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Originally published:

MAY 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 5

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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

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CP Rail’s plans for a new logistics facility on 100 acres of farmland in Pitt Meadows is facing opposition from neighbours, who question the impact of the project on their community and local agriculture. Close to 100 residents questioned CP representatives in an online open house this week but received few definitive answers. The project is exempt from Agricultural Land Commission and local government approval. Results of a survey that closes today will be made public in March, with mitigation measures of the project provided this summer. Construction could begin in 2026 if federal authorities approve. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

CP Rail’s plans for a new logistics facility on 100 acres of farmland in Pitt Meadows is facing opposition from neighbours, who question the impact of the project on their community and local agriculture. Close to 100 residents questioned CP representatives in an online open house this week but received few definitive answers. The project is exempt from Agricultural Land Commission and local government approval. Results of a survey that closes today will be made public in March, with mitigation measures of the project provided this summer. Construction could begin in 2026 if federal authorities approve. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranchers. buff.ly/2ReiFur
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The BC Ministry of Agriculture has announced a new round of funding this week to support more community projects aimed at protecting the health and habitat of bees. The Bee BC program provides up to $5,000 to fund smaller-scale, community-based projects enhancing bee health throughout the province. Since launching in 2018, Bee BC has contributed almost $280,000 to 62 projects. The last round of 24 approved projects projects ranged from providing education in communities to planting bee-specific forage to using innovation and technology to help protect and ensure bee health in BC. The program is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. Check out the program guide for more information: buff.ly/3bCMzSW ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

The BC Ministry of Agriculture has announced a new round of funding this week to support more community projects aimed at protecting the health and habitat of bees. The Bee BC program provides up to $5,000 to fund smaller-scale, community-based projects enhancing bee health throughout the province. Since launching in 2018, Bee BC has contributed almost $280,000 to 62 projects. The last round of 24 approved projects projects ranged from providing education in communities to planting bee-specific forage to using innovation and technology to help protect and ensure bee health in BC. The program is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. Check out the program guide for more information: https://buff.ly/3bCMzSW
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The Mainland Milk Producers Association could continue its support of local communities with initiatives kickstarted in 2020. MMP president Mark Van Klei says its donation of $25,000 to Fraser Valley food banks last year aided those affected by COVID-19. The organization also sponsored two Ag in the Classroom programs in 2020 – the Pencil Patch, a working garden where K-12 schools get hands-on lessons about agriculture, and Take a Bite of BC, which delivers fresh, BC grown products five times a year to secondary schools running a culinary arts program. “Ag in the Classroom takes our dairy message right to the children’s classrooms straight across the province. I think it works really well,” Van Klei told almost 80 people attending the MMP annual general meeting via Zoom on January 8. With both initiatives getting good feedback from directors, Van Klei says they could be added to the 2021 budget. “COVID doesn’t always make it easy but we plan to work with (the BC Dairy Association) to look at making sure we can keep some of these initiatives going.” Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

The Mainland Milk Producers Association could continue its support of local communities with initiatives kickstarted in 2020. MMP president Mark Van Klei says its donation of $25,000 to Fraser Valley food banks last year aided those affected by COVID-19. The organization also sponsored two Ag in the Classroom programs in 2020 – the Pencil Patch, a working garden where K-12 schools get hands-on lessons about agriculture, and Take a Bite of BC, which delivers fresh, BC grown products five times a year to secondary schools running a culinary arts program. “Ag in the Classroom takes our dairy message right to the children’s classrooms straight across the province. I think it works really well,” Van Klei told almost 80 people attending the MMP annual general meeting via Zoom on January 8. With both initiatives getting good feedback from directors, Van Klei says they could be added to the 2021 budget. “COVID doesn’t always make it easy but we plan to work with (the BC Dairy Association) to look at making sure we can keep some of these initiatives going.” Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranchers.
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To advance agriculture for the future, Farm Credit Canada industry relations director Marty Seymour says the the industry must be willing to challenge conventional thinking and practices. Speaking at the Agriculture Excellence conference Farm Management Canada hosted last month, he said the sector has two easy options for doing this. One is including youth on industry boards and drawing on what they’re being taught. The other is for farm businesses to assemble boards of directors from other sectors, both inside and outside the agriculture industry, and learn from their experiences. Subscribe to buff.ly/2H3dK8k ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

To advance agriculture for the future, Farm Credit Canada industry relations director Marty Seymour says the the industry must be willing to challenge conventional thinking and practices. Speaking at the Agriculture Excellence conference Farm Management Canada hosted last month, he said the sector has two easy options for doing this. One is including youth on industry boards and drawing on what they’re being taught. The other is for farm businesses to assemble boards of directors from other sectors, both inside and outside the agriculture industry, and learn from their experiences. Subscribe to buff.ly/2H3dK8k
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Around 60 viewers attended the BC Grapegrowers’ online pruning session earlier today. After an overarching Pruning 101 presentation by Troy Osborne from Arterra, a panel of growers from across the Okanagan shared their knowledge during an open Q&A. The panel included viticulturist Miguel Fontalvo from Monte Creek Ranch Winery near Kamloops, Felix Egerer, viticulturist at Tantalus Wines in Kelowna, Ralph Suremann, longtime BCGA director from Pegasus Vineyards at Naramata and Amy Richards, 2020-elected BCGA director from Phantom Creek in Oliver. While some North Okanagan wineries won't be pruning until later in the spring, pruning is already underway further south and at Tantalus in Kelowna. The panel cautioned growers against pushing new vineyards to produce grapes too soon. Suremann says a decision to have vines produce before year three or four can result in a setback of several years, while Egerer remarked that one bad shoot thinning can harm five years of growth. BCGA says all their events are being planned online for 2021 and there’s no date yet for the AGM. ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

Around 60 viewers attended the BC Grapegrowers’ online pruning session earlier today. After an overarching Pruning 101 presentation by Troy Osborne from Arterra, a panel of growers from across the Okanagan shared their knowledge during an open Q&A. The panel included viticulturist Miguel Fontalvo from Monte Creek Ranch Winery near Kamloops, Felix Egerer, viticulturist at Tantalus Wines in Kelowna, Ralph Suremann, longtime BCGA director from Pegasus Vineyards at Naramata and Amy Richards, 2020-elected BCGA director from Phantom Creek in Oliver. While some North Okanagan wineries wont be pruning until later in the spring, pruning is already underway further south and at Tantalus in Kelowna. The panel cautioned growers against pushing new vineyards to produce grapes too soon. Suremann says a decision to have vines produce before year three or four can result in a setback of several years, while Egerer remarked that one bad shoot thinning can harm five years of growth. BCGA says all their events are being planned online for 2021 and there’s no date yet for the AGM.
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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.”

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