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JUNE 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 5

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2 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.

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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.

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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!!!

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2 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.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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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...
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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.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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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.
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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.

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Milk board undertakes review

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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.
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Federal assistance falls short

May 6, 2020 byPeter Mitham

Business continuity was a high priority for farm leaders when COVID-19 first disrupted access to markets and labour.

Working capital, tax deferral programs and reductions in red tape were among the options that Reg Ens, executive director of the BC Agriculture Council, put forward.

“Those are the kinds of things we’re thinking of right now rather than AgriStability,” he said at the time.

Programs were quickly announced to let individuals and businesses defer taxes and industry won a deal to let seasonal workers enter the country to work on farms (subject to provincial regulations).

On May 5, however, with several provinces announcing plans to ease restrictions, Ottawa stepped into recovery mode and began announcing adjustments to business risk management programs such as AgriStability and AgriInsurance as part of a $252 million aid package for agri-food businesses.

Some of the measures include working with the provinces and territories to increase interim payments under AgriStability from 50% to 75% to address drops in revenue associated with COVID-19.

Ottawa is also considering including labour shortages as an insured risk for the horticulture sector as part of AgriInsurance.

“This work with provincial and territorial partners would insure against lost production due to an insufficient workforce, should producers be unable to find enough labour to harvest,” Trudeau’s office said.

The supports were widely panned by farm organizations as insufficient, amounting to less than a tenth of the $2.6 billion the Canadian Federation of Agriculture requested last week.

“The amount is not enough on its own to avert negative impacts to Canadian food supply in the coming months,” the CFA said in a statement, with president Mary Robinson saying direct support was still needed before existing programs could be tapped.

“CFA worries that the government’s position on using existing business risk management programs, such as AgriStability, before rolling out additional funds will result in support arriving too late to make a substantial and positive impact on domestic food security,” she said.

Sources within the BC industry variously described the May 5 announcement as a “non-event” that would do little to address the challenges farmers face.

Even the dairy sector, which cheered elements such as an extra $200 million in borrowing capacity for the Canadian Dairy Commission to purchase of surplus product, said the announcement fell short of industry needs.

 

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