Province funds tissue disposal

The province is providing $500,000 to help BC abattoirs deal with waste animal tissue following slaughter.

“This is great news,” says Nova Woodbury, executive director of the BC Association of Abattoirs, one of a number of industry representatives who advised the province on the funding. “Animal hide prices are low, options for waste disposal are increasingly limited and disposal costs are increasing.”

The funds are the residue of the $5 million Livestock Waste Tissue Initiative the province set up under the BC Waste and Specified Risk Material Handling and Disposal Strategy in 2005.

The program aimed to support processors adapting to new government regulations regarding the disposal of animal tissue. A portion was then made available to municipalities and the program has now been “revitalized” to assist processors.

The funding provides up to $40,000 per applicant to cover half the cost of projects including composting systems, cold storage and transport systems specifically for livestock waste tissue and infrastructure upgrades directly related to livestock waste tissue disposal systems.

All licensed abattoirs located in BC are eligible to apply, as well as BC processors handling Specified Risk Materials (SRM), not-for-profit organizations representing the abattoir and livestock sectors and Indigenous organizations with direct connections to abattoirs and meat processors.

Woodbury says several of her members intend to apply when applications open September 8. The deadline for submissions is September 25 at 4:30pm. Program details are available at [https://iafbc.ca/livestock-waste-tissue-initiative/].

Heavy smoke from the United States continues to blanket Okanagan fruit and grape crops. Air quality warnings persist, complicating life for producers who hire pickers, who already are in short supply this year. Normally, this view of Tantalus Vineyards is set against the backdrop of the mountains and Okanagan Lake. This morning at 11, it looked much different. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

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Respondents to a provincial intentions paper regarding residential uses in the Agricultural Land Reserve want whatever the province decides to be clear, straight-forward and respect farmland. A total of 29 local governments (out of 153 that include properties in the ALR) participated in the consultation and 257 submissions were received from individuals and associations through June 22 (the formal consultation ended May 17). The single First Nations government invited did not participate. While individuals who commented want flexibility in terms of housing and rental options, local governments were more cautious and want a simple process that doesn’t increase their responsibilities. Pending further steps, the province is allowing landowners to place manufactured homes on properties in the ALR without approval from the ALC until July 31, 2021. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. Sign up for free weekly FARM NEWS UPDATES. buff.ly/2H3dK8k ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

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Dont you think it is worth noting that of the 17 page document touted as a summary of public engagement less than one 1 page was a very brief and hand picked summary of the actual public responses? The majority was given over to Local Government responses. Not much respect for the farmers, ALR owners and their supporters opinions as far as I can see.

29 out of 153 local governments responded, that's 18.9%. At the 2019 UBCM there was an overwhelming vote, 99% in favour, to restore residential options in the ALR.

Paul and Corne Moerman, cousins from Sunnyside Produce Ltd. in Surrey, have been named as one of the Four Under Forty Greenhouse Grower national award winners announced at today's virtual greenhouse grower day. The cousins were raised in the greenhouse with their dads and are now part of a large operation with over 70 acres of peppers. One of their accomplishments was taking over management of the company's grading and packing line when it was built and they'd finished some post secondary education. “The cousins love that every day is a new challenge.” [Photo/Sunnyside Greenhouses] ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

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Pink caution tape to prevent customers from touching produce, hand sanitizing stations, restrictions on the number of customers entering, physical distancing and masks are all signs of the times at BC farmers markets this summer. ... See MoreSee Less

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Beekeepers in the Cowichan Valley have placed 20 traps in the Duncan-Lake Cowichan corridor in response to what provincial apiculturist Paul van Westendorp describes as "four credible but non-verified sightings" in the area over the past month of Asian hornets. One species of the hornet, Vespa mandarinia, was identified in Nanaimo last summer and a nest in the city destroyed in September. The traps in the Cowichan Valley will aim to confirm the hornet’s presence there, and expands ongoing surveillance in Nanaimo as well as along 0 Avenue in White Rock, Surrey and Langley. Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) trapped its first Asian giant hornet near Birch Bay on July 14. Barbara Johnstone Grimmer provides an update on the hornet and why efforts to monitor and eradicate the hornet is important to BC agriculture in the August edition of Country Life in BC. Subscribe: buff.ly/2NqQQek. PHOTO/PAUL VAN WESTENDORP ... See MoreSee Less

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Yo agarre esta en mi casa en una ventana se metio

Just to be clear, it is the Cowichan beekeepers that are putting up all the traps and monitoring in the Cowichan area NOT the Ministry of Agriculture staff. These beekeepers are all volunteers. It is disheartening to see their personal efforts not recognized. Furthermore this volunteer work is over and above their reguĺar beekeeping work and comes at a very busy time in the beekeeping season. So please give them a big hand and thank you for their efforts.

I think it is very cool.

Amber Frizzle-clifford one of those comes in one door at the store, run out the other door lol

Heather Cairns

Keith Gordon

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