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. The area’s proximity to west coast grain terminals also is a significant cost advantage. Almost 90% of British Columbia’s grain and 95% of British Columbia’s canola are produced in the Peace. 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 than 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 British Columbia’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, barley, 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 back grounding.

Resource Links

Ministry of Agriculture and Lands