COURTENAY - The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands is launching a new, more flexible Century Farm Award program to honour B.C.'s first farms, Comox Valley MLA Stan Hagen announced today.

"The Comox Valley has enjoyed a long and proud history of farming, which is a vital part of our local economy," said Hagen. "Our long-standing farm families date back to the 1860s, which has resulted in the Comox Valley ranking the highest number of century farms in the province together with Delta, another strong B.C. farming community."

Century Farm Awards are designed to honour pioneers whose farms or ranches have been in the family for 100 years or more. The Comox Valley Farmers' Institute, Haven Farm and Keenan Ranch were honoured today as the latest Century Farm award recipients during the opening ceremonies of the 133rd Annual Comox Valley Exhibition Fall Fair.

"Our province enjoys a rich heritage of farming that speaks to the determination and hard work of our pioneer farmers and their families who continue the legacy," said Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell.

"B.C.'s agriculture industry has a tenacious and invincible spirit instilled by an earlier generation, which continues to shine through our young farmers today. It is the effort and vision of these farmers that will help to sustain the agricultural economy in B.C. far into the future."

The original Century Farms were farms or ranches with a minimum of two hectares (five acres) owned by the immediate descendants of the original owners and operated as a farm or ranch at all times.

The re-launched Century Farm Award program expands the selection criteria by offering new categories. This includes a farm or ranch that has been owned and operated by the same family for 100 years or more, but whose owners do not now live on it or operate it, or where the farm business has moved from one location to another and remained active. It also now includes farming institutes or industry associations that have been active for 100 years.

"Recognition as a Century Farm is a way to pay tribute to our past and provide an opportunity to communicate the history that brought us to today," said Gerry McClintock, president of the Comox Valley Farmers'

Institute. "By recognizing what we have weathered to arrive here, we can better plan for the future of our agricultural community in the years to come."

Mediacontact:

Jessica Woodburn-McLachlin
Public Affairs Officer
250 356-1674
250 812-8368 (cell)