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.
Balancing Act: Climate Action in Agriculture
Climate action in agriculture is a balancing act 🌎 ⚖️
With climate change tipping the scales for agriculture, achieving resilience means both adapting to the impacts of past emissions and minimizing those of the future. And, as ACARN knows well, tackling these challenges requires a collective effort – no single group can address them alone.
Agricultural Science Communication Training
The “Seeding Success” training series help build skills in the art and science of farmer-centered communication. Core extension topics have focused on knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) planning, producing research summaries for farmers, and delivering effective field days. The format and content is designed for graduate students, researchers, agrologists and consultants working in British Columbia.
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.
Ethical Data Governance Toolkit
To increase the capacity for ethical data governance in the agriculture sector, ACARN partnered with researchers at UBC and beyond to co-develop resources to help farmers and others working with agricultural data. A free and open-access collection of resources available in multiple languages:
2024 Provincial Research Workshop
Delivered in partnership with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, ACARN’s 2024 annual workshop was Water, Soil, Climate: Research and resources for BC farmers. This workshop explored how we can to adapt to the climate change challenges facing the agriculture sector. We heard from those working on the ground and learned about the research and programs emerging to support BC farmers. Key topics included:
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.
AgResilience Podcast
The AgResilience podcast brings you behind the scenes into conversations with guests from across BC on the leading edge of agricultural research for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Interviews go beyond results and dive into discussions on making research more effective for farmers and insights into the transformations needed for long term resiliency in our food systems.
2019 Provincial Research 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.
BC Agriculture and Climate Change Education Series
The BC Agriculture and Climate Change Education Series was created out of a four-part event exploring climate challenges and adaptation strategies in British Columbia’s agricultural sector. Hosted across eight post-secondary institutions in spring 2019, the series included expert presentations, Q&A sessions, and activities designed to bring regional and broader perspectives together.
2018 Provincial Research Workshop
This workshop theme was Crossing Disciplinary & Institutional Boundaries, and the event brought together 64 researchers, policy-makers, industry specialists, students and producers from various sectoral groups and regions of the province.
2017 Provincial Research Workshop
ACARN partnered with the BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative (CAI) to host a workshop on climate change adaptation research in the British Columbia agriculture sector.
