SALMO – It’s -8°C and snowing in the central Kootenay town of Salmo, but inside the greenhouse at Salix and Sedge Farm, lettuce and arugula are growing in the soil. “It’s not really growing, it’s more like being in a refrigerator,” clarifies Brendan Parsons who with his partner Cali Olleck owns the farm. “The low …
Pacific Agriculture Show kicks off
The first all-digital edition of the Pacific Agriculture Show kicks off Thursday morning, treating participants to the direction of future trade shows and conferences. This winter’s industry events have been transformed as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which continue to limit in-person gatherings and events. Organizations have embraced a variety of conferencing platforms, …
Sidney plant lab takes shape
While governments around the world take steps to rein in the COVID-19 pandemic, work continues to ensure plants in Canada remain free of disease. Design and construction contracts have been awarded for the new Centre for Plant health in Sidney, which is currently set to open in 2024. Construction is set to begin later this …
Agriculture drives Okanagan hopes
Agriculture has been touted as a potential driver of BC’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, Tourism Kelowna and Accelerate Okanagan are counting on it being so. Agriculture is one of the sectors targeted by OKGo, a new marketing campaign the three organizations launched January 21. OKGo tells stories of …
Provincial quarantine program working
Seasonal workers and farm businesses continue to benefit from the province’s publicly funded quarantine program, which covers the cost of meals and accommodations for incoming foreign workers during their mandatory self-isolation period. The program remains in place despite a federal requirement since January 7 for all international arrivals to test negative for COVID-19 prior to …
Seedy Sunday goes seedless
Vancouver Island Health Authority has told a local Seedy Sunday event to go seedless this year. While the Coombs Farmers Institute has an approved COVID-19 management plan for the March 28 event, organizers have been told by the Vancouver Island Health Authority’s environmental health officer that seeds aren’t allowed at Seedy Sunday. While bedding plants …