This fall’s Apimondia conference in Montreal put the spotlight on some of the innovative bee research taking place in BC. During the research update at the recent BC Honey Producers Association meeting in Prince George, BCHPA president Kerry Clark acknowledged the BC Ministry of Agriculture’s support for two BC’s participation in Apimondia as well as …
NEWS
Autumn showers dampen harvest
A harvest update from the BC Wine Institute indicates that good weather during the growing season is buoying the optimism of winemakers during a wet harvest. September saw 40.8 mm of rain in Kelowna, well above the long-term average of 32.4 mm. October has seen 21.5 mm this month to date, on track to match …
Worker shortages cost $216 million
Worker shortages cost BC producers $216 million in 2018, according to the detailed findings of a Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council study of the farm labour market in BC. Preliminary findings from the report were released earlier this year, but details of the labour market in each province were just released this month. The findings …
Child labour feedback sought
The BC Ministry of Labour is making a special plea to the farm sector for input on new regulations governing teen workers. Bill 8, which the legislature passed in May, raised the minimum employment age from 12 to 16 years in a bid to protect young workers. Youth aged 14 and 15 can still hold …
Site launched for farmers’ institutes
The province has launched a site designed to be a hub for farmers’ institutes from around BC. “Farmers’ institutes members from across the province told me they needed a portal that would help them connect and share information with each other, access timely and relevant information and enable potential new members to connect with farmers’ …
ALC gets an earful
Small-lot agriculture, secondary residences and a general disconnect between farmers, local government and the Agricultural Land Commission are emerging as common themes at town hall sessions the province launched last month to figure out how it could do a better job of supporting farming in the Agricultural Land Reserve. The four-hour sessions feature presentations by …