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Originally published:

July 2018
Vol. 104 Issue 7

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Stories In This Edition

Sweet basil

Committee cancels meetings

Sidebar: Greater co-ordination; less conflict

Prince George packing plant gets further study

Sidebar: Co-op model lets producers pocket profits

Editorial: Buy the billions

Back Forty: Canada isn’t the cure for what ails US dairy

OpEd: Dairy industry will endure current trade issues

ALC allegations nix Delta farmer’s vision

Letters: Elk know no boundaries

Precautions taken against Japanese beetle

Great spring for nurseries

Chicken pricing formula isn’t right

Pitt crew

Criteria for Crown tenure still unclear

McClary’s leased to Aquilinis

Strawberries kick berry season off to good start

Food advocates grapple with rural-urban interface

Research updates presented to cherry growers

New farmers need to research livestock needs

Time for tea

Ag Brief: Farmers still waiting on new ag waste regs

Ag Brief: Drought watch

AgBrief: Good to meet ewe

Ag Brief: Staff change at FF/CF

Ag Brief: Market trail

Riparian restorations benefit from farm funding

Young Farmers network at Okanagan tour

Salmon Arm fleece brings top dollar

Perseverance, ingenuity aid haskap harvest

BC ranchers praised for wildfire response

Committee work pinpoints rancher priorities

Mentorship program helps expand horizons

Tour gives public insight to dairy farming

Island welcomes Angus breeders

Experts weigh in on future of raspberry cultivars

Preparation, customer service key to market success

Top 10 list for market success

UVF ag curriculum continues to diversify

Research: Going green

Buy BC relaunched

Farm camps for kids

Henderson continues on crash course

Jude’s Kitchen: It’s easy to make July veggie month

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1 month ago

The province has extended the Canada-BC Flood Recovery for Food Security Program deadline from June 1 to Aug. 31. The program helps farmers cover uninsured expenses caused by damages in the November 2021 floods, including cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, and water and waste systems; returning flood-affected land and buildings to a safe state for agricultural production; repairing uninsurable essential farm infrastructure; repairing structures such as livestock-containment fences; renting temporary production facilities; installing drainage ditches and land-stabilization materials; animal welfare activities such as replacing feed, transporting livestock, veterinary care and mortality disposal; and
replacing perennial plants not grown for sale. Program criteria and application forms are available online: buff.ly/3sVRF4G
... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the Canada-BC Flood Recovery for Food Security Program deadline from June 1 to Aug. 31. The program helps farmers cover uninsured expenses caused by damages in the November 2021 floods, including cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, and water and waste systems; returning flood-affected land and buildings to a safe state for agricultural production;  repairing uninsurable essential farm infrastructure; repairing structures such as livestock-containment fences; renting temporary production facilities; installing drainage ditches and land-stabilization materials; animal welfare activities such as replacing feed, transporting livestock, veterinary care and mortality disposal; and
replacing perennial plants not grown for sale. Program criteria and application forms are available online: https://buff.ly/3sVRF4G
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1 month 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 months 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.

2 months 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?

2 months 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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New farmers need to research livestock needs

Grow-your-own movement creates welfare concerns

July 1, 2018 byBarbara Johnstone Grimmer

VANCOUVER – The growing trend for families to engage in food production – including raising animals for meat – in order to be self-sufficient has created new animal welfare concerns for the BC SPCA.

BC SPCA senior animal protection and outreach officer Erika Paul says she regularly sees animal cruelty cases among people who have started raising animals without fully knowing what they’re doing.

She also says a lack of practicing farm animal veterinarians is at the root of the biggest challenge her organization faces – “the practicality of providing basic and medical care to animals raised for an industry.”

The problem is particularly acute on southern Vancouver Island and in the Gulf Islands.

“There are few or no practicing farm animal veterinarians there,” says Paul. “There are horse vets, however the other farm species do not share the same benefit,” she adds.

Paul says difficulties arise when an animal needs medical care or a controlled medication. Without a working relationship with a veterinary clinic or a practicing farm animal veterinarian, these procedures and medications are inaccessible.

The result is a tough choice for farmers, and one that quickly becomes problematic.

“Farmers/hobbyists/breeders don’t want to lose their investment in the animal, but if the animal needs care, and treatment is either unavailable or costly, the practical decision is euthanasia. Either way, it’s a loss for the farmer,” she says.

And euthanasia isn’t a simple matter, either.

“Codes of practice for some species require specialized or expensive equipment to perform euthanasia,” she adds.

The lack of farm animal vets presents BC SPCA with the same challenges as farmers, Paul notes. Provincial legislation invests the BC SPCA with police authority in animal welfare cases, but the animals it sees often need veterinary care.

“I would like people to do their homework first before jumping in with both feet and stocking their backyards with farm animals,” Paul says.

New farmers need to research proper animal care, including feed and housing, and the time and financial commitment required. She advises livestock owners to ensure a vet is available to provide medical care when needed, and to know the costs. They also need to check local bylaws and make sure livestock are permitted.

“Know what the industry standards are and endeavour to exceed husbandry expectations,” says Paul.

Starvation deaths

“Most people are surprised that starvation is the third most common cause of death in sheep submitted to the diagnostic lab in BC,” says BC Minister of Agriculture veterinary pathologist Glenna McGregor in a recent report in N’Ewes, a magazine published by the BC Sheep Federation.

“A couple of these cases are part of animal neglect/cruelty investigations, but the majority of these are from farmers who had no idea they were starving their sheep [but] cared enough …  to send us the carcass and pay $140 plus tax for a post-mortem examination. In most of the cases, the problem was not an absolute lack of feed, but lack of access to feed.”

Not enough feed bunk space, group dynamics and timid animals are contributing causes.

“Emaciation in sheep is visually hard to detect as they tend to have thick wool coats and large bulgy rumens,” says MacGregor.

Both McGregor and Paul emphasize that hands-on body condition scoring is necessary to ensure that animals are receiving adequate nutrition.

“People who decide to raise their own animals for food and end up running into problems tend to have limited resources,” notes Paul. They may believe that growing their own food will save them money but don’t comprehend the cost and work that goes into feeding and caring for farm animals, or the work or regulations involved in processing.

“We do seem to see significantly more starvation in sheep than other livestock species,” McGregor says.

They are often owned by new farmers who maybe don’t know much about nutrition, they are housed in mixed-species groups and are typically quite submissive animals by nature, and their wool makes it difficult to see if they are getting too thin.”

Typically, unkempt animals and premises are the first sign of an animal welfare concern.

However, it’s not just sheep. Goats and poultry often arrive in the lab as well, and the centre regularly sees cases of starvation in horses, dogs, cats, other pets and occasionally cattle.

Long wait times to slaughter animals at licensed abattoirs can also put pressure on new farmers or those with limited resources who don’t know they need to book an abattoir months in advance.

“Animal hoarding is more likely to happen with hobbyists or backyard farmers,” explains Paul.

In hoarding situations, it is more about the costs of transporting and processing, rather than the need to possess, she says. Prolific animals, such as rabbits, can quickly overwhelm people, especially if the market is soft. Another issue is the need for culling or euthanasia and the willingness of the person to perform the duty, leading to unnecessary suffering or the accumulation of non-producing animals.

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