Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is a priority for BC premier John Horgan, but data from Statistics Canada shows the province leads the country when it comes to First Nations farmers. A total of 1,060 farm operators identified as Indigenous in the 2016 Census of Agriculture. Of these, 285 – or 27% – were located in …
Groundwater application deadline extended
Property owners now have three more years to register existing wells that draw water for non-domestic purposes and apply for a licence to use groundwater. The new deadline of March 1, 2022 is the third such extension in as many years, and exempts existing well owners from application and licensing fees. Without the extension, thousands …
Zylmans tenders resignation to BCPVGA
New leadership is in the offing at the BC Potato and Vegetable Growers Association. During the association’s annual general meeting in Tsawwassen this week, chair Bill Zylmans announced his resignation and members approved the board’s expansion to nine members to better handle the association’s work on behalf of the sector. Speaking with emotion, Zylmans was …
Organic growers prepare for the mainstream
Celebrating organics while preparing for mainstream acceptance was a key theme of the annual conference of the Certified Organic Associations of BC in Vernon, February 22-24. Many speakers remarked on the fact that the sector had gone mainstream, while many of the producers responsible were conspicuous by their absence from the meeting. “People who have …
Two new wine regions recommended
Two new regions – known as geographic indications (GIs) – could soon be approved for use on wine labels. Naramata Bench and Skaha Bench, both located within the Okanagan Valley have been forwarded to Victoria for final approval by the BC Wine Authority. Wineries and growers in the two areas approved the designations late last …
Ten-year plan
ABBOTSFORD – It took a decade to develop the new Agricultural Waste Control Regulation and it will take another decade to fully implement it. The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (BCMoE) released the new Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Management (AEMCoP) January 23, with the first provisions to take effect, February …