Strong commodity prices have been fuelling demand for farmland across Western Canada. The activity is fuelling hopes for a 331-acre parcel in the Creston Valley, part of the Piper Farms Ltd. and Christensen Bros. Farms Ltd. portfolio brought to market last summer by Colliers. The owners listed 12 parcels on the west side of the …
International exports climb
Rising exports of BC agri-food products are set for a further boost with the launch of the new BC Agriculture and Food Export Program. BC Statistics reports that exports of agriculture and food products other than fish totalled $4.6 billion last year, a 24% increase from 2021. The gains were broad-based, with the largest gain …
Watchdog calls for overhaul of fire management
VICTORIA – On June 29, the province’s independent watchdog for forest and range practices released a report citing urgent action as 45% of public land is at high or extreme threat of wildfire. “Fire prevention and suppression policies over the past century have led to a buildup of fuel in our forests and have contributed …
Wildfires rip through Southern Interior
The impact of a dramatic turn in the provincial wildfire situation last week is still being calculated as the smoke clears in the Okanagan. Dramatic footage from the McDougall Creek wildfire in West Kelowna focused on the impacts to residential and recreational properties, but the smoke plume hit orchards as well as vineyards, where veraison …
Cattle head to market
A fire sale is never a good sign, but that’s what’s happening in the beef sector as hundreds of animals move to market early this summer in advance of a winter where available forage is expected to be expensive, if it can be had at all. “There’s a shortage of feed with the drought and …
BC Tree CEO on leave
BC Tree Fruits Cooperative CEO Warren Sarafinchan took an extended leave of absence, effective August 5, following a battle with COVID-19 and the toll four years of transformation at the co-op has taken. “This decision comes as he focuses on recovering from COVID and takes some much-needed time to rest with his family,” co-op chair …