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September 2023
Vol. 109 Issue 9

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4 days ago

The Great Spallumcheen Farm & Food Festival and North Okanagan Plowing Match is happening this Sunday, September 24 from 10-3 at Fieldstone Organics, 4851 Schubert Rd, Armstrong. The outdoor festival features tastings and a market brimming with local food and beverage vendors, a horse and tractor plowing competition and vintage farm equipment displays. ... See MoreSee Less

The Great Spallumcheen Farm & Food Festival and North Okanagan Plowing Match is happening this Sunday, September 24 from 10-3 at Fieldstone Organics, 4851 Schubert Rd, Armstrong. The outdoor festival features tastings and a market brimming with local food and beverage vendors, a horse and tractor plowing competition and vintage farm equipment displays.
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Patti 😊

7 days ago

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7 days ago

The top five issues the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity identified in a recent survey were the cost of food, inflation, the cost of energy, keeping healthy food affordable and the Canadian economy. “We are seeing that environmental concerns are not in the top 10,” says Amy Peck, manager of the Canadian Cattle Association’s public and stakeholder engagement program. “If you are concerned about being able to afford to feed your family, the environment becomes less important.” ... See MoreSee Less

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Ranchers get the backstory on public perception

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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 Cattleâ...
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1 week ago

BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million. ... See MoreSee Less

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Lake Country packing house sold

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BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million.
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Who bought it ffs ?

Ted Nedjelski Karen Turner

One of my first jobs was apple grading in a packing plant in Vernon

Vivian, is this where you worked?

I’d hear the company that owns the big Cannabis company that owns the green houses all around this packing plant was buying up everything around to expand. Wonder if it’s them that got it.

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1 week ago

The federal government has committed $1.81 million over the next three years to support the BC Poultry Association's preparation for direct participation in responses to future outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the province. “The persistence of the virus in wildlife and recurrence of outbreaks globally, presents additional risks during the migratory bird season in North America later in 2023,” the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health in Vancouver advised in July. For more, visit www.countrylifeinbc.com/ai-risk-rises-with-fall/ ... See MoreSee Less

The federal government has committed $1.81 million over the next three years to support the BC Poultry Associations preparation  for direct participation in responses to future outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the province. “The persistence of the virus in wildlife and recurrence of outbreaks globally, presents additional risks during the migratory bird season in North America later in 2023,” the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health in Vancouver advised in July. For more, visit https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/ai-risk-rises-with-fall/
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Small-scale producers voice concerns

March 16, 2022 byKate Ayers

An industry survey by the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association has identified access to slaughter as the number one challenge producers across the province face.

SSMPA wrapped up a province-wide sector survey earlier this year and presented the findings to approximately 72 viewers in a March 15 webinar.

The survey aimed to ensure that challenges to the sector’s growth and vitality are addressed by targeted and informed solutions grounded in solid data. That data wasn’t available until now.

In total, 708 operations responded to the survey and all 27 regional districts were represented. Of these operations, 619 are currently operating and 89 ended their operations within the last five years.

The survey was developed in consultation with 20 producers across the province. Participants were invited through local media, farm stores, farmers institutes, by word of mouth and agricultural societies.

The survey found that BC producers raise more than 15 species of livestock and most operations are diversified. While 43% of respondents raise just one type of livestock, 57% raise two or more species.

Of the 619 operational farms, 94% of producers supplement their income with work not related to their meat business and 30% strive to be full-time producers.

The lion’s share of livestock producers – 96% – generate profits through direct-to-consumer sales. Just under 20% sell through farmers markets.

Most concerning is that only 1% of respondents report that their businesses operate at a high profit, while 37% operate at a loss, 26% report to make a low profit and 26% of respondents just break even. The remaining 10% make a moderate profit.

“We cannot expect these farms to continue operating if they are not making a living out of it,” says Corine Singfield, the survey team lead and a director with SSMPA who farms in Bella Coola.

In addition to profitability and the lack of access to slaughter, producers named access to cut-and-wrap facilities, limited personal or staff time, access to land base and availability of insurance as significant challenges.

“Only 50% of all the operations that have on-farm slaughter licenses had slaughter liability insurance,” says Singfield. “It’s very hard to find insurance and there are few insurers that want to touch small farms, let alone livestock operations.”

SSMPA put forward several recommendations to address the challenges. These include developing a slaughter truck pilot project, viable options for small-scale producers to access insurance and initiatives to attract workers.

The full report will be available on SSMPA’s website.

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