KELOWNA – Okanagan apple growers say ongoing low returns and rising input costs have pushed them to the verge of quitting the industry. “The financial returns of apple growers have been steadily declining for the past three years,” says Pinder Dhaliwal, an apple grower in Oliver and president of the BC Fruit Growers Association. “On …
NEWS
Cold snap hits Okanagan fruit growers
Three nights of sub-zero temperatures has brought an end to the growing season for Okanagan fruit growers. This past weekend saw temperatures dip below -5 degrees Celsius across the valley, with temperatures as low as -15 recorded in Oliver. “We’re trying to get things off as quickly as possible,” said Troy Osborne, a director of …
BC farms deliver big impact
BC agriculture had an economic impact on the province of nearly $8.5 billion in 2019, according to a new study MNP prepared for the BC Agriculture Council and Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. The figure represents the total output of the crop and livestock sectors, as well as indirect impacts from spending on supplies and …
Strong fundamentals for beef market
The early calf gets the price could be the story for this year’s fall cattle run. While prices were around $2.15 a pound for a 550 lb. steer through mid-October, pricing began to slip in the latter half of the month. “Things are really just getting going with the peak of the fall run happening …
Dairy sector demands action
Concessions under CUSMA, which replaced NAFTA at the beginning of July, have cost the BC dairy industry approximately $8.6 million to date. This week, through Dairy Farmers of Canada, producers called on Ottawa to announce compensation and a clear timeline for delivering the direct payments it promised the sector as a result of the new …
Poultry plant outbreak
A fifth meat processing plant in the province has suffered an outbreak of COVID-19. The outbreak was announced October 18 by Fraser Health Authority, which identified the location as the J. & L. Beef Ltd. plant at 17565 65A Avenue in Surrey. The plant operator is Sunrise Poultry Processors Ltd. The initial case tested positive …