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Originally published:

SEPTEMBER 2022
Vol. 108 Issue 9

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1 week ago

Congratulations to Travis and Brad Hopcott of Hopcott Farms for taking top honours as Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers last week in Laval, Quebec. For more, see this week's FARM NEWS UPDATE at www.countrylifeinbc.com/hopcotts-win-oyf#BCAGd#clinbcAg #CLinBC ... See MoreSee Less

Congratulations to Travis and Brad Hopcott of Hopcott Farms for taking top honours as Canadas Outstanding Young Farmers last week in Laval, Quebec. For more, see this weeks FARM NEWS UPDATE at https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/hopcotts-win-oyf-canada/

#BCAg #CLinBC
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Congratulations to all of you. You have done a tremendous job growing your business

Congratulations from Coniagas Ranches! Your business is awesome!!!

Thank you so much! 😁

Congratulations Travis!

Well done ! Well deserved

Congratulations

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1 week ago

Congratulations to Chilliwack’s Ben Janzen, former chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board, who received the BC Dairy Achievement Award from Jim Byrne of the BC Dairy Historical Society on November 23. Byrne hailed Janzen’s selfless work on behalf of the industry, first as a member of the first producer-elected board of Agrifoods International Cooperative in 1996 then as chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board for five years from 2016. "These successes have allowed the industry to increase processing capacity and develop initiatives that, when completed, will provide processing for growth for many years to come,” Byrne said. In response, Janzen expressed gratitude while emphasizing the determination and resilience of producers in the face of challenges. “You’re the ones that make this industry great,” he said.

#BCAg #CLinBC
... See MoreSee Less

Congratulations to Chilliwack’s Ben Janzen, former chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board, who received the BC Dairy Achievement Award from Jim Byrne of the BC Dairy Historical Society on November 23. Byrne hailed Janzen’s selfless work on behalf of the industry, first as a member of the first producer-elected board of Agrifoods International Cooperative in 1996 then as chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board for five years from 2016. These successes have allowed the industry to increase processing capacity and develop initiatives that, when completed, will provide processing for growth for many years to come,” Byrne said. In response, Janzen expressed gratitude while emphasizing the determination and resilience of producers in the face of challenges. “You’re the ones that make this industry great,” he said.

#BCAg #CLinBC
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I don't understand? Maybe it's my own ignorance but don't we produce way more milk than we use and force farmers to dump anything above their quota to ensure the prices stay high? Wouldn't we want to keep the retail price as low as possible while ensuring farmers receive their required compensation? Wouldn't that be worth an award? Help me understand 🤷‍♂️

Is this guy a reason why I cannot buy whole unpasteurized milk for my own personal use, yeah personal use even to make glue ...but really I don't carecwhy anyone wants whole unpasteurized milk ..it is Not my business..and nor should it be the business of bearacracy ..so in mho ppfffft

2 weeks ago

We are profoundly saddened to announce the passing of veteran farm journalist and Country Life in BC editor emeritus David Schmidt. He died suddenly in Chilliwack on November 20. For 35 years, David was the face and voice of Country Life in BC, covering producer meetings across the Fraser Valley and throughout BC. His reporting earned many national awards and he was honoured with several lifetime achievement awards, including the 2018 Scotiabank Champion of Agriculture, as he edged toward retirement at the start of the pandemic in 2020. He was, as one former ag minister eloquently put it, the "encyclopedia of BC agriculture." We will miss him terribly. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. For more, see today's FARM NEWS UPDATE - www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-agriculture-loses-a-champion/ ... See MoreSee Less

We are profoundly saddened to announce the passing of veteran farm journalist and Country Life in BC editor emeritus David Schmidt. He died suddenly in Chilliwack on November 20. For 35 years, David was the face and voice of Country Life in BC, covering producer meetings across the Fraser Valley and throughout BC. His reporting earned many national awards and he was honoured with several lifetime achievement awards,  including the 2018 Scotiabank Champion of Agriculture, as he edged toward retirement at the start of the pandemic in 2020. He was, as one former ag minister eloquently put it, the encyclopedia of BC agriculture. We will miss him terribly. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. For more, see todays FARM NEWS UPDATE - https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-agriculture-loses-a-champion/
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Very sad to hear of his loss…amazing dedication to Country Life.

He will be missed. His dedication to the agricullture industry was exceptional and conversattions with David were always welcomed

David was just an exceptional person . He had an unbridled passion for Agriculture. He will be so missed in this Industry. Condolences to David's family and friends.

Condolences to David's family and also his work family. He was a veteran agricultural supporter and reporter, and in his younger days attended every agricultural event he possibly could! He always had insightful views on the current agricultural state of affairs in the Fraser Valley, and also on the government programs and relief offered. He will definitely be missed in the Fraser Valley agricultural community.

David's thoughtful, careful and insightful reporting set a standard in farm reporting in BC, and much further. He will be very much missed.

Deepest Sympathy to family and friends.

Our most heartfelt condolences.

Very sad to hear this.

Sad to hear 😞

Very sorry to hear this. David was a first class journalist and an all around good human being.

Rip David.

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4 weeks ago

An agriculture plan progress report presented to Kelowna council November 6 shows a drop in the number of active farm operations in the Central Okanagan region since 2017. Six years ago, there were 1,034 actively farmed parcels; today, there are 983, according to BC Assessment data. Read more in this week's FARM NEWS UPDATE bitly.ws/ZScG ... See MoreSee Less

An agriculture plan progress report presented to Kelowna council November 6 shows a drop in the number of active farm operations in the Central Okanagan region since 2017. Six years ago, there were 1,034 actively farmed parcels; today, there are 983, according to BC Assessment data. Read more in this weeks FARM NEWS UPDATE https://bitly.ws/ZScG
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4 weeks ago

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Milk board picks new entrant finalists

Finalists have until end of 2023 to be up and running

John and Candice Riemersma are one of three finalists chosen by the BC Milk Marketing Board for its New Entrant Program. SUBMITTED

September 1, 2022 byKate Ayers

ARMSTRONG – The idea of seeing their children grow up to pursue dairy farming as a viable career was John and Candice Riemersma’s core motivation in applying for the BC Milk Marketing Board’s New Entrant Program.

It also won the couple a spot among the three families selected as finalists in this year’s program, which the board announced on July 21.

John is a second-generation producer who grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Agassiz with parents Pier and Fennalies and brother Simon.

While he enjoyed working on the family’s farm, John had another passion: sport. So, in 1995 at the age of 18, he left the farm to attend Briercrest College and Seminary in Saskatchewan. John played varsity volleyball and completed a degree in sports administration. He also met his future wife Candice and after graduating the couple moved to Alberta where John completed a Bachelor of Arts and Kinesiology degree at the University of Lethbridge, and Candice achieved a Bachelor of Education.

Back home in Agassiz, his parents sold the original farm and moved to Armstrong to start another dairy operation in 2010.

Two years later, John and Candice planned to make a short visit to Armstrong to help Pier and Fennalies transition the farm to Simon. The couple and their four children – Cash, 14, Mila, 11, Lucy, 9, Remington, 6 – have been helping on the farm ever since.

While John and Candice had a long-term vision for themselves in the world of athletics, their family and the farming lifestyle have brought the couple back into the dairy sector.

“The coaching world is pretty tough,” John says. “You’re gone lots and away from the whole family. So, we decided to come to the farm thinking that we can farm together as a family and have our kids involved.”

Working hard, seeing the job through and overcoming adversity are some experiences the Riemersmas bring to the table.

“Sport, team and training experiences prepare you very much for many things in life. As much as it seems very different from agriculture, there are a lot of correlations,” Candice says.

“One good parallel is that it takes a lot of time to have success. You’re going to have more failures along the way and with the failures, people can quit, or they can see them as opportunities to learn and grow.”

The couple currently lease buildings and land from John’s parents and look forward to fulfilling the 31 kilograms of quota offered through the NEP. For now, they are absorbing as much knowledge as possible.

Throughout the application and interview process, the couple have toured multiple farms and asked a lot of questions.

Overall, the family is excited to get going on this new endeavour.

“I think Canada’s history of generational farms is so amazing and I think we are losing it really quickly,” Candice says. “The possibilities of my children being able to take over or grow, expand, diversify, whatever they want to do, is super important to us.”

The other two finalists also bring family experience in the dairy industry to their plans.

Douglas Groenendjik, a third-generation farmer from Chemainus, looks forward to starting an operation in the Cowichan Valley.

“I’m quite excited to give it my best go. I learned a lot from my parents, and my parents are great dairy farmers themselves, but I want to see what I can do by myself with their mentorship and other people in the industry’s mentorship,” Groenendjik says.

Michael and Gina Haambuckers look to turn their dream into a reality in the Fraser Valley. Michael has worked in the genetics industry for the last decade and Gina works as a herdsperson on her parent’s 65-head dairy in Agassiz.

The couple are most looking forward to “going through the process of building something for ourselves,” Michael says.

The new entrants have until December 31, 2023, to start production, qualify for the program and receive incentive quota from the board.

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