Last month was shaped by meaningful engagement across Canada and British Columbia, centred around a shared focus: strengthening access to fresh, local, and nutritious food for students in BC schools and communities across the province through our flagship program FRESH for KIDS. Across national, provincial, and sector-level gatherings, our Executive Director, Cheryl Johnson, participated in forums and conferences that continue to inform and strengthen our work connecting BC-grown food with schools throughout British Columbia. At the heart of every conversation was a simple concept: when BC students have access to fresh, local food, it strengthens not only nutrition, but also the connections between BC schools, local communities, and BC agriculture.

BC Agriculture Forum | Penticton

The BC Agriculture Forum in Penticton convened leaders from government, agriculture, and partner organizations to address the urgent challenges facing farmers and ranchers in British Columbia. The Forum serves as a strategic platform for dialogue between the agriculture sector and key partners, with a focus on collaboration and long-term solutions. Held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort & Conference Centre, the program included remarks from B.C. Agriculture and Food Minister Lana Popham, keynote presentations from Dr. Ken Coates and Jean-Philippe (JP) Gervais, and commentary from Keith Baldrey and Vaughn Palmer on the current policy and political landscape. Representing BCAITC at the Forum were Executive Director Cheryl Johnson and Education Specialist Amy Bawtinheimer. At the policy conference, we hosted a BCAITC booth, engaging with attendees and sharing our work in agriculture education and food literacy across British Columbia. This provided an opportunity to connect directly with partners and highlight the broader role of our programs in strengthening the link between BC agriculture and BC schools. The event concluded with a Gala Reception that offered space for continued conversation and relationship-building beyond the formal sessions. During the Forum, we were also proud to recognize excellence in agriculture education through the presentation of the 2025 Outstanding Teacher in Agriculture Award to Cailyn Morash of Glenrosa Middle School in West Kelowna.

Food Banks BC Conference & Tradeshow | Nanaimo

In Nanaimo, the Food Banks BC Conference & Tradeshow brought together organizations working across British Columbia’s food security network. The event highlighted innovative approaches to food recovery, distribution, and community support while reinforcing the importance of collaboration across the sector. As part of the conference, Cheryl participated in the panel discussion, Advancing Food Distribution in BC: Transportation Challenges and Solutions, which explored the logistical challenges facing food distribution across the province, including transportation barriers, infrastructure limitations, and innovative approaches to ensuring food reaches communities in need. The discussion highlighted the importance of collaboration in strengthening resilient food systems and improving equitable access to nutritious food throughout British Columbia. The conversations reflected a shared commitment to improving access to nutritious food for BC children while also strengthening the connection between schools and BC’s agricultural community.

Nourishing Futures School Food Forum | Montréal

In Montréal, the Nourishing Futures School Food Forum brought together over 500 school food leaders, educators, researchers, and Indigenous knowledge holders from across Canada. We were proud to represent BC’s school food programming, joining national conversations focused on strengthening school food systems and improving access to healthy, culturally meaningful meals for students. As part of the forum, Cheryl presented during the interactive session, Integrating Schools within Local Food Systems: Community Mapping, Success Sharing, Partnerships, and Problem-Solving. The presentation highlighted BCAITC’s programs and resources that strengthen connections between schools, local farmers, producers, businesses, and communities, with a particular focus on our flagship program, FRESH for KIDS. Cheryl shared how the program is helping ensure every child in BC has access to healthy, nutritious, local food while supporting BC growers, farmers, and producers. The session also explored the importance of collaboration, community partnerships, and innovative approaches to building resilient local food systems that benefit both students and the agricultural sector. Held on the unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá Nation (Tiohtià / Montréal), the forum emphasized collaboration, food sovereignty, and the importance of designing school food systems that reflect the diverse needs of students across Canada. The discussions reinforced an important perspective: school food programs are most effective when they are rooted in community, culture, and strong relationships with local food systems.

Looking Ahead

At its core, our signature program FRESH for KIDS reflects a simple but powerful concept that access to fresh, local food is deeply connected to BC students’ wellbeing, community strength, and a resilient food system. Last month’s engagements strengthened that mission through conversation, learning, and collaboration across Canada and British Columbia. As we move forward, the focus remains steady: ensuring that every BC student has access to fresh, local, and nutritious food while continuing to support the BC farmers and agricultural partners who make that possible.