COVID-19 continues to cast a long shadow, with the BC Agriculture Council making yet another change to plans for its annual gala. Originally scheduled for January 26 in advance of the Pacific Agriculture Show, the gala was rescheduled for April 1 in view of a surge in cases of COVID-19 attributable to the highly transmissible …
NEWS
Grape crop falls short
Despite optimism as harvest began, BC grape growers are reporting the shortest crop in years. “Despite wine grape growers’ best efforts, our forecasts suggest that the industry is set for yet another material short crop in 2021, perhaps the worst in at least nine years,” reports Miles Prodan, CEO of Wine Growers BC in his …
Watershed security report
The province is asking for input on a new watershed security strategy that “will identify a role for all British Columbians in taking care of our watersheds within a broad provincial framework.” A discussion paper published January 25 makes scant reference to agriculture, but the ramifications for the sector are significant. The proposed strategy would …
LSAF Grants and Scholarships
On-farm projects that provide immediate and direct benefits to individual farms in Langley and the wider agricultural community are the focus of a new series of grants offered through the Langley Sustainable Agricultural Foundation. Research, educational programs and on-farm improvements that support agriculture undertaken by farmers, students and post-secondary institutions are eligible for funding. Grants …
Groundwater deadline firm
VICTORIA – The province is holding fast on a March 1 deadline for existing, non-domestic groundwater users to apply for a licence despite a low response rate. Staff from the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development have been making the rounds of farm meetings since last fall, with the result …
Soaring fertilizer prices add to cost pressures
ENDERBY – Higher costs for fertilizer and other inputs are forcing BC producers to pay closer attention to where they spend their money this year. Statistics Canada’s industrial price index pegs the price of chemical fertilizer at 225.7 in November, up from 97 a year earlier. That’s a 133% increase, with the sharpest rise happening …