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Originally published:

MARCH 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 3

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Stories In This Edition

Going solo

Perfect sleeper

Province pares ag budget

Government slow to act on trespass legislation

Seeing is bee-lieving

Editorial – The old normal

Back Forty – Biosecurity no stranger to Canadian farmers

Viewpoint – Food trends challenge farmers to keep pace

Fruit growers grapple with third year of losses

Sidebar: Ambrosia and the future

Provincial task force charts a path forward

Cutting edge

Second health authority signs on to FeedBC

Sold-out gala honours the best of agriculture

Island farm takes long view on climate change

Broader mandate boosts hort memberships

Islands show puts emphasis on small-lot farming

Ag initiatives lack support across regions

Got her goat

Strong dairy demand underpins bright future

Farm groups weigh in on climate change

Wine grape council charts R&D priorities

Institute forms action plan

New round of traceability funding available

Island farmers briefed on new ag waste regs

Robotic milkers make life easier for dairy farmers

Selective grazing provides options to fertilizers

Cariboo cattlemen take steps with 20-year plan

Wildfire risk increases need for preparation

Small-lot ranchers can benefit from certification

Celebration

New toolkit aids with farm flood preparation

Hazelnut research focuses on water use

Sheep at risk next to popular island trail

Good nutrition makes for a good future

Cater to chefs

Sidebar: Sage advice

Research: Bumblees prefer low-fat, low-sugar diet

Agroforestry entrepreneurs need to plan ahead

Where milk really comes from

Value-added marketing critical to success

Growing degree days not just for tree fruits

Farm Story: Duck antics provide late winter amusement

Good ditches are critical for good drainage

Accounting, entrepreneurship for small farms

Land to Table forum focuses on food access

New location for Langley’s spring break Farm Camp

You are the farm’s most important asset

Woodshed: The jig is up for Junkyard Frank’s love scheme

Jude’s Kitchen: Spring for greens

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1 day ago

The Great Spallumcheen Farm & Food Festival and North Okanagan Plowing Match is happening this Sunday, September 24 from 10-3 at Fieldstone Organics, 4851 Schubert Rd, Armstrong. The outdoor festival features tastings and a market brimming with local food and beverage vendors, a horse and tractor plowing competition and vintage farm equipment displays. ... See MoreSee Less

The Great Spallumcheen Farm & Food Festival and North Okanagan Plowing Match is happening this Sunday, September 24 from 10-3 at Fieldstone Organics, 4851 Schubert Rd, Armstrong. The outdoor festival features tastings and a market brimming with local food and beverage vendors, a horse and tractor plowing competition and vintage farm equipment displays.
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Patti 😊

3 days ago

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3 days ago

The top five issues the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity identified in a recent survey were the cost of food, inflation, the cost of energy, keeping healthy food affordable and the Canadian economy. “We are seeing that environmental concerns are not in the top 10,” says Amy Peck, manager of the Canadian Cattle Association’s public and stakeholder engagement program. “If you are concerned about being able to afford to feed your family, the environment becomes less important.” ... See MoreSee Less

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Ranchers get the backstory on public perception

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VERNON – Ranchers might be concerned about how the public sees their industry, but a producer-funded team at the Canadian Cattle Association has their back. Amy Peck, manager of the Canadian Cattle...
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4 days ago

BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million. ... See MoreSee Less

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Lake Country packing house sold

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BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million.
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Who bought it ffs ?

Ted Nedjelski Karen Turner

One of my first jobs was apple grading in a packing plant in Vernon

Vivian, is this where you worked?

I’d hear the company that owns the big Cannabis company that owns the green houses all around this packing plant was buying up everything around to expand. Wonder if it’s them that got it.

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5 days ago

The federal government has committed $1.81 million over the next three years to support the BC Poultry Association's preparation for direct participation in responses to future outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the province. “The persistence of the virus in wildlife and recurrence of outbreaks globally, presents additional risks during the migratory bird season in North America later in 2023,” the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health in Vancouver advised in July. For more, visit www.countrylifeinbc.com/ai-risk-rises-with-fall/ ... See MoreSee Less

The federal government has committed $1.81 million over the next three years to support the BC Poultry Associations preparation  for direct participation in responses to future outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the province. “The persistence of the virus in wildlife and recurrence of outbreaks globally, presents additional risks during the migratory bird season in North America later in 2023,” the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health in Vancouver advised in July. For more, visit https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/ai-risk-rises-with-fall/
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Fruit growers grapple with third year of losses

Annual convention passes resolutions seeking relief

Grape and tree fruit specialist Carl Withler, centre, was given the BC Fruit Growers Association’s Award of Merit by general manager Glen Lucas, left, and BCFGA president Pinder Dhaliwal. TOM WALKER PHOTO

March 4, 2020 byTom Walker

KELOWNA – Poor apple prices were the focus of the 131st annual BC Fruit Growers Association convention in Kelowna, February 11-12.

“This is the third consecutive year of declining grower returns,” says BCFGA president Pinder Dhaliwal. “Returns are now below the cash cost of production.”

Payouts as low as nine and 10 cents a pound for Gala apples were reported by top growers on their first pool advance from BC Tree Fruits Co-op. These figures are being called the lowest ever in real terms and compare with the 30 cents a pound it costs to produce apples in BC.

“BCFGA is hearing that apple growers do not have resources to pay for the upcoming season’s agriculture activities such as pruning, thinning, fertilizer and harvesting,” says Dhaliwal. “The provincial government needs to recognize the complex economics of our industry.”

BCFGA general manager Glen Lucas said growing conditions during the 2019 season were not ideal, declining soon after fruit set.

“Though pollination and fruit set were satisfactory, things went downhill from there,” he says, with near-weekly rain events and extreme heat in August creating problems.

“The rains split cherries and increased culls and the rains and heat caused poor colour, weakened fruit and storage issues for apples,” he explains.

Grower costs continue to rise, with BC’s minimum wage rising to $13.85 an hour last summer and increasing to $14.60 an hour on June 1, 2020. Crop protection, fertilizer, fuel and equipment are also more expensive.

Delegates shared their frustration with increasing food safety and environmental demands.

“There are too many regulations we have to pay for,” says Denise MacDonald, an apple grower from Summerland. “It’s too costly for young growers, especially with land over $100,000 an acre, to get 20 cents a pound for top Ambrosia apples.”

Many of the convention’s resolutions called for the association to approach government to seek relief from costs and improve farm income, including funding food safety equipment, exemption from the provincial sales tax and allowing value-added enterprises within the Agricultural Land Reserve.

A late resolution directed the association’s board to seek a special provincial per-pound payment to apple growers in respect of market losses in 2019. The resolution suggested a cash payment and/or other proposals such as an increase in AgriStability coverage, a PST exemption, a rebate on irrigation fees, provincial guarantees and interest-free grower operating loans, and a duty against US apples being dumped into Canada at prices below the cost of production.

“This industry is in dire need of help right now,” says Amarjit Lalli, a Kelowna grower who supported the late resolution. “We just need short-term help and we will turn the ship around.”

Talk between members on the convention floor focused on the role of the BC Tree Fruits Co-op in the current financial difficulties. The co-op is the largest sorting, storage, packing and marketing group in BC.

“We are at a pivotal time,” acknowledges BCTF board chair Steve Brown. “These low returns are not sustainable.”

Conceding that there have been similar promises before, Brown outlined four areas for change: marketing and sales, governance, infrastructure planning and government support.

“The difference now is qualified leadership,” he says. “But we have to act fast or we are in trouble.”

Brown promised information on new strategies in the near future and urged BCFGA members to attend the co-op’s upcoming meetings, as they’ll be the proper place to discuss strategies addressing the co-op’s four focus areas.

“We need to vote to survive and thrive,” he says. “We can be better together, but the biggest hurdle is staying united.”

The co-op’s new CEO, Warren Sarafinchan, did not deliver his report in person, but sent a video as he was in Asia exploring new market opportunities.

“The co-op definitely has a future,” he says. “But it is abundantly clear we need to change things. The status quo is not an option.”

Sarafinchan alluded to the lack of transparency that has dogged the co-op in the past.

“I think in the past we have been perhaps less collaborative, our communication has been less frequent,” he says. “We need to be working with all stakeholders in an open and transparent way to make sure we are positioning the industry for success.”

Sarafinchan outlined some of the work that has gone on over the last several months.

“If we have trust, collaboration and innovation, I think we can do amazing things with the business and the industry,” he says.

Opposition agriculture critic Ian Paton addressed the convention and noted that there was no mention of agriculture in the February 11 throne speech.

“Many of the issues that I have discussed with your board affect farmers all over the province,” says Paton.

“You can appreciate what we are going through,” says Amarjit Lalli. “We have individuals who are on the verge of losing their properties. Consecutive governments have failed farmers.”

Vernon grower Dave Dobernigg thanked Paton for showing up, something the province’s current agriculture minister, Lana Popham, has not done.

“I assure you that it has not gone unnoticed that you have made the trip to our AGM twice now and the ag minister has not,” he says.

Lucas says that concerned growers met and discussed their individual financial situations following the formal convention proceedings. Their personal stories will give the executive more information to share during their next meeting with Popham.

“We have been in dialogue with the ministry over the last three years now,” says Lucas. “It began with concerns over the 2017 crop.”

BCFGA met with Popham on November 5, 2018, April 3, 2019 and, most recently, on February 6. A meeting was scheduled for February18, but government staff were ill and the meeting was cancelled. A new date has not been set.

“We now have specific proposals to bring forward from the late resolution and clear examples of the desperate situation that many growers are in,” says Lucas. “The board will push as hard as it can for a brighter future for the industry.”

 

 

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