UBC Alumni Cultivate Community through Agriculture

For Simran Panatch, food is much more than just something we feed our bodies—it is also a vessel for connection. 

This love of food has been a driving force in her academic and career pursuits, leading to her current role as the Managing Director of?Athiana Acres, a 12-hectare regenerative farm in Steveston, British Columbia. 

Panatch(BSc FNH 2019) completed her undergraduate degree in the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, an experience she describes as transformative.

Panatch worked in the food and beverage industry for a few years, but her family’s farming roots ran deep. 

In 2022, Simran took the lead in making her family farm a hub where diverse products thrive—vegetables, fruits, herbs and cut-flowers. However, what sets Athiana Acres apart is its dedication to regenerative agriculture. 

There are four main regenerative practices that the farm follows: cover cropping, crop rotation, promoting biodiversity, and minimizing disturbance. These methods result in heathier soils without relying on chemicals and petroleum- based products as inputs. 

Panatch'swork at Athiana Acres reflects her belief that farming is more than just growing food—it can be a space to foster connections with the community and the land. Through regenerative agriculture, she is ensuring that the farm remains sustainable and resilient, while also cultivating a deeper relationship between people, their food, and the land that sustains them. 

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