Province files AgriRecovery request

The province has asked Ottawa to support an AgriRecovery program for the province’s beef sector, days after representatives of the province’s grape and wine sector asked agriculture minister Pam Alexis for similar support in response to last December’s devastating freeze event that killed a third of their vineyards.

“I have spoken with federal minister [Marie-Claude] Bibeau to ensure she is aware of the gravity of the situation,” Alexis said regarding the circumstances of livestock producers suffering the impacts of drought and fire. “We need the federal government’s support during this challenging time and I am continuing to advocate strongly for the agriculture community. Just as we’ve done with other recent challenges, we will get through this by working together.”

Ministry staff told Country Life in BC that other “farmers and producers who are facing challenges due to the impacts of wildfires and drought” can register as late participants in AgriStability, a business risk management program that addresses extraordinary shortfalls in revenue. The arrangement will see the advance payment rate boosted from 50% to 75%.

Business risk management programs are on the agenda at this week’s annual meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture in Fredericton. In the meantime, the province encourages producers “directly impacted by the current drought” to contact the agriculture ministry.

“We encourage any farmers or ranchers directly impacted by the current drought to contact our AgriService BC line at 1 888 221-7141 with their concerns,” staff said. “From there, ministry staff can help farmers and ranchers access existing programs or put them in touch with a regional agrologist for specialized assistance.”

No mention was made of support for winter-killed vineyards and the impact on the wine industry, which are set to see a $133 million decrease in total revenues this year and the potential loss of 381 jobs, or 20% of sector employment.

Wine Growers BC president and CEO Miles Prodan was not available to comment.

Prodan was attending this week’s annual meeting of Wine Growers Canada in Ontario, where growers recently secured an AgriRecovery program to help them recover from the effects of extreme weather a year ago.

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6 hours ago

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11 hours ago

Forty-six regions in BC are eligible to participate in the federal livestock tax deferral program, announced yesterday, more than anywhere else in the country. The program allows producers who downsize their breeding herds by 15% to defer reporting the proceeds until the following year, when they buy replacement stock. But after multiple years of drought, the BC beef herd is cruising 25-year lows and some producers are calling for more support to maintain and rebuild their herds. For more, see: [www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-leads-livestock-tax-deferrals/]

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4 days ago

After weeks and weeks of no moisture, there's rain in Kelowna today. While much more moisture is needed over the coming weeks and months to reduce drought conditions and the air smells of wet campfire, the slow, steady rain is very welcome for fruit grower#BCAg#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

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5 days ago

The first Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Grassland Set-aside Variety Trial Field Day was held at Delta's family-owned Tecarte Farms, August 27. Co-owner Bill Bates and DFWT executive director Christine Schmalz welcomed more than 35 people to view seven acres planted to different grassland blends specifically chosen to rejuvenate the soil and support the farm's blueberries. For the Bates family, it was time to try something different following the decline of the field's blueberry bushes over the past several years. "We tried everything, and nothing worked," says Bates. The blueberries were removed in May and the grassland crops planted about a week later.

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Bessette Creek is the latest watershed hit with a temporary fish protection order this year as the province moves to protect returning Chinook salmon. A total of 131 surface and groundwater users must cease drawing water immediately, with forage producers, greenhouses and nurseries impacted. "Declining flows in Bessette Creek reached record lows in early July 2026 and have remained below the minimum level required to support fish population survival," says the province. Bessette producers have embraced voluntary cutbacks, scheduled irrigation and other measures to reduce water use, and are also waiting on funding to boost water storage infrastructure. They're the second group of producers hit with a provincial order this year. Salmon River irrigators were told to top watering earlier this month following a reprieve to address wildfire risk. Growers in both the Salmon River and Bessette watersheds are urging the province to support new water storage infrastructure in advance of next year.

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There is a problem... having lived in the salmon river ( silver creek ) area, I remember a fish biologist telling family members that salmon only "survive" in high iron content creeks, they do not "thrive".... salmon river ( silver creek ) is a very high iron content, would stain clothes brown when i would use bleach... So don't expect high salmon numbers off of that creek , even in ideal situations...

I just wish they would take an interest in CHASE CREEK....went bone dry...100% of trout abd other species died...smell was terrible from rotting fish. Understand this has happened many times in the past. Chase Irrigation District totally responsible for this disaster. Now fishermen are complaining about major drop in water levels at Pillar Lake.

They could not mismanage things worse than they have. It's impossible for them to. The fact that farmers that we need for our animals are now suffering the consequences our governments have not protected us from, is absolutely fucking wild.