farmer herself) and the Shuswap Economic Development Society in establishing the co-op. Other organizations represented in the room included local food and economic development agencies and the school district.
The agricultural sector faces compounding challenges. Many farmers are aging out, but the high price of land prevents young people who want to farm from taking up those opportunities. Farmers want to make their products affordable for local consumers, but they face rising costs for everything from feed to equipment. Small operations often struggle to scale up or diversify due to government red tape. Despite these very real problems, discussions were predominantly positive as attendees focused on identifying solutions. Farmers contributed their thoughts on four pillars: infrastructure; productive land; a farmers’ exchange; and collaboration, advocacy and education.
The topic of infrastructure projects covered the broadest range of possibilities. The co-op could help small producers connect with local consumers by establishing a retail store, or they could create a cold storage facility for local farmers, or offer a space for equipment and tool rentals, or all of the above. Farmers were asked to share their ideas and priorities. Some attendees suggested the co-op could create an inventory of farms, their products and needs to help inform decisions moving forward.
Jay Simpson, a small-scale farmer, spoke about the importance of utilizing productive land in the Shuswap, especially given recent supply chain disruptions caused by COVID, atmospheric rivers and wildfires. He pointed out that the North Shuswap only has five acres of commercial vegetable production to feed 3,200 year-round residents. Suggestions included creating opportunities for farmers to lease underutilized land and using greenhouses to extend the growing season.
The idea of developing an online farmers’ exchange featuring livestock, feed and equipment listings was also discussed. There was interest in the room in the co-op hosting live auctions of livestock and equipment, cutting out the significant time and costs involved in attending auctions in the Lower Mainland.
On the subject of collaboration, advocacy and education, Sanam Kashfi commented, “The louder you are, the more politicians hear you.” Sanam also highlighted the importance of pooling resources with other local organizations to avoid duplicating efforts. Those in the room who were beginning their farming journeys were particularly interested in accessing opportunities for knowledge sharing and mentorship, such as by touring established farms.
Feedback from the Farmers’ Roundup discussion will be shared on the co-op’s website and incorporated into a feasibility study that is being conducted by a consultant thanks to a $20,000 grant. The study should be completed in the next couple of months and will help determine next steps for the Shuswap Community Farm Coop (https://www.shuswapfarmcoop.ca). Those interested in contacting the co-op for more information can email info@shuswapfarmcoop.ca
