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Originally published:

November 2017
Vol. 103 Issue 11

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Stories In This Edition

Horse Power

Buy BC rollout in works

Hullcar report delayed

Breaking new ground

Perfecting the straight and narrow

Editorial: A new deal

The good, the bad, the disturbing: climate change Blueberry growers must rise above the competition

Vitala Foods cracks open free range egg market

Regulating the range

Winner! Winner

Sentence loosened for dairy worker

Farmers must take lead in building public trust

Food system confidence growing but costs still bite

Foodlands Trust initiative moves forward

Cost of record wildfires continues to rise

New range, new challenge

Peace grain yeilds good but drying needed

New hire for research

BC Tree Fruits singled out for excellence

Land commision to allow breweries on farmland

Greens seek limits on foreign ownership

Salmon farms work towards sustainability

Fruit growers stepping up replant lobby

Arctic apples make official debut

3 million pounds!

Cannabis hopes more than a pipe dream

More government regulation needed

Hop farm burns but demand fuels hope

Predators, politicians worry sheep producers

Mother Nature to blame for late cranberries

Hard work pays off for family business

Research breeds better bees for Vancouver Island

Persistence is the key to success: innovation

What investors want

Penicillium is an insidious Blue Meany for fruit growers

Collaboration key to extension programming

BC sheep breeders honoured with GenOvis awards

Good breeding, feeding are keys to strong replacement ewes

Next Generation

Strong appetite for female purebreds at fall sales

Range management strategies highlight symposium

Dairy sale average one of the best

Keremeos fair has ambitious plans for future

Leiutenant Governor honoured by 4-H BC

Wannabe

Woodshed: Henderson loses ground

Delicious diet foods

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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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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!!!

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Congratulations Duncan and Jane Trott Barnett Well deserved recognition

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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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4 weeks 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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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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Predators, politicans worry sheep producers

November 1, 2017 byBarbara Johnstone Grimmer//  Leave a Comment

VICTORIA – The annual meeting and symposium of the BC Sheep Federation (BCSF) in Central Saanich on September 29 began with a panel of long-time sheep producers from across the province discussing challenges facing the BC sheep industry.

BCSF president Valerie Moilliet Gerber sums up her view of challenges for the BC sheep industry in two words: predators and politicians.

Gerber has worked hard with other sheep producers to bring a wild predator compensation program to fruition but provincial elections and wildfires have delayed the program and her frustration is evident.

“Every turn, something else happens to slow us down,” says Gerber.

This summer there were losses all over the province to every type of predator. Gerber’s family lost 21 sheep to a wolf.

Metchosin abattoir operator John Buchanan of Parry Bay Sheep Farm also lists predators as a challenge.

The area where his sheep graze was long predator-free. While coyotes remain absent from Vancouver Island, bear and cougar attacks are up. Buchanan feels he’s at risk of being pushed off grazing areas. High feed costs on Vancouver Island mean access to grass is critical.

Predators aren’t Buchanan’s only concern.

As an abattoir operator, Buchanan faces challenges keeping his workers. A concern for local slaughter plants is seasonal fluctuations in demand for their services. Rather than lay off then rehire workers, Buchanan prefers to retain his workers and find year-round work for them. To do this, he depends on the support of local growers to keep the plant operating.

And his view on the price of lamb?

“Lamb will never be priced like chicken when it is so expensive to grow,” he says.

Saturna Island sheep producer and abattoir operator Jacques Campbell serves as director to the BC Association of Abattoirs (BCAA). Her farm was developed by her parents who were agriculture graduates from UBC. The slaughterhouse was built in 1958 and used for years before the meat regulations changed in 2007.

“This was a game-changer,” says Campbell. “Dad resisted, and I did the upgrades.”

Every time a grant became available, Campbell applied. She took a humane handling course, then became eligible to access funds to improve animal welfare and built a cattle kill-box. She trained to score lambs for the BC Premium Lamb program developed by BCSF and BCAA with a focus on food safety and ensuring local lamb was humanely handled and slaughtered, and traceable.

Campbell’s abattoir operates seasonally from June to January because feed is too expensive to lamb year-round and there is other work on the farm to do.

Lorea Tomsin, president of the Inter Island Sheep Breeders Association and BC director with the Canadian Sheep Breeders’ Association, commented on the year-long split in the Canadian Sheep Federation. Ontario and Alberta have withdrawn from the organization leaving just seven provinces represented by the national organization.

Tomsin emphasized the importance of a united national organization to speak for sheep producers on issues of national concern, including biosecurity, strong trade policies and the upcoming traceability regulations. It’s also important for the association to be able to serve as the industry’s ear to government.

Tomsin also touched on the value of lamb meat. She encouraged producers to price with confidence, knowing what their costs are and the work that goes into raising the animals.

“Don’t be shy to price lamb fairly – to you,” she says.

Bev Greenwell, president of the BC Purebred Sheep Breeders’ Association and editor of BC Sheep N’Ewes for the BC Sheep Federation, talked about the challenges on her ranch in Princeton.

Greenwell and her husband grow alfalfa-grass hay, have cattle and raise purebred Suffolks that they sell as breeding stock or custom slaughtered lambs. Raising and slaughtering the animals is a challenge, though, because feed, equipment and the abattoir are two hours away. Moreover, slaughter dates must be booked before the lambs are born.

Greenwell also mentions efforts to meet the challenge of aging farmers by using more mechanization for water and haying equipment. Greenwell has concerns about climate change, especially with recent droughts and wildfires. She was impacted this summer after a wet, warm spring encouraged a bolt of grass growth, then heat withered it into the perfect fuel for fires.

Combined with bighorn sheep, which often show up where they shouldn’t be, and sheep ranching in Princeton is clearly no picnic.

“Politics are intensified,” says Greenwell.

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