Country Life in BC

Farmers need to prioritize mental wellness

February 1, 2023

ABBOTSFORD – When it comes to mental wellness, the fierce independence and stoicism too common…

Market garden powered by solar energy

February 1, 2023

SKOOKUMCHUK – Jessica and Harold Tichenor have renovated several properties over the years, developing their…

Surrey ALR inclusion cheered

January 25, 2023

A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural…

PAS kicks off

January 24, 2023

The province’s largest agricultural trade show kicks off this week, as the Pacific Agriculture Show…

BC vine damage discussed

January 24, 2023

The blast of cold air Okanagan vineyards experienced December 21 was a hot topic at…

Generational change for finances

January 18, 2023

With one more hike to the Bank of Canada’s policy rate widely anticipated on January…

Seed potato stocks short

January 18, 2023

Potatoes remain the top vegetable with consumers, offering good value as the price of other…

Provincial employer registry backlogged

January 18, 2023

What should have been the smoothest start to the season after three years of pandemic-related…

Ministry hires deputy ministers

January 11, 2023

Two new assistant deputy ministers are joining the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Michelle…

Isolation program keeps going

January 11, 2023

A provincial initiative designed to curb COVID-19 continues to prove useful this winter as a…

Rabobank expands lending

January 11, 2023

Three years of planning has culminated in Dutch financial services firm Rabobank working directly with…

Farm values stable despite market shifts

January 4, 2023

Property assessments will soon be landing in mailboxes across the province, with the publication of…

BC Milk opens organic stream

January 4, 2023

The BC Milk Marketing Board’s is accepting applications until February 7 from potential new entrants…

PRFA projects receive funding boost

January 4, 2023

The Peace River Forage Association of BC has received $85,380 from the BC Hydro Peace…

Generational change in BC potato business

January 1, 2023

DELTA – A veteran of the seed potato sector has stepped down after 44 years…

FARM NEWS UPDATE

August 5, 2026

Loading form…

Your information will not be
shared or sold ever

All content on this website is copyrighted, and cannot be republished or reproduced without permission.

1 day 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

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

View Comments

Likes: 23
Shares: 6
Comments: 3

Comment on Facebook

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.

... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 2
Shares: 0
Comments: 0

2 days ago

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

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 36
Shares: 4
Comments: 4

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🌟

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.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Cash Flows

www.countrylifeinbc.com

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�...

Likes: 5
Shares: 3
Comments: 1

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!

3 days ago

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.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 4
Shares: 0
Comments: 0