In the vibrant landscape of British Columbia’s agrifood industry, the BC Eco Seed Co-op stands as a testament to growth, accountability, and innovation. With a mission dedicated to ensuring the highest quality and transparency in their products, the Co-op recently embarked on a transformative journey through the Traceability Adoption Program (TAP). This initiative, funded by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia, aims to enhance traceability systems within the province’s food production and processing sectors.
Loki Wallace, Operations Manager at BC Eco Seed Co-op, shared insights into their experience with TAP, highlighting the invaluable support received throughout the process. “Working with Nancy Ross to assess our traceability and codify our recall plan was an incredible learning experience,” Loki noted. The need for robust traceability systems became increasingly apparent as the Co-op transitioned from a small-scale operation to a growing business.
Though the team had a wealth of knowledge about their complex systems, Loki explained how collaborating with an external expert provided clarity. “Walking Nancy through our processes gave us a valuable outsider view of the complexity and showed us what needs to be streamlined and how,” he stated. This partnership led to the development of a clear, easy-to-follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for product recalls, ensuring that, as the business continues to grow, new team members can access vital resources easily.
Our story is one of being a local seed company that is dedicated to quality, accuracy, and accountability for our seeds. It is also a story of going through the growing pains of no longer being small-scale, but also not yet hitting the big time.
Working with Nancy Ross to assess our traceability and codify our recall plan was an incredible learning experience. Being in the growing pains stage, our team has a lot of knowledge around our systems, however our systems are complex and not everything is written down. Walking Nancy through our processes gave us a valuable outsider view of the complexity and showed us what needs to be streamlined, and how.
As we built out our recall process, again, something that lived in our heads, we developed a clear, easy-to-follow SOP and role structure if a product recall were to occur. As our business grows, and we bring new staff onto the team, being able to point them to this document will be invaluable. And of course, if we ever have to do a recall, we will be able to do it easily, and know that we’ve covered all the bases. We will have a well-documented paper trail.
…We recognize and appreciate the patience of the IAF team in extending our deadline multiple times in order to make the best, most financially sound decision for the BC Eco Seed Co-op. We have found ourselves somewhat disheartened by the lack of options available for our use case…
However, the journey had its challenges. Particularly, the Co-op needed a specialized small envelope printer to print unique lot codes and other essential product information on their seed packets. Despite extensive research and multiple meetings with suppliers, the right fit wasn’t found in time to meet their initial goals. “We are too big of a company to continue printing on our office printer but too small to buy the type of printer used by the large-scale companies,” Loki explained.
Recognizing the need for a strategic decision, the Board decided to explore other printer options while planning to apply for the next round of TAP funding. “Our plan is to apply for the next round of funding with a printer already chosen, and hope that our application is accepted at that time,” Loki stated optimistically.
The Co-op’s experience with TAP serves as an encouraging narrative of perseverance and strategic growth. As they navigate their growing pains, the foundational work put in through this program allows them to establish solid traceability practices that will benefit their operations for years to come. The patience and support demonstrated by the IAF team during this process have not gone unnoticed, as Loki expressed gratitude, stating, “We recognize and appreciate the patience of the IAF team in extending our deadline multiple times in order to make the best, most financially sound decision for the BC Eco Seed Co-op.”
As BC Eco Seed Co-op continues their journey, they are committed to maintaining the integrity and quality of their seeds while ensuring compliance with traceability regulations.
The Traceability Adoption Program (TAP) is funded by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The program is delivered by IAF.
