A mild winter has provided favourable conditions for a surge in winter cutworm (Noctua pronuba) populations on central Vancouver Island. Alberni Clayoquot Regional District sustainability planner Amy Needham says populations are approaching outbreak levels in areas such as the Alberni Valley, though the exact cause is unknown. The appearance of the worm, the larval form …
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Winter farm shows begin
The province’s largest agriculture show takes place January 23-25 at Tradex in Abbotsford, and exhibitors are ready. “There’s real demand,” says Pacific Agriculture Show organizer Jim Shepard. “The show sells out so quickly, we’ve got a long waiting list.” This year’s event, taking place alongside the Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference, will feature the latest in …
Kamloops reports Japanese beetle
An integrated response to a Japanese beetle infestation in BC has won a key battle but the war continues. The invasive pest, native to Japan and first identified in Canada in 1939, is an increasing problem for Ontario tender fruit growers. Regular monitoring discovered it in a park overlooking False Creek in downtown Vancouver in …
Hort workshops tackle water, pest and disease management
A key priority of the new provincial government when it comes to farmers and ranchers is water, and the Lower Mainland Horticultural Conference – organized by the province for the second year in a row this year – kicks off January 23 with an opening plenary dedicated to the topic. University of the Fraser Valley …
Growers Supply property sold
Shukin Orchards Ltd. of Creston is the successful bidder for the Growers Supply Co. property at 754 35th Avenue South in Erickson. Court documents filed December 30 by Alvarez & Marsal, the court-appointed monitor of proceedings related to the winding down of BC Tree Fruits Co-op, indicate Shukin bid $1.9 million for the property, which …
ALC members appointed
The closing days of the old year heralded a host of appointments to the Agricultural Land Commission. Commissioners Erin Carlson (Summerland), Jolleen Dick (Port Alberni), Wayne Harris (Creston) and Danna O’Donnell completed terms on December 19. A ministerial order signed by agriculture minister Lana Popham on December 16 reappointed Carlson and Harris for three-year terms …