All livestock producers will be required to register for Premises ID by next year. Participation is currently voluntary, but BC agriculture minister Lana Popham says industry demand has prompted the government to develop new regulations under the BC Animal Health Act making it mandatory. “BC farmers and ranchers have been clear that a new regulation …
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Dairy picks new entrant short list
Ten candidates will advance to the next round of the dairy industry’s new entrant program selection process, following a random draw on February 8. The draw was conducted by the Council of Marketing Boards using an online selection process, which generated the random results. A representative of the BC Milk Marketing Board and independent observer …
Egg producer questions support for local eggs
DUNCAN – A Vancouver Island egg producer/grader wants the corporate egg business to give consumers more transparency and choice. A blog post on the Farmer Ben’s Eggs website in early December questioned the branding of some eggs sold on the island as being island-produced when, in fact, many of the eggs originate off-island and perhaps …
New executive director for Small-Scale Meat Producers
Three years after its formation, the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association has hired an executive director to coordinate advocacy on behalf of members. Ava Reeve, a veteran of small-scale agricultural organizations, has been hired for the role with the assistance of funding from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. Reeve also serves as executive director with …
New year, new era
BURNABY – A new administration in the US this month is raising hopes for fewer trade hassles in the months ahead. “I expect more predictability and more following the rules,” federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told farm media last month regarding the new US administration. She had previously announced that Canada would not make additional …
Dairy raises US ire
Canada’s dairy sector had the honour last week of triggering the first US enforcement action under CUSMA, the country’s new free trade deal with the US and Mexico that took effect July 1. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says Canada’s reservation of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) specifically for dairy processors prevents the US dairy sector from …