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Originally published:

SEPTEMBER 2020
Vol. 106 Issue 9

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Stories In This Edition

Under one roof

Creating community in abundance

Farms to retain tax status

Armyworm keeps its distance this summer

Smile with your eyes

Fall back

Back 40: Finding what we need in a COVID-19 world

Viewpoint: Exports play a vital role in BC’s farm economy

Field days feeling the pinch of social distancing rules

Sidebar: Pacific Agriculture Show goes virtual

AgSafe makes changes to board structure

Makin’ hay

Metro Vancouver targets carbon-neutral future

Changes to land commission kick in this fall

Creston initiative keeps workers, town safe

Ag Briefs: Dairy industry selects new entrants

Ag Briefs: Top vet appointed

Ag Briefs: BC youth offer perspectives

Sheep producers told to bear with wildlife

Disease has sheep producers on defensive

Pandemic creates virtual season for 4-H clubs

Delta development puts agrihoods to the test

Three-tier system being floated for livestock watering

Short-term roller coaster for beef market

Beef prices up

Global outlook is bright for beef producers

Council supports efforts to improve water quality

New orchardist takes on key ministry role

Unprecedented rise in machine harvesting

Soft landings mean better blueberries

Province readers sprayer program for delivery

Wheat growers tap into heirloom grains

High-flying pans grounded by pandemic protocols

Farm Story: The right machine makes harvesting potatoes a breeze

Organic soil requirements need science, guesswork

Relay cropping checks all the boxes

Flower growers ponder COVID-19 impacts

Best practices must guide COVID-19 hiring

Woodshed: No place like home for Deborah and the dogs

Former caregiver brings donkey therapy to Island

No one leaves Abundance without a zucchini

Building community, building a future

Jude’s Kitchen: Harvest colours

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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 Cattle...
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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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Unprecedented rise in machine harvesting

COVID-19 labour shortage accelerates mechanization trend among berry growers

Linda and Kerry Seale stand by the harvester used for picking berries at Blueberry Junction in Abbotsford. PHOTO / SARBMEET SINGH

September 1, 2020 bySarbmeet Singh

ABBOTSFORD – Blueberry growers have turned to mechanical harvesting in unprecedented numbers this year due to a shortage of labour and impacts of COVID-19.

While growers usually employ thousands of hand harvesters, this year saw hundreds of machines harvesting berries across the Fraser Valley.

Although farmers have been using machines for several years, many did so out of necessity this year rather than choice.

Sarbjit Kaur Gill from Prairie Fruit Farm in Chilliwack says he was forced to lease a berry harvester this season.

“We have Duke and Bluecrop varieties at our farm. Usually, we prefer first picking with hands while the second picking is performed with the machines. However, due to shortage of labour, we used a machine for the first picking as well,” he says. “I feel this was a very bad year for the farmers. Firstly, we couldn’t procure the machine and secondly, the wet condition of the field made operating it a challenge, causing us great financial loss.”

Rajinder Singh Lally, owner of Lally Farms in Abbotsford, believes mechanical harvesting is the future of berry picking.

“The delay in picking results in over-ripening of berries, which leads to a decline in price of the fruit. As there was a shortage of labour, we used three machines per farm to pick the fruit. From this experience, I feel that machines are a more cost-effective alternative and we are planning to purchase more machines in the coming years,” says Lally.

But the results don’t please everyone.

“I have been engaged in agriculture for 40 years. Last year, we used machines on less than 10% of our acreage but this year approximately 40% of our acreage was picked by machines. We deal in the fresh market but this year, I had to go for processing due to mechanized harvesting,” says one disappointed Abbotsford farmer, who did not want to be named.

Cost savings

Mechanized picking and hand picking each have their advantages, the chief one being cost.

While hand picking costs around 50 to 60 cents per pound, mechanical harvesting costs just 15 to 20 cents a pound. Hand picking is much slower in comparison to mechanized picking. On average, one picker can pick up to 400 pounds of berries whereas a machine can pick up to three acres in a day, or upwards of 60,000 pounds of berries.

Despite the apparent advantages, mechanized picking does have a downside. Machine-harvested berries are mostly used for processing and the prices for processed berries are much less compared to the fresh market.

“In the fresh market, blueberries can be sold at $1 to $2 per pound during the season. On the other hand, the processed berries can fetch up to 60 to 65 cents per pound only. While it saves the picking cost, there is a decline in the profits made from the mechanically harvested berry,” says Kerry Seale, from Blueberry Junction in Abbotsford. “We felt the labour pains during the previous years. So, we decided to grow some varieties that can be easily picked with machines.”

The labour issues associated with COVID-19 have more growers considering such moves this year.

“Due to CERB and COVID, there was a huge shortage of labour. Many farmers opted for mechanized picking this year,” says Anju Gill, executive director of the BC Blueberry Council. “In case of mechanized harvesting, prior arrangements like pruning are required well ahead of the harvesting. Due to lack of these arrangements, it led to ineffective picking by machines also. However, at the same time, there are some growers that grow berries for processing only and they always pick using the machines.”

Parm Bains, president of Westberry Farms in Abbotsford, says machines have been popular among farmers for several years as farmers looked to cut costs as production has grown and labour costs have risen.

“There has been a significant rise in the production and acres of blueberries in British Columbia during the last few decades. In the 80s, we had 20 million pounds of berries and last year we had over 200 million pounds,” says Bains. “Around 17,000 to 18,000 workers are needed but only around 6,000 pickers are available. More and more machines are coming to the market every year as farmers are trying to save money on picking side.”

The shortage of pickers was front-and-centre this year due to COVID-19, among other factors.

“Farmers struggled to pick berries,” says Bains. “Fields were wet. Besides labour, machines were also not available in time.”

While more berries went to processing, Bains says it’s difficult to gauge the impact on grower revenues.

“At this moment we are hoping for better prices in comparison to last year,” he says.

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