This year’s 26th annual Pacific Agricultural Show at Tradex in Abbotsford has all the usual celebrations of farm life, plus a little bit of competition thrown in for good measure.
The Pacific Ag Show has partnered with the Abbotsford Tech District to launch the first-ever Farmers Den – a a pitch competition that showcase up-and-coming innovators and entrepreneurs in the region. And there’s some serious money at stake.
A panel of industry judges will hear pitches from local entrepreneurs and award a winner in the following categories:
• $50,000 for an outstanding Agripreneur (entrepreneurs who have established agriculture or agri-tech companies); and
• $10,000 for the winning Seedling (students or recent grads with an emerging agri-tech startup company or an idea for an agri-business).
Judges – who include Lenore Newman, a PhD and director at the Food and Agriculture Institute – and hopeful winners are available to speak about their business ideas as well as share why B.C. is budding with a field of innovation and entrepreneurship, leading the way for the next generation in the agriculture industry.
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“Our province is budding with talented young entrepreneurs who are the future of the agriculture industry. The Pacific Agriculture Show is the perfect place to launch the inaugural Farmers Den and to showcase up-and-coming innovators and entrepreneurs in the region,” said Gavin Dew, chief strategy officer of the Abbotsford Tech District.
This year’s show, slated for Jan. 25 to 27, brings together thousands of people to network, explore, learn and celebrate the important work that farmers, producers and suppliers do every day.
And, as always, the event is family-friendly with a petting zoo, free ice cream, face painting (Saturday only), balloon artists (Saturday only), Rabbitat (a rabbit rescue non-profit), climbing monster tractors and machines, and a vintage farm equipment museum.
“I think over the years the general public has taken a greater interest regarding what they eat and where their food comes from,” said show organizer Jim Shepard.
“Coming to an event like the Pacific Ag Show gives people a better sense to what inputs and human efforts are needed to create the food they see and buy at the supermarket.”
The past few years have been difficult ones for the farming industry, but Shepard feels optimistic about the future.
“The one thing about farming is there are always challenges – micro and macro,” he said. “Locally, the floods a few years back were a disaster but the farmers are a resilient bunch; they took it and were right back at it.”
After 26 years of holding the Pacific Ag Show, Shepard has captured the secret to success.
“What makes the Pacific Agriculture Show special is that it represents what agriculture looks like in BC with our unique mix of greenhouse/veg/ berries/dairy/poultry,” he said.
“The ag shows in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario represent what each of their ag sectors look like. Our show also has a strong conference program. We also have enough attractions like our petting zoo and antique farm equipment displays that draw farm families and farm curious families out to the show.”
For Shepard, the Pacific Ag Show is “three days each year reconnecting with exhibitors that I’ve known for many years whose support has helped shape the show and make it successful.”
Doors are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at Tradex (1190 Cornell St.). General admission is $15 online at agricultureshow.net or at the door.