4 Bright ideas


December brings the shortest days and darkest nights of the year. Hunkering down for the end of the year, we have a chance to reflect on everything we’ve seen over the past 12 months and think about what we might do differently in the months to come.


South of the border, many are predicting dark times, indeed. A storm erupted over the election of Donald Trump last month, even if Hillary Clinton didn’t inspire voters. Trump’s repugnant views and inward-looking policies have the world wondering what’s to come. (Chances are the incoming president won’t cop a line from our own prime minister and say the White House has taken certain actions “because it’s 2017.”) There’s always uncertainty around the future, and the latest round of changes is no different.


However, we can give thanks that there’s a lot going right here in BC. Our food is safe and, for all our shortcomings, we’re doing a respectable job of protecting our livestock from diseases such as avian influenza. We’ve earned enough respect that we won access to new export markets for our greenhouse peppers this year, and blueberries enjoyed their first full season of access to China. Getting things right at home has been a sure way to open doors abroad. It doesn’t really matter how other countries approach the world, our farmers have embraced the protocols needed to make sure the world feels it can count on us. We’re ready to serve our best, and invite the world to enjoy what we’ve got to offer. A founding myth of the US was the idea of it being a city on a hill; a beacon to others. Some fear the light is growing dim. Canada, by contrast, has often seen itself as an outpost, a place where the candle burns bright for travellers. Nowhere did the candle burn more brightly last month than at the BC Agrifood and Seafood Conference in Kelowna. The conference was a welcome meeting of the


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • DECEMBER 2016


minds as about 300 agriculture, industry and government representatives met to network and start to address the challenges of feeding not only our own population but our trading partners, too.


As this year draws to a close and a new year filled with promise and potential beckons us, let’s come together to build on our accomplishments, keep the candle burning, and create a feast on the table for the world.


Why understanding social licence matters


The Back Forty occupies this space every month in the expectation that it will offer reasonably lucid and thoughtful opinion and observation on matters pertaining to commercial agriculture in BC. It strives to take


The Back 40 BOB COLLINS


reasonably informed and balanced aim at this target.


Because it does, the publishers


past and present have allowed it significant latitude, albeit with the monthly proviso that the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the paper. Regular readers will know that on occasion The Back Forty takes advantage of its editorial leeway and wanders off to ponder other matters not necessarily exclusive to the business aims of commercial agriculture.


Most of the time, the topics in the bullseye the Back Forty aims to hit relate to the pitfalls and hurdles strewn across the agricultural landscape – from frustrating regulation and bureaucracy to Mother Nature on the rampage, and as many diverse complications imaginable.


There is never a shortage of relevant targets to shoot at. So many in fact, that some of them remain out of the crosshairs altogether. By speaking so regularly to agriculture’s challenges, the Back Forty runs the risk of being seen as gloomy. It has been perceived as such by some readers from outside the farm and ranch community who also wonder why there isn’t any “good news about farming.”


I expect this column has little circulation outside of those it seeks to address so it is a simple matter to ignore comments and complaints from beyond, but it does raise some interesting questions. What is good news in agriculture? Does the broader public accept it as good news, too?


Optimistic, or not?


There are two stories on the front page of the November issue of Country Life in BC: Hazelnut growers have reasons to be optimistic and Animal welfare bill defeated. Both appear to be good news stories but you have to wonder how they would play among the 98% of British Columbians who have no direct involvement in the industry. The hazelnut optimism is of a light-at-the-end-of- the-tunnel variety after a decade of disease devastation. Like so many stories in agriculture, the good news is that someone’s nightmare is over and they can start rebuilding all that has been lost. As for ‘Animal welfare bill defeated,’ an ambiguous bill of the are-you-still-beating-your- spouse variety has been denied second reading. Most of animal agriculture will see this as good news but I suspect that status would not survive a trip to the city.


It is part of an industry-wide dilemma. There is a great deal of discussion about social license. Social license in very simple terms boils down to: the public at large has perceptions, concerns and expectations about what you are doing and you need to address their concerns and meet their expectations if you want their permission


Publisher Cathy Glover


604-328-3814 . publisher@countrylifeinbc.com Associate Editor David Schmidt 604-793-9193 . davidschmidt@shaw.ca


The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 Vol 102 No 12 . December 2016


Contributing Editors Peter Mitham . Tamara Leigh news@countrylifeinbc.com


Advertising Sales & Marketing Cathy Glover sales@countrylifeinbc.com


Published monthly by Country Life 2000 Ltd.


Production Ass’t: Naomi McGeachy . Merry Christmas, Peter! www.countrylifeinbc.com


to keep doing it.


Concerns and expectations grow out of perceptions, and perceptions are notoriously difficult to change. Especially so at arm’s length, which is what production agriculture is from most of the population.


In the absence of any hands-on agricultural experiences, most perceptions will be inherited (from others they know) or informed by the media. Left to their own considerations, it is unlikely many of the broader public would perceive the defeat of an animal welfare bill to be good news which might easily lead to a concern that will likely result in an expectation. It is a tall order. In the world beyond itself (and this column), agriculture needs to inform the public perceptions that in turn determine concerns and expectations. The good news for agriculture, in a damned-if you- do and damned–if-you-don’t sort of way, is that perceptions aren’t cast in stone. Concerns can be allayed and expectations can be met. The bad news is that uninformed or misinformed perceptions leading to unallayed concerns and unmet expectations will lead to a negative belief, and changing a perception is a cake-walk compared to changing a belief.


Perhaps we’ll end with some good news for farmers and ranchers. As far as the public might be removed from what we do week in and week out, most of them do have a personal engagement with the end result of our labours three times every day. Merry Christmas from The Back Forty to all of you and those you love.


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 be corrected. 36 Dale Road, Enderby BC V0E 1V4 . Publication Mail Agreement: 0399159 . GST Reg. No. 86878 7375 . Subscriptions: $2/issue . $18.90/year . $33.60/2 years . $37.80/3 years incl GST


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48