Trial decision expected

The future of proceedings against those charged of abusing chickens in 2017 could be decided this afternoon.

An arraignment hearing – where those charged plead innocent or guilty, and opt for trial by judge or jury – was scheduled for July in Chilliwack, but was put over till August 28 in Surrey. Defense counsel requested the change due to questions regarding the integrity of the video footage on which the charges hinge.

However, two deferrals prompted Judge Gary Cohen last month to urge a prompt arraignment. He set a deadline of today, saying either defence would have to make its decision of the kind of trial it wanted, or he would do it for them – stating his preference for judge and jury.

The charges were brought forward by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency against chicken catcher Elite Farm Services Ltd., its president Dwayne Dueck and processor Sofina Foods Inc. The three were charged in December 2018 with 38 counts of unlawfully beating chickens and treating them in a way likely to cause harm.

CFIA declined to comment on the case, as it is before the courts. The BC Chicken Marketing Board pleaded ignorance of the court proceedings, while Sofina Foods Inc. did not respond to requests for comment.

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15 hours ago

Premier David Eby has promised to loosen local-sourcing rules for food processors in the ALR if re-elected, even before results of the province’s public consultation have been released. The BC Agriculture Council says the pledge undermines a process farmers took part in good faith. Today's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC looks at where the parties stand on agriculture ahead of the October 24 vote. www.countrylifeinbc.com/premier-called-out-over-alr-pledge/

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The party that gets rid of unnecessary and restrictive farm related rules in the ALR is the one that would get my support

But he doesn't support local organizations that allow residents to grow their own food like the Blenkinsop Community Agricultural Centre

Didn’t need a campaign to do this, you had a majority.

I don’t trust him so it doesn’t matter what he says 🤷‍♀️

Eby wouldn’t know what a farm was if he fell face first into a pile of pig shit.

The ALC are a complete utter failure - nothing but a disgrace to agriculture in bc

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2 days ago

It was another sell-out at the 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival on Saturday with organizers selling 5,000 pounds of locally-grown, fresh berries in less than five hours. Youth from the Fort Langley Lions Club's Young Lions program scooped, bagged and weighed several pallets' worth of cranberries. Ocean Spray donated the berries, which the public bought to benefit the community. Local grower The Bog was also selling fresh berries, having brought 2,700 pounds, which were on track to sell out by the end of the#BCAgt.

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7 days ago

There was a lot of reminiscing and appreciation of how far BC's turkey industry has come at a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the BC Turkey Association and the 60th anniversary of the BC Turkey Marketing Board yesterday in Abbotsford. With a slideshow of events and people over the years, guests laughed and had a lot to be thankful for. "It's an opportunity to celebrate the industry at a time of year that's known for turkey. It's a culmination of all the year's work," says Natalie Veles, executive director with BC Turkey Marketing Board.

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Love it - Deb Etsell I see you 🤩

1 week ago

BC was the sole province to see farmland values decline in the first half of this year, dropping 1.9% according to a Farm Credit Canada report released Octover 7. This represented an acceleration in value declines from last year, and contributed to a 3.9% decline in the 12 montsh ended June 30. The drop follows on a 1.7% decline last year, which Farm Credit Canada attributed to tougher times in the fruit sector. However, the mid-year report points to a broader slowdown in value growth diven by higher production costs, tighter margins and uncertainty around trade, tariffs and international markets.

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3 weeks ago

Channels of communication remain open between the provincial and federal governments with respect to financial relief for extraordinary costs stemming from this summer's ongoing drought and wildfires, but the BC Cattlemen's Association is urging producers to register for AgriStability to position themselves for any AgriRecovery package. "Hardworking families in the ranching and agriculture sectors, who provide food for the province, need the AgriRecovery program in place as soon as possible," says BC Cattlemen's president Alex Kuchar. But the provincial election creates an unfortunate delay. "It's not fair, in any form of the word, to see all those people who have lost so much in the fires to have to wait in limbo," says BC Cattlemen's general manager Kevin Boon.

Photo | Barb Edmonson / Firefly Ranch, Clinton

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