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GREENHOUSE Cannabis expansion goes up in smoke 8 ORGANIC LIVESTOCK Organic growers face mainstream competition Dairy producers rail against transport rules 11 17 SPRING TIME IS PLANTING TIME 1 888 770 7333 Quality Seeds where quality counts The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 APRIL 2020 Vol 106 No 4 Growers scramble for workers Farmers face uncertainty as pandemic shuts borders by PETER MITHAM Sheep labour Sheep from Whistling Wind Ranch in Kamloops have been tending the vineyard at St Hubertus Estate Winery in Kelowna this winter Their job keeps weeds in check adds fertilizer and eliminates rodent tunnels When there was too much snow to graze they were fed hay MYRNA STARK LEADER PHOTO LANGLEY A cool end to winter means crops in the Lower Mainland have yet to kick into high gear but many growers face the prospect of being shorthanded by the spread of COVID 19 declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11 Most of us are finished pruning the next big event that we would have come up labour wise is planting says Rhonda Driediger of Driediger Farms Ltd in Langley and co chair of the BC Agriculture Council s labour committee The labour committee oversees the Western Agricultural Labour Initiative which administers the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program in BC The province welcomes about 10 000 foreign workers each year Just a third had arrived when Ottawa closed the border on March 18 to foreign nationals other than US residents We really need temporary foreign workers who are working in the bee industry They need to get here to assist in the hive preparation so we have them for pollination says Driediger We ll be by PETER MITHAM Diesel PTO Pumps PVC Aluminum Pipe Irrigation Reels DRIP IRRIGATION Centre Pivots 1 888 675 7999 888 6 99999 99 I R R I G A T I O N L T D watertecna com t t VICTORIA The province has begun to give force and effect to Bill 15 passed last spring to change up governance of the Agricultural Land Commission New regulations developed in consultation with representatives of local governments and a technical working group that included the Union of BC Municipalities the BC Agriculture Council and the Agricultural Land Commission were announced March 12 The old system of regional panels has been revamped to be more efficient and speedup decision making All existing commissioners remain in place under the new structure However the chair of the ALC will now have greater input on government s appointment of new commissioners Criteria for decisions will include protecting the size integrity and continuity of the landbase within the Agricultural Land Reserve to combat parcelization Reconsideration of decisions must proceed within 90 days of the original decision The new regulations also implement the controversial clause that no longer considers landowners persons for the purpose of exclusion applications Beginning September 30 requests to remove farmland from the ALR must now be made by local government The six month window gives municipalities time to adjust their procedures to See BILL 15 on next page o Country Life in BC 36 Dale Road Enderby BC V0E 1V4 Province implements Bill 15 Postmaster Please return Undeliverable labels to Growing more with less water CANADA POSTES POST CANADA Vol 106 No 4 Postage paid Port pay Publications Mail Post Publications 40012122 See QUICK on next page o
2 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 QUICK response continuing our field maintenance it just might take a little longer because we have a smaller crew Driediger Farms expected 30 foreign workers this year Just 12 had arrived before the borders closed Since Ottawa began accepting 2020 applications last summer 365 BC farms received permission to hire 5 735 foreign workers Driediger says it s too early to tell if farms will be short workers this year as a result of the restrictions How fast is this going to pass over us and how fast are we going to be able to open up she asks Driediger employs domestic workers which helps diversify her labour pool Other growers will be able to hire some of the several hundred workers laid off by Canopy Growth Corp from greenhouses in Langley and Delta However farm groups have been noting that many workers are choosing to self isolate or face family demands due to school closures and other measures A national coalition led by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture made its case for foreign workers in Ottawa on March 18 The response was swift The participation of temporary foreign workers on our farms and our food businesses is absolutely necessary federal agriculture minister Marie Claude Bibeau said in announcing that agrifood businesses could bring in foreign workers It is nothing less than an issue of nfrom food security But speaking to media Bibeau said farmers would be responsible for making sure incoming workers are virusfree It s their job to test them prior to arrival and quarantine them in Canada Every employer will have the responsibility to put in place a strict isolation protocol of 14 days and if they don t they would forfeit the right to hire foreign workers for the coming years she said Given the lack of flights growers will also be responsible for finding a way to bring workers to Canada Once here however workers will be eligible to extend their work visas and some may have the option to stay for up to two seasons The arrangement had yet to be ratified by Mexico Jamaica and Guatemala as this issue went to press but Bibeau expected rapid approval Housing guidelines would also be developed in consultation with provincial health authorities This is a great first step said BCAC executive director Reg Ens noting that several other issues remain The federal government has pledged 93 billion to support business continuity and those facing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic Tax filing deadlines have been extended and the Bank of Canada cut its benchmark lending rate hoping to prevent the economy from grinding to a halt BC agriculture minister Lana Popham did not respond to requests for interviews by Country Life in BC but instead took to social media to express her support for the farm sector I m hearing concerns about everything from revenue and market access to supply chains and labour she said in one post also distributed to producer groups on March 18 We have already begun work with our federal partners to review how existing and additional programs that help producers who experience income losses may be used or developed to help producers who experience revenue losses this year But to experience crop losses growers need a crop to lose and the province s agriculture critic Delta South MLA Ian Paton said many producers face an uncertain spring Agricultural producers have already faced challenges with getting necessary feed and supplies to their farms and now they are facing new realities he said TerraLink Horticulture Inc in Abbotsford said shipments had already been held up by a lack of shipping capacity and fertilizer shortages are a real possibility if the situation lasts into the summer Stakes and other items needed for planting may also be in short supply Supplies of certain feed formulations also face disruption because China is the sole producer of several vitamins and trace elements The good news is that BC farmers are seeing strong demand for their products Direct farm sales are up and on March 19 the BC Milk Marketing Board noted a significant increase for fresh dairy products which it attributes to more people eating meals at home and avoid travel to the US To maintain an adequate supply of product the board added two incentive days in March and three each in April and May The province s Plant and Animal Branch also continues to provide diagnostic services Outgoing branch director Jane Pritchard who BILL 15 retires April 1 reassured producers that humans cannot catch the virus from livestock The science is in and there is no transmission of the COVID 19 virus by dogs or other animals she said Pritchard said the course of the pandemic is difficult to foresee However ministry staff are committed to providing essential services to growers The province s public health veterinarian Dr Brian Radke is also working closely with other public health officials as part of the province s COVID 19 One Health Steering Group With files from Barbara Johnstone Grimmer nfrom accommodate the changes The changes set the tone for consideration of various controversial proposals across the province such as an application the District of Kent is developing to exclude 43 acres in Agassiz for residential use A mix of detached and multifamily homes are planned for the site The district describes the site as expansive farmland with Class 1 3 soils The property has grown a variety of cole crops in the past as well as corn It s currently a tree farm Kent has marked the site for residential development since 2001 however noting the presence of an adjacent subdivision A previous application to exclude 35 acres of the site in 2016 failed The decision rendered in 2018 advised the page 1 page 1 district any plan to develop non farm uses in the area which includes the Exclusion Property is of no force and effect and should be deleted from the OCP and the Regional Growth Strategy The decision added that municipal zoning must be consistent with regulations governing the ALR The district is resurrecting the application in partnership with a developer who has pledged a 3 million contribution to civic amenities to accommodate future residential growth estimated at 1 386 people by 2041 Parallel to the exclusion application the district would like to include 102 acres of boggy land outside the dike Kent council had yet to make a decision on whether or not to proceed with the application at press time NEW REPLACEMENT PARTS for MOST TRACTORS FARM IMPLEMENTS Stay safe farmers Canada needs you WANTED NEW HOLLAND 900 240 PULL TYPE HARVESTERS FORD 7000 2WD OPEN STATION 83 HP 540 PTO ONE OWNER 7 000 NH 8160 4X4 CAB 3358 HRS 100 HP PS TRANS 540 1000 GOOD CONDITION 45 000 NH TS115A 4X4 CAB SYNCHRO COM TRANS SHUTTLE 115HP 8000 HRS LOADER MOUNT 28 900 MF 265 2WD CAB 60 PTO HP INDUSTRIAL LOADER SPIKE MOUNT FRONT HYD REMOTE 2 200 HRS ONE OWNER 9 500 JD 336 SQUARE BALER SMALL CHAMBER HYD TENSIONER TURN GOOD CONDITION 6 500 NH 1047 SELF PROP 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3 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Farmers markets help communities recover Disruptive events make social connection all the more important by PETER MITHAM McLEESE LAKE The threat of the COVID 19 pandemic loomed over the annual meeting of the BC Association of Farmers Markets in Harrison Hot Springs on March 6 8 Three days later the pandemic declaration spurred governments into action declaring states of emergency limiting gatherings and shutting down foodservice establishments The lessons learned from recent natural disasters may well come into play in the aftermath of COVID 19 says Wylie Bystedt a rancher and recovery manager in the Cariboo who coordinated recovery efforts in the region following wildfire and floods during the past three years It is the recovery manager s job to bring the needs of the community forward she told a workshop on disaster recovery at the BCAFM conference The four priorities every recovery plan has to address are the people the economy the environment and reconstruction While every disaster is different and will bring a different set of organizations to the table Bystedt says those four priorities dovetail well with what farmers and farmers markets are all about BCAFM wrote to members after social distancing became public policy and reminded them that markets are NOT social events but the social component sits alongside local food sales as a key part of their draw Indeed the theme of last year s markets conference was Cultivating Community This is something farmers markets did following the devastating 2017 wildfires We can t let people back in until they have power and water and food says Bystedt What 100 Mile House did is they got their farmers market up and running immediately As soon as people started coming back in that market was up and going It gave people a place to come back and congregate and reassure themselves Quesnel where Bystedt is a vendor never stopped operating and drew in people from places that were evacuated They did a roaring business Sales were probably up 20 or 30 because we had evacuees and they were looking for things to do she says Coming to the market was something that they could do Vendors allowed participants in the province s nutrition coupon program to use their vouchers This BC farmers markets are community hubs before during and after disasters MYRNA STARK LEADER PHOTO helped meet not only their food needs but added to their personal sense of wellbeing and stability We had so many comments from people just thanking us for being there Bystedt says While many markets plan for disaster Bystedt says fewer plan for the possibility of becoming gathering points afterwards While social distancing mutes the ability of markets to provide connection a welcoming atmosphere can go a long way to maintaining continuity Top priority countrylifeinbc com bc com BC agriculture minister Lana Popham made support WEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATES for farmers markets her top priority in response to the pandemic In a letter to the province s producers on March 19 she announced that the BC Association of Farmers Markets would be receiving funding to develop an operating model better suited to times of emergency All levels of government were unclear at press time how long event restrictions might remain in place The biggest response package from the federal government focused on business continuity and immediate assistance rather than recovery However in the wake of wildfires and flooding disaster assistance funds supported community projects that helped restore and sense of well being and confidence in affected communities A community hall was among the projects funded after flooding in the Cariboo last summer for example while farmers markets accessed funding under the heading of block parties to host events There s money available for that as part of recovery says Bystedt The applications are dead easy They were putting it under block party categories because they saw it as ways for communities to heal Markets are a perfect way to deliver that component for them Helping l i Y You YOUR Sign up for FREE today Serving the Okanagan and Fraser Valley We ve been proudly family owned and operated since opening in 1976 And with two blending plants we re one of BC s largest distributors of granular liquid and foliar fertilizers Our buying power and proximity to the Fraser Valley makes us the logical choice for truckload shipments OKANAGAN FERTILIZER LTD 1 800 361 4600 or 250 838 6414 You re invested in your business So are we Partner with the only lender 100 invested in Canadian agriculture and food DREAM GROW THRIVE fcc ca
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 4 Looking ahead A farmer so the old joke goes is someone outstanding in their field It became less a joke and more an advantage in March as the coronavirus that emerged in China last November became a global threat Within days the economy had melted down and put 500 000 workers across Canada on the dole But farmers continue to work because people still have to eat Staying inside isn t an option for farmers and ranchers who also face uncertainties with respect to supplies and workers This may well be the year we learn to take nothing for granted We ve said that before of course The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 led the phenomenon of cocooning as people made a point of spending time with family and loved ones Sales of organic and local foods took off as consumers reassessed life choices and how they could make a difference The local farmer became the hero The past few days have seen the phenomenon repeat itself but this time on steroids Cocooning now known as self isolating has become public health policy With the full economic impact of the pandemic yet to be felt people are stocking up with demand for milk poultry and other food products skyrocketing BC milk producers have been issued incentive days to feed the demand for a public that until recently had been all about plant based dairyfree diets We haven t seen many headlines about that lately Direct farm sales have been off the charts and farmers can t keep up This summer stands to see more of the same Providing labour comes through and farmers can get crops out of the field consumers will buy Reduced trucking capacity if not border restrictions will put further pressure on imported food creating a perfect opportunity to for local farmers to Feed BC as the province s agriculture minister would love for them to do It all adds up to a bump up for farmers ranchers and processors This is where the tens of billions of dollars government has pledged to keep people and businesses afloat are critical Governments are hedging on how long the current state of affairs will last Support measures announced to date are largely focused on those laid off and who need immediate financial backup to carry on Most have a six month window By then it will be fall and crops will be coming in while cattle head to market Whatever the months in between hold a hope for the harvest gives us all something to work towards Food security demands out of box thinking Food security has been a core public health program of the BC Ministry of Health since 2005 A food security model core program was released in 2006 The original program was BOB COLLINS updated in 2013 The paper outlines the UN Food and Agriculture Organization FAO s definition of food security and the four dimensions required to achieve it A chart then neatly boxes 53 potential influences on food security in BC Among the boxes is one for Agriculture one for Fisheries and one for Farmers Growers and Fishers Noticeable by their absence are any boxes for drought flood fire hail frost insect infestation pandemic illness red tape and regulation wildlife damage or that thing no one ever could have imagined All of these and others like them get crammed into the agriculture box There are also boxes for NGOs and advocacy groups Most communities will have one or more of these addressing the issue of food security Some of them will be focussed on outcomes as specific as feeding the homeless the issue becomes immediate for people with nothing to eat today Other groups will embrace a broader perspective that includes what goes on in the agriculture box At this point things start to get fuzzy The Back Forty The FAO defines food security as a situation that exists when all people at all times have physical social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active healthy life That s certainly straight forward as it stands but when it s embraced as a public goal we begin to see qualifying phrases added in Phrases like locally sourced ethically produced sustainably grown non GMO and a host of others With the best of intentions and sometimes righteous zeal these additions and the expectations that accompany them ultimately make their way over to the Agriculture box Things are starting to get a little crowded in the Agriculture box and the farmers ranchers and growers will need to navigate the shoals of social expectation before they will be granted a social licence to ply their trade The FAO food security definition doesn t mention a social licence It specifically addresses food sufficient safe and nutritious It also mentions food preferences and it might be here the social expectations congregate as in I prefer food that is locally sourced ethically produced and sustainably grown Farmers and ranchers might fairly ask what exactly does that mean Define locally sourced Is it grown within 20 km of your house 50 km 100 km Anywhere in BC California Ethically produced are domesticated animals ethical Is it ethical for apple growers to be paid 20 cents for a pound for apples that sell in the store for 2 49 Publisher Cathy Glover 604 328 3814 publisher countrylifeinbc com Editor Emeritus David Schmidt Associate Editor Peter Mitham The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 news countrylifeinbc com Vol 106 No 4 APRIL 2020 Advertising Sales Marketing Cathy Glover sales countrylifeinbc com Published monthly by Country Life 2000 Ltd www countrylifeinbc com Production Designer Tina Rezansoff Don t forget to self isolate PW Sustainably grown Is it sustainably grown if fossil fuel powered the machinery that harvested it Or hauled it to market There are no specific answers rather a spectrum of them for every question Producers might wonder about the ethics of a social licence if fulfilling its terms drives costs beyond the economic access of many consumers or returns below the cost of production To paraphrase an old saying When you re up to your armpits in expectations and regulations it s hard to remember the objective was to grow food and make a living The take away in all this is for the 98 of the population who rely on the other 2 to grow their food If farmers and ranchers can t make an economic case to grow food and get on with it don t assume they will keep it up for the sheer joy of the exercise or from a sense of social obligation Food security is best understood by people who have been truly hungry Be thankful so many of you have never seen it that way Bear in mind there are more farmers over 70 than under 35 As a thank you for all the sage advice and guidance if I were you I d plant three acres of garlic and sell it all at the farmer s market for 12 a pound here is an observation from US President Dwight Eisenhower from an address in 1956 You know farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you re a thousand miles from the cornfield Bob Collins raises beef cattle and grows produce on his farm in the Alberni Valley Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with reasonable allowance for signature will not be charged but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate In the event of a typographical error which advertises goods or services at a wrong price such goods or services need not be sold at the advertised price Advertising is an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time All advertising is accepted subject to publisher s approval All of Country Life in British Columbia s content is covered by Canadian copyright law Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Country Life in British Columbia Letters are welcome though they may be edited in the interest of brevity before publication All errors brought to our attention will 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5 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Government needs to step up farm support COVID 19 puts BC agriculture and its leaders to the test It is an absolute honour to serve as agriculture critic for the official Opposition in British Columbia s legislature It s also certainly been a learning curve never work in a province like ours Unlike our neighbours in the southern United States and Mexico who can farm all year long farmers in many parts of the province are lucky to be growing and harvesting for six months out of the year We need to allow our farm families to be creative and entrepreneurial in order to come up with supplemental income to support their farm operations I get concerned when out of the box ideas like festivals processing facilities eateries roadside stands and cafes are shut down by the Agricultural Land Commission Agritourism is essential in this province These activities should be encouraged not regulated into oblivion Viewpoint by IAN PATON As a former dairy farmer and livestock auctioneer who still lives on the family farm where I was born and raised I thought I understood farming in British Columbia However touring all corners of this amazing province over the last three years has taught me that there is so much more to agriculture than what I have experienced living in the Fraser Valley Farming in BC encompasses tree fruit growers and the wine industry in the Okanagan canola grain and grass seed in the Peace beef cattle and bison throughout BC not to mention abattoirs wild seafood bees farmed salmon and poultry and that s barely scratching the surface With a province larger in size than most countries there is no shortage of hardworking farmers from across the spectrum of agricultural sectors in British Columbia Yet despite our incredible diversity I am concerned about the state of agriculture in this province Farmers are not immune to the provincial housing shortage It is becoming increasingly difficult for the next generation of farmers and their families to have opportunities to live on the family farm As schools and community halls continue to close due to population decline in our rural areas having multiple families living together on the family farm provides opportunities for farm help child care and other social supports Rather than restricting opportunities for families to live together on the farm government needs to make it easier to build secondary homes through new incentive programs On the issue of valueadded goods and services the new clampdowns from the Agricultural Land Commission don t respect the reality of farming in British Columbia If there s one thing that I ve learned in my time as agriculture critic it s that a one size fits all solution will COVID 19 effect More recently as British Columbia continues to deal with the impact of the global COVID 19 pandemic I am increasingly concerned about the ripple effect of containment measures on BC farmers To be clear I believe the interventions taken by the province and our federal government are prudent and necessary However we need to consider the economic consequences for our farming families and take necessary steps to mitigate and reverse damage to agriculture where possible The federal government s travel ban on foreign nationals for example has raised questions regarding the essential role temporary foreign workers play in Canadian agriculture It took a week for the federal government to provide growers with clarity as to their ability to bring in seasonal and temporary foreign workers Significant uncertainty remains for many farmers and greenhouse operators who depend on these vital programs in order to plant and harvest their crops The assurances of our government need to be agreed to by partner governments such as Mexico and then there s the question of actually getting the workers here in the face of reduced airline capacity The ability of farmers to get their products to market still faces major obstacles A shortage of container vessels coming into BC ports from Asia will also mean fewer containers available to load with Canadian agricultural products for export The world needs BC food products now more than ever The province must work with the federal government and our port authorities to get BC agricultural goods to the global marketplace A contingency plan must also be put in place in order to ensure the safe processing of meat fruits and vegetables As the global pandemic continues to grow it is also crucial that our food suppliers and processing plants have priority for the delivery of food safety apparel including personal safety equipment In the coming weeks and months we will learn more about the greater impact of COVID 19 on our provincial and national economy These are emerging and pressing issues In my capacity as critic I will continue to ask these important questions to ensure government is doing everything it can to work in the best interests of farmers ranchers and greenhouse operators across our province I truly believe in opportunity for all of BC Whether you come from a town of 800 or 80 000 you matter Your contributions to our economy and food security are greatly appreciated in all corners of our province Farming is one of the critical industries that keeps British Columbia s economy moving British Columbians are tough We are used to dealing with the unexpected I m confident that by working together we will emerge from these unprecedented challenges stronger than ever Ian Paton is the MLA for Delta South and agriculture critic for the BC Liberals www OkLandBuyers ca Farmers helping farmers with their real estate needs 152 SALMON RIVER RD SALMON ARM Executive property with 3 bed 3 5 bath home on 17 4 irrigated acres Completely manicured home and yards make this the perfect property for the discerning buyer Equipment shed hay storage workshop MLS 10201293 1 299 000 PAT DUGGAN Personal Real Estate Corporation Royal LePage Downtown Realty Ltd Farm Ranch Residential 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6 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 A LEGACY IS BUILT NEVER GIVEN MEET THE GLOBAL SERIES You asked for a tractor that could do it all You got it Massey Ferguson Global Series tractors are here and they re redesigned by industry experts based on input from farmers like you They re efficient enough to handle smaller tasks Powerful enough to take on bigger jobs And they ve undergone 65 000 hours of rigorous endurance testing to prove they re ready to stand up to the most extreme conditions masseyferguson us WE LL HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT MODEL FOR YOUR OPERATION ABBOTSFORD Avenue Machinery Corp 1521 Sumas Way 604 864 2665 KAMLOOPS Country Tractor 580 Chilcotin Road 250 851 3101 MAPLE RIDGE Van Der Wal Equipment Ltd 23390 River Road 604 463 3681 VERNON Avenue Machinery Corp 7155 Meadowlark Road 250 545 3355 2020 AGCO Corporation Massey Ferguson is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation AGCO and Massey Ferguson are trademarks of AGCO All rights reserved
7 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Groundwater bill causes confusion for Island farmer Paying a municipal fee didn t prevent a provincial bill by PETER MITHAM NORTH SAANICH A farmer in North Saanich is questioning how the province charges farmers for groundwater after registering his well and being billed for drawing water even though his farm is on municipal water Hamish Crawford grows wheat grapes and a small amount berries and eggs on his 10 acre farm north of Victoria The grapes are used by the family s estate winery while the other produce supports an on farm bakery and bistro Collectively known as the Roost Farm Centre it claims to be the province s only on farm bakery Crawford s daughter Sarah and her husband Dallas Boll run the Roost Crawford focuses on the farming side When he and other local producers saw that the province was moving ahead with a new system for managing groundwater he wanted to do the right thing The fact the government was waiving the fee for registering existing wells and applying for a licence to use groundwater was an incentive I made an application for a license to use well water last year as the information I had indicated that the registration fee would be waived if I applied sooner than later he says Like many other growers Crawford found the application process difficult so FrontCounter BC which is coordinating the initiative put him in touch with someone who walked him through it The well was registered and Crawford thought nothing more of it His primary source of water is the system run by the local municipality The well is one of an estimated 20 000 in BC that the province has been trying to register since the new Water Sustainability Act took effect in 2016 The new act introduced a first in time firstin right system designed to help manage groundwater Registered wells maintain their historical priority in the event of groundwater restrictions Well owners who don t register by March 1 2022 must pay an application fee and lose their priority in the new regime But rights need to be exercised and in early March the province sent Crawford a bill for 191 94 The fee reflected groundwater used since February 29 2016 when the new regime came into place Since the well existed according to the province Crawford must be using it Groundwater used for non North Saanich supplies grain grower Hamish Crawford with water but the province charged him for groundwater too SUBMITTED PHOTO domestic purposes is subject to a minimum annual fee of 50 The rate reflects a rate of 0 85 per 1 000 cubic metres Well owners who have registered their wells and use less than 60 of water a year not uncommon for small farms like Crawford s receive a bill once every three years By the end of March the province estimated it had collected fees totalling nearly 2 million from 920 groundwater licences The majority 1 7 million is for water drawn from existing wells Crawford who already pays North Saanich for the water it delivers to his farm was shocked We are hooked up to the municipal water system and get the agricultural rate so I do not require well water he says When he complained to FrontCounter BC he was given the option to withdraw his application which he promptly did He plans to have the well capped to avoid being charged for the water he hasn t been using According to the BC Ministry of Forests Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development 56 other applications have been either abandoned or withdrawn This is about 1 of the 5 000 applications received for groundwater licences Just how many of those wells are providing water alongside municipal systems is unknown Crawford for his part feels the province needs to do a better job of explaining the new system to growers I don t think it s been explained very well he says I suspect there s a lot of farmers out there that have just been in denial or not looking at it and all of a sudden they re going to get this bill and ask what s going on Chilliwack Langley Chemainus Kelowna 1 800 242 9737 47724 Yale Rd W 1 800 665 9060 21869 56th Ave 1 250 246 1203 3306 Smiley Rd 250 765 8266 201 150 Campion St www rollinsmachinery com info rollinsmachinery ca
8 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Cannabis expansion goes up in smoke Vegetable growers may benefit from new skilled workers as companies retrench by PETER MITHAM LANGLEY Canopy Growth Corp shut down its greenhouses in Aldergrove and Delta on March 4 becoming the most visible sign of the shake out taking place among cannabis producers Canopy claimed 3 million square feet of production space in two greenhouses at a 55 acre site in Aldergrove making it the largest cannabis greenhouse in the world The shutdown put 500 people out of work Canopy says it will focus on more cost efficient outdoor cultivation While cannabis edibles were set to be the next frontier for many producers Canopy reported a loss of 1 8 billion in the nine months ended December 31 The closures will result in a charge of up to 800 million for Canopy s fiscal year which ends March 31 The closure was the latest example of restructuring in the sector which has struggled to claim a niche for itself since recreational cannabis became legal in Canada on October 17 2018 The sector attracted millions of dollars in investment with many producers retrofitting existing vegetable greenhouses for cannabis production But in a statement announcing the closure Canopy said the 17 months since legalization saw sales that were slower than anticipated creating working capital and profitability challenges across the industry It also noted that a federal move to permit outdoor cultivation had changed the playing field Canopy now operates an outdoor production site to allow for more cost effective cultivation which will play an important role in meeting demand on certain products that rely on cannabis extracts it said The result was the closure of its BC facilities Canopy s expansion in BC was rooted in a joint venture with SunSelect Produce Inc of Delta which sold its interest in the partnership in July 2018 Similarly Zenabis Global Inc evolved out of propagation company Bevo Agro Inc and developed a partnership with Houweling Nurseries Ltd While it continues to ramp up production in Langley Zenabis decided to list its Delta property with Colliers International following a facilities review Production hadn t happened at the Delta site since last May Out of money The industry s completely run out of money said James Donaldson CEO of BC Food Beverage during a presentation on food trends at the Centre for Organizational Governance in Agriculture in February There was this gold rush There s really been nothing like it since Prohibition but the regulatory environment has made it really difficult for entrepreneurs The sale of the former cannabis greenhouses could add to greenhouse vegetable production capacity The sector lost dozens of acres in 2017 as cannabis producers readied product for the launch of retail sales in 2018 By some counts up to 10 million square feet of space were slated for greenhouse cannabis production in the Lower Mainland Space returned to greenhouse vegetables as the landscape became clearer in 2018 A year ago the BC Greenhouse Growers Association reported that greenhouse vegetable acreage had increased slightly to 766 acres from 748 acres a year earlier This compared to a loss of 96 acres in 2017 Closures over the past several months promise to further boost the acreage of greenhouse vegetables Retrenchment among cannabis companies is also increasing the pool of skilled workers looking for jobs While vegetable production doesn t have the same allure as cannabis many of the same skills are required in both crops The positions are generic in terms of being an operations job It really wouldn t matter if it was cannabis or not There s a lot of transferrable skills says Henry Goldbeck president and CEO of Goldbeck Recruiting Inc in Vancouver Goldbeck does a small volume of work with the agriculture sector which has been traditionally stable for those in senior roles The rise of cannabis changed that putting increased pressure on other segments of horticulture that were already beating the bushes for workers There is a tightening in that market because of the cannabis industry because they pay somewhat higher than the vegetable industry says Goldbeck There doesn t seem to be a lot of turnover in the senior grow managers or plant managers the scientists people who are overall responsible for effectively running a large greenhouse cannabis or vegetable growing operation Not all doom and gloom Still not everyone sees doom and gloom in the sector On March 11 BC Hemp Corp announced plans for a 350 million industrial hemp facility in Prince George It promises to employ 1 500 people with a payroll of 75 million and have 300 000 acres of organic industrial hemp on the go within five years The crop will provide fibre for textiles and products including protein shakes and cannabidiol CBD oil capsules 3030 SERIES PIVOT SPRINKLERS IRRIGATION AUTOMATION HELPS AID NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT Wirelessly automate your valves to turn your sprinklers on 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9 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Dairy producers surveyed on regulation impact Data will guide outreach about nutrient management by JACKIE PEARASE SALMON ARM The BC Dairy Association is compiling data to better understand the financial impact on farms of the new Agricultural Environmental Management Code of Practice AEM Code We re working to understand an accurate assessment of the AEM coderelated costs on farms says BCDA general manager Jeremy Dunn We re trying to get a high degree of information it s trying to provide statistical relevancy and accuracy for not only the provincial scope but a regional scope BCDA has lots of anecdotal information about the difficulties farmers are having with the new code he says but no hard data We know from farmers that the code is new and is asking them to manage their nutrient storage nutrient management and testing in different ways than they have previously and has different requirements he explains There are also different requirements for different regions of the province creating the need for provincial and regional data on the costs producers are facing Dunn says uncertainty around how many farms are complying how many are having problems and even how many might not be aware of the need to comply with the new code makes it difficult to pinpoint how the association can best help farmers The survey now underway will aggregate data collected from producers and use it to chart the best course of action The environmental aspects of this are very important Dunn adds Farmers live where they work They re maintaining long term sustainable businesses and this is a change to the way that those businesses are operated and it s important for us to make sure we re focusing our time effort and resources in the right areas to help farmers He says the data will help BCDA better communicate with both producers and the government if it needs to lobby for support or a change in policy Better data is going to help us provide a stronger argument and ideally a better result he says Dunn praises efforts by the BC Ministry of Agriculture to inform producers about the new code and attend meetings and agricultural events to provide information and answer questions The ministry is doing its part we re trying to do our part to facilitate that exchange but also to understand the gaps so we can help alleviate the pressures and pains that farmers might be feeling he says Nutrient management agrologist Josh Andrews demonstrated the ministry s ongoing outreach to producers with an update at the North Okanagan Dairy Seminar and Trade Show in Salmon Arm on February 27 hosted by the North Okanagan dairy extension advisory committee Andrews provided an overview of AEM Code 604 316 8891 Plowing Discing Power Harrowing Seeding Mowing Teddering Raking Round Baling Manure Spreading Corn Grass Silage Hauling GPS Guided Tractor Operator Rental Service Willem Kersten willemcpf gmail com The BC Dairy Association is surveying its members to determine the impact legislative changes are having on the way they manage nutrient applications on their farms FILE PHOTO requirements relevant to the approximately 100 producers and industry representatives at the event He focused on temporary and permanent storage nutrient application setbacks nitrogen and phosphorus level limits record keeping nutrient management plans NMPs and soil testing Soil testing is the most valuable thing you can do to know the nutrient status on your farm he says While environmental farm plan advisors can help producers with an EFP undertake testing Andrews says it can also be done inhouse A lot of people think that if you want to do soil testing you need to pay someone to do it That is absolutely not true he says I encourage people that want to test their soil that they can do that themselves He also reminded North Okanagan farmers that the deadline for post harvest nitrate testing varies for different areas and is dependent on soil type Regarding difficulties for producers around the new code Andrews says the ministry is working to provide an online course on NMPs that will walk producers through the process Dunn says there is an aggressive deadline for the dairy survey so he urges dairy producers who have not completed or received a survey or who have questions about the information being gathered to call the BCDA promptly We re hoping to have a real good sense of this for the summer so that we can begin to put plans in place to effect change on that information in the fall he adds
10 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Institute keeps ALR changes on the front burner Members want more input on ALC farm income threshold changes by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER NANOOSE BAY District A Farmers Institute held its annual meeting in Nanoose Bay on February 16 with members present from all over Vancouver Island Sunshine Coast and the Gulf Islands Changes affecting the ALR in bills 52 and 15 dominated the concerns of District A members in 2019 With changes under Bill 52 being addressed through the BC Ministry of Agriculture policy intentions paper Residential Flexibility in the ALR institute members are now focusing on changes under Bill 15 Alberni Farmers Institute presented on its meeting on January 28 with ministry staff the Agricultural Land Commission and Alberni Clayoquot Regional District Concerns were discussed regarding housing in the ALR surveillance of farms cannabis regulations agritourism and Bill 15 One concern is that Bill 15 allows for the ALC to include or exclude land from the ALR without a landowner s consent The ability for the ALC to place a lien on property when the Agricultural Land Commission Act or the regulations under it are contravened or by an order of the commission or chief executive officer was introduced in Bill 15 Bill 15 also addresses the qualifications of the commissioners stating that appointments must be made using a merit based process to select individuals who are knowledgeable in matters relating to agriculture land use planning local government or First Nations government ALC staff told the Alberni Farmers Institute delegation that appointees need to have at least one of these qualifications During the annual meeting on February 16 Alberni Farmers Institute recommended that District A contact the agriculture ministry to clarify the process and request that farmers institutes and or agriculture advisory committees be consulted regarding potential appointees to the ALC These are significant jobs and the pool of candidates across the province must be very large says District A president Janet Thony Making the process more democratic and transparent will help ensure the ministry s own concern that the ALC remain free from political interference Income threshold challenged Regional government initiatives were also discussed including the recent Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities AVICC joint resolution proposal to increase the income threshold required for farm class status for property tax purposes Sooke councillor Tony St Pierre and Arzeena Hamir Area B director with the Comox Valley Regional District developed the resolution which recommended a single threshold of 7 000 for all farms up from 2 500 The new limit would be phased in over three years for new farmers Retired farmers would be grandfathered allowing them to retain farm class status at the current level The recommendation was consistent with the recommendations of the ALR revitalization committee s final report Hamir was a member of the committee and the Kwantlen Polytechnic University paper Protection is Not Enough Policy Precedents to Increase the Agricultural Use of British Columbia s Farmland However both Sooke and the Comox Valley Regional District defeated the motion after receiving questions from the farm community It is critically important to attend agriculture specific meetings to provide input says Meghan McPherson of Comox Valley who presented the issue to the District A members and was part of a contingent of farmers who attended the council meetings Although it was noted by the District A members that there is room for discussion on adjusting the income threshold there was also consensus that there should have been consultation with farmers institutes before the latest proposal was presented to AVICC Trade in Trade Up 0 SERIES ROUND BALERS 2 600 OFF WHEN YOU TRADE IN ELIGIBLE EQUIPMENT1 PLUS UP TO 4 000 OFF YOUR BALER PURCHASE Making connections In February District A had a booth at the Islands Agriculture Show and ACRD Regional Agriculture Support workshop Expanding the influence of Regional Agricultural Support Its presence at these events provided valuable networking opportunities with the public elected officials planners non for profits farmers and landowners It was useful to see who understood what farmers institutes do and we were able to add our constructive input to this workshop says Thony District A is by legislative definition a body designed to engage with governments for the purpose of representing and supporting farmers and this includes commenting on draft legislation District A is a democratic body reflecting the majority view of its members and there is a need to recognize the difference between political and partisan perspective District A fills the agriculture seat on the Coastal Invasive Species Council and is also active on the BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative advisory board and associated focus groups Farmers institutes that 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11 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Organic growers face mainstream competition Soil health at the heart of organic practices by PETER MITHAM RICHMOND Research policy and farm tours were on the agenda as the Certified Organic Associations of BC gathered in Richmond for its annual conference on February 28 March 1 A key theme running through the conference was how to explain organic agriculture to a new generation With the theme The Future of Organic the conference featured several speakers who touched on the challenges facing organic agriculture which has been embraced by consumers and is seeing growing demand and production Scaling up the sector has brought challenges however with keynote speaker Dag Falck organic program manager with Nature s Path Foods Inc of Richmond warning listeners against carpetbagger corporations that don t share their commitment to sustainable farming These companies are riding on the wave he said There s lots of opportunities for greenwashing or what I call fraud Organic agriculture is about more than avoiding pesticides or chemicals he said but about soil health A growing number of initiatives talk about engaging in regenerative agriculture a term whose popularity peaked in the early 1990s It found a place in the names of groups such as the BC Association for Regenerative Agriculture which pioneered organic certification in the province but has more recently been associated with various initiatives by the public and private sectors designed to foster a more environment friendly approach to farming These initiatives aren t necessarily organic however and have the potential to create confusion among consumers Falck noted a survey indicating that 92 of no till farmers intend to use glyphosate to suppress weeds something organic standards don t allow Falck said organic producers need to reclaim regenerative for themselves Stand up for organic and put us on the map in this regenerative conversation he urged We re going to lose if we don t start telling our story Biodynamic practices offer a way to stand out from the crowd said Anna Helmer a Pemberton potato grower and columnist with Country Life in BC I want to be in a different playing field she said I need something to explain that Biodynamics does the trick with more of the people she meets at farmers markets expressing interest Customers are asking for this she said Kickstarted by a series of lectures Austria s Rudolf Steiner delivered in 1924 the movement evolved into a series of practices rooted in a holistic vision of agriculture Growers are certified by Demeter which lists five farms in BC including Helmer s However the system has its share of skeptics who question its more esoteric aspects Helmer was one but was won over by the effects she saw in her fields The soil gets it and that s what matters she said Organic agriculture also faces threats from new technologies said Lucy Sharratt coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network an Ottawabased coalition of 17 organizations including Canadian Organic Growers and GE Free BC Gene editing has been championed by groups like CropLife Canada a trade organization representing the major agriscience companies as safer and more targeted than the first wave of genetic engineering Sharratt said but it remains fundamentally different from what organic producers are trying to do We need to remember what it was about genetic engineering we defined as a problem and what it is now we define as a problem she said The common thread is corporate control over farm inputs including plant genetics Ultimately what s going DeLisa Lewis right who farms near Duncan won the Brad Reid Memorial Award for her service to the industry while Jon and Sher Alcock of Sunshine Farm in Kelowna received the Bedrock Award for their work as organic seed suppliers providing meaningful work to people living with mental health issues and other challenges PETER MITHAM PHOTO to happen is we re going to lose our seed stock she said Sharratt believes food sovereignty is an issue that resonates with consumers and represents the best chance of winning the battle for public trust The signs so far are promising Genetically modified alfalfa has not taken root in Western Canada thanks to opposition from farmers and supermarkets have been cool to the Innate potatoes fearing consumer blowback Developed by J R Simplot Co of Idaho the Innate varieties have been modified to resist blackspot bruising and browning and contain lower levels of the carcinogen acrylamide after frying They re drought tolerant too which positions them to address climate change Lena Lang and president Heather Stretch COABC extended thanks at its annual meeting and evening banquet to long time executive director Jen Gamble and Carmen Wakeling who stepped down after five years as president The organization is in a strong financial position and will continue to work to cultivate a new generation of leaders Simplot and other industry people went to all of the major chains Loblaws Sobeys and said Here s what we have available would you be interested Kevin MacIsaac general manager of the United Potato Growers of Canada told BC growers meeting in Delta on March 2 They didn t want to be in it Now under the leadership of executive director Eva Proudly certifying Proudly certifying Producers and Processors Processors Producers and across Canada within BC and Alberta FVOPA year round certification services FVOPA delivers provides year round certification services compliant with in the Canadianwith to all regions of Canada compliance Organic Standards CAN CGSB and the Canadian Organic Standards and the BC in accordance BC Certified Certified Organicwith ISO the 17065 program Organicmay ISO bear 17065the recognized program Products Canada Organic logo Products may be sold Canada wide and and be marketed Canada wide and in international markets FVOPA ensures an internationally FVOPA provides proficient efficient professional 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12 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Egg producers reflect on productive year Production is up potential is up and FIRB likes what they re doing by DAVID SCHMIDT ABBOTSFORD It is rare for the BC Farm Industry Review Board to compliment any of BC s marketing boards but that is just what FIRB chair Peter Donkers did at the BC Egg Marketing Board annual meeting in Vancouver March 6 He noted that not only has FIRB approved allocations of more than 700 000 layers in the past five years but in fact gave preapproval to the BCEMB s growth allocation plan for its next two allocations Donkers called it an example of a thorough wellthought out plan which allowed FIRB to say yes insisting FIRB looks forward to the opportunity to say yes to board proposals rather than looks for reasons to say no He also thanked the BCEMB and indeed all four supply managed boards for sending in their first annual performance reports as FIRB recently requested INCREASE CROP YIELDS TRI WAY FARMS LASER LEVELLING LTD We service all of Southern BC IMPROVED DRAINAGE UNIFORM GERMINATION Summaries of those reports are now available on the FIRB website Donkers told producers BC is the first jurisdiction to openly provide this information Egg Farmers of Canada chair Roger Pelissero noted Canadian egg quotas have increased 42 8 in the past four years but demand is starting to level off EFC hopes to change that with its Crack 300 campaign Right now Canadians eat 253 eggs a year Pelissero told producers We are asking why not 300 If we get people to eat just one more egg per week we will need five million more hens BCEMB chair Gunta Vitins noted 2019 was a good year for egg producers Not only did they produce more eggs but they got paid more for the eggs they produced Production increased by 3 04 and farm gate receipts increased 6 05 in 2019 she reported More of the production is coming from enriched cages Enriched cage production was up 70 last year and now represents 30 of BC s total egg production Vitins said with Pelissero noting that is the highest percentage in the country Nonconventional systems now account for 40 of BC egg production well above the national average of 30 BC is also the first and so far only province to have a separate audit program for free range egg production The province has also introduced a new barn fitness The BC Egg Marketing Board presented its first ever Legacy Award to Jake Friesen Receiving the award from BCEMB chair Gunta Vitins right on behalf of their father who passed away last year were left to right Melinda Marvin and Randy Friesen DAVID SCHMIDT PHOTO audit program to ensure all barns are fit to house birds We have done eight barn audits to date BCEMB production management committee chair Matt Vane reported Producer of the year Vane also used the annual meeting to name Rob Martens of Twin Willows Farm as its producer of the year The annual award recognizes a producer s community involvement assistance to fellow farms on farm GIVE IT A WHIRL involvement innovation and market responsibility A few years ago Martens switched to organic egg production to meet that growing demand regularly hosts farm tours and is quick to assist other producers who ask for help Although Martens was unable to attend the meeting his son Sheldon who works with him on the farm accepted on his behalf The BCEMB also presented its first ever Legacy Award to Jake Friesen who passed away in February 2019 The new award is intended to be the BCEMB s equivalent of a lifetime achievement award so it is extremely fitting that Friesen be its first recipient His career in agriculture began in 1953 when he started both his first egg farm and Clearbrook Grain and Milling An original member of the BC Egg Producers Association Friesen was also instrumental in formation of the BCEMB Three of Jake s children Marvin Randy and Melinda accepted the award on the family s behalf BABY BEAR FEATURES UNIFORM IRRIGATION FAST ACCURATE SURVEYING www omnivorecomposter com CALL FOR AN ESTIMATE LARRY 604 209 5523 TROY 604 209 5524 FOR MORE INFO CONTACT 34282 Manufacturers Way Abbotsford B C V2S 7M1 604 746 5376 info agprowest ca www agprowest ca
13 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Better together Broilers hatching eggs collaborate Producer groups seek industrywide solutions to pricing trade VANCOUVER Pricing has always been a major issue in the BC chicken industry Overproduction and resultant low grower prices were a large part of the reason the BC Chicken Marketing Board was formed in 1961 Relative pricing was the main reason hatching egg producers broke away from the BCCMB to form their own commission in 1988 It has remained a thorny issue leading the BCCMB and BC Broiler Hatching Egg Commission to develop numerous pricing formulas and orders Most were appealed to the BC Farm Industry Review Board with FIRB sometimes ruling in favour of growers other times in favour of processors and occasionally imposing its own pricing formula FIRB decisions usually resulted in an uneasy peace but that peace was always short lived For much of the past three decades Jim Collins and Harvey Sasaki were directly or indirectly involved in those decisions Collins as FIRB general manager and Sasaki as BC Ministry of Agriculture assistant deputy minister Sometimes I was part of the solution sometimes I was part of the problem Collins told hatching egg producers during their annual meeting in Vancouver March 6 Now the two are back in the chicken industry Collins as chair of the BCBHEC and Sasaki as chair of the BCCMB and trying to come up with an industry wide solution that will bring long term peace They are developing a A job well done BC Greenhouse Growers Association executive director Linda Delli Santi was in good compnay when she received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Canadian Horticultural Council in March for her work since 2007 as chair of the CHC Greenhouse Vegetable Working Group She readily tackles complex issues and continually steps up to the challenges faced by greenhouse growers said CHC president Brian Gilroy in presenting the award Delli Santi s experience as a beefsteak tomato grower for 30 years has helped put a face on the sector and her firm but friendly approach to advocacy for the sector has built bridges within BC and across the country She is currently co chair of the industry government task force fighting the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus THE GROWER PHOTO See TRADE on next page o GIVE YOURSELF T H E AVENUE EFFICIENCY EFFICIENC Y by DAVID SCHMIDT More fuel savings more control more return on investment Avenue Machinery has the equipment parts and knowledge to give you precisely the Advantage you need ABBOTSFORD VERNON 1 888 283 3276 1 800 551 6411
14 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 TRADE issues strategic framework to guide development of new strategic plans of both the BCCMB and the BCBHEC They will also move both boards into the same building this summer so they can interact more closely In a display of unity Collins presented the framework to chicken growers during the BCCMB annual meeting March 5 while Sasaki did the same at the BCBHEC meeting the following day What s the fear of coming together they asked The framework s goals are to get input on regulatory reform with a view to doing things differently and working collaboratively We re at a stage where we need a major change Sasaki said We can t remain as independent silos stepping over each other They said costs continue to increase while returns are diminishing They blame the Ontario pricing formula which has taken in excess of 10 cents kg out of the live price across the country since it was implemented in 2015 As a first step the board and the commission surveyed nfrom page 13 producers in February The 75 respondents largely agreed with the board and commission on what the problems are but were not as in sync on risks Sasaki and Collins called unsustainability and lack of industry vision the industry s highest risks but they were considered highrisk by less than half of respondents Instead over half of survey respondents identified activism government policy and uncoordinated initiatives as the highest risks Sasaki and Collins consider uncoordinated initiatives as the third highest risk but gave only medium risk assessments to activism and government policy Concern over disease outbreaks was also identified as a major risk The BCCCMB and BCBHEC placed it at number four on their high risk list while over 90 of survey respondents consider it a medium to high risk Survey respondents also identified flock health management and concentration of production in the Fraser Valley as areas of concern Sasaki and Collins plan to PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Jack Reams 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Martens left receives the 2019 Egg Producer of the Year award on behalf of his father Rob of Twin Willow Enterprises in Chilliwack from BC Egg Marketing Board director Matt Vane DAVID SCHMIDT PHOTO hold individual meetings with producer associations hatcheries and producers in April and May followed by a joint industry summit in June This is a very ambitious timeline Sasaki said admitting it could take a few months longer before the strategic framework is finalized FIRB vice chair Al Sakalauskas agreed a new pricing model is needed telling hatching egg producers it s not surprising there s going to be tensions in a high cost province He said collaboration is essential to achieve a longterm pricing arrangement saying FIRB could take the lead on it if necessary Although phrased as an offer it was likely more of a warning to all sides While the provincial boards focus on pricing their national counterparts are focused on getting compensation for market losses caused by recent trade agreements Canadian Hatching Egg Producers chair Brian Bilkes expects the Canada USMexico Agreement CUSMA to have a minimal impact this year but worries the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement CPTPP will result in more hatching eggs from Mexico Saying CP TPP and CUSMA are eroding the Canadian market Chicken Farmers of Canada chair Benoit Fontaine called CFC s Raised by a Canadian Farmer marketing campaign our way to push back against foreign chicken Claiming more of our production is being taken up 2020 SPRING SPECIALS NH BOOMER 37 N31828 29 500 NH TS6 140 N31303 101 000 NH TS6 140 N31304 101 000 NH TS6 120 N31340 93 000 NH T4 120 N31332 75 000 NH T4 100 N31059 71 000 Chilliwack 1 800 242 9737 604 792 1301 Langley 1 800 665 9060 604 533 0048 Chemainus 250 246 1203 Kelowna 250 765 8266 www rollinsmachinery com by people who don t want to follow our rules he said the marketing campaign emphasizes Canada s stricter animal welfare and food safety standards The two agencies along with eggs and turkey are also pushing hard for compensation for market losses While government promised to compensate the entire supply managed sector so far it has only helped dairy producers The government still has no program for poultry and egg producers CFC executive director Michael Laliberte complained noting chicken growers want funding for market development and infrastructure improvements instead of dairy style direct payments Both the BC Chicken Growers Association and the BC Broiler Hatching Egg Producer Association held elections during their annual meetings but there was little change Hatching egg producers chose to reelect incumbents Angela Groothof and Art DeRuiter rather than replace one of them with challenger Daniel Zylstra Chicken growers chose incumbents Dale Krahn and Jeff Spitters over challenger Dennis Flokstra This was after growers removed one Fraser Valley director position Former BCCGA president Ravi Bathe had held the third position but chose not to run for one of the two remaining positions The number of directors was reduced to make room for Jennifer Curtis who became the BCCGA s first manager in early February The former BCMA agrologist and consultant Curtis is working closely with administrator Margret Duin as she transitions into a part time role
15 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Turkey growers see slow demand for birds Consumer demand preferences drive down quota allocations by DAVID SCHMIDT ABBOTSFORD While the rest of the Canadian poultry sector continues to see increases in demand turkey growers are watching helplessly as demand for their product continues its long decline Lack of growth and the continued decline in allocation remains a major issue BC Turkey Marketing Board chair Kevin Klippenstein stated at the BCTMB annual meeting in Vancouver March 6 As a result the BCTMB has dropped its allocation from the current 85 6 to 84 8 of quota for the 2020 2021 production year and may drop it even further BCTMB general manager Michel Benoit reported Despite a slight decrease in Canadian turkey production in 2019 storage inventory at the end of 2019 was more than 15 higher than the year previous and approaching the record levels of 2017 and 2018 Turkey Farmers of Canada chair Darren Ference told growers the Think Turkey marketing campaign TFC launched in May got off to a great start saying it over performed online and in social media Our tactics are reaching our goals he insisted although the inventory numbers suggest it is not yet having much effect on demand That made 2019 a difficult and challenging year Ference admitted He notes the demand for whole birds continues to decrease blaming changing consumer preferences and retailer strategies Unlike in the past retailers are no longer offering deep discounts on whole turkeys as a way to bring customers into their stores at Thanksgiving and Christmas Both TFC and the BCTMB hope the new national Commercial Allocation Policy will address some of the production issues but it is still very much a work in progress We did a lot of work on this in 2019 and expect to complete it this year Ference said admitting it will require compromises by all provinces Benoit believes completing the policy this year is an aggressive timetable but doable Growers also thanked Vic Redekop and his son Steve for their service to the industry Vic recently resigned from the BCTMB board while Steve dropped his BCTA directorship after the pair sold their turkey farms and quota I grew turkey for 50 years Vic told growers FILE PHOTO Debbie Etsell was elected to replace Vic on the BCTMB board while Irv Wiens was chosen to replace Steve on the association board of directors In the office Heather Dyck was hired as the new association secretary and production coordinator following Susan Mallory s retirement in August The board also noted Kathy Erickson gave up her position as on farm auditor after moving to the Interior While she is willing to train a new auditor Benoit said the board is considering contracting out the audits to an auditor from BC s other poultry boards ONE PASS ONE TOOL MULTIPLE DEPTHS LOOK TO LEMKEN Look to LEMKEN s Karat 9 for the flexibility of primary tillage seedbed preparation deep mixing and ripping in one machine It is a tillage tool that can replace several different pieces of equipment LEMKEN s quick change system makes switching tools faster than ever so you can choose the best tools for your depth and conditions And integrated leveling discs leave a smooth even finish Traction enhancement system reducing both slippage and fuel consumption Point and guideboard combination ensures intensive mixing and excellent crumbling Optional heavy rollers prevent moisture loss and erosion Shanks are individually protected with a 1200 lb auto reset tripping mechanism 604 864 2273 caliberequipment ca 250 938 0076 agrigem com strategictill lemken ca
16 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Dairy driving increase in beef semen sales Even so Westgen sees dramatic shift in net income by DAVID SCHMIDT ABBOTSFORD Unlike most North American AI companies WestGen was able to generate another surplus in 2019 members learned at their annual meeting Held in Abbotsford March 17 it was a most unusual meeting Due to COVID 19 there were only about 20 people in the meeting room with another 10 to 20 members participating online The week of WestGen s AGM normally includes social events farm tours elite auction sales and the BC Holstein Spring Show The auction sales became tag sales and all other events except the AGM were cancelled Our lawyers advised us we could not cancel or postpone the annual meeting WestGen president Eric Iverson said telling members the board will review and possibly change ithe bylaws to avoid a similar situation in future In an abbreviated report WestGen chief executive officer Chris Parry told members Westgen s net operating income while still positive was half that of 2017 and 2018 2019 proved the strength of the team he said noting that while the first two quarters of 2019 were very negative WestGen bounced back in the second half of the year There were not only able to maintain their market share but end the year with a marginal increase in semen revenue What makes up that revenue is changing significantly Parry said As is becoming the case throughout the world there is a huge increase in the use of sexed semen as farmers focus on getting heifers out 16FT Maschio Powerharrow 13 500 AG Chem Fert Spreader 20 000 KVERNELAND EM 100 5 Bottom Plow KRAUSE Disk Ripper 14FT 14 000 12 000 TYCROP TYCROP IRRIGATION IRRIGATION REEL REEL 20 000 20 0000 JOHN DEERE 6300 7000 HRS FRONT 3 POINT HITCH 22 500 of their top cows This is coupled with increased use of beef semen on the rest of the dairy herd We saw a 92 5 increase in beef on dairy Parry reported To that end WestGen s acquisition of Bow Valley Genetics in Alberta a few years ago is more than proving its worth Parry said BVG s services and products have become highly regarded in the Canadian MXM140 PRO NEW HOLLAND T8 350 7800 HRS 3975 HRS FULL GPS 42 000 152 000 JOHN DEERE 6420 8800 HRS JOHN DEERE 7520 6500 HRS FRONT 3 POINT HITCH 40 000 JOHN DEERE 6410 8000 HRS 35 000 National groups will meet in Penticton this summer by JACKIE PEARASE PENTICTON The Canadian Beef Industry Conference plans to hold its fifth annual meeting in Penticton this summer CBIC is a joint initiative of the Beef Cattle Research Council Canada Beef Canadian Beef Breeds Council Canadian Cattlemen s Association National Cattle Feeders Association and Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef The groups will converge on Penticton on August 11 13 under the theme Rising to the Challenge CBIC chair Judy Guichon says the conference s theme is reflected in presentations expected to range from a JOHN DEERE 3140 18 000 report on a project jointly funded by the province and the BC Cattlemen s Association that uses cattle to fireproof communities and work at Thompson Rivers University on carbon sequestration and cattle ranching The keynote speaker is Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk Guichon a cattle rancher and BC lieutenant governor from 2012 2018 expects the beef tour on August 10 to be popular as it features Clifton Ranch winner of BC Cattlemen s 2019 environmental stewardship award and the Environmental Stewardship Award from the Canadian Cattlemen s Association at last year s conference Because the Canadian Financial planning for farm families Farm transition coaching Customized portfolio strategy Retirement income planning 52 000 NEW HOLLAND TM120 5610 HRS 4X4 NOT WORKING 35 000 management strategy and an income source While WestGen was able to maintain a positive net income the same cannot be said by Semex Trade barriers in China and South Africa and political challenges throughout the world combined to generate a loss of close to 1 million in 2019 compared to a surplus of over 10 million the previous year Semex lost 2 1 million in China alone Parry reported Beef conference BC bound CASE IH beef sector As well BVG built new barns in the past year and now houses over half of Semex s beef bulls in Canada WestGen BVG has also introduced its P3 Plan Produce Perform program with the aim of increasing the value of beef on dairy We want our farmers to get a premium on quality and price from their beef dairy crosses Parry said saying beef on dairy has become more important both as a Driediger Wealth Planning Mark Driediger CFP FEA Senior Wealth Advisor Brent Driediger BAA CPA CMA CFP Wealth Advisor www DriedigerWealthPlanning com 604 859 4890 Assante Financial Management Ltd Insurance products and services are provided through Assante Estate and Insurance Services Inc Please visit www assante com legal jsp or contact Assante at 1 800 268 3200 for information with respect to important legal and regulatory disclosures relating to this notice Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is joining us for the first time they re particularly interested Guichon says They have done such a wonderful job at Clifton Ranch That in itself will be a wonderful tour for anybody from BC or outside of BC North Okanagan Livestock Association president Lani French says the annual conference is a great way to network with people in the Canadian beef industry She says it is key for producers to find ways to raise consumers awareness and understanding of cattle farming in BC and its environmental benefits The beef industry has taken a huge hit in the public eye with climate change activists French says pointing to concerns about methane gas and cattle s use of land they think is better used for crops The only problem with this is that most of the land that feeds our cows are not suited for human crops Registration for the conference opens April 2 Since it s a relatively new event Guichon is working hard to promote it to producers She also hopes COVID 19 will not result in the conference being cancelled We may find that a lot of people aren t travelling outside Canada so we might have a lot of people wanting to take in the conference more than normal Who knows she says In addition to the conference presentations the event is an opportunity for the individual partner organizations to host their general sessions or annual general meetings Other beef groups from across Canada like the Cattlemen s Young Leaders also use the opportunity to host their AGMs
17 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Dairy producers rail against new transport rules Popular opinion not science drives rest requirements by TOM WALKER COURTENAY Recent amendments to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency s livestock transportation regulations have cut the maximum time animals can be in transit before they must be offloaded for feed water and rest The new regulations took effect February 20 and have a two year phase in period While the changes are important across all livestock groups they will affect individual sectors differently For cattle the old rules allowed for 48 hours of travel time with four hours leeway For example if the liner was less than four hours away from a destination after 48 hours the load could travel the remaining distance That dropped to a strict 36 hours with no leeway The travel time includes the time required to load and off load animals The feed water and rest break must be a minimum of eight hours Dairy producers stand to be most affected by the changes Comox Valley dairy farmer Dave Taylor a director at Dairy Farmers of Canada and the BC Dairy Association says the CFIA seems to have overlooked the dairy industry when amending the regulations This definitely affects our industry in a huge way right across the country in every province says Taylor I don t think CFIA realized we regularly have calves coming out of the Maritime provinces into Quebec on a 20 some hour journey Alberta bound The new regulations affect male calves in BC that are not part of milk production and are sold to feed lots in Alberta to be raised for the beef market Age is a factor in the regulations Calves under nine days old may only be in transit for 12 hours from the time they start loading until destination and may not go through an auction yard Calves older than nine days may go through the auction yard but they are still limited to a 12 hour transit time Those 12 hour rules will have a significant impact on Vancouver Island producers who currently ship to a buying station in Abbotsford before they go on to southern Alberta And it may prevent Island producers CFIA s new transport regulations for livestock don t consider some of the logistical challenges facing BC producers LIZ TWAN PHOTO from shipping their calves altogether We have an initial handicap of a minimum of six hours just to get off the island Taylor notes The North Okanagan producers will likely be okay but if these rules continue we may have to build some kind of specific rest facility on the mainland for our animals It may not be economical to do that and what about biosecurity An alternative might be euthanizing the calves on the farm he says something neither producers nor the BEEF VEAL MEADOW VALLEY MEATS BISON PROVINCIALLY INSPECTED ABATTOIR BC 34 CUSTOM SLAUGHTER SERVICES PROVIDED LAMB Serving the Community Together GOAT WANTED ALL SIZES MARKET GOATS LAMBS DEER 18315 FORD ROAD PITT MEADOWS BC V3Y 1Z1 ashiq meadowvalleymeats com 604 465 4752 ext 105 fax 604 465 4744 See TRANSPORT on next page o PROVINCIAL LIVESTOCK FENCING PROGRAM Producers can apply for an advance on calves yearlings lambs bison forage and grain up to 1 000 000 00 with the first 100 000 00 being interest free For Canola advances the first 500 000 00 is interest free Plus interest relief through the Advance Payments Program is available to association members on their feeder cattle purchases Applications Close September 30 2020 View program updates at cattlemen bc ca fencing htm Office 1 778 412 7000 Toll Free 1 866 398 2848 email okanaganfeeders gmail com email fencebc gmail com In partnership with email audreycifca gmail com 308 St Laurent Avenue Quesnel B C V2J 5A3
18 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 TRANSPORT regulations public wants We are pushing hard that if we can deliver a post nine day calf to its final destination and it is still doing well and research supports that can the time be extended says Taylor It may be better to push through for a few more hours to get to where we can really take care of them But the regulations also affect the movement of mature animals including additional rules around the care of animals classified as unfit or compromised CFIA considers lactating cows to be compromised and they may only be transported for 12 hours before they are milked If I am sending a load of cows over to the Okanagan or Kootenays as replacement animals they may have to be milked on route says Taylor For cull animals that are going to a feedlot I may have to dry them off before shipping The longer an animal is kept the greater the cost to the farmer who will in turn need more infrastructure to accommodate them It s going to be a challenge for industry to adapt says Taylor Sound science Kamloops rancher Ryan Scorgie a director with the BC Cattlemen s Association says the amended regulations reflect public opinion more than sound science Agriculture and Agri food Canada researchers in Lethbridge together with those at the University of Guelph and University of Calgary are conducting a four year study supported by the Beef Cattle Research Council on the effects of rest stops on cattle welfare during transport Preliminary results showed that feeder calves that were unloaded partway and fed watered rested and reloaded did not have better indicators of fatigue dehydration stress or immune status than calves that were driven straight nfrom page 17 through for 12 or 36 hours Scorgie thinks that the two year phase in will give opportunities for the research to be considered At the end of the two year period decisions need to be based on science not social pressure he says Beef producers won t be significantly impacted by the changes and most take animal welfare very seriously says Andrea van Iterson executive director of the BC Association of Cattle Feeders An unhealthy animal affects their bottom line as well as their social licence to operate But consumers don t always rely on that says van Iterson If you say This is the law that is easier for the consumer to handle But greater government oversight can be disheartening to producers The government is using a stick when they should use a carrot says van Iterson They are telling us we are not doing a good enough job and they have to put in a regulation when they should have our backs on this Beef industry looks beyond pandemic Business continuity a concern by PETER MITHAM KAMLOOPS It takes two years to produce a prime cut of beef BC Cattlemen s Association general manager Kevin Boon told buyers gathered for the Every Chef Needs a Farmer Every Farmers Needs a Chef event the BC Ministry of Agriculture hosted in Vancouver last fall With the implementation last month of restrictions on gatherings including auctions to fight the spread of COVID 19 ranchers want to be sure they ll be able to meet market demand next year and the year after We need commerce to take place between buyers and sellers said Dennis Laycraft executive director of the Canadian Cattlemen s Association in a townhall call with media on March 20 held in partnership with the Producer Check off Supports Beef Industry Projects www cattlefund net 1 877 688 2333 1 866 820 7603 BAUMALIGHT COM Dale Howe 403 462 1975 dale baumalight com MFG A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS BRUSH MULCHERS BOOM MOWERS STUMP GRINDERS TREE SAWS SHEARS TREE SPADES ROTARY BRUSH CUTTERS TRENCHERS DRAINAGE PLOWS PTO GENERATORS EXCAVATOR ADAPTERS FELLER BUNCHERS TREE PULLERS SCREW SPLITTERS AUGER DRIVES d her you ining e v a r Ha are T VBP shops k r e Wo Fre APRIL 3 APRIL 4 APRIL 11 APRIL 17 APRIL 20 CONTINENTAL CONNECTION Quesnel BEST BET Williams Lake VANDERHOOF WILLIAMS LAKE OK FALLS ALL BREED SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION of BC INFO REANNE SANFORD SECRETARY 250 249 5332 reanne krssimmentals ca National Cattle Feeders Association Laycraft explained that sellers needed income and buyers needed bulls to produce next year s calves The animals brought to market this spring are the foundation for next year s herd Without them the national herd will shrink and Canada will become more dependent on imported meat Since many animals get shipped south a smaller herd will also hurt cattle exports The initial concern for the industry is business continuity said Janice Tranberg president and chief executive officer of the National Cattle Feeders Association But the long term impact of measures imposed to fight the pandemic loom large While the drivers who transport cattle to market are following public health protocols to make sure they stay on the job the industry as a whole faces a labour shortage just like every other segment of the agriculture sector Ottawa s announcement a few hours after the townhall call of a protocol to allow ranchers and food processors to bring in foreign workers is exactly the kind of support the beef industry supports Just how long the industry will have to deal with restrictions is another question however Those on the call had no idea but Laycraft was optimistic describing the pandemic as a hopefully short term situation By short term he said he meant less than a year Given strong demand for beef from consumers as bare shelves at many supermarkets testified as panic buying set in last month Laycraft believes the industry will weather the storm
19 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Abattoirs required to cut back overtime Province s meat inspection budget tightens by TOM WALKER KAMLOOPS Provincially licensed abattoir operators have been put on notice that regular shifts for provincial meat inspectors must not exceed seven hours a day unless authorized by the province I am asking that all slaughter establishment operators adhere strictly to the scheduled inspection services which do not exceed seven hours per day Gavin Last executive director of the province s Food Safety and Inspection Branch wrote in a letter to all provincially licensed slaughter plants on February 25 Any overtime now requires Last s personal written authorization The inspectors are present for the duration of the slaughter process at class A and B plants to ensure food safety requirements are met While their services cost BC abattoirs nothing unlike in some other jurisdictions it is a significant cost the province Overtime hours represent a significant pressure on the meat inspection program s annual budget Last wrote One way we can keep the cost of service predictable and affordable is to eliminate unnecessary overtime for BC Ministry of Agriculture meat hygiene inspectors The letter came a week after the February 18 provincial budget which slashed 2 3 million in funding from the agriculture science and policy budget The funding improves public health protection and consumer and retail confidence in the safety of British Columbia s meat seafood and agrifood products through inspection Last s letter caught industry by surprise Nova Woodbury executive director of the BC Association of Abattoirs said the ministry didn t consult industry on the directive There was no consultation no prior warning that this was going to be mandated she says The ministry budget has been cut and I get that but this would have been less of a surprise to our members if we had worked together Bonnie Windsor assistant manager at Johnston s Meats in Chilliwack the largest provincially inspected meat processors in BC had difficulties with the immediacy of the letter I have a union contract that has an eight hour shift for my 120 staff says Windsor It will take time for us to look at our entire operation and change staff and process flows She also has animal welfare concerns When you are dealing with live animals stopping right at seven hours is not always an option she explains She notes that many meat processors in the province often run on weekends and statutory holidays in the runup to holidays to meet demand Johnston s has not typically had issues with capacity and being able to service small individual custom farmers she notes However with this change it will negatively affect our ability to service them But Woodbury and Windsor who also serves as president of the abattoirs association were able to meet with Last in early March and clear up some misunderstandings Last did clarify that he March 28 2020 47th Annual Dawson Creek All Breeds Bull Sale The province will not be paying overtime to meat inspectors unless it is pre authorized Changes were announced after February s budget FILE PHOTO PHOTO does not expect reduction in overtime overnight Windsor says But plants cannot consider overtime to be a given and need to find efficiencies and spend responsibly The meeting was able to clarify that the seven hour shift does not include travel time for the inspector to and from the plant They were also able to establish the difference between operational overtime and planned overtime If a half hour is required at the end of a day to finish with our animals he is fine with that says Windsor As long as it is within reason and not a daily occurrence However plants need to give notice for planned overtime during busy seasons Listing properties 1 acre or more GORDON AIKEMA 250 306 1580 gordon bcfarmandranch com Call for a free evaluation See OVERTIME on next page o British Columbia April 11 2020 45th Annual Vanderhoof All Breeds Bull Sale April 16 17 2020 83rd Annual Williams Lake Bull Show Sale Fer lity E ciency Longevity BCH CHA Presid sident Joh ohn Lewis is 250 218 18 253 537 BCHA Secretary Janic ice Tapp 250 50 69 699 646 6466 Farm and Rural Residential Properties in the Peace Country are our specialty Anne H Clayton MBA AACI P App RI Appraiser Judi Leeming BHE AIC Candidate 250 782 1088 info aspengrovepropertyservices ca T HE B REED Y OU CAN TRUST
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 20 OVERTIME cut A friend indeed Jordan Earl bottle feeds a new calf at Schweb Family Cattle in Salmon Arm SUBMITTED PHOTO as early as possible with a direct request to Last The ministry does not have an issue with planned overtime at busy times of the year says Windsor But they will have little tolerance for overtime caused by poor planning or overbooking Woodbury says she has no problem with improving efficiencies but she hopes it does not affect an industry that is already struggling with capacity and staffing issues I am disappointed that every effort of the current government does not appear to support the licensed and inspected abattoirs but rather puts up more barriers she says The majority of the inspected abattoirs in BC are small rural businesses that support local producers and the agriculture community as a whole Despite extensive review by the ministry the industry has yet to receive guidance on its future direction IMPROVING AGRICULTURE Available in 12 14 and 16 wheel models H S Hi Capacity Rakes are the PRVW H LEOH UDNHV RQ WKH PDUNHW and feature an overhead frame design for high volume capacity of crop The LW1100 In Line Bale Wrapper features the new Honda EFI engine for fuel savings and an updated hydraulic system for faster wrapping RENN 0LOO HQWHU LV RXU 6 LVWULEXWRU P 403 784 3518 ZZZ rennmill com RENN Mill Center Inc RR 4 Lacombe AB T4L2N4 nfrom page 19 A consultation in spring 2018 regarding Class D and E slaughter licences and produced a 96 page report The legislature s Select Standing Committee on Agriculture Fish and Food conducted hearings in June 2018 and released a 37 page report in September 2018 that included 21 recommendations for the industry In the summer of 2019 the ministry sought feedback from local governments on whether more D class establishments were needed in the province and then extended the deadline to October 2019 The ministry has yet to release the results of that consultation and the lack of direction disappoints Woodbury I hope that this does not deter new inspected meat plants from opening or existing plants to increase their capacity she says The demand for safe local meat from BC consumers is growing Tax credit review by JACKIE PEARASE VICTORIA The province has extended the BC Farmers Food Donation Corporate Income Tax Credit to December 31 2023 but it s also reviewing what s proven to be a little used program The tax credit benefits farmers who donate agricultural products to registered charities Rolled out in 2016 under the BC Liberals it aimed to encourage farmers and farm corporations to donate certain BC agricultural products to food banks school meal programs and other initiatives Producers receive a credit for 25 of the eligible amount of qualifying gifts in each tax year The program was set to expire at the end of this year but the most recent provincial budget gave it a new lease on life BC agriculture minister Lana Popham says it s seen lacklustre uptake a discouraging result People have subscribed to it but we hoped it would be more popular she explains We ve been taking a look at it to see if we need to change it or tweak it in ways that make it more appealing for farmers She says farmers have found it difficult to qualify for the credits It is under review but while it s under review we made sure we extended it so we don t cut people off Popham explains Results of the review are expected later this year
21 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Cattlemen take their concerns to Ottawa Beef producers feel ignored in treaty negotiations by TOM WALKER KAMLOOPS BC Cattlemen s Association directors staged their firstever fly in to Ottawa in late February to make their concerns known to MPs This was mostly an educational visit says Ryan Scorgie a Kamloops rancher and director of the BC Cattlemen s Association who was part of the five man delegation Working with the Canadian Cattlemen s Association the group ended up talking more to Opposition MPs than to government members Things were pretty busy with all the pipeline blockades going on he says The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was a major topic of discussion UNDRIP has been entrenched in BC law the only province that has done so The federal government has tabled legislation in the house for UNDRIP says Scorgie But the Opposition has serious concerns with the legislation mostly relating to prior and informed consent which could be seen as giving a veto to First Nations communities BCCA was able to explain the impact treaty negotiations are having on ranches in BC and their concerns about the potential effects of UNDRIP Cattlemen say they want a specific method in place particularly during a treaty negotiation where their concerns can be heard by both Ottawa and First Nations governments Although we are not part of the treaty negotiation process we are a stakeholder that is going to be significantly impacted by potential changes says Scorgie noting that every treaty is different We would like a stakeholder table where we can communicate our concerns to both levels of government in a more effective way Scorgie notes that Ottawa has a mandate to represent the Crown in treaty negotiations as well as address First Nations concerns who are also Jennifer Brock from the Canadian Cattlemen s Association left joins BCCA Indigenous Affairs committee chair Grant Huffman Senator Bev Busson BCCA president Larry Garret and John Masswohl CCA s director of government and internal relations in Ottawa CANADIAN CATTLEMEN S ASSOCIATION PHOTO constituents But the First Nations have their own representatives too So it s like the First Nations get two people to speak for them says Scorgie We the stakeholders get none Ranchers also discussed See UNDRIP on next page o countrylifeinbc com bc com WEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATES Helping l i Y You YOUR Sign up for FREE today Bumper pull Gooseneck With or Without Tack Rooms SALES FINANCING PARTS SERVICE RENTALS 3 LOCATIONS CALL TOLL FREE Chilliwack Langley Chemainus Kelowna 1 800 242 9737 47724 Yale Rd W 1 800 665 9060 21869 56th Ave 1 250 246 1203 3306 Smiley Rd 250 765 8266 201 150 Campion St www rollinsmachinery com info rollinsmachinery ca ALDERGROVE 200 3350 260th St CLOVERDALE 17982 Hwy 10 KELOWNA 1725 Byland Road 1 800 337 8399 1 800 363 9993 1 877 322 2382 www sunrisetrailersales com
22 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Cattle sales an essential service Beef have to keep moving by CATHY GLOVER KAMLOOPS BC Livestock Producers Co op has been declared an essential service in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic At press time cattle sales were continuing but producers are advised to check the co op s website for updates The Vanderhoof sale on April 3 has been cancelled due to low volume and cattle have been resconsigned to the April 24 sale Spokesperson Cordy Cox says the co ops s saleyards are following provincial guidelines to reduce risks and are limiting sale ring access to regular and order buyers only She advises anyone over 60 or with pre existing medical conditions to bid online Cox noted there is a strong demand for cattle Grocers can t keep meat on their shelves and plants are running six days a week she noted Butcher cows averaged 96 cwt at Vanderhoof in mid March Butcher bulls traded to a high of 1 13 By keeping the co op open she says they re able to keep money in ranchers pockets even if it isn t business as usual With strict protocols in place it was anything but business as usual as Tafika Angus of Lumby went ahead with their annual Angus Advantage bull sale in Kamloops March 21 Wayne Hughes said there were just 14 or 15 people in the stands that would otherwise be packed with bidders and onlookers While several bulls sold over 4 000 Hughes says the sale averge took a hit The high selling bull Tafika HF 83E Vaquero 37G sold to Silverhills Ranch for 4 750 Cox recommends bull buyers visit the sale yard ahead of time to view bulls and register early to bid online UNDRIP among top concerns the impact UNDRIP might have on future projects We have an archeological assessment requirement in BC Scorgie notes This will apply when we do infrastructure improvements in an area such as the rebuilding of fences after the fires that could potentially be seen as having cultural history in it First Nations communities are typically the ones with the most interest in an assessment Scorgie notes They are the ones who are most likely to benefit he says But it is the rancher who has to pay for the work to be done as well as incur the loss if the work is not completed in a timely manner And there is also much duplication of assessments We are finding that if a rancher wants to put in a fence Hydro wants to put in a power line and Fortis wants a gas line all three are having to do an assessment on the same piece of land BC is unique in Canada because it has a system of Crown range lands which both serve the needs of ranchers and their cattle but which the Crown can also use to settle treaties with First Nations We also have the largest number of First Nations communities in our province and next to no treaties compared to the rest of the country adds Scorgie The issue of treaties will not be solved overnight We have been working on the treaty stuff for several years notes Scorgie But we are probably looking at 10plus years to work through the whole process Many of the range issues remain unresolved he says The ownership of some ranges may change hands and ranchers may be leasing from the First Nation instead of the provincial government Scorgie says But other nations may not have the expertise to be able to do that so there are a lot of uncertainties And as for who speaks for the nation the elected or hereditary chiefs ranchers are unclear and the discussions in Ottawa didn t help There was a lot of we don t really know says Scorgie The group also made a plea for stronger protection from trespass We talked about how to use trespass legislation more effectively against activists who come onto people s private land to protest says Scorgie We also brought up nfrom page 21 the example that Australia has legislation that prevents the online bullying against the agricultural industry Scorgie says ranchers received a sympathetic hearing from the Opposition who seem to have more of a connection with rural issues They also pointed us towards some of the assistant deputy ministers and directors we should speak with who were not on our radar before says Scorgie Ranchers tend to speak to their own provincial MLAs and because of that MLAs are more familiar with cattlemen s concerns We meet with the BC government quite regularly but those talks are quick and focused on a few specific points says Scorgie It was important for our directors to experience this kind of in depth meeting Scorgie says most provincial cattle associations head to Ottawa once or twice a year and he expects the BC Cattlemen s Association to take up the practice It think it is important for the directors and our ranchers to know that this is the purpose of CCA and part of what BCCA can do says Scorgie And why we have lobby groups like that
APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Funding will help farmers address nutrient runoff Agriculture seen as a contributor to Shuswap watershed issues by JACKIE PEARASE SALMON ARM Water quality in the Shuswap region will benefit from 100 000 in grants over the coming year through a new program launched this spring The Shuswap Watershed Council is making the funds available to projects aimed at protecting long term water quality in the region through better nutrient management What we re looking for is projects in the ground such as things that can capture nutrients phosphorus in particular before it goes into the water says the council s senior regional manager Mike Simpson We can t necessarily pay for your soil testings and some of the requirements that you have to do as part of your regular business but if there s things that you can and want to do maybe we can help with that He hopes to see the gamut of initiatives by the April 30 deadline and suggests manure management and wetland creation on agricultural land as good project examples Simpson says projects will be evaluated on scope scale and location The funds may go to one large project or several smaller ones depending on the applications received The funds could even go to a group project that encompasses smaller projects on a number of farms in an area highlighted as having nutrient problems The grant program is the result of research the council undertook in partnership with UBC Okanagan on nutrients and water quality in the Shuswap and Salmon rivers The study identified which regions of the watershed and which land use types contribute the highest concentrations of nutrients to the two rivers Completing this study is a great accomplishment for the council says council chair Paul Demenok The results show us where new nutrient management initiatives would be most effective The study indicates that small streams ditches groundwater and surface water run off in the valley bottoms contribute nutrientrich water to the rivers The results also indicate that agricultural land contributes more nutrients on per hectare than urban areas or forested land Specific agricultural uses were not singled out The council is seeking nutrient management initiatives from landowners and farmers within the key problem areas We re looking for projects in the Lower Shuswap River from Mabel Lake to Mara Lake and the Salmon River from essentially Westwold down to Salmon Arm Bay Simpson says More information about the grant program and the new report on nutrients and water quality are available online at www shuswapwater ca 23 Manure management guide updated for small lot farmers Handbook will be available province wide by RONDA PAYNE LANGLEY A new guide designed to navigate the load of information available from the BC Ministry of Agriculture regarding soil amendments is now available from the Langley Environmental Partners Society The group recently updated its land management guide to reflect the Agricultural Environmental Management Code of Practice introduced last year Not everyone will take it on their own to visit the ministry website so that s why this guide exists says Amanda Smith agriculture program coordinator with LEPS We ve put it into a really nice eye catching guide that s also really easy to read People can then catch these really important things The guide s title Land Management Guide for Horse Owners and Small Lot Farmers is somewhat deceptive in that the rules it outlines are identical for large farms However the guide will support the BC Ministry of Agriculture s outreach to smaller producers across BC as the province was the guide s primary sponsor The guide is going to be printed with a few copies for locals and will be online for people within British Columbia says Smith North Langley farmer Rita Rawstron has four horses and about 60 laying hens which together produce about 29 wheelbarrow loads of manure each week When Rawstron developed a manure management plan she turned to an earlier version of the land management guide It helped us know how big to build the manure bin how deep it should be it told us about all our dimensions she says It told us all about composting How long it took to actually decompose She now gives away composted manure that she knows follows provincial standards Even the Township of Langley gets compost from her for community gardens Rawstrom expects the revised guide will be equally helpful to those new to managing manure on small lots Smith says finding information in the guide is also easier thanks to the updates There is also additional reading noted to guide landowners to additional resources Things like record keeping Also in terms of manure spreading on pasture she says We have gone back to the new act and just sort of updated the guide It encompasses a little bit of everything that is important ARMs RCHARDs6INEYARDs ERRY4RELLISING KILN DRIED PRESSURE TREATED ROUND WOOD POSTS AND RAILS Preferred supplier for British 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 25 Potato growers optimistic Pest management restrictions a cause for concern by PETER MITHAM DELTA Poor weather across Canada in 2018 led to strong demand for BC potatoes as the 2019 crop rolled in members of the BC Potato and Vegetable Growers Association heard during their annual meeting on March 2 BC had a good crop and was able to take advantage of an industry that was ready for a new crop early in the season last fall Kevin MacIsaac general manager of the United Potato Growers of Canada told growers BC growers tend approximately 6 700 acres of potatoes the majority of it in the Lower Mainland Despite challenging rains last September just 100 acres were left in the ground for a total harvest of 2 1 million hundredweight cwt in 2019 Average yield was 325 cwt per acre Production in BC compared favourably to the rest of the country which saw 20 296 acres unharvested in 2019 led by Manitoba 13 000 acres and Alberta 4 385 acres MacIsaac said the shortfall was surprising as 2018 was considered to be a benchmark year for losses with 18 049 acres unharvested The back toback years put growers on the Prairies in a difficult position he noted and helped push down BC stocks BC had 526 cwt of potatoes in storage as of February 1 down from 654 cwt a year earlier Of these 388 cwt were table stock down 16 from a year earlier However storage stocks of fresh potatoes were in line with the province s fiveyear average The industry s strong position in BC coupled with ongoing funding for variety trials and an annual field day that holds nationwide interest is buoying optimism among growers A key challenge however is access to pest management tools many of which are undergoing regulatory review or are subject to tighter application protocols Chlorpyrifos a vital tool for controlling wireworm is among the chemicals that could be lost The farmer fatigue is getting huge We re getting really frustrated that we re trying to grow potatoes the safest way possible and we have to fight to keep a chemical that is really unique in our environment association chair Bill Zylmans said in his report to members during the business portion of the meeting We all know that with the potential loss of chlorpyrifos we would lose some of our industry Without that in British Columbia we would have nothing in our toolbox Other provinces do Discussions with Ottawa BC potato growers are basking in the afterglow of an exceptional season in 2019 in spite of soggy conditions in September that resulted in 100 acres left in the ground FILE PHOTO and advocacy through national organizations such as CropLife Canada which represents manufacturers have been important in arguing for the chemical s importance in BC We re trying to show where some chemicals can be given up and where they can t be says Zylmans The week after the meeting Zylmans attended the annual meeting of the Canadian Horticultural Council where Ottawa pledged 2 3 million towards research focused on Potato Early Dying PED disease This was good news for the potato industry across Canada and the kind of support the sector needs to address emerging threats Despite announcing plans to step down last year Zylmans remains chair of the association While labour issues are now being handled by Randy Sihota Zylmans is committed to seeing new leadership for the 21 year old organization The board for the coming year includes Cory Gerrard Blake Lundstrum Peter Guichon and Ab Singh Outgoing members Judy Galey and Blair Lodder were replaced by Vancouver Island grower Terry Mitchell and Jimmy Dhaliwal from the Interior Zylmans believes the slate gives the industry a strong voice We need people helping us make decisions for our industry that are prominent growers throughout the province he says Financing the future of agriculture CENTER PIVOTS LINEARS Langley 1 888 675 7999 Williams Lake 1 855 398 7757 Contact Your Watertec Sales Rep for a Free Estimate At BMO we know that farming is more than just a business it s a way of life And as a longstanding supporter of the BC farming community we ve been committed to agriculture since we began working with farmers in 1817
26 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Hazelnut growers survey industry Growers plan to expand but the sector needs to build capacity by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER ABBOTSFORD The importance of the BC hazelnut renewal program to restarting production in the province was in the spotlight in January as farm business advisor Chris Bodnar presented a hazelnut opportunity assessment study to new and established hazelnut growers at the Pacific Agriculture Show Bodnar was contracted by the BC Hazelnut Growers Association BCHGA to conduct a grower survey supported by the BC Ministry of Agriculture between June and September 2019 to identify opportunities and challenges for the sector The survey resulted in 115 responses of which 39 were from BCHGA members Approximately 45 of respondents have less than one acre in hazelnuts The larger the acreage the more likely they would be members says Bodnar The survey indicated that 34 of growers with less than one acre are planning to expand within one to three years An additional 10 have already ordered more trees Among growers with one to five acres 15 are planning to expand within one to three years and an additional 26 have already ordered more trees Opportunities identified in the survey include the BC Hazelnut Renewal Program which offers support in new plantings and the removal of EFB infected trees a new BC hazelnut guide released last year strong demand that outstrips supply a suitable climate good local infrastructure including nurseries and a processing facility the potential to expand hazelnut plantings outside the Lower Mainland and potential profitability Save TIME MONEY with an Automated Irrigation Reel Idrofoglia Reel Model G1 63 200 2 5x656ft 11 895 00 Ideal for any Crop Vegetable Corn or Forage No More Moving Your Sprinklers Province Wide Delivery Langley 1 888 675 7999 Williams Lake 1 855 398 7757 604 491 1060 Linda Freddy Marks www theBestDealsinBC com QUESNEL BC 176 ACRES LAC DE ROCHE RESORT BARRIERE BC 100 ACRES 2 300 000 2 295 000 1 593 000 INVESTORS WATER FRONT SUBDIVISION POTENTIAL 38 LAKE FRONT ACRES LODGE Year Round Tourism Approved 3000 ft of Dragon Lake water front 5 bdrm 3 bath custom home 40x60 Shop with suite 30x70 barn with water power runs 50 Cow calf pairs Log Lodge 50 seat restaurant w new kitchen patio winterized cabins camping boat rentals Profitable Expandable on Hwy 24 The Fishing Highway BROKEN TRAIL HAY CATTLE RANCH WITH 2 RESIDENCES Established Operation Hwy 5 access high yield fertile North Thompson River frontage gravity fed irrigation w water licence Crown grazing lease Organizational support through the BCHGA is a way to develop grower knowledge and offer a grower network says Bodnar Challenges to the sector include little local research capacity or specialized expertise although it has been developing through the nurseries growers and government scientists The hazelnut industry in BC looks to Oregon for expertise research and new tree varieties but there is good local demand for hazelnuts in BC and a relatively small supply BC only produces 06 of Oregon s hazelnut harvest In 10 years BC might approach 5 of Oregon s harvest says Bodnar How can the sector engage academic departments to participate in a program of hazelnut research he asks Another challenge is the scale of producers There are two scales of producers Most new plantings are small with growers testing the crop says Bodnar They aren t big enough to invest in equipment but they have the potential to grow They also differ in their sensitivity to pricing which impacts the sector Those who are less sensitive to prices generally own their own land have other income and operate on a scale to reduce their cost of production Those who are sensitive to pricing generally have smaller plantings may be further from the receiving station and require a greater proportion of the income There are unproven varieties and variable growing conditions To achieve more acreage the sector needs to expand outside the Lower Mainland A lack of staff and sector strategy means the BCHGA is reliant on volunteers all of whom have other commitments There is no Border Collie to round everybody up and target recruitment for this crop Challenges to growers are numerous since most growers are new to the sector and need specialized extension support Bodnar suggests that industry should focus on maximizing participation in the replant program conducting cultivar trials and building sector capacity including harvest and processing capacity There is an opportunity to develop diverse models due to the range of scale says Bodnar The sector needs larger growers to make receiving stations viable to allow for crack and pack services to help establish consistent supply for local and regional buyers He indicates that at least 30 acres is needed to support investment in equipment and efficiencies for growers He also says that smaller growers can join together to achieve these economies of scale Bodnar who also serves as a mentor with the Young Agrarians Business Mentorship Network suggests focusing recruitment efforts on existing farmers Some might have under utilized land for expansion plantings or be able to help existing growers with knowledge and support to ensure the success of the crop They could also help build capacity within the BCHGA that supports existing growers A major gap in the sector is knowledge about where hazelnuts can be grown and how new cultivars will perform Respondents cite concerns around disease and cultivar performance as major considerations regarding whether or not they will plant more trees Trees already in the ground can offer data about performance through participatory research This can also develop grower knowledge and help the industry keep on top of emerging issues says Bodnar It is important to engage and maintain contact with growers and encourage communities of growers in different regions BCHGA plans to develop a strategy based on the study s findings You ve 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 27 Cherry growers focus on export opportunities International trade and pest barriers present roadblocks by TOM WALKER KELOWNA The BC Cherry Association s annual meeting in Kelowna on March 3 attracted more than 130 attendees but one member was conspicuously absent BCCA president Sukhpal Bal was on a market development mission to India currently closed to BC cherries along with retired Kelowna cherry grower and long time BCCA board member Christine Dendy Lake Country grower and association vice president David Geen acknowledged Bal s work for the association in his introductions Sukhpal devotes a lot of time and effort into being the spokesperson for the industry says Geen Right now he is developing trade opportunities with one of the top economies in the world Bal s report which Geen read noted that BCCA administrator Beth Cavers had successfully applied for over 240 000 for the association through the federal AgriMarketing program The initiatives taken on by the association are in a large part possible due to the funding and support we receive from government Bal noted This allows us to leverage our membership dollars and pursue key activities for our association The business meeting was followed by the annual market and research update Export markets are a key to the growth of our industry says Geen who chairs the association s market access committee Geen said China remains the top export market for BC cherries However the economic fallout from the coronavirus has pushed down demand Chilean growers have so far borne the brunt losing more than US 100 million in sales thanks to the lockdown of major cities in China where the virus originated in November 2019 While the virus seemed a temporary concern at the time of the meeting more recent developments indicate that it s shaping up to be a serious threat to sales Should the pandemic not be under control by the time this year s cherries are ready BC growers may well be facing the kinds of challenges Chilean growers have Beth Cavers export program administrator and BCCA administrator reported that 129 growers shipped cherries to China in 2019 Of these 55 were members of BC Hank Markgraf right accepts the Dr Karlis Lapins Achievement award on behalf of longtime friend Duane Holder of Creston from BC Cherry Association vice president David Geen Holder was recognized for his contributions especially in the area of pest management rooted in both science and his practical experience as a fruit packer TOM WALKER PHOTO Equipment VanderWal r MKEN deale is now a LE JUWEL EASE OF USE AND SAFETY OF OPERATION See IMPORT on next page o FOR ANY STRATEGIC TILLAGE PRACTICE LOOK TO LEMKEN Juwel mounted reversible ploughs from LEMKEN combine operational reliability and ease of use to deliver excellent performance Optiquick for ploughing without lateral pull TurnControl for safe plough turning Hydromatic for disruption free ploughing even in stony soils Skimmer with easy adjustment options all without tools Also available as M version with hydraulic turnover device strategictill lemken ca Little Large Local Long Europe N America Quality Pre Owned Tractors Equipment Port to Dealer Farm to Farm Anything in Between BOBCAT 751 12 000 FARMKING BLADE 9 4 000 FELLA 800 13 500 FORD 545 7 500 FORD 4000 W LDR 9 500 JCB 409 47 000 JD 3520 4WD LDR 18 500 KUBOTA B1750 LDR MWR 10 000 KUHN FC313 MOWER TG 20 000 KVERNELAND 4032 MOWER 16 000 KVERNELAND 4 BOT ES PLOW NEW 38 500 MCCORMICK GX45 4WD CALL MASSEY FERGUSON 265 9 500 MASSEY FERGUSON 285 11 500 MF 5460 4X4 LDR COMING MASSEY FERGUSON 6290 25 000 NEW HOLLAND TM150 47 000 NEW HOLLAND TS 115 COMING SUNFLOWER 7232 23 HARROW 17 500 WACKER NEUSON TH522 TELEHANDLER 52 500 VAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT 1989 LTD 23390 RIVER ROAD MAPLE RIDGE BC V2W 1B6 604 463 3681 vanderwaleq com
28 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 IMPORT regs hamper access to international markets Tree Fruits Cooperative and 74 were independent BC also shipped its first cherries to Japan in 2019 with 54 growers taking part We have a foothold in the Japanese market says Geen I believe that we will see slow and steady growth though it is unlikely to reach the size of the China market for us Both the China and Japan export protocols require orchard inspections and inorchard trapping programs that monitor the presence of pests of concern Students assist growers with the paperwork involved We have the benefit of some fabulous summer students who run our trapping programs says Cavers California is the third key export market for BC cherries We strive for continued access to the California market says Geen That s 40 million high income earners to buy our fruit Late season cherries that have been developed at the Summerland Research and Development Centre are key to the California export program Many ripen into September allowing BC growers to ship them to stores after the California season is over The state requires packing facilities to be inspected a program that is supported by provincial funds Last year 18 cherry packers shipped to California The EU requested a formal review and documentation of processes and protocols from all countries shipping fresh produce into Europe last September Our board participated in a conference call with key Canadian Food Inspection Agency leaders in September and we were led to believe that this would be pretty routine says Geen EU concerns regarding cherries focused on the cherry fruitworm CFIA proposed a trapping program to monitor the pest without consulting the BCCA Geen considers the initiative a case of using a hammer to kill a fly Our board is of the opinion that we have shipped cherries to the EU for 30 years with not a single transmission of a quarantined insect notes nfrom page 27 Geen We don t need a third trapping program It s not called for US growers renewed their European shipping agreements without a trapping program Despite the trade mission to India its import regulations continue to prevent BC growers from accessing the market They want us to fumigate our fruit says Geen noting that the practice is discouraged in Canada Otherwise they want us to keep the cherries in cold storage for 10 days which we can t do either The fruit already spends three to four weeks travelling to India by sea and Geen says the fruit wouldn t tolerate an additional 10 days in storage without being severely compromised South Korea is also a challenge because the country wants information on what BC growers are doing to control 10 different insect species Geen says a pilot program demonstrating control of all 10 insects this year is impossible This means market access is off the table until at least 2021 Top of the crop Creston area horticulturist Duane Holder was honoured with the Dr Karlis Lapins Achievement Award at the BC Cherry Association s annual meeting on March 3 Holder s long time friend and tree fruit consultant Hank Markgraf accepted the award on behalf of Holder from BC Cherry Association vicepresident David Geen I ve known Duane for 35 years says Markgraf noting Holder was responsible for hiring him as a fieldman for BC Fruit Packers Duane is a thinker he says When we had a problem he would always come up with the one key thing we needed to know and deliver it in a calm manner Raised in Creston Holder was recognized in particular for his contributions in the area of pest management rooted in both science and his practical experience as a fruit packer Holder was unable to attend the meeting but sent a message expressing gratitude for the award and thanking producers for allowing him to assist them The award honours former Summerland cherry breeder Karlis Lapins 1899 2004 for which the Lapins cherry is named The award was instituted 17 years ago and has had just five recipients over that time The award was last presented to Christine Dendy in 2013 Tom Walker
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 29 Weather woes drive cranberry yields lower February frost helps cut BC production by 53 by RONDA PAYNE RICHMOND The mood was far from celebratory at the BC Cranberry Marketing Commission s annual meeting on March 3 With yields down 53 from 2018 s exceptionally high results many growers face a hard year in 2020 according to Jack DeWit commission director and grower with Creekside Cranberries Obviously when you re farming and whatever you re selling off your farm drops down to half you re going to have a financial impact he says It ll be a tough year for a lot of growers BC s 75 growers produced 631 045 barrels in 2019 a yield of 100 barrels per acre That s less than half of last year s record breaking 1 347 753 barrels or 211 barrels per acre Growers believe the lack of yield was due to weather events freezing temperatures in February and an early frost before berries were harvested With the warm January the buds started to open up then in February they got cold weather and wind and no snow and I think that was part of the reason that a lot of the buds got damaged and didn t develop into fruit says DeWit We had a frost in the fall and a lot of fruit got damaged When cranberries are damaged by frost they soften and are unsuitable for highvalue products like Ocean Spray s Craisins DeWit says growers have accepted that the weather is likely the cause of the drop in yields but there may be other factors marketplace New research projects announced in 2019 included the assessment of soil moisture monitors pollination deficit by cultivar nonchemical vole control and return on investment for bed renovation Research committee chair Todd May said that the BC cranberry research farm while having a strong focus in varietal research is also working on a number of other activities to help growers avoid or mitigate challenges in the future Growers disappointed Following the commission s annual general meeting the BC Cranberry Growers Association held its own AGM where the disappointing results of 2019 were also discussed Devastating winter injury in February 2019 foreshadowed an almost 50 drop in yield across the industry said association chair Lynn Kemper While yields were perhaps the biggest issue it wasn t the only issue Growers faced challenges from the phasingout of control products like Bravo labour and tighter controls on fruit The association provided direct BC Cranberry Commission s research chair Todd May right is working on a number of initiatives to help growers avoid or mitigate future challenges for the sector RONDA PAYNE PHOTO input on many of the issues the industry faces as well as doing so through the BC Agriculture Council Neither the association nor the commission provided financial support to the Canadian Cranberry Grower s Coalition in 2019 as they have done in the past With involvement from the provincial bodies the coalition supports Canadian growers involvement in health research projects put forth by 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 31 NFU highlights role for ag in climate crisis Fighting climate change can improve farm finances by JACKIE PEARASE No silver bullet There s no silver bullet technology that s going to increase farm revenues so we all have more financially successful farms and also deal with climate change says Oke The best hybrid system is one which is going to include some rotation and different cover cropping plus the technology and best practices and equipment from the no till system Because when we can reduce tillage we can reduce the amount of carbon that s draina g our sp e is ecialty ARMSTRONG The National Farmers Union says Canadian producers need to take a leadership role in the conversation about climate change NFU student president Stuart Oke was in BC recently speaking to groups and government about the discussion document Tackling the Farm Crisis and the Climate Crisis A Transformative Strategy for Canadian Farmers and Food Systems produced by the NFU in partnership with Darrin Qualman a Saskatchewan farmer and the organization s former research director The report released in December 2019 is intended to start a conversation around the argument that declines in farm incomes and environmental conditions have many of the same causes and solutions Across the country in general there s what we call a farm income crisis Farmers are making less income now in net at the end of the day than we have in the last 100 years Oke explains speaking to growers in Armstrong in late February As a young farmer I d love to be farming in 30 years and I don t know what that s going to look like on the track that we re on The report claims that from 1985 to 2018 agricultural input suppliers claimed 95 of all farm revenues leaving producers with just 5 This happened despite the fact farm incomes increased over the same time period He says a drastic spike over the past 150 years in nitrous oxide methane and carbon dioxide collectively known as greenhouse gases for their warming effect on the planet clearly demonstrates humans role in climate change and therefore the role humans could play in combatting the crisis The report says the farm sector accounts for about 12 of Canada s total greenhouse gas emissions underscoring the important role producers can play in reducing emissions We really believe we need to be leading the conversation around agriculture because if we don t then someone else is going to do it for us he says We might not be happy with what that result is The report provides options for producers including low input lowemission crop production climate compatible livestock and reducing emissions from machinery and on farm energy use Oke says on farm power generation using renewable sources such as solar energy wind or biomass could provide low or no carbon power sources that reduce carbon emissions Diversified cropping using more complex rotations and cover crops for fertility is a good old fashioned approach to reducing the need for inputs but modern innovation also has a role to play oxidized through the tilling process The report also discusses the government actions needed to effect positive change Ontario farmer Cameron Couchman who spends his winters working with Passive Remediation Systems Ltd in Armstrong sees the crises as an opportunity for governments to invest in finding solutions to ensure the future of sustainable agriculture Obviously a lot of the roadblocks we face are financial so if they start moving around money in places that are actually going to start contributing to solutions then that s where government comes in says Couchman BC agriculture minister Lana Popham met with NFU representatives to discuss the report and government s role in the conversation Agriculture often gets painted in a bad light and we actually think we re part of the solution says Popham We are going to be doing more as we move forward on some plans to try and address some carbon emissions in agriculture Popham notes that BC s unique topography few industrial agricultural operations and crop diversity work together to keep BC s agricultural emissions relatively low but there s always room for improvement She points to simple solutions like energy efficient lighting and accessing programs like CleanBC to purchase new technology to make operations more efficient FeedBC which focuses on increasing the supply of locally grown produce and growing interest in eating local also help make BC more resilient in the face of climate change says Popham Federal and provincial governments are currently exploring solutions like agricultural carbon sinks and bio energy creation and utilization There is funding available and there are programs available but we re looking at how we can fit our specific BC producers into those programs says Popham I know that there s interest out there from farmers We re encouraging farmers to send us their ideas and we re trying to figure out where they fit in the puzzle Multi layered approached Oke says solving the farm crisis and climate crisis will take a multi layered approach involving many different ideas innovation technology and financial incentives We need mechanisms and we need programs which allow money to be funnelled back into farmers to increase farm revenues he says Specifically farmers need to be compensated for their efforts that provide environmental benefits beyond the farm gates Oke explains This is not the end of a conversation We re trying to have a broader chat about different things that can work and talk about transition which makes what we re trying to accomplish easier for farmers Burns Lake BC 32 Acres 525 000 2 ponds drilled well 5 greenhouses 10 year old 2 bedroom mobile home fenced Xfenced barn and outbuildings Set up as a Fresh Vegetable Market Garden Turn key business owners are willing to train More info phone 250 698 7337 or email bolinyk gmail com countrylifeinbc com bc com WEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATES Helping l i Y You 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32 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Reducing dairy production s carbon footprint Better genetics improved feed crop production having significant impact the case of milk every aspect from cow care through to milk collection processing transportation distribution and final sales were considered The study looked at the productivity efficiency and overall by MARGARET EVANS sustainability of milk production and how dairy cows are playing a central role in regenerative new research conducted by agriculture The study found scientists at the University of that the contribution of California Davis has found selective genetics and that the climate footprint of improved nutrition were key milk production in California factors in the improvement has improved significantly The main thing is really The researchers found that how much the cows have the amount of greenhouse become productive so it is a gas emissions produced per unit of milk has fallen by more combination of genetics and nutrition says professor and than 45 over the past 50 Sesnon Endowed Chair Ermias years Their work was based Kebreab in UC Davis on a life cycle environmental Department of Animal assessment using the latest Science You can improve the scientific models and genetic potential for the international research animal to increase production standards but if you don t provide the A life cycle assessment nutrition it s not going to looks at all the impacts in the work The improvement in stages of a product s life In At a time when many farmers are concerned about the impact of agriculture on greenhouse gas emissions Research Healthy Soil Nurtures a Healthy Herd FiXaTion Clover Frosty Clover Crimson Clover DC Red Clover White Clover Hybrid Clover Alfalfa Winter Peas genetic selection is so that the cows produce more milk and increase their capacity to digest and utilize feed Each cow is producing a lot more than it used to which means you don t need as many cows to produce the same amount of milk Each cow has to maintain its functions so you have to provide for a fixed methane cost value But by using less animals that are more productive you are reducing that fixed cost of methane Kebreab says that improved feed crop production and utilization of food crop byproducts have been a significant factor in lowering carbon emissions Dairy cows are highly efficient recyclers and the study documents that over 40 of dairy feed ingredients are byproducts of human food processes waste that would be sent to the landfill or otherwise disposed of They include such things as almond hulls citrus and tomato pulp culled carrots and other produce that people would not normally eat but which are ideal feed for cattle The bonus according to the study is that nearly half of the feed needed to produce California s milk is being produced without a single drop of additional water The study also found that the amount of water actually used per unit of milk produced has decreased by over 88 due to improved feed crop production and water use efficiency Agronomists have come up with high yielding varieties of livestock and food crops that require much less water than they used to says Kebreab Their practices have changed over the last few years and so the amount of water that is required is much lower to produce things like sunflower wheat barley and corn We are including more byproducts in cattle feed now It is more efficient to feed these resources to cows Kebreab says that the approaches that dairy farmers have used in California likely apply to other regions of the US Canada and other countries According to Environment and Climate Change Canada 8 of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada are from agriculture Agriculture and Agri Food Canada says nearly 40 of those emissions is methane which cattle and sheep produce when digesting feed However the Dairy Farmers of Canada say that dairy production accounts for less than 1 3 of Canada s total greenhouse gas emissions A major reason for this is that our cows are more productive which has been a key factor in helping to reduce methane emissions associated with the production of a litre of milk it notes Kebreab says that he is participating in a project in Ethiopia that s improving the productivity of the local dairy system while reducing emissions He has also helped farmers in Vietnam improve their cows feed while reducing their environmental footprint as well Currently he s looking at the use of fossil fuels as it relates to the improved efficiency of dairy management There is some reduction he says You would need less mechanization to come up with the same amount of product We haven t done that analysis yet The next thing we hope to do is an analysis for nitrogen and phosphorus related to fossil fuel use The research will help as we get into more drought and we see what the environmental impact will be It will help us plan how to reduce our impact further As cows continue to play essential roles in healthy and sustainable food 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33 APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Independent corn trials a priority for group Future may lie in a merger with a like minded organization by DAVID SCHMIDT ABBOTSFORD Although the BC forage corn trials ended after Agriculture and Agri food Canada withdrew its funding support in 2017 there is still an appetite to resurrect them At its annual meeting in Abbotsford in February the Pacific Field Corn Association whose members include representatives of BC s major corn seed distributors reached a consensus on the need to find a way to continue the trials Although most distributors already conduct their own demonstrations those trials are limited to varieties each represents and don t provide the independent verifiable data growers need to compare all available seed options The PFCA was registered as a non profit society in 1987 to provide a structure for an organized corn hybrid testing system For the following 30 years the program was run at test plots at both the Agassiz Research and Development Centre and in Sumas Prairie usually on land owned by Mike Dykshoorn an avid PFCA member and supporter AAFC research scientist Shabtai Bittman and research biologist Derek Hunt have been running the trials since their inception and praises their impact The 30 year long testing program was highly effective and heavily subscribed and certainly contributed to higher corn yield and quality in BC Bittman said adding the PFCA has published three books which were distributed free to BC farmers During its tenure the program expanded to include research into cover cropping real time computer modeling of corn nitrogen and other projects to help farmers manage manure Although AAFC hopes to carry forward that research Bittman says those programs owe their start to the PFCA In what Bittman calls a bold move at the time the PFCA started a website www farmwest com in 1999 to disseminate research results to local farmers While the initial iteration had only limited capabilities the BC Ministry of Agriculture recognized it could be used as a platform to disseminate irrigation and water information Once the BCMA got on board the Pre owned Tractors Equipment BOBCAT S850 SKIDSTEER D OL 1070 HRS 54 900 S website took off and is now PFCA s main activity It has grown to be a major force in technology transfer in BC with around 60 visits per day Bittman reports The site collects data from hundreds of weather stations in BC and across Canada and has at least seven calculators the most of any agricultural website in North America Farmers can use the site to calculate evapotranspiration corn heat units predict pests determine ammonia losses and other factors impacting their manure management irrigation and pest control This is one of the only places some of these calculators are available Bittman says Already in its second iteration the website will soon get even better says BCMA water management engineer Stephanie Tam who manages much of the website The ministry is very supportive of Farmwest com and we have received some Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding to move it onto a newer more user friendly platform she told PFCA members saying she expects a final draft of the new website in early fall Recently the BC Farmers Institutes linked their website to Farmwest com which will cross promote both sites Despite Farmwest s success however PFCA s future is cloudy if a way to revive the trials can not be found Our budget was based on project by project funding notes PFCA president Ted Osborn Since the trials were its major project PFCA s major source of funding is now gone leaving the association in a holding pattern Osborn says PFCA s options are to remain a free standing organization and seek other projects or to merge with another organization to create a larger organization with more political clout That s the option preferred by BC Forage Council president Garth Healey who has seen funding for forage testing and other BCFC projects dry up even more than they have for PFCA When you bring everyone together you can accomplish something Healey says Go with your gut JAGUAR CASE IH MAXXUM 120 MFD CAB TRACTOR W LOADER JUST IN CALL FOR DETAILS CASE IH 1250 6 ROW CORN PLANTER COMING IN CALL FOR DETAILS CLAAS 860 SP FORAGE HARVESTER 12 5 PICKUP 6 ROW CORNHEAD 93 700 CLAAS 970 SP FORAGE HARVESTER 10 PICKUP 10 ROW CORNHEAD CALL FOR MORE DETAILS PRICING CLAAS 1550 SIDE DELIVERY ROTARY RAKE 14 500 JD 7230R MFD TRACTOR CALL FOR DETAILS JD 8295R MFD CAB TRACTOR WITH DUALS JUST IN CALL FOR DETAILS KUHN 500 SOLD ALTERNA MOWER CONDITIONER 24 900 604 864 2273 NH 900 PT FORAGE HARVESTER WITH GRASS PICK UP 5 400 34511 VYE ROAD ABBOTSFORD www caliberequipment ca STORE HOURS MONDAY FRIDAY 8 5 CLOSED SATURDAYS TIL SPRING
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 34 Silage management must be taken seriously Every accident is preventable by DAVID SCHMIDT ABBOTSFORD A 2018 BC Dairy Association survey showed considerable room for improvement in BC dairy producers silage management That s why silage was a major topic at this year s BC Dairy Expo in Abbotsford at the end of January Silage safety is a major concern with more than 90 of respondents admitting they have no written silage safety guidelines and policies Safety must be priority number one Chr Hansen Animal Health and Nutrition silage specialist Eric Dorr told producers Silage is a very dangerous business and the danger is year round he stressed in a follow up to a 2019 Dairy Expo presentation by Keith Bolsen founder of the Silage TY CROP 22 CATCH BUGGY NEW SIDES FLOOR HYD ENDGATE FLOTATION TIRES 25 000 Safety Foundation As a rule of thumb he told people to stay at least twice the height of the silage pile away from the pile something many in the audience indicated they rarely observe Like Bolson had a year earlier Dorr provided graphic evidence of the injuries and deaths which can occur on and around silage insisting every serious injury or fatal silage related accident could have been prevented As part of the silage emphasis this year s BC Dairy Expo Self Tour included a stop at Cordine Farms in Agassiz where the entire focus was on silage management Dorr was at the farm to discuss strategies to maximize silage safety and quality while Meinen Brothers displayed their range of Trioliet silage equipment Dorr called packing density the key to silage quality saying oxygen is your real enemy in making good silage Making a silage pile is the opposite of making a compost pile he said The goal is to preserve the harvested crop by anaerobic fermentation without oxygen Oxygen is the enemy Although it is impossible to overpack silage there are practical limits to what can be done For many farmers their packing is based on the speed at which silage is being harvested but Dorr believes that puts the cart before the horse He notes today s self More attention needs to be paid to packing density for optimum silage MYRNA STARK LEADER PHOTO propelled choppers can produce up to 16 000 pounds of silage per minute which may be more than packers can keep up with Almost 50 of BC dairy farms now use custom operators either exclusively or in combination with their own personnel to harvest the silage but over 80 of farms still do their own packing Dorr says that can be an issue claiming custom operators Quality Pre Owned Equipment 1996 FREIGHTLINER FL80 W 24 DCM SILAGE BOX HYD ENDGATE CAT 3126 ALLISON 6 SPEED AUTO 51 000 USED IRRIGATION REELS CALL FOR MORE INFO USED IRRIGATION PUMPS CALL FOR MORE INFO www tjequipmentllc com 360 815 1597 LYNDEN WA ALL PRICES IN US FUNDS USED EQUIPMENT N H FP230 27P GRASS HEAD 20 000 N H 790 W GRASS HEAD 3 500 CLAAS VOLTO 75T 6 BASKET TEDDER 7 250 CLAAS VOLTO 1050 8 BASKET TEDDER 12 500 FELLA TS1502 2012 HAY RAKE 20 000 MF 1372T 2008 13FT DISCBINE METAL ROLLERS 22 000 HAGEDOORN 275 MANURE SPREADER HYDRA PUSH 19 950 CLAAS 255 ROTOCUT ROUND BALER W WRAPPER 46 250 USED TRACTORS N H TN90F 1998 7 600 HRS CAB MFWD 16 500 CASE MAGNUM 225 CVT NEW ALO LOADER 170 000 DEUTZ TTV 6130 4 2014 1 760 HRS LDR FRONT 3PT PTO 99 500 DEUTZ K110 2 200 HRS CAB LDR MFWD 55 000 DEUTZ AGROPLUS 2 500 HRS ROPS LDR 35 000 NEW INVENTORY KUBOTA RAKES TEDDERS MOWERS POWER HARROWS JBS VMEC1636 VERT SPREADER SAWDUST SAND THROWERS KUBOTA K HAUL TRAILERS NOW IN STOCK CONSTRUCTION KUBOTA KX057 4 750 HRS THUMB 2 BUCKETS RIPPER L S RAKE BRUSH GUARD CALL KUB KX71 2006 ROPS THUMB RUBBER 2 BKTS 4 000HRS 26 500 ISLAND TRACTOR SUPPLY LTD DUNCAN 1 888 795 1755 NORTH ISLAND TRACTOR COURTENAY 1 866 501 0801 www islandtractors com don t know NDF neutral detergent fibre they know RPM He told farmers to match the delivery rate of the forage to the bunker with the available packing weight of the tractor Almost 90 of BCDA survey respondents indicated they are not calculating packing density and using that information to guide their packing protocol Dorr told them to follow the easyto calculate rule of 800 Divide the weight of the packing tractor in pounds by 800 to come up with the number of tons minute the tractor can pack If it cannot keep up either add weight to the tractor if that can be done safely or slow down the delivery rate Dorr also advocates regularly adding silage inoculants which about 56 of BC dairy farms already do to improve silage quality In addition keep the pile wellcovered to avoid mould growth still a problem on almost 30 of farms Locate A Dealer Online 1 866 820 7603 BAUMALIGHT COM Dale Howe 403 462 1975 dale baumalight com MFG A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS BRUSH MULCHERS BOOM MOWERS STUMP GRINDERS TREE SAWS SHEARS TREE SPADES ROTARY BRUSH CUTTERS TRENCHERS DRAINAGE PLOWS PTO GENERATORS EXCAVATOR ADAPTERS FELLER BUNCHERS TREE PULLERS SCREW SPLITTERS AUGER DRIVES
APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC 35 Brewing a local future Delta farm families look to past to build future value by PETER MITHAM DELTA All the hops are there says Ken Malenstyn looking across to his five acre hopyard opposite Barnside Brewing Co in Ladner We re not buying anybody else s hops Malenstyn is a co owner of Barnside which opened its doors in January after three years of planning The vision is simple farm fresh beer made with ingredients grown in Delta The brewery and tasting room sit on the farm of Brent and Shelly Harris who have 150 acres of cranberries and 300 acres of malting barley as well as a small portion of black oats and other experimental grains CDC Fraser a new two row barley variety from the University of Saskatchewan s Crop Development Centre went in on the Harris farm last year complementing Copeland the industry standard Kennebec potatoes from the farm go into the brewery s stout while Delta Honey collects honey from the bees that pollinate the crops It provides some interesting opportunities and new uses for crops that can maybe help local growers of all kinds of products find new markets says Malenstyn It s agricultural processing so I think it s also another answer to that evolution that we re seeing of how we keep younger people on the farm Malenstyn himself is one of the people who moved away from the farm His father was a dairy farmer and he worked on pea harvesters growing up before moving away for a career in marketing Delta s dairies disappeared and the nature of the family farm changed in the interim My dad got out in the mid 90s It was either get bigger and he didn t want to get to a stage where he didn t know the animals he says By adding value to local crops and creating opportunities for local farms to be suppliers Barnside is a step beyond direct marketing It offers a new processing option that speaks to current demand But farms still work within the framework of production agriculture Barnside also plans to collaborate with other local farms buying berries from Emma Lea Farms for a witbier for example It pays market prices for ingredients to both its owners and other local farms For all the hops and the grain and all the other adjuncts we re charging the brewery a fair market price says Malenstyn wearing his hop grower hat You have to treat them as separate businesses It s just good business sense he says and ideally demonstrates an opportunity for other growers If we can create a better market for local grain that would be fantastic People don t typically think of this as a grain growing area but Gambrinus Malting Corp in Armstrong said it was the best whole malting they ve ever done with the stuff we sent in the fall which was great It s starting to show that maybe there s a market Malenstyn a director of the BC Hop Growers Association says it would be nice to see breweries receive a tax break similar to what distilleries receive as an incentive to use local product Saving a lot of money Barnside Brewing co owner Ken Malenstyn shows off some of the barley from the Harris farm used in the brewery s beers PETER MITHAM PHOTO makes using local a lot easier he says Opportunities aside Barnside hasn t been without its challenges Opening was delayed till January this year because of municipal bylaws governing the kinds of value added activities that could be located within the ALR While provincial regulations allowed on farm breweries municipal regulations didn t and had to be updated to allow it To accelerate the process however the municipality applied a temporary commercial zoning that raised the prospect of the brewery paying for sidewalks streetlights and fire suppression infrastructure since waived Doing something new just created a lot of things you had to work through Malenstyn says But it gave us time to work through lots of other aspects of our business We did try to use that time productively The result was a 6 000square foot brewery incorporating barnwood from the Hessel and Vesey farms It includes six 25 hectolitre tanks and two smaller ones about half the size managed by brewmaster Dave Terpsma son of another local dairying family The brewery can stock 175 hectolitres at any given time with batches running once or twice a week The design also allows for additional tanks to be brought in as needed or as demand grows We just wanted to be able to plan for growth says Malenstyn We tried to have some foresight and hopefully we ll be able to utilize it SPRING SALE PRICING on in stock DELTA Drain Tile Cleaner NQSPWFT SBJOBHF r POEJUJPOT 4PJM r DPOPNJDBM 3FMJBCMF r PX BJOUFOBODF r 4BGF BOE 1SPWFO and on in stock AEROSTAR 900 Tine Weeder Check out our Einbock Tillage Equipment For Organic Farming 5JOF 8FFEFST t 3PX SPQ VMUJWBUPST r 3PUBSZ PFT BNFSB VJEBODF 4ZTUFN Proudly offering quality farm equipment and wholesale farm product delivery across BC BMM PS WJTJU VT POMJOF 855 737 0110 JOGP SFJNFSTGBSNTFSWJDF DPN reimersfarmservice com
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APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC 37 Orchardists urged to work smarter not harder Symposium discusses tips to improve orchard management by TOM WALKER KELOWNA Attendance was strong at the 2020 BC Tree Fruit Horticultural Symposium in Kelowna February 25 26 While production techniques have always been a focus they are of growing importance in an industry facing low prices and plagued by inconsistent quality and poor yields How innovative orchard management could help address some of the challenges growers face was the focus of the keynote presentation by Stefano Musacchi professor and chair of tree fruit physiology and management at Washington State University Musacchi gave a fast paced and detailed overview of training systems for apples pears and cherries He also discussed pruning techniques that support tree growth while addressing crop load fruit size and ripening effects that make money for growers by leading to more valuable top quality fruit You need to find a balance said Musacchi Light penetration is a key to topquality fruit across the entire tree Mussachi shared his expertise the following day with pruning demonstrations and discussions at local orchards Sixty people attended a demonstration at Day s Century Growers pear orchard and 50 joined the afternoon demonstration at Brian and Shane Witzke s apple orchard Tamara Richardson of Cornucopia Crop Consulting in Cawston gave an update on her research regarding apple clearwing moth a pest of increasing concern to apple growers She has been studying the use of mating disruption and mass trapping techniques as alternatives to spraying but has not seen significant control from either technique Apple clearwing moth is spreading says Richardson Spraying is the most effective method of control While the results from her Stefano Musacchi from Washington State University shows growers how to prune pears at Day s Century Growers orchard MYRNA STARK LEADER PHOTO Breakout sessions take growers deeper BC Tree Fruit Horticulture Symposium attendees were treated to a grab bag of breakout sessions in in Kelowna on February 25 Sudden apple decline remains a challenge for growers across the valley producing apples in high density plantings on dwarfing rootstock It s a combination of a number of pieces says Jose Urbez Torres a researcher at the Summerland Research and Development Centre Apple clearwing moth plays a role in reducing tree health but fungal pathogens viruses and nematodes are likely contributing factors too Summerland apple grower Steve Brown reviewed his data collection techniques research to date have yet to be finalized she believes more research and education is needed on spraying techniques to support effective control Hank Markgraf former BC Tree Fruits field services manager and now principal of his own consulting company Hank s Horticulture in Kelowna outlined the value of protecting orchards with hail netting Markgraf reviewed the success of hail netting Davison Orchards installed at its farm northwest of Vernon KETTLE RIVER IRRIGATION FARM 5 FEATURED PROPERTIES 1 604 363 8483 FARMREALESTATE COM ID 1101959 ROCK CREEK BC Ne w urging growers to leverage the insights data provides to help them work smarter not harder Data allows us to decide with confidence how our blocks are performing says Brown And data helps us make decisions on how to manage our blocks going forward Brown took growers through simple techniques to establish the true size of their blocks and map the rows of varieties planted The information can be combined with input costs and harvest volumes to establish a cost of production His own averages 24 cents a pound The more apples you produce the lower your cost of production will be he says If you can t make money on some blocks you may need to shut them down Markgraf pegged the cost of installing the netting over the 10 acre block of Galas and Honeycrisp at 16 500 an acre During a hail event in 2019 the covered block emerged unscathed but the adjacent unprotected block had an 85 loss WOODJAM RANCH ID 1100751 HORSEFLY BC Markgraf estimated that with an average return of 70 bins to the acre and a price of 200 a bin for Galas a grower would see a return of 14 000 an acre while 350 a bin for Honeycrisp would return 24 500 an acre Based on those numbers you would see a return on your investment in 1 17 years on an acre of covered Galas says Markgraf With Honeycrisp it would take only 0 68 years to cover the cost of the nets But there are other factors to consider adds Markgraf It will take four to five days to put up and take the down the covers at the beginning and end of the season over the full 10 acres But the effort brings additional benefits beyond crop protection too The light and heat is less intense under the covers which will reduce the chance of sunburn damage he says There may be less need for irrigation It s a nicer temperature to work under the covers you get better frost protection and we could also look at wrapping the sides of the block to exclude pests Recent funding has given the New Tree Fruit Variety Development Council the means to expand its Ambrosia marketing programs Council administrator Jim Campbell outlined current projects the council is engaged on including seeking direction from a marketing consultant working with BC Tree Fruits Co op and Consolidated Fruit Packers to expand export markets and an innovative program with Costco to develop sales in eastern Canada The 2020 Golden Apple award went to Devon Jell a Summerland grower who is continuing the legacy of the Gartrell farm established in 1887 Devon works with a modified V trellis system notes the province s grape and tree fruit specialist Carl Withler who retired on March 12 His packouts hit target sizes 72 88 and his colour especially on Ambrosia was over the top PIONEER LOG HOME GETAWAY ID 1100870 WILLIAMS LAKE BC Pending 194 2 ACRES 2 121 9 ACRES 203 1 ACRES 2 447 000 11 250 000 2 300 000 Perfect hay dairy horse cannabis or orchard mul purpose irrigated property One newer pivot with second one being installed Over 800 feet of water license HANK New workshop and beautiful living quarters VANHIERDEN MLS FARMREALESTATE COM 403 308 1736 Rare opportunity to purchase excep onal land Historical value located on Horse y River Hunters delight with abundant game fowl Two immaculate homes heated shop and barn HANK Currently capable of running 525 pairs year round VANHIERDEN self su ciently with room to increase MLS FARMREALESTATE COM 403 308 1736 Perfect weekend getaway or summer home Exceptionally built 2 027 sq ft custom log home Well upgraded and in excellent shape Workshop with living quarters detached garage HANK Land is mix of trees meadows ideal for hunting VANHIERDEN MLS FARMREALESTATE COM 403 308 1736
38 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 With spring comes a field of dreams But while ambitions soar there s nothing like a good pair of boots Well It s early springtime Insert here the various indicators appropriate to your neck of the woods For me that includes two feet of soggy snow melting into mud It s not very picturesque There s lots to love about this time of year of course For one thing the dreams of a perfect season are by ANNA HELMER very much alive and in the early stages of action To that end all winter I have been planning vastly expanded celeriac and carrot crops Convinced of insatiable demand and our ability to meet it enormous orders of seed were placed and have now arrived in surprisingly large tubs Celeriac seeding has occurred a week or two earlier than normal the plug trays filled with what I consider to be dollars in the bank The carrot field is currently unavailable see mud above but I am ready to pounce on those dollars too I know how this goes This is approximately my 20th season as an adult farmer and I am no stranger to the annual agony fest cycle of winter dreaming and summer reality that is a hallmark of farm management So far I am right on track and excitedly taking aim at a full acre of carrots and gobs of celeriac Here s what will no doubt happen The first twinge of misgiving will occur after an endless day of planting Even with a Stan Hay seeder it can take a long time what with all the necessary fiddling and I will miss dinner More twinges as the first weeds emerge just ahead of the carrots despite best efforts While my Farm News conventional colleagues do a quick pass with a little something deadly for broadleafs I will apply various mechanical weeding implements I will vehemently deny that hand weeding is necessary Dinner s will be missed For the next two months we will race around moving irrigation pipe mechanically and maniacally weeding I will miss a few more dinners and also forget my sister s birthday develop an injury to ignore run over irrigation pipe argue with dad or mom never both as we make it a rule to side with the person who is most mad by way of providing comfort I think it s complicated and neglect the celeriac Then the harvest The endless harvest Enormous crew but never big enough Lack of storage lack of bins to store in fierce competition at market high shrink due to field mice bears and carrot rust fly November will arrive with the snow and rain so welcome but with me slopping about in the mud trying to get the celeriac in The sharp anguish of summer will be dulled by exhaustion as market after market stretches out before me The carrots will get hairy and soft in late February making them hard to sell and finally I will rue the day I planted so many The seed order will be half what it was this year This is a cycle Do I need to point that out I believe when I began what turned into a rather darkly realistic accounting of my farm dreams I was going to list two or three lovely things about spring Was carrot crop planning one of them Why yes yes it was I hope I haven t talked myself out of an acre ahead of schedule Another lovely early spring thing is that we all take turns taking time off with the result that I have been deliciously alone on thethe farm for a few days I movefor seamlessly from job farm a few days I move to job consulting no one I to imagine I am a river seamlessly from job job consulting noof one productivity sweeping the yard There is in I imagine I am a river ofthrough productivity sweeping fact almost real river I have new boots through theayard Therebut is in fact almost a realthe river loveliest thing all the loveliest thing of all but I have newof boots Anna Helmer farms with her family and friends in the Pemberton Valley and has never really successfully managed to explain how we all get along Ma rket i n g Bri t is h C o lu m b ia to th e Wo r ld www landquest com LIMESTONE MOUNTAIN RANCH BIG LAKE BC WATERFRONT ACREAGE QUALICUM BEACH BC 90 ACRE TROPHY OCEANFRONT ESTATE TEXADA ISLAND BC IMMACULATE RANCH PROPERTY MACHETE LAKE SOUTH CARIBOO HISTORIC 143 ACRE RANCH SOUTH CARIBOO Immaculate cattle ranch horse facility wildlife haven recreational paradise Private 50 acre spring fed Brighten Lake dock rainbows to 5 lbs 1 415 acres 11 titles of contiguous fenced cross fenced ranch land 2 000 ft2 ranch house 2 lakeside cabins Barn equipment sheds 2 shops outbuildings 1 995 000 Last undeveloped waterfront lot in an area of luxury waterfront estates 6 05 acres zoning allows for a main home secondary accommodation Views across the Strait of Georgia extend from Denman Hornby Island towards Qualicum Beach with the Mainland mountains as the backdrop 850 000 Extremely private road accessible oceanfront property located on the west side of Texada Island Approximately 1 600 ft 487 metres of impressive waterfront Includes custom 3 816 ft2 4 bdrm 3 bath home large detached shop plus many extras Ideal family compound with residential subdivision 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GALIANO ISLAND SCENIC LAKEFRONT OFF GRID FARMLAND WITH CREEK MOYIE BC CLEAN SLATE NEAR CLINTON IN THE CARIBOO Seriously the best value in the Gulf Islands 2 900 ft2 home on 5 acres 451 ft SW facing oceanfront access to sandy beach Private off grid west coast home 2 bdrm guest cottage shop barn horse corral Ultimate Oceanfront Country Estate Island Caretaker airstrip community breakwater dock 1 996 000 Almost a dozen waterfront lots varying in size from 1 to 160 acres Facing the iconic Stuart Lake and River Minutes to the town center and 2 hours to Prince George All are fairly level and nicely treed Some of the best deals in BC waterfront Prices are from 49 500 to 950 000 3 bdrm home in near new condition perched 4 6 acres of meadows ponds wetlands Blacktail deer beavers river otters migratory birds cutthroat trout a wide variety of creatures frequent this well established wetland year round Ideal property for birders naturalists 799 000 This stunning backcountry property is nothing short of spectacular 2 titles and just under 350 acres of pure BC awesomeness water frontage on Moyie Lake Moyie River Lamb Creek ows through the land which includes 100 acres of open pasture and beautiful mature forest 1 400 000 14 acre treed lot with power well Septic building site pre approved Across the street from Big Bar Lake with great fishing 35 mins from Clinton 5 hours from the Lower Mainland Property has a stream running through abundant with wildlife Build a getaway cabin or a dream home 99 000 DAVE COCHLAN 604 319 1500 dave landquest com KURT NIELSEN 250 898 7200 kurt landquest com LandQuest Realty Corp Comox Valley DAVE SIMONE 250 539 8733 DS landquest com MATT CAMERON 250 200 1199 matt landquest com ROB GREENE 604 830 2020 rob landquest com The Source for Oceanfront Lakefront Islands Ranches Resorts Land in BC Toll Free 1 866 558 LAND 5263
APRIL 2020 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC 39 BCAFM considers Alberta vendors in border markets Association loses markets over question of local produce by PETER MITHAM HARRISON HOT SPRINGS A loss of members due to limitations that restrict BC farmers markets vendors to selling only locally grown food is prompting the BC Association of Farmers Markets to reconsider its rules for markets along the BCAlberta border We have had two markets withdraw from membership because they border with Alberta says BCAFM president Vickey Brown They had to make the difficult decision to keep their vendors and lose their BCAFM membership The topic attracted the most discussion at the BCAFM s annual general meeting in Harrison Hot Springs on March 8 Concerns surfaced last year following a review of association bylaws that resulted in the requirement that vendors be limited to BC producers One market had already left the association over the issue and Dawn Deydey cofounder of the Mountain Market in Fernie didn t want to see others leave With the markets in both Elkford and Sparwood no longer members she reiterated those concerns noting that in her region local corn means Taber corn from a 45 minute drive away in Alberta We re trying to find a way that we can still be a legal member within the BCAFM and still get this local food she says noting that many market visitors participate in the BC Farmers Market Nutrition Coupon Program The program which represents a significant portion of the provincial funding the BCAFM receives each year allows vulnerable populations including pregnant women and seniors to access fresh local food Delivery of the program in the Kootenays receives an additional 140 000 a year from the Columbia Basin Trust which this past year helped boost the association s assets to more than 2 4 million up from 1 9 million last year But without markets the funding doesn t reach the people who need it We re losing markets and those markets are the ones that desperately need the coupon program says Deydey Ironically many Okanagan vendors have participated in Alberta farmers markets delivering sun kissed cherries and peaches in a province not known for orchards Changing the bylaws isn t something that can be done by the stroke of a pen however Kelowna Farmers Market won the award for large farmers market of the year at the BC Association of Farmers Markets annual conference It was selected from a list of five nominees The market has 160 to 200 vendors and its staff have taken a number of steps over the past three years to make the market a more accommodating place for both visitors and vendors PETER MITHAM PHOTO We can t change these bylaws by ourselves we need membership approval to change them explains Brown We want to know there is an appetite to do that An initial survey in February drew a lacklustre response Of the association s 111 voting members just seven markets responded Seven responses didn t feel like a very fulsome consult says Brown It is a very critical issue for those few markets in those bordertowns and we do want to hear from you The proposal will return to the membership this spring Representatives at the meeting directed the association s board to expedite any recommended change to the bylaws before the 2021 meeting Side Discharge For straw and lyme 1 1 2 high paddles Rear mesh back panel Secondary beater drum Agitator Material can be discharged from either side Now is the time to buy Choose from the widest selection of pre owned equipment Choose from interest free waivers low rate financing or low rate leases OAC Visit us at cervusequipment com john deere used 13 900 96 900 114 900 47 000 2009 JD 2305 Stk 105116 1250 Hrs 24 hp Hydro Trans MFWD Turf Tires 200CX Loader Cab CALGARY AB 2018 JD 5085E Stk 90544 158 Hrs 85 hp Syncro Trans 540M Loader w Grapple 3 SCV 540 PTO PONOKA AB 2012 JD 6140R Stk 103713 6946 Hrs 140 hp Partial Powershift H360 Loader 3 SCV 520 420 Tires PINCHER CREEK AB 2019 JD 5075E Stk 111084 119 Hrs 75 hp 12 12 PowerReverser 520M Loader R4 Rear Tires with Calcium CRESTON BC 42 500 8 900 2016 JD 946 Stk 92809 Width 13 Center Pivot Impeller Conditioner 1000 PTO 3 SCV Required CALGARY AB 2008 JD GATOR XUV 620i Stk 105971 773 Hrs 4WD Gas Hyd Dump Rear Screen All Terrain Tires DRUMHELLER AB 43 900 209 900 2014 JD 569 Stk 88253 ONLY 8191 Bales Twine Net Wrap Mega Wide Hyd Pickup HiFloat Tires CALGARY AB 2017 JD W235 Stk 108519 475 Hrs 500R Hay Head V10 Conditioner Full GPS w Display OLDS AB proud to be your local John Deere dealer in the heart of the Kootenays CERVUS JOHN DEERE CRESTON 1617 Northwest Blvd 250 431 9002 CALL TOLL FREE 1 888 831 8189 OR CONTACT YOUR NEAREST CERVUS LOCATION CALL TOLL FREE 1 888 257 1249 OR CONTACT YOUR NEAREST CERVUS LOCATION PONOKA STETTLER CORONATION OLDS TROCHU CALGARY DRUMHELLER HANNA RED DEER BROOKS BASSANO HIGH RIVER VULCAN CLARESHOLM PINCHER CREEK CRESTON www horstwelding com 1 866 567 4162
40 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Kenneth reaches a new low in the Bahamas When we left off last time Newt Pullman was just about to go toe to toe with Junkyard Frank for tricking Susan Henderson into a dinner date when Harriet Murray from the paper walked into the coffee shop Rural Redemption part 120 continues Woodshed Chronicles by BOB COLLINS Harriet Murray looked from Lois to Frank to Newt What s up then she asked You re just in time said Lois Newt and Frank were just sitting down to plan a fundraiser for the 4 H You should sit in and see what they ve got in mind Harriet fished the note pad out of her coat pocket and sat across from Frank She motioned Newt to join them So a fundraiser for the 4 H eh Good for you two Do you know what you should do she asked Before either of them could answer Harriet was away to the races All they could do was sit and listen as she unleashed a torrent of fundraising possibilities Along the way she started taking notes She scarcely drew a breath for nearly 20 minutes So what do you boys think of that I suppose we could do a bottle drive said Newt Yeah that d be alright said Frank Not a bottle drive said Harriet Weren t either of you listening I mean the whole 4 H festival and alumni reunion weekend It s brilliant Who said anything about a reunion asked Newt And I don t recall it bein a weekend deal said Frank It s all here in my notes said Harriet June would probably be best I ll check the calendar and announce it in the paper next week Let me get a picture of you two shaking hands Harriet left to tell the good news to Cynthia Lundgren the 4 H calf club leader Newt thanked Lois caustically for sicking the press on him Frank said he d do the hauling for the bottle drive but count him out for the rest of it Five minutes after they left Cam showed up to take over for Lois so she could do some errands in town So Cameron you missed all the excitement here said Jimmy Vincent Somebody spill their coffee said Cam Even better said Jimmy Seems like we re on the verge of turnin into some kind of Peyton Place again Again How s that Jimmy I didn t know we used to be one before Don t you remember the time old Hans Friesen fell off the milk can stand and broke his leg and Jimmy Douglas took his place driving the milk truck and then he run off with that smiley blonde girl who worked in the diner that used to be where the mall is now asked Jimmy That was a little before my time Well that s what it seems like again now said Jimmy And just why does it seem like that again Old Frank and Newt Pullman are both chasin the same woman They re carryin on like a couple of tom cats nearly come to blows over it right here in the store not half an hour ago Cam cast a doubtful glance Jimmy s way Ask Lois if you don t believe me She had to break them up And what woman would those two be scrapping over Believe it or not it s that Henderson woman Oh come on Jimmy They re old enough to be Deborah s father No no no Not Henderson s wife I m talkin about his mother the one from the city who s looking after the kids Cam chuckled Oh that mother I thought maybe you meant his other one Laugh if you feel like said Jimmy but those Henderson women are a dangerous bunch You figure they re all dangerous Ashley and Deborah too Facts is facts the mother s only been here for a week or so and there s two fellas scrappin over her and the way I hear it the daughter s got her sights set on Edna s nephew and I know three people who ll swear they saw Deborah Henderson kissin Doug McLeod behind the curtains at the Li l Abner show It s a regular Peyton Place all over again Sounds more like a pile of goofy rumours and speculation to me Jimmy Maybe it d be good to keep them to yourself I won t be the one to spill the beans said Jimmy But I don t suppose I m the only one that knows about it And he wasn t There was a pair of ears in the canned goods aisle that had taken it all in vvv Back in the Bahamas the wheels had fallen off the vacation Despite Kenneth s scornful dismissal of the swimming with pigs adventure Deborah and Birdie found it fun and fascinating They were late getting back and went straight from the boat to join Kenneth and Bernie for dinner Here we are said Birdie as she kissed the bald spot on Bernie s head We ve had a marvelous afternoon with the pigs Bernie jumped up and pulled out Birdie s chair Kenneth made no effort to do the same for Deborah Bernie frowned and held hers too Glad you made it back safe and sound Now tell me can those pigs really swim or are they just sort of wading around he asked They were fascinating FEED YOUR HERD AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE VXL 100 SERIES VERTICAL MAXX TRIPLE AUGER MIXERS Higher capacity triple auger design for increased ef ciency to feed more cows per load Longer oil life less maintenance and extended gearbox life with premium oil cooling and ltration system New cone style auger and kicker design for fast mixing even unloading and thorough cleanout Shift on the go for a fast consistent discharge with powershift transmission INVEST IN QUALITY 1 400 1 960 cu ft mixing capacities trailer stationary models Visit your local British Columbia KUHN Dealer today Matsqui Ag Repair Abbotsford www kuhn com Country Tractor Armstrong Country Tractor Kamloops said Deborah And they swam like little fish Over their heads asked Bernie Way over their heads said Birdie But you know what the best thing about them was We spent all afternoon with them and not one of them said anything about golf Bernie laughed I bet that s because nobody ever gave then a chance to play Maybe Ken and I should take some clubs and a bucket of balls out to see those pigs and show them what they ve been missing What do you think Ken Yeah Maybe I ll put that on my list for next time I ve had plenty of golf for the time being thanks all the same Ah don t worry said Bernie I bet you ll get the feel of those new clubs tomorrow Birdie apologized for wearing a swimsuit cover up to dinner Bernie said she shouldn t worry because if they were willing to let a couple of old guys wearing golf shorts and flip flops in they were probably doing cartwheels to see two beautiful women show up to join them He said Birdie would look beautiful to him if she showed up in a flour sack Kenneth said Deborah looked like she had Anger flamed in Deborah s eyes She stood up Do I really Kenneth I picked this flour sack out specially for you I m surprised you don t like it after the fuss you made about my Daisy Mae costume For gawd s sake Deborah sit down You re embarrassing us Well we certainly wouldn t want that would we Here I ll take it off so everyone can see the wonderful bathing suit you bought for me Deborah dropped the cover up over the back of her chair then held her arms out and made a slow turn before Kenneth Thank you for this wonderful embarrassing bathing suit and this fabulous holiday And don t sell the pigs short they were far better company than you ve been There were tears welling in Deborah s eyes as she asked Bernie and Birdie to excuse her and strode out Birdie was right behind her Everyone in the restaurant watched them go then turned to stare at Kenneth Henderson Bernie frowned and leaned back in his chair You know Ken I ll play a round of golf with almost anyone but I don t believe I care to play with a man who treats his wife the way you do Or share a meal with him either You ll have to excuse me Enjoy your meal to be continued
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 41 Authentic stories will resonate with consumers Honest marketing and brand ownership underpins success by MYRNA STARK LEADER ABBOTSFORD Doing nothing is not a marketing strategy says Summer Dhillon Giesbrecht principal at Slap Communications in Vancouver Slap specializes in agriculture agri tourism farm to table and lifestyle storytelling DhillonGiesbrecht says no matter the person or type of company the goal of marketing should be to gain stakeholders trust Once you do that you have their loyalty she says Gone are the days when companies could ignore social media she says because even if you don t have a presence others are talking about your business When most people think about their brand they think of a logo and maybe the packaging But DhillonGiesbrecht says it s the company s story its reason for being and the values and personality that interest today s consumers You have to have a story about what you do and why you do it no matter how you market on your farm she stresses The Internet means people don t have to wait for news and they won t be lied to she says This is great for producers because they all have a story about how they came to be farmers and the vast majority have visual images that support the narrative This is important because authenticity is in and staged photos are out People want to see real shots that evoke a feeling she says Dhillon Giesbrecht encourages farmers to ensure they ve purchased their farm s or product s domain name for their website and also on all social media platforms even the ones they re not active on She says most businesses don t have time to market on every social media channel She advises focusing on one Don t forget to RENEW your subscription to Country Life in BC Helping ng You YOUR OUR such as Instagram doing it well and driving traffic from the other platforms back to the primary one She encourages businesses to show love by adding likes or comments to posts of other brands and farms with similar businesses or similar geographical location since that s where potential customers are Competition will kill you Everybody wins when you all work together she says Product price reductions to attract customers to one business over another only benefit the consumers Rather than competing with other similar farms her advice is to think about how each farm differentiates itself in a way that attracts customers to all of them in the area If farmers come together there may also be regional marketing groups or funding support Authenticity A focus on authenticity and building the trust of consumers has worked for Sacha Bentall and Tyler McNaughton who operate Cutter Ranch at Fort Steele The couple began farming together 12 years ago raising low input cost and high value lamb when they saw a market for organic meat They ve Berkshire pigs forage at Cutter Ranch in Fort Steele CUTTER RANCH PHOTO since shifted to raising beef and hogs while continuing to offer lamb raised by a nearby farm Our model is creating an experience We routinely bring people to the farm so they can connect with their food says McNaughton Our sales model is based on a customer model based on transparency adds Bentall Our best relationships tend to be with our best customers The approach seems to have worked and sales continue to grow A factor in their success is that early in the process they came up with the tagline where food comes from and trademarked it This gave them a measure of control over their identity allowing them to quite literally own their story Make sure you own all your intellectual property says McNaughton In 2019 Cutter Ranch let go of hog farrowing to focus on raising the hundreds of hogs they produced The decision mirrored the shift from raising lamb to raising pork and beef economics By not farrowing they saved over half their labour costs and were able to achieve a more consistent production schedule This also enabled them to shift to weekly processing making it harder for them to be ignored in the marketplace People in more isolated regions are looking for and wanting to support local producers say Bentall and McNaughton Restaurants are starting to understand that and producers need to seize the opportunity if it s right for them Pick up the phone Call people Ask about their businesses Don t stop until you exhaust all the avenues says McNaughton Then don t be afraid to circle back Walk into a place you don t belong SPRING CONSIGNMENT FARM EQUIPMENT AUCTION SATURDAY MAY 16 ONLINE BIDDING STARTS 9AM www meridianeq hibid com IT S BEEN TESTED AROUND THE WORLD IT LL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME ON YOUR FARM The new Massey Ferguson 5700 series are uniquely designed to pull heavier implements and provide versatility in a variety of applications but are still nimble enough to maneuver almost anywhere www masseyferguson us VAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT 1989 LTD 23390 RIVER ROAD MAPLE RIDGE BC V2W 1B6 604 463 3681 vanderwaleq com Gates Open 7 30am Saturday Tractors Trucks 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42 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 Food for holy days AUCTIONS Jude s Kitchen JUDIE STEEVES While Christians observe the traditions of Easter this April from Palm Sunday to Good Friday and then the April 12 Easter celebration of the resurrection of Jesus the Muslim world observes Ramadan at a similar time of the year with a one month period of prayer and daytime fasting which begins this year on April 23 It s the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is based on a lunar calendar and it is considered a very holy month but also a month of thanksgiving and a time to share food with the poor When the fast is broken every evening neighbours friends and families gather together to eat special foods I love the wonderful spices used in foods from the Middle East and South Asian countries and find it very rewarding to experiment with them While the list of ingredients in this Biriyani Chicken may seem long it s not a difficult dish to make and it s really very good It s also a meal in one pot which is convenient and produces fewer dishes to wash after dinner Easter morning traditionally involves an Easter egg hunt at our house but I still try to get some nutritious eggs into the little ones before they get into the chocolate ones These ham cups filled with colourful vegetables and beaten eggs fill the bill look like fun and help encourage youngsters to eat up Whatever your taste or your religion food is always a part of our special days and it s inspirational to taste the foods that are traditional in different cultures Don t forget rget to RENEW W your Subscription to Country Life in BC FOR SALE Ham slices make a perfect cup for Easter eggs JUDIE STEEVES PHOTO EASTER EGGS IN HAM CUPS These make a great breakfast for a group whether on Easter morning or when you have company for brunch Allow about half an egg for each cup 8 ham slices 1 4 green pepper 2 green onions 1 4 tsp 2 ml chili powder 1 4 c 60 ml sharp cheddar 1 4 red pepper 4 eggs salt and pepper to taste Pre heat oven to 375 F Spray eight muffin cups lightly with oil and shape a ham slice in each cup so it s centred and folded up the sides Grate cheddar cheese cut peppers into small dice and mince green onions Beat eggs and add seasonings such as salt and pepper and a little chili powder if you wish or minced jalapeno peppers Divide cheddar amongst ham cups then top with a mixture of the peppers and green onions Divide the eggs among the cups pouring slowly to avoid spilling them over the sides of the ham Bake for about 12 14 minutes or just until the eggs are set Makes eight ham and cheese cups Call 604 220 4879 Pacifc Forage Bag Supply Ltd www pacificforagebag com ROUND BALE FEEDERS BIG SQUARE BALE FEEDERS FENCE PANELS CATTLE HORSE FEEDERS BIRIYANI CHICKEN 1 lb 454 boned chicken thighs 10 whole black peppercorns 3 green cardamom pods 2 large garlic cloves 2 tsp 10 ml garam masala 1 c 250 ml fat free plain yogurt 2 tbsp 30 ml pistachios 1 1 2 tsp 8 ml salt 1 tbsp 15 ml cashews 1 c 250 ml basmati rice 6 whole cloves 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp 30 ml fresh ginger drizzle of oil 1 4 tsp 1 ml turmeric 1 4 c 60 ml raisins 1 1 2 c 375 ml water 1 tbsp 15 ml fresh cilantro 1 tsp 5 ml cumin seeds 1 inch cinnamon stick 1 large onion 1 2 jalapeno pepper Feeders Panels that maintain their value Heavy duty oil field pipe bale feeders Feed savers single round bale feeders outside measurement is 8 x8 5 Double round bale feeder measurement is 15 x8 Silage bunk feeders For product pictures check out Double Delichte Stables on Facebook 3 plum Italian tomatoes 12 mint leaves 1 c 250 ml fresh peas Chop boneless skinless chicken thighs into bite sized pieces You may substitute breasts Wash rice well then soak for a half hour and let drain for a half hour Combine cumin peppercorns cloves cinnamon stick cardamom pods and bay leaves in a very small dish Slice onion in half then into thin strips Mince garlic ginger and jalapeno pepper Heat a drizzle of oil in a deep frypan over medium heat and add the spices from the small dish stirring for a minute Add ginger and onion cooking and stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and coloured Stir in the minced jalapeno pepper and garam masala Meanwhile chop the tomatoes into small dice Add a few to the onion mixture if it becomes too dry and begins to stick to the pan Once the onion mixture is soft add the tomatoes and cook up together for a couple of minutes stirring occasionally to let the liquid cook away Push to the side and add the chicken cooking both sides just until it s turned white Add the turmeric and then stir in the yogurt a spoonful at a time until it s all incorporated Add pistachios raisins most of the chopped mint leaves salt and water and stir then add drained rice and mix it in slightly Bring to bubbling then cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat to low Leave for 15 or 20 minutes or until the rice is just cooked Add the fresh peas cover and turn off the heat If you use frozen peas let it cook for a minute or two Serve topped with a few cashews fresh mint leaves and chopped fresh cilantro Serves 4 5 Dan 250 308 9218 Coldstream LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Looking for an organic mineral supplement Balanced and natural kelp is a great supplement for horses cattle sheep and goats AND its organic 60 for 25lbs To order call 250 838 6684 Located in Enderby B C
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC APRIL 2020 43 REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE Country Life in BC Book your ad by email classifieds countrylifeinbc com FOR SALE REGISTRATION NO 990134 FEEDS ACT FLACK S BAKERVIEW KELP PRODUCTS INC Pritchard BC est 1985 Toll Free 1 888 357 0011 www ultra kelp com NEW POLYETHYLENE TANKS of all shapes sizes for septic and water storage Ideal for irrigation hydroponics washdown lazy wells rain water truck box fertizilizer mixing spraying Call 1 800 661 4473 for closest distributor Manufactured in Delta by Premier Plastics Inc premierplastics com TRACTORS EQUIPMENT DeBOER S USED TRACTORS EQUIPMENT GRINDROD BC JD 7200 4WD CAB LDR JD 2130 LDR 65 HP JD 6410 MFWD CAB LDR JD 2750 MFWD CAB LDR JD7600 MFWD JD 6300 MFWD CAB LDR JD 230 24 DBL FOLD DISK Or call 604 328 3814 TRACTORS EQUIPMENT AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE 45 000 13 500 56 000 29 000 45 000 47 000 16 500 ED DEBOER FARM INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT CASEIH 4 BTM Rollover Plow in furrow 6 800 FORD and OLIVER 5 4 BTM 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