Farming

Thomas Bravais at his property in Cokato, which was flooded in November last year and is now underneath feet of silt left behind. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Cokato landowner points finger at CP Rail after being left high and dry from historic flooding

CP are denying responsibility for silt left behind by floodwaters diverted by blocked CP culverts last year

 

Industrialized agriculture may be the main factor in the spread of avian influenza says local farmers (Kira Erickson/South Whidbey Record)

UPDATE: B.C. avian flu spreading debate about bird management

Backyard poultry owners concerned about what a local outbreak means for their chickens

 

Katie Underwood, who leases a plot of land on Prospect Lake Road in Saanich, said without the loan from late Sea Bluff Farm owner Bob Mitchell, she wouldn’t have been able to make much-needed investments in her operation. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Uncertainties of farm succession pose major risk to food security: B.C. farmer

Generational farming less common, but land prices out of reach for young farmers

 

Star’s Piggly Wigglys is open in Peachland (Jacqueline Gelineau/ Capital News)

Peachland pig sanctuary opens its doors to public

Many are rehomed pigs due to neglect

Star’s Piggly Wigglys is open in Peachland (Jacqueline Gelineau/ Capital News)
Adam Degenstein turns his horses around while competing in the 100th annual Chilliwack Plowing Match at Greendale Acres in Chilliwack on Saturday, April 2, 2022. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

PHOTOS: Turning the sod on the 100th annual Chilliwack Plowing Match

1,000 people came out to celebrate a century of competitive plowing in Chilliwack

Adam Degenstein turns his horses around while competing in the 100th annual Chilliwack Plowing Match at Greendale Acres in Chilliwack on Saturday, April 2, 2022. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
The Excelsior 4, shown here following an appearance at Abbotsford provincial court in 2020, have launched a GoFundMe to help with legal costs.

Abbotsford hog-farm protestors launch GoFundMe for legal fees

Excelsior 4 currently on pretrial in New Westminster, trial begins in Abbotsford on June 27

The Excelsior 4, shown here following an appearance at Abbotsford provincial court in 2020, have launched a GoFundMe to help with legal costs.
The Excelsior 4, shown here following an appearance at Abbotsford provincial court in 2020, will appear for their pretrial hearing starting on Monday (March 28).

Abbotsford hog-farm protestors’ pretrial begins on Monday

Excelsior 4 face 21 combined charges of break and enter and criminal mischief for 2019 incident

The Excelsior 4, shown here following an appearance at Abbotsford provincial court in 2020, will appear for their pretrial hearing starting on Monday (March 28).
B.C. agriculture minister Lana Popham. (Submitted photo)

B.C. says global and market inflation impacting farmers and ranchers

B.C. agriculture minister says strong local food production system will help ease market inflation

B.C. agriculture minister Lana Popham. (Submitted photo)
Steve Nicklen, one of the individuals who supports migrant farm workers, repairing bikes at his home in Maple Ridge. (Special to The News)

Volunteers to donate 200 bikes to migrant farm workers impacted by B.C. flooding

Seek help repairing bikes in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows

Steve Nicklen, one of the individuals who supports migrant farm workers, repairing bikes at his home in Maple Ridge. (Special to The News)
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will hold a public information meeting on temporary farm worker accommodations. The meeting will be held Feb. 24. (Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen photo)

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen consders changes to farm worker accommodations

Bylaws for numerous electoral areas will be affected by proposed changes

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will hold a public information meeting on temporary farm worker accommodations. The meeting will be held Feb. 24. (Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen photo)
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Princeton area pig composter gets warning letter from ministry

Report alleges 12 areas of non-compliance

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Summerland orchardist Derek Lutz examines fruit trees in his orchard in the 2019 photo. A bylaw change passed by Summerland council on Jan. 24, 2022 will allow kitchen facilities in accommodations for temporary farm workers. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)

Communal kitchen facilities permitted for temporary farm workers in Summerland

Councillor says existing farm worker bylaw is out of date

Summerland orchardist Derek Lutz examines fruit trees in his orchard in the 2019 photo. A bylaw change passed by Summerland council on Jan. 24, 2022 will allow kitchen facilities in accommodations for temporary farm workers. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)
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Compost boss gets hate mail over piles of dead pigs near Princeton

‘I’m not responsible for the pigs’ deaths. I’m responsible for the clean up’

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Dairy cows are shown in a barn on a farm in Eastern Ontario on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. Farm groups say they’re fearful the highly contagious Omicron variant could severely stress Canadian food production. Dairy farms, greenhouses, and mushroom farms are some of the sectors that could be most vulnerable to interruptions if large numbers of employees need to stay home sick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Highly contagious variant could stress Canadian food production, farm groups say

Outbreaks at Alberta meat-packing plants in 2020 sickened hundreds and killed 4

Dairy cows are shown in a barn on a farm in Eastern Ontario on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. Farm groups say they’re fearful the highly contagious Omicron variant could severely stress Canadian food production. Dairy farms, greenhouses, and mushroom farms are some of the sectors that could be most vulnerable to interruptions if large numbers of employees need to stay home sick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A house sits on high ground surrounded by flooded farmland in Abbotsford, B.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Premier John Horgan acknowledged an “exceptionally challenging” year in a statement on New Year’s Eve. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. farmers ‘white-knuckling’ their way through extreme cold after floods, heat dome

Remaining moisture in structures on Sumas Prairie may lead to even more damage from frost

A house sits on high ground surrounded by flooded farmland in Abbotsford, B.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Premier John Horgan acknowledged an “exceptionally challenging” year in a statement on New Year’s Eve. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Paul Davidson, left, of Paul’s Farm Stand, Andrew Engqvist of Andrew’s Farm Stand and Clayton Fox of Silver Rill Corn show off some of the recent harvest produced on south Vancouver Island, possibly the only region in Canada right now where carrots are still being pulled directly out of the ground. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Vancouver Island farmers still pulling carrots out of the ground

Mild climatic conditions responsible for strong late fall harvest

Paul Davidson, left, of Paul’s Farm Stand, Andrew Engqvist of Andrew’s Farm Stand and Clayton Fox of Silver Rill Corn show off some of the recent harvest produced on south Vancouver Island, possibly the only region in Canada right now where carrots are still being pulled directly out of the ground. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Rent the Chicken hens and roosters in the snow (Marie McGivern)

Cozy coops: How Okanagan backyard farmers keep their chickens warm in the winter

Cluckingham palace is one of the local chicken havens for backyard laying hens

Rent the Chicken hens and roosters in the snow (Marie McGivern)
A barn bursts into flames in Falkland Wednesday, Dec. 8. (Bev Laponder photo)

Flames devour Falkland barn

Blaze destroyed old structure on cattle farm Wednesday, Dec. 8

A barn bursts into flames in Falkland Wednesday, Dec. 8. (Bev Laponder photo)
Flooded farms are seen in this aerial photo in Sumas Prairie, Abbotsford, B.C., on Monday, November 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

‘It’s my life’s work’: B.C. fruit and vegetable growers face uncertainty after floods

Flooding comes a few months after a heat wave in late June “torched” crops

Flooded farms are seen in this aerial photo in Sumas Prairie, Abbotsford, B.C., on Monday, November 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
File - Members of Communist Party of India shout slogans during a protest against farm laws in Mumbai, India Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, has said his government will withdraw the controversial farm laws that were met with year-long demonstrations from tens of thousands of farmers who said the laws will shatter their livelihoods. The drawn-out demonstrations have posed one of the biggest political challenges to Modi, who swept the polls for the second time in 2019. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)

Bowing to protests, India’s prime minister agrees to repeal farm laws

Narendra Modi’s announcement in a national address comes ahead of elections early next year

File - Members of Communist Party of India shout slogans during a protest against farm laws in Mumbai, India Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, has said his government will withdraw the controversial farm laws that were met with year-long demonstrations from tens of thousands of farmers who said the laws will shatter their livelihoods. The drawn-out demonstrations have posed one of the biggest political challenges to Modi, who swept the polls for the second time in 2019. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)