OLIVER—Like a sliver of sky, a Western Bluebird drops from above and lands among the dried grasses at the edge of a meadow. Down the hill, sun glints off a small, round lake surrounded by forest down to the water’s edge, and a creek flows out through a low spot, fenced off from the grassy …
NEWS
No peace, no order
“Peace, order and good government” may well be the words fundamental to Canada’s national character. We say “sorry” at the drop of a hat, devoutly anxious that we might somehow have disturbed the peace and order of our neighbours. Our laws and regulations define what we can and can’t do, especially in matters regarding freedom …
BC farmers need more than a landbank
A conversation I overheard recently in a schoolyard while waiting to pick up my granddaughter seems to sum up a big part of the dilemma facing the Agricultural Land Commission and the production it is expected to foster within the Agricultural Land Reserve. One 30-something parent was excitedly telling another about a rural property they …
Cranberry outlook brightens
BC cranberry growers are expecting a crop closer to usual volumes this year after cold weather in 2019 cut the harvest in half. The province typically produces about a million barrels a year, but in 2019 marketed production as reported by Statistics Canada was just 672,100 barrels. Per-acre yields also fell, dropping from 211 barrels …
Merlot, Pinot Gris tops in BC
With the grape harvest getting underway in the Okanagan, an analysis of last year’s crop for the BC Wine Grape Council sets the stage for what growers will be picking this fall. Plantings have been expanding in BC in recent years, with some growers pushing into new, higher-elevation locations for cool-climate vines. Those acres yielded …
Agriculture nabs recovery funding
BC’s agrifood sector was among those singled out as a priority for funds as part of the $1.5 billion stimulus package BC announced September 17 to help businesses recover from COVID-19. While agriculture was designated an essential service during the pandemic, shifts in consumer spending required that businesses adapt rapidly. Added expenses from measures aimed …