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Originally published:

JUNE 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 6

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Stories In This Edition

Bracing for CUSMA

Blossoming hopes

Ottawa comes under fire

ALR complaints rise, investigations on hold

Editorial: Shifting promises

Back 40: Timing perfect to advance slaughter initiatives

Viewpoint: Finding the right balance in times of stress

Berries look good amid COVID-19 concerns

Sidebar: Pollination shapes up

Poultry and hops a winning combination

Ag Briefs: Producers mourn rising young abattoir operator

AB: BC Veg eyes strategic plan

AB: Wage hike compounds challenges

AB: Former ALC chair Erik Karlsen dies

Provincial disaster assistance ‘isn’t working’

Growers plan ahead as potatoes find markets

BCTF introduces grower incentives to boost quality

Agritourism gets creative in midst of COVID-19

Biosolids project halter following harassment

Rethinking the concept for mobile abattoirs

Ranchers brand gov’t support inadequate

Dairy reduces energy costs with solar power

Ingratte heads dairy commission

Research: Dairy housing a matter of perspective

Grower harvests near-perfect Honeyscrisps

Making the shift from table to wine grapes

Abattoir meets needs of Gulf Islands farmers

Sidebar: Community spirit

Strenthenging on-farm food safety protocols

Sidebar: On-farm practices for a pandemic

Farm News: Taking refuge in The Lab

4-H sales adapt amid COVID-19 restrictions

Leafrollers can be a potential crop contaminant

Silicon control of fungal issues trialed

Not all farmers’ markets are thriving

Woodshed: Desperate times call for chivalrous measures

Flower power

Jude’s Kitchen: Home cookin’

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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Congratulations!!!

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Congratulations Duncan and Jane Trott Barnett Well deserved recognition

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Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Duncan and Jane!!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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2 weeks ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
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2 months ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
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2 months ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

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Milk board undertakes review

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A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
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4-H sales adapt amid COVID-19 restrictions

Clubs explore online sales and other options

June 1, 2020 byJackie Pearase

ARMSTRONG – True to their club motto, “Learn to Do by Doing,” 4-H club members across BC are finding new ways to market their animal projects when traditional means are unavailable.

Physical distancing rules in place banning events of more than 50 people and the cancellation of most fall fairs featuring 4-H auction sales have pushed 4-H leaders to think outside the box.

Organizers of the Okanagan 4-H Stock Show in Armstrong are going ahead with the planned sale date of July 11 but with an online format.

Interior Provincial Exhibition 4-H director Ted Steiger says 4-H members will create short descriptions of their animals for an online catalogue used for the week-long auction from July 4-11.

“It’s basically our only option at this point,” he notes. “Until they relax the rules somewhat … it’s our best option.”

Restrictions in place this fall will dictate the format of the 4-H sale typically held at the IPE.

“As far as the IPE sale goes, we’re still throwing some ideas out on that one,” Steiger says. “There will be some sort of an auction for those kids.”

The cancellation of the Pacific National Exhibition has Lower Mainland 4-H groups considering the online route as well.

Abbotsford 4-H key leader Heather Schmidt says not having the PNE to market animals is a reminder that creative thinking is a useful skill for farmers.

“The marketing is part of agriculture so it may be an opportunity for the kids to have to be a bit more creative in how they market their project,” Schmidt says. “In my mind, the selling of the project is the icing on the cake. The cake is really the whole year of the kids working together and learning how raise their animals well. Marketing is a part of that.”

PNE agriculture manager Christie Kerr is polling 4-H clubs in early June to determine if there is enough interest and resources to provide an online auction in lieu of the auction at the fair.

“It’s a whole new world for us. We are working to see what we can do to engage

4-H and support them in any way we can,” says Kerr. “There has never been a year that we haven’t been here to support 4-H, in particular the auction.”

She expects the auction to have fewer hogs as some swine clubs opted out of a project this year.

“Within our club, probably only half of the members were able to get hogs because of the sharing of property. A lot of pig clubs’ members have their pigs at one farm and with social distancing, they’re just not able to do that right now,” she explains.

Provincial Winter Fair organizers in Kamloops are making a final decision on their event on July 1.

“We’re definitely not going ahead with a full-scale fair,” says 4-H and open beef division representative Carole Gillis. “There is enthusiasm for some kind of an event. But there are also people who have said, ‘No matter what, we are not attending fairs this year.’”

With a 50-acre site to work with, organizers are hoping that something can be worked out with Interior Health for an outdoor event.

Any kind of on-site event would include safety measures in line with health guidelines, with the 4-H auction streamed live for telephone and electronic bidding.

Alternatively, a digital event will be offered with 4-H webinars in July and digital marketing for the sale in late September.

“Either way, we will have an auction of 4-H projects and open projects for anybody who wants to enter,” Gillis stresses. “We think it’s really important for kids not to lose the year and to have that connection to the fair.”

South End key leader Heidi Meier says the Williams Lake and District 4-H Council is currently monitoring the situation. The council hopes restrictions will be lifted in time for its annual show and sale at the Williams Lake Stockyards on August 6-10.

“If the council is unable to proceed in person, an alternate sale format will be presented,” Meier adds. “It is our greatest hope that the community members will continue to support their local 4-H members by purchasing members’ projects in whatever form is rolled out.”

Kamloops District 4-H key leader Ron McGivern says it is imperative that 4-H stock sales continue despite present circumstances.

“This has been a particularly challenging year for our 4-H members, our future leaders in agriculture,” he says. “We cannot have the challenges of this year stifle our members who really need to experience the successes of agriculture.”

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