Concerns are growing that a new federal tax designed to curb foreign speculation on residential real estate in Canada could take farmers by surprise. The so-called Underused Housing Tax is part of a package of measures that took effect January 1, including a two-year ban on foreign ownership. The new UHT could see foreign nationals …
Farmers question regenerative ag agenda
ABBOTSFORD – A new strategic framework for regenerative agriculture and agritech marked Pam Alexis’s first major event as the province’s agriculture minister when she addressed the Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford on January 26. The framework puts a fresh stamp on the province’s development of a Regenerative Agriculture and Agritech Network (RAAN), a priority in …
Market garden powered by solar energy
SKOOKUMCHUK – Jessica and Harold Tichenor have renovated several properties over the years, developing their building and gardening skills to where they could tackle extremely challenging projects. At a point in their lives when most farmers are thinking about retirement, they bought an off-grid property in the East Kootenays that turned out to be one …
Province looks beyond timber
The province announced $25 million on February 15 to support the creation of eight additional Forest Landscape Planning tables (FLPs). “This is a positive step towards improved consideration of non-timber forest values,” says Werner Stump, vice-president of the BC Cattlemen’s Association. “Equally important will be the realization that how we have been managing the landscape …
Organic growth in sight
Seventeen candidates have stepped forward to produce organic milk in BC as part of the BC Milk Marketing Board’s expansion of its New Entrant Program (NEP) to organic producers. Unlike the regular NEP, a draw was not held to establish a short list of candidates. All applicants who submitted a completed application by the February …
Weather-driven fruit shortfalls
New tools are helping growers anticipate and assess the impact of weather on their plants, but the truth of how resilient they’ve been in the face of extreme weather events is often not known until harvest. Data for 2022 released February 16 by Statistics Canada indicates that several fruit crops saw lower production last year, …