A crowd of more than 400 guests gathered at the Clarion Hotel in Abbotsford on January 24 for fellowship, fundraising and celebrating some of BC’s agricultural leaders. The annual BC Agriculture Council gala welcomed dignitaries including Premier David Eby and his BC United counterpart Kevin Falcon, as well as provincial agriculture minister Pam Alexis and …
Ian paton
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 …
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 …
Homemade food rules are too restrictive
PENDER ISLAND – While Canadian grocery retailers were called to Ottawa in March to account for last year’s record profits amid double-digit food inflation, one micro food producer in the southern Gulf Islands has been lobbying for changes to regulations on the production and sale of cottage foods. Rising grocery costs and issues of food …
Province doubles vet seats
BC has stepped up to fund 40 seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, making good on an initial investment last year with promises of permanent funding. This is double the number of seats funded in the past, and welcome news to livestock producers. “It’s been very difficult to access veterinary care …
Province opens ALR to agritech development
ABBOTSFORD – Vertical farms will no longer have to seek permission from the Agricultural Land Commission to set up on protected farmland under a host of changes announced February 20. “We are making changes to support agritech and intensive crop production, like vertical farming, on the Agricultural Land Reserve,” BC agriculture minister Lana Popham said …