SURREY – The BC Farm Industry Review Board received a formal noise complaint on April 20 against a blueberry farm in south Surrey. According to reports in the Peace Arch News, the couple who initiated the complaint had moved to Morgan Creek from Vancouver in March and were kept awake several nights in a row …
NEWS
BC abattoir volume up 30% in 2020
FALKLAND – The impact of COVID-19 on the BC meat sector was a key theme during the annual meeting of the BC Association of Abattoirs on May 15. “Unprecedented” was how president Bonnie Windsor described the impact in her address. “Facing the increased demand proved challenging, but for the most part I think it was …
Core knowledge lands Kelowna grower top award
KELOWNA – Learning from some of the best can help you be one of the best is a philosophy that’s served Kelowna orchardist Shane Witzke well. The BC Fruit Growers Association named Witzke as recipient of this year’s Golden Apple award at its annual general meeting in February. “I rely on what my field service …
Mushrooms add value to cut blocks
KASLO – They may not be ready to harvest until 2022 but mushrooms may soon catch the eye of hikers along Kaslo’s Wardner Trail. A project to combine forestry and food production championed by Robin Mercy, owner of Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms, saw the Village of Kaslo grant permission for Mercy to inoculate stumps and logs …
BC fairs await reopening
BC announced its reopening plan this week, setting the stage for a life without limits in the wake of COVID-19. But just how that unfolds for the farm sector and rural communities across the province is unclear. The four-stage plan announced by Premier John Horgan and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on May 25 …
Balanced conditions in 2020
Climate variability has hit BC farmers and ranchers hard in recent years, between wildfire, flood and drought. Conditions in 2019 were such that 52 census subdivisions became eligible for the federal government’s livestock tax deferral program. The program provides relief to farmers in areas where forage shortfalls due to excessive drought or moisture total 50% …