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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

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4 days ago

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details. ... See MoreSee Less

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details.
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2 weeks ago

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the province's deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed. ... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the provinces deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed.
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Sounds like 2 weeks to flatten the curve turning into 2 years.

USDA doing avian vax research, May 11 bio-docs to UN incl section on H5N8 w/wild bird spread. Found link to apparent pre-release on May 11 Geller Report. Good luck farmers.

3 weeks ago

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.” ... See MoreSee Less

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.”
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Killing our food chain. How do we know they are actually carrying a virus, look what's taking place with covid, is it real.

Ik kan niet zo goed Engels maar als ik het goed begrijp is bij jullie ook vogelgriep maar nog niet bij jullie

Any idea when this episode or bird flu might be over?

3 weeks ago

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions. ... See MoreSee Less

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions.
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4 weeks ago

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises. ... See MoreSee Less

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises.
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Producers urged to make emergency plans

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

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.”

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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