Agriculture first for support

Close to three-quarters of BC residents believe agri-food companies should be first in line for government assistance to help them weather the effects of COVID-19, according to a survey market research firm Research Co. conducted in partnership with Glacier Media.

“Across the province, the highest level of support for government assistance is observed for agri-food companies (73%),” a summary of the findings stated.

Securing funds is tough, however. Some relief programs announced weeks ago by the federal government have only recently been launched. Others remain stalled as Ottawa and the provinces negotiate the funding terms. With only so much money to go around, some provinces face tough decisions about where to channel funds.

Nationally, deferral programs for loans are emerging as the most effective. A boost of $5 billion in the lending capacity of Farm Credit Canada has provided $4 billion worth of support to farmers, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told the federal finance committee last week. Some of these funds have had a direct impact on producers in BC.

A total of 39 of the approximately 350 wineries in the province have sought loan deferrals from FCC during the pandemic. The deferrals involve $79 million worth of loans, or about 62% of the value of FCC’s winery-related business in BC. Some clients are paying interest only right now while others have deferred payment of both principal and interest. The deferrals are for anywhere from six to 12 months.

With files from Myrna Stark Leader

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33 minutes ago

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6 hours ago

Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

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4 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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5 days ago

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

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Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

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There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.