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MARCH 2026
Vol. 112 Issue 3

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6 days ago

A BC Forest Practices Board investigation has found overgrazing has damaged grasslands in the Coutlee Range Unit near Merritt — and the range-use plan meant to prevent it was unenforceable. With complaints about overgrazing on the rise and grasslands covering just 1% of BC's land mass, the findings raise fresh questions about how the province manages one of its most vulnerable — and valuable — food-producing ecosyste#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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Board finds overgrazing rules unenforceable unmeasurable

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MERRITT – A BC Forest Practices Board investigation has found instances of non-compliance related to overgrazing have damaged open grasslands in the Mine pasture, part of the Coutlee Range Unit near...
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Several ranchers in recent years have gone into temporary non use on that range , so that means the grass should grow. But drought conditions/lack of rain and snow don’t allow that to happen . Dried up springs , creeks waterholes in various pastures add to over grazing where there is water , as livestock and everything else stay close to the water source . So even though less cattle are on it , over grazing appears. There is a large volume of horses on it 365 days/year which is wrong ! They pull grass right out of the ground when it’s just trying to grow ,, opens the door for weeds to grow in. That don’t help it. Aging infrastructure ( fences) laying on the ground, pipe line building , ( lack of commitment to fence maintenance) amongst all users contributes also to over grazing. Recreational atv users leaving gates open between pastures allows livestock to go back or ahead in pastures also expidites over grazing. Logging ( bcts) has no problem laying out cut locks on both sides of a fence , then it gets smashed down during logging and they don’t take responsibility to stand it back up or clean the cattle gaurds out when they are done , that happened 4 years ago on pasture 5 up there . I bet it is still not fixed . There are lots of contributing factors to the problem.

Tragedy of the commons.

I looked through the report. I saw nothing about the effects of noxious weeds on productive grasslands. This particular area is vulnerable because of the Ministry’a efforts to diversify the use of the Grasslands.

This pasture is under tremendous pressure not only from cattle but from irresponsible local residents who treat it as a landfill dumping all manner of household debris here. And don't even get me started on the mud bogging and camping in sensitive riparian areas. The feral horses are in this pasture 365 days a year just hammering it. Would sure be nice to see some enforcement action on people who are intentionally ripping up the grasslands and riparian areas. Cattle could be a valuable resource for rebuilding soils and native grasses in this area with the help of electric fencing and/or e-collars. The humans will be harder to manage.

The Forest and Range Practices Act was written by lawyers for global forest licencee shareholders. Results-based = unenforceable.

Also, can we talk about the impact of a pipeline being built through the middle of this field for multiple years?

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1 week ago

East Kootenay rancher Randy Reay is digging a new well after two natural water sources dried up on his Crown tenures. A new Living Lakes Canada assessment found 15% of mapped aquifers in the region are high-priority for monitoring, yet 80% of those go unmonitored. With over 48% of BC's provincial observation wells reporting below-normal groundwater levels, ranchers and researchers are sounding the alarm on water security. The story is in our March edition, and we've posted it to our website thi#BCAgk.

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Water woes: groundwater under pressure across BC

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JAFFRAY – As a young boy growing up in the Kootenay-Boundary region, Randy Reay never expected to run out of water. But this year, in mid-February, his fields are bare. There is no snow halfway up t...
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Jaffrey is in the east Kootenays not kooteney boundary

2 weeks ago

BC farmers are bracing for prolonged higher input costs as war in the Middle East drives up fuel and fertilizer prices. Nitrogen fertilizer costs were already climbing before the Iran conflict began, with prices still roughly 60% above pre-pandemic levels. Farm Credit Canada warns that unlike 2022, strong commodity prices may not offset rising costs this time. Local suppliers expect supply challenges and further price increases ahead.

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Fertilizer prices on the rise

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War in the Middle East has delivered a generational shock to energy prices, meaning BC farmers can expect a prolonged period of higher costs not just for fuel but also for fertilizer.
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2 weeks ago

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2 weeks ago

Cameron Stockdale is the new executive director of provincial farm safety organization AgSafeBC. Find out more in this week's Farm News Update from Country Life in B#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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New leadership at AgSafe BC

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Cameron Stockdale is the new executive director of provincial farm safety organization AgSafeBC, succeeding Wendy Bennett. Bennett left AgSafeBC in September 2025, following 12 years with the…
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BC agritech for India

Photo / CubicFarms Systems

November 25, 2020 byPeter Mitham

Langley-based vertical farm provider CubicFarm Systems Corp. has inked a deal that could send its farming systems to India.

Aright Greentech Canada Ltd. has entered a $2.4 million agreement for 14 production systems that will supply produce to retail outlets in Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

The initial production site in Abbotsford, set to be in operation by August 2021, will see CubicFarms and Aright India partner to assess CubicFarms machine production capabilities for a number of crop types. This could see Aright purchase additional systems for use in India.

The deal is the latest for CubicFarms, a public company that reported sales of  $5.1 million in its fiscal year ended June 30. Its current presentation to investors cites sales agreements worth $24 million, all backed by deposits.

Pioneered by the Benne family, well-known greenhouse propagators, the vertical farming systems produce fresh produce, plants, livestock feed and nutraceuticals.

Speaking to a venture capital forum in Vancouver last year, CubicFarms CEO Dave Dinesen said the combination of founders with a proven track record and the ability to scale up has given investors confidence.

“It was a combination of we know how to grow stuff, and we’ve got a competent management team that knows how to scale up, raise capital, execute,” he said.

That’s paid off in sales, which have confirmed the company’s potential. In addition to its own systems, CubicFarms has reseller agreements for other brands and also sells produce under the Thriiv label.

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