DELTA – Victoria has left the Agricultural Land Commission short of commissioners needed to assess applications while it awaits a report on how to revitalize the province’s protected farmland. Provincial legislation requires the ALC to have at least “at least 13 individuals … knowledgeable in matters relating to agriculture, land use planning, local government or …
NEWS
Vole control in blueberries
LANGLEY – Vole, mouse, shrew or mole: researcher Sofi Hindmarch wants to help blueberry growers better understand the rodents in their fields to help them reduce the volume and cost of rodenticides and improve the health of their plants. A project co-ordinator with the Fraser Valley Conservancy, Hindmarch’s work with barn owls and other raptors …
Poultry growers adjust to reduced antibiotic use
ABBOTSFORD – Approximately 60,000 chickens roam Ray Nickel’s four-level barn in Abbotsford. The environment in the facility is computer-controlled, with air flow and temperature closely monitored to ensure the birds are comfortable and – more important – healthy. Close quarters mean that if one bird gets sick, all are vulnerable. To further reduce the risk …
Meat processing review fails to meet expectations
MERRITT – First it dodged half the province by cancelling a week of scheduled meetings in June and now it’s squandering the chance to show leadership and help the BC meat processing industry move forward. The legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food has delivered its final report, making no definitive recommendations on …
Traceability regulations expected next year
ARMSTRONG – The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency wants farmers to get ahead of new traceability regulations expected to come into effect next year. CCIA general manager Anne Brunet-Burgess has worked on the regulations since 2015 and the due date has moved several times, but she now expects the first draft to be published in spring …
Success starts with solid business plan
ABBOTSFORD – The first thing farmers and agri-businesses need to do when trying to obtain financing for a new project is to develop a plan. That’s the first place the BC Ministry of Agriculture can help, BCMA partnerships and outreach manager Lindsay Bisschop told the Fraser Valley chapter of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors …