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JULY 2025
Vol. 111 Issue 6

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1 month ago

BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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BC Cattlemen’s Association members gathered in Cranbrook for their 97th AGM last week. BCCA president Werner Stump welcomed upwards of 300 ranchers as he signalled a change in tone with the association’s approach to government. “We are going to be a lot more blunt in our dealings with government as we fight for our livelihood,” Stump told his audience. The North American herd size remains down, and calf prices are expected to stay strong, says Brenna Grant from Canfax. “We could see $5.50 -$5.70 this fall for a 5(00) weight calves.” Duncan and Jane Barnett and family from Barnett Land and Livestock in 150 Mile House received the Ranch Sustainability Award, which recognized their riparian management and community involvement. From left to right, Clayton Loewen with Jane, Duncan and Lindsay Barnett.

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Congratulations!!!

Congratulations 👍🎉

Congratulations

Congratulations <3

Congratulations Duncan and Jane Trott Barnett Well deserved recognition

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Duncan, Jane, and all the rest of the Barnett family!

Congratulations Duncan and Jane!!

Congratulations Jane and Ducan! Sandra Andresen Hawkins

Congratulations Jane & Duncan 🥳

Congratulation Duncan & Jane!!

Congratulations Jane Trott Barnett and Duncan!!!

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1 month ago

Grapegrower Colleen Ingram, who was recognized earlier this year as the 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association. “Given the devastation we have had over the last three years, I feel like this award should be given to the entire industry,” she says. Her story appears in the June edition of Country Life in BC, and we've also posted to our website.

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Industry champion named BC’s best grape grower

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KELOWNA – Colleen Ingram’s enthusiasm for collaboration within the BC wine industry is so great that when she was named 2024 Grower of the Year by the BC Grapegrowers Association, she wanted to sh...
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2 months ago

From orchard manager to government specialist and now executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association, Adrian Arts brings a rare blend of hands-on farming experience and organizational leadership to an industry poised for renewal. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BC fruit growers, with Arts expressing enthusiasm about continuing the momentum built by his predecessor and working alongside a board that signals a generational shift in agricultural advocacy.

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Arts leads BCFGA forward

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A combination of organizational management and practical farming experience has primed the new executive director of the BC Fruit Growers Association to lead the industry forward.
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3 months ago

A public consultation is now underway on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board. Key issues for dairy producers include transportation costs, rules governing shipments and limitations on supporting processing initiatives. Stakeholders have until May 31 to comment.

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Milk board undertakes review

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A public consultation on the powers and duties of the BC Milk Marketing Board is underway as part of a triennial review required by the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board Regulation.
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Nicola ranches wait for help

Debris piled up against a fenceline at Bar FX Ranch. [Bar FX Ranch/Facebook photo]

September 14, 2022 //  by WSH

The latest of three natural disasters to hit their property in a little over a year has the owners of Bar FX Ranch near Merritt wondering when the province will step up.

A brief torrential downpour on August 23 triggered a mudslide spread silt and gravel across their fields and those of neighbours in the Nicola Valley.

“We knew that due to the wildfire of last summer, August 2021, and the terrain we have, that we were potentially at risk for seeing some debris flow. But we had no idea how bad it was going to be,” says Rhonda MacDonald, who operates Bar FX with her husband Wayne.

She was working outside by the house while Wayne and a neighbour were checking fields on the other side of the Nicola River. She headed inside when the rain intensified but after 10 minutes it eased and she started to pressure wash the side of the house.

“I went back out and heard a noise that sounded like wind blowing. So, I glanced up the hill expecting to see trees moving up there from wind up top,” she says. “They weren’t moving, and I didn’t give it another thought.”

A few short minutes later, her dog barked, and MacDonald turned to watch mud flowing down the driveway towards the house.

“I had the Bobcat at the house so, I hopped in it and started pushing mud off the road as it was coming down. I was only thinking about the house at that point,” she says. “I drove through the fence to keep pushing it. It was quite thick, and I didn’t want to build a berm at the fence.”

Once the mud stopped flowing down the driveway, MacDonald began pushing mud, rocks and logs out of the yard. The debris flow spared their house but their hay field is now “18 acres of rocks and debris” and the ranch is back to “square one” – recovery mode, just like it was a year ago.

“We have two excavators working out there,” MacDonald says. “We’re windrowing the debris that’s out there. Basically, putting it vertically straight down the river so that should we get another debris flow, it will just send it straight to the river.”

The family and four neighbours also affected by the mudslide say the province has yet to contact them about financial support. The recovery program announced in February to assist growers impacted by last November’s flooding and mudslides stopped accepting applications at the end of August.

“The crappiest part is that so far, the provincial government, even though this is directly wildfire related, doesn’t have any AgriRecovery programs in place for it,” MacDonald says.

On August 31, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food stated that staff members were providing ongoing support to Emergency Management BC, Shackan First Nation, Bar FX Ranch, Thompson Nicola Regional District and the impacted producers.

“Impacts reported last week were power outages, downed fences, and widespread but shallow debris flows impacting agricultural lands (pasture, hay fields, etc.),” the ministry says. “There were no significant impacts to livestock, but the ministry has supported with the relocation and emergency feed for a small number of impacted horses from the Bar FX ranch.”

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