VICTORIA – BC’s auditor general says the province has failed to ensure dam owners comply with dam safety regulations, raising the risk of failures such as the 2010 collapse of the Testalinden dam on rangeland south of Oliver that swept away houses, vineyards and farm equipment. But the report, released September 14, stopped short of …
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Cheesemakers felt the heat this summer
DUNCAN – Keeping their animals cool and fields productive were challenges for many dairy farmers this summer, but those with processing facilities in their operations also struggled to ensure adequate milk production. Dairy and artisan cheese producers on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland took a double hit as the heat stressed their animals and …
Female ranchers excited for mentorship opportunities
WILLIAMS LAKE – Three young BC beef leaders look forward to learning from their peers and mentors as part of this year’s Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Mentorship Program organized by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Julia Flinton from Williams Lake, Janine Rubin of Rose Prairie and Amanda Miller from Lumby are among 16 finalists for the 2021-2022 …
New licences, new inspections
The rollout of the province’s new meat licensing regime October 1 will also mean stepped-up inspections of on-farm abattoirs. In addition to an annual inspection by the province, Farmgate Plus licensees (formerly Class D and E abattoirs) that slaughter cattle will also undergo inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The inspections aim to preserve …
RegenBC conference emphasizes context
Regenerative agriculture means working with nature not against it, but how technology fits into the picture is another question. An average of 200 people participated in this first two nights of the RegenBC conference the province hosted this week. The event is the first public initiative as part of the Regenerative Agriculture and Agritech Network …
Japanese beetle spreads
The discovery of a small number of Japanese beetles in south Vancouver and Burnaby have prompted renewed calls for vigilance and precautions on the part of industry and the public. Since the pest’s discovery near False Creek in Vancouver in 2017, the BC Landscape and Nursery Association has been part of a coordinated response by …