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JULY 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 6

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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Congratulations!!!

Congratulations 👍🎉

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

Congratulations Duncan and Jane Trott Barnett Well deserved recognition

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Duncan and Jane!!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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1 month ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
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2 months ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
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2 months ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

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Milk board undertakes review

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A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
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BC wine pioneer Harry McWatters dies

Harry McWatters and his son, Darren McWatters, at TIME winery. Tom Walker photo.

July 24, 2019 byPeter Mitham

The godfather and éminence grise of many key developments in the BC wine industry has died at the age of 74.

Harry McWatters died in his sleep at his home in Summerland on July 23, a week following the first anniversary of the opening of his newest venture, Time Winery in Penticton.

McWatters saw 50 vintages in BC and was the long-time proprietor of Sumac Ridge, the province’s first estate winery. He was instrumental in the establishment of the BC VQA system and played a key role in later reforms that included the BC Wine Appellation Task Group that made several recommendations to government in the interests of modernizing the sector. These include the creation of new subappellations, which McWatters had supported in his role as a consultant to new producers in regions such as the Fraser Canyon.

McWatters spearheaded the establishment of Meritage – a term for Bordeaux-style blends made outside Bordeaux – in Canada, and was a champion of sparkling wines. Steller’s Jay Brut from Sumac Ridge gave BC sparkling wine a profile, and broke the ground needed for other producers to build. Similarly, in 2000, he released Pinnacle, a red blend from Sumac Ridge from the 1997 vintage that was the first $50 “icon” wine from the Okanagan. It established a new benchmark for the BC industry at a time when $25 bottles from the Okanagan were considered pricey.

Giving his take on the development of the industry earlier this year, McWatters proudly noted that wines made entirely from BC grapes now accounted for 19% of all wine sales (in litres) in the province. This is up from less than 12% in 2009. Moreover, for every million dollars added to winery sales in the province, approximately $3.3 million flows into the rest of the BC economy.

However, McWatters also wanted to see government continue to improve the environment for small and mid-sized wineries. This included less bureaucracy for wineries, standard rules for all producers of BC products, and the end of interprovincial shipping barriers. The latter moved a step closer to reality with federal legislation passed June 21, and this last week’s decision by BC to remove limits on how much liquor BC residents could bring back from other jurisdictions for personal use.

 

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