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JUNE 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 5

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2 days 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 to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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3 days 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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1 month 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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1 month 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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1 month ago

BC wool shipments drop sharply in 2023, according to StatsCan data released in mid-April. Local producers shipped just 5,200kg at 37¢/kg, down from 18,600kg at $1.08/kg in 2022. While many farmers now use wool on-farm or dispose of it due to low market value, innovative producers like Emily McIvor point to untapped opportunities. Read more in our Farm News Update from Country Life in BC.

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BC wool value, volume drop

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BC sheep producers shipped less wool for less in 2023, reversing strong growth a year earlier. BC producers shipped 5,200 kilograms of raw wool in 2023, according to Statistics Canada data released on...
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Fruit volumes down, quality up

Adrian Arts / Myrna Stark Leader photo

July 20, 2022 byKate Ayers

Okanagan tree fruit producers are seeing some light – and heat – at the end of the tunnel as high summer reaches its peak.

“We’ve been seeing what I would [call] challenging growing conditions for apples even in the Okanagan this year. It has been very cold, very dry and then very wet,” says Adrian Arts, provincial tree fruit specialist and owner of Kamla Orchards in Summerland.

Conditions have meant greater disease pressure but vigilant producers are seeing high-quality fruit.

“We are definitely lighter than expected on crops across the board. Everything is down this year but having said that … the cherries look phenomenal,” he says.

The market is responding well to the large fruit size, sugar content and flavour, Arts says.

“The returns right now are extremely solid for cherry producers. We did have some rain, which is always a challenge, but it looks like we have a good two to three weeks of potential dry weather,” he says.

Warm temperatures will further improve the sugar content, Arts adds.

Apple crops in the Okanagan, Creston and Similkameen areas vary. Some blocks do not have any fruit and others have smaller apple crops with larger fruit, Arts says. The latter situation could present producers with better market access and returns, he adds.

Some apple growers are dealing with scab and fire blight, while others were hit by hail.

Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse founder Kristen Needham Jordan in Saanichton on Vancouver Island has found that her apple orchard is two weeks behind. Aside from a significant tent caterpillar infestation, pest and disease pressure has been low.

“Thankfully, right now the apples that are set on the trees look good and we have started to do some summer thinning to make sure branches aren’t bearing too much fruit,” she says.

The farm has 60 varieties of cider apples plus a handful of plum, peach and pear trees.

While the apples are faring well, Needham Jordan noted that the peach trees did not pollinate and aren’t bearing any fruit.

On the nursery side, Josh Brown of Similkameen Nurseries is dealing with aphids.

“This year has been a particularly tough year for aphids. I’ve never seen so many in my life,” Brown says. “It’s probably costed us between $5,000 and $10,000 in the last three weeks to remediate the aphids.”

To protect his trees, he’s been spraying every five to seven days for the past month, then pruning off aphid damage and reselecting leaders.

Brown estimates it will cost him an additional $10,000 to $30,000 in costs this year to maintain the high standards he sets for his trees.

 

 

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