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Originally published:

JUNE 2022
Vol. 108 Issue 6

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Stories In This Edition

Bird flu in FV

Birds of a feather

BC farm count shrinks

Fast turnaround nabs new grower high praise

Editorial: Growing old quickly

Back 40: War puts perspective on delayed spring in BC

Op-ed: Panel frames a vision for the future of BC ag

Cool spring has delayed crops province-wide

Sidebar: Low termperatures impact fruit

Nicola Valley secures funding for new abattoir

Ranchers feel margin squeeze

IAFBC expands its reach despite challenging year

Good job

Growers must focus on quality to grow market

Task force works to implement UNDRIP goals

Packers say they’ll work together to fix industry

New president aims to motivate farmers institutes

Irrigation shouldn’t be an afterthought

Project provides peace of mind for Oliver growers

Seaweed shows promise as feed additive

Forage field days showcase new tools, concepts

Sidebar: Pest management plot

Women offer ‘cutting-edge’ skills

Irrigation planning critical for hazelnuts

Nip and tuck

Off-season sales boosted by new vending machine

New pest jeopardizes strawberry production

Big expansion plans for Terrace poultry farm

BCAITC celebrates 30 years

Farm Story: There’s always one field that’s “special”

Shape-shifting dahlias drawing in growers

Woodshed Chronicles: Rescue comes for Kenneth

Jude’s Kitchen: Cake to celebrate summer and dads

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4 days 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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6 days 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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3 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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3 weeks ago

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Packers say they’ll work together to fix industry

BCFGA will ask the province to intervene on marketing commission

Quality doesn’t come without investment and fruit growers are hard-pressed to invest in their orchards when the prices they receive don’t meet the cost of production, says grower Deep Brar of Summerland. TOM WALKER

June 1, 2022 byTom Walker

KELOWNA – A group of packers have sent a letter to BC apple growers outlining their commitment to work together and offering a number of suggestions to improve the industry.

But the BC Fruit Growers Association says the suggestions are not substantial enough and will ask the province to step in.

The 11-member group includes some of the province’s biggest packers, including BC Tree Fruits Co-op, Consolidated Fruit Packers and Sandher Fruit Packers.

The letter states that packers believe they can collaborate on several activities “that will improve circumstances of the industry and contribute to grower returns.”

BCFGA general manager Glen Lucas says the letter shows that packers are coming together in a way they haven’t in the past.

“The packers have not organized themselves to speak as a group in the past so this is a good thing, but what they have proposed will not stabilize the industry,” he claims.

The packer initiatives include ensuring clear and consistent quality standards to which all packers hold growers; working towards increasing access to key, high-return export markets; and promoting apple consumption by consumers and improving domestic market access.

Lucas doesn’t have much faith in goals that uses language such as “work towards” or “promote,” without any plan of who, how, when and then what.

“These ideas better have some teeth,” says Lucas. “Who would design the quality standards? Who would monitor them? There is no accountability, and no process to enforce standards. Are the packers going to phone up each other and say smarten up?”

A fair price over the cost of production is a key for apple growers.

“I received 18 cents a pound for my Galas this year and my cost of production is over 30 cents a pound,” says Deep Brar, a Summerland grower who farms apples, cherries, peaches and pears.

Quality requires money for orchard management, explains Brar.

“I know growers who had top quality packouts four years ago who are now struggling to invest in the inputs for a good crop,” he says. “I’m grafting some of the Galas over to cider apples and I wonder if I should just take the chainsaw to the rest of them.”

He could plant more cherries but he says apples provide a good diversity to his business.

Grower representation

An apple marketing commission would represent growers in their business, sales and marketing relationship with packers, Lucas explains.

“We understand that some packers are strongly opposed to this, but it will rebalance the power,” Lucas says. “Currently contracts are not negotiated; they are imposed on growers.”

The letter also addresses competition, acknowledging that “more than ever before, there is more pressure and competition in the marketplace.”

But with as many as 35 packinghouses in the Okanagan, Lucas says the industry needs to change to satisfy retailer demands.

“A commission gives the industry the ability to stand up to the retail sector,” Lucas says.

Just five retail groups – Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart and Costco – control 80% of grocery sales in Canada, and a divided packing industry helps retailers beat down the price of apples.

“A commission empowers packers to exchange information on pricing and agree on a minimum price, a fair return for growers, something that is currently illegal for them to do,” Lucas explains.

The hundreds of hours of meetings held as part of the province’s tree fruit stabilization initiative last year led to a 40-page report with 19 recommendations that have yet to effect change.

BCFGA says a decision needs to be made for the sake of growers.

“We are tired of all the back-and-forth and the rock-throwing,” Lucas says.

BCFGA plans to ask the government to appoint a mediator to work with all parties and recommend a solution.

“The board will be meeting shortly to develop a formal request to the ministry,” Lucas explains. “We believe a mediator can listen to all parties and make a recommendation to the agriculture minister on how to proceed.”

Lucas hopes a government mediator would recommend a grower vote, free of packer interference, but the BCFGA will accept the mediator’s recommendations, if one is appointed.

“My understanding is that the ministry doesn’t have to hold a vote, they could simply mandate a solution, but BCFGA believes a vote would be best,” he says.

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