VICTORIA – A sudden influx of funding from the $90 million provincial Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program resulted in the submission of several abattoir applications to the rural economic recovery stream in October. CERIP is providing fully funded provincial grants to support economic resilience, tourism, heritage and urban and rural economic development projects in communities …
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Activists plead not guilty
The four activists charged on several counts of break-and-enter and mischief at Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford last year plead not guilty this week, forcing the case to trial. Amy Soranno, Jeff Rigear, Roy Sasano, and Nick Schafer see the trial as an opportunity to shine a light on how farms treat animals, and the …
Beekeepers Zoom for 100th AGM
The centennial of the BC Honey Producers Association was not the grand celebration expected, but some 90 participants nevertheless gathered via videoconference on October 30 for the associations’ annual general meeting. This compared to about 160 attendees at last fall’s event in Prince George. “We had a program lined up for our 100th in Abbotsford …
New barn promises better egg production
ABBOTSFORD – Many young farmers face necessary upgrades to facilities when they take on the family business. Sometimes, maintaining the status quo isn’t always an option. Andrew and Stephanie Penner went big when they took over their layer operation from Andrew’s parents two years ago. The barns were already at capacity and they knew the …
Hog producers face changes to code of practice
ABBOTSFORD – BC’s pork producers insist they are committed to high standards of care for livestock even in the face of a cash crunch. The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) has proposed amendments to the codes of practice for the care and handling of pigs. “It’s changing the way pigs are housed,” says Jack …
Strong fundamentals for beef market
The early calf gets the price could be the story for this year’s fall cattle run. While prices were around $2.15 a pound for a 550 lb. steer through mid-October, pricing began to slip in the latter half of the month. “Things are really just getting going with the peak of the fall run happening …