WESTWOLD – Ranchers in areas hit hard by last year’s heat dome, wildfires and drought shouldn’t count on rushing out on their rangeland this summer, cautions a professional agrologist. Chris Wellman, a fence contractor and former range agrologist with the Vernon Forest District, says many herds may need to stick close to home this season …
BC agriculture shrinks
BC reported fewer farms in last year’s census of agriculture, with losses outpacing the national average. The province was home to 15,481 farms last year, a decline of 10% since the last census in 2016. This follows an 11% decline in 2016 versus 2011, and contrasts with a 2% increase in neighbouring Alberta. Nationally, the …
Ocean Spray takes honours
The annual ranking of Canada’s most-trusted brands by the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business held special honours for one company with strong connections to BC growers. Ocean Spray took top honours in the beverage category and ranked 43 overall in this year’s study. This is up from 140th place last year. The survey …
Unfilled farm jobs drop
Demand for farm labour has eased since the start of the pandemic, according to Statistics Canada. The number of general farm labour positions going unfilled in the province each quarter averaged 1,946 last year, down from 2,671 in 2019 and 2,778 in 2018. Demand typically peaks in the opening months of the year as farmers …
Vegetable sales remain strong
DELTA – Good demand, good governance – those were the two themes underpinning the annual general meeting of the BC Vegetable Marketing Commission in Delta on April 12. “We have strong market demand for BC products because people want to consume local BC products, and pricing remains firm,” reports the commission’s market analyst, Debbie Oyenuga. …
Avian influenza order extended
Commercial poultry flocks across the province will be in lockdown for another month to protect them against the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza. The province’s deputy chief veterinarian, Dr. Robert Cooper, extended the province-wide order requiring that commercial poultry producers keep their flocks indoors through June 13. Originally issued April 15, the order …