• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Country Life In BC Logo

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915

  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
  • Search

Primary Sidebar

Originally published:

MAY 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 5

Subscribe Now!

Sign up for free weekly FARM NEWS UPDATES

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Country Life in BC. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Your information will not be
shared or sold ever

Stories In This Edition

Rapid response

Worker health crisis

Spring melt floods Cariboo

Foreign Labour an essential service for fruit growers

Editorial: Watershed moments

Back Forty: COVID-19 will be a reality check for many

Viewpoint: Register now, question later to keep water rights

COVID-19 has varied impact on poultry sector

Social distancing

Honey producers keep focus on research

Beekeepers stung about import issues

Sidebar: Advocating for technology transfer

Farmland values facing headwinds

IAFBC defers major decisions

BCAC focuses on public trust with lower budget

AgSafe governance set for a shake-up

COVID-19 leads to oversupply of dairy

BC Fairs positive as large events banned

Peace growers facing multiple challenges

Co-op considers four-way fix at crossroads

Surprise audits to double

Co-op focuses on cutting costs, increasing sales

Volatility from plant shutdowns could hit BC

Island farmers renew request for local abattoir

Meat processing capacity stable despite closures

Direct marketing saves producers’ bacon

Small producers ride the online sales wave

Farm equipment dealers keep sale smoving

Strawberry growers pin survival on levies

Sidebar: Blueberry and raspberry AGMs postponed

Raspberry growers target fresh market, quality

Apple soda breaks ground in saturated market

Chilliwack family cracks open direct sales

EFB-resistant trees not out of the woods

Distillery shows resilience as it adapts to market

Home gardeners overwhelm seed companies

Sidebar: Commercial seed supply affected

Research: Viruses pursue unique strategies to evolve

Moisture sensors are not created equal

Woodshed: Kenneth gives new meaning to social isoluation

Farmers’ markets go online as channels shift

Farm Story: Pandemic forces a hard pivot to stay in the game

Cheesemaker adapts to coronavirus restrictions

Jude’s Kitchen: Stay-healty food in uneasy times

More Headlines

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

2 weeks ago

... See MoreSee Less

View Comments
  • Likes: 5
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

4 weeks ago

BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

#BCAg
... See MoreSee Less

BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

#BCAg
View Comments
  • Likes: 51
  • Shares: 12
  • Comments: 12

Comment on Facebook

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations 👍🎉

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

Congratulations Duncan and Jane Trott Barnett Well deserved recognition

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Duncan and Jane!!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

View more comments

4 weeks ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

#BCAg
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

www.countrylifeinbc.com

KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
View Comments
  • Likes: 7
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

2 months ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

#bcag
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Arts leads BCFGA forward

www.countrylifeinbc.com

A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
View Comments
  • Likes: 8
  • Shares: 2
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

2 months ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

#bcag
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Milk board undertakes review

www.countrylifeinbc.com

A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Subscribe | Advertise

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915
  • Email
  • Facebook

COVID-19 leads to oversupply of dairy

Organic market sees upturn

Enderby dairy farmer Michael Haak says it’s incredibly hard to see the milk his cows produce go down the drain. PHOTO / JACKIE PEARAse

May 1, 2020 byJackie Pearase

VANCOUVER – A series of unfortunate events has resulted in a slight downturn for the conventional dairy sector.

On March 19, the BC Milk Marketing Board implemented a series of incentive days for dairy producers in March, April and May after fluid milk sales at grocery stores increased 40% as consumers rushed to stock up in the face of COVID-19.

But the board cancelled the incentive days for April and May on March 31 as demand for cream fell off due to the widespread closure of restaurants and coffee shops. Starbucks, for example, announced March 20 it was closing most of its restaurants in Canada for at least two weeks; they remained closed at press time.

“That demand at grocery stores quickly came backwards. Not all the way back but it came back significantly. And on top of that, the [foodservice] sector essentially shut down,” explains BC Dairy Association general manager Jeremy Dunn.

With BC cows continuing to produce as much milk as before COVID-19 – and wildly altered buying patterns and resulting supply chain issues presenting unique challenges for the sector – producers were told to begin disposing milk on April 3.

“We’re only in a situation where about 3% of the daily milk production (in BC) is being disposed of on farms,” Dunn says. “We know the supply chain is adjusting rapidly. We are hopeful this will be a short-term situation.”

Down the drain

Enderby dairy farmer Michael Haak produces 3,000 litres of milk each day and the directive resulted in four days of hard work going down the drain.

“I was asked by our milk board to dispose of 12,000 litres,” he says. “It’s incredibly hard seeing a product we work so hard to produce not make it into the hands of British Columbians.”

Prior to milk being dumped, an industry-wide partnership led by the BCMMB allowed 10,000 four-litre jugs (40,000 litres) of milk to be donated to Food Banks BC on April 7.

Vedder Transport hauled the milk to dairy processor Saputo, which processed it, and distribution partners Sysco Canada, Associated Grocers and Save-on-Foods made sure Food Banks BC received it.

“When we have those abilities to adjust and we have excess milk and we have excess processing capacity, we’ll work to get that milk into food banks,” Dunn explains. “The last thing a farmer wants to do is to have to dispose of the milk on his farm.”

Additionally, the BCDA and the Mainland Milk Producers Association collectively donated $175,000 to Food Banks BC to purchase food staples that are in short supply.

Dunn says supply chain issues may have resulted in slower delivery times but he has been very vocal about the fact that there is no shortage of milk, meaning buying limits in stores aren’t there because there isn’t enough milk being produced.

“We communicated to government, we communicated through the Dairy Farmers of Canada, the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers saying there’s lots of milk. Please take the signs down,” he said.

Most stores had taken down limits by Easter weekend as the supply chain began adjusting, resulting in an uptick in retail sales. As a result, the milk board rescinded the disposal order on April 14.

“There’s still an excess of cream, which has been repurposed for animal feed or into clean energy through an anaerobic digester,” notes Dunn.

COVID-19 has also resulted in staffing issues for at least one processor. Another on Vancouver Island had to switch from glass to cartons after stores’ refusal to take returns resulted in a shortage of the bottles, Dunn adds.

While conventional milk is tackling its issues, the organic milk sector is going strong.

The specialty product is more reliant on fluid milk sales so reduced foodservice demand has little had impact on sales. In fact, a 3% sleeve which allows producers to ship more milk without buying quota on March 31 continues, something Mara organic dairy farmer Quentin Bruns doesn’t think will last long.

“I kind of thought that during times of tight money that people would view organic milk as a luxury item and I thought we would be the ones to be hit,” he notes. ”I’m surprised by demand increase but not convinced it will stay strong over time.”

Dunn says the rapidly changing situation is being monitored closely across the world.

“It’s a national challenge; it’s an international challenge, really,” he says. “There’s milk being disposed of on farms in Wisconsin, throughout the United States and other countries in the world, including New Zealand. So this is not unique to British Columbia or even to Canada.”

Previous Post: « Island farmers renew request for local abattoir
Next Post: Co-op focuses on cutting costs, increasing sales »

Copyright © 2025 Country Life in BC · All Rights Reserved