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

 

Abe and AJ Stobbe, dairy farmers in Mara, BC standing in front of the geothermal heat exchange system that heats their milking parlour and their homes.

BC Dairy farmers going green — 3 stories of environmental innovation

BC dairy farmers caring for their cows, their land and their community

  • Apr 18, 2022

 

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: Metchosin farmer

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

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)
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.
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)
Jenn Cline, manager of farm operations, with Matthew Kyriakides and Steve Duck, director for business operations, stand outside the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture in North Saanich. It recently presented its annual review to North Saanich council. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Operator of North Saanich’s Sandown lands praised for progress so far

Praise comes as councillors approve another $75,000 for the regenerative farming centre

Jenn Cline, manager of farm operations, with Matthew Kyriakides and Steve Duck, director for business operations, stand outside the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture in North Saanich. It recently presented its annual review to North Saanich council. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Innisfree Farm & Botanical Garden is at 3636 Trent Rd. Photo via innisfreefarm.ca

Vancouver Island farm to be featured on cable network series

Royston’s Innisfree Farm featured on Vision TV’s Visionary Gardeners

  • Mar 10, 2022
Innisfree Farm & Botanical Garden is at 3636 Trent Rd. Photo via innisfreefarm.ca
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)
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Princeton area pig composter gets warning letter from ministry

Report alleges 12 areas of non-compliance

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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 on Veyaness Road, Andrew Engqvist of Andrew’s Farm Stand and Clayton Fox of Silver Rill Corn show off some of the recent harvest produced on the Saanich Peninsula, possibly the only region in Canada right now where carrots are still pulled directly out of the ground. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Saanich Peninsula tops carrot production in Canada in winter

Mild climatic conditions responsible for the strong late fall harvest

Paul Davidson, left, of Paul’s Farm Stand on Veyaness Road, Andrew Engqvist of Andrew’s Farm Stand and Clayton Fox of Silver Rill Corn show off some of the recent harvest produced on the Saanich Peninsula, possibly the only region in Canada right now where carrots are still pulled directly out of the ground. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
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)
Calf houses float in the flood waters in Abbotsford, B.C., Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

Thousands of animals, livestock have perished in B.C.’s historic flooding: Agriculture Minister

BCSPCA on standby to help farmers, livestock

Calf houses float in the flood waters in Abbotsford, B.C., Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
Avtar Dhillon is having success growing saffron flowers on his Abbotsford blueberry farm. The stigmas are removed from the plants, dried out and sold as a spice for cooking and other purposes. (Vikki Hopes/Abbotsford News)

Abbotsford farmer among first in B.C. to grow and harvest ‘world’s most expensive spice’

Avtar Dhillon has success with saffron, normally produced in arid climates

Avtar Dhillon is having success growing saffron flowers on his Abbotsford blueberry farm. The stigmas are removed from the plants, dried out and sold as a spice for cooking and other purposes. (Vikki Hopes/Abbotsford News)
Dairy cows feed in a barn on a farm in eastern Ontario on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Abbotsford dairy farm has licence suspended amid allegations of animal abuse

BC SPCA is conducting an investigation after receiving video footage of ‘very serious instances’

Dairy cows feed in a barn on a farm in eastern Ontario on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick