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Current Issue:

JUNE 2023
Vol. 109 Issue 6

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4 weeks ago

It’s been four years since the last tulip festival was held in Abbotsford, but this year’s event promises to be an even bigger spectacle than ever. Spanning 27 acres along Marion Road, Lakeland Flowers will display more than 70 varieties of the spring blossom, including fringe tulips and double tulips, the first of six months of flower festivals hosted by the farm. Writer Sandra Tretick spoke with Lakeland Flowers owner Nick Warmerdam this spring to find out how the floods on Sumas Prairie in 2021 have had an impact on his business plan as he transitions from wholesale cut flower grower to agri-tourism. We've posted the story to our website this month. It's a good read.

#CLBC #countrylifeinbc #tulipfestival
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Tulip grower makes the shift to agritourism

www.countrylifeinbc.com

ABBOTSFORD – On a bright sunny day in early April, Nick Warmerdam points out his office window at No. 4 and Marion roads to a spot about half a kilometre away across the Trans-Canada Highway.
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Omg 🥹 Jared Huston let’s go pls

1 month ago

Farming, like any other job.. only you punch in at age 5 and never punch out 🚜 ... See MoreSee Less

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Easton Roseboom Levi Roseboom🚜

1 month ago

The province is allocating $15 million to be administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. for a perennial crop replant program benefitting tree fruit, hazelnut, berry and grape growers. The program aims to cover 100% of plant removal costs and 75% of replanting costs. Funds are also available for sector development. The new program replaces a suite of sector-specific replant programs and recognizes the importance of sector adaptation in the face of market, disease and weather challenges. ... See MoreSee Less

The province is allocating $15 million to be administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. for a perennial crop replant program benefitting tree fruit, hazelnut, berry and grape growers. The program aims to cover 100% of plant removal costs and 75% of replanting costs. Funds are also available for sector development. The new program replaces a suite of sector-specific replant programs and recognizes the importance of sector adaptation in the face of market, disease and weather challenges.
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1 month ago

Just a week after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials revoked the last primary control zones established in the Fraser Valley to control last fall’s outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, a new detection on April 29 at a commercial premises in Chilliwack underscored the risk of a spring wave. This is the first new detection since January 22, also in Chilliwack, and brings to 104 the number of premises affected since the current outbreak began April 13, 2022. The disease has impacted 3.7 million birds in BC over the past year. ... See MoreSee Less

Just a week after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials revoked the last primary control zones established in the Fraser Valley to control last fall’s outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, a new detection on April 29 at a commercial premises in Chilliwack underscored the risk of a spring wave. This is the first new detection since January 22, also in Chilliwack, and brings to 104 the number of premises affected since the current outbreak began April 13, 2022. The disease has impacted 3.7 million birds in BC over the past year.
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Any other details for FVN and chillTV please? radiodon11@gmail.com

1 month ago

The province is contributing $3.2 million for upgrades to the Barrowtown pump station in Abbotsford that was overwhelmed during the November 2021 flooding on Sumas Prairie, part of a collaborative approach to flood mitigation in the region. During a press conference at the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food offices in Abbotsford today, the province said a collaborative approach that includes First Nations is needed as Abbotsford pursues a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy due to the potential impacts on Indigenous lands. Agriculture's interests will be represented by technical teams within the agriculture ministry. ... See MoreSee Less

The province is contributing $3.2 million for upgrades to the Barrowtown pump station in Abbotsford that was overwhelmed during the November 2021 flooding on Sumas Prairie, part of a collaborative approach to flood mitigation in the region. During a press conference at the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food offices in Abbotsford today, the province said a collaborative approach that includes First Nations is needed as Abbotsford pursues a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy due to the potential impacts on Indigenous lands. Agricultures interests will be represented by technical teams within the agriculture ministry.
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I sure hope part of that money is to educate the people in charge of the pumps and drainage system! They just relayed on computers and weren’t even physically monitoring the water levels. I’ve lived in the Fraser Valley my whole life and the old guys managing that system know how to do it. The new generation just sit behind computer screens and don’t physically watch the water levels. That system works very well when you do it right. The Fraser river levels are very important. The system is designed to drain the Sumas Canal (the part that runs thru the valley) into the Fraser. When they let it get backed up it put pressure on the dyke and the weak part burst. Simple science. And yes, the dykes need to be worked on too. Abbotsford has not been maintaining properly for years.

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Northern vets in short supply

April 19, 2023 byKate Ayers

The province’s recent pledge to permanently fund 40 seats for BC students at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon was welcome news to the livestock and poultry sectors, but a new study says a local option is needed to support local food production.

“As you go further north in and around the Peace, there is a big problem up there with large animal vets and getting them to come and do work on ranches,” says rancher and BC Cattlemen’s Association president Brian Thomas. “It’s even hard to get medication and vaccines for our cattle because they all have to be through a vet. It certainly becomes an animal health and welfare issue with the shortage of vets.”

A homegrown veterinary program taught in BC could address the issue, says a recent economic impact study of veterinary medicine in BC that accounting firm MNP LLP conducted with the support of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and other stakeholders in Northern BC.

To meet the province’s demand for veterinarians, recruitment incentives and additional training options are needed, proponents say. A vet program at UNBC, for example, could enable and encourage students to study and practice in the province.

The study found that the ratio of large animals to veterinarians working in large or mixed animal practices in urban BC was between 3,000 and 3,500 animals per veterinarian. The ratio jumps to between 7,700 and 8,900 animals per veterinarian in rural and Northern BC.

Additionally, the vet shortage contributes to increased mortality and limits the growth of operations, both of which the report says impact ranch profitability and viability.

Indeed, vets play a critical role in ensuring the sustainability and viability of the agricultural industry.

“We recognize the need for veterinarians is growing in British Columbia as we focus on supporting our farmers, ranchers and the agricultural sector overall to continue to improve access to fresh, local, affordable and sustainable food,” BC Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Selina Robinson said when the province announced funding for WCVM students on March 23. “We know farmers and ranchers need access to vets to support healthy animals. We’ve seen the demand for new vets especially in Northern British Columbia and we’ve been taking action.”

However, a BC-based vet school is not on the table, Robinson says, citing the existing seats in Saskatchewan and the expense of establishing a new program.

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