British Columbia has three representatives among the 25 members selected for the new Canadian Agricultural Youth Council. Sara Kate Smith, Jessica Leung and Marcus Grymonpré are the council’s three members from BC, and bring a diverse set of perspectives and skills to the council. Smith may well be the best-known, having made her mark as …
COUNTRY WAYS
Record nutrition coupon funding
This week marks the start of another season for the BC farmers’ market nutrition coupon program, which is being backed by nearly $1.9 million in provincial funding this year – a new record. BC health minister Adrian Dix announced the funding on June 5. “It is so important to ensure the farmers’ market is everyone’s …
4-H sales adapt amid COVID-19 restrictions
ARMSTRONG – True to their club motto, “Learn to Do by Doing,” 4-H club members across BC are finding new ways to market their animal projects when traditional means are unavailable. Physical distancing rules in place banning events of more than 50 people and the cancellation of most fall fairs featuring 4-H auction sales have …
Land matching pays off
A provincial investment of $700,000 in a program to match farmers with landowners is nearing 95 successful pairings and more than 7,000 acres brought into production. The program, originally launched by the Young Agrarians organization in 2016, has completed 73 matches that have paired producers with 900 acres. But if all goes well, an additional …
BC farms embrace safety
A national survey by Farm Credit Canada this spring found that 23% of the 115 respondents in BC experienced a farm safety incident in the past year. This was slightly less than the national average of 24%. But the survey also found that 78% of BC respondents say that work proceeds safely most of the …
Don’t stress, plan
Business thrives when conditions and stable and predictable, but uncertainties can create stress that lead to poor attitudes, a decreased capacity for decision-making and bad lifestyle choices. According to a study Farm Management Canada released this week, 78% of farmers across Canada report mid to high stress levels. But having a written business plan can …