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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • FEBRUARY 2020


BC dairies push back on Class 7 proposal Ag Briefs


ABBOTSFORD – Once


Canada, the US and Mexico ratify the CUSMA trade agreement, the Canadian dairy industry will need an


EDITED BY PETER MITHAM


alternative pooling arrangement to address the loss of Class 7 milk (the national ingredient strategy). “If we do nothing, we will lose $60 million a year,” BC Milk Marketing Board vice- chair Tom Hoogendoorn told producers at the Mainland Milk Producers annual meeting, January 10. “This is one of the biggest


issues we will be fighting on behalf of producers,” he said, noting there is only a short timeline to resolve the issue. “We have to be ready within 90 days of CUSMA being ratified,” said BCMMB chair Ben Janzen.


Hoogendoorn said BC is


balking at a P5 (Ontario-East) proposal to pool all classes instead of just Class 7, as the Western Milk Pool (WMP) blend price is higher than in the P5. Instead, they insist any agreement needs to be revenue-neutral, future-oriented and averse to risk. “Fairness is our basic negotiating


principle,” says Hoogendoorn. Negotiations are underway in earnest as the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee intends to have a new arrangement in place in April. Hoogendoorn told producers to prepare for some changes but assured them the changes would not be catastrophic. While it is yet unclear how


positive or negative those changes will be for BC producers, Hoogendoorn said there is cause for optimism as there is still room for growth. “The country is still not


producing to demand,” he said.


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been pretty consistent across the WMP, it is consistently under quota. WMP fell below its allocation by more than 2% in November because of underproduction in BC, Alberta and Manitoba. As a result, BC lost 139,655 kg in credits for that month. While increasing production would solve that, it brings its own problems as the WMP “continues to struggle with balancing production and processing capacity.” The problems did not


extend to the producer level however, as producers enjoyed their highest blend prices in over a year in October and November. —David Schmidt


Agri-Innovation projects


announced


Bees and cranberries are the latest recipients of funding under the Canada-BC Agri-Innovation Program, administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. Worker Bee Honey Co. of Chilliwack and the BC Cranberry Marketing Commission have received more than $181,000 towards projects aimed at building a more sustainable future for agriculture. The largest portion of the


funds, at $170,320, will support development of an automated honey extraction


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system. It will reduce labour costs for honey producers, improve data collection and improve beekeepers’ understanding of colony productivity and health. Development of the system is being undertaken by Worker Bee in partnership with researchers at the University of the Fraser Valley. “The system will be able to monitor each hive’s honey yield and provide insight into superior breeding stock of male and queen bees, hive diseases and the impact of environmental variables, such as climate and weather on each hive,” a statement announcing the project says. “The results of this project will help beekeepers better care for their hives and improve honey yield.” A smaller award of $10,275 will support a study of pollination across different varieties of cranberries. “Researchers are looking


into how to increase cranberry yield through artificial pollination,” the announcement states. “They will monitor how often pollinators visit different varieties of plants during peak bloom, which will help growers plan for future seasons.” Projects that have received funding to date include work to precondition pears so consumers can eat them upon purchase, and research designed to ensure targeted fertilizer applications in wine grape vineyards. The Canada-BC Agri-


Innovation Program has funded a total of 28 projects worth to date. Total funding available is $5.3 million, of which $2.7 million has been awarded. The program is funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five- year program that succeeded Growing Forward 2 in 2018. —Peter Mitham


Province selects Ruckle managers BC Parks has awarded Mike


and Marjorie Lane of Lane Agricultural Management Ltd. a 20-year lease of Ruckle Heritage Farm on Salt Spring Island, effective January 1, 2021. Mike Lane managed the


farm for the Ruckle family for 30 years. When the last Ruckle passed and the life legacy arrangement with the province ended, BC Parks advertised for the farm manager position. The Lanes are currently operating the farm with a park use permit. According to BC Parks, the


20-year term accommodates necessary investments in the property while allowing for a financially sustainable farm operation that will enhance the park’s heritage value. Ruckle Farm is credited as the oldest working farm in BC operated by the original family. It was begun in the 1870s. According to BC Parks, it is the only farm operating within a BC provincial park. —Barbara Johnstone Grimmer


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