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Originally published:

DECEMBER 2021
Vol. 107 Issue 12

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Stories In This Edition

Catastrophic flooding

Wash out

Editorial: Rebuilding food security

Back 40: A farmer’s journey doesn’t always pay for itself

Viewpoint:

Dairy industry takes swift action on animal abuse

Producers urged to make emergency plans

Province sets agenda for tree fruit future

Ag Briefs: Province moves to shut down mink farms

Ag Briefs: Interior Opportunities

Ag Briefs: BCAC meetings bear fruit

Ag Briefs: Trade focus

North Okanagan ranchers brief on key issues

Sidebar: Strong retail, disappointing feeder prices

Frustration over ‘timber-centric’ range bill

Livestock protection program up for review

Honey producers get technology transfer program

Chicken squadron

Quality over quantity for blueberry pollination

New slaughter regs helpful but not enough

Sidebar: Changes welcome

Sheep producers have tough year

The old heave-ho

Grant revives Pacific field corn trials

Cannabis grower eyes mushroom production

New poinsettia varieties trialed in Abbotsford

Nursery sales stay brisk through pandemic

Job satisfaction has deep roots

Newcomers revitalize Lake Country orchard

Cariboo research looks to extend growing season

Full circle operation upcycles food waste

BC company specializes in bio control

Farm Story: Idyllic worlds have very little idleness in them

Blueberry farming is stress-busting for new chair

Research: To till or not to till? That’s actually not the question

Christmas tree growers face a grim future

Woodshed: An awkward encounter; a clever diversion

A century of dairy farming in Pitt Meadows

Jude’s Kitchen: Celebrate! Celebrate

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1 month ago

The province has extended the Canada-BC Flood Recovery for Food Security Program deadline from June 1 to Aug. 31. The program helps farmers cover uninsured expenses caused by damages in the November 2021 floods, including cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, and water and waste systems; returning flood-affected land and buildings to a safe state for agricultural production; repairing uninsurable essential farm infrastructure; repairing structures such as livestock-containment fences; renting temporary production facilities; installing drainage ditches and land-stabilization materials; animal welfare activities such as replacing feed, transporting livestock, veterinary care and mortality disposal; and
replacing perennial plants not grown for sale. Program criteria and application forms are available online: buff.ly/3sVRF4G
... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the Canada-BC Flood Recovery for Food Security Program deadline from June 1 to Aug. 31. The program helps farmers cover uninsured expenses caused by damages in the November 2021 floods, including cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, and water and waste systems; returning flood-affected land and buildings to a safe state for agricultural production;  repairing uninsurable essential farm infrastructure; repairing structures such as livestock-containment fences; renting temporary production facilities; installing drainage ditches and land-stabilization materials; animal welfare activities such as replacing feed, transporting livestock, veterinary care and mortality disposal; and
replacing perennial plants not grown for sale. Program criteria and application forms are available online: https://buff.ly/3sVRF4G
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1 month ago

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details. ... See MoreSee Less

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details.
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2 months ago

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the province's deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed. ... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the provinces deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed.
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Sounds like 2 weeks to flatten the curve turning into 2 years.

USDA doing avian vax research, May 11 bio-docs to UN incl section on H5N8 w/wild bird spread. Found link to apparent pre-release on May 11 Geller Report. Good luck farmers.

2 months ago

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.” ... See MoreSee Less

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.”
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Killing our food chain. How do we know they are actually carrying a virus, look what's taking place with covid, is it real.

Ik kan niet zo goed Engels maar als ik het goed begrijp is bij jullie ook vogelgriep maar nog niet bij jullie

Any idea when this episode or bird flu might be over?

2 months ago

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions. ... See MoreSee Less

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions.
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A century of dairy farming in Pitt Meadows

The Severinski family has milked cows every single day for over 100 years

Louise and Harry Severinski sit surrounded by family, including son Kevin, far right, and grandson Brandon, the fourth-generation Severinski to work on the family’s Pitt Meadows dairy farm. Severinski Farms received a Century Farm award from the province in September. SUBMITTED

December 1, 2021 byKate Ayers

PITT MEADOWS – Severinski Farms reached a golden milestone this fall, one recognized with the province’s Century Farm and Ranch Award.

The celebration in September was attended by nearly 200 people, including friends, family and local politicians. It was a special moment for the entire family, but especially Harry and Louise Severinski, who have been a part of the operation for the lion’s share of its 100 years.

“I told my parents, so they knew (the barbeque) was happening, but we hadn’t told them we’d applied for the BC Century Farm Award and we didn’t tell them we’d invited all the local politicians,” says Kevin Severinski, Harry and Louise’s son and a third-generation farmer. “So, they were pretty shocked when they saw the mayor, councillors, the MLA and MP show up. They were pretty proud.”

The Severinski family traces its farming roots back to 1910 when Steven Severinski, Kevin’s grandfather, immigrated from what is today Croatia. Upon landing in Cloverdale, Steven bought a five-acre parcel and invited his fiancé Manda to join him. The couple married on

September 12, 1921, just a day after she arrived. They milked about a dozen cows and established Severinski Farms.

When a neighbour’s farm caught on fire in early 1922, the Severinskis joined a bucket brigade to put out the fire and save the neighbour’s house. But the strain caused Manda, who was expecting the couple’s first child, to miscarry and she wound up in hospital.

During Manda’s week-long hospital stay, Steven swapped the Cloverdale property for 40 acres in Pitt Meadows. When he picked Manda up following her treatment, they drove to their new farm just north of the Fraser River, along with all their cattle and one horse. The couple bought two more draft horses upon their arrival.

As Steven and Manda settled into their new home, they grew their land base to 80 acres and their family by 10 children.

Harry, the couple’s youngest son, bought the farm in 1965. He and his wife Louise expanded the operation to 120 acres and 60 milking cows.

In 2000, Kevin and his wife Audra took over the farm. They have since grown the operation to 145 acres of owned land and 100 acres of leased land. Kevin has worked on the farm all his life. He took an off-farm job for a year after high school, but quickly came back home because he “really enjoyed the lifestyle.”

“With dairy, it’s a lot because you have to milk every day,” he says. “(But) it’s nice to have variety – you have field work, mechanic work, a lot of construction and there’s other types of maintenance.”

The farm also provided a rich environment in which to raise their four children. So much so, that two of their children are interested in carrying the farm into its fourth generation.

Their son Brandon is the family’s full-time herdsman. Their daughter Amanda is a herd manager and works off the farm in sales.

As the family navigates the challenges of succession planning with four children, they hope the operation’s legacy will continue long into the future.

The family now milks 160 cows three times a day with a herringbone double-eight parlour.

“I always wanted to milk three times a day. I worked with my dad forever and over the last four or five years we worked together, I told him I wanted to milk three times a day,” Kevin says. “He said the day I bought the farm, I could milk as many times as I wanted. Purposefully, the day we bought the farm, we started milking three times a day and have ever since.”

The Severinskis grow grass crops for the cattle, producing silage and small square bales.

Throughout the years, the family has integrated innovative and technological advancements into their operation, such as cattle pedometers and milk meters.

“We have a computer system that keeps track of milk weights and cow activity three times a day and breeding (information) is all in there,” Kevin says.

In addition to innovation, collaboration and understanding between the generations contribute to the farm’s long-term success.

“It’s very special, the fact that I get to work with my dad every day. I think it’s even more special that my dad gets to work with his grandson,” Kevin says. Harry and Brandon clean the heifer and calf barns together three or four times a week.

“My dad drives the tractor and my son moves gates. I always think about how lucky Brandon is to have those experiences. My dad shows Brandon a lot of mechanics stuff, too, and shows him how to fix equipment. My grandfather was 90 when I was 12. He was retired by then.”

Through the family’s 100 years of farming, other operations came and went, but the Severinskis stayed true to their passion – cows – and their community.

“We’ve never switched to blueberries or cranberries,” says Kevin. “A lot of people moved around or did chickens. We’ve always just stuck with dairy for 100 years. And we love Pitt Meadows. We’re very involved in the community in a lot of local events.”

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