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Originally published:

April 2019
Vol. 105 Issue 4

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Stories In This Edition

One province, one panel

Groundwater deadline extended

Happy as a pig!

Sidebar: Still waiting

Feds pour millions into tree fruit research

Sidebar: Will local procurement help?>

Editorial: Confined spaces

Back Forty: BC farmers need more than a land bank

Island Good campaign drives local sales

Poultry industry seeks to stop infighting

Good egg!

Egg farmers to receive biggest quota boost ever

New entrant focus

Decision day looms for chicken pricing appeal

Producers look to CanadaGAP for certification

Organic sector undertakes core review

Hopping to it!

Island couple named Outstanding Young Farmers

Turkey consumption continues to decline

BC potato growers enjoy a strong footing

Sudden tree fruit dieback a growing concern

Late season BC cherries in global demand

Farmers’ markets aim to be local food hubs

Field trial hopes to reduce phosphorus levels

Future looking bright for BC dairy producers

BC could benefit from US trade battles

Saputo puts its Courtenay plant out to pasture

The land of milk and salmon

Sidebar: Farming for the future

Out of the hands of BC farmers

Codes of practice need producer input

Preparation essential for wildfire response

Sidebar: Relief announced for drought, fire

Sidebar: Be FireSmart with these tips

New traceability regs to track movement

Agriculture a notable threat to species at risk

Improper pesticide use threatens access

Threat to neonics spurs scare in spud growers

Orchard presses forward with diversification

Climate-smart growing

Staying on top of soil health is key to sound farming

No small potatoes

Farm families need to have affairs in order

Rotary parlours go upscale at two FV dairies

Study compares organic, conventional diets

Advisory service foresees growing demand

Sidebar: Tree fruit cutbacks a concern

Island dairy producers hone first aid skills

Woodshed: And that’s how rumours get their teeth

Research farm showcases small projects

Jude’s Kitchen: Shooting stars of spring

 

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3 days ago

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details. ... See MoreSee Less

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details.
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2 weeks ago

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the province's deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed. ... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the provinces deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed.
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Sounds like 2 weeks to flatten the curve turning into 2 years.

USDA doing avian vax research, May 11 bio-docs to UN incl section on H5N8 w/wild bird spread. Found link to apparent pre-release on May 11 Geller Report. Good luck farmers.

3 weeks ago

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.” ... See MoreSee Less

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.”
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Killing our food chain. How do we know they are actually carrying a virus, look what's taking place with covid, is it real.

Ik kan niet zo goed Engels maar als ik het goed begrijp is bij jullie ook vogelgriep maar nog niet bij jullie

Any idea when this episode or bird flu might be over?

3 weeks ago

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions. ... See MoreSee Less

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions.
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4 weeks ago

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises. ... See MoreSee Less

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises.
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“Island Good” campaign drives local sales

Pilot project yields 16% lift in sales across four Island grocers

March 26, 2019 byPeter Van Dongen

NANAIMO – Farmers, food processors and retailers on Vancouver Island have a new tool in their marketing toolbox to help tap into local consumer preferences for Island products.

“Island Good” is a new brand the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) created last year. The brand was launched as a pilot project aimed at increasing awareness and demand for Island-grown and made food products among mainstream consumers in major grocery stores on Vancouver Island.

“We wanted to test whether the development and use of an Island brand would increase consumption of Island products,” explains Dan Dagg, chair of VIEA’s Island Good committee and president of Hot House Marketing, which designed the brand. “So we put a bunch of the right people in the room together – retailers, producers and processors –and came up with a six-month test case so we could show some empirical data.”

From March 18 to September 19, 2018, four participating grocery chains –including Country Grocer, 49th Parallel Grocery, Quality Foods and Thrifty Foods – ran a point-of-sale campaign in 45 retail stores across the Island. Each grocer submitted monthly reports of 2018 product sales compared with same-store, same-month sales from 2017 for a variety of Island products.

Using the Island Good brand, the retail partners identified their Island-grown and Island-made products with in-store shelf talkers and markers, product stickers, signage and demonstrations by participating producers. With funding support from the Island Coastal Economic Trust and a number of agri-food industry partners, VIEA supported the point-of-sale campaign with a paid multi-media campaign that included print, television, radio, billboard, social media and earned editorial coverage.

“The pilot focused on retail marketing and sales of Island made and grown agri-food, seafood, and non-alcoholic beverage products in major grocery stores,” explains VIEA president George Hanson. “We know that Islanders tend to be pre-disposed to supporting local products, so the premise was to make it easier to find local products to see if consumers would respond by purchasing more.”

And respond they did.

During the six-month pilot, sales of Island products among the four grocers increased by an average of 16.4%.

“We succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations,” Hanson reflects. “Consumer response has been phenomenal and, as logically follows, so has industry response from supply and demand stakeholders.”

Country Grocer alone saw its sales of Island products rise by more than 45%.

“We are Island owned and operated so it just made sense,” says Tammy Averill, marketing manager for Country Grocer. “The impact is huge. It just takes a small shift to make a big difference.”

Buoyed by the success of the pilot project, VIEA is making the Island Good brand available for licensing and direct use by anyone in the commercial food and beverage sector. This includes food and beverage producers and processors (including wineries, breweries and distilleries), as well as distributors and retailers such as grocers, restaurants and liquor stores where Island products are sold.

Nanoose Edibles Farm was one of the first farms to apply for licensing. Owned and operated by Lorne and Barbara Ebell, the farm has been growing organic fruits and vegetables in Nanoose Bay since 1989. They sell their products direct to consumers as well as through grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets in various communities across the Island.

“Island Good is the kind of organization we have been looking for since we began farming 30 years ago,” says Barbara. “With Island Good’s branding, we hope to attract more attention to our efforts in providing local businesses with certified organic, highly nutritious food.”

Ebell notes Vancouver Island currently imports the vast majority of its food. She sees the need for greater production on the Island, and improved support from consumers for what’s already being produced.

“More people will purchase Vancouver Island food products if they are more aware of them, both in the stores, and directly at the farms,” she says.

Hanson says VIEA has big plans for the Island Good brand, all rooted in the organization’s mandate to improve competitiveness and sustainability across all sectors of the Island economy.

“Our ultimate goal is to have every Island product, from potatoes to airplane parts, marked as Island Good,” Hanson concludes. “We had to start somewhere and advocating for a point-of-sale pilot project to promote Island products already carried in the stores of major grocery retailers seemed like the easiest starting point.”

To learn more about the Island Good program and licensing options, go to [www.islandgood.ca].

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