PITT MEADOWS – Pitt Meadows could lose more than 100 acres of protected farmland if CP Rail wins approval to expand its operations in the community. Plans for the CP Logistics Park [cplogisticspark.ca] were unveiled in December following consultations with the municipality, Katzie First Nation and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority last summer. An initial public …
NEWS
Egg producer questions support for local eggs
DUNCAN – A Vancouver Island egg producer/grader wants the corporate egg business to give consumers more transparency and choice. A blog post on the Farmer Ben’s Eggs website in early December questioned the branding of some eggs sold on the island as being island-produced when, in fact, many of the eggs originate off-island and perhaps …
Help available for farm business succession
DUNSTER – With the average age of BC farmers close to 60, retirement and farm succession is a looming issue for many operators. Pete Amyoony, who has a small market garden and a 1,250-square-foot greenhouse on a 10-acre property in the small community of Dunster, understands what it’s like to be anxious about what the …
Greenhouse sets example for others to follow
SALMO – It’s -8°C and snowing in the central Kootenay town of Salmo, but inside the greenhouse at Salix and Sedge Farm, lettuce and arugula are growing in the soil. “It’s not really growing, it’s more like being in a refrigerator,” clarifies Brendan Parsons who with his partner Cali Olleck owns the farm. “The low …
Pacific Agriculture Show kicks off
The first all-digital edition of the Pacific Agriculture Show kicks off Thursday morning, treating participants to the direction of future trade shows and conferences. This winter’s industry events have been transformed as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which continue to limit in-person gatherings and events. Organizations have embraced a variety of conferencing platforms, …
Sidney plant lab takes shape
While governments around the world take steps to rein in the COVID-19 pandemic, work continues to ensure plants in Canada remain free of disease. Design and construction contracts have been awarded for the new Centre for Plant health in Sidney, which is currently set to open in 2024. Construction is set to begin later this …