Country Life in BC

Cherry promotion promising

September 13, 2023

A renewed focus on domestic markets got off to a promising start this summer as…

Young ranch leaders selected

September 6, 2023

The latest finalists in the Canadian Cattle Association’s Young Leaders program were announced August 31,…

Corn rootworm hits Okanagan

September 6, 2023

A pest that infested Fraser Valley corn fields in 2017 has made an appearance in…

Westwold producers challenge curtailment

September 6, 2023

Westwold producers rallied September 2 to challenge an August 15 provincial ban on irrigation for…

Water curtailments squeeze forage production

August 30, 2023

KAMLOOPS – Deepening drought conditions prompted the province to ban irrigation of forage crops in…

Oat, wheat harvests down

August 30, 2023

Statistics Canada has relied on satellite technology and agroclimatic data to model preliminary crop yields…

Creston farmland sees demand

August 30, 2023

Strong commodity prices have been fuelling demand for farmland across Western Canada. The activity is…

International exports climb

August 30, 2023

Rising exports of BC agri-food products are set for a further boost with the launch…

Wildfires rip through Southern Interior

August 23, 2023

The impact of a dramatic turn in the provincial wildfire situation last week is still…

Cattle head to market

August 23, 2023

A fire sale is never a good sign, but that’s what’s happening in the beef…

BC Tree CEO on leave

August 23, 2023

BC Tree Fruits Cooperative CEO Warren Sarafinchan took an extended leave of absence, effective August…

Lower Salmon River shutdown

August 16, 2023

With temperatures cresting 40°C in various parts of the province this week, BC Forests Minister…

Comox Valley farmers seek support

August 16, 2023

Mid-Island Farmers Institute representatives spoke to the Comox Valley Regional District this week to advocate…

New dairy entrants selected

August 16, 2023

BC Milk has chosen five candidates to become new dairy producers as part of this…

Peace Region land-sharing proposal nixed

August 2, 2023

FORT ST. JOHN – Widespread opposition from landowners in the Peace has nixed a bid…

FARM NEWS UPDATE

August 5, 2026

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2 days ago

The committee of MLAs charged with setting priorities for the next provincial budget is recommending regular, annual funding for water storage infrastructure associated with food production, including for engineering inspections, maintenance and upgrades. The recommendation builds on the BC Cattlemen's Association's recommendation of an annual allocation of $5 million for water storage infrastructure related to food production, noting that it could also support resilience in the face of climate-related events. While the province has allocated $120 million for agricultural water infrastructure, agriculture minister Lana Popham told Country Life in BC this week that other ministries and the federal government will need to be involved in funding future p#BCAgts#BCAgCAg

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A typical small-to-medium farming operation featuring a house, main barn, and machine shed generally has around 8,000 to 12,000 square feet of total roof surface. The Okanagan Valley is one of the driest regions in Canada, averaging roughly 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) of annual precipitation. Storing a full year's collected rainwater from those roofs yields roughly 262,500 litres. In the three regional districts that make up the Okanagan valley proper (North Okanagan, Central Okanagan, and Okanagan-Similkameen), the 2021 Statistics Canada Census of Agriculture records roughly 3,100 total farms. Multiply that number by 262,500 litres of harvested rainwater equals 813.75 million litres of water saved per year. Capturing that volume of water across every farm roof in the region would significantly ease peak summer pumping pressure on local groundwater aquifers and Okanagan Lake.

Fantastic!! We will work hard to be involved and do what we can as well as a collective group on the Salmon River!

Absolutely! Long over due and very welcomed. Let's make this happen.

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About 40 community members gathered at Silver Creek Community Hall near Salmon Arm last Thursday to discuss ways to improve water availability for both farms and spawning salmon. While the province has since rescinded a fish protection order for the watershed that shut down irrigation, future risks to water access remain top of mind. "We are here because water matters to each of us," says rancher and organizer Trudy Schweb. Farmland Riparian Interface Stewardship Program manager Lee Hesketh outlined the potential for upland water storage while Rob Dinwoodie highlighted cost-shared funding opportunities through the Environmental Farm Plan program for riparian assessments, irrigation efficiency upgrades and other water-related projects available to producers. Photo credit | Facebook/Trudy Schweb

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Salmon River Watershed Roundtable should be looked into again.

Well done my girl,the voice of Silver Creek ranchers and more

Thanks for covering this🌟

3 days ago

The BC Fruit Growers Association is urging Greater Vernon Water and the Regional District of North Okanagan to halt water shut-offs hitting 2,100+ acres of Okanagan orchards mid-season. With losses potentially topping $250 million, fruit growers say decisions of this scale demand a coordinated plan with farmers and the province — not one-sided cuts. They’re not the only producers affected by this year’s dry conditions.

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VERNON – Water restrictions intensified across the southern Interior in late July, with record low stream flows clouding the cash outlook for ranches and orchards. Fourteen agricultural water users�...

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Food should ALWAYS come first. Allow the farmers their water. My grandad watered the apples by flume from the mountain. Let’s get on with AG and get out of the way!

The BC Fruit Growers Association has joined Apples Canada, a new national voice for provincial apple organizations in BC, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Charles Stevens of Ontario chairs the new group, an evolution of the apple working group within Fruit & Vegetable Growers Canada (FVGC), the new group will tackle production, sustainability, research and policy issues as well as advocate for market access in partnership with FVGC. It follows the creation of the Greenhouse Produce Alliance of Canada earlier this year, which replaced the former greenhouse vegetable working group. The berry and field vegetable sectors will continue to maintain working groups with FVGC, while the long-estblished Canadian Potato Council serves the interests of potato growers under the FVGC umbrella.

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