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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • NOVEMBER 2019
Federation moves forward on key initiatives Sheep organization working on provincial, national issues
by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER
ABBOTSFORD – The annual general meeting of the BC Sheep Federation (BCSF) was held at Bradner Hall, Abbotsford, on October 5. BCSF president Barb
Ydenberg welcomed 50 members and guests and introduced the board of directors from different regions of the province. Ydenberg reported that BC has 1,800 farms with sheep, and 30,000 lambs sold. Half the sheep in BC are on Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland. “Although BCSF works on behalf of all sheep producers in BC, 1,500 sheep producers are not connected to BCSF. They are operating in isolation or under the radar,” says Ydenberg.
“BCSF has been involved in
the predator compensation program, wild sheep separation, National Farm Animal Care Council and
Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF). We produce the Sheep N’Ewes three or four times a year and an annual conference,” says Ydenberg, “And the livestock protection program has another three years of funding. Good news.” Ydenberg serves as BC
director to CSF, which is working towards establishing a promotion and research agency and a national check- off program within five years. In order to do this, all provinces need to have a provincial check-off system in place.
“BC is one of the few
provinces in Canada without a provincial levy and I would like to work on this,” says Ydenberg. Ydenberg will be attending the CSF annual meeting in Winnipeg this month. In addition to the buyers’ guide on the BCSF website, BCSF vice-president Keith Wilson announced a print version to be developed for distribution through feed
stores and other outlets. Wool prices tank Canadian Cooperative Wool
Grower director and BCSF treasurer Roma Tingle announced that wool pickups are now year-round at the BC Livestock Producers Cooperative stockyards at Williams Lake, Vanderhoof and Kamloops. Year-round drop- off is also available at Farmington and Grand Forks. Seasonal drop-offs will continue in Prince George and Abbotsford. “With the trade situation in
China, wool sales look grim,” says Tingle. “CCWG is
exploring other options and is working on a research project looking at value-added products.” Tingle attended the first global sheep conference held in Saskatchewan in July, which CSF hosted. Sheep industry representatives from the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, South Africa and Mexico attended. All
provinces were represented. “It was not political; there
are common areas of collaboration,” says Tingle. “There is an interest in engaging young people, with
TECHNOLOGY
we have to pay three times – to water the livestock, to irrigate, and for the abattoir – and it is retroactive to 2016.” Technology has been helpful; Campbell has a Shearwell RFID reader that reads tags and downloads data to her computer, and a Gallagher RFID reader for the abattoir at the farm. Her favourite handy tool is a “lamb sled” that helps bring lambs to the barn easily, with the moms following. Greenwell quipped that in
the 35 years she has farmed, the weather has never cooperated. The best equipment she has is a round baler and wrapper that can
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a focus on the environment and social licence. Even with differences in sheep production and different perspectives, we have some areas in common.”
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make silage, usually for third- cut hay that is threatened with rain. As for government regulations, they are the “bane of my existence.” “The mandatory ear tags
for traceability either don’t go in, or cause infection in the ears. The water regulations are complicated; it will cost thousands to pay for our irrigation water,” said Greenwell. Finlay has changed her farm practices to make life easier. She needed more housing so converted a hay barn to a sheep barn. She uses “pig boards” to protect her legs and makes use of scales, chutes and crowding pens to handle the sheep. Tractors are good for heavy jobs, and she recommends three-in-one feeders. On-farm labour is very important; she has someone who lives on her farm and helps. The conference included a trade show with sheep suppliers, services, publications and a display and demonstration of handling equipment and RFID readers.
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