BC land values held the course in the first half of 2023, according to Farm Credit Canada, in an October 4 report on farm land values. The mid-year update indicated a cautious approach to land purchases and spending generally, which FCC chief economist JP Gervais credit with slower demand and, in turn, appreciation. “With higher …
Foreign worker compliance up
National farm groups have welcomed the results of an Employment and Skills Development Canada report indicating a 94% compliance rate with employment regulations and standards by employers participating in the Temporary Foreign Worker program (TFWP). “We are proud of our members’ track record with the TFWP compliance,” says Ryan Koeslag, executive vice-president with Mushrooms Canada, …
Prepare your orchard for extreme weather with a cooling system
SPONSORED CONTENT According to a University of British Columbia research team, “We learned that an average orchard typically loses around 10 percent of their yield in a regular year due to heat damage, causing a financial loss of almost $1,000 per acre. However, after losing up to 25 percent of their yield last year because …
Apple crop down, quality up
BC’s apple harvest is in full swing, and early estimates indicate a slightly smaller crop but high-quality fruit. Overall production is expected to be down about 10% this year, thanks in part to a 5% decline in acreage as well as weather. The growing season in the Interior started about two weeks later than usual …
Crop failure wins wineries concessions
With this year’s wine grape harvest set to be as much as 50% below normal, industry advocacy group Wine Growers BC is toasting recent measures by the province to support hard-hit wine producers. WGBC says the “well-documented ‘crop failure’” the industry is suffering this year as a result of an extreme cold snap last December …
“Quagmire” for foreign workers
The agricultural stream of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program has been growing in popularity with BC farm employers, but recently it’s been creating headaches, too. Ongoing reports of “mass rejections” of foreign applicants began last fall and have continued this summer, creating time-consuming and costly delays for employers. They have yet to be resolved, despite …