BC Outstanding Young Farmer Program
c/o
4048 Tolmie Road
Abbotsford, B. C. V3G 2V3
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2008 Spirit of Agriculture
Friday, February 15, 2008,
Abbotsford Ramada
Plaza andfor more details visit:
http://www.bcac.bc.ca/gala2008.htm
OUTSTANDING GENETICS - OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Abbotsford – February 18, 2008 – A passion for excellence has earned David and Lisa Taylor of Viewfield Farms in Courtenay the 2008 BC Outstanding YoungFarmers Award. Federal Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food Gerry Ritz and BC Minister of Agriculture and Lands Pat Bell presented the Taylors with the prestigious award before over 400 people at the annual BC Agriculture Gala in Abbotsford, Feb 15th.
The Taylors, in conjunction with David’s father and brother, operate a 300 animal Holstein herd on 180 acres in the beautiful Comox Valley. Since taking over farm management in the mid 90’s, David’s aim has been to produce both the best quality milk and the best quality Holsteins. He has already achieved his first goal, last year earning the award for the highest quality milk on Vancouver Island, and is well on his way to achieving his second: he is actively using embryo transfer technology to upgrade not only his herd but breed top animals for other dairy producers.
“Our goal is to become Holstein Canada Master Breeders,” Taylor says, noting less than five percent of producers ever achieve the lofty designation.
The Taylors emphasize sustainability and make every effort to promote agriculture to the larger community. They work with Ducks Unlimited on a project to feed wintering swans in their fields, host many farm tours and even provide a free 20-acre campsite at the rear of their property which was used by over 1,000 people last year alone. The Taylors are also involved in their industry, David is a director of the BC Dairy Foundation and vice president of the Vancouver Island Holstein Club and both he and Lisa have been 4-H club leaders for over 10 years.
Runners-up for the 2008 award were another Vancouver Island farm couple, Ian and Jennifer Woike of Running W Egg Farm and Farmer Ben’s Eggs in Duncan.
“This was not an easy decision as both couples are a credit to their sectors,” said judge Louis Schurmann, a BC Milk Marketing Board director and the 1984 BC OYF winner. “The ingenuity of the nominees just amazes me.”
To be eligible for the Outstanding Young Farmer award, farmers must be between 19 and 39 years of age, derive at least two thirds of their annual income from farming and demonstrate progress in their agriculture careers. Nominees are judged on conservation practices, production history, financial and management practices, and community contributions. Helping Schurmann judge the 2008 competition was financial planner Barry Remus of RBC Royal Mutual Funds.
The Taylors will compete for Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Award at the national competition in Calgary next fall.
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Reference: David Schmidt
Media Consultant
BC & Yukon Outstanding
Young Farmer Program
604-858-9193
OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS BUILD ON
EFFORTS OF PREVIOUS GENERATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chilliwack – January 29, 2008 – Building
on what’s gone before seems to be the common theme for this
year’s finalists for the BC/Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer Award. Competing for
the prestigious
award are David
and Lisa Taylor of Viewfield Farms in Courtenay and Ian and Jennifer Woike of
Running W Egg Farm
and Farmer Ben’s Eggs in Duncan.
Previous OYF finalists in 2005, the
Taylors operate a 150-cow registered Holstein herd on a 300 plus acre
farm in Courtenay. After spending seven years getting a university degree and
working in the banking
industry, David returned to the family farm in 1995. Since then, the farm has
been extensively renovated
and focussed on achieving the highest standards in milk production and quality
and using embryo
transplants to create an excellent purebred herd. Viewfield also partners with
five other area farms in a
milk hauling business. Taylor is a director of the BC Dairy Foundation and the
Vancouver Island Holstein
Club and has been a 4-H Club leader for over 10 years.
Ian’s father Ben began Running W Eggs in
1981 and father and son have been operating the farm together
for the past 15 years, raising all their own chicks for the 44,000 bird
conventional and specialty layer
flock. To maximize farm returns, the two formed a wholesale egg grading company,
Farmer Ben’s Eggs,
which markets white, brown and ‘dark yolk’ eggs. Manure from the poultry
operation fertilizes the land,
also allowing the Woikes to produce over 20,000 bales of hay/year, maintain a
herd of Black Angus cross
cattle and venture into quarterhorse breeding.
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Reference: David Schmidt
Media Consultant
BC & Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer Program
604-858-9193