While foreign workers were the focus of concerns during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the second wave has brought the risks of the disease home to local farms. The past week saw Fraser Health Authority declare outbreaks at two farms in the Fraser Valley. On December 2, an outbreak was declared at Millennium …
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Phylloxera found on Vancouver Island
Grape phylloxera has been detected in Vancouver Island vineyards. Phyollxera, also known as root louse, was detected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency thanks to a grower submission. CFIA announced the discovery at the end of September. While there have been occasional detections in the Okanagan, Vancouver Island was previously free from the aphid-like insect. …
Raspberries get replant funding
A long-awaited raspberry replant program kicked off BC agriculture minister Lana Popham’s second term in cabinet this week. Popham announced $90,000 in funding for the program December 1 as part of a suite if announcements positioned as helping farmers recover from the effects of COVID-19. The program will also see $72,000 contributed by industry for …
No new concessions
Ottawa has promised to protect supply management in future trade deals, citing a deal reached November 21 to ensure continuity in trading arrangements with the UK when it leaves the EU at the end of December. “Our government will not provide market access to our supply managed sectors in any future trade agreements,” federal agriculture …
China ups ante for exporters
A year after the first case of COVID-19 emerged in China, the country’s customs officials announced tough new inspection rules designed to prevent the virus from returning via food shipments. On November 18, 2020, the General Administration of Customs China (GACC) requested that Canada and other trading partners revise export certificates for frozen and chilled …
Abattoirs eye pandemic funding
VICTORIA – A sudden influx of funding from the $90 million provincial Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program resulted in the submission of several abattoir applications to the rural economic recovery stream in October. CERIP is providing fully funded provincial grants to support economic resilience, tourism, heritage and urban and rural economic development projects in communities …