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Originally published:

September 2023
Vol. 109 Issue 9

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Stories In This Edition

Breaking point

Summer lovin’

International exports climb

Moon shines among BC grape growers

Exodus

Back 40: The line of fire raises burning questions

Viewpoint: Targeted grazing could help FireSmart communities

Water curtailments squeeze forage production

Committee report recommends apple commission

Ag Briefs: BC Tree CEO takes leave of absence

Ag Briefs: Hargreaves to lead cranberries

Ag Briefs: New federal minister

Starling control program meets expectations

New society looks to protect property rights

Marketing board chooses new entrant finalists

New funding for First Nations agriculture

Grape growers strategize for recovery

Nex gen’ hops for today’s brewers

Grasslands take carbon storage underground

Farm Story: Crop flops admid potato perfection

Off-the-grid organic farm thrives on efficiency

XY Ranch celebrates 100 years in Peace

Too close for comfort

Ranchers get the backstory on public perception

Sidebar: Build on the public’s trust, not its criticism

Small-scale goat, sheep dairies approved

Wytincks honoured at national show

Sidebar: Best in Show goes to BC producer

Sustainable practices attract a following

Fungicide resistance of botrytis studied

Farmers urge a coordinated drought response

Peary-y nice

Woodshed: Water finds its level for Gladdie, and Kenneth

Cidery harvest opportunity from old orchard

New flavours for fall

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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.

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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.

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Congratulations!!!

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Congratulations Duncan and Jane Trott Barnett Well deserved recognition

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Duncan and Jane!!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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2 weeks 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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2 months 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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2 months 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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Ranchers get the backstory on public perception

Industry team spins good PR for Canada’s beef sector

This year's Beef Zone at the PNE in Vancouver was a hit as volunteers including, left to right, Erika Fossen and her daughters Adele, Reine and Jade of Bar 7 Ranch in Rock Creek shared their love of beef and ranching with fairgoers. Highlights of this year's display included the roping station and the newly released Guardians of the Grasslands video game. BC CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

September 13, 2023 byTom Walker

VERNON – Ranchers might be concerned about how the public sees their industry, but a producer-funded team at the Canadian Cattle Association has their back.

Amy Peck, manager of the Canadian Cattle Association’s public and stakeholder engagement program, gave an overview of her team’s work on behalf of the industry at the BC Cattlemen’s Association annual convention in Vernon in May.

“My team focuses on public perception of beef and the beef industry,” Peck says. “We work to build public trust in the way cattle are raised in Canada.”

Peck’s team, funded by the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, was behind the award-winning Guardians of the Grasslands movie. This spring, it released the Alberta edition of the new Guardians of the Grasslands game, with the BC edition set to launch this fall.

Peck’s team also conducts on-going research into public perceptions and issues, as well as conducting advocacy work for the industry.

“Our research gives us a feel of how Canadians think about agriculture and beef production, and we can use that information in our future work,” she explains.

Peck says Canadians have a very positive impression of the cattle industry overall. Her team sees a lot of public trust from Canadians in ranchers’ ability to produce quality food and to have a positive economic impact, particularly in rural Canada.

“There is lots of trust in the people and the product,” she says. “But somewhat less trust in how we produce it, whether that is using innovation, being good stewards, limiting our carbon footprint and treating animals well. And that is because they don’t understand what happens on farms and ranches.”

But there is a lot of affinity for beef among Canadian consumers, with 80% to 90% considering beef a good source of protein.

“They love the taste and think that it is a safe, high quality and healthy food,” Peck says.

The program also considers other research, such as the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s annual report on public trust and perception of the food system.

The top five issues CCFI identified in its latest survey were the cost of food, inflation, the cost of energy, keeping healthy food affordable and the Canadian economy, Peck says.

“We are seeing that environmental concerns are not in the top 10,” she says.  “If you are concerned about being able to afford to feed your family, the environment becomes less important.”

Peck also shared research from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.

AAFC has found the differences in how consumers view Canadian farmers isn’t based on a particular practice, as few are able to reference one.

“The difference is not a statistic; it’s not something they have read along the way, it is how they feel about farmers,” she says. “So the average Canadian is not saying we want you to do more cover cropping or rotational grazing or no till. They simply don’t know enough about them.”

Millennials, Peck says, are more sceptical. They’re less positive about ranchers’ environmental impact and their humane treatment of animals than the rest of the population. They are also more likely to eat plant-based meat alternatives than beef.

“Part of that is that millennials are further removed from food production than the older generation,” she says. “So we focus on 35-year-old moms who are making the majority of food purchasing decisions. That’s who Guardians of the Grasslands was created for. That is why it is so emotional. It’s to reach these people.”

Part of the advocacy work Peck undertakes is an on-going presence in national media.

“We write letters to the editor and then invite local producers to author them so that they come from a primary producer, but we save time,” she explains.

They also compose op-eds such as a recent one they credited to Ann Wasko about how reducing beef consumption would actually be worse for achieving Canada’s climate goals.

“That was all about the loss of native grasslands,” Peck says.

Submitting op-eds costs nothing, Peck points out.

“And this particular one ran in six different publications, with a reach of close to six million views,” she says.

Peck’s team targets TV as well, often picking an event such as Canada’s Agriculture Day in February and pitching TV producers to interview local farmers.

“We had Melissa Atchison from the Manitoba Beef Producers talking about wildlife habitat on Manitoba ranches on CTV News Winnipeg,” she says.

Social media is also included.

“We organized an influencers’ tour last summer inviting them to come out and meet a local ranching family and hear their story,” explains Peck.

One of them was celebrity chef Antonio Park of Park Restaurant in Montreal who avows a love of beef but had never been on a cattle ranch.

“We took him to Brylee Farm who were the 2021 Quebec Cattle Producers Environmental Stewardship award winners. They have formed a lifelong friendship and Park is able to share the rancher’s story,” says Peck.

The ultimate aim of the public and stakeholder engagement team is to build public trust and maintain the industry’s social licence.

“The good thing is that Canadians, and millennials in particular, are very interested in learning more about beef, and that is an opportunity for us,” she says.

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