BLACK CREEK – Water challenges are still top of mind for Vancouver Island growers despite a wet fall, and they say the province needs to make it easier to capture and store the liquid wealth for future growing seasons. While the province has committed $100 million to the Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program for on-farm water storage …
NEWS
Popham back as ag minister
What’s old is new again with Premier David Eby’s choice of Saanich South MLA Lana Popham as agriculture minister. Popham returns to a role from which Eby shuffled her in December 2022 in favour of Pam Alexis, who lost her seat in October’s provincial election. Popham’s efforts to cultivate connections during her first term as …
New BC field vegetable specialist
A changing of the guard is underway in BC field vegetables. Karina Sakalauskas will succeed the province’s long-time field vegetable specialist Susan Smith, who retires later this month after two decades with the province’s agriculture ministry. Smith’s contributions were recognized at the BC Certified Seed Potato Growers Association’s annual general meeting in Squamish on November …
David Schmidt endowment planned
November 20 marks one year since the sudden death of Country Life in BC editor emeritus David Schmidt at the age of 73. The face of Country Life in BC for four decades, Schmidt was known for his deep understanding of the industry, his commitment to accurate, insightful reporting, and his passion for sharing the stories of …
On-farm innovation fuels turnaround
CRESTON – After eight years of careful, steady growth, Nigel and Laura Francis of Cartwheel Farm near Creston were ready to take their market garden to the next level. Since 2022, they have invested significantly in state-of-the-art equipment and technology in their quest to operate fossil fuel-free and grow more food throughout the year. At …
Staccato cherry rights defended
Could a cherry by any other name be as sweet? A federal court in Washington State believes so, and recently upheld Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s claim to the successful variety against attempts by a Washington grower to market it under a different name. On August 22, the US District Court for the Eastern District of …