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Originally published:

February 2019
Vol. 105 Issue 2

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Stories In This Edition

Joy Ride!

Critics urge licence delay

ALR committee files report

Cannabis drives drop in Delta farm assessments

Editorial: Party and province

Back Forty: You can’t get apps on that

Viewpoint: Annual assessments a chance to take stock

Staff reorganization targets leaner fruit co-op

Preliminary hearing in high-profile poultry abuse

Growers pin hopes on Columbia River update

Survey keeps national park reserve in spotlight

Political engagement headlines dairy meeting

World milk prices take blame for shifting returns

Patience is a virtue

Ag Briefs: Sasaki appointed new head of chicken board

Ag Briefs: Ottawa invests in dairy sector

AB: Piece rates, taxes increase

AB: AITC focuses on growth

Capital Region considers compensation cuts

Letters: Protect farmland from cannabis production

Letters: Dog owners need to accept responsibility

Letters: The beef about climate change

Cadillac’ of aviaries will reduce labour costs

Berry growers face new import requirements

Open house reveals secrets of diagnostics lab

Cannabis propagation industry sprouting in BC

Sidebar: Deep roots

FCC targets women with new business program

Agreement sets stage for fish farm phase-out

Grazing, forage and water top list at town hall

Ranchers reassured regarding bovine TB cases

Digging into soil nutrition at education day

Microgreen grower attracts far-flung following

Science of cannabis takes centre stage

Blueberry growers hone use of box liners

Ostrich industry takes flight with big plans

Tunnels boost fruit quality, add to berry season

Big bucks being spent to protect bee health

Sidebar: Province boosts funding

Mystery bee disease studied

Direct-marketing opportunities have potential

Research: Preventing soft scald in apples

Regional food system is the new focus of group’s efforts

Wannabe: Growers deserve our love

Woodshed: A performance Kenneth can’t afford to miss

Jude’s Kitchen: Happy new year, my sweet Valentine

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4 days ago

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details. ... See MoreSee Less

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details.
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2 weeks ago

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the province's deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed. ... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the provinces deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed.
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Sounds like 2 weeks to flatten the curve turning into 2 years.

USDA doing avian vax research, May 11 bio-docs to UN incl section on H5N8 w/wild bird spread. Found link to apparent pre-release on May 11 Geller Report. Good luck farmers.

3 weeks ago

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.” ... See MoreSee Less

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.”
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Killing our food chain. How do we know they are actually carrying a virus, look what's taking place with covid, is it real.

Ik kan niet zo goed Engels maar als ik het goed begrijp is bij jullie ook vogelgriep maar nog niet bij jullie

Any idea when this episode or bird flu might be over?

3 weeks ago

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions. ... See MoreSee Less

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions.
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4 weeks ago

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises. ... See MoreSee Less

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises.
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Capital Region considers compensation cuts

Public supports payments for livestock losses to unidentified dogs

January 29, 2019 byBarbara Johnstone Grimmer

VICTORIA – A backlash from farmers has stalled a proposal to amend the Capital Regional District (CRD) animal control bylaw to eliminate compensation for livestock killed by unidentified dogs.

“I received a lot of feedback from the farm community,” says Mike Hicks, director for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area who originally proposed the amendment. “I was taken to the slaughterhouse instead of the lambs, for once.”

Hicks originally stated that the policy was old and he did not think Juan de Fuca taxpayers should be paying for sheep killed on Salt Spring Island.

But he discovered that constituents want the CRD to compensate farmers for losses from dog attacks, citing food security and the importance in supporting agriculture. The pushback led the CRD to refer the amendment to staff hours before directors met on January 9.

Reports of the proposed bylaw change were shared widely on social media, leading Hicks to call John Buchanan of Parry Bay Farm in Metchosin. Buchanan and his wife Lorraine have a large sheep flock grazing in several municipalities besides Metchosin, including Central Saanich, Sooke, Highlands and View Royal. Buchanan filed a compensation claim this year but it covers only some of his losses.

“Dogs often are not seen,” says Buchanan. “If they aren’t stopped, they will do it again, and can push you off grazing land, reducing the area where we can graze. We use marginal lands, not suited to crops.”

Buchanan added that the argument that insurance can replace compensation is not true in many cases, given that dog attacks on sheep may occur more than once and are hard to prevent, so insurance companies may cancel policies if too many claims are made.

The proposed amendment surprised Saturna Island sheep producer Jacques Campbell, the district’s former Southern Gulf Islands director and Inter Island Sheep Breeders’ director to the BC Sheep Federation.

“I am stunned,” he says. “The licensing came into effect in 1980, and our dog Meg had the first tag. Since then, we have had many dogs for which we purchase licences each year. Currently, I have four working dogs, all with paid-up licences. We have done this knowing that it is an insurance policy in protection of our sheep and cattle.”

Licensing works in five ways, he explains.

“Dog owners are encouraged to control their dogs, the CRD can secure marauding dogs, the CRD can secure unlicensed dogs, the CRD can assist in securing compensation by identifying a dog and owner, and as a last resort, if the dog can’t be identified, the CRD can pay compensation,” he says.

CRD staff are developing alternatives for electoral areas and municipalities that want to continue compensating farmers. Over the past 15 years, there have been 10 claims averaging $400 apiece, though the more recent claims have run $1,000 to $4,500.

The directors of the electoral areas of Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Islands, Gary Holman and Dave Howe, both support compensation for farmers.

Mayor John Ranns of Metchosin is supportive of keeping compensation in the bylaw, because it provides an incentive for the CRD to find dogs that attack livestock. Farmers are only compensated by the CRD for dogs that are unidentified. If a dog is licensed, the farmer must go to the dog’s owner and request compensation directly.

Ranns is serving his eighth term as mayor of Metchosin and regional director, and is the only bonafide farmer currently on the CRD board. He recalls that one reason the CRD took over animal control services from the SPCA years ago was to improve support to farmers through better dog control, and to provide compensation to farmers from the dog licence fees.

CRD Bylaw and Animal Care Services provides animal control to Sidney, Central Saanich, North Saanich, Colwood, View Royal, Langford, Metchosin, Highlands, Sooke, and the three electoral areas. Saanich has its own animal control services, and Victoria, Esquimalt and Oak Bay use Victoria Animal Control Services.

Metchosin, Sooke and Highlands are the three municipalities which have contracts with the CRD to provide compensation along with the three electoral areas.

Buchanan and Hicks believe one alternative could be a regional pooled fund from all 13 municipalities and three electoral areas for compensating farmers throughout the region.

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