COOMBS – A year ago, Lori Gillis was sounding the alarm about the coming wave of retirements that threatened to drastically reduce meat processing capacity on Vancouver Island. She was 66, and had nearly 23 years’ experience under her belt. “All the butchers – red and poultry – we’re all in the same sort of …
NEWS
Inaugural viticulturist of the year chosen
WEST KELOWNA – Of the approximately 120 honours viticulturist and winemaker Karnail Singh Sidhu has received since opening Kalala Organic Estate Winery in 2008, receiving the BC Grapegrowers Association’s inaugural Viticulturist of the Year award is the most satisfying. “Ninety percent of winemaking is done in the vineyard,” says Sidhu. “If a wine loses [a …
Small-lot farmers call for greater Infrastructure
ARMSTRONG – Small-scale producers say the province needs to rebuild rural food processing capacity if it wants them to thrive. While small, local producers have come into their own in recent years and drawn several aspiring farmers to rural acreages, the rules often restrict growth and leave them scrambling for the kind of support that …
Ottawa announces new rules for foreign workers
BC is awaiting details of federal plans to develop mandatory requirements for seasonal worker accommodations provided by farmers as well as a stronger inspection regime. The initiative of Employment and Social Development Canada was announced July 31 by Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion minister and Delta MP Carla Qualtrough and federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude …
Farms retain tax status
BC farmers won’t have to worry about losing farm class status of their properties in the coming year. The province announced July 29 that all properties currently classed as farms with the BC Assessment Authority would continue to hold that status on the 2021 tax roll. “Our government is committed to helping farmers maintain their …
BC organic growers flourish
BC is the leader in Western Canada when it comes to organic fruit and vegetable production, with more than 3,974 acres (not including potatoes), according to Statistics Canada. This is approximately 9.3% of the national total of 42,430 acres. Revenues from organically grown fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) from BC farms totalled $39.8 million last …