Despite the grey and rainy days of BC in the wintertime, the snowpack on mountain ranges throughout the province checked in below average on February 1. The latest snow survey and water supply bulletin from the province, released February 8, reports that the snowpack is 21% below normal provincewide. Just three basins – the Lower …
National celebration of agriculture
A national initiative designed to celebrate Canada’s food producers marks its seventh year today. Canada’s Agriculture Day, February 15, was initiated in 2017 by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, which also leads the online forum Agriculture More Than Ever. Designed to celebrate Canadian agriculture, food and everyone who works in the industry, the national …
Farmers need to prioritize mental wellness
ABBOTSFORD – When it comes to mental wellness, the fierce independence and stoicism too common in farmers can be problematic. “I heard from a poultry producer yesterday,” says Wendy Bennett, executive director of AgSafe BC. “She said, ‘My husband needs the support, but he won’t ask for it. So, when I call, and it’s peer …
Farmgate abattoirs shut out of insurance
FORT ST. JOHN – Dozens of new producers granted on-farm meat processing licences since the province overhauled its meat inspection regime in fall 2021 now face hurdles securing insurance coverage. “When we looked into getting coverage for a Farmgate Plus licence for poultry, I was given a hard ‘no,’” says Pam Tjepkema of Peace Vale …
TJ Schur to lead IAF
A new CEO has been hired to lead the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. TJ Schur will be the organization’s new CEO starting March 1, IAFBC announced February 3. She succeeds Michelle Koski, who left the organization at the end of January to become an assistant deputy minister in the BC Ministry of Agriculture and …
Strategic partnership struck
The closure of BC Tree Fruit Co-operative’s packing lines in Kelowna and Winfield has opened the doors to a new partnership. While the co-op intends to consolidate packing operations for all fruit in Oliver, the closure of its Kelowna operations has opened the door to a partnership with Sandhu Fruit Farm in Summerland. Sandhu recently …