Agriculture

The North Peace agriculture industry provides strong potential for business investment, job creation, economic growth and rural development. A combination of flatland, foothills and mountains, the North Peace is considered a prairie region. North Peace Farms enjoy the dual advantages of low land prices and low cost of production. As the only prairie in British Columbia, it also is home to the province's grain and oil seed industries, and is the most northerly agricultural area of Canada. Recently, the NPEDC worked closely with the North Pine Farmers Institute to secure nearly one million dollars in funding from the Northern Development Initiative Trust to purchase and operate a grain elevator and rail head in Fort St. John, creating jobs and supporting agriculture producers in the North Peace region - a good example of collaboration between all levels of government.

Almost 90% of BC’s grain and 95% of BC’s canola are produced in the Peace region. As well, the Peace is one of the best areas in the world for producing exceptional quality grass seeds.

The region’s beekeepers benefit from the longer summer days, producing as much as three times more honey per hive then elsewhere in the province and totaling in most years 30% of the provincial honey crops.

Local availability of high quality feed grains help make livestock production in the North Peace particularly competitive. Livestock production includes traditional beef and dairy cattle, sheep, hogs, goats and horses, with a growing diversification into game farming of bison, reindeer and exotic livestock, including llama, alpaca, fox, ostrich, emu and wild boar.

The North Peace is home to some of the largest bison herds in the province, producing nearly three quarters of BC’s bison. The strength and diversity of the agricultural industry is evidenced by the expansion into forage seed crops, specialty field crops, honey, livestock, and game farming.

A growing number of farms are now producing certified organic beef, bison, poultry, hogs, eggs, wheat, barely, herbs, hay, oil seeds, peas, as well as table and seed potatoes.

Highlights:

  • Low-temperature growing season with long hours of daylight.
  • Most land is suitable for conventional prairie crops such as wheat, barley, canola, and forage.
  • Game farming, particularly of bison, is expanding.
  • Short-season crops such as potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, beets, cabbage, lettuce, peas, tomatoes and sweet corn are grown near the Peace River.
  • There is a well-established cow/calf industry in the area with some finishing and backgrounding.