BC Poultry Farmer Mark Siemens is a third generation farmer who loves producing food for people in BC. His family farm raises 27,000 free range hens, which means the birds have access to the outdoors to scratch and roam. He is committed to providing the best conditions possible for his birds and taking care of[…]
In 1963 the Neufeld family settled in Abbotsford with their six children. Not too long later in 1967, the family purchased 2 parcels of land which make up the Neufeld Operation today. The Land which was formerly a dairy farm, became a one crop raspberry farm. Dan, the youngest of the six children began farming as a boy. Working alongside his parents on the farm came natural to him and was something he enjoyed. Before graduating from high school Dan knew that farming was what he would do. In 1980 Dan married his high school sweetheart Audrey who had the same love for the farming lifestyle which resulted in purchasing one parcel of land off his father the same year. Soon after Dan and his father saw an opportunity to get into chicken farming and in 1986 they purchased quota. Raising baby chicks though challenging, has its rewards through maintaining clean barns and nourishing the chicks to become healthy meat birds. Their desire to get their wholesome farm raised chicken into the hands of the community grew and in 1995 Neufeld Farms opened a meat shop to supplement its already established summer market. Dan and Audrey have 3 children who from young on worked with them on the farm. Today they are all married and are raising families of their own. Their youngest son Steve is farming full time with them and so the passion for farming continues into the 3rd generation. Together they all realize their responsibility to their animals, customers, and community and their sustainable farming practices show it. The Neufelds’ love for farming, family, and community is reflected in their market, which brings the best homegrown and other wholesome local foods to their customers.
Meet George Vander Veen, a free-run egg farmer in Chilliwack. George’s name means ‘farmer’ and he loves the farming lifestyle. He is passionate about providing an environment for his hens where they can be healthy and happy.
Steve Meggait and Annelise Grube-Cavers run Fresh Valley Farms in Armstrong, BC. They farm on two quarter sections of land (about 320 acres or 130 hectares), most of which is forested. Fresh Valley Farms was established in its current form in 2013, but Steve’s family has lived on the property for many years. In fact, Steve is a fourth-generation farmer, and Annelise is a third-generation farmer who joined the farm in 2015.
Hester and Ed Mulder are the proud first-generation farmers behind Derwest Poultry. After over two decades as a broiler breeder farm, they transitioned to egg farming. Now they have 9500 hens in a free-run barn. One of their favourite parts of the job is raising pullets on their farm (from day old chicks to 19 week old hens ready to lay eggs). Caring for their birds is a top priority, and they are proud to be B.C. egg farmers.
Lisa and John farm with their five children in the beautiful South Shuswap area of BC. They’ve been raising broiler chickens (chickens raised for meat) as a family business since 2013. The health and
comfort of their birds is their top priority and they find it very rewarding to raise a safe, high-quality product for British Columbians.
James Krahn is a third generation farmer from Abbotsford, British Columbia, where he was born and raised. At a young age, he started working on the farm that was founded by his Grandfather in the 1950’s. The farm, which is currently owned by his Father and Uncle, started as a turkey farm and expanded over the years to multiple locations and now include turkey, layer, and broiler production. After many years of working in the barns and gaining more knowledge about the birds and the industry, James took over the responsibility of Operations Manager for Paragon Farms. In 2011, James was elected as a Director on the British Columbia Turkey Association, where he appreciates the chance to learn more about the industry and to try to help sustain it.
Janzen Poultry is located in Abbotsford, B.C. The farm was started in the 1960’s by Scott’s grandfather, and Scott took over in 2007 as the third generation. He raises three different kinds of eggs: free range brown, Born 3 (Omega 3 enriched), and Specialty 3 (Vitamin E and Omega enriched). Scott is committed to producing healthy, high quality food for consumers across B.C.
The Herfst family raise about 18,500 hens in Chilliwack, BC. Kevin and Rebecca are grateful for the opportunity to farm with their children Melissa and Steven. They know that BC consumers care about how their food is grown and raised, and they are proud to produce healthy eggs from happy hens.
Jillian is a young farmer, passionate about agriculture, and preparing to take over the family farm (K & M Farms) when her father retires in the next decade. She was born and raised on farms her entire life. Growing up, her family had a 60-acre raspberry farm and today they have a medium sized, pasture-raised chicken and turkey farm. They have a quota but must market their products directly to customers and retailers through their farm store, farmers’ markets and specialty butchers.
Nathan’s roots in poultry farming run deep, growing up on Flokstra farms, and he currently holds the position of farm manager at Fir Lane Farms. He possesses a keen desire to expand his knowledge and actively participate in the poultry industry. Furthermore, Nathan’s involvement with the “Poultry in Motion” program, where he will be working shifts at the PNE, exemplifies his strong commitment to the industry’s development and future prosperity.
MEMBER Arshdeep brings over 15 years of experience growing and marketing peaches, apples, cherries, and pears in the Okanagan Valley. He proudly carries on his family’s farming legacy through the management of Lakeview Fruit Corporation and Vanview Fruit Packers Ltd., businesses rooted in B.C. since 1994 and spanning over 80 acres of tree fruits.
As a member of the BC Young Farmers Committee, Arshdeep is passionate about advocating for the tree fruit sector, exploring innovation, and empowering youth to sustain agriculture for future generations. He’s committed to creating opportunities for young farmers and strengthening B.C.’s farming industry through collaboration and leadership.
Jeff is a third-generation Canadian farmer, his Opa started dairy farming in the sixties and his father started poultry in the late eighties. Jeff has always had a passion for poultry farming, working closely with his father during their transition from conventional chicken production to organic and specialty production. Enjoying the responsibility of making critical decisions as his father transitions out of day-to-day management. Jeff hopes to pass the family farm on to his son when the time comes.
Russell spends his time acting as Herd Manager at Westview Dairy Farms, which he and his father operate together. He milks and cares for almost 300 cows on their operation nestled in the Matsqui Valley between Abbotsford and Mission. Russell is a keen advocate for agriculture, his passion led him to pursue an Animal Science Technology Diploma from Lakeland College. Russell is an active community member and when not volunteering he can be found sampling local delicacies, spending time with family, or finding a new adventure. Russell joined BC Young Farmers in 2020 and is excited to use his energy and experience to push the envelope for agriculture on a provincial scale and in his own backyard.
Jacintha was born and raised on a cattle farm in Vanderhoof, B.C. She has had a passion for animals her entire life and raised dairy and beef projects in 4-H. In 2011, Jacintha travelled to Australia where she travelled around to work on different farms, eventually meeting her husband while they were combine harvesting. Jacintha and her husband moved back to Vanderhoof in 2016 to begin setting up their own farm. They started with chickens, then purchased cattle and now they also raise sheep. Last fall, Jacintha and her husband purchased their own operational farm, and have been loving every minute. Jacintha is a 4-H Leader with Nechako Valley Dairy and Beef and is actively involved with the 4-H Council. She originally joined BC Young Farmers as an ex officio with the BC Cattlemen’s Association and is excited about her role with BC Young Farmers.
Tyler Heppell is a 5th generation potato farmer from Cloverdale B.C. He is the production manager at Heppell’s Potato Corp; a family run business since 1920. Tyler worked in sales for 5 years before returning to the family farm. Heppell’s Potato is one of the largest potato producers in British Columbia, and the largest grower of squash. One of the mission statements of the farm is to educate the younger generation about farming and foster the growth and learning for new farmers entering the agriculture section in Canada. Through online videos, field trips, and Ugly Potato days, Heppell’s has been able to impact millions.
Kaitlin is the Fish Health and Food Safety Laboratory Manager for a salmon farming company on Vancouver Island. Previously living and working on remote fish farms around north Vancouver Island, Kaitlin now works with a team of fish health technicians, veterinarians, and processing plants to oversee the health and food safety of Atlantic Salmon from egg-to-plate. Alongside her employment, she is a part of the Young Salmon Farmers of BC (YSFBC). YSFBC is a committee that encompasses young professionals in the aquaculture sector who strive to promote a positive dialogue and increase public education about the sector while providing a voice for the next generation. Kaitlin graduated from Dalhousie University Agriculture Campus with a BSc in Animal Science; during her studies, she worked on a dairy farm and enjoyed volunteering at the sheep barn. Although her farm setting looks a little different than her counterparts of BCYF, she is passionate about utilizing her background and current employment experience to bridge the gap between agriculture and aquaculture for Canadians.
Corne grew up on his family’s farm, Quiks Farm Ltd, which has instilled in him an entrepreneurial heart and a passion for agriculture and people. Today, alongside his father and two brothers, he co-owns the farm serving as the General Manager of their bouquet production facilities, greenhouses, outdoor growing spaces, and maintenance. The demands of this position with its challenges and joys each day make for a very diverse job, where no two days are the same. Corne completed 2 years of postgraduate business schooling at UFV which taught him the basics of business but his most significant career growth has been a product of being hands-on and involved each and every day alongside his team.
Campbell Woike is a 3rd generation farmer from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Poultry is his family’s primary farming operation but they also operate a CFIA licensed Egg Grading Station and market and sell 100% of the eggs they produce from their 70,000 laying hens. Campbell is the General Manager of the farm. His family also has a small 10-acre hazelnut orchard, 300 acres of field crops and a small 50-head cow-calf operation. Campbell is a graduate of Olds College – Agriculture Management Diploma with a major in finance. He volunteers as an ambassador with BC Egg at events educating people about egg farming. He is a Director of the Vancouver Island Egg Producers Association and the BC Egg Producers Association. This year he was selected to be part of the Egg Farmers of Canada Young Farmers program. At 22 he is the youngest member of BC Young Farmers and is excited to be part of the committee. Campbell hopes he can bring his level of hands-on farming experience along with the expertise he has in finance and marketing to help highlight B.C.’s Young Farmers.
Rebecca and her family operate Winners Holstein Farms, a 450 cow dairy farm in Cloverdale, B.C. In addition to milking cows, Rebecca has helped add a small beef herd to the farm and market beef products online to her community. Rebecca attended university in Saskatoon, working towards a bachelor’s degree in agriculture where she focused on animal sciences. During her time in Saskatoon, she volunteered at the university barns during lambing season, at the dairy, and vaccinated poultry. Rebecca has volunteered with the Mainland Young Milk Producers and was deeply involved in 4-H for more than a decade – at the club, district, provincial, and national levels. She enjoys networking with like-minded individuals, sharing ideas, and learning about other sectors in agriculture.
