Cedar Valley footage released

Video footage that triggered an investigation of Cedar Valley Farms in Abbotsford two weeks ago has been released.

Toronto-based activist group Animal Justice Canada posted the footage with a call for greater regulation of livestock operations, including the installation of surveillance cameras on farms. It notes that organic farms are no better than conventional systems when it comes to animal welfare.

“Whether a farm is conventional or organic, animal suffering is systemic,” says Animal Justice Canada.

BC’s dairy industry has denounced the incidents depicted in the video, which include the caning of animals as well as kicking and suspension of animals from tractor buckets. Other footage includes what appears to be a botched effort to euthanize a down animal.

“The treatment of dairy cows shown in the video clearly violates the National Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle, which is mandatory for all dairy farms in BC,” says a statement from the BC Dairy Association. “Dairy farmers take this very seriously.”

However, next steps will be determined following investigations by the BC Milk Marketing Board, which has suspended the farm’s licence to ship, and the BC SPCA, which has indicated it will be recommending charges.

Cedar Valley’s certifying body, Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. has not commented on the matter. A revocation of the farm’s organic certification would depend on the outcome of the investigations.

Similarly, the College of Veterinarians of BC referenced the BC Veterinarians Act when asked if Dr. Rich Vanderwal, a co-owner of the farm, could face discipline. The act states that investigations may be launched on receipt of a complaint against a college member, “conviction for an offence relating to the care or treatment of animals” or “conduct unbecoming a registrant.”

The college declined comment on whether or not it is investigating Vanderwal.

BC agriculture minister Lana Popham says mandating surveillance cameras or stricter regulation of livestock operations will depend on discussions with industry and other stakeholders.

“Animal welfare is always of great concern to our government and we’re always moving forward with consultation with industry and stakeholders to see how we can better improve that,” she told Country Life in BC.

The incident will also test the province’s efforts to strengthen protections for livestock producers against trespassers. An amendment to the Trespass Act last year explicitly prohibited trespass in premises housing livestock.

Abbotsford Police Department confirms that it is investigating a break-in at the farm.

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7 hours ago

Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

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4 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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5 days ago

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

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Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

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There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.