New replant funding announced

A new $70.5 million replant program was announced March 13 at the BC Wine Insight conference in Penticton by Premier David Eby and BC Agriculture and Food Minister Pam Alexis.

The program will see about $65 million disbursed to farmers net of IAF administrative expenses, with $18 million for berries, $23 million for grapes and $24 million for tree fruits.

“We are very grateful for the money,” says Peter Simonsen, president of the BC Fruit Growers Association.

“We felt the government has listened to our concerns and is committed to the viability of the grape- growing industry,” BC Grapegrowers Association president Sue de Charmoy adds.

These funds are in addition to the current Perennial Crop Renewal Program (PCRP), and will support replanting over the next five to seven years.

“Details are yet to be worked out in consultation with the individual commodities, but I think this is more responsive to what industry has asked for,” says BCGA executive director Tyrion Miskell.

The announcement preceded the March 18 opening of draft applications for Stream 3 funding of the existing crop renewal program. Applicants will be able to develop their applications on-line and be ready when submissions open April 2.

The two-year program has approximately $7 million remaining for replanting after removal projects, which were funded in the first year.

Growers who took advantage of pull-out funds last year will be given priority, but new applications will also be accepted. The maximum pay-out for tree fruits is $7,500 an acre.

At this time only hazelnut, raspberry, blueberry, apple and pear growers are eligible. Although the cherry industry has completed the required “opportunity assessment,” cherry replanting is not currently eligible for Stream 3 funding. (Cherry industry representatives were not immediately available for comment)

The wine grape industry was only eligible for $1 million under the existing renewal program, and industry groups opted to channel the funds to the BC Wine Grape Council (BCWGC) to continue its research activities.

BCWGC work is funded by levies collected on grapes delivered for processing, and these have been greatly reduced by frost events.

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Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

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5 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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6 days ago

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

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Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

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There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.