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Current Issue:

JANUARY 2023
Vol. 109 Issue 1

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4 days ago

A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural Land Commission hosted in Langley Monday night regarding a proposal to include 305 acres controlled by the federal government in the Agricultural Land Reserve. More than 76,000 people have signed an online petition asking municipal and provincial governments to protect the land from development, and for the federal government to grant a long-term lease to the Heppells. Read more in this morning's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC. conta.cc/3XYXw6k ... See MoreSee Less

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Your weekly farm news update

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The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 January 25 2023 Surrey ALR inclusion cheered A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural L
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Mike Manion Pitt Meadows City Councillor

1 month ago

Christmas tree growers in BC are seeing strong demand this season and prices remain comparable to last year. But the number of tree farms has decreased dramatically over the past five years and the province will increasingly need to look elsewhere if it wants to meet local demand. More in this week's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC. ... See MoreSee Less

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Christmas trees in demand

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Christmas tree growers in BC are seeing strong demand, with high quality trees making it to market. “The market is good. We’ll probably outdo last year and last year was one of our best years…
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2 months ago

Another four poultry flocks in the Fraser Valley have tested positive for avian influenza over the weekend -- 15 in the last week alone. There are 60 farms currently under quarantine in BC, more than any other province in Canada and three times that of Alberta, which ranks second. Officials maintain the virus is being spread by dust and groundwater and not farm-to-farm transmission. No farms in the Interior have tested positive this fall. ... See MoreSee Less

Another four poultry flocks in the Fraser Valley have tested positive for avian influenza over the weekend -- 15 in the last week alone. There are 60 farms currently under quarantine in BC, more than any other province in Canada and three times that of Alberta, which ranks second. Officials maintain the virus is being spread by dust and groundwater and not farm-to-farm transmission. No farms in the Interior have tested positive this fall.
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Avian influenza virus can be killed by chlorine at no higher a concentration than is present in drinking water, so unless farms are using untreated groundwater in their barns I don't see how it could be a source of transmission. www.researchgate.net/publication/5594208_Chlorine_Inactivation_of_Highly_Pathogenic_Avian_Influen...

2 months ago

In a surprise move, Lana Popham -- hailed at the recent BC Dairy Industry Conference as a key ally of the agriculture sector -- has been replaced by Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis as part of a cabinet overhaul today by new BC premier David Eby. Popham will now oversee Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The two ministers worked closely together following the atmospheric river events last fall. ... See MoreSee Less

In a surprise move, Lana Popham -- hailed at the recent BC Dairy Industry Conference as a key ally of the agriculture sector -- has been replaced by Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis as part of a cabinet overhaul today by new BC premier David Eby. Popham will now oversee Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The two ministers worked closely together following the atmospheric river events last fall.Image attachment
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Goes to show how far-removed our current government is from the agricultural sector. To put someone in this position who has no farming background is a slap in the face to all of our hard-working producers.

Going to be a heck of a learning curve. Helping the agricultural community recover from the biggest natural disasters in history, handling the avian influenza outbreak that is threatening our poultry industry, dealing with a crisis in meat processing, managing ongoing threats from climate change, supporting producers who are facing unprecedented inflation in an industry with very slim margins to begin with..... to name a few of the challenges our new Minister will have to face all with one of the lowest budgets of any ministry. I wish her the best of luck but I hope she's got a lot of support around her.

Best of wishes in your new position

Congrats to Pam, cool to see a Fraser Valley based ag minister but also so sad to see Lana reassigned . I have no doubt she will do an amazing job in her new role.

Will be missed by #meiernation

Bryce Rashleigh

Nooooooo!

Lana did a shit job and now we have a minister with no farming background at all. Aren’t we lucky..

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2 months ago

The scale of this year's avian flu outbreak now rivals the massive outbreak of 2004. An additional 13 commercial farms in the Fraser Valley have tested positive in the last week. To date, 49 commercial farms and 1.2 million birds have been impacted. CFIA is struggling to keep up with depopulation of sick birds. ... See MoreSee Less

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AI outbreak rivals 2004

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The scale of this year’s outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza now rivals the massive outbreak of 2004 that saw farms throughout the Fraser Valley depopulated. An additional 13 commercial…
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Commercial operations need to reevaluate their stocking densities and overall health and welfare of the animals within their systems if they are ever going to have a fighting chance against this virus.

Yup cause food shortage

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US investigating blueberries

October 7, 2020 byRonda Payne & Peter Mitham

BC blueberry exports are being investigated as a possible source of economic injury to US growers.

US Trade Representative Robert Lightizer announced the investigation September 29 following the release of a report jointly authored by his office, the US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Commerce.

“It’s very difficult to say what the impact will be on the blueberry industry,” says Anju Gill, executive director of the BC Blueberry Council.

US blueberry imports increased from 50 million pounds in 2005 to nearly 400 million pounds in 2018. Shipments last year were worth US$1.2 billion, led by Peru at US$485 million. Canada was in fourth place exporting US$116 million worth of berries south.

But the report highlighted Mexico as the primary target of US growers’ concern, on account of fast-rising production that competes directly with southern US growers.

However, the scope of imports means the investigation will look at all source countries.

“Whereas a country-specific investigation could only yield a country-specific remedy, a Section 201 investigation for blueberries must necessarily analyze blueberry imports from all countries comprehensively and account for such in any recommended action to the President,” the report notes.

Gill says the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement ensures that Canadian berries will be assessed separately. She doesn’t expect measures impacting BC growers to come into force until June 2021 at the earliest.

The report also addresses threats posed by other crops. Sources told Country Life in BC that the timing of the report’s release has a political dimension, coming just a few weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Gill agrees, but she is focused on a practical, fact-based response. Trade officials in Ottawa have retained legal counsel to address the charges, with the BC Blueberry Council being a key stakeholder.

“Canada still has to present a case,” Gill says, noting that the growth in blueberry production globally has created issues across the board. “There’s a shift in the blueberry industry globally. It’s no secret that the production of blueberries has gone up.”

Speaking at the Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford this past winter, US Highbush Blueberry Council president Kasey Cronquist urged BC growers to work with him to grow the market for blueberries. He said growers on both sides of the border have one unifying goal: “Sell more blueberries at a fair profit.”

USHBC is prohibited from engaging in any efforts for the purpose of influencing government action or policy and cannot participate in the investigation. Cronquist responded to requests for comment by pointing to a statement indicating that both the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council – which exists “to unite trading partners throughout North America” – will continue to fight for the success of the industry.

Guiding the USHBC’s efforts is Maple Ridge grower and exporter Ray Biln, who represents exporter interests on the council’s board.

 

 

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