Abbotsford (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) – The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, travelled to Abbotsford to meet with farmers and hear how the recent extreme flooding and landslide events in the province have impacted farm operations, families and livelihoods.
Minister Bibeau toured flood-affected areas of B.C.’s Fraser Valley with British Columbia’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Lana Popham. Ministers Bibeau and Popham visited affected farms, including dairy and poultry farms and a winery, where they saw firsthand the widespread impacts of the extreme flooding and landslides on the agriculture sector.
Minister Bibeau also spoke with local farmers. She heard how these events devastated many BC farms and she also heard stories of courage and resilience and how farm families worked together in the face of adversity.
“To see the devastating impacts of the floods and landslides in-person truly demonstrates how fragile the environment is, but also how resilient and courageous communities and people can be when faced with adversity. As we move forward over the next few weeks, our Government will continue to work closely with the province to provide support to help deal with the challenges they face today and better adapt and prepare for future climate change events.”
– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“We are committed to working with our partners to support farmers as they recover from the recent extreme flooding in British Columbia. Together we will help the agriculture sector get back on its feet, and the federal government will remain committed until the job is done, while also working to help prepare for future climate change events.
– The Honourable Bill Blair, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
“The conversations we are having with farmers who have suffered losses due to the flooding are guiding our governments in developing a comprehensive AgriRecovery package that will help our agriculture producers return to production. I am looking forward to seeing that support being available soon, and want to thank B.C. farmers for the input they’re providing as well as for all the hard work, inspiration and resilience they have shown during this difficult time.”
– The Honourable Lana Popham, B.C. Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
