Entrepreneur enjoys heyday squeezing profits from B.C.’s excess hay crops

VANDERHOOF, B.C. – China’s booming agricultural industry is literally proving to be rich fodder for farmers in Vanderhoof, B.C.

Entrepreneur Judd Wu moved from China last spring to launch Top Hay Agri Industries, specializing in compressing hay bales to a fraction of their original size, for shipment to China’s voracious agricultural markets.

Wu says he chose Vanderhoof because it has the acreage and climate to produce lots of hay, as well as convenient transportation links to port in Prince Rupert.

His first shipment was trucked out last week and Wu hopes to eventually increase daily production to 150-metric tonnes, feeding China’s estimated annual demand of 100-million tonnes.

Nechako-Lakes MLA John Rustad says Vanderhoof has the potential to grow much more hay than the region can consume.

He says shipping the excess overseas prevents low prices caused by a glut on local markets, offers a much-needed economic boost for the Nechako Valley, and strengthens Canada’s bond with Chinese and other overseas markets. (CKPG)