Replant program revamped

The province announced a new replant program for perennial crops on April 30, ending weeks of speculation regarding the long-awaited initiative.

Up to $15 million is being allocated for the new program, to be administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. It will have three streams, with funding disbursed on a first come, first served basis to the tree fruit, hazelnut, grape and berry sectors.

Grower representatives quoted in the province’s press release were unanimous in welcoming the announcement by BC agriculture minister Pam Alexis.

The new program combines and broadens the scope of three sector-specific replant programs for the orchard, hazelnut and raspberry sectors, and includes funds for market development, plant removal and replanting.

The orchard sector, for example, has been without a replant program since 2021, after 30 years of provincial support for orchard renewal, while the grape sector has never had a replant program.

“Tree-fruit growers in BC appreciate the investment in food security and ensuring that growers have the resources to renew their orchards,” says BC Fruit Growers’ Association vice-president Sukhdeep Brar. “[BCFGA] thanks Minister Alexis for this vote of confidence in the local production of high-quality, BC-grown produce.”

The program aims to cover 100% of removal costs and 75% of replanting costs. Sector development programs will be fully funded by the province.

But unlike previous programs, there is no timeline for the funding, and no allocation to specific streams. Sector development and plant removal costs are funded first, the province says, with replanting funded in the second and subsequent years of the program with whatever funds remain.

“Priority [is] placed on sector development projects and removal projects in the first year, and planting projects in later years, the province says. “The funding for the program is expected to be sufficient for multiple years.”

IAFBC says review of the first batch of applications will take place May 25.

The funds have been made available as part of the $200 million in food security funds announced March 7.

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16 hours ago

Premier David Eby has promised to loosen local-sourcing rules for food processors in the ALR if re-elected, even before results of the province’s public consultation have been released. The BC Agriculture Council says the pledge undermines a process farmers took part in good faith. Today's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC looks at where the parties stand on agriculture ahead of the October 24 vote. www.countrylifeinbc.com/premier-called-out-over-alr-pledge/

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But he doesn't support local organizations that allow residents to grow their own food like the Blenkinsop Community Agricultural Centre

The party that gets rid of unnecessary and restrictive farm related rules in the ALR is the one that would get my support

Didn’t need a campaign to do this, you had a majority.

I don’t trust him so it doesn’t matter what he says 🤷‍♀️

Eby wouldn’t know what a farm was if he fell face first into a pile of pig shit.

The ALC are a complete utter failure - nothing but a disgrace to agriculture in bc

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2 days ago

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7 days ago

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Love it - Deb Etsell I see you 🤩

1 week 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.

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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

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