ADAC seeks new members'

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

The Cariboo Regional District and Agricultural Development Advisory Committee (ADAC) of the North Cariboo are looking for fresh faces and good ideas. With the approval of a $40,000 grant application from the Investment Agriculture Foundation, and the CRD contributing an additional $40,000 to the project, the CRD and ADAC are moving forward with the development of a region-wide Cariboo Agricultural Area Plan (AAP) and new committee members from the South and Central Cariboo are needed.

Representatives of the agricultural industry from the Central and South Cariboo, as well as Indigenous groups within the region are encouraged to consider serving with the committee and/or suggesting potential candidates. Prospective candidates or their referrers can send name, organization, and contact information to northcaribooadac@gmail.com before November 9, 2021. The list of potential candidates will be reviewed at the CRD Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for November 18, 2021.

The purpose of the Agricultural Development Advisory Committee is to:

• Partner with local government to further economic development and build critical mass within the industry
• Provide a coordinating body for accessing funding for major projects
• Provide links between producers, processors, agriculture organizations, Farmers Institutes and government at all levels
• Raise awareness of agriculture
• Enhance an understanding of agriculture’s role in the local and/or regional economy.

Plans and policies impacting agriculture in the region may also be referred to the Agricultural Development Advisory Committee by the Board of Directors, for its consideration and advice.

Since its formation in 2018, the North Cariboo ADAC has worked with the City of Quesnel and the Ministry of Agriculture on the Small-Scale Food Processing and Innovation Hub initiative, as part of the BC Food Hub Network https://www.quesnel.ca/city-hall/major-initiatives/regional-food-hub-and-business-incubator. In addition, the ADAC is providing guidance to the CRD on various topics including the Agricultural Land Reserve, Provincial Meat Slaughter regulations, regional connectivity, and providing input to the Forest Landscape Plan (FLP) and a Land Management Strategy (LMS) survey. Visit https://www.cariboord.ca/agriculture for more information.