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Originally published:

June 2019
Vol. 105 Issue 6

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Stories In This Edition

First Cut

Hog farm won’t face charges

Okanagan drives land values

Where’s the beef?

Minister defends Bill 15 changes

Back Forty: Farmers, not just farmland, need revitalization

Editorial: No peace, no order

ALR restrictions make commuting a fact of life

Johnston’s Packers targeted by activists

Child labour

Sidebar: When is a crime not a crime?

Berry growers get long-awaited funding boost

Proteobiotics reduce poultry, swine infections

Greenhouse growth stymied by gas prices

Bloom

Increase farm productivity with cover crops

Ag Briefs: Water fees not evenly distributed among users

Ag Briefs: BC Tree Fruits prepares to relocate

Farmland trust explored for Island

New owner, same faces

Fruitful experience

Fruit growers cautiously optimistic on bloom set

Honeycrisp key to success for Golden Apple winners

Changes to slaughter rules taking too long

Going! Going! Gone

Local meat deamnd creating opportunities

Sidebar: Compost in 14 days

Ranch takes pasture to plate at face value

Market Musings: Technology has its challenges

Oliver veggie grower prefers wholesale

Grocer offers tips to get a foot in the door

Greenhouse veggie days a hit with school

Haskap research may help berry go mainstream

Grow up!

Research: Bee sensitivity linked to neonic pesticides

Fraser Valley orchardist calling it a day

Rally cry

Worming his way to the top of the heap

Mushrooms a viable crop for small growers

Island 4-H beef show celebrates 25 years

Woodshed: Deborah starts her vacation a golf widow

Brewery’s food program spawns farm project

Jude’s Kitchen: Celebrate dads!

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1 month ago

The province has extended the Canada-BC Flood Recovery for Food Security Program deadline from June 1 to Aug. 31. The program helps farmers cover uninsured expenses caused by damages in the November 2021 floods, including cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, and water and waste systems; returning flood-affected land and buildings to a safe state for agricultural production; repairing uninsurable essential farm infrastructure; repairing structures such as livestock-containment fences; renting temporary production facilities; installing drainage ditches and land-stabilization materials; animal welfare activities such as replacing feed, transporting livestock, veterinary care and mortality disposal; and
replacing perennial plants not grown for sale. Program criteria and application forms are available online: buff.ly/3sVRF4G
... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the Canada-BC Flood Recovery for Food Security Program deadline from June 1 to Aug. 31. The program helps farmers cover uninsured expenses caused by damages in the November 2021 floods, including cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, and water and waste systems; returning flood-affected land and buildings to a safe state for agricultural production;  repairing uninsurable essential farm infrastructure; repairing structures such as livestock-containment fences; renting temporary production facilities; installing drainage ditches and land-stabilization materials; animal welfare activities such as replacing feed, transporting livestock, veterinary care and mortality disposal; and
replacing perennial plants not grown for sale. Program criteria and application forms are available online: https://buff.ly/3sVRF4G
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1 month ago

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details. ... See MoreSee Less

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details.
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2 months ago

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the province's deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed. ... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the provinces deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed.
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Sounds like 2 weeks to flatten the curve turning into 2 years.

USDA doing avian vax research, May 11 bio-docs to UN incl section on H5N8 w/wild bird spread. Found link to apparent pre-release on May 11 Geller Report. Good luck farmers.

2 months ago

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.” ... See MoreSee Less

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.”
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Killing our food chain. How do we know they are actually carrying a virus, look what's taking place with covid, is it real.

Ik kan niet zo goed Engels maar als ik het goed begrijp is bij jullie ook vogelgriep maar nog niet bij jullie

Any idea when this episode or bird flu might be over?

2 months ago

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions. ... See MoreSee Less

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions.
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Changes to slaughter rules taking too long

Abattoir operators frustrated by government's lack of action

PROBLEM SOLVING Frustrated by how the lack of meat processing capacity in the province was preventing expansion of direct meat sales to their customers, the Devick family built a Class A abattoir on their ranch near Kamloops. [ANITA DEVICK PHOTO]

May 28, 2019 byTom Walker

CHASE – It’s been a year of waiting for the meat processing industry in BC, which has yet to see any movement on some of its key issues.

A year ago, optimism abounded when the BC Association of Abattoirs met for its annual general meeting.

The provincial government was wrapping up a survey of class D and E abattoir licensees and the health authorities that regulate them. The legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food had just announced a study of meat processing in BC.

Both the abattoirs association and the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association expected the consultations would begin to resolve the issues of licensing, inspection, processing capacity and staffing that plague the industry.

But so far it has all been for nought. When abattoir operators held their annual general meeting at the end of April, the frustration was palpable.

“These issues have been the focus of our association’s strategic plan for four years,” says the association’s executive director, Nova Woodbury. “We have been in meetings every year. We spent all last spring on the consultations.”

With so much time spent, and so little accomplished, Woodbury says patience is wearing thin.

“There is so much to do,” she says. “There are a lot of angry people out there right now.”

Opposition agriculture critic Ian Paton delivered the meeting’s opening remarks. Paton was a member of the select standing committee, but he didn’t have any good news.

“We did this report but we haven’t heard anything,” he said.

The standing committee heard what Paton calls “some horror stories.”

“We heard from D and E operators who haven’t had a visit from their regional health authority in over a year,” he says. “That is not good enough. If a kid gets sick from some uninspected meat bought at a farmers market, that will bring down the whole industry.”

“I don’t see anything in the new budget for increased inspection,” he adds. “We will be asking the government a lot of questions about meat processing.”

Consultation recapped

Gavin Last, executive director of the food safety and inspection branch at the BC Ministry of Agriculture, recapped the consultation on D and E licences and the select standing committee’s 21 recommendations.

But he didn’t have any specific responses to either report.

“We are trying to deliver improvements that will balance local capacity with competitiveness and enhance food safety and animal welfare, but there has been no formal response from the government as yet,” he said.

Last says his branch is taking action in areas where they don’t need to wait.

“We have developed and are delivering food safety and animal welfare workshops for rural producers and regional health officers, and we are increasing food safety training for food processors,” he notes.

Rules against illegal slaughter facilities continue to be enforced.

“The emphasis has been around preventing unlawful slaughter,” he says. “We have been meeting with industry and community organizations and the BC Muslim Association to promote compliance.”

Muslim demand for halal (ritually clean) meat products is a particular concern at the end of the fasting period known as Ramadan, which ends this year on June 4.

“The halal meat supply in the Lower Mainland becomes quite an issue around the time of Eid,” says Last. “That is when a lot of the unlawful slaughter happens.”

One new E licence is certified halal which will help increase supply, Last notes.

The province is also working with local government to address illegal slaughter.

“We were able to shut down three unlawful slaughter operators as a result of bylaw enforcement,” he reported.

Agricultural oversight

Tristan Banwell of the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association asked Last if D and E licences might be brought under the agriculture ministry’s oversight, as are A and B licences.

“There has certainly been lots of discussion,” says Last. “That is definitely one of the biggest questions.”

“Where does the drive to get that done need to come from,” Banwell asked, impatient for change. “Is it the Ministry of Agriculture or does it need to be at a political level?”

“It involves coordination between Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and the regional health authorities,” Last explains. “Agriculture has the legislative authority over slaughter in the province. We delegated that to the health authorities for the class D and Es.”

Richard Yntema of Valley Wide Meats in Enderby asked who was monitoring the compliance of the animal unit allowances for D and E licences.

“It is ultimately the regional health authorities,” says Last, but noted that the process is driven by complaints rather than compliance audits.

“So no complaints, no enforcement,” said Yntema, with audible frustration.

Last said he wasn’t defending the current system, simply explaining it, and said he hoped change would be forthcoming.

“We definitely heard through the select standing committee that more resources need to be directed towards this,” he told the meeting.

 

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