David Hughes , Professor
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For the last thirty years, I have lived and worked in many countries in both hemispheres of the world and have always been involved in food and drink. In short, I have a constantly evolving informed view on global food industry developments – from consumer, grocery retail and food service towards one end of the value chain to life science companies at the other, and everything in-between. Talking to and with senior directors and managers of food and beverage companies, R&D organisations, farmer-owned businesses, government and others, I help them work out what are the commercial implications of change in their industry and how they might respond to combat threats and embrace opportunities.

Valerie Roddick, MLA
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Val Roddick was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Planning on June 16, 2005. She expects to issue the Agriculture Plan shortly.

First elected in a by-election on December 7, 1999 in the riding of Delta South, she was re-elected in 2001 and again in 2005.

Val served on the Core Review Committee and Government Caucus Committees for Natural Resources, Health, Environment, Economy and Government Operations, Estimates, and the Women’s Caucus. She also served on the Select Standing Committees for Public Accounts and Health. As chair of the Select Standing Committee on Health from 2001-2003 and again in 2004/05, Val and her colleagues toured the province, heard and received over 1000 submissions, and produced their first report in December 2001 - Patients First: Renewal and Reform of British Columbia's Health Care System followed by a second report in December 2002 - Patients First 2002: The Path To Reform. In November 2004, the committee released a new report - The Path to Health and Wellness: Making British Columbians Healthier by 2010.

A resident of Westham Island in Delta since 1974, Val has a lengthy history of community service in agricultural and environmental endeavours and with various civic groups. Val's provincial involvement includes the BC Investment Agriculture Foundation and the BC Director for the Canadian Association of Agriculture Retailers.

The Roddicks founded a farm fertilizer business in 1971, which serves the local farm community.

Val was the president of the Delta South BC Liberal Riding Association for two years for MLA Fred Gingell.

Val and her husband Noel have two grown children and 2 grandchildren.

Gwendolyn Simpson, Owner
Inspired Market Gardens
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Gwen Simpson is the owner and grower of “Inspired Market Gardens” in Carvel Alberta, where she raises all-natural Herbs, Edible & Heritage Flowers, and specialty Salads. As well as farm-gate and direct sales, IMG products are sold at Farmer’s Markets and to high-end restaurants. There are demo and production gardens on the farm, U-pick flowers, a greenhouse, and a small country store with gourmet organic and herbal products. Originally raised on a farm in the Fraser Valley in BC, Gwen traveled and worked abroad, and has over 25 years experience as an international consultant, trainer, and business owner. Now returned to her agricultural roots, Gwen supports her garden enterprise with business and garden writing, speaking, and occasionally calling ceilidh-hoe-down events. Gwen is an organizational member of several agricultural/rural ‘cluster’ initiatives and was one of 3 Alberta recipients of the joint federal/provincial 2007 ‘Best Practices Renewal Award’.

Yvonne McCreary & Gord Starchuk
Client Services Division Canada Revenue Agency CRA
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Yvonne: I have been with Canada Revenue 1994. I work in the Taxpayer Services and Debt Management area as a senior resource officer for GST/HST.
Currently I am very involved with the Outreach Program and enjoy providing seminars to new business owners and tax professionals.

Joy Playtord , BDC
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Joy joined the Business Development Bank as an account manager in 1979, following a five-year career in public accounting. Growing up in a family manufacturing business she developed a passion for entrepreneurs. Her main objective at the BDC continues to be “to help entrepreneurs successfully transform their vision into business success”. Joy is a proactive leader in building strong relationships with and delivering services to Women in business.

During her career with the BDC Joy has successfully lead and developed innovative service offerings, supporting client success while increasing the Bank’s financial and consulting operational results. Through a variety of roles, in all regions of Canada, she has been a trusted adviser and resource for BDC and its clients. Some of her recent responsibilities include:

• Regional Director of Management Services, Prairie Region
• National Director of “Best Practices” initiatives
• Vice President and Area Manager for BDC’s financial and consulting operations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
• Vice President BDC Consulting Group for Western Canada
• Regional Director, Special Markets for Western Canada

“My personal goal for the conference is to build networks and relationships with the participants and organizers that allow me and the BDC to better understand and proactively respond to the needs and aspirations of Women in leadership in the 21st Century.”

Heloise Dixon-Warren
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Heloise Dixon-Warren owns and operates Moose Meadows Farm with her husband, Ted Traer, and their two school aged daughters, Tyquira (age 11) and Amity (age 8). Located west of Quesnel, the farm was established as a bonafide farm in 2002, is comprised of 65 acres and is currently the only accredited agritourism farm in the Cariboo – Chilcotin. The farm is home to a variety of “residents” from all over the world. The philosophy of the farm is simple – all living things can be enjoyed simply for what and who they are.

Heloise and Ted are both RPF’s / Registered Professional Foresters in addition to the other hats they wear. Heloise is President of FARMED (North Cariboo Agricultural Marketing Association), Chair of BC Agritourism Alliance, a Director with the Quesnel Agricultural & Exhibition Association and a Director with the Quesnel & District Chamber of Commerce. Heloise is also a current member of the Farm Assessment Review Panel. Ted works full time off the farm and is the President of the Quesnel Agricultural & Exhibition Association.

Heloise and Ted believe in diversification and accomplish through “Farming with the season”. The farm offers a variety of products and incorporates both conventional and non-conventional agricultural practices. This includes agroforestry, agritourism, and non-timber forest products. Marketing of its products are done at the farm gate, through farmers markets and via the internet. In November, 2007 the onsite gift store “The Antler Shed Gift Shop” opened which has been a successful addition.

Mary Forstbauer,
President of BC Farmers Markets Association
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Mary, the Organic Earth Mother is the mother of 12 children. Mary and husband Hans along with their children have been farming organically for 30 years, 18 years in Chilliwack and 12 years in Matsqui. Mary has been involved with BCAFM since its inception and served on the board of directors for many of those years. In 2007 Mary returned to the BCAFM director’s position as president. “It has been a rewarding year to date” states Mary with excitement as she remembers all the exciting projects BCAFM has undertaken this year

Mary started selling at farmers markets in 1989. She had a load of pickling cucumbers that a local “green grocer” did not need. She asked the grocer “What am I to do with these 800 pounds of cukes?” “Take them to the Chilliwack Market.” stated the grocer. Mary found the market and sold out of cukes in three hours. She was hooked and sold at the Chilliwack market for many years. Mary and family sell at many markets in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

“I believe that selling at the market in my local community is important. I know that I can make more cash at the bigger city markets but that does not build my local economy, so I try to work with the local markets to diversify and hold their markets on different days so that I am able to participate along with some of the other vendors who go off to the city on the weekends.”

Mary has served as director on many boards and as president on most of them at some time. Some include COABC, BCARA, Bio Dynamic Association, Chilliwack Farmers market, Mission Farmers Market, Artisan Farmers Markets, Canada Farmers’ Markets, and school PAC’s.

It is exciting for Mary that two of her children have farms of their own, while one of her sons farms full time on the family farm. Her children who attend university all come home for their summer job “working on the farm and selling at various farmers markets”.

Eat Local visit your communities Farmers’ Markets!

Kim Stansfield
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Valentine Farm is a Certified Organic farm located in Summerland in the basin of an extinct volcano and in the shadow of the only operational section of the Historic Kettle Valley Railway.

The Vinegar Works at Valentine Farm is a small scale food processing company specializing in producing organic red, white and fruit infused wine vinegars from fruit grown entirely on our farm. Our vinegars are handcrafted using Old World techniques in limited runs.

Our philosophy is to produce high quality artisan food products that are organically grown and processed without compromise. We rely on ecologically based practices such as biological and cultural pest management and the conservation of non-renewable resources. We are proud stewards of our land and our heart is in every thing we do.
Our vision is a successful farm, committed to organics, producing exceptional products.

Doe Gregoire
Four Winds Farm Cawston BC
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I have owned and operated my ten acres on the Four Winds Farm since 1988, this year being my 20th anniversary farming. My certified organic farm produces over 150,000lbs apples and 1,200 lbs peaches a couple hundred lbs of apricots along with various species of culinary and medicinal herbs, annually. I grow harvest, dry and formulate herbal products from the farm and distribute them throughout BC with the Four Winds Farm Logo.

I am a graduate from the Dominion Herbal College (1979). I am a member of the Canadian Health Food Association, BC Herb Growers Association, Pacific Agriculture Society (organic certification), Certified Organic Association of BC (COABC), and Grower for Cawston Cold Storage (organic distributor). I was a member of the Penticton Farmers Market for several years.

I have learned through horticultural and educational forums presented by the BC Fruit Growers Association, Organic Associations and through Farm Credit Canada, Small Scale Processor. I have spent much time reading material pertaining to farming in one form or another. Most of my learning has been through observation and hands on trial and error, working with other knowledgeable farmers who have been willing to teach me some practical skills.

During the 1970’s she worked with a group who established food co-ops throughout B.C. and was a Director of the South Okanagan Buyers Co-op. Several of these co-ops are still functioning. Lee has been involved in many projects relating to food security, from giving canning workshops to a highly political trip to India and Nepal in 2002.

Her many years of operating the oldest organic farm in the Similkameen and her involvement in a variety of ‘food’ issues has resulted in a down to earth, doable approach to national and local food security.

Currently, two of her sons and their families live and work ‘Mariposa’

Heather Martin - Women's Enterprise Centre
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Heather Martin is the Skills Development Officer of Women's Enterprise Centre, the leading business resource centre for women business owners across BC. Women's Enterprise Centre provides loans, business skills training, mentoring and business advisory services to women business owners across the province from its three offices in Kelowna, Vancouver and Victoria.

Prior to joining Women's Enterprise Centre in 2007, Heather was a Development Officer with Blue Water Community Business Development Corporation providing business counseling and loans to small businesses in rural Nova Scotia.

Heather received a Master of Development Economics (MDE) in 2006 from Dalhousie University and a BBA from Atlantic Baptist University in 2004. She is interested in promoting and supporting entrepreneurship as a component of economic growth in rural Canadian communities.

HOST & MC:
Mary Ellen Heidt, General Manager
Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen
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Mary Ellen Heidt began her career with Community Futures in 1984 when she was asked to participate in a summer project to put together a Community Development Organization that would support job creation through small business assistance. Little did she know that 23 years later she would still be excited about her “summer job”.

As the Corporation’s Business Analyst, Mary Ellen has helped to finance numerous agricultural businesses, including vegetable and herb farms, and value added food products, throughout the Okanagan Valley. Under her care the loan portfolio has grown from $1.55 Million to $4 Million.

Mary Ellen was promoted to Manager of the Corporation in 2001 where she works with a staff of six.