Farmers in the North are getting more help to adapt to climate change.
The federal and provincial governments are providing $300,000 in funding for Bulkley-Nechako and Fraser-Fort George through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The funding will support projects in these areas as priority actions for increasing the resilience of producers in the region.
These funded projects will help farmers respond to four impact areas that are affecting the region Factors of this could be wildfire risk, increasing variability and shifting crop suitability.
BC Agriculture brought different workshops to the area discussing climate change and how it will affect agriculture. The plan will guide different projects throughout the region.
Project Manager, Samantha Charlton said farmers are already seeing the effect of climate change in their crops.
“It’s an industry that faces a lot of challenges already and climate change is just one more pressing challenge for this part of the economy,” said Charlton.
The funding is to help support farmers in their decision making by providing information and how to overcome the challenges.
Charlton also says BC Agriculture is looking for people to help them who are interested in this topic.
“We want to keep hearing from the farming and ranching community and we’re also going to be looking for project partners,” said Charlton.
The planning for these projects began in September of 2018 and BC Agriculture are hoping to have six projects done by January 2023 with two or three of them starting this fall.