Features Production Research
B.C. honours cranberry farming family

November 6, 2008, Richmond, B.C. –
To help celebrate the harvest season, the government of British
Columbia recognized the valuable contribution of the province’s farming
families by presenting a Minister’s Award of Excellence to a
long-established cranberry farming family.

November 6, 2008, Richmond, B.C. – To help celebrate the harvest season, the government of British Columbia recognized the valuable contribution of the province’s farming families by presenting a Minister’s Award of Excellence to a long-established cranberry farming family.

B.C. Agriculture and Lands Minister Stan Hagen presented the award during a tour of the May family’s cranberry operation, Maybog Farms Ltd.

“We are delighted to be recognized as a farming family for our contribution to the cranberry industry in B.C.,” said Lisa May, of Maybog Farms Ltd. “The support we’ve received from the provincial government for research into plant health has contributed to the strength of our industry. We expect cranberries will continue to be a B.C. favourite in the future.”
 
“The May family has been an integral part of the cranberry industry for generations and is part of the reason why B.C. is first in cranberry sales in Canada,” added Minister Hagan.

B.C. leads the country in cranberry sales and represents 12 per cent of the North American market. B.C.’s cranberry industry is comprised of 80 growers who together produce more than 80 million pounds of cranberries a year. Approximately 50 per cent of B.C.’s crop is used to make sweetened dried cranberries, 40 per cent is made into juice, nine per cent is sold whole frozen and one per cent is sold fresh.