• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Country Life In BC Logo

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915

  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
  • Search

Primary Sidebar

Originally published:

May 2017
Vol. 103 Issue 5

Subscribe Now!

Sign up for free weekly FARM NEWS UPDATES

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Country Life in BC, 36 Dale Road, Enderby, BC, V0E1V4. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Your information will not be
shared or sold ever

Stories In This Edition

Wet spring sets back crops across province

Farmland values rise on expansion

Ag council welcomes fish farmers to table

Editorial: United we stand

The Back Forty: Time to haul manure, and get ready to vote

OP ED: When producers and special interest groups collide

Parties offer competing visions of ag future

Milk board embarks on FIRB-ordered quota review

Grow & Gather Farm Expo gives small ag a big venue

Delta farmers in growing battle against waterfowl

Yarn spins a sustainable future for greenhouses

BC tech solutions address farm challenges

Fully subscribed: ARDCorp

Worker housing concerns growing in Okanagan

Union busting broken

Coral Beach pairs foreign, domestic worker housing

Foundation invests millions in agriculture projects

Agriplex gathers momentum in Comox

Holsteins, Jerseys showcased at Okanagan show

Big Show, big money

Record price set at BC Holstein sale

WestGen posts multi-million dollar surplus

Grape growers hone in on water issues

Sustainability matters

BC prepares to deliver clean vines

Hot dam

Range use planning critical for OK ranchers

Predator program having positive impact

A good season for BC bull sales

Ag Briefs:

New pricing formula for chickens on hold

Etsell leaves blueberries

Workers plead guilty

Vancouver boots chickens off city farmers

Livestock tag reader funding

Big crop, bigger levy, boost raspberry council’s fortunes

Importer support needed for berry agency

Research matters

Using math to improve sheep productivity

Farmers market splits over question of “local”

Local leeway for markets

Beyond the Market program extended

Entrepreneur launches food recovery platform

Thrips in a changing climate

The pros and cons of organic agriculture

No summers off for these education assistants

Woodshed Chronicles:

Henderson is found at the end of his rope

Plow match unforrows brows about farming

4-H BC: Change at head office

FV 4-H Ambassador receives top award

Mentoring a new crop of northern farmers

Jude’s Kitchen:

Berry-full season

More Headlines

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

3 days ago

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details. ... See MoreSee Less

A turkey farm in West Abbotsford is the second commercial poultry flock to tested positive for avian influenza since the initial case was reported in Enderby on April 13. CFIA announced the case May 19, but has yet to define the control zone. Ray Nickel of the BC Poultry Association says more than 50 farms are in the vicinity of the infected premises, meaning control measures — including movement controls — will have a significant impact on the industry. The supply of birds moving into the country from US hatcheries will also be affected, compounding the host of supply chain issues growers have been dealing with over the past year. A story in our June issue will provide further details.
View Comments
  • Likes: 1
  • Shares: 3
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

2 weeks ago

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the province's deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed. ... See MoreSee Less

The province has extended the order requiring regulated commercial poultry operations to keep their birds indoors through June 13. Originally set to expire this Friday, the order was extended after a careful review by the provinces deputy chief veterinarian. Poultry at seven premises, all but one of them backyard flocks, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza since April 13. The order allows small-scale producers to continue pasturing their birds outdoors provided biosecurity protocols developed by the Small-Scale Meat producers Association are followed.
View Comments
  • Likes: 6
  • Shares: 9
  • Comments: 2

Comment on Facebook

Sounds like 2 weeks to flatten the curve turning into 2 years.

USDA doing avian vax research, May 11 bio-docs to UN incl section on H5N8 w/wild bird spread. Found link to apparent pre-release on May 11 Geller Report. Good luck farmers.

3 weeks ago

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.” ... See MoreSee Less

Two more small flocks in BC have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The latest cases are in Richmond and Kelowna. CFIA is in the process of determining a control zone around the property in Richmond, the first report in the Fraser Valley of the H5N1 strain of the virus among poultry. Speaking to Country Life in BC this week, federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said CFIA staff are working diligently to address outbreaks, and she encourages small flock owners to do the same. While commercial farms have tightened biosecurity measures, owners of small flocks have greater freedom. “Some smaller ones don’t necessarily have these measures in place,” Bibeau says. “They should also be extremely careful, because if we have a case in a backyard flock ... it could have an impact on bigger commercial installations.”
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 38
  • Comments: 3

Comment on Facebook

Killing our food chain. How do we know they are actually carrying a virus, look what's taking place with covid, is it real.

Ik kan niet zo goed Engels maar als ik het goed begrijp is bij jullie ook vogelgriep maar nog niet bij jullie

Any idea when this episode or bird flu might be over?

3 weeks ago

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions. ... See MoreSee Less

Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC welcomed its first new members in 20 years at its AGM on April 27. The BC Blueberry Council, BC Cherry Association, BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, BC Food & Beverage Association, BC Meats and Organic BC were approved as members, bringing the IAFBC’s membership to 15 farm and food organizations. IAFBC is also growing in responsibility, managing a record $8.3 million in funding from six funding agencies and developing new programs to support the agriculture sector including Farmland Advantage and Agricultural Climate Solutions.
View Comments
  • Likes: 3
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

4 weeks ago

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises. ... See MoreSee Less

A second BC flock has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the province reported this evening, April 25. The small backyard flock of chicken and ducks near Kelowna has fewer than 100 birds and is relatively isolated. This is the second backyard flock to be suspected of high-path avian influenza in the past week. The other, on Vancouver Island, was found to be AI-free. Amanda Brittain, chief information officer with the BC Poultry Association’s emergency operations centre, says the latest case is of minimal concern to industry because there are no commercial flocks within 12km of the premises.
View Comments
  • Likes: 6
  • Shares: 15
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

drive.google.com/file/d/1F7SC3xgs4YD-cgK3eoZemHaTdYe3cUj6/view?usp=sharing

Subscribe | Advertise

OP ED: When producers and special interest groups collide

Sheep

May 1, 2017 byValerie Moilliet Gerber

It’s hard to pin down when the BC Sheep Federation officially began addressing interactions between wild and domestic sheep and disease transfer between the two populations.

As early as 30 years ago, BCSF was involved with sheep health in locations that contained wild sheep. In the 1980s, grazing contracts became active in the forestry cutblocks and the practice continued into the late 1990s. The newly-formed BCSF started a Shepherd Training School to train people for jobs on farms and cutblocks. BCSF quickly established a flock health program known as the BC Sheep Federation Quality Assurance Program.

Health protocols for cutblocks were established and all sheep coming off and going back on the trucks were monitored and issued health certificates.

Most of the issues with interaction now occur with domestic sheep on private land. The BCSF has been involved with the Sheep Separation Program since 2013 when the current program co-ordinator was hired. Domestic sheep producers and representatives from government and wild sheep groups are all part of the working group meetings and conference calls.

The BCSF felt it had to be on board to bring the face of the domestic sheep industry to the table, give feedback on some of the issues brought forward and advocate for the sheep producers who live in closer proximity to wild sheep habitat.

The BCSF has endeavoured to keep producers informed of the concerns wild sheep advocates have over disease transfers between the two species. The most recent focus has been on a pneumonia, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MOVI), which exists in some domestic sheep and is said to have devastating effects on wild sheep that encounter domestics carrying the disease.

Domestic sheep have become the target of several town hall meetings, social media and press releases by wild sheep organizations. In their attempts to protect wild sheep populations, they have zeroed in on this disease and adamantly concur that die-offs of wild sheep are only due to this pneumonia. Little is said about hunting, road kill, predator losses and habitat degradation that all take their toll on wild sheep.

The BCSF has worked tirelessly with the Separation Working Group, met representatives from wild sheep and wildlife organizations, and most recently has been involved with a research study conducted by Dr. Scott Mann from Thompson Rivers University to test domestic sheep for MOVI. Several sheep producers co-operated in allowing their flocks to be tested.

The results of the testing are confidential but initial indications are that while there are some animals that test positive for MOVI, many flocks tested were free of the disease. Although this is very preliminary work, it is the start of attempts to gather information that will contribute to informed, scientific and responsible responses to interactions between wild and domestic sheep.

Taking a stand

The BCSF is adamant that using legislation, covenants and similar protocols are not acceptable to the industry, nor do they really address the issues. Separation techniques, such as double fencing, electric fencing, road and pathway guards and refuge pastures, may be effective in some cases but the question arises as to who will pay for them.

It is not realistic or appropriate to expect sheep producers to pony up to separate their flocks when they have no control over the wild sheep populations and where they might roam.

It is no secret that wildlife organizations are agressively lobbying government to deal with contact issues. More worrisome is the latest suggestion that those organizations intend to resort to litigation.

These organizations have a large war chest and a significant membership base. BCSF is a small producer group led by volunteers, no paid staff, and with limited financial ability to respond to such measures.

The BCSF has been at the table with wild sheep interest groups to come up with workable solutions to prevent disease transfer between the two species. It is our belief that answers lie in communication, co-operation and coming to consensus to allow the domestic sheep industry to grow while at the same time preserving the wildlife of BC.

Valerie Moilliet Gerber is president of the BC Sheep Federation. This piece was co-authored with Roma Tingle, a past president based near Prince George.

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Previous Post: « Clock ticking for organic certification
Next Post: Ag council welcomes BC fish farmers to table »

Reader Interactions

Copyright © 2022 Country Life in BC · All Rights Reserved