Country Life in BC wins big

Country Life in BC contributors won the lion’s share of photography awards during this year’s annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, which took place in New Westminster last weekend.

Tom Walker won the Don Baron award with his first-place feature photo of Vern Winger of WaterTec Irrigation with a TWIG wireless irrigation unit at John Grawher’s ranch near Clinton in the paper’s September 2018 edition.

In the same category, Ronda Payne won silver for a photo of a young woman with her steer from the 4-H auction at the Pacific National Exhibition in the same edition of the paper.

Sean Hitrec received the John Phillips award for his second-place news photo from the Chilliwack Plowing Match on the cover of the May 2019 issue of the paper, and Myrna Stark Leader won third-place for her photo from the Kelowna Feast of Fields, which appeared in the September 2018 edition of the paper.

Myrna was also recognized with a gold award in the general periodical category for Rooted in Strength (Taking care of our families and ourselves), a publication released late last year on mental wellness. She collaborated with Monica Wagner, Peter Gredic and Owen Roberts to produce the publication released by Farm Credit Canada.

During the conference, farm writers from across Canada toured farms in Burnaby, Vancouver, Richmond and Delta and listened to presentations on mental wellness in the agricultural community, as well as presentations by Kim Grout and Harold Steves on BC’s Agricultural Land Reserve. BC Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham joined writers for a dinner cruise on the Fraser River as part of the opening reception.

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The biggest farm-class property sold in BC last year was a dairy farm at 940 Cole Road in Abbotsford, valued at $9 million. According to the BC Assessment Authority, eight of the top 10 farm transactions in the province took place in the Fraser Valley. The other two occurred in the Okanagan, where the most expensive property sold was 4710 Lakeshore Road in Kelowna’s Lower Mission, valued at $6.5 million. The assessed value of farm properties was stable over the past year, according to BC Assessment, as value is tied to use rather than market conditions. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. Sign up for free weekly FARM NEWS UPDATES. buff.ly/2H3dK8k ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

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That property was NOT "valued at $9 million". Last year it was valued at less than 1.4M, inc buildings. It SOLD for 9M which obviously had nothing to do with the assessed value. So whether the assessed value is based on "use rather than market conditions" is irrelevant since the assessed value appears to live on its own planet somewhere. It's this kind of balderdash that respectfully has me questioning my subscription to your paper, which mercifully has found some value starting log fires in my woodstove.

Yep Prices are going up not because of farmers but because there is less available ALR land

Soooooo, dairy farming is driving agricultural land prices up out of the reach of young agrarians? 😜

Was quota involved with the sale?

Lana Popham returned from last week's meeting of federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers in Ottawa last week with news of an increased AgriStability payouts for Peace River growers hit hard by autumn rains and snow. The maximum interim payment will rise to 75% from 50% for farmers enrolled in the program, addressing cash flow in operations recovering from losses. The new payout threshold applies to all producers, including cherry and cranberry growers who also suffered weather-related losses this year. Peace River Regional District directors wrote Popham at the end of November requesting assistance, and Popham told Country Life in BC at the time that support would come through AgriStability. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

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i love the farmers but when you seed more then u can harvest you should loose tax payers should not pay for greed

BC hazelnut growers can plant their fill of filberts under new rules allowing for expanded plantings under the BC hazelnut renewal program, which is accepting applications for a fourth round of funding through February 7, 2020. Growers can apply to plant up to 20 acres with 132 trees per acre, or high-density plantings of 269 trees per acre on parcels up to 10 acres. Previously, the program capped applications at 10 acres per operation. The program has resulted in the removal of 3,025 trees infected with Eastern Filbert Blight from 25 acres to date ad the planting of 52 acres with 11,503 trees. The net gain of 27 acres and nearly 8,500 new trees has helped grow BC hazelnut production to 21 tonnes on 350 acres. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. Subscribe today: buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

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BC is facing an acute shortage of veterinarians, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association-Society of BC Veterinarians is calling on advanced education, skills and training minister Melanie Mark to step up and fund 20 seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon to address the crisis. The additional seats would give BC a total of 40 places at the college, which has a mandate to serve BC students (and those from the other three western provinces). A report to the province, submitted in May, identified an annual shortage of 100 veterinarians in BC. The deadline for agreeing to fund the seats is the end of the year. See more in this morning's stories in our weekly FARM NEWS UPDATE. buff.ly/2H3dK8k ... See MoreSee Less

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Particularly large animal/livestock vets in the northwest coast area...my vet is in vanderhoof and I am in terrace...so unless it can be diagnosed over texts and emails my treatment options are limited and serious injury is a death sentence as I am not loading and hauling animals 4 1/2 hours for a consult

The shortage is national. Twenty more seats won’t even make a dent in the need. A whole complete program is needed. Many students are studying in abroad due to the lack of availability at any of the Canadian schools.

What if BC made its own Vet school ? At least pre-vet transfer programs at colleges and unis Maybe that’s the issue. students have to go far from home. Alberta created their own with the university of Calgary just north of the city. The program was developed to support local industries.

Maybe a vet school in BC might be the answer keep our kids in there own province, closer to home, support, and job placement connections.

Long and expensive program with limited schools offering it. Perhaps the universities should be offering it in more cities and towns?

I wonder why there is such a shortage?

I think what you have become is quite ok😁

Blossom de Bruin should be getting paid when she gets out of school....

There also needs to be more funding available for students interested din a higher education. The looming future debt load can detour any prospective professional.

Madeleine Flahr

Real shortage of large animal vets on the mid island.

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Ottawa issued mandate letters on Friday to cabinet members, and agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has been asked to pay particular attention to trade issues, especially ensuring the protection of supply managed sectors and protecting farmers from the impact of protectionist policies of the sort that canola, beef and pork producers earlier this year. Bibeau will also oversee the creation of Farm and Food Development Canada, which will replace Farm Credit Canada as a source of business advisory and lending services, and support the creation of the Canada Water Agency to manage and protect water resources. A long-awaited review of risk management programs and implementation of the national food policy is also on her plate. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

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January 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 1

Country Life in BC wins big

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