Features Fruit Production
New facilitator for Islands Agri-Food Initiative

December 10, 2008, Victoria, B.C.
– The Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia is pleased
to announce the appointment of Barry Remus to the position of project
development facilitator for Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and
Powell River.

December 10, 2008, Victoria, B.C. – The Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia recently announced the appointment of Barry Remus to the position of project development facilitator for Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Powell River.

Remus earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba. He’s been involved in agri-business finance on Vancouver Island for the past fifteen years. He also has experience as a field person with the Federal Farm Debt Review Board, and owned and operated his own grain farm in southern Manitoba.

The selection of Remus will be central to the success of the Islands Agri-Food Initiative, according to the chair of the initiative’s advisory committee Geoff Millar. “As a former member of our advisory committee, Barry is very familiar with the Islands initiative and with agriculture in the region,” says Millar. “He’ll play a major role in bringing stakeholders together to achieve the objectives of the initiative.”

Funding for the initiative is provided by the Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) through the Agri-Food Futures Fund, a joint trust between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. IAF chair Stuart Wilson says the priorities of the initiative dovetail nicely with those of the IAF.

“The Islands initiative is all about encouraging the development of a viable and sustainable agri-food sector on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Powell River. Supporting industry by helping with this kind of development is a key part of the IAF agenda.”

In his role as project development facilitator, Remus will work to increase and improve communication with the regional agri-food industry about the funding opportunities available through the Islands Agri-Food Initiative. His additional responsibilities include increasing the number of quality funding applications received by the initiative, building partnerships, and initiating projects that will strengthen the islands’ agri-food industry over the long term.

Remus is based in Duncan and assumed his new position in November. He can be reached at 250-597-2475 or by e-mail at islands@iafbc.ca.