CINXE.COM

<!doctype html>   <html class="no-js" lang="en-US"> <head> <title>Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future – UFV Giving</title> <meta property="og:title" content="Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future – UFV Giving" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="UFV Giving" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://giving.ufv.ca/news/cultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future/" /> <meta property="og:description" content="An Okanagan farm focused on sustainability and innovation has teamed up with the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley to provide research opportunities and practicum placements for students. Garry and Victoria Peters of the Avery Group are investors and business people with a keen interest in modern agriculture and sustainability. They have recently launched Avery Farms, a 50,000 square-foot, purpose-built vertical farm in Okanagan Falls, BC, near Penticton. The farm is located in a business park that the Avery Group is developing. With their focus on innovative farming methods and the rapidly growing field of vertical farming, it seemed like a natural fit for the Avery Group to work with UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute. “We find ourselves in a unique position to enhance educational opportunities for UFV students. Beyond our financial contribution, we eagerly look forward to offering UFV students invaluable practicum opportunities at Avery Family Farms,” says Garry Peters. “We view our donation as an investment in the future of British Columbia families. By supporting UFV students' education, advancing research, and providing hands-on experiences, we believe we are contributing to a food supply that is local, safe, sustainable, reliable, delicious, and accessible to all. Peters is motivated by a deep-seated passion for agriculture and a commitment to addressing pressing issues in the food industry. “Over the years" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135000.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <meta property="twitter:title" content="Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future – UFV Giving" /> <meta property="twitter:url" content="https://giving.ufv.ca/news/cultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future/" /> <meta property="twitter:description" content="An Okanagan farm focused on sustainability and innovation has teamed up with the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley to provide research opportunities and practicum placements for students. Garry and Victoria Peters of the Avery Group are investors and business people with a keen interest in modern agriculture and sustainability. They have recently launched Avery Farms, a 50,000 square-foot, purpose-built vertical farm in Okanagan Falls, BC, near Penticton. The farm is located in a business park that the Avery Group is developing. With their focus on innovative farming methods and the rapidly growing field of vertical farming, it seemed like a natural fit for the Avery Group to work with UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute. “We find ourselves in a unique position to enhance educational opportunities for UFV students. Beyond our financial contribution, we eagerly look forward to offering UFV students invaluable practicum opportunities at Avery Family Farms,” says Garry Peters. “We view our donation as an investment in the future of British Columbia families. By supporting UFV students' education, advancing research, and providing hands-on experiences, we believe we are contributing to a food supply that is local, safe, sustainable, reliable, delicious, and accessible to all. Peters is motivated by a deep-seated passion for agriculture and a commitment to addressing pressing issues in the food industry. “Over the years" /> <meta property="twitter:image" content="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135000.jpg" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1">   <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="57x57" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="60x60" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="72x72" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="114x114" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="144x144" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/favicon-194x194.png" sizes="194x194"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/favicon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/android-chrome-192x192.png" sizes="192x192"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16"> <link rel="manifest" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/manifest.json"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/favicon.ico"> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#2b5797"> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/mstile-144x144.png"> <meta name="msapplication-config" content="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicons/browserconfig.xml"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff"> <script src="//use.typekit.net/itt6mrp.js"></script> <script>try{Typekit.load();}catch(e){}</script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/stylesheets/css/screen.css" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/images/favicon.ico?ver=2"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="UFV Giving Feed" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/feed/" /> <meta name='robots' content='max-image-preview:large' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//code.jquery.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//kit.fontawesome.com' /> <link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//www.googletagmanager.com' /> <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/giving.ufv.ca\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=6.6.2"}}; /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(i,n){var o,s,e;function c(e){try{var t={supportTests:e,timestamp:(new Date).valueOf()};sessionStorage.setItem(o,JSON.stringify(t))}catch(e){}}function p(e,t,n){e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(t,0,0);var t=new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data),r=(e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(n,0,0),new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data));return t.every(function(e,t){return e===r[t]})}function u(e,t,n){switch(t){case"flag":return n(e,"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f","\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200b\u26a7\ufe0f")?!1:!n(e,"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3","\ud83c\uddfa\u200b\ud83c\uddf3")&&!n(e,"\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f","\ud83c\udff4\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc62\u200b\udb40\udc65\u200b\udb40\udc6e\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc7f");case"emoji":return!n(e,"\ud83d\udc26\u200d\u2b1b","\ud83d\udc26\u200b\u2b1b")}return!1}function f(e,t,n){var r="undefined"!=typeof WorkerGlobalScope&&self instanceof WorkerGlobalScope?new OffscreenCanvas(300,150):i.createElement("canvas"),a=r.getContext("2d",{willReadFrequently:!0}),o=(a.textBaseline="top",a.font="600 32px Arial",{});return e.forEach(function(e){o[e]=t(a,e,n)}),o}function t(e){var t=i.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=!0,i.head.appendChild(t)}"undefined"!=typeof Promise&&(o="wpEmojiSettingsSupports",s=["flag","emoji"],n.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},e=new Promise(function(e){i.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",e,{once:!0})}),new Promise(function(t){var n=function(){try{var e=JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem(o));if("object"==typeof e&&"number"==typeof e.timestamp&&(new Date).valueOf()<e.timestamp+604800&&"object"==typeof e.supportTests)return e.supportTests}catch(e){}return null}();if(!n){if("undefined"!=typeof Worker&&"undefined"!=typeof OffscreenCanvas&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&URL.createObjectURL&&"undefined"!=typeof Blob)try{var e="postMessage("+f.toString()+"("+[JSON.stringify(s),u.toString(),p.toString()].join(",")+"));",r=new Blob([e],{type:"text/javascript"}),a=new Worker(URL.createObjectURL(r),{name:"wpTestEmojiSupports"});return void(a.onmessage=function(e){c(n=e.data),a.terminate(),t(n)})}catch(e){}c(n=f(s,u,p))}t(n)}).then(function(e){for(var t in e)n.supports[t]=e[t],n.supports.everything=n.supports.everything&&n.supports[t],"flag"!==t&&(n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&n.supports[t]);n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!n.supports.flag,n.DOMReady=!1,n.readyCallback=function(){n.DOMReady=!0}}).then(function(){return e}).then(function(){var e;n.supports.everything||(n.readyCallback(),(e=n.source||{}).concatemoji?t(e.concatemoji):e.wpemoji&&e.twemoji&&(t(e.twemoji),t(e.wpemoji)))}))}((window,document),window._wpemojiSettings); /* ]]> */ </script> <style id='wp-emoji-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> img.wp-smiley, img.emoji { display: inline !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; height: 1em !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0 0.07em !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0 !important; } </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-block-library-css' href='https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-includes/css/dist/block-library/style.min.css?ver=6.6.2' type='text/css' media='all' /> <style id='classic-theme-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> /*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} </style> <style id='global-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> :root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square: 1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3: 4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4: 3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2: 3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3: 2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9: 16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16: 9/16;--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #ffffff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: #f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red: #cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple: #9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small: 13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium: 20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large: 36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large: 42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20: 0.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30: 0.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40: 1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50: 1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60: 2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70: 3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80: 5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}.has-black-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;} :where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;} :where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;} :root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;} </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='page-list-style-css' href='https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/plugins/page-list/css/page-list.css?ver=5.7' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='fresco_css-css' href='https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/includes/fresco/fresco.css?ver=6.6.2' type='text/css' media='all' /> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.11.1.min.js" id="jquery-js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/js/dist/application-head.js?ver=6.6.2" id="apphead-js"></script> <script defer crossorigin="anonymous" type="text/javascript" src="https://kit.fontawesome.com/7224ac2ea7.js" id="font-awesome-official-js"></script> <link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-json/" /><link rel="canonical" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/news/cultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future/" /> <link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (JSON)" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca%2Fnews%2Fcultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future%2F" /> <link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (XML)" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca%2Fnews%2Fcultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future%2F&format=xml" /> <meta name="generator" content="Site Kit by Google 1.137.0" /> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-W6XFVG3');</script> <style> .paver-sidebar { text-align:center; } .paver-sidebar img { margin-bottom:2px; margin-top:5px; } .cta__item--goal h3 { font-size: 17px; font-weight: 400; text-align: center; } .wp-image-8724, .wp-image-8725, .wp-image-8739, .wp-image-8738 { width:200px; height:200px; } </style> <style type="text/css">.recentcomments a{display:inline !important;padding:0 !important;margin:0 !important;}</style> <style type="text/css" id="wp-custom-css"> .hero h1::after { display: block; content: " "; width: 60px; margin: 20px auto; background: #fff; display: none; } #findstory { text-align: center; margin-bottom: 400px; } #findstory h2 { display: none; } #findstory label span { display: none; } #findstory input.search-field { background: #ebebeb; width: 400px; padding: 15px; color: #000000; font-size: 20px; } #findstory input.search-submit { padding: 15px; margin-left: 20px; background: none; background-color: #00703c; color: #fff; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 1px; } .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } .entry-content img, .entry-content iframe, .entry-content object, .entry-content embed { max-width: 100%; } .site-form { position: relative; padding: 12px; background: #fff; } #masthead .site-header__searchbox { float: right; width: 300px; margin-top: 20px; } .site-form__submit-wrapper::after { position: absolute; display: inline-block; top: 12px; margin: 0 0 0 -30px; content: ""; -moz-transition: color 0.25s; -o-transition: color 0.25s; -webkit-transition: color 0.25s; transition: color 0.25s; font-size: 20px; } .cl-platinum { max-width: 200px; } @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) { .cl-platinum { max-width: 180px; } .wysiwyg h1 { font-size: 3rem; } } .cl-gold { max-width: 200px; } @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) { .cl-gold { max-width: 150px; } } .cta--sidebar .cta__item ul li { padding: 0; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; list-style: disc; margin-left: 15px; } .cta--sidebar .cta__item ul { margin-bottom: 20px; } .cta__item { background-color: #2ec0e3; } .hero { background-color: #2ec0e3; } .iframe-container { position: relative; width: 100%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; } .iframe-container iframe { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } ul.children { display: normal; } .button { background-color: #e45300; border: none; color: white; padding: 15px 32px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; display: inline-block; font-size: 16px; margin: 4px 2px; cursor: pointer; } .button:hover { background-color: #00703c; color: white; } .sidebar__post-content.wysiwyg.cta.cta--sidebar { display: none; } .hero__content { padding-bottom: 50px; } .content-listing.module.module--dark.content-listing--initiatives { display: none; } #menu-item-34 { display: none; } .hero h1 { position: relative; margin: 0; font-size: 3.1rem; } @import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Open+Sans:wght@300;400;500;600;700;800&display=swap'); body { font-family: "pt-serif", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; color: #333; font-size: 16px !important; line-height: 26px; } .wysiwyg p, .wysiwyg ul, .wysiwyg ol { font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 26px; color: #333; } p, ul, ol { font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10.52632%; } .content-listing__item-content h1 { font-size: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; } </style> </head> <body class="news-template-default single single-news postid-9146 post_type-news post_name-cultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future has-post-thumbnail subpage no-comments has-sidebar-towngown has-sidebar-primary has-sidebars-2"> <div class="skip-links"> <a href="#main-content" class="skip-links__link js-skip-link" tabindex="0">Skip to main content</a> </div> <header id="masthead" class="masthead"> <div class="global-nav"> <div class="container">  <ul id="menu-global-navigation" class="global-nav__items"><li id="menu-item-255" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-255 ufv"><a href="http://ufv.ca">UFV</a></li> <li id="menu-item-387" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-387 alumni"><a href="http://alumni.ufv.ca">Alumni</a></li> <li id="menu-item-608" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-608 login"><a href="https://connect.ufv.ca/giving-pages/giving---2015-login">Login</a></li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div class="container site-header"> <a href="/" class="logo"><img src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/UFVGivingLogo.png" title="University of the Fraser Valley" /></a> <span class="logo-tag">Giving</span> <div class="site-header__searchbox"> <form role="search" class="site-form" action="https://giving.ufv.ca/"> <input type="text" class="site-form__text" name="s" placeholder="Search"/> <span class="site-form__submit-wrapper"><input type="submit" class="site-form__submit" value="Search"/></span> </form> </div>  <a href="#" id="js-nav-toggle" class="site-header__nav-toggle js-nav-toggle"><span class="">Show Main Nav</span></a> <div class="site-header__mainnav"> <ul id="menu-primary-nav" class="site-header__mainnav-items"><li id="menu-item-34" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-34 make-an-impact"><a title="projects" href="/projects/">Make An Impact</a></li> <li id="menu-item-35" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-35 news"><a href="/stories/">News</a></li> <li id="menu-item-36" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-36 donor-highlights"><a href="/news/">Donor Highlights</a></li> <li id="menu-item-425" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-425 ways-to-give has-children"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/ways-to-give/">Ways to Give</a> <ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-429" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-429 student-awards"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/ways-to-give/student-awards/">Student Awards</a></li> <li id="menu-item-9272" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-9272 corporate-partnerships"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/ways-to-give/corporate-partnerships/">Corporate Partnerships</a></li> <li id="menu-item-9241" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-9241 planned-giving"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/ways-to-give/planned-giving/">Planned Giving</a></li> <li id="menu-item-9105" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-9105 employee-giving"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/ways-to-give/employee-giving/">Employee Giving</a></li> </ul> </li> <li id="menu-item-8557" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-8557 ripple-makers"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/ufv-ripple-makers/">Ripple Makers</a></li> <li id="menu-item-435" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-435 about has-children"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/about/">About</a> <ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-436" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-436 contact-us"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/about/relationship-and-fund-development/">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <span class="site-header__mainnav-item site-header__mainnav-item--cta"><a href="https://connect.ufv.ca/give-to-ufv">Donate</a></span> </div> </div> </header>  <div class="breadcrumb"><ul class="breadcrumb__items"> <li class="breadcrumb__item"><a rel="v:url" property="v:title" title="Go to UFV Giving." href="https://giving.ufv.ca" class="home">Home</a></li><li class="breadcrumb__item"><a rel="v:url" property="v:title" title="Go to News." href="https://giving.ufv.ca/news/">News</a></li><li class="breadcrumb__item"><span property="v:title">Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future</span></li></ul></div><div id="main-content" class="main-content container"><div class="content-single content-single--news"><article id="post-9146" class="post-9146 news type-news status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry post-full single-content__item wysiwyg main-content__body-col no-comments odd"> <header class="content-single__item-header"> <h1 class="content-single__item-title">Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future</h1> <div class="content-single__item-subhead"> </div> <ul class="meta">  <li class="meta--date">October 3, 2023</li> </ul> </header> <div class="content-single__item-body"> <p>An Okanagan farm focused on sustainability and innovation has teamed up with the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley to provide research opportunities and practicum placements for students.</p> <p>Garry and Victoria Peters of the Avery Group are investors and business people with a keen interest in modern agriculture and sustainability.</p> <p>They have recently launched Avery Farms, a 50,000 square-foot, purpose-built vertical farm in Okanagan Falls, BC, near Penticton. The farm is located in a business park that the Avery Group is developing. With their focus on innovative farming methods and the rapidly growing field of vertical farming, it seemed like a natural fit for the Avery Group to work with UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute.</p> <p>“We find ourselves in a unique position to enhance educational opportunities for UFV students. Beyond our financial contribution, we eagerly look forward to offering UFV students invaluable practicum opportunities at Avery Family Farms,” says Garry Peters. “We view our donation as an investment in the future of British Columbia families. By supporting UFV students’ education, advancing research, and providing hands-on experiences, we believe we are contributing to a food supply that is local, safe, sustainable, reliable, delicious, and accessible to all.</p> <p>Peters is motivated by a deep-seated passion for agriculture and a commitment to addressing pressing issues in the food industry.</p> <p>“Over the years, my wife Victoria and I have found ourselves drawn to the world of business and investments. It’s in our nature to be curious, to explore global issues, and to ponder their effects on Canada and our local community. For quite some time now, our interests have been centered on the pressing issue of climate change and its profound impact on food security, as well as broader topics related to agriculture, land use, water management, pesticides, and the role of technology in shaping the future of farming.”</p> <p>During the pandemic, the Peters were particularly struck by the fragility of Canada’s food supply chain. Climate events like the 2021 British Columbia floods, which closed major highways for weeks and in some cases months, also have an impact on local food security.</p> <p>“One key concern that captured our attention was the urgent need to reduce Canada’s heavy dependence on imported produce, particularly items like head lettuce sourced from markets in California,” Peters notes. “The increasing frequency of extreme weather events in those regions led to unpredictable supply chains and sky-high prices, leaving British Columbians with uncertainty on their dinner plates. Additionally, the sheer distance our food was traveling before reaching our tables raised questions about sustainability and carbon footprints.”</p> <p>Peters has deep roots in the Okanagan and in agriculture in general.</p> <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-9147 alignright fresco-image" src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135000.jpg" alt="" width="409" height="370" srcset="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135000.jpg 644w, https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135000-300x272.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 409px) 100vw, 409px" /></p> <p>“Our passion for these issues was further fueled by my family’s enduring legacy in farming, spanning over a century,” Peters says. “My ancestors tilled the fields in the South Okanagan and Alberta, instilling in me the core values of responsible food cultivation from an early age.</p> <p>“While I may have grown up in the Lower Mainland, my summers were often spent in Penticton, a community where my mother, brother, daughter, and other family members still reside. It was here that I was exposed to farming at an early age, and where the principles of responsible food production were instilled in me. This upbringing has significantly shaped my perspective on food supply, food quality, and sustainability.”<br /> At Avery Family Farms, tradition meets modernity.</p> <p> </p> <p>In 2020, the Peters decided to invest in the future of farming, embarking on a multi-year research and development journey into vertical farming. This venture eventually led to the establishment of Avery Family Farms, and in the spring of 2023, construction was completed of a state-of-the-art, 50,000 square-foot vertical farm facility in Okanagan Falls.</p> <p>“We are currently in the midst of a multi-month pilot growing phase, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the delicious head lettuce flourishing in our facility,” Peters says. “The vision is crystal clear: we aim to grow food locally, sustainably, ethically, and deliciously, all year round. We aspire to create a resilient food system that ensures the well-being of our community.”</p> <p>“At Avery Family Farms, we see ourselves as bridging the gap between artisanal farming values and cutting-edge precision growing technologies.” Peters says “We are revolutionizing Canada’s farm-to-fork food chain while simultaneously revitalizing a rural British Columbia community.”</p> <p>And their values align with those of the University of the Fraser Valley.</p> <p>“We recognize UFV as a quintessential Canadian post-secondary institution leading the way in education and research advancements in modern agriculture. Our commitment to supporting UFV stems from our belief that it plays a pivotal role in building the essential expertise and conducting the necessary research that will propel the agri-tech industry forward in British Columbia and Canada. UFV is a trusted advisor and a guiding voice for all levels of government in matters related to agriculture,” says Peters. “We eagerly anticipate UFV’s continued expansion of its focus on controlled-environment agriculture, ensuring that Canada has the expertise required to support the evolution of our farming practices. UFV is playing a pivotal role in this transformation by nurturing the talent essential to the Canadian agriculture industry and advancing our collective knowledge through its ground-breaking research.</p> <p><img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-9148 alignright fresco-image" src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135029.jpg" alt="" width="349" height="255" srcset="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135029.jpg 703w, https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135029-300x219.jpg 300w, https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-03_135029-650x474.jpg 650w" sizes="(max-width: 349px) 100vw, 349px" /></p> <p>Dr. Lenore Newman, Director of UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute, notes that Avery Family Farms is investing in a vital future for modern agriculture.</p> <p>“Vertical agriculture is a great opportunity for British Columbia,” Newman says. “The industry will create highly skilled jobs while improving our food security by producing high quality healthy food close to home year-round. Companies such as Avery Farms are leading the way in this exciting field, and we are excited to partner with them.”</p> <div class="content-single__item-share"> <h4>Share This</h4> <ul class="social"> <li class="social__item"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca%2Fnews%2Fcultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future%2F" class="social__icon social__icon--facebook js-social-share">Share on facebook</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future%20%7C%20UFV.ca&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca%2Fnews%2Fcultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future%2F" class="social__icon social__icon--twitter js-social-share">Share on Twitter</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca%2Fnews%2Fcultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future%2F&summary=Cultivating+Innovation%3A+Food+and+Agriculture+Institute+partners+with+Avery+Farms+for+a+sustainable+future&source=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca" class="social__icon social__icon--linkedin js-social-share">Share on linkedin</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiving.ufv.ca%2Fnews%2Fcultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future%2F" class="social__icon social__icon--googleplus js-social-share">share on googleplus</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="mailto:Your+Friend?subject=Cultivating Innovation: Food and Agriculture Institute partners with Avery Farms for a sustainable future&body=https://giving.ufv.ca/news/cultivating-innovation-food-and-agriculture-institute-partners-with-avery-farms-for-a-sustainable-future/" class="social__icon social__icon--email">Share via email</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div id="sidebar" class="main-content__sidebar sidebar"> <a href="/news" class="btn btn--light btn--back">Return to News</a><div class="sidebar__post-content wysiwyg cta cta--sidebar"> </div> </div> <div class="main-content__footer module module--dark cta"> <ul class="cta__items js__equal-heights"> <li class="cta__item-container"><a href="https://connect.ufv.ca/give-to-ufv" class="cta__item cta__item--give js__equal-heights-item"><h1>Give Online</h1><p>Your generosity makes a difference!</p></a></li> <li class="cta__item-container"><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/about/relationship-and-fund-development/" class="cta__item cta__item--contact-us js__equal-heights-item"><h1>Contact Us</h1><p>Get in touch with the Relationship and Fund Development Team</p></a></li> <li class="cta__item-container"><a href="https://connect.ufv.ca/giving-pages/giving-newsletter-subscription" class="cta__item cta__item--signup js__equal-heights-item"><h1>Newsletter</h1><p>Sign up here to receive our Newsletter.</p></a></li> <li class="cta__item-container"><a href="https://ufv.ca/community/" class="cta__item cta__item--bookstore js__equal-heights-item"><h1>Partnerships</h1><p>Learn about community and corporate partnerships and other engagement opportunities. </p></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <footer id="site-footer" class="site-footer"> <div class="site-footer__inner container"> <a href="#" class="logo"><span class="u__sr-only">University of Frasier Valley Alumni</span></a> <p class="site-footer__contact"> <span><a href="https://giving.ufv.ca/about/relationship-and-fund-development/">UFV Relationship and Fund Development</a></span> 33844 King Road, Abbotsford BC, Canada V2S 7M8<br/>Tel: <a href="tel:6048544595">604-854-4595</a></p> <ul class="social social--footer"> <li class="social__item"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/goUFV/" class="social__icon social__icon--facebook">https://www.facebook.com/goUFV/</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="mailto:giving@ufv.ca" class="social__icon social__icon--email">mailto:giving@ufv.ca</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/goufv/" class="social__icon social__icon--instagram">https://www.instagram.com/goufv/</a></li> <li class="social__item"><a href="https://twitter.com/goufv" class="social__icon social__icon--twitter">https://twitter.com/goufv</a></li> </ul> </div> </footer>  <script type="text/javascript" src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/js/dist/application.js?ver=1.0" id="app-js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/includes/fresco/fresco.js?ver=1" id="fresco_js-js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://giving.ufv.ca/wp-content/themes/ufv/includes/fresco/frescoInline.js?ver=1" id="fresco_js_inline-js"></script>  <style type="text/css"> .flex-container { display: flex; gap: 30px; } .flex-icon { flex-basis: 8%; } .flex-text { flex-basis: 92%; } </style>   </body> </html>