The following candidates, who will move to the next stage of the NEPO selection process, are:
- Scott Syme
- Cynthia Marie Dueck
- Keanan Walter Thomas Witzel
- Jeremy Henk Goosen
- Logan Peter Hugh Davis
- Jonathan Marc Wouda
- Tyler Lincoln Post
- Michael Duncan
- Eduardo Harley Elsby
- Andrew Charles Richard Allan Johnson
- Mark Awan
- Curtis Bellows
- Andrew Devon Gietema
- Brad Bennik
- Gregory Derik Gemser
- Joshua Braden Matzek
- Jeff de Klerk
New Entrant Program Organic (NEPO)
This year the Board introduced the New Entrant Program Organic (NEPO) in an attempt to maintain sustainability of organic milk in BC. The policy objective of a New Entrant Program (NEPO) is simply to encourage and facilitate people to enter the dairy industry as new organic producers.
The NEPO stream provides an initial 15 kg of Specialty Continuous Daily Quota (SCDQ), plus up to 8 kgs of matching SCDQ provided on a 1:1 ratio basis during the 10 years of the program. Additionally, the Board will grant organic incentive allocation of 30% SCDQ on any quota allotted by the Board or bought (up to 8kgs) during the first year of the program.
The other higher-level objectives that the Board looks to achieve through a new entrant program include:
- Renewal—promoting innovation and new ideas within the industry (a natural outcome of the diversification of the producer base).
- Sustainability—ensuring the ongoing milk supply in BC; and
- Addressing the consolidation of farms in the province
The Application Deadline and Interview Selection:
The application deadline for those interested in participating in the NEPO was February 7, 2023. The 2023 NEPO selection process is for those interested in starting milk production in 2024, up to 2026. The Board received 17 completed application forms by the deadline. There are no draws for the NEPO applications. All qualified NEPO applicants are able to provide documentation and a business plan for the selection committee to review, to be considered for an interview. The committee will then interview the applicants to determine the eligibility to be a new entrant. The Board will receive a list of potential NEPO candidates and determine when candidates can start as per the standard organic process. Please refer to the NEP/NEPO guide on the BCMMB website for detail information regarding additional documents required for NEPO applicants.
Next Steps Following the NEPO Interview:
After the Selection Committee concludes the interview of all qualified NEPO candidates, a recommendation that identifies new entrants for organic production will be made to the Board. The BCMMB will assess the applicants based on stage of certification (i.e. T1, T2, and Certified), production volume, and location. The Board will extend invitations based on this list.
The Board and the Selection Committee reserves their discretion regarding the number of applicants invited to begin organic milk production to balance demand with supply.
Successful NEPO candidates will have up to 3 years from the time of selection to commence production. For more complete details, please refer to the NEP section of the BCMMB’s website: New Entrant Program (NEP)
From those who are recommended by the Selection Committee, the Board will select the names that will be invited to participate in the NEPO program. The remaining recommended candidates will be added to an organic waitlist, from which the Board may choose to invite candidates to farm in the future.
The ones that are not part of the recommended list will have the opportunity to apply for NEPO in the future, whenever it is in effect. The Board will announce further information on the BCMMB website in Fall 2023.
If you are not already signed up for BCMMB Notices, you can do so here: Subscribe here
The Board wishes to extend their appreciation to all applicants expressing interest in the New Entrant Program.