CHILLIWACK – Bonnie Windsor is assistant plant manager at Johnston’s Packers Ltd., the largest provincially inspected slaughterhouse in BC. The business has been processing hogs in Chilliwack since 1937, making it one of the province’s oldest plants, too. Windsor is bright, articulate, hardworking and has a raucous sense of humour. She could be working in …
Ranchers set to meet
Ottawa announced this week that it had secured expanded market access to Japan for Canadian beef. The deal opens Japan to exports of cuts from animals older than 30 months, and could be worth more than $40 million. Canada currently ships $215 million worth of beef to Japan each year. But little of that meat …
Drought risk deepens
A dry spring after two years of record wildfire seasons has producers on edge as summer approaches. Wildfires are already starting to erupt in the central and southern Interior, and this week Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee declared a drought emergency in half the state. The declaration reflects water supply levels at 75% of average …
Trade risks remain
The removal May 17 of US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – and this week, retaliatory tariffs of 10% Canada that had imposed on 75 products, including cucumbers and gherkins, prepared meats, maple syrup, yogurt and roasted coffee – may pave the way for ratification of the Canada-US-Mexico trade agreement announced last fall. However, …
BC berry growers get a boost
BC berry growers are celebrating the official announcement of renewed funding for breeders seeking to develop new varieties of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. The new funding will support researchers working to improve berry genetics to the tune of $200,000 a year over five years, or $1 million. Administered by the Lower Mainland Horticulture Improvement Association …
Agriculture investment set to surge
Capital spending by BC agribusinesses is set to rise in 2019, according to Statistics Canada. Ottawa expects crop and livestock operations in the province to spend $545.6 million on capital projects this year, up 22% from last year. Preliminary calculations indicate that farmers invested $448.6 million last year. Crop production is the most capital-intensive sector …