For many producers, questions about soil, water, land use, or permitting tend to come up right as a project starts taking shape. Understanding what applies early can help avoid delays, reduce unnecessary costs, and make the next steps much clearer.
Hi, I’m Trish Hanuszak, a Professional Agrologist and soil scientist based in the Kootenays. Through KBFA and my company Flora & Loam, I support producers with practical, science-based guidance to better understand their land and navigate regulatory requirements. I’ve always been drawn to the connection between healthy land, healthy plants, and resilient farm systems. My professional background is in soil science, agricultural consulting, and environmental permitting, but outside of work you’ll usually find me in the garden, growing food and flowers, learning more about native pollinators, or volunteering with local stewardship initiatives. I enjoy helping people better understand the land they work with. Good land management and production decisions start with knowing what’s happening below the surface.
Common Reasons Producers Reach Out
- Do I need an ALC application for this?
- Can I place fill or move soil on my property?
- Do I need a water licence for irrigation or agricultural use?
- What do I need to consider if I’m working near a creek, drainage, or wet area?
- What’s going on with my soil, drainage, or crop performance?
- Is there funding available to support farm improvements?
A Bit About My Background
I hold an MSc in Soil Science and a BSc in Plant and Soil Science from UBC and have worked across BC in agricultural and environmental consulting, supporting producers and industry with soil assessments, land capability work, environmental planning, and regulatory navigation. My experience has included helping producers and landowners work through Agricultural Land Commission applications, agricultural water use questions, soil management challenges, and farm projects where environmental or permitting considerations come into play. Now that I’m based in the Kootenays, I’m excited to support producers closer to home. What I enjoy most about this work is helping people solve practical problems whether that’s improving a field for production, planning infrastructure, or simply making sense of a process that feels more complicated than it should.
How I Support Producers
My work sits at the intersection of agriculture, soils, and regulatory processes. In practice, that often means helping producers understand what applies to their situation, identify practical next steps, and make informed decisions before investing significant time or money.
Support may include:
- Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) questions and application support
- Water licensing and agricultural water use navigation
- Soil health troubleshooting and soil sampling interpretation
- Nutrient management and practical soil improvement strategies
- Drainage and land capability considerations
- Environmental Farm Plan follow-up and BMP funding support
- Early project planning where environmental or regulatory requirements may apply
Sometimes that means helping with a formal application or technical review. Other times, it means helping someone understand the constraints, options, and likely next steps before committing significant time, effort, or cost.
Let’s Connect
If you’re working through questions about soils, water use, land use, or a farm project you’re planning, feel free to connect through KBFA or directly to patricia.hanuszak@gmail.com An initial conversation can help clarify what may apply, what options you have, and what the next steps could look like.
