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Originally published:

MARCH 2021
Vol. 107 Issue 3

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Stories In This Edition

Province to make Premises ID law

A wee bit of green

No extension for groundwater

Pandemic trends a moving target as spring comes

Editorial: Safe and secure

Back 40: Making the most of a simple pleasure

Viewpoint: Regenerative agriculture is the way of the future

SlaughterRight training launched by ministry

Ottawa to bankroll foreign worker quarantine

Ag advocates honoured at virtual gala

Coping with adversity requires an open mind

Blueberry growers dodge US trade complaint

Open for business

Codling moth control strategy shows promise for SWD

Cherry growers continue to focus on export markets

Ministry prepares to lend support to tree fruit co-op

Delta farm entrepreneur built strong relationships

Dairy picks new entrant short list

Early advocate for farmworkers’ rights remembered

Markets consider allowing Alberta vendors

Ranchers plead with province to address elk issue

Sidebar: Fencing program protects hay

Falkland beef plant finetuning operations

District A sets ambitious agenda

Don’t underestimate scope of farmers institutes

Everlasting

Strict pandemic plan keeps workers safe

Growers face up to labour challenges

Time to tap

Sidebar: Housing key for SAWP workers

Tulip festival to bloom again in Spallumcheen

Hazelnut growers face increased disease, pest threats

Resources go online

Hope prevails as hazelnuts target expansion

Research: Wildfires influence pollinator offspring

Raspberry growers see improved IQF pricing

Raspberry researchers select for hardiness

Direct farm marketers prepared for new season

Sudden dieback now showing up in cherries

Viewpoint: Consumers need more than a Buy Local campaign

New framework to measure AITC outcomes

Farm News: Wishful thinkign for the winter that wasn’t

Ewe know it’s spring

Juiced up over local produce options

Peer groups help foster innovation, support

Sidebar: How to start

Sisters create website to help small producers

Woodshed: Divorce proceedings take off with a dog fight

Gardener pens book about mason bees

Jude’s Kitchen: Spring is coming

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6 days ago

Farmland Advantage is receiving a $445,000 grant from the federal government. The program, the “brainchild” of Invermere cattle rancher Dave Zehnder, provides compensation to farmers for their conservation efforts to protect BC’s grasslands, riparian areas and wildlife habitat. The funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) and Priority Places programs, will be administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. Rewarding farmers for enhancing riparian areas appeared in our March 2022 edition and you can view it at ... See MoreSee Less

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Rewarding farmers for enhancing riparian areas

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INVERMERE – Farmers and ranchers in the Columbia Valley will continue to see rewards for taking action to conserve and enhance important riparian areas on their farms. The Windermere District Farmer...
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2 weeks ago

A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural Land Commission hosted in Langley Monday night regarding a proposal to include 305 acres controlled by the federal government in the Agricultural Land Reserve. More than 76,000 people have signed an online petition asking municipal and provincial governments to protect the land from development, and for the federal government to grant a long-term lease to the Heppells. Read more in this morning's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC. conta.cc/3XYXw6k ... See MoreSee Less

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Your weekly farm news update

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The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 January 25 2023 Surrey ALR inclusion cheered A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural L
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Mike Manion Pitt Meadows City Councillor

2 months ago

Christmas tree growers in BC are seeing strong demand this season and prices remain comparable to last year. But the number of tree farms has decreased dramatically over the past five years and the province will increasingly need to look elsewhere if it wants to meet local demand. More in this week's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC. ... See MoreSee Less

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Christmas trees in demand

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Christmas tree growers in BC are seeing strong demand, with high quality trees making it to market. “The market is good. We’ll probably outdo last year and last year was one of our best years…
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2 months ago

Another four poultry flocks in the Fraser Valley have tested positive for avian influenza over the weekend -- 15 in the last week alone. There are 60 farms currently under quarantine in BC, more than any other province in Canada and three times that of Alberta, which ranks second. Officials maintain the virus is being spread by dust and groundwater and not farm-to-farm transmission. No farms in the Interior have tested positive this fall. ... See MoreSee Less

Another four poultry flocks in the Fraser Valley have tested positive for avian influenza over the weekend -- 15 in the last week alone. There are 60 farms currently under quarantine in BC, more than any other province in Canada and three times that of Alberta, which ranks second. Officials maintain the virus is being spread by dust and groundwater and not farm-to-farm transmission. No farms in the Interior have tested positive this fall.
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Avian influenza virus can be killed by chlorine at no higher a concentration than is present in drinking water, so unless farms are using untreated groundwater in their barns I don't see how it could be a source of transmission. www.researchgate.net/publication/5594208_Chlorine_Inactivation_of_Highly_Pathogenic_Avian_Influen...

2 months ago

In a surprise move, Lana Popham -- hailed at the recent BC Dairy Industry Conference as a key ally of the agriculture sector -- has been replaced by Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis as part of a cabinet overhaul today by new BC premier David Eby. Popham will now oversee Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The two ministers worked closely together following the atmospheric river events last fall. ... See MoreSee Less

In a surprise move, Lana Popham -- hailed at the recent BC Dairy Industry Conference as a key ally of the agriculture sector -- has been replaced by Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis as part of a cabinet overhaul today by new BC premier David Eby. Popham will now oversee Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The two ministers worked closely together following the atmospheric river events last fall.Image attachment
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Goes to show how far-removed our current government is from the agricultural sector. To put someone in this position who has no farming background is a slap in the face to all of our hard-working producers.

Going to be a heck of a learning curve. Helping the agricultural community recover from the biggest natural disasters in history, handling the avian influenza outbreak that is threatening our poultry industry, dealing with a crisis in meat processing, managing ongoing threats from climate change, supporting producers who are facing unprecedented inflation in an industry with very slim margins to begin with..... to name a few of the challenges our new Minister will have to face all with one of the lowest budgets of any ministry. I wish her the best of luck but I hope she's got a lot of support around her.

Best of wishes in your new position

Congrats to Pam, cool to see a Fraser Valley based ag minister but also so sad to see Lana reassigned . I have no doubt she will do an amazing job in her new role.

Will be missed by #meiernation

Bryce Rashleigh

Nooooooo!

Lana did a shit job and now we have a minister with no farming background at all. Aren’t we lucky..

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Cherry growers continue to focus on export markets

Building awareness domestically is also important for sales

The BC Cherry Association is developing a radio and online advertising campaign to promote BC-grown cherries in Ontario this summer. MYRNA STARK LEADER

March 1, 2021 byMyrna Stark Leader

KELOWNA – Export markets for BC cherries remain a priority for the BC Cherry Association, which held its annual general meeting February 18-19 via videoconference.

During the two morning sessions, association president Sukhpaul Bal highlighted the trade mission to India early last year which helped drive a 1,200% increase in the value of BC cherry exports to that country in 2020. Growth is expected to continue this year.

Bal praised the leadership and hard work of the board in finding solutions to pandemic-related labour challenges, praising the province for stepping up to cover the accommodation, meal and laundry costs of foreign workers during their mandatory 14-day quarantine.

“We were frankly shocked, but it was such an important step,” Bal said.

The marketing committee is now led by Richard Isaacs, the commercial director at Global Fruit, based in Creston. Issacs moved to BC two years ago from the United Kingdom where he was previously supply chain director with Chaucer Foods Ltd.

“I’ve looked at and bought cherries from 19 countries,” he told growers, “and I moved here because BC cherries are the best.”

Isaacs noted the success of sales in Japan last year, which he expects to continue in 2021. But he also cautioned growers to pay attention to documentation, pallet configuration and labelling so that their fruit is compliant with Japan’s import regulations.

The association is also working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to open South Korea to BC cherries. There’s been steady progress, and CFIA was able to confirm the day before the annual meeting that the latest process document had been sent to South Korea. Included was  a request for a pilot program with two packing houses this summer. The association hopes to keep up the momentum, noting that if foreign inspectors can’t come to Canada, virtual inspections may be an option.

“CFIA were happy to pass that request on. It would also save us a lot of money if we can do that electronically,” says Isaacs.

Trade and Invest BC offices in Seoul and Vancouver have helped connect potential buyers with interested exporters in anticipation of the market opening to BC cherries.

Growers were cautioned to stay up-to-date on the cherry treatment products foreign countries will accept.

At the end of 2019, the European Union surprised Canada by halting imports of cherries. Fortunately, new insect trapping protocols were agreed to and implemented in 2020, helping to keep that market open. The association has subscribed to the Bryant Christie pesticide database to provide growers with the most current maximum residue limits (MRLs) requirements. The database will be available to growers via the association’s website.

BC cherry growers send 90% of their exports to the US, China and Hong Kong. While future marketing efforts may target Mexico, Brazil, Israel and Australia, nothing can come close to the top three markets.

The association is in a healthy financial position, although revenues are expected to fall this year because it is waiving membership dues for 2020 members. Treasurer Erin Carlson forecasts revenues of about $301,000 in 2021, compared to about $420,000 in 2020.

However, cost savings are also on the radar. The bulk purchase of insect traps in 2020, required for crop monitoring as part of export requirements, mean none are required this year. Of the $50,000 earmarked for 2021 research, only $37,900 is allocated, leaving cash for any additional projects that come forward. The federal and provincial governments were recognized for their commitment to funding programs.

Carlson stressed that the association needs to establish a better grasp of cherry production in the province. She raised the possibility of a producer survey to determine the extent of new plantings and potential future production.

The association focused its marketing efforts within Canada last year, thanks to concerns around foreign demand as well as a short crop. The domestic focus is set to continue this year. “We’ve planned this before but the foreign markets have taken time to develop, and now we have time to work on domestic marketing,” Bal said.

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