BC Living Lab: BMP Demonstration Field Days
In 2024, the BC Living Lab and partnered industry groups held field days with producers and extension professionals across BC. These events showcased the beneficial management practices that seven commodity groups have selected to trial within the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program.
Research Info Session: Regenerative Climate Resilient Vegetables
🗓️📌 May 8, 2025| This online info session shared UBC applied research in organic vegetable production and opportunities to get involved in new field trials.
Researchers introduced the Regenerative-Organic Climate Resilient Vegetables project and highlighted the next four-year phase of field trials launching this spring. Research will be focused on enhancing regenerative outcomes through practices like conservation tillage, nutrient management, and cover cropping.
Producer Perspectives on Beneficial Management Practices
In 2023, ACARN supported the BC Living Lab with the development and distribution of a survey to BC producers. The survey explored growers’ awareness of and interest in Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) and collected insights across seven major agricultural commodities.
Environment and Climate Guidebooks for BC Regional Extension Program
As part of BC’s Regional Extension Program, ACARN collaborated with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food to compile producers’ climate priorities, relevant applied research, and extension projects across BC —resulting in seven regional guidebooks.
These guidebooks can help producers, researchers, and consultants reflect on the climate issues challenging environmental sustainability and resilient food production for and local farm businesses.
Agricultural Data Collection Protocols Conference
We hosted this two-day conference to make progress towards defining collective approaches for measuring soil organic carbon, greenhouse gas emissions and co-benefits in BC agricultural production systems.
The workshop was designed to showcase the common research approaches that will provide a framework for the BC Living Lab and to build connections with provincial government initiatives and other aligned projects. Find all sessions below.
Berry Workshop: Managing for flood damage, extreme heat and pests
Over the past year, BC has experienced the extremes of the heat dome and catastrophic flooding. These events have left berry growers with many questions both for immediate crop management and long term resilience. This webinar series explored management guidance for flood-impacted berry fields, heat damage, tolerance, and mitigation in berries, and climate change impacts on pest management.
Greenhouse gas mitigation research summaries for BC agricultural commodities
To support the work of the BC Living Lab, ACARN conducted a scan of recent research that addresses practices to help mitigate climate change. We produced mitigation research summaries for seven production systems.
These documents provide a high-level overview of recent, primarily BC-based, published research and research in progress investigating agricultural management practices with potential to mitigate climate change.
2020 Provincial Workshop
This online workshop explored climate adaptation research relevant to BC agriculture in 2020. Discussions covered pests and disease management, adaptive planning, application of weather monitoring tools, and Indigenous worldviews. With insights from researchers, producers, and industry leaders, these conversations fostered timely dialogue on adaptation strategies, barriers, and opportunities for resilience.
2019 Provincial Workshop
This two-day event brought together B.C. producers and researchers to explore practical and collaborative approaches to agricultural adaptation. The first afternoon focused on producer-led sessions highlighting field-tested practices to improve soil health, store carbon, manage pests and disease, and adapt to changing weather—specifically geared toward tree fruit and wine grape production. The second day centered on building collaborative strategies to support adaptation, with discussions on extension, data sharing, and future research needs.
