The trial of three activists charged in the invasion of Excelsior Hog Farm in April 2019 began in Abbotsford on June 27. Amy Soranno, Nick Schafer and Roy Sasano are charged with a total of 14 counts of break and enter and mischief. The initial stage of the trial is the Crown laying forth its …
Women offer ‘cutting-edge’ skills
ARMSTRONG – To work in meat processing, one requires strength, passion and specialized skills. But for Amber Baryla, getting into poultry processing came out of necessity. She ended up falling in love with her new career choice anyway. “I didn’t come from a farm family. I worked in the auto industry in sales for a …
Dairy wins a price increase
Dairy farmers have won a rare mid-year price hike to address rising costs of production, but it falls short of what’s needed to keep pace with inflation. The Canadian Dairy Commission approved a 2.5% increase in the farmgate milk price this week in response to a request the Dairy Farmers of Canada made at the …
Province funds weather preparedness
This week may have marked the official start of summer, but for many growers, cool damp weather continues to delay crops in sharp contrast to 2021 when the end of June brought scorching temperatures and dramatic wildfires. This year, berry and cherry growers are reporting harvest delays of 10 to 14 days. While the spring …
Indigenizing agriculture, ensuring food supply resiliency
Indigenous communities across the province were hit hard by food chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 and last year’s myriad natural disasters. But many groups are working together to produce food locally while also bringing Indigenous farming roots to light. “There is a lack of recognition that there are many Indigenous people that are very engaged …
Off-season sales boosted by new vending machine
CHILLIWACK – A vending machine from the Netherlands has improved winter sales on a Chilliwack farm. Berry Bounty Farms installed the Innovend machine last July, allowing it to display more than a dozen products from berries to eggs and honey in individual climate-controlled compartments with see-through doors. An increasingly common sight in Europe, the installation …