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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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Province pledges emergency funding

4:23 PM In addition to emergency funding announced by the province, Delta South MLA and agriculture critic Ian Paton organized a work party of 12 Delta farmers to help load 265 bales of hay destined for Sageview Ranch in Kamloops for evacuated horses and livestock on the weekend. The hay was donated by Danny Sherrell Farms and trucking was provided by Mike Wolzen Trucking.

August 11, 2021 byKate Ayers And Peter Mitham

BC has announced emergency funding to support farmers and ranchers impacted by wildfires, heat and drought this year.

While the exact amount is undetermined and several details have yet to be worked out, the province has taken the immediate action of invoking the late participation provision of the AgriStability program.

The original deadline was June 30, but that’s been extended until December 31, 2022. Late participants will receive a 20% lower payment than those who enrolled prior to the June 30 enrolment deadline. This lower payment will be partially offset by an increase in interim payments from 50% to 75% of estimated final payments.

Provincial staff tipped the move in discussions with several producer groups at the end of July. While higher interim payments are good news, growers will have to wait “several weeks” from the date of application to receive cash relief.

“We appreciate that government, both provincially and federally, have listened to farmers in BC and across the country and have stepped up to help farmers during a difficult year,” said Danielle Synotte, executive director of the BC Agriculture Council.

However, she said industry encourages BC to increase AgriStability compensation rates from 70% to 80% for the 2021/22 program years. Previous measures authorizing this lapsed at the end of the March.

“We appreciate that BC has been pushing for this change nationally,” says Synotte. “BC needs to continue showing leadership as they have done in the past couple of years and make this change.”

A wildfire emergency feed program will also provide up to two weeks of support for commercial livestock businesses that cannot access their normal feed supply due to ongoing fires. Businesses can also access support if forage has been burned, is unsafe for consumption, or was used earlier in the production cycle than anticipated.

But the program is not intended to supply feed in response to the drought conditions.

A federal-provincial AgriRecovery initiative is also being hammered out to assist farmers and ranchers with recovery costs incurred as a result of this year’s wildfires and drought conditions.

The initiative is funded with $100 million that Ottawa allocated under the AgriRecovery framework announced August 6 to address “the immediate extraordinary costs faced by producers due to the drought and wildfires.” Costs are shared 60-40 with between BC and Ottawa.

A similar program in response to the 2017 wildfires in BC provided $20 million in support to farmers and ranchers, but the province could not pin a value of this year’s program.

The province directs farmers and ranchers to contact their First Nation or local authorities for more information and emergency guidance as these groups are responsible for emergency management decisions in their respective jurisdictions.

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