Raspberry replant funding boost

The province has committed an additional $300,000 to extend the raspberry replant program for a third year.

“The new investment in this program will help more BC growers replant their fields with varieties that will support their businesses,” BC Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says.

Originally launched in late 2020, the initiative has received close to $400,000 in provincial funding to date. The latest allocation, which will support plantings in 2023, ups the total to nearly $700,000.

“The new funding allows growers to pre-order plants from the nurseries a year in advance,” a statement by the province says.

However, demand for replant funding by growers has largely fallen short of expectations.

The program was over-subscribed in 2021, with $104,000 disbursed versus a commitment of $90,000. But of an additional $300,000 allocated for the 2022 year, the province estimates that just $184,000 will be disbursed.

To date, the program has supported replanting on 120 acres. Varieties funded include those that grow well in BC’s coastal climate and are more suitable for the fresh market, IQF and high-value processed products.

The province has yet to renew funding for a replant program for apples, despite pleas from orchardists and strong support during the province’s budget consultations.

Georgina Beyers, who is overseeing the province’s vision for regenerative agriculture and agritech, told the annual conference of OrganicBC that future iterations of the province’s replant programs could mandate regenerative practices.

While the raspberry replant program is helping growers respond to the impacts of climate change, she says the ministry could provide specific direction to growers.

“[It] is certainly an area where the ministry could provide emphasis on the adoption of regenerative practices,” she says. “Not only could the ministry support replanting but also the way in which you replant and the way in which you care for that crop.”

All content on this website is copyrighted, and cannot be republished or reproduced without permission.

22 hours ago

It was another sell-out at the 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival on Saturday with organizers selling 5,000 pounds of locally-grown, fresh berries in less than five hours. Youth from the Fort Langley Lions Club's Young Lions program scooped, bagged and weighed several pallets' worth of cranberries. Ocean Spray donated the berries, which the public bought to benefit the community. Local grower The Bog was also selling fresh berries, having brought 2,700 pounds, which were on track to sell out by the end of the#BCAgt.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

View Comments

Likes: 4
Shares: 0
Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

6 days ago

There was a lot of reminiscing and appreciation of how far BC's turkey industry has come at a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the BC Turkey Association and the 60th anniversary of the BC Turkey Marketing Board yesterday in Abbotsford. With a slideshow of events and people over the years, guests laughed and had a lot to be thankful for. "It's an opportunity to celebrate the industry at a time of year that's known for turkey. It's a culmination of all the year's work," says Natalie Veles, executive director with BC Turkey Marketing Board.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 17
Shares: 0
Comments: 1

Love it - Deb Etsell I see you 🤩

7 days ago

BC was the sole province to see farmland values decline in the first half of this year, dropping 1.9% according to a Farm Credit Canada report released Octover 7. This represented an acceleration in value declines from last year, and contributed to a 3.9% decline in the 12 montsh ended June 30. The drop follows on a 1.7% decline last year, which Farm Credit Canada attributed to tougher times in the fruit sector. However, the mid-year report points to a broader slowdown in value growth diven by higher production costs, tighter margins and uncertainty around trade, tariffs and international markets.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 3
Shares: 1
Comments: 1

Ndp

3 weeks ago

Channels of communication remain open between the provincial and federal governments with respect to financial relief for extraordinary costs stemming from this summer's ongoing drought and wildfires, but the BC Cattlemen's Association is urging producers to register for AgriStability to position themselves for any AgriRecovery package. "Hardworking families in the ranching and agriculture sectors, who provide food for the province, need the AgriRecovery program in place as soon as possible," says BC Cattlemen's president Alex Kuchar. But the provincial election creates an unfortunate delay. "It's not fair, in any form of the word, to see all those people who have lost so much in the fires to have to wait in limbo," says BC Cattlemen's general manager Kevin Boon.

Photo | Barb Edmonson / Firefly Ranch, Clinton

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 6
Shares: 7
Comments: 0

Feedback on changes to rules governing food processing in the Agricultural Land Reserve has drawn about 250 submissions. But the proposal now hangs in the balance with Premier David Eby's decision to call a snap election, which also delays discussions of assistance for farmers hit hard by this year's wildfires and historic #BCAght.

#BCAg ... See MoreSee Less

Likes: 12
Shares: 2
Comments: 3

What would you expect from the NDP, when they still had a 2 year mandate?

Ridiculous timing. We have people needing answers and have to plan for winter supplies. Fires are long past, months have gone by knowing there was going to be the need for support. Drought was written on the wall even before summer began with no snow pack. This is not new to government and they are calling for another year just as bad for 2027. I throw my hands up and wonder what else needs to be more challenging than what we've experienced over the last 6 years in BC?

250 submissions.... I'm pretty sure there are more than 250 farmers in BC

OCTOBER 2026
Vol. 112 Issue 10

Raspberry replant funding boost

Related Posts