Spallumcheen wants to hear how 106 acres of protected agricultural land can serve producers if converted to industrial use. Three parcels in the South Spallumcheen industrial area are the focus of the study. All are located within the Agricultural Land Reserve. They’re also adjacent to highways 97 and 97A, making them attractive to industrial users. …
NEWS
McMillan leads crop consultants
Abbotsford-based crop consultant Grant McMillan, regional manager for ICMS Inc., will begin his term as president of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC) on January 28. A graduate of Dalhousie University, he joined ICMS in 2003 and became regional manager at the Abbotsford research station in 2008. McMillan also joined NAICC in 2008 …
Sumas Prairie farmers sue government
Two farms on Sumas Prairie are asking BC Supreme Court to certify a class action against the city of Abbotsford, Fraser Valley Regional District, and the province for their failure to warn property owners, residents and businesses of the flooding that inundated Sumas Prairie in November and to respond in a timely and appropriate manner. …
CanadaGAP participation drops
While retail sales channels demand more from producers, CanadaGAP statistics indicate more producers in BC are demanding less regulation. The food safety certification program debuted in 2008 and includes 3,000 participants from across North America’s fresh produce sector. The annual report for the program year ended August 31, released in advance of CanadaGAP’s annual general …
BC Tree Fruit sells another property
A diligent divestment strategy has seen BC Tree Fruits Cooperative sell close to $40 million in real estate since 2020. The latest deal saw the co-op sell its warehouse at 858 Ellis Street to Mission Group, a development company based in Kelowna, for $23.8 million. The sale was announced in mid-December, nearly eight months after …
Grape growers assess damage
Grape growers are assessing damage from a late December cold snap that hit the central and northern Okanagan Valley. “Winter temperatures in the hills surrounding Kelowna and areas to the north dipped below -27°C over the Christmas holidays,” Brad Estergaard, viticulture research technician at the Summerland Research and Development Centre told growers in a special …