COMOX VALLEY – Research on dry farming practices in the Comox Valley is helping an international study foster more resilient production systems. “We need a very large set of tools to adapt to climate change. We know it’s not going anywhere, and we know that droughts are going to become increasingly a source of stress …
NEWS
Fertilizer, fuel costs soar amid Iran conflict
ENDERBY – War in the Middle East has delivered a generational shock to energy prices, meaning BC farmers can expect a prolonged period of higher costs, not just for fuel but also for fertilizer. Western North America’s nitrogen fertilizers are mostly locally produced, but Okanagan Fertilizer Ltd. president and CEO Ken Clancy says various factors …
Cannabis tops BC crop cash receipts
DELTA – BC’s legal cannabis crop is reaching new highs, ranking as the top cash crop by value – ahead of both fresh fruits and vegetables. Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, and since then it has become a major agricultural crop. Last year, licensed cannabis producers contributed $10.6 billion to Canada’s GDP. In BC, Statistics …
Restaurant connections fuel farm’s growth
LADNER – Growth is on the agenda for Ladner’s Vive le Veg Farm, where owners TJ and Olivia McWilliam have a new baby and have nearly doubled the size of their market garden to two acres. Since starting the farm in 2021 on a quarter acre leased from the Malenstyn family, the McWilliams have grown …
Land Commission lays off staff
With no budget increase this year, the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) is laying off six staff to make ends meet. “Ongoing financial constraints and the requirement to operate within the approved budget have required the ALC to reduce its staffing complement,” ALC chair Jennifer Dyson says in a March 24 letter to agriculture sector organizations, …
Vancouver Island attracts small-lot buyers
Small-lot growers and hobby farmers helped make Vancouver Island one of the most active farmland markets in the province last year, with demand boosting values by 5.3%. “Demand was high for 10 to 20-acre homesteads, driven by part-time farmers, which resulted in rising values for smaller parcels. Larger farms had a limited market,” Farm Credit …