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September 2023
Vol. 109 Issue 9

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1 day 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 😊

3 days ago

... See MoreSee Less

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3 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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4 days 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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5 days 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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Victoria food hub gets funding

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April 29, 2020 byPeter Mitham

Relief is on the way for Vancouver Island farmers caught out by the closure of restaurants and other organizations that usually buy their product.

A rapid relief fund administered by the Victoria Foundation will help the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CRfair) establish what’s currently known as the South Island FoodHub at 808 Viewfield Road in Victoria.

“These startup funds will allow us to set up the infrastructure and systems required to sell your produce through a summer home delivery service and at the same time, to develop new marketing avenues through the wholesale distribution of local produce,” says Susan Tychie, a consultant with the organization who’s leading the project alongside Lauren Searle.

An initial meeting with farmers at the end of March drew a positive response. Tychie says 97% of local produce is sold direct to the buyers, with some farms deriving 40% of their sales from local restaurants, which provincial health orders shut down in March.

“We’re hoping this will take some of the pressure off them, and we’ll be able to sell it for them,” says Tychie. “It will make a big difference for them, and their farm businesses, to have those sales completed and going through.”

Tychie said the initial focus will be developing relationships with wholesalers, then starting up a box program June 1 as production ramps up.

“This might be a way for them to diversify their sales into a new market, a wholesale market,” she says. “While we did receive the rapid relief funding to assist farmers, we’re also planning on this being a long-term market for them so we can grow more local produce in the region and be more food secure.”

The funds for the food hub are part of a $200,000 grant to the Mustard Seed, which has a long history in food recovery. It operates a food bank and operates a community kitchen. The relief funding will also help it maintain health protocols and purchase personal protective equipment.

The relief fund was established March 21 by the Victoria Foundation and local business organizations, to quickly raise and disburse funds to assist programs and operations hit hard by COVID-19. A total of $5.3 million has been collected to date, and $3.5 million in grants announced.

Many of the 54 recipients are involved in providing access to food. Besides the Mustard Seed, the Food Share Network, Cowichan Green Community and Victoria Community Food Hub Society received grants.

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