By Jill Sperling

Blackwell Dairy Farm owner eager to rebuild, grateful for community support

Jun 19, 2017 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — The investigation into a fire at Blackwell Dairy Farm is now in full swing. Despite a giant hit to its operations, the farm is continuing to supply milk to market, however, not under Blackwell brand. 

Owner Ted Blackwell says he’s eager to start the cleanup process and begin planning for the construction of a new plant. 

Meantime, the farm is still producing milk, but instead of being processed on-site, it’s being transported to the Lower Mainland.

“For the first time in 35 years the bulk truck that brings us extra milk for processing from the Interior Farmers, instead of bringing milk here, they picked up our milk, and it left,” Blackwell said. “That’s all taken care of.” 

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Fire investigators haven’t yet confirmed a cause of the fire.

Once the investigation is complete, Blackwell hopes to start construction on the new plant within six months. 

He adds the outpouring of support from the community has been incredible touching. 

“It gets you a little bit emotional, but some of the comments were that way, saying ‘I’m not going to drink anymore milk until you get back in business,’” Blackwell said. “It will all come together, everybody will be back at work, and we’ll have a bigger grand opening than what we had the first time.”

Updates from the farm are available on the Blackwell Dairy Farm Facebook page.