The province has launched a site designed to be a hub for farmers’ institutes from around BC. “Farmers’ institutes members from across the province told me they needed a portal that would help them connect and share information with each other, access timely and relevant information and enable potential new members to connect with farmers’ …
NEWS
ALC gets an earful
Small-lot agriculture, secondary residences and a general disconnect between farmers, local government and the Agricultural Land Commission are emerging as common themes at town hall sessions the province launched last month to figure out how it could do a better job of supporting farming in the Agricultural Land Reserve. The four-hour sessions feature presentations by …
Opposition to grill NDP
Darvonda Nurseries in Langley. Rusted Rake in Nanoose Bay. Maan Farms in Abbotsford. Fantasy Farms in Chilliwack. These and other operations in the province’s venerable Agricultural Land Reserve have all come under scrutiny in recent months as the Agricultural Land Commission has taken a “farming first” approach to applications and activities. While growers and property …
Potato hopes mashed
A month after growers gathered for the annual BC potato variety trial field day on Westham Island, the high hopes expressed for the crop were washed out. “This is one of the best crops I’ve seen,” remarked United Potato Growers of Canada general manager Kevin MacIsaac at the time. “BC had moisture at the right …
New round of changes coming to land reserve
MERVILLE—The next round of changes coming to the Agricultural Land Reserve was announced September 19 as representatives from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Land Commission met with farmers in the first of six consultation sessions about how the province could support farmers. Many of the more than 125 farmers, landowners and agriculture …
BC considers making premises ID mandatory
VICTORIA—Since 2011, the BC Ministry of Agriculture has run a voluntary premises identification program for farm owners to voluntarily register their property and animals. Registration helps to protect animal health and facilitates a rapid response in the event of emergencies. Anyone from hobby farmers with one or two animals to large commercial livestock operators can …