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Originally published:

April 2019
Vol. 105 Issue 4

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Stories In This Edition

One province, one panel

Groundwater deadline extended

Happy as a pig!

Sidebar: Still waiting

Feds pour millions into tree fruit research

Sidebar: Will local procurement help?>

Editorial: Confined spaces

Back Forty: BC farmers need more than a land bank

Island Good campaign drives local sales

Poultry industry seeks to stop infighting

Good egg!

Egg farmers to receive biggest quota boost ever

New entrant focus

Decision day looms for chicken pricing appeal

Producers look to CanadaGAP for certification

Organic sector undertakes core review

Hopping to it!

Island couple named Outstanding Young Farmers

Turkey consumption continues to decline

BC potato growers enjoy a strong footing

Sudden tree fruit dieback a growing concern

Late season BC cherries in global demand

Farmers’ markets aim to be local food hubs

Field trial hopes to reduce phosphorus levels

Future looking bright for BC dairy producers

BC could benefit from US trade battles

Saputo puts its Courtenay plant out to pasture

The land of milk and salmon

Sidebar: Farming for the future

Out of the hands of BC farmers

Codes of practice need producer input

Preparation essential for wildfire response

Sidebar: Relief announced for drought, fire

Sidebar: Be FireSmart with these tips

New traceability regs to track movement

Agriculture a notable threat to species at risk

Improper pesticide use threatens access

Threat to neonics spurs scare in spud growers

Orchard presses forward with diversification

Climate-smart growing

Staying on top of soil health is key to sound farming

No small potatoes

Farm families need to have affairs in order

Rotary parlours go upscale at two FV dairies

Study compares organic, conventional diets

Advisory service foresees growing demand

Sidebar: Tree fruit cutbacks a concern

Island dairy producers hone first aid skills

Woodshed: And that’s how rumours get their teeth

Research farm showcases small projects

Jude’s Kitchen: Shooting stars of spring

 

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Today’s provincial budget has given a $4.4 million boost to agriculture ministry operations, lifting the ministry’s annual budget to $99.8 million. This is up from $95.4 million last year. The majority of the funds go to "Agriculture Resources” while $600,000 will support "science, policy and inspection" investments. An additional $60,000 is allocated to the Agricultural Land Commission, which now has $5 million to work with. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranches. Subscribe now to receive the May edition. buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

7 hours ago

Today’s provincial budget has given a $4.4 million boost to agriculture ministry operations, lifting the ministry’s annual budget to $99.8 million. This is up from $95.4 million last year. The majority of the funds go to Agriculture Resources” while $600,000 will support science, policy and inspection investments. An additional $60,000 is allocated to the Agricultural Land Commission, which now has $5 million to work with. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranches. Subscribe now to receive the May edition. buff.ly/2ReiFur
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Warren Sarafinchan’s contract with BC Tree Fruits has been extended for five years. BCTF president Steve Brown made the announcement on Friday. Sarafinchan was first hired in September 2019, the co-op's fifth CEO in eight years. He took the reins as a governance report reported the co-op was in "a serious life-threatening crisis.” “In his short time with the Cooperative Warren and his team have been working tirelessly to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and has taken major steps to right size all aspects of the organization,” says Brown. The governance study that was approved by a super majority set the stage for Sarafinchan and the board to move forward with selling assets, increasing plant efficiencies and offering an Apple Quality Assurance Program to encourage growers to deliver quality fruit. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC’s farmers and writers. ... See MoreSee Less

1 day ago

Warren Sarafinchan’s contract with BC Tree Fruits has been extended for five years. BCTF president Steve Brown made the announcement on Friday. Sarafinchan was first hired in September 2019, the co-ops fifth CEO in eight years. He took the reins as a governance report reported the co-op was in a serious life-threatening crisis.”  “In his short time with the Cooperative Warren and his team have been working tirelessly to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and has taken major steps to right size all aspects of the organization,” says Brown. The governance study that was approved by a super majority set the stage for Sarafinchan and the board to move forward with selling assets, increasing plant efficiencies and offering an Apple Quality Assurance Program to encourage growers to deliver quality fruit. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC’s farmers and writers.
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BC Milk Marketing Board chair Ben Janzen bid an emotional farewell during the final spring producer meeting on April 15. Janzen retires as board chair July 31, but this week’s Zoom meetings were a final public engagement with producers. “It takes a lot of work to do what Ben has done, and I know he’s yearning to spend time with his family and on his farm,” said vice-chair Tom Hoogendoorn in offering thanks for Janzen’s 21 years of service with the board over the past 25 years. Janzen thanked producers for the opportunity to serve and his wife and family for supporting his work on behalf of industry. “It’s disappointing to say goodbye speaking into a computer screen … but the reality is that the industry will continue to progress,” said Janzen, noting that everyone from producers to tradespeople and consumers have a part to play. “It’s been a great honour and a great privilege to be part of this very dynamic industry.” [Image: Ben Janzen, right, congratulates Dick Klein Geltink for his long career in agricultural politics during the 2018 dairy conference.] ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

BC Milk Marketing Board chair Ben Janzen bid an emotional farewell during the final spring producer meeting on April 15. Janzen retires as board chair July 31, but this week’s Zoom meetings were a final public engagement with producers. “It takes a lot of work to do what Ben has done, and I know he’s yearning to spend time with his family and on his farm,” said vice-chair Tom Hoogendoorn in offering thanks for Janzen’s 21 years of service with the board over the past 25 years. Janzen thanked producers for the opportunity to serve and his wife and family for supporting his work on behalf of industry. “It’s disappointing to say goodbye speaking into a computer screen … but the reality is that the industry will continue to progress,” said Janzen, noting that everyone from producers to tradespeople and consumers have a part to play. “It’s been a great honour and a great privilege to be part of this very dynamic industry.” [Image: Ben Janzen, right, congratulates Dick Klein Geltink for his long career in agricultural politics during the 2018 dairy conference.]
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BC poultry producers will received $86.8 million as part of a $691 million federal compensation package for market access concessions granted under the CP-TPP free trade agreement with Canada’s Pacific Rim trading partners. Details of the arrangement have been two years in the making. Compensation will be paid out over 10 years and cover up to 70% of the cost of eligible investments the typical poultry farm undertakes. Individual farms will be allocated an amount reflecting their quota as of January 1, 2021. Ottawa has also promised producers compensation for market access granted under CUSMA. Details have yet to be revealed but all eyes are on next week’s federal budget for hints of what’s in store. More info is available in this morning's Farm News Update. Sign up for free at buff.ly/2H3dK8k. ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago

BC poultry producers will received $86.8 million as part of a $691 million federal compensation package for market access concessions granted under the CP-TPP free trade agreement with Canada’s Pacific Rim trading partners. Details of the arrangement have been two years in the making. Compensation will be paid out over 10 years and cover up to 70% of the cost of eligible investments the typical poultry farm undertakes. Individual farms will be allocated an amount reflecting their quota as of January 1, 2021. Ottawa has also promised producers compensation for market access granted under CUSMA. Details have yet to be revealed but all eyes are on next week’s federal budget for hints of what’s in store. More info is available in this mornings Farm News Update. Sign up for free at buff.ly/2H3dK8k.
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No they aren't actually watering yet. Arterra Wines was testing their overhead sprinkler system at Sunrock Vineyards just north of Osoyoos this week in preparation for the summer growing season. Overheads are used primarily to support the growth of cover crops between the rows of vines. But it won't be long before actual watering begins for Okanagan fruit growers. It has been a particularly dry spring so far with below average precipitation in January and February and an extreme low of 2.6 mm of rain recorded in Kelowna for March. That's just 12% of the seasonal average of 21.6mm. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago

No they arent actually watering yet. Arterra Wines was testing their overhead sprinkler system at Sunrock Vineyards just north of Osoyoos this week in preparation for the summer growing season. Overheads are used primarily to support the growth of cover crops between the rows of vines. But it wont be long before actual watering begins for Okanagan fruit growers. It has been a particularly dry spring so far with below average precipitation in January and February and an extreme low of 2.6 mm of rain recorded in Kelowna for March. Thats just 12% of the seasonal average of 21.6mm. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranchers.
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Study compares organic, conventional diets

Research indicates pesticide levels greatly reduced within days of strict organic protocol

Organics

March 26, 2019 byMargaret Evans

A recent study conducted by Friends of the Earth and published online by Elsevier in the journal Environmental Research explored whether an organic diet would reduce levels of urinary pesticides.

Previous research has done similar studies but they mostly focused on organophosphate pesticides. This study looked at pyrethroids and neonicotinoids, two compounds that are used increasingly in crop production around the world. Neonicotinoids have become one of the most widely used class of insecticides and they account for some 20% of the current global insecticide market.

The fascinating thing is that the study found that switching to an organic diet significantly reduced levels of pesticides in all participants after less than one week.

“On average, the pesticide and pesticide metabolite levels detected dropped by 60.5% after just six days of eating an all-organic diet,” the press release stated.

But here’s the rub.

The study was conducted on only four families represented by seven adults (ages 36-52) and nine children (ages 4-15). They were from Oakland, Minneapolis, Baltimore and Atlanta. Nine were Caucasian, four were Hispanic/Latino and three were African American.

The study was short – just 12 days – but very controlled. For the first five days, participants all ate their conventional diets. During days six through 11, they were all provided with certified organic food to eat whether at home, school or work. Dinners were prepared with all organic ingredients by a licensed chef or caterer and delivered to the participants by the research assistants. The trial ended on day 12 after the final urine collection (158 urine samples in total).

According to the report, there was a 61% drop in chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide considered moderately hazardous to humans by the World Health Organization, a 95% drop in malathion, an organophosphate insecticide, and an 83% drop in clothianidin, a neonicotinoid pesticide believed to be a main driver of huge pollinator losses. The study also showed a 37% drop in pyrethroids, and a 37% drop in the world’s oldest herbicide 2,4-D. In 2016, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, a division of Health Canada, concluded in its special review that 2,4-D is not a carcinogen.

What made the study interesting was that the levels by which pesticides and herbicides dropped following a switch to an organic diet occurred in less than one week. The study built on previous research by examining dietary exposure to pesticides that have not been studied in similar intervention research in the past. This study recorded reductions of metabolites in urine samples in 13 pesticides and compounds.

And that begs the question that if these insecticides disappeared so quickly in such a significant amount, how non-persistent are they? And how are scientists rating their danger level?

While claims are made in the report of the many and varied health hazards from exposure to pesticides, it would be helpful to have better clarification on the level of exposure relative to duration and circumstances. This would be valuable for all consumers.

However, the report did acknowledge that gaps exist regarding specific health effects to chronic low-level exposure. The researchers also referred to a study done in 2018 that looked at the consumption habits of 70,000 adults and found that a higher frequency of consuming organic food was protective against several cancers.

Quick to shed

“This important study shows how quickly we can rid our bodies of toxic pesticides by choosing organic,” said Sharyle Patton, director of the Commonweal Biomonitoring Resources Center and co-author of the study.

Ideally, we all want food that is pesticide/herbicide free. But it can come with another cost not always considered.

Studies have shown that organic yields are generally lower than yields from conventional farming since fertilizers are not used. To produce all our food requirements organically would require farming more land and this could impact climate change.

In an international study conducted by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, researchers developed a new method for assessing the climate impact from land use. After comparing organic and conventional food production, results showed that organically grown food can result in greater emissions because of the greater land use demand, a fact not always taken into account in comparisons between the production of organic and conventionally produced food.

“The greater land-use in organic farming leads indirectly to higher carbon dioxide emissions, thanks to deforestation,” said Stefan Wirsenius, associate professor in the Department of Space, Earth and the Environment, Chalmers. “The world’s food production is governed by international trade, so how we farm in Sweden influences deforestation in the tropics. If we use more land for the same amount of food, we contribute indirectly to bigger deforestation elsewhere in the world.”

The FOE study is a fascinating look at pesticide levels in humans and, in the bigger picture, it clearly deserves more research to understand not just dietary exposure but climate implications.

Margaret Evans is a freelance writer based in Chilliwack specializing in agricultural science.

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