Rootdown Organic Farm, located in the beautiful Squamish-Lillooet region, is a shining example of how small-scale farms can drive meaningful progress in sustainable agriculture. Specializing in greens and garlic and growing over 25 varieties of mixed vegetables on six acres, Rootdown is committed to regenerative, ecological farming practices. Their produce finds its way to local grocery stores, restaurants, and through a thriving 100-member CSA harvest box program.
When Rootdown Organic Farm participated in the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Program, they saw it as an opportunity to not only safeguard their land but also enhance their operations. The EFP Program, offered at no cost to BC farmers and ranchers, enabled Rootdown to identify and address environmental and climate risks specific to their farm. Working closely with an EFP Advisor, Rootdown completed an on-farm environmental assessment and developed a confidential action plan tailored to their needs.
Through their EFP, Rootdown gained valuable insights into their environmental footprint and received a roadmap for continuous improvement. The farm also unlocked access to funding programs, enabling them to implement beneficial management practices such as soil and water quality enhancements, emissions control, and improved on-farm materials storage.
Reflecting on their experience, Simone McIsaac shares: “Our EFP advisor was very knowledgeable and offered great suggestions for areas to improve our management and infrastructure for better environmental efficiencies.”
Funding for the Environmental Farm Plan program has been provided by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a 3.5-billion, 5-year agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. The program is delivered by IAF.
