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Originally published:

January 2017
Vol. 103 Issue 1

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Stories In This Edition

Help wanted

Freight farm feeds local niche

Winter wallop

Dairy commits to healthier future

Marketing board reviewing dairy quota

Organic production set for a major boost

Weather patterns forcing change for FV farmers

Okanagan growth curve drains water supplies

Maple Ridge writing new soil deposit bylaw

Non-native stink bug poses threat to fruit growers

Arguments for wind power grow as hydro closes in

BC farm leaders make Top 50 list

Former politician awarded lifetime achievement

No surprise about pipeline

Food prices on the increase

Ag briefs

PAS aims for record attendance

Short course offers variety + sidebar

Innovation Expo makes debut

Dairy Expo starts with tour of nine FV dairies

Holstein assessements will establish benchmarks

Eto leaves BC Dairy

Incubator farm seeks to re-invirorate local seed industry

Islands Ag Show puts spotlight on Alberni Valley

Save the birds but share the cost

Nurseries seek fresh blood

BCLNA grows local markets

Comment sought on bison code

Corn and the battle with bugs

Starling control program renewed in Okanagan

Staring down the bottom line

Kootenay Food Producers Co-op goes non-profit

Got milk? Water buffalo dairy cultivates following

Born to teach

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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

1 day 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

1 day 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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... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

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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

2 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

Excellent news

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

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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Seven projects will receive nearly $210,000 in funding as part of the first disbursement from the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund, established in 2018 with $20 million to offset impacts from the construction of the Site C dam. The largest grant is $100,000 in support of BC Grain Producers Association projects assessing grain and oilseed varieties suitable to the Peace Region. The research is particularly important as growers wrestle with a changing and more variable climate, something that hit home this year as weather prevented growers from harvesting half the region’s grain crop. A variety of crop management and education initiatives also received funding. Applications are now being received for the 2020 awards, with $291,000 available for disbursement. ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

Seven projects will receive nearly $210,000 in funding as part of the first disbursement from the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund, established in 2018 with $20 million to offset impacts from the construction of the Site C dam. The largest grant is $100,000 in support of BC Grain Producers Association projects assessing grain and oilseed varieties suitable to the Peace Region. The research is particularly important as growers wrestle with a changing and more variable climate, something that hit home this year as weather prevented growers from harvesting half the region’s grain crop. A variety of crop management and education initiatives also received funding. Applications are now being received for the 2020 awards, with $291,000 available for disbursement.
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Help wanted

January 1, 2017 byPeter Mitham

VANCOUVER – Demand for farm workers will hit 45,000 by 2025, up from approximately 43,300 in 2014, and while the increase doesn’t sound like a lot, an older, diminishing farm work force means there are a lot fewer people available than there was once was.

A recent report from the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) pegs the shortfall in workers at 11,200 by 2025, up from approximately 9,000 today. Statistics Canada, in turn, estimates BC’s farm workforce at just 27,500 in 2014, suggesting the gap between demand and available workers could be even bigger.

To address the shortfall, the province announced $43,500 for a BC agriculture-horticulture sector labour market partnership on December 6.

“It’s looking at the semi-skilled and skilled level – the manager and above,” BC Agriculture Council executive director Reg Ens explains. “We’ve had a problem with low-skilled for a long time, and there’s some things that we’ve been doing to meet that need, but now we’ve identified this semi-skilled/skilled [shortfall].”

BCAC and the BC Landscape and Nursery Association will administer the funds, which will assist in bringing together industry associations and employers to determine the horticulture sector’s key labour force challenges.

“It’s cultivating connections and looking for opportunities. Are there pools of under-employed people that we’re not attracting?” Ens says. “Do these under-employed people that are interested know where the opportunities are?”

The project is set to complete by March 15. It complements similar initiatives for the landscape and abattoir sectors.

No small task

But resolving the labour issue isn’t easy. The lack of workers who are both reliable and equipped with the skills to handle the unique challenges of farm work has been a perennial problem in BC.

While proximity to urban areas should ensure ready access to a large pool of labour, there’s also greater competition from other sectors for workers. Often, the alternatives also pay better and have more attractive working conditions than field work.

“There is not a simple way forward,” says Debra Hauer, project manager with CAHRC.

She notes that BC is already doing plenty of things right: many employers in the province have low turnover and there are more than the usual amount of training programs, both formal and informal, highlighting opportunities in the sector. These include everything from Agriculture in the Classroom programs to sector-specific initiatives such as the organic sector provides.

“There’s lots of groups doing interesting things in British Columbia,” she says.

While some sectors, such as dairy and poultry, have embraced automation and face a shortage of workers with appropriate skills, the backbone of the BC farm labour force is horticultural workers. Approximately 48% of farm workers are engaged in producing and harvesting fruits, vegetables, flowers and other products.

CAHRC says the fact that many of these jobs are seasonal in nature works against employers.

Since few of the positions are year-round, many operations find themselves forced to let workers go, and then scramble to rehire staff in subsequent seasons.

The temporary nature of the work also creates a highly mobile workforce. This has led to many hort operations turning to foreign workers.

CAHRC said the shortfall in 2014 was made up through 6,800 temporary foreign workers (TFWs) – and even then, there was still a need for approximately 3,000 more domestic workers. The labour shortfall costs the sector approximately $70 million annually, CAHRC says.

With the shortfall in domestic workers increasing over the next decade, there are growing efforts to make it easier for farmers to hire foreign help.

“This may include re-evaluating the effectiveness of Canada’s immigration programs in terms of meeting the needs of the agriculture sector,” writes the Conference Board of Canada in a recent briefing paper, produced with CAHRC’s support. “Without TFWs, we may face the prospect of a significant portion of Canada’s arable land lying fallow. That would be a tragedy.”

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