• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

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

Country Life In BC Logo

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915

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

Primary Sidebar

Current Issue:

JANUARY 2021
Vol. 107 Issue 1

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, 36 Dale Road, Enderby, BC, V0E1V4. 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
Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Vancouver council has rejected a bid to subdivide some of its only land within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The 8-acre site at 7520 Balaclava Street is home to an unused horse paddock and the former Celtic Shipyards. Vancouver council chose not to forward the application to the Agricultural Land Commission because subdivision would create lots that were too small at a site with multiple environmental and geotechnical issues. The cultural significance of the site to the Musqueam First Nation was also a consideration. ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

Vancouver council has rejected a bid to subdivide some of its only land within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The 8-acre site at 7520 Balaclava Street is home to an unused horse paddock and the former Celtic Shipyards. Vancouver council chose not to forward the application to the Agricultural Land Commission because subdivision would create lots that were too small at a site with multiple environmental and geotechnical issues. The cultural significance of the site to the Musqueam First Nation was also a consideration.
View Comments
  • Likes: 8
  • Shares: 2
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Let’s hope someone with an Ag vision buys the property..

Seasonal workers continue to benefit from BC’s acclaimed publicly funded quarantine program, which covers the cost of meals and accommodations for incoming foreign workers during their mandatory self-isolation period. To date this year, 14 incoming workers have tested positive for COVID-19, with nine remaining in isolation and five cleared to work on BC farms. "Through this program, we have been able to help preserve our province’s food supply by ensuring local food continues to be grown and harvested throughout the pandemic,” the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries told Country Life in BC. "The program is regarded as best practice by other jurisdictions and the province is continuing with the self-isolation program for 2021 without significant changes." Subscribe to Country Life in BC at buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

Seasonal workers continue to benefit from BC’s acclaimed publicly funded quarantine program, which covers the cost of meals and accommodations for incoming foreign workers during their mandatory self-isolation period. To date this year, 14 incoming workers have tested positive for COVID-19, with nine remaining in isolation and five cleared to work on BC farms. Through this program, we have been able to help preserve our province’s food supply by ensuring local food continues to be grown and harvested throughout the pandemic,” the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries told Country Life in BC. The program is regarded as best practice by other jurisdictions and the province is continuing with the self-isolation program for 2021 without significant changes. Subscribe to Country Life in BC at buff.ly/2ReiFur
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has awarded $6 million to Vancouver-based Enterra Feed Corp. through the federal AgriInnovate program to develop a full-scale commercial facility north of Calgary for the production of insect-based feed ingredients. The new facility handles more than 130 tonnes of food waste per day and feeds it to the larvae of black soldier flies. The larvae are harvested and processed for use in feed products for poultry, pets and wild birds. The first of its kind in Canada, the facility ships products across North America as well as to the EU. Country Life in BC is the agricultural new source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago

Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has awarded $6 million to Vancouver-based Enterra Feed Corp. through the federal AgriInnovate program to develop a full-scale commercial facility north of Calgary for the production of insect-based feed ingredients. The new facility handles more than 130 tonnes of food waste per day and feeds it to the larvae of black soldier flies. The larvae are harvested and processed for use in feed products for poultry, pets and wild birds. The first of its kind in Canada, the facility ships products across North America as well as to the EU. Country Life in BC is the agricultural new source for BCs farmers and ranchers.
View Comments
  • Likes: 25
  • Shares: 9
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Cammy Lockwood, great news for Enterra

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

1 week 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
View Comments
  • Likes: 1
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

www.facebook.com/groups/247315310159788/?ref=share

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

1 week 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
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 4
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Subscribe | Advertise

Cranberry outlook brightens

File Photo

September 23, 2020 byPeter Mitham

BC cranberry growers are expecting a crop closer to usual volumes this year after cold weather in 2019 cut the harvest in half.

The province typically produces about a million barrels a year, but in 2019 marketed production as reported by Statistics Canada was just 672,100 barrels. Per-acre yields also fell, dropping from 211 barrels in 2018 to 100 barrels last year.

“It’s looking like it’s going to be a decent crop, much better than last year,” said Fraser Valley grower Jack DeWit, a member of the BC Cranberry Marketing Commission. “Last year was a complete disaster.”

The commission announced that harvest kicked off on September 15, but DeWit expected to begin gathering berries from his own farm this week. Among the reasons for his delay was a blanket of smoke from wildfires in the US that covered the valley in mid-September that stalled the colouring up of fruit.

However, sales this year have been good and he expects strong demand as people continue to stay home out of concern regarding COVID-19.

“Sales have been good for Ocean Spray and some of the independents. People have stayed home and bought more off the grocery shelves,” he said. “That’s good news, because we were definitely long on product.”

A report on the province’s cranberry sector co-authored by Sandra Behm, senior appraiser with Farm Credit Canada in Abbotsford, noted that farm profitability remains “fragile” thanks to low prices. “Prices have hovered around an average of US$0.30-$0.35 a pound since 2017 and projected to remain within this range in the next few years,” the report stated, noting that poor yields in BC last year had pushed the per-acre value of production to an all-time low of around $5,150 (or about US$0.40 a pound).

DeWit said the pricing situation has improved this year thanks to strong demand that has eaten into stocks and brightened the outlook.

“It looks like prices are starting to move up,” he says. “Ocean Spray has exceeded their margin expectations, and they’re hoping to give some more money to the producers.”

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

New year, new openness

Strengthening connections

Hog producers face changes to code of practice

Women farmers receive double

BC cranberries get green verification

Bee

Agri-Innovation projects announced

Previous Post: « Merlot, Pinot Gris tops in BC
Next Post: BC farmers need more than a landbank »

Reader Interactions

Footer

Country Life in BC

36 Dale Road, Enderby, BC, Canada V0E 1V4

  • 604-328-3814
  • office@countrylifeinbc.com

Copyright © 2021 Country Life in BC · All Rights Reserved