Agricultural Training Coming To Prince George?

PRINCE GEORGE – According to 2016 census stats, the Regional District of Fraser Fort George is home to 492 farms on 92,000 hectares of land. That’s only about 2.8% of the BC share. That number is down from 2011 when there were 558 farms in the regional district.

provincially, agriculture is a $3 billion industry with 18,000 farms sitting on less than three percent of the province’s land base. Yet they produce 200 different products that are shipped to places like the U.S., China and Japan. Agriculture is a global industry. 

“I think you need a full set of skills,” says David Connell with UNBC’s Environmental Sciences program, and an advocate of agriculture in general. “There are the skills to grow, but you definitely need skills in marketing, supply and demand and skills and the basics in economics and business management.”

That’s why the College of New Caledonia is touring its campuses, gauging what some of the training opportunities would help either aspiring farmers or current farmers looking to upgrade their skill sets. That roadshow is stopping in Prince George on Monday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and, again, from 6 p.m. to 7:30.