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Originally published:

MAY 2019
Vol. 105 Issue 5

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Stories In This Edition

Caribou recovery plan has ranchers worried

What on earth?

Opposition slams ALC bill

Sidebar: Protection & pushback

Global rhubarb glut hits home for BC growers

Editorial: Truth in labelling

Back Forty: So you don’t believe in climate change

Viewpoint: Don’t blame the cows for global warming

Ag council’s lobbying efforts produce results

Learning a new skill

Foundation’s nest egg for funding projects increases

Greenhouse growers see rebound in acreage

Province will hold the line on piece rates

New CEO aims to kindle team spirit at co-op

Shrinking hog industry faces disease threats

FIRB decision prompts rethink of pricing scheme

Beekeepers see potential in technology transfer

AgSafe markes quarter century

Raspberries hit hard by harsh February

Good deal

Blueberry growers anxious for new varieties

Biological controls for pests in demand

Sidebar: Pesticides in play

Growers urged to focus on fresh

Westgen celebrates 75 years of excellence

Top seller was no-show at Holstein sale

Spring show attracts exhibitors from Quebec

Cheesemakers unite to grow niche market

Range use permits under greater scrutiny

Sidebar: Range use plans go digital

Market Musings: Top bulls sell for top dollar at spring sales

Grapegrowers share sustainability objectives

Grape specialist honoured for dedication

Hazelnut production expands across BC

Sidebar: Pest pressures

Supporters take to AITC’s Sips & Sprouts

Research: Cultured meat fails to impress researchers

UAVs undergo testing for pesticide delivery

Sustainability goes beyond saving farmland

Father and daughter roll with the last of the steel wheels

Woodshed: Susan Henderson is warming to country life

Farm initiative puts heart back in agriculture

Wannabe: Farming is more than just a job

Surplus, cull fruit finds new purpose as tasty snacks

Jude’s Kitchen: Special food for special moms

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BC's farmers markets sell what local farmers and craftspeople grow, bake and make, and the opportunity to buy local continues during the winter. BC agriculture minister Lana Popham toured the Riley Park winter market in Vancouver on Saturday to mark BC Buy Local week. The market is one of two winter markets that ring up sales of nearly $3 million for BC farmers. A study by local advocacy group LOCO BC says 63% of those dollars stay in the local economy, versus 14% of every dollar spent at vendors that aren’t locally owned. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

5 hours ago

BCs farmers markets sell what local farmers and craftspeople grow, bake and make, and the opportunity to buy local continues during the winter. BC agriculture minister Lana Popham toured the Riley Park winter market in Vancouver on Saturday to mark BC Buy Local week. The market is one of two winter markets that ring up sales of nearly $3 million for BC farmers. A study by local advocacy group LOCO BC says 63% of those dollars stay in the local economy, versus 14% of every dollar spent at vendors that aren’t locally owned. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranchers.
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BC shoppers can once again expect above-average food price increases in 2020, according to the Agri-food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. Nationally, food prices are set to rise 2% to 4%, on top of a 3.7% increase this year. But steady wage growth and a good economy mean BC grocery and restaurant prices will outpace the national average. According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, a family of four spent $1,017 a month on groceries in 2017; a conservative estimate based on the Dalhousie University estimates means that same family is spending closer to $1,160 a month today — just a fraction of which returns to the farmer. Country Life is BC's agricultural news source. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

BC shoppers can once again expect above-average food price increases in 2020, according to the Agri-food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. Nationally, food prices are set to rise 2% to 4%, on top of a 3.7% increase this year. But steady wage growth and a good economy mean BC grocery and restaurant prices will outpace the national average. According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, a family of four spent $1,017 a month on groceries in 2017; a conservative estimate based on the Dalhousie University estimates means that same family is spending closer to $1,160 a month today — just a fraction of which returns to the farmer. Country Life is BCs agricultural news source.
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So are producers going to see more money as well?

Why ?

This was reported at exactly, to the day, this time last year. Exactly the same “percentage” of hike as well,,,,, i smell a rat

"steady wage growth"???? What is your definition of "wage"?

That's what you people get if they elect socialists.

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BC farmers can look forward to better access to domestic and foreign markets, according to the throne speech that opened Parliament following October’s federal election. “[We] will remove additional barriers to domestic and international trade for businesses and farmers, continue with ambitious investments in infrastructure, and reduce red tape so that it is easier to create and run a start-up or small business,” said the speech. Dairy farmers can also expect to receive the first piece of compensation this month for market access granted under international trade agreements. A review of the rules governing online commerce is also in the works. Watch for more details in the new year in Country Life in BC, the agricultural news source for British Columbia since 1915. Subscribe: buff.ly/2JhvVYH ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

BC farmers can look forward to better access to domestic and foreign markets, according to the throne speech that opened Parliament following October’s federal election. “[We] will remove additional barriers to domestic and international trade for businesses and farmers, continue with ambitious investments in infrastructure, and reduce red tape so that it is easier to create and run a start-up or small business,” said the speech. Dairy farmers can also expect to receive the first piece of compensation this month for market access granted under international trade agreements. A review of the rules governing online commerce is also in the works. Watch for more details in the new year in Country Life in BC, the agricultural news source for British Columbia since 1915. Subscribe: https://buff.ly/2JhvVYH
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Secondary residences could be allowed on all properties in the Agricultural Land Reserve under changes the BC Ministry of Agriculture is considering. The details follow comments agriculture minister Lana Popham made to farmers’ institutes last Friday regarding changes her ministry is considering. Second homes such as mobile dwellings and carriage houses could be built without an application to the Agricultural Land Commission, though what say local government might have over the dwellings has yet to be determined. Whether or not the second homes could be permanent structures is also unclear. However, the ministry has confirmed that the proposed change would be for all ALR landowners, not just farmers, who it notes are allowed two, three or more residences with approval from the ALC. Country Life in BC is the agriculture news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. Sign up for free FARM NEWS UPDATES delivered weekly to your inbox. buff.ly/2H3dK8k ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

Secondary residences could be allowed on all properties in the Agricultural Land Reserve under changes the BC Ministry of Agriculture is considering. The details follow comments agriculture minister Lana Popham made to farmers’ institutes last Friday regarding changes her ministry is considering. Second homes such as mobile dwellings and carriage houses could be built without an application to the Agricultural Land Commission, though what say local government might have over the dwellings has yet to be determined. Whether or not the second homes could be permanent structures is also unclear. However, the ministry has confirmed that the proposed change would be for all ALR landowners, not just farmers, who it notes are allowed two, three or more residences with approval from the ALC. Country Life in BC is the agriculture news source for BCs farmers and ranchers. Sign up for free FARM NEWS UPDATES delivered weekly to your inbox. buff.ly/2H3dK8k
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We shouldn't need approval from the ALC to have those residences! The ALC SHOULD NOT be in the housing regulation business!!

The article reads "...the province is considering allowing all landowners, whether or not they farm, to build secondary residences in the ALR, providing owners first register the residences with the ALC. These include both mobile homes and carriage houses, though whether these could be permanent structures is unknown." This would be positive news for families or for farms who put staff housing on site. A lot of local governments still don't like the huge homes but should consider with applications square foot caps and how many generations/families are living together; and how one large home actually is more efficient in the long run, as a larger homes can serve as a multi-family dwelling (instead of a family having to fragment and build/buy separate smaller ones that are geographically separated). Also some families living in the ALR can't afford to purchase a separate piece of land or a separate home to live offsite or commute to the family farm, so I like this idea Lana Popham

Well, good news. Too late for Woodwynn farms. Will it stop three 12000 sq ft mansions from being built instead of just one?

Finally.......now maybe we can get our daughter moved onto our land

Harassing BC Farms is the GreeNDP’s last nail in the coffin. Big trouble next election.

Excellent news

A really bad idea.

one could only hope..

Jim Grieve

Gord Rockvam...

This is what I don't understand - "...farmers, who it notes are allowed two, three or more residences with approval from the ALC." If that is true, what is the fuss? Why open it up to ALC owners who are not farmers? I also do not understand why they use square footage instead of the footprint of the dwellings and infrastructure as a way to measure housing. Isn't it the actual land that needs protection? In that case, you could build up and it would decrease the amount of infrastructure needed. I also agree that not all ALC land is suitable for farming. Most of the ALC land was designated by a last minute fly-over. Nobody checked the quality of the soil. In fact, if you want to get really picky, why allow greenhouses with cement pads to be built on viable agricultural soil. They should be restricted to non-arable ALC land. Hats off to Popham for trying to deal with this complicated mess and for listening to the public.

They would save a lot of headache and money by just aloting a home site area and you can build what you want.

Government should stay out of farming

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Farm initiative puts heart back in agriculture

Gift of land helps Kelowna church fulfill its social purpose

April 30, 2019 byMyrna Stark Leader

KELOWNA – A 22.5-acre piece of land in the Lower Mission neighbourhood of Kelowna, one of the city’s best farming areas, is fulfilling the wishes of longtime owners Gordon and Helen Ziegler.

In 2013, Gordon wanted to give the property to a community organization on the condition that it be used to benefit the community for at least 20 years, whether as social housing for seniors or people recovering from addictions, or to enhance food security. A call for proposals attracted 16 submissions. Trinity Baptist Church, a large congregation known for community outreach, was the successful applicant.

While the property sits in the Agricultural Land Reserve, Ziegler also donated three other pieces of land the church could sell to create an endowment fund to help develop and run the farm once the scope of the project was defined. These included two other unproductive ALR parcels totalling 25 acres in the Ellison area as well as a vacant commercial lot in Alberta.

The church received Helen’s Acres in September 2015 and began building fences and installing irrigation with a view to converting it from a vacant field to a vegetable farm. Now, the 20 acres is valued at about $3.5 million. It yielded 60,000 pounds of potatoes and more than 40,000 pounds of other vegetables last year.

Guided by a five-year business plan, Helen’s Acres serves three purposes.

“It’s building community, it’s educating young people on farming techniques and it’s growing nutritious food for people in need,” says Darcy Smith, who formerly taught business courses at Okanagan College and recently retired as Trinity’s executive pastor. He now manages the business side of the farm as well as the endowment fund established with proceeds from the sale of the other three parcels.

He says approximately 90 church volunteers helped operate the farm last year, prepping the soil, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting and cleaning up. Other help came from community groups and businesses looking for ways to give back, including local sports teams, support groups such as Freedom’s Door and Teen Challenge, credit union Valley First and Telus.

About 90% of what they grow goes to the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank. The remaining 10% is sold at the church to raise funds to continue the work at the farm, including funding a full-time seasonal farm manager to help coordinate and take care of the crop and manage who is on the land.

“We give them the first fruits,” says church member Stephen Eng, who oversees the actual production side of the farm. “Usually when you think of food going to the food bank, it’s the seconds. We harvest from the field and ship right to the food bank.”

New experience

Eng first heard about the land at a church meeting after he and his wife moved from Victoria to Kelowna to be closer to their grandchildren. His sales job at Evergro, a division of Nutrien Ag Solutions (Canada) Inc., moved with him. With a UBC plant science degree and agriculture background, he believes he was brought to the region to share his experience and help others learn about farming and growing on the well-drained sandy loam soils at Helen’s.

“It’s not about buying a carrot-planting machine, it’s about traditional planting and harvesting and working in community to do that,” says Eng. “We’ve concentrated on the needs of the food bank. They need potatoes, so we’ll grow more this year. Their ask is 700 pounds a week. We’re also experimenting growing carrots and 5,000 onions.”

This summer, they’ll harvest strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb and asparagus planted last year. The more they get to know the land, the more opportunities they see, including the potential for greenhouses. There are two wells on the property and they have a licence to use water from the nearby irrigation channel, so water isn’t an issue.

“The food bank has asked us to try cauliflower and broccoli and some melons, so we need to figure that out,” adds Eng. “It’s limitless what we can grow, but we need to focus on growing things that are worthwhile for the people who need the food.”

They won’t grow fruit trees because the food bank already receives plenty of fruit.

“Some of this is also figuring out how to best use the volunteer labour force,” says Eng.

“On the community side, we’re partnering with organizations that have like-minded values so we [can] continue to [increase] the amount of planted land and the produce we can grow,” adds Smith.

Partners include groups like Mamas for Mamas, a national non-profit dedicated to helping mothers in crisis and low-income families. Last year, Mamas for Mamas volunteers tended to 50 chickens in the farm’s coop, yielding about 900 eggs a month. Egg production was split 50/50 between the group and the farm foundation. This year, plans call for a new coop to house 100 chickens.

Ozanam, a men’s recovery house, is using the farm to teach skills to its residents. An activity group for men, the Okanagan Men’s Shed, will be using a workshop on the property in 2019.

Both Smith and Eng say the farm is faith in action. Things like irrigation lines, seeds, plants and equipment are donated.

“We’ve also invested over $500,000 in the land, including renovation of the house and shop on the property,” says Smith. “We have tenants in the house, which also helps to fund the costs of the farm.”

Additionally, they’ve leased five acres to a for-profit organic vegetable producer, Unearthed Fine Veggies and Herbs, operated by Jordan Marr. Although the church’s portion of the property isn’t certified organic, Eng says they’re using as many organic practices as they can.

Helen’s Acres also hosted the Central Okanagan Farm Society’s farm incubator program for three years, now on hiatus. The program gave a headstart to Simon Answerth of Kelowna’s Lightfoot Farm, and the church plans to continue offering incubator plots on its own this year. The property could accommodate as many as nine quarter-acre plots in the future if the pilot goes well.

Two people have signed on to date, and the church is hoping for a third. Eng will provide some basic training to help the fledgling farmers take flight.

“I taught a course for six years at the University of Fraser Valley called ‘Sustainable, Holistic Agriculture’ so I’m going to use some of that,” says Eng. “The other thing Darcy and I talked about is trying to be mentors to them in-season as well, not only for this group but for others on the land. There’s a huge difference between looking after the garden in your backyard to expanding to a quarter acre.”

Work will be underway this year to see what grants are available to support the farm’s activities, which have operated at a loss for the past three years. All going well, this year will finally see the farming operation break even.

But even more important, both men see Helen’s Acres as a way to give heart to commercial agriculture.

“There’s a place for commercial agriculture and there’s a place for someone who’s doing a couple acres and there’s a place for community places like ours,” says Eng.

“There’s a connection to the land and to helping people and there’s an educational aspect. Most people don’t know where food comes from. We have tours and bring youth here,” says Smith. “It’s about awareness and heart.”

 

 

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