Fraser Valley – The Abbotsford Community Foundation (ACF) announced that a grant of $162,800 has been made to support the S.P.R.A.W.L. (Sequencing of Poultry Related Avian Influenza Virus for Wind-borne Link) Project from this year’s Agricultural Enhancement Grants Program.
This granting program, offered through a partnership with the City of Abbotsford, has been providing matching grants to Abbotsford’s agricultural industry since 2012. Over the years, ACF’s Agricultural Enhancement Grants Program has awarded over $1.6 million in grants to ensure the long-term sustainability of the local agricultural sector, in all its forms.
In 2025, ACF paused the regular grant application cycle in order focus on a single significant issue plaguing Abbotsford’s poultry & egg industry. By partnering with the Government of BC’s Ministry of Agriculture, the University of BC, and interest holders in the poultry & egg sector, ACF leveraged the granting funds available this year with Genome BC to jointly fund a $325,000 project to research mitigation of Avian flu across several sites in Abbotsford and Chilliwack. ACF’s investment of $162,800 will allow the inclusion of up to 12 sites in Abbotsford in this research.
“Abbotsford’s agricultural sector faces a number of threats such as climate change impact, declines in pollinators, and viruses such as Avian flu,” says Areni Kelleppan, ACF Executive Director. The ACF Agricultural Enhancement Grants Committee felt that it was, “time to look at leveraging our funds with other partners in the province for bigger impact and this was the year to do it.” As a result, ACF connected with the Government of BC’s Ministry of Agriculture to learn about industry projects where ACF funding could ensure Abbotsford was included as part of demonstration or research on these kinds of broader issues.
“The impact Avian flu has had on Fraser Valley poultry businesses, farming families, and the broader community, has been devastating, and research to identify how the virus is transmitted is critical for preventing future outbreaks. The proposed research project will help us learn whether wind plays a role in Avian flu transmission among poultry farms.” said B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food, Lana Popham. “This project demonstrates the partnerships, spirit, and importance of agriculture in Abbotsford, and how valuable farming is to our provincial food security and economy.”
The next round of ACF’s Agricultural Enhancement Grants Program will resume in 2026. For more information on this or any of ACF’s other granting programs, please visit ACF’s Granting Page.
