Many hog producers in the Thompson-Okanagan region are without a processor after Salmon Arm’s Rocana Meats suddenly closed in August. “It has been really, really hard for producers in that area. It couldn’t have come at a worse time,” says Small-Scale Meat Producers Association executive director and project manager Julia Smith. “Most people are finishing …
Peace heifer shot, butchered
The persistent problem of cattle rustling has one Peace rancher wondering why the police aren’t taking incidents more seriously. On September 6, three days after moose season opened, rancher Walt Hedges found the remains of one of his replacement heifers at the side of an oil road crossing one of his Crown land tenures. The …
Market garden makes a wise transition
KELOWNA – Of all the challenges farmers face – from unpredictable weather to finding workers – one of the greatest often occurs when it’s time to transition the farm. Whether a farm is passed to a family member, sold to an outside buyer or placed on the auction block, planning an exit strategy should begin …
Nicola ranches wait for help
The latest of three natural disasters to hit their property in a little over a year has the owners of Bar FX Ranch near Merritt wondering when the province will step up. A brief torrential downpour on August 23 triggered a mudslide spread silt and gravel across their fields and those of neighbours in the …
Chilliwack showcases farm automation
The future of farming is robotic. That was one take-away from the annual Chilliwack Economic Partners Corp. farm tour on September 9, which resumed its in-person event for the first time in three years. The day-long event treated more than 50 participants to tours of Dutch Heritage Greenhouse, which specializes in producing cut chrysanthemums; Booknook …
Strong growth for organics
A new report by the Canadian Organic Trade Association pegs the value of the BC organic food and beverage market at $508.1 million in 2020, a 54% increase from $329.2 million in 2017. “Organic producers can be proud of participating in a growing sector, particularly when agriculture has faced many challenges in recent years,” Organic …