Sweeping vistas of farmland combined with enthusiastic stories from food and wine producers paint an enticing picture of agriculture in Salmon Arm.
A three-minute video, the latest offering from Salmon Arm Economic Development highlighting the city’s and region’s attributes, features the community’s agriculture and food production sector.
“From small boutique farms all the way up to large full scale operations, we have it all here. Did you know that Salmon Arm has over 200 farms within its city limits?! We also have over 600 in the surrounding Shuswap region!” stated a description for the video.
Lana Fitt, economic development manager, said the video initiative began with a partnership with Downtown Salmon Arm in the early days of the pandemic. The focus then was on the retail and hospitality sector; the message – the community is open for business.
Next on the agenda is a high-tech and advanced engineering video.
Morgen Matheson, marketing coordinator with economic development, is also working on a project involving the two per cent hotel tax and event-hosting opportunities in Salmon Arm. It would include sports, music, arts and culture, conferences – broadly promoting venues, food, complementary activities, all the things that make the community an excellent place to host events, Fitt said.
Matheson said many videos promoting different sectors are in the works.
“To let locals know as well as people wanting to come here and start businesses,” she said.
The agriculture video, released on Feb. 22, features five people telling their stories, talking about why Salmon Arm has been a great place to do business, extolling the virtues of the Launch-A-Preneur program and providing details of the Food Hub.
It includes Jamie Smith of Marionette Winery, Markus Jaeger with Inspired Breads, Chelsea Keenan with Keenan Family Farms, Richard Bell of Farmcrest Foods and Jen Gamble with the Food Hub.
Not meant to be an advertising campaign, the video is intended to be a promotion for those considering starting or growing a business.
Both Matheson, who worked with Stephen Ingle from Single Shot Productions on the video, and Fitt, speak highly of Ingle’s talents.
“We’re so lucky to have this amazing quality right here in our community,” Fitt enthused.
Fitt said several people have provided positive feedback on the video.
“Everyone recognizes how proud they are to live in a community where amazing food producers are located.”
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