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Originally published:

AUGUST 2019
Vol. 105 Issue 8

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Stories In This Edition

Province allows family on farms

Teamwork!

Rain hammers cherry crop

Sidebar: A brief history

Chilcotin ranchers’ hope for hay crop washed away

Editorial: Dog days

Back Forty: Keeping the kids safe down on the farm

Viewpoint: Top-down governance no way to help caribou

Egg board set to get cracking on quota distribution

Get ’em while you can

Feds address labour shortages

Bee healthy!

Marketing board names new entrant winners

BC berry research gets big funding boost

BC hosts International Blueberry Organization

Tour showcases innovation, marketing savvy

Governments agree to national park reserve

BC’s oldest farm seeks new management

Apple dieback investigation underway

Bumper crop for raspberries fails to materialize

Balance key to restoring fire-affected range

Global demand set to buoy cattle prices

A good start helps calves finish in top shape

Ranchers collaborate to preserve grasslands

Rotational grazing pays off year-round

Sidebar: Track costs, see profits

Stock show kicks off summer for 4-H members

Finding new potential for a lost native berry

Sidebar: Others see same benefits

Shuswap tour showcases local producers

Research: Do honeybees spread viruses to wild bees?

Volken Academy breaks ground on new farm

Woodshed: Romance is in the air, for all but the Hendersons

Fourth-generation farmers chart ambitious course

Jude’s Kitchen: In-season produce is king

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4 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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Marketing board names new entrant winners

Process awarded quota to three out of 95 applicants

Melanie & Edward Dyson

August 1, 2019 byDavid Schmidt

ABBOTSFORD—The BC Milk Marketing Board has chosen the first three successful applicants in its New Entrant Program.

After clearing the waitlist in its previous Graduated Entry Program, the BCMMB introduced the NEP in August 2018. Ninety-five applicants paid the $250 fee to be included in the first draw, held in February 2019. A random draw selected eight applicants for the second step in the process. Each was required to submit a detailed business plan to a board-appointed selection committee.

Chaired by Walt Goerzen, who also chairs the board’s Milk Industry Advisory Committee and Specialty Producers Advisory Committee, the committee included two agri-business reps, one financial services rep, one processor rep from the Western Dairy Council, one producer chosen by the BC Dairy Association and one current GEP producer.

After meeting with each applicant and studying their business plans, the committee recommended and the board accepted Edward and Melanie Dyson of Port Alberni, Jonathan and Eleny Quapp of Rosedale and William Romeyn of Chilliwack to be the first three successful applicants.

“It was quite a challenge to pick three from the eight,” Goerzen said, noting they had a “diverse” set of applicants to choose from.

In the end they focused on each applicant’s experience, business plan and passion for the industry.

Experience was critical. The committee questioned the chances of an applicant succeeding without any direct experience in dairying, Goerzen says, and he expects the committee to recommend tightening future application criteria to weed out unsuitable applicants.

“It’s a new program so the process has some room for adjustments,” he notes, pointing out the BC Egg Marketing Board’s NEP has a more detailed initial application process which may have some merit in the dairy industry.

Another important question was whether the applicants could begin a dairy operation without the help of the NEP.

“Helping new entrants into the dairy industry that otherwise couldn’t do that is a key aspect of the program,” Goerzen states.

Edward Dyson, one of the three successful applicants, calls himself “a second-generation wannabe dairy farmer” at 27 years old. His parents, Agricultural Land Commission chair Jennifer Dyson and her husband, were once on BCMMB’s GEP waitlist but gave up waiting after several years.

Instead, the Dysons moved to Port Alberni in 2003 and started a water buffalo dairy. The herd has 70 animals and they’re currently milking 20 water buffalo. (The number fluctuates.)

“I’m already running a dairy farm, just with a different species,” Dyson says.

He and his wife, Melanie, a 24-year-old agricultural graduate of the University of Alberta, are already living on the family farm. Dyson is presently “an unofficial full partner” in the farm and he says the farm ownership will be reorganized to meet NEP requirements.

Dyson admits “a bit of nervousness” about the process but felt “we were good candidates. We spent quite a bit of time on our business plan.”

He believes he has a head start, noting the farm already has a double-four herringbone parlour for its water buffalo herd. The parlour will be retrofitted so it can be used to milk both the water buffalo, which they will continue to farm, and the dairy cows.

“Our goal is to start by this time next year,” he says. “We want to take our time to get healthy animals and do things right.”

As new entrants, the Dysons will receive 15 kgs of Continuous Daily Quota, worth $547,500 at the current quota exchange price, enough for about 12 to 13 cows. The program also provides a 1:1 matching grant of up to eight kgs for additional kilograms purchased on the exchange, something Dyson expects to take full advantage of.

“We hope to maximize the program within five years,” he says.

BCMMB manager of policy and communication Vicki Crites explains that the NEP quota is subject to a declining assessment of 10% a year.

“After 10 years they would cease to be ‘new entrants’ and would simply be considered producers,” she explains.

Dyson admits that even 31 kgs of CDQ may not be enough to make the farm fully viable as a stand-alone dairy but believes it is “a good start.”

“It’s pretty tough to get a start in the industry,” he says, noting, “we have the water buffalo to help us in the early years and hope to grow the dairy over time.”

Dyson admits he and Melanie are guinea pigs for the new program.

“With the water buffalo, we had to be open and transparent so we’re used to the attention. We’re happy to share our experience with the public and the industry,” he says.

Although the program accepted only three applicants this year, that will change.

“The 2019 NEP process was considered a transition year,” Crites says. “The board will run another NEP application and selection process in 2020 (and every second year thereafter). The 2020 process will select six new entrants for production starts in 2021 and 2022. New deadline dates and an updated user guide for the 2020 NEP selection process will be posted to the board’s website in fall 2019, with an expected application deadline early in 2020.”

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