Prince George, BC - Agriculture in the north is often overlooked, but University of Northern British Columbia graduate student Serena Black and alumna Jillian Merrick are working together to both promote the industry and help it take root in the next generation of farmers.

Serena Black (left) and Jillian Merrick. Download High Resolution Image.

Black is a few generations removed from her family’s farming background in Quesnel, but her research into barley is not only providing valuable data to current producers in the North, she also plans to use the findings when she begins her own farming career.

“There’s something about being on the land and growing your own food,” Black said. “I think there’s great opportunity, especially for young people who want to get into it in this region.”

A Master of Science student in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Black has spent the past three years studying different hybrid and heritage varieties of barley and how they handle water stress. As one of the trailblazers for agricultural research at UNBC, Black also spent a great deal of time talking with current producers about what type of research would be most helpful to them.

With funding secured through the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition, Black has been able to work with farmers from the Robson Valley to the Bulkley Valley to identify concerns and help develop research projects which could provide solutions. 

“I think the biggest thing about agriculture and farming is that it’s so contextual and so localized,” she said. “Even on a single field, one part could have beautiful soils and the other part could be getting a little bit rocky. The variation is huge and it’s the producers who know their land.”

While Black is busy doing the research, UNBC economics and international studies graduate Merrick is busy working through practical solutions with farmers every day. As the program coordinator with Beyond the Market in Prince George, Merrick is tasked with reaching out to those in the agricultural community and helping them overcome the challenges that arise.

Merrick said the biggest barrier facing farmers in the southern part of B.C. is the increasing price of land. But in the north the biggest challenge is the knowledge and information gap. With funding from regional districts and other municipal governments, Merrick is able to connect farmers with the most relevant resources.

“People don’t always have access to the information, training, and mentors,” Merrick said. “We’re a grassroots solution to that gap."

Merrick said her work goes hand in hand with the research Black is conducting. By focusing research on the specific issues that exist in the north – from soil to climate to topography – solutions can be more applicable for local farmers.

“It’s a real symbiotic relationship,” Merrick said.

In addition to providing farmers with information about what varieties of barley are best suited to specific regions of the north, Black also hopes her research will open the doors to further agricultural studies at UNBC. Part of her work is developing a research strategy future students can use to expand on her work or to explore a different direction.

Black credits the flexibility of the UNBC Natural Resources and Environmental Studies program with giving her the opportunity to explore her passion for agriculture in a northern context. 

“You wouldn’t be able to do this at any other university,” she said. “There are more opportunities than you can say yes to.”

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