Open to: All – BCIA Registrants and Public Welcome! (A BCIA account is required to register)

This session is designed to build confidence from nitrogen management, understanding soil sampling and interpreting results, to knowing your responsibilities under new Nutrient Management Plan (NMPO) regulations, and making informed decisions about amendments, compost, and micronutrients. This full-day event brings together growers, agrologists, and nutrient management experts to unpack both the science and the real-world application of nitrogen management, soil health, composting, and regulatory requirements.

This session has been designed to create the space to ask questions, learn from peers, and leave with practical tools you can apply immediately.

What You’ll Learn

• How to properly sample soils and interpret test results

• How nitrogen and nutrient management decisions affect vineyard and orchard performance

• What current and upcoming NMP requirements mean for growers

• The role of compost and organic amendments in soil health and nitrogen management.

• Practical considerations for farm-scale and industrial composting

• How nitrogen and nutrient management, BMPs, and EFPs fit together on working farms

Agenda

9:00 – Carl Withler, PAg: Welcome and introduction to the day. Meet on the crush pad.

9:30 – Graeme & Lindsay (Tightrope Vineyard): Their journey in vineyard soil management, progress, lessons learned, and mistakes along the way

10:00 – Ahmed Lasisi, PAg: Nutrient Management Plan requirements for vineyards and orchards, and a look at current Ministry priorities

10:30 – Coffee break and discussion

11:00 – Lisa Wambold, PAg, (Terralink Horticulture): How to take soil samples properly, depth, timing, handling, and submission

11:30 – Lindsay Hainstock, PAg: Reading soil test results and deciding what to do next, amendments, compost, and micronutrients

12:00 – Lunch (Please indicate any dietary concerns and allergies when you register.)

1:00 – Ruth McDougall, PAg: Farm-scale composting fundamentals, materials, site selection, and management

1:30 – Andrew Kuiper, PAg: Composting at an industrial scale, lessons learned and getting compost into agricultural systems

2:00 – Panel discussion, Q&A, and open conversation, including links to BMPs and EFP supports

4:00 – Wrap-up and head home

Note: Participants with allergies or medical conditions are responsible for bringing and carrying any required medications or medical supplies.

This event is supported by the Climate Agri-Solutions Fund (CAF). Funding for the CAF has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund. CAF is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. To learn more, visit www.bccaf.ca

Help Us Learn More About Our Audience

As part of registration, please complete the following optional questions. This information is collected for statistical and reporting purposes only and helps us better understand who we are reaching, improve future training opportunities, and meet funder reporting requirements. Responses are aggregated and confidential.

Thank you for taking a moment to help us strengthen and improve our programming.