With the province’s grape harvest set to begin in earnest, a glance at a summary of the 2018 harvest from the BC Wine Grape Council reveals growing diversification in the province’s grape crop. The report notes that more that 42,732 tons were harvested in 2018, split almost evenly between red grapes (21,332 tons) and white …
NEWS
Kelowna endorses intergenerational farmhouse
A development application in Kelowna will challenge provincial regulations governing residential development within the Agricultural Land Reserve. Kelowna council endorsed an application by the Baring family this week to build a home totalling 695 square metres (7,481 square feet) north of downtown near Kelowna International Airport. But the province adopted a new regulation in February …
ALC puts focus on farming
The province’s Agricultural Land Commission is drawing fire for its decision to reject a request by Rusted Rake Farm of Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island to operate its on-farm restaurant. The decision, handed down September 5, also nixed the farm’s plans for a microbrewery until it is producing enough grain to support its planned production. …
Land values slow down
BC farmland values are not rising as fast as they did last year, according to Farm Credit Canada. A review of transactions this year to date indicates that values have increased just 2.7% since last year. This spring, FCC reported that farmland values increased 6.7% in 2018 versus 2017. Double-digit increases were seen on Vancouver …
Agriculture’s potential wins applause
A report on the potential of Canada’s agriculture sector has won applause from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture as the national farm organization ramps up efforts to put farming front-and-centre in the country’s election. RBC says the farm sector could boost its contribution to Canada’s gross domestic product to $51 billion by 2030, up from …
Vehicle violations rise
An interagency committee set up in 2007 to ensure farm vehicle safety following a horrific crash in Abbotsford that killed three people has been busy this summer. Known as the Farm Workers’ Inter-Agency Compliance Committee, the body oversees the inspection of vehicles used to transport farm workers, such as the bus that hit a ditch …