We in Salmon Arm have a committee and co-ordinator to explore the viability of a downtown community college. The J.L. Jackson property is downtown, it is owned by those who have a vested interest in education.
B.C. has departments of agriculture at UBC and the University of the Fraser Valley. We in B.C. have no agricultural colleges... shameful. In 2010, B.C. exported $2.5 billion of food to 135 countries and produced $9.6 billion in the agri-food industry. We produce 200 different commodities from 20,000 farms that employ over 60,000 people. As well another 237,000 folks make their living from wholesaling, food service, and retailing of B.C. agricultural products.
I have an idea. Let’s support building an agricultural college on property that’s already designated educational, let’s build up not out, let’s protect our agricultural land, let’s support the downtown with clean economic advantages, let’s advocate for healthy sustainable agribusiness in our community.
Present and future mayors and councillors please respond. I’m saying – is this too simple?
John McLeod