The rain held off, and with it being a Saturday affair, families came out in numbers to see the recently inaugurated WestGen barns. In attendance was Mayor Henry Braun of the city of Abbotsford, as well as current WestGen staff and board members, the construction crew and subcontractors who worked tirelessly to complete the barn, Abbotsford Veterinary Clinic and Agwest Veterinary Group and local press. Hundreds of farm families took part on this perfect fall day, to pay witness to the ribbon cutting and to tour the new facilities. There was food, IVF demonstrations, 70 cows and heifers, and a number of exhibits.

“Our former barns, now well over 60 years old, were built at a time when Langley was primarily a farming community. As the city grew around us, and many farmers moved further eastward into the valley, it was time for WestGen to reinvest in its future and move with them. Abbotsford is in the heart of the BC dairy industry and is an ideal location from which to serve our customers in western Canada. This barn was designed not only to gain efficiencies, but also to be used as an educational centre for our members and owners to use for generations to come. WestGen is a farmer-owned organization, and this is their building,” said WestGen CEO Chris Parry.

With this second phase of WestGen’s move to Abbotsford now complete, the company is excited to begin the next chapter in their history.  

—From WestGen news release

PHOTO: Photo by Custom Concepts Photography.