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JUNE 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 5

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2 days ago

BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

#BCAg
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Congratulations!!!

Congratulations!

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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3 days ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
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1 month ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
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1 month ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

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Milk board undertakes review

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A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
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1 month ago

BC wool shipments drop sharply in 2023, according to StatsCan data released in mid-April. Local producers shipped just 5,200kg at 37¢/kg, down from 18,600kg at $1.08/kg in 2022. While many farmers now use wool on-farm or dispose of it due to low market value, innovative producers like Emily McIvor point to untapped opportunities. Read more in our Farm News Update from Country Life in BC.

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BC wool value, volume drop

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BC sheep producers shipped less wool for less in 2023, reversing strong growth a year earlier. BC producers shipped 5,200 kilograms of raw wool in 2023, according to Statistics Canada data released on...
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Poultry processing goes mobile

Ben Glassen has created a mobile abattoir to help Farmgate Plus licensees on Vancouver Island process their birds. SUBMITTED.

July 12, 2023 byKate Ayers

For the last two years, Ben Glassen of Nanaimo’s Glassen Farms has processed his own chickens and turkeys for retail sale as well as undertaken custom slaughter of poultry and game birds for personal consumption by others.

But last week, he hit the road and began processing birds at neighbouring farms which he helped to obtain Farmgate Plus licences so he could set up shop on their properties.

With a Farmgate Plus licence, they’re able to host Glassen’s mobile abattoir on their properties.

“They need to produce 50% of the product that goes through the plant. And then the other 50% can be custom [work] from other small farms in the area,” Glassen says. “And so, my goal is to get these farms their licence, and then run my business to serve their farm and other farms in the area, including my farm.”

So far, Glassen has navigated three Nanaimo-area farms through the licensing process and Glassen hopes to add more, moving forward.

Glassen processes on Mondays and Fridays and farmers can now book slaughter dates on The Good Place Abattoir webpage.

“We’re starting at 100 birds a week and we would like to build to 200 or 300,” he says. “In the first week after announcing it, I have a dozen different farms that are booked in.”

His original trailer has been renovated to handle the new, broader mandate.

“This past spring, we renovated the interior of the trailer into a commercial kitchen space with washable walls, a sink, lights, electricity, all of the things,” Glassen says.

For a fee, Glassen will use vacuum bagging and custom labelling, so that customers are farmers market-ready with their products.

Ultimately, Glassen want to build a dedicated team to manage the trailer.

“My long-term goals are not necessarily to continue running and owning this thing,” he says. “I just need to be a customer. And so my goal, now that I’ve established it, is to build the systems and … hopefully find the right team that would take over this business and continue running it into the future.”

Beyond the poultry processing trailer, Glassen eyes building out a red meat version and perhaps even a brick-and-mortar retail butcher shop where farmers can get their animals processed and have a venue to sell their products to consumers.

 

 

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