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Originally published:

DECEMBER 2021
Vol. 107 Issue 12

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Stories In This Edition

Catastrophic flooding

Wash out

Editorial: Rebuilding food security

Back 40: A farmer’s journey doesn’t always pay for itself

Viewpoint:

Dairy industry takes swift action on animal abuse

Producers urged to make emergency plans

Province sets agenda for tree fruit future

Ag Briefs: Province moves to shut down mink farms

Ag Briefs: Interior Opportunities

Ag Briefs: BCAC meetings bear fruit

Ag Briefs: Trade focus

North Okanagan ranchers brief on key issues

Sidebar: Strong retail, disappointing feeder prices

Frustration over ‘timber-centric’ range bill

Livestock protection program up for review

Honey producers get technology transfer program

Chicken squadron

Quality over quantity for blueberry pollination

New slaughter regs helpful but not enough

Sidebar: Changes welcome

Sheep producers have tough year

The old heave-ho

Grant revives Pacific field corn trials

Cannabis grower eyes mushroom production

New poinsettia varieties trialed in Abbotsford

Nursery sales stay brisk through pandemic

Job satisfaction has deep roots

Newcomers revitalize Lake Country orchard

Cariboo research looks to extend growing season

Full circle operation upcycles food waste

BC company specializes in bio control

Farm Story: Idyllic worlds have very little idleness in them

Blueberry farming is stress-busting for new chair

Research: To till or not to till? That’s actually not the question

Christmas tree growers face a grim future

Woodshed: An awkward encounter; a clever diversion

A century of dairy farming in Pitt Meadows

Jude’s Kitchen: Celebrate! Celebrate

More Headlines

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3 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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5 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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Producers urged to make emergency plans

As climate-related incidents rise, farmers must keep safety in mind

December 1, 2021 byKate Ayers

VICTORIA – When flooding hit Sumas Prairie last month, years of efforts by the BC Dairy Association to prepare producers for disaster paid off.

Working with the provincial government, the association developed an emergency planning workbook for members. A template pulls together key information producers should have at hand in the event of an emergency, including a site plan, farm profile and contact list.

The association also oversees a buddy system that allows producers to shift cattle to a buddy farm when wildfires or floods approach, something that came in handy both during the recent floods and the summer’s wildfires.

Thousands of cattle were relocated, with 43 animals taking refuge in Agassiz at the property of BC Dairy chair Holger Schwichtenberg.

“It’s been amazing to watch the community come together to help each other out,” he says. “People rescuing cows by opening their barns or offering transportation and coming with trucks and trailers.”

The system is one he doesn’t take for granted. While his own farm has an emergency preparedness plan should a natural disaster strike, his buddy farm is in the Interior. Reaching it would have been impossible last month when more than 225 mm of rain triggered mudslides that shut down Hwy 7.

“My heart goes out to those who had to leave their farms behind,” he says.

This year’s extreme weather underscores the necessity of better preparation on the part of producers, strong partnerships and access to the right insurance and business risk management program coverage, says Graham Knox, director of the Emergency Management & Climate Change branch with the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

Planning not only helps mitigate risks and ensures the safety of families and workers, especially for operations in remote locations, it also increases the resilience of operations during the recovery phase.

“At the most basic level, it’s about business continuity. Getting back and recovering as quickly as possible,” says Knox. “If you can prepare by assessing your hazards, preventing and mitigating, that’s going to mean, when those incidents arrive, the impact on you is hopefully avoided or significantly reduced. The potential losses or impacts to your business or how long it takes to get back up to speed is really influenced by having that … emergency plan.”

Preparing an emergency plan for large acreages, complex infrastructure, people and livestock may seem daunting, but resources are available to help with this process. BC Dairy’s workbook breaks down the planning process into bite-sized chunks, for example, making it easier for producers to plan.

“You don’t want to be overwhelmed by the prospect of building a plan,” says Knox. “Even a little action in terms of thinking and putting something together, can provide significant payback in the event of an emergency.”

The cost of preparedness is far less than the cost of response and recovery, he adds.

Knox suggests producers reach out to their respective sector associations to see if they have emergency planning workbooks. Provincial emergency management organizations also provide information, tools and resources to assist with planning. Different operations require different approaches, depending on size and complexity.

“There are different resources and complexities within operations. Even if you don’t end up with a big plan, just … (reviewing) the questions is a good first step,” says Knox. “We have some business consulting services available through one of our ministry programs to help producers go through their plans. Ag Safe can also work with and help producers.”

A farm’s emergency preparedness plan will be tailored to its operations. Similarly, producers need to know their own responsibilities with disaster strikes. These may include understanding the risks and types of disasters that occur in their area, training family members and workers on their emergency plans and testing it and building local networks to increase resiliency and provide mutual assistance, says Knox.

The province also has responsibilities in emergencies, including acting as a coordinating agency during livestock, poultry and plant disease events, developing and maintaining hazard-specific emergency management plans, and providing emergency education, outreach and resources for producers, producer associations, local authorities and First Nations, says Knox.

Next summer, the province will launch specialized tools to better prepare the agriculture industry for more extreme climate events. It recently allocated funding for two emergency response trailers to support livestock producers as well as associated training specific to agriculture and farm needs.

Producers can register for Premises ID and should always have their numbers on hand. This can facilitate communications with farmers in the run-up and aftermath of events, including notifications of incoming extreme weather events that could affect their land and animals.

“It’s almost a priceless registration for us right now, because we know exactly where registered farms are and how many animals they have,” says agriculture minister Lana Popham as staff continued to work last month to assist more than 1,100 farms under evacuation orders or alerts as a result of record rainfall.

Two-thirds of livestock producers and all supply-managed livestock premises are registered with the program, according to the province. A new Premises ID regulation under the BC Animal Health Act promises to make it mandatory in 2022.

But the development of more on-farm supports as extreme weather events become more common is critical. While weather impacts farm properties, farmers bear the financial cost of natural disasters, adding to existing levels of stress.

“The other big challenge for producers is the cumulative impact … the sense of being constantly under threat,” says Knox. “You’re affected by the 2017 wildfires and then the 2018 wildfires and then again in 2021. … Some people are starting to feel that in the Interior.”

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