BCAC lobbying event positive

A day of productive discussions in Victoria culminated in a reception where representatives of the BC Agriculture Council celebrated their successes and furthered relations with MLAs and stakeholders.

Dozens of meetings with elected representatives from all parties as well as cabinet members, their staff and – for the first time ever, the premier – made BC Ag Day, October 24, one for the books.

Rising production costs topped the discussion list.

“When coupled with an ever-increasing series of extreme weather events, our farmers are being challenged like never before,” BCAC president Jennifer Woike told those attending the reception. “Together we must ensure that our farmers have the flexibility and tools that they need to weather the current financial situation.”

These same tools can also help support the province’s transition to a low-carbon economy, making it a win from all angles.

“It’s been a great day of discussions, and I’m exhausted,” exclaimed BC Agriculture Minister Pam Alexis, while expressing her admiration for the work BC farmers do in all types of weather to ensure fresh, local food on the province’s tables.

While the weather isn’t always ideal, and sometimes extreme, she pledged that the province would support farmers “every step of the way.”

“We continue to put programs and funding in place to help prepare for future climate impacts proactively,” she said, enumerating the several programs the province has launched this year.

BC United agriculture critic Ian Paton drove home the importance of addressing the impacts of extreme weather, drawing special attention to the challenges farmers faced accessing irrigation water.

“These are stressors you must deal with throughout the year,” he said, imploring government to address five issues including access to water for livestock and irrigation. “Support BCAC’s efforts to see agricultural water reserves entrenched as a requirement in the watershed security strategy.”

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Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

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5 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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6 days ago

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

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Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

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There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.