The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce hosts host its annual Agriculture Bus Tour on Friday, June 16.
This year’s event spotlights the achievements of local agriculture businesses, emphasizing their significant impact on the community.
The tour features guest speaker Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis, who also serves as the minister of agriculture and food.
“Agriculture in Abbotsford is big business, and innovation is critical to the future success and resilience of the industry,” said Alex Mitchell, CEO of the Chamber. “The Chamber carried out a study in 2022 which showed that our community’s agriculture sector contributes a staggering $3.83 billion in economic activity and provides over 16,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
“The Agriculture Bus Tour serves as a key education and awareness piece for community members and stakeholders to better understand the innovation and resilience of this sector, as well as celebrate its impact to our local economy.”
This year’s tour focuses on agricultural operations that have made some form of pivot, she added. That could be through COVID, post-flood changes, or even a significant shift into a new business line by implementing new strategies and exploring alternative approaches to labour and production.
The tour begins at Sevenoaks Shopping Centre, where guests will board two buses.
The first stop is Barrowtown Pump Station, where guests have the opportunity to join Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens for a discussion about the impact of the 2021 floods and the critical role of infrastructure in supporting the agriculture industry.
From there, attendees proceed to Lakeland Flowers, renowned for hosting the annual Tulip Festival.
Next on the tour is a visit to Aright Greentech to learn about what goes into creating a sustainable alternative for energy generation and other eco-friendly initiatives.
The tour wraps up with a visit to Taves Estate Cidery, where participants can indulge in a delectable lunch accompanied by a flight of Taves’ famous fruit cider.
Alexis will address the audience, sharing her perspectives on the agriculture industry.
The tour concludes with a visit to Taves Family Farm’s greenhouses, allowing guests to witness the innovative techniques employed in greenhouse farming.
To register for the tour, visit business.abbotsfordchamber.com and look under “events.” The cost is $75 for Chamber members and $85 for non-members.
READ MORE: Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce farm tour returns to in-person
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