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DECEMBER 2023
Vol. 109 Issue 12

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4 days ago

Congratulations to Travis and Brad Hopcott of Hopcott Farms for taking top honours as Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers last week in Laval, Quebec. For more, see this week's FARM NEWS UPDATE at www.countrylifeinbc.com/hopcotts-win-oyf#BCAGd#clinbcAg #CLinBC ... See MoreSee Less

Congratulations to Travis and Brad Hopcott of Hopcott Farms for taking top honours as Canadas Outstanding Young Farmers last week in Laval, Quebec. For more, see this weeks FARM NEWS UPDATE at https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/hopcotts-win-oyf-canada/

#BCAg #CLinBC
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Congratulations to all of you. You have done a tremendous job growing your business

Congratulations from Coniagas Ranches! Your business is awesome!!!

Thank you so much! 😁

Congratulations Travis!

Well done ! Well deserved

Congratulations

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6 days ago

Congratulations to Chilliwack’s Ben Janzen, former chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board, who received the BC Dairy Achievement Award from Jim Byrne of the BC Dairy Historical Society on November 23. Byrne hailed Janzen’s selfless work on behalf of the industry, first as a member of the first producer-elected board of Agrifoods International Cooperative in 1996 then as chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board for five years from 2016. "These successes have allowed the industry to increase processing capacity and develop initiatives that, when completed, will provide processing for growth for many years to come,” Byrne said. In response, Janzen expressed gratitude while emphasizing the determination and resilience of producers in the face of challenges. “You’re the ones that make this industry great,” he said.

#BCAg #CLinBC
... See MoreSee Less

Congratulations to Chilliwack’s Ben Janzen, former chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board, who received the BC Dairy Achievement Award from Jim Byrne of the BC Dairy Historical Society on November 23. Byrne hailed Janzen’s selfless work on behalf of the industry, first as a member of the first producer-elected board of Agrifoods International Cooperative in 1996 then as chair of the BC Milk Marketing Board for five years from 2016. These successes have allowed the industry to increase processing capacity and develop initiatives that, when completed, will provide processing for growth for many years to come,” Byrne said. In response, Janzen expressed gratitude while emphasizing the determination and resilience of producers in the face of challenges. “You’re the ones that make this industry great,” he said.

#BCAg #CLinBC
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I don't understand? Maybe it's my own ignorance but don't we produce way more milk than we use and force farmers to dump anything above their quota to ensure the prices stay high? Wouldn't we want to keep the retail price as low as possible while ensuring farmers receive their required compensation? Wouldn't that be worth an award? Help me understand 🤷‍♂️

Is this guy a reason why I cannot buy whole unpasteurized milk for my own personal use, yeah personal use even to make glue ...but really I don't carecwhy anyone wants whole unpasteurized milk ..it is Not my business..and nor should it be the business of bearacracy ..so in mho ppfffft

2 weeks ago

We are profoundly saddened to announce the passing of veteran farm journalist and Country Life in BC editor emeritus David Schmidt. He died suddenly in Chilliwack on November 20. For 35 years, David was the face and voice of Country Life in BC, covering producer meetings across the Fraser Valley and throughout BC. His reporting earned many national awards and he was honoured with several lifetime achievement awards, including the 2018 Scotiabank Champion of Agriculture, as he edged toward retirement at the start of the pandemic in 2020. He was, as one former ag minister eloquently put it, the "encyclopedia of BC agriculture." We will miss him terribly. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. For more, see today's FARM NEWS UPDATE - www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-agriculture-loses-a-champion/ ... See MoreSee Less

We are profoundly saddened to announce the passing of veteran farm journalist and Country Life in BC editor emeritus David Schmidt. He died suddenly in Chilliwack on November 20. For 35 years, David was the face and voice of Country Life in BC, covering producer meetings across the Fraser Valley and throughout BC. His reporting earned many national awards and he was honoured with several lifetime achievement awards,  including the 2018 Scotiabank Champion of Agriculture, as he edged toward retirement at the start of the pandemic in 2020. He was, as one former ag minister eloquently put it, the encyclopedia of BC agriculture. We will miss him terribly. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. For more, see todays FARM NEWS UPDATE - https://www.countrylifeinbc.com/bc-agriculture-loses-a-champion/
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Very sad to hear of his loss…amazing dedication to Country Life.

He will be missed. His dedication to the agricullture industry was exceptional and conversattions with David were always welcomed

David was just an exceptional person . He had an unbridled passion for Agriculture. He will be so missed in this Industry. Condolences to David's family and friends.

Condolences to David's family and also his work family. He was a veteran agricultural supporter and reporter, and in his younger days attended every agricultural event he possibly could! He always had insightful views on the current agricultural state of affairs in the Fraser Valley, and also on the government programs and relief offered. He will definitely be missed in the Fraser Valley agricultural community.

David's thoughtful, careful and insightful reporting set a standard in farm reporting in BC, and much further. He will be very much missed.

Deepest Sympathy to family and friends.

Our most heartfelt condolences.

Very sad to hear this.

Sad to hear 😞

Very sorry to hear this. David was a first class journalist and an all around good human being.

Rip David.

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3 weeks ago

An agriculture plan progress report presented to Kelowna council November 6 shows a drop in the number of active farm operations in the Central Okanagan region since 2017. Six years ago, there were 1,034 actively farmed parcels; today, there are 983, according to BC Assessment data. Read more in this week's FARM NEWS UPDATE bitly.ws/ZScG ... See MoreSee Less

An agriculture plan progress report presented to Kelowna council November 6 shows a drop in the number of active farm operations in the Central Okanagan region since 2017. Six years ago, there were 1,034 actively farmed parcels; today, there are 983, according to BC Assessment data. Read more in this weeks FARM NEWS UPDATE https://bitly.ws/ZScG
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3 weeks ago

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Young ranchers head to Penticton

August 10, 2022 byKate Ayers

BC ranchers Raelynn Blumhagen and Morgan Kitchen are two of 24 semi-finalists for this year’s Cattlemen’s Young Leaders mentorship program, an initiative of the Canadian Cattle Association.

Blumhagen ranches with her family at Jaffray. A fourth-generation farmer, she is raising the fifth generation while running about 400 cow-calf pairs on 1,200 farmable acres.

The semi-finalists were chosen by a panel of judges who reviewed written applications.

Sixteen finalists will be chosen based on judged roundtable discussions about pertinent topics in the beef sector such as succession planning, animal health and sustainability at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Penticton, August 16-18. The in-person judging will be the first for the program since 2019.

Following the conference, finalists will be paired with an industry leader for nine months to explore their specific areas of interest.

“We have a great group, and we are very happy to see the quality of applicants that were interested in the program this year,” says the Canadian Cattle Association’s youth leadership coordinator Jessica Radau.

“Mentorship plays a really important role in how we build up the next generation of the beef industry,” she says. “It’s an important tool in how we transfer the skills and knowledge of leaders in the industry onto the future that is going to continue to drive this work.”

The program also enables young people in the beef industry from across Canada to connect and build relationships.

If chosen, Blumhagen would like to learn more about policy and management practices and “how the industry is all kind of tied together through government relations and the different ways that cattle can be impacted by different situations and scenarios.”

She says a mentor would allow her to learn “from somebody who has experience doing different things and can teach me more than what I’ve learned … farming and ranching with my family.”

She looks forward to “seeing what other opportunities there are to digress and change as the times go but keep the small-farm mentality at the same time.”

Blumhagen would also like to delve into topics surrounding herd health and programs that ranchers use to ensure a healthy breeding program.

Kitchen was not available for a comment.

The program’s 2021-2022 participants from BC found networking to be the most valuable takeaway from the last nine months.

“I feel like my contacts from the industry have grown so much,” says Janine Rubin of Rose Prairie. “It’s really nice to have those contacts who I can call if I need advice or a second opinion on something.”

Rubin also learned a lot during her trip to Waldron Ranch Grazing Co-operative located just south of Longview, Alberta.
“I really enjoyed seeing the cattle handling system at Waldron Ranch and learning about other CYL’s cattle handling systems. I hope I can use these ideas in the future on the farm,” Rubin says. Waldron Ranch general manager Mike Roberts also had a profound lesson for CYL participants.

“He reminded us that attitude is everything, and don’t be afraid to be a risk-taker. I really remembered that, and it stuck with me that it’s okay to do things differently,” Rubin adds.

Amanda Miller of Lumby examined the conservation and policy aspects of the beef industry during her time in the CYL program. She found the opportunity to make industry connections valuable for her career moving forward.

“I have a strong policy interest in what we can do to maintain the beef industry and be able to really highlight the relationship between Canadian beef production and grassland conservation,” Miller says. “I want to refocus on something that can be more impactful and maybe do some work to really help the beef industry maintain its economic viability and competitiveness … and work to conserve the native grassland systems that we have.”

CYL members wrapped up their tenure on July 31, but will officially graduate during the CBIC on August 16.

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