ABBOTSFORD – Producers can’t control the weather, but they absolutely need the most accurate forecasts to determine the right times to plant, spray, harvest, and so on. “Farmers need confidence in the forecast to do their work,” agricultural meteorologist Andy Nadler of Peak HydroMet Solutions in Campbell River told producers attending the Lower Mainland Horticultural …
Awards generate buzz for BC beekeepers
CRESTON – The year is off to a roaring start for Kootenay beekeepers Amanda Goodman Lee and Jeff Lee. Facing stiff competition at the prestigious American Beekeeping Federation’s (APF’s) 2024 American Honey Show in New Orleans in January, their honey took home top prize in several categories including Best of Show. A week earlier, one …
New replant funding announced
A new $70.5 million replant program was announced March 13 at the BC Wine Insight conference in Penticton by Premier David Eby and BC Agriculture and Food Minister Pam Alexis. The program will see about $65 million disbursed to farmers net of IAF administrative expenses, with $18 million for berries, $23 million for grapes and …
Drought preparations spring ahead
The BC government has started preparing for potential drought and wildfire this summer with the formal announcement of $83 million in agricultural water infrastructure, such as sloughs and water systems. The funding tops up the initial funding announced in 2023 to $113 million, and supports a three-year initiative to improve the resilience of farms and …
Spring freshet risk low
The province’s latest Snow Survey and Water Supply bulletin has some good news on the flooding front, and not-so-good news on the drought front. With the provincial snowpack averaging 66% of normal, there is little chance of spring flooding this year. “Due to the low snow conditions, below normal spring freshet flood hazard is expected …
BC farmland values fall
BC farmland values fell 3.1% last year, Farm Credit Canada reported this week, the first annual decline since 2010 and the most significant drop since 1998. The drop was led by the South Coast, where values fell 19.3% to average $112,200 an acre. This was more than four times the decline reported for the Okanagan, …