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JUNE 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 5

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2 days ago

BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

#BCAg
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Congratulations!!!

Congratulations!

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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3 days ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
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1 month ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
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1 month ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

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Milk board undertakes review

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A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
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1 month ago

BC wool shipments drop sharply in 2023, according to StatsCan data released in mid-April. Local producers shipped just 5,200kg at 37¢/kg, down from 18,600kg at $1.08/kg in 2022. While many farmers now use wool on-farm or dispose of it due to low market value, innovative producers like Emily McIvor point to untapped opportunities. Read more in our Farm News Update from Country Life in BC.

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BC wool value, volume drop

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BC sheep producers shipped less wool for less in 2023, reversing strong growth a year earlier. BC producers shipped 5,200 kilograms of raw wool in 2023, according to Statistics Canada data released on...
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BC agriculture shrinks

May 18, 2022 byPeter Mitham

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 number of farms fell by 2%.

The losses were shared by large and small farms alike, with farms between 1,600 and 2,240 acres alone in showing growth. All other categories saw numbers decline, led by farms larger than 2,240 acres, which collectively saw their numbers fall 24% to 363.

With respect to specific sectors, contained environment agriculture (CEA) reported the greatest gains followed by the grain, poultry and sheep sectors.

The census shows that producers of non-greenhouse crops grown under cover other than mushrooms increased 79% to 325. Grain growers increased 38% to 419, led by corn growers (up 184% to 71) and wheat (up 38% to 69). Sheep farmers now number 490, a 21% increase from 2016.

Small farms continue to dominate in the province. Operations smaller than 70 acres account for 66% of BC farms. The majority of small farms are located in the Lower Mainland, the Thompson-Okanagan and Vancouver Island.

Direct sales are a popular route to market for many small producers, and 78% of the 5,381 farms in BC that engage in direct sales are located in the same three regions where small farms dominate – the Thompson-Okanagan (28%), Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland (25% each). The census indicates that 46% of BC farms receive all their income from direct sales, with the two key channels being on-farm retail locations or consumer deliveries.

But more than half of BC farm operators, or 53%, also have off-farm jobs. Many farm part-time, with 43% saying they spend fewer than 20 hours doing farm work. But 38% also work more than 30 hours each week producing food and other farm products.

BC’s farming population is also the oldest in Western Canada at 58 years, on par with Nova Scotia. While the large number of retirees taking up farming as a second career or part-time pursuit is one explanation, census figures also indicate that – unlike Manitoba and Alberta – BC has been unable to grow or even retain younger farmers. While farmers younger than 35 increased by 13% in the last census, numbers fell 34% between 2016 and 2021 – a rate of decline faster than any other province outside of Atlantic Canada.

BC continues to lead the country in the proportion of farm operators identifying as female. Women make up 40% of farm operators, up from 38% five years ago.

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