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JUNE 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 5

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2 days ago

BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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Congratulations!!!

Congratulations!

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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3 days ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
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1 month ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
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1 month ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

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Milk board undertakes review

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A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
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1 month ago

BC wool shipments drop sharply in 2023, according to StatsCan data released in mid-April. Local producers shipped just 5,200kg at 37¢/kg, down from 18,600kg at $1.08/kg in 2022. While many farmers now use wool on-farm or dispose of it due to low market value, innovative producers like Emily McIvor point to untapped opportunities. Read more in our Farm News Update from Country Life in BC.

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BC wool value, volume drop

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BC sheep producers shipped less wool for less in 2023, reversing strong growth a year earlier. BC producers shipped 5,200 kilograms of raw wool in 2023, according to Statistics Canada data released on...
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Wildfire, flood risks rise

The BC Wildfire Service continues to respond to the Boundary Lake wildfire located at the B.C./Alberta border, east of Fort St. John. Photo | Facebook/BC Wildfire Service

May 10, 2023 byKate

Warm and dry conditions in the Peace region have prompted early seeding this year, but the lack of moisture has fuelled wildfire risk in the area.

“It’s been very dry. We went into the winter with the driest soil conditions I’ve ever seen,” says grain producer Dave Wuthrich of PW Farms in Flatrock, a half-hour drive east of Fort St. John. “We’re used to seeding into mud. And it is so dry that I seeded through slough holes that I have never seeded before in my life.”

He’s also seeding through smoke from the Boundary Lake fire east of town on the Alberta border. On May 7, his family was on an evacuation alert. Boundary Lake is one of 56 fires currently burning across BC.

“Where our farm is situated, it’s pretty safe,” Wuthrich says. “We’re surrounded by a big field and lots of cultivated land, but you want to stick around and help the neighbours fight their fires if they do have issues.”

Wuthrich started seeding April 30, which is the earliest he’s ever started the growing season. This year he’s planting wheat, barley, canola, fescue and timothy.

“There was very little runoff this spring so what little snow we did have did soak in,” he says. “There still is some soil moisture there but now we’re going like idiots to try and get it sealed off because it’s been very hot and windy.”

Tom de Waal of Harvest Angus in Prince George usually doesn’t start planting until May 15. This year, conditions mean he anticipates being wrapped up by then.

While the warm weather is driving up wildfire risk in some areas, it’s causing flooding in other parts of the province.

While the flooding situation has stabilized, the Thompson sub-basin remains under a flood warning and the Middle Fraser and South Thompson sub-basins are under flood watches.

Rising temperatures later this week could prompt the rapid melt of high-elevation snow and deliver runoff to the larger rivers, says head of the BC River Forecast Centre Dave Campbell.

Out of an abundance of caution, the province closed Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet on the night of May 9 due to the potential for slides.

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