VERNON – Frustration filled Werner Stump’s voice as he addressed the North Okanagan Livestock Association on November 15 regarding the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA), which the province wants to amend. “You have heard me talk about this for quite a while and unfortunately I don’t have good news,” he says. “There has been …
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Catastrophic flooding hits Fraser Valley
The flood waters are receding but the toll of what the province has dubbed “the worst weather storm in a century” is rising, with Abbotsford pointing to heavy losses of livestock on Sumas Prairie. “I saw barns half-full of water,” Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun said on Wednesday morning, following a flyover of the area on …
Cedar Valley licence reinstated
An investigation by the BC Milk Marketing Board of Cedar Valley Farms in Abbotsford has resulted in the reinstatement of the farm’s production licence with several conditions. The licence was suspended October 27 following allegations that workers at the farm had abused animals, claims supported by video footage provided to the BC SPCA and subsequently …
Cedar Valley footage released
Video footage that triggered an investigation of Cedar Valley Farms in Abbotsford two weeks ago has been released. Toronto-based activist group Animal Justice Canada posted the footage with a call for greater regulation of livestock operations, including the installation of surveillance cameras on farms. It notes that organic farms are no better than conventional systems …
Mink farmers challenge ban
Canada’s mink farmers plan to challenge BC’s bid to shut down the sector. An announcement November 5 outlined a three-step process under an order issued by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry that begins with a ban on mink breeding effective immediately, followed by a ban on live mink on farms by April 2023 and …
Promotions help secure markets
The return of in-person meetings for many producer groups is also bringing a fresh emphasis on the future. This was particularly true for members of Mainland Milk Producers, who gathered for their fall meeting in Abbotsford, November 9, and listened to several presentations about the importance of securing markets as consumer behaviour continues to evolve …