A Chilliwack farmer managed to extend her flower-growing season and invest in a new greenhouse with the help of a business accelerator program.
Mikayla MacLeod, co-owner of Charnwood Farms in Chilliwack, said they are grateful for the support received from the New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program, as participants in the last intake.
“We were able to use the funding from this program to build a cold-frame greenhouse, which has been instrumental in expanding our business and growing season,” said McLeod.
That meant having more flowers to sell during the season.
”We are very grateful that this program is available to new farmers to help with the costs of adding necessary infrastructure.”
Participants like the owners of Charnwood Farms are boosting their farm income and productivity through the fund.
“New and young farmers are the future of agriculture in Canada,” said Heath MacDonald, federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Investments through the New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program are helping early-stage B.C. farmers with planning and pursuing new growth opportunities that will support their long-term success.”
The program opens Nov. 3 for three weeks of fresh intake of eligible farmers to apply to develop or update a farm business plan and prepare a growth strategy for their farm operations.
“B.C. farmers play a key role in our regional food systems, and it is crucial that we support the next generation of farmers so they can continue to feed British Columbians,” said Lana Popham, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food. “The program is helping new and young farmers plan and then invest in the tools they need to be successful in their farm businesses, while supporting economic growth and food security in B.C.”
They can apply for funding to implement their growth strategy, including support for on-farm infrastructure and other investments, in spring 2026.
Other participants used the funding to invest in on-farm infrastructure, such as tractors, irrigation systems, a flash freezer and cold storage, pens for smaller animals, such as chickens and hogs, and a rainwater harvesting system
Louise Lecouffe and Jed Wiebe of Elderberry Grove Farm in Salmon Arm received support to build a larger on-site facility with better storage and processing space. That made it possible for them to offer more elderberry products to consumers.
In Duncan, Cowichan Station Creamery received funding to purchase hay feeders that reduce the hay waste lost from their current dairy-cow feeding system. This has helped the owners, Henry Rekers and Renee Davy, increase efficiency by making it easier and quicker to feed their dairy cows and improve labour productivity.
Applications are open Nov. 3-24, 2025.
The program is supported by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year (2023-28), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities, and a $2.5-billion commitment cost-shared 60% federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
A new entrant farm business is defined as a farm that has not yet reported farm income to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or has reported annual farm income to the CRA for five years or less.