The New Entrant Program (NEP) & New Entrant Program Organic (NEPO)
The objective of the New Entrant Program (NEP) and New Entrant Program Organic (NEPO) is to encourage and facilitate people to enter the dairy industry as new producers.
The BC Milk Marketing Board’s NEP & NEPO programs provide successful applicants with 15kgs of allotted quota to start milk production, up to 8kgs of matching quota provided on a 1:1 ratio basis during the 10 years of the program, and priority on the quota exchange.
The program also provides successful NEPO applicants a one-time incentive allocation of 30% SCDQ up to a maximum of 9.3 kgs.
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 Process
The application deadline for those interested in participating in the program was February 9, 2026. The Board received 33 completed NEP applications and 5 completed NEPO applications.
A random draw of 10 candidates was held for NEP applications. There is no draw held for NEPO applications, and all qualified applicants are invited to attend an interview with the selection committee provided they submit the required documentation.
The Council of Marketing Boards (COMB) was engaged to execute the random draw on the Board’s behalf. The draw was held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to select the ten NEP candidates who will be interviewed by the NEP Selection Committee. The ten candidates were randomly drawn by an online generator. The draw was carried out by the General Manager of the Council of Marketing Boards (COMB) and observed by both a BCMMB staff person and a third-party observer.
The ten NEP candidates drawn on February 10, 2026, who will move to the next stage of the NEP selection process are:
- Gabriel Anderson
- Jordan Braun
- Dallas Feragen-Forbes
- Nathan Flokstra
- Deirdre Howard
- Ryan Janzen
- Damian Klop
- Jennifer Loepp
- Brent Posthumus
- Nel Rossouw
The following candidates who will move to the next stage of the NEPO selection process are:
- Peter Bootsma
- Quito Bruns
- Jared Klaassen
- Kiana Newton
- Keanan Witzel
Next Steps for Selected Candidates
All candidates must provide documentation, including a business plan, to the Board by May 20, 2026, to be interviewed and further considered. The Selection Committee will recommend a minimum of three NEP candidates following the interview process. NEPO candidates are recommended based on eligibility and industry need. The Board will build a waitlist for the NEPO program following the interview process.
Selected NEP applicants must begin milk production by December 31, 2027, to qualify for the program. Selected NEPO applicants will have up to three years from the time of selection to commence production.
The Board does not hold a waitlist for the NEP program; however, the Board will hold another NEP random draw in early 2027 and applicants are welcome to apply again at that time. The dates/details for the 2027 process will be announced on the Board’s website in late 2026. If you are not already signed up for BCMMB Notices, you can do so here: Subscribe here
For more complete details, please refer to the NEP User Guide on the BCMMB’s website: New Entrant Program (NEP)
The Board wishes to extend their appreciation to all applicants expressing interest in the New Entrant Program.