Greenhouse, nursery specialist named

BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries field vegetable specialist Susan Smith is now also responsible for greenhouse, floriculture and nursery crops.

Smith’s appointment came in June, following Dave Woodske’s retirement as floriculture and greenhouse specialist in March 2020.

“There’s a real need for ministry support,” Smith told greenhouse growers at their annual general meeting on August 12. “Greenhouse and floriculture and nursery are very different from field vegetables in the issues that they face, but when it comes to being that liaison between industry and the ministry on some of these critical things, I think that my experience with those types of things with field vegetables is helpful.”

Smith feels her experience will be helpful in building bridges for greenhouse vegetable, flower and nursery growers as they face trade issues and other challenges.

“I might be able to help them with business management tools and point them towards things like that,” she says. “We have some basic production and basic extension tools. I try to connect them up with industry leaders and connect them with industry associations. I also try to provide them with as much aid as possible when it comes to some of the resources that are out there in terms of best management practices and grower education opportunities.”

She also sees herself assisting with technical issues such as getting input for land use planning, animal health and strategic planning from various organizations in the future.

“There’s all sorts of issues that occur when it comes to navigating regulatory waters,” she says.

Smith’s appointment followed a review of ministry priorities and industry demand in collaboration with the BC Greenhouse Growers Association, United Flower Growers and the BC Landscape and Nursery Association.

Woodske spent 22 years as the ministry’s nursery specialist, beginning in that role in 1998. His position eventually grew to include floriculture and greenhouse vegetables as roles were consolidated. The trend continues with the expansion of Smith’s role.

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17 hours ago

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23 hours ago

Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

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5 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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6 days ago

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

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Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

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There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.