A pair of elderberry farmers in Salmon Arm are among the first to benefit from a new provincial program aimed at helping the next generation of B.C. farmers grow their businesses.
Louise Lecouffe and Jed Wiebe of Elderberry Grove Farm received support through the New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program to build a larger, upgraded on-site facility with improved storage and processing capacity. The upgrades are expected to help the farm expand its line of elderberry products for local consumers.
“We’re so grateful for the support we received. It feels amazing to have a space that works perfectly for elderberry. Having the right facility makes our work easier and helps us share even more of this wonderful berry,” Lecouffe said.
The program, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, is designed to support early-stage farmers with business planning and growth, so they can succeed and offer B.C. families fresh, local food.
“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 funded by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), which is a five-year, $3.5 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to overall strengthen Canada’s agriculture.
“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.”
Applications will be open from Nov.3 until Nov. 24, 2025. Eligible farmers will be able to apply for funding to implement their growth strategy, including support for on-farm infrastructure and other investments in the spring of 2026.
