The recent announcement of an additional $750 million for the universal broadband fund by the federal government is pleasing farmers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially launched the Universal Broadband Fund on November 9, which was originally announced in the 2019 federal budget. The fund, now worth $1.75 billion, aims to provide high-speed Internet access to …
Online grocery shopping favours produce
A new study from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University highlights the growing importance of online shopping to Canadians. Conducted in the first week of November by survey firm Caddle and Dalhousie University, the survey found that more than 31% of Canadians had used an online service for supermarket orders in the previous six …
Seed suppliers seeing sustained demand as 2021 orders begin
LANGLEY – Onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw seed orders by home gardeners surge, so much so that some seed companies delayed shipments until orders from commercial growers were filled. Between April 1 to August 31, the BC Eco Seed Co-op saw an 847% increase in sales over the same period in 2019. About 350 …
Activists plead not guilty
The four activists charged on several counts of break-and-enter and mischief at Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford last year plead not guilty this week, forcing the case to trial. Amy Soranno, Jeff Rigear, Roy Sasano, and Nick Schafer see the trial as an opportunity to shine a light on how farms treat animals, and the …
Beekeepers Zoom for 100th AGM
The centennial of the BC Honey Producers Association was not the grand celebration expected, but some 90 participants nevertheless gathered via videoconference on October 30 for the associations’ annual general meeting. This compared to about 160 attendees at last fall’s event in Prince George. “We had a program lined up for our 100th in Abbotsford …
ALC appointments made
A ministerial order signed September 1 has reappointed nine members of the Agricultural Land Commission whose terms expired the week of the October 24 election. Honey Forbes of Duncan was reappointed for a one-year term ending October 23, 2021. Commissioners Andrew Adams, Ian Knudsen, Richard Mumford, Ione Smith and Gerry Zimmerman were appointed for two-year …