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Originally published:

NOVEMBER 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 11

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Stories In This Edition

Apple returns raise alarm

Ottawa urged to fulfil promises

Snow job

New government faces old issues in next term

Caught in the act

Editorial: Time for action

Back 40: Finding the perks in a pandemic world

Viewpoint: Changing times require a flexible vision

Invasive hornet nest destroyed south of Langley

Country Life in BC wins a record eight national awards

US launches investigation into blueberries

Hog producers face changes to code of practice

Growers, wineries welcome sustainability launch

Sustainability program delivers value to industry

Ag Briefs: Ag sector claims $8.5 billion economic impact

Ag Briefs: Farm worker protection funded

Ag Briefs: Autumn calf prices down

Grant programs encourage Indigenous ag projects

Range issues dominate NOLA meeting

Sidebar: BCV Cattlemen critique water intentions

BC Beef plant in Falkland ready to process this month

Winter warning

Corn trial results help make better planting decisions

Sidebar: Sweet results

New barn promises better egg production

ALR co-founder, defender embraces retirement

Seed sppliers seeing sustained demand as 2021 orders begin

Research: Breeding crops for the future means looking backwards

Straight ahead

Potatoes head for record-breaking harvest

Weather posed challenges for garlic growers

Garlic groewrs employ mixed marketing strategies

Association aims to foster collaboration

Demand boosts interest in older cider apples

Evans Farms marks a century of ranching

Farm Story: Nominees announced for seasonal awards

Bursary winner plants roots in Cawston

Provincial Winter Fair hosts live 4-H events

Woodshed: Janice Newberry bids farewell to love-sick Henderson

Where there’s a will, there’s gotta be a way

Jude’s Kitchen: Autumn Eats

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4 weeks 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.

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Congratulations!!!

Congratulations 👍🎉

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

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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4 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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Seed suppliers seeing sustained demand as 2021 orders begin

Sector expanding as farmers and gardeners plan ahead

FarmFolk/CityFolk's BC Seeds Program took its mobile seed cleaner on a tour through the Kootenays last month. [Submitted photo]

November 1, 2020 byRonda Payne

LANGLEY – Onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw seed orders by home gardeners surge, so much so that some seed companies delayed shipments until orders from commercial growers were filled.

Between April 1 to August 31, the BC Eco Seed Co-op saw an 847% increase in sales over the same period in 2019. About 350 bulk seed items were purchased and many farmers who ordered bulk seed also ordered packets.

The co-op undertook a $15,000 crowdfunding campaign this fall to support conversion of a trailer that will provide additional space for its work, which supports seed production for both gardeners and farmers. To join, co-op members must be able to supply seed in commercial quantities, not just packets for home gardeners.

“BC farmers are the largest consumers of organic seeds in Canada,” says Keeley Nixon, the co-op’s coordinator. “They spend almost $10 million a year to obtain the precious seeds. But the supply of local organic seeds is not keeping up.”

Lana Braun, co-owner of Hummingbird Farm in Nelson, grows cut flowers and finding organic seed is a challenge. She plans to join the seed co-op in order to make things a little easier.

“It’s a pretty niche market,” she says of organic cut flowers. “Because of this, it’s epically hard to find certified organic cut flower seeds.”

She started saving her own seed out of necessity and after five years of doing so, met David Catzel of Glorious Organics in Langley, a co-op member and seed program coordinator with FarmFolk/CityFolk in Vancouver.

“He was super encouraging and I felt like we could provide an interesting dimension in the flower perspective,” says Braun. “I knew there was a market for this.”

Co-op advantage

By joining forces with the co-op’s 18 other members, she’ll supply seed to the

co-op which then takes on the marketing, sales, packaging, shipping and more.

The co-op will enable Braun to supply seed without having to build the marketing, packaging and distribution infrastructure herself.

“They have done so much as a group to create the context to enable a new grower to come in,” she says. “Basically, I just give them the seed and they do everything else. If I had to do this on my own, there’s no way.”

She values her ability to support field-to-vase flowers and feels the “slow, local flower movement” began shortly after the similar food movement, about five to 10 years ago. Her estimate is that there are about 50 specialty cut flower growers around the province trying to source organic seeds. Selling seed also creates another revenue stream.

“Any farmer, by their nature, is looking for more avenues to market their products. It was a product that I was already creating just for myself on a small scale,” she says. “Because it’s a co-op it’s really a limited risk to test it and try it.”

Catzel says that any seed company he has contacted has seen sales at least 300% above normal during 2020. The orders have continued, pointing to sustained growth.

“Seed work has definitely gotten very busy,” he says. “But farmers didn’t plant more than 300% of seeds. We just have to make sure we grow more seeds.”

Growing opportunity

Alex Augustyniak, general manager with West Coast Seeds in Delta, says a lot of farmers are looking to get into seed production. He says the volume of sales hasn’t slowed down, even with the onset of fall.

“Usually, we get a little bit of a break, but this year, no,” he says. “People are buying tomatoes and peppers now. They want to make sure they have the varieties they want.”

Farms are also ordering seed early.

“Back in June they were starting to kick in,” he says. “Farmers noticed that [increase in sales] and thought, ‘I better put my order in earlier.’ They’re concerned, or just getting prepared.”

West Coast Seeds regularly attends events to meet farmers and learn about new varieties. It’s also part of the All-America Selections program that tests new varieties of seed and has a quarter-acre test garden.

“We’re always talking to people and we’re looking at different varieties,” he says. “The majority of the players we’re dealing with, they’ve been doing it for four generations.”

Catzel says BC residents and businesses purchase $25 million in vegetable seeds every year, just a fraction of which is produced in-province. This means there’s plenty of room to grow local seed production.

“There’s interest in farmers in doing this work, but it’s just not part of their business model,” he says. “I think that’s starting to change now, … [but] it’s a very long-term picture. A sustainable seed system is going to take decades of training and learning and collaboration.”

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