Sheep growers are the latest producer group to pitch the idea of a commission under the oversight of the BC Farm Industry Review Board. During the BC Sheep Federation’s annual conference in Vernon on October 4-5, members discussed the idea of establishing a commission as one of several options to encourage a viable future for …
Cherry bonanza no jubilee
This should have been the year BC cherry growers were waiting for, following freeze events that wiped out last year’s crop and the lingering impact of the heat dome of 2021. “We had great growing conditions this summer,” says BC Fruit Growers Association executive director Adrian Arts. Trees that produced no crop last year rebounded …
BC farmland values flat
BC farmland values were flat in the first half of this year as economic uncertainties stalled deal-making in the province’s most expensive regions. A mid-year review of farmland value trends by Farm Credit Canada (FCC) indicated zero growth in values in BC, versus a 6% rise nationally. Ontario, another province also afflicted by a general …
Islands Trust sidelines ag in policy statement
PENDER ISLAND – A new draft Islands Trust policy statement that removes a key Agricultural Land Reserve provision and no longer recognizes agriculture as a “traditional and valuable activity” is sparking concern among some in the Gulf Islands farming community. The effort to update the current policy statement – which has been largely unchanged since …
Country Life in BC reporting honoured
Country Life in BC found the “win” in “Winnipeg” on September 20, receiving a record nine awards during the annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation. Top honours went to contributor Ronda Payne, who received a gold award for her technical feature in the March 2024 issue, “Pruning should focus on the needs of …
Vintage replacement renewed
The province has extended the vintage replacement provisions introduced last year to support wineries bereft of grapes due to extreme cold in January 2024. Vine damage resulted in a 99% crop loss last year and current projections anticipate a shortfall in the range of 40% this year. This amounts to about 10,000 tonnes of wine …