Nigel Melican and North American Farmers

British Columbia: A chance encounter with South Carolina tea drew him into the growing ranks of North American farmers from Mississippi to British Columbia who are growing tea for the high-priced specialty market, according to CTV. There money to be made because more Americans are willing to pay premium prices for what they consider top quality, tea consultant Nigel Melican said in a phone interview from Bedford, England. Low maintenance was also a priority. "I didn't want to be a cattle farmer and chase down cattle at 3 or 4 in the morning," McDonald said. The specialty tea market is growing 8 to 10 per cent a year, according to Peter F. Goggi 2015 market review for the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc. Melican said U.S. wages are too high to compete with overseas farmers who grow the commodity tea commonly found on grocery shelves. Such teas are particularly attractive to millennials, who "find delight in the discovery of new and differentiated flavors, ethnic or new cultural offerings and craft selections," he wrote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.