The province’s agriculture ministry will see a 16% increase in funding this year, entirely due to the ongoing losses farmers are experiencing from extreme weather. The provincial budget delivered February 22 allocates an additional $18.4 million to the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The increase gives it a total …
BC Agriculture Council
Orchardists seek frost assistance
BC fruit growers are asking the province to step up and provide financial support following the devastating frost event earlier this month. Temperatures across the Southern Interior dipped towards -30° Celsius between January 11 and 13, leading to widespread concern for the 2024 crop following depressed market pricing in 2023 for both apples and cherries. …
BCAC lobbying event positive
A day of productive discussions in Victoria culminated in a reception where representatives of the BC Agriculture Council celebrated their successes and furthered relations with MLAs and stakeholders. Dozens of meetings with elected representatives from all parties as well as cabinet members, their staff and – for the first time ever, the premier – made …
Federal minister visits BC
Thanksgiving is often a time for families and friends to gather, and this week federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay took the opportunity to visit BC for the first time since being reappointed to the portfolio in July’s cabinet shuffle. “It was a relational visit,” said Danielle Synotte, executive director with the BC Agriculture Council, which …
Province consults on agritech
A legislature committee is requesting submissions regarding soil health and carbon sequestration as part of a consultation designed to inform the province’s agritech and regenerative agriculture strategy. The Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food is accepting written submissions through November 17. Public meetings will be scheduled for November. “Committee members are interested in …
Foreign worker consultation planned
BC Agriculture Council and the Western Agriculture Labour Initiative are preparing to survey temporary foreign workers this summer in an effort to understand how employers can improve workers’ experience and reduce complaints. “The goal of the work is to collect anonymous information directly from workers on their experience in BC,” a bulletin circulated to fruit growers this week says. “At …