Ottawa has launched public consultations regarding the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement (CUSMA) ahead of a planned review by the three countries in 2026. “We encourage members of the agriculture and agri-food sector to participate in this consultation by sharing their experiences and perspectives on CUSMA’s operation,” Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in a memo to …
Gulf Island entrepreneurs eye food security
THETIS ISLAND – When Elisabeth and Noah Bond bought the only vineyard on Thetis Island in 2014, they looked forward to uncorking a new phase of life in the wine industry. “We were always into food and sustainability, but really hadn’t grown food before,” says Elisabeth. “We thought it would be cool to have a …
Stabilization initiative yet to bear fruit
OLIVER – The deep black of dying plum trees stands in stark contrast to the vibrant green of the adjacent cherries in Pinder Dhaliwal’s orchard in Oliver. Yet on closer inspection, many of the cherry branches have little if any fruit and several branches are dying. The nearby peach trees have no fruit at all …
Berry growers on lookout for rose stem girdler
SALEM, OREGON – Unpredictability makes the rose stem girdler a challenging adversary, and the fact that it has set up camp to the south and east of BC is all the more concerning. The pest’s arrival in commercial berry fields in BC’s Lower Mainland is a matter of when, not if, and research south of …
Indigenous agriculture faces regulatory reality
VICTORIA – Provincial efforts to promote Indigenous food sovereignty face growing questions over how Indigenous production will fit within existing structures to protect farmland and ensure orderly marketing. In July 2023, the province announced $30 million in funding to enhance Indigenous food sovereignty. The Indigenous Food Security and Sovereignty (IFS) Fund has been disbursed through …
Southern Interior irrigators shut down
The province says it listened to local growers when it shut down forage irrigation in the Salmon River and Bessette Creek watersheds on September 8, but producers say they were blindsided. “We did not receive any direct communication from [Water, Land and Resource Stewardship] staff that this was about to happen,” says Andrea van Iterson …