VANCOUVER – The BC Court of Appeal has sided with Douglas Lake Cattle Co., overturning an earlier ruling granting recreational fishers access to Minnie and Stoney Lakes. The new judgment also firmly rejects claims of any public right to cross private lands to access Crown property in BC, often termed “right to roam.” This case …
NEWS
Province reveals abattoir changes
A newer, simpler licensing system is on the horizon for BC abattoirs. During a meeting with the Small-Scale Livestock Producers Association on March 25, the province revealed that provincially inspected abattoirs (currently holding Class A and B licences) will be consolidated within a single licence class. On-farm slaughter will be allowed across the province, unlike …
BC farms reduce plastic
BC farms have made significant strides towards reducing plastic waste, and new federal funding will help them take additional steps to address the issue. CleanFarms, a manufacturer-led environmental stewardship organization based in Ontario, estimates BC farms generate 3,600 tonnes of waste plastic a year. This is down from nearly 4,000 tonnes in 2012. But the …
Buy BC program delivers
With the application deadline for a new round of Buy BC funding closing next week, many past recipients are giving thanks for the program’s support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Campbell’s Gold Honey Farm and Meadery in Abbotsford had to adapt quickly when the pandemic cancelled all workshops, tours and events on the farm. Through Buy …
Market restrictions lifted
The lifting of restrictions on non-food vendors at farmers markets is music to the ears of the Coombs Farmers Institute, which will be able to hold its annual Seedy Sunday event on March 28. The province restricted the sale of non-food items at farmers markets in December as part of a wide range of measures …
Bee tech team
BC agriculture minister Lana Popham had a honey of a gift for beekeepers at their semi-annual meeting and education day on March 20. Popham announced $100,000 in funding for the first year of a technology transfer program, something the BC Honey Producers Association has been seeking for years. BC is the last province in Canada …