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APRIL 2021
Vol. 107 Issue 4

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Today’s provincial budget has given a $4.4 million boost to agriculture ministry operations, lifting the ministry’s annual budget to $99.8 million. This is up from $95.4 million last year. The majority of the funds go to "Agriculture Resources” while $600,000 will support "science, policy and inspection" investments. An additional $60,000 is allocated to the Agricultural Land Commission, which now has $5 million to work with. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranches. Subscribe now to receive the May edition. buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

8 hours ago

Today’s provincial budget has given a $4.4 million boost to agriculture ministry operations, lifting the ministry’s annual budget to $99.8 million. This is up from $95.4 million last year. The majority of the funds go to Agriculture Resources” while $600,000 will support science, policy and inspection investments. An additional $60,000 is allocated to the Agricultural Land Commission, which now has $5 million to work with. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranches. Subscribe now to receive the May edition. buff.ly/2ReiFur
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Warren Sarafinchan’s contract with BC Tree Fruits has been extended for five years. BCTF president Steve Brown made the announcement on Friday. Sarafinchan was first hired in September 2019, the co-op's fifth CEO in eight years. He took the reins as a governance report reported the co-op was in "a serious life-threatening crisis.” “In his short time with the Cooperative Warren and his team have been working tirelessly to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and has taken major steps to right size all aspects of the organization,” says Brown. The governance study that was approved by a super majority set the stage for Sarafinchan and the board to move forward with selling assets, increasing plant efficiencies and offering an Apple Quality Assurance Program to encourage growers to deliver quality fruit. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC’s farmers and writers. ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

Warren Sarafinchan’s contract with BC Tree Fruits has been extended for five years. BCTF president Steve Brown made the announcement on Friday. Sarafinchan was first hired in September 2019, the co-ops fifth CEO in eight years. He took the reins as a governance report reported the co-op was in a serious life-threatening crisis.”  “In his short time with the Cooperative Warren and his team have been working tirelessly to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and has taken major steps to right size all aspects of the organization,” says Brown. The governance study that was approved by a super majority set the stage for Sarafinchan and the board to move forward with selling assets, increasing plant efficiencies and offering an Apple Quality Assurance Program to encourage growers to deliver quality fruit. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC’s farmers and writers.
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BC Milk Marketing Board chair Ben Janzen bid an emotional farewell during the final spring producer meeting on April 15. Janzen retires as board chair July 31, but this week’s Zoom meetings were a final public engagement with producers. “It takes a lot of work to do what Ben has done, and I know he’s yearning to spend time with his family and on his farm,” said vice-chair Tom Hoogendoorn in offering thanks for Janzen’s 21 years of service with the board over the past 25 years. Janzen thanked producers for the opportunity to serve and his wife and family for supporting his work on behalf of industry. “It’s disappointing to say goodbye speaking into a computer screen … but the reality is that the industry will continue to progress,” said Janzen, noting that everyone from producers to tradespeople and consumers have a part to play. “It’s been a great honour and a great privilege to be part of this very dynamic industry.” [Image: Ben Janzen, right, congratulates Dick Klein Geltink for his long career in agricultural politics during the 2018 dairy conference.] ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

BC Milk Marketing Board chair Ben Janzen bid an emotional farewell during the final spring producer meeting on April 15. Janzen retires as board chair July 31, but this week’s Zoom meetings were a final public engagement with producers. “It takes a lot of work to do what Ben has done, and I know he’s yearning to spend time with his family and on his farm,” said vice-chair Tom Hoogendoorn in offering thanks for Janzen’s 21 years of service with the board over the past 25 years. Janzen thanked producers for the opportunity to serve and his wife and family for supporting his work on behalf of industry. “It’s disappointing to say goodbye speaking into a computer screen … but the reality is that the industry will continue to progress,” said Janzen, noting that everyone from producers to tradespeople and consumers have a part to play. “It’s been a great honour and a great privilege to be part of this very dynamic industry.” [Image: Ben Janzen, right, congratulates Dick Klein Geltink for his long career in agricultural politics during the 2018 dairy conference.]
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BC poultry producers will received $86.8 million as part of a $691 million federal compensation package for market access concessions granted under the CP-TPP free trade agreement with Canada’s Pacific Rim trading partners. Details of the arrangement have been two years in the making. Compensation will be paid out over 10 years and cover up to 70% of the cost of eligible investments the typical poultry farm undertakes. Individual farms will be allocated an amount reflecting their quota as of January 1, 2021. Ottawa has also promised producers compensation for market access granted under CUSMA. Details have yet to be revealed but all eyes are on next week’s federal budget for hints of what’s in store. More info is available in this morning's Farm News Update. Sign up for free at buff.ly/2H3dK8k. ... See MoreSee Less

7 days ago

BC poultry producers will received $86.8 million as part of a $691 million federal compensation package for market access concessions granted under the CP-TPP free trade agreement with Canada’s Pacific Rim trading partners. Details of the arrangement have been two years in the making. Compensation will be paid out over 10 years and cover up to 70% of the cost of eligible investments the typical poultry farm undertakes. Individual farms will be allocated an amount reflecting their quota as of January 1, 2021. Ottawa has also promised producers compensation for market access granted under CUSMA. Details have yet to be revealed but all eyes are on next week’s federal budget for hints of what’s in store. More info is available in this mornings Farm News Update. Sign up for free at buff.ly/2H3dK8k.
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No they aren't actually watering yet. Arterra Wines was testing their overhead sprinkler system at Sunrock Vineyards just north of Osoyoos this week in preparation for the summer growing season. Overheads are used primarily to support the growth of cover crops between the rows of vines. But it won't be long before actual watering begins for Okanagan fruit growers. It has been a particularly dry spring so far with below average precipitation in January and February and an extreme low of 2.6 mm of rain recorded in Kelowna for March. That's just 12% of the seasonal average of 21.6mm. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago

No they arent actually watering yet. Arterra Wines was testing their overhead sprinkler system at Sunrock Vineyards just north of Osoyoos this week in preparation for the summer growing season. Overheads are used primarily to support the growth of cover crops between the rows of vines. But it wont be long before actual watering begins for Okanagan fruit growers. It has been a particularly dry spring so far with below average precipitation in January and February and an extreme low of 2.6 mm of rain recorded in Kelowna for March. Thats just 12% of the seasonal average of 21.6mm. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranchers.
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Pandemic puts the squeeze on blueberry growers

Reduced workforce threatens fruit quality

Rajinder Singh Lally says he’s spent more than $50,000 on personal protective equipment to keep his staff safe while harvesting and processing this year’s blueberry crop. It’s a significant expense, especially when a labour shortage could result in a smaller harvest this season. PHOTO / SARBMEET SINGH

August 1, 2020 bySarbmeet Singh

by SARBMEET SINGH
ABBOTSFORD – BC blueberry growers face tighter profit margins this year due to COVID-19.
Public health protocols have created additional costs including the need for personal protective equipment for workers’ safety and a hike in labour costs. Meanwhile, fewer workers in the fields mean fruit could over-ripen, reducing quality and prices.
“We have spent more than $50,000 on the equipment including gloves, masks and hand sanitizer. Additionally, to maintain social distancing during lunch times, we have placed new tents for the workers,” says Rajinder Singh Lally, owner of Lally Farms in Abbotsford, pointing towards the new Plexiglas dividers being installed at his packing house to ensure social distancing between workers.
Lally owns 13 farms totalling 500 acres. Despite his size, he feels the extra costs are likely to reduce his profit margins.
Besides spending money on personal protective equipment – a significant cost in itself – farms are having to hire additional workers to sanitize everything from crates to retail areas.
Kris Maan at Maan Country Farms is also feeling the pinch due to the need for additional staff to maintain a high level of sanitation at the popular agri-tourism venue.
“We have hired workers just for sanitization,” he says. “They keep on sanitizing various things at the farm. We are very cautious about the disease. This has increased our costs.”
Farmers also fear over-ripening of fruit that can’t be harvested as quickly because of the need to maintain social distancing among workers. Picking began this year in early July and will last into September. The farm labour contractors who provide workers need to make more trips to deliver the same number of workers to farms, and there are also specific protocols at the farms themselves.
“We are planning to enroll the workers in picking berries by keeping them at a distance of at least one row. This will, however, cause over-ripening due to slow picking leading to a decline in price,” says Bhupinder Singh, a Punjabi farmer in Langley.
“We need around 200 people to pick berries in our farm,” says Parmjeet Sahota, who farms in Pitt Meadows. “This year we are not getting enough labour and that can result in over-ripening of the fruit because the berries can’t wait to be picked.”
The need to maintain space among workers is compounding troubles associated with a shortage of labour. To tackle the situation, farm owners are offering higher wages for pickers.
“In the past, we used to offer 50 to 60 cents per pound for picking berries for early and mid-season varieties, respectively. This year, we are planning to hike that by up to 10 cents per pound,” says Lally.
On an average, one person can pick around 300 pounds of berries per day, which means Lally will pay around $30 more per day to each worker. As hundreds of workers work at the farm, this will result in hundreds of extra dollars in harvest costs, and a reduction in profit margins. With an average yield of 12,000 pounds an acre, the extra pay could boost costs by up to $1,200 an acre.
Farm owners say many people are reluctant to work due to the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit, which Ottawa has announced will run an additional eight weeks until August 29. CERB pays $500 a week to workers who have lost work due to COVID-19, or about $2,000 a month. Recipients can accept work, but wages are capped at $1,000 before the benefit starts being clawed back. This means farmers would have to pay a full-time worker at least $3,000 a month in order for employment to be competitive with staying at home.
“The aid given by the federal government is also luring the people to not resume work. Monthly aid by the government is another factor contributing to the prevailing shortage of labour,” says Balraj Singh of Abbotsford. “When people can get money by sitting idle at their homes, why will they come to farms?”
But there’s also another reason for the shortage of workers that’s unique to Indo-Canadian farms.
A large number of Indo-Canadians rush to Punjab to visit their homeland in winter, a time when most of the marriages are held in Punjab. They return in April and May. However, due to COVID this year, many of them were not able to return on time as per their schedule.
“I went to India to attend (the) marriage ceremony of my relatives in December last year. I was scheduled to return by April end. However, due to COVID, all the flights were cancelled,” says Gurnam Singh, who worked on berry farms last year but has been unable to return to Canada for this season. “When the Canadian government started repatriating the Canadians, the costly flight tickets was another challenge before me. So, I decided to remain in Punjab for some more time and wait for the tickets to get cheaper.”

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