BCBusiness

30 B C B U S I N E S S . C A J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 24 Hopcott Farms, a corner- stone of Pitt Meadows, has a rich history spanning more than nine decades. From hum- ble beginnings as a dairy farm to an evolution into a thriving agricultural enterprise, the business's journey—and the family behind it—reflects the resilience ingrained in small- town entrepreneurship. Alongside two of his three siblings, Travis Hopcott, the farm's business development manager, spearheads the oper- ations of this third-generation farm. With a diverse range of ventures under their belt, including cranberry cultiva- tion for the Ocean Spray coop- erative, agritourism attractions like a corn maze—which has since transformed into a wed- ding venue—and a bustling, 15,000-square-foot retail store, the Hopcotts have continually adapted to meet the changing demands of both their industry and their community. The 91-year-old establishment began when Travis's grandfather purchased a 105-acre plot in 1932 for $9,000. In the 1950s, the farm switched from dairy to beef. Since then, the family has turned the operation into as much of a circular economy as possible. "When you kill an animal, 40 percent of it immediately goes to waste," he shares. "We've cre- ated a state-of-the-art compost- ing system, which produces the waste into what looks like bone meal. Then, we introduce it back onto the field to provide it with rich nutrients." Keeping their focus on ani- mal welfare and ethical pro- duction practices, the Hopcotts ensure that their livestock are treated with care and respect. "Conventionally, beef cattle travel up to five times during their lives," Travis says. "For us, cattle are trucked to our prop- erty at about six months old and once they're here, they're here. We've noticed this has caused a huge increase in the animals' well-being." And it's still very much a family affair. Travis's sister, Jenn, is the general manager for the retail store, his brother Brad looks after the cattle and their EVERYTHING IS CIRCULAR How a third-generation farm in Pitt Meadows cares for its local community by Riley Webster S M A L L T O W N S U C C E S S 77-year-old father Bob oversees the operations. The farm's slogan is know your farmer, know your food. "We do our best to be fully transparent and explain every step of the operation—even our mistakes," explains Travis. The team connects with the public by providing education on how their food is grown and what's involved in the grow- ing process. This helps build a sense of appreciation for what goes into producing food for the community. By sharing their knowledge and passion for agriculture, the Hopcotts aim to inspire the next generation of farmers and consumers, and to cultivate a deeper understand- ing of the food system and its impact on our lives. "Farming isn't a 9 to 5, Monday to Friday type of job," Travis says. When reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Tra- vis shares that his biggest mile- stone was when he and his two siblings officially became co- owners of the farm in 2015. "It's rare to have three siblings work- ing on the same business, on the same property, in agriculture," he says. "In agriculture, families often have to buy different plots of land, which is hard on a farm to make it sustainable." Recently, Travis won Cana- da's Most Outstanding Young Farmer award, which he says was a big moment for the entire farm. Looking ahead, he envisions further growth and collaboration within the entre- preneurial ecosystem. Affirm- ing a belief in the maxim "if you want to go far, go with others," he encourages aspiring entre- preneurs to embrace teamwork and resilience. " We do our best to be fully transparent and explain every step of the operation— even our mistakes." Illu s t r a t i o n : i S t o c k / M a r g i;

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