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Kootenay Boundary Edition
Regional Newsletter
January 2025
In our first newsletter of 2025 we have several January learning opportunities to highlight and some big programs taking applications in preparation for the coming year. The Kootenay Soil Building Network is kicking off a series of web meetings, and the first of the BMP application windows open in the coming weeks. The January newsletter includes:
Upcoming winter events
- Kootenay Soil Building Network Zooms
- Understanding soil test reports webinar for vegetables and grains
- KBFA webinar to review funding opportunities
- Southern Interior Horticulture Show
Programs and Funding Opportunities
- Environmental Farm Plan Beneficial Management Practices Program Updates
- Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency Program
- Support for Farmland Lease Agreements
Resources
- Updated Trickle Irrigation Manual
- Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses project
- New BC Food Web Research Brief - Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Winter Zoom Discussion Series for the Kootenay Soil Building Network (KSBN)
Each Kootenay farm has a unique soil type and different access to farm inputs to build soil. It’s expensive and the quest to build organic matter that produces abundant high quality crops is never ending. The Kootenay Soil Building Network (KSBN) is a venue for farmers to share their successes, questions, and tribulations with soil building in the Kootenays.
Regular online Zoom discussions will be grounded with examples from Kootenay farms who are forging ahead with soil building practices and feature guests to help discuss soil and field questions.
Hosted and facilitated by Rachael Roussin with the Kootenay and Boundary Farm Advisors and Jeff Nimmo with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Zoom Discussion Dates/Times: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm PT
- January 15: Introduction and Soil Texture
- January 29: Nitrogen Availability
- February 5: Compost Quality and Quantity
Register via the KBFA website: Kootenay Soil Building Network - KBFA
Virtual Workshop
Understanding Your Soil Test Report
January 21, 2025 session for Vegetables and Grains
Are you wondering how to understand your soil test report? Join the Ministry of Agriculture and Food staff learning how to understand your soil analysis report. Provincial soils staff will be on hand, including Ahmed Lasisi (Soil Carbon Agrologist), Josh Andrews (Nutrient Management Specialist), and your Regional Agrologist.
What to expect during the workshop: Help with understanding how to interpret soil analysis reports - crop nutrient requirements, and fertilizer application rates - selecting fertilizer products and alternatives
To register, please visit:
KBFA webinar - Agriculture Funding Opportunities
Are you curious about funding opportunities for your farm or ranch operation?
Join a panel from Kootenay Boundary Farm Advisors to learn about eligibility and application deadlines as grant season kicks off.
Date: Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM PST
Southern Interior Horticulture Show
Agenda available online – register now!
This two-day event will cover a variety of important horticultural topics through extensive speaker sessions, evening networking event and an impressive tradeshow where exhibitors will showcase their products and services supporting the tree fruit and grape industries in B.C.
Full agenda is now online at the conference website: Southern Interior Horticultural Show
REGISTRATION: General Admission after December 13, 2024: $75 + Tax
Includes participation in the trade show, evening social event, and all conference sessions
Virtual Nutrient
Management Plan Training
Nutrient management plans (NMPs) are used to help farmers efficiently meet their production objectives and protect the environment. This NMP training program will provide trainees with the expertise to use planning tools and produce NMPs as a service to farmers or for their own farm. Course content focuses on how to build a plan that meets objectives laid out in the Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Management.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Food is organizing a one-full day online facilitated session of the NMP training course. Before registering for this course you must have completed the online modules via Open School B.C. Visit the nutrient management plan training website to learn more.
Date: February 26, 2025
Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm PST
Participants will receive the Zoom link prior to the event day.
For further inquiries, please reach out to Ahmed Lasisi at ahmed.lasisi@gov.bc.ca.
2025 BC Organic Conference
Organic BC is excited to announce our 2025 BC Organic Conference! We hope you can join us from Tuesday, November 25th - Thursday, November 27th in Harrison Hot Springs to reconnect, exchange ideas and learn from experts. More details will be released as they become available.
For now, you can learn more about our conference at organicbc.org/conference.
Are you CanadaGAP
Certification Ready?
Are you interested in pursuing CanadaGAP certification but are feeling overwhelmed by the process? Concerned that certification will mean increased paperwork and operational complexity?
Join us for two online sessions, where we’ll demystify this food safety certification for fruit and vegetable producers and open the door to the significant marketing opportunities that CanadaGAP provides for local certified products.
Session 1: Navigating CanadaGAP: Practical Guidance for On-Farm Food Safety
Friday, Jan. 17th @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am
An in-depth look at the CanadaGAP certification process, including an overview of the program, how to sign up and prepare for an audit, record keeping, funding opportunities and more.
Register here.
Session 2: In the Field: Experiences and Tips from CanadaGAP Experts
Wednesday, Feb. 5th @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am
In this second session, a panel of experts (including a certified organic producer, marketer and certification body contact) will help you build on your knowledge of CanadaGAP certification by sharing experiences and peer-to-peer tips for success.
Register here.
EFP & BMP Program Updates
EFP Expiry Grace Period: A 6-month grace period is available for expired EFPs if renewal delays are beyond the applicant’s control. Please confirm eligibility with IAF.
Farm Cap: A farm cap of $100,000 applies, superseded only by a $200,000 cap for Water Infrastructure (WI) projects.
BMP applications that open this January
- Planning, Technical Assessments & Engineered Designs: January 14 open for ongoing submissions
- Water Infrastructure: January 14 applications open for editing, submissions can be made starting February 10
New Book a Call Option: After the application for a category opens and you have started a draft file on the IAF portal - you can now book a 10-minute consultation with an IAF staff member. Draft application and ID (e.g., BMP-202425-0####) are required.
Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency Program
The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency Program invites eligible businesses to apply for a cost-shared funding opportunity that aims to increase farm-level resilience and preparedness to extreme weather events that threaten the competitiveness of British Columbia’s tree fruit sector. The program will provide 80 percent cost-share funding for eligible projects up to a maximum of $100,000 per farm business.
- Applications will be accepted starting on Thursday January 30, 2025, until funds are fully committed
- Attend our webinar on January 27th from 12-1pm to learn more about the program and how to apply (pre-registration not required).
- Projects may include protection from extreme cold, heat, and hail for commercial orchards.
- Application and eligibility details are available on the program website:
Free support for farmland lease agreements
Young Agrarians offers free lease agreement support for folks currently leasing farmland. This is a sometimes overlooked part of the land matching program.
With real estate values at an all-time high, many new farmers are leasing instead of buying farmland. However, some of these lease agreements are just bare-bones documents or handshake deals. According to Farm Credit Canada, a detailed, written land use agreement (longer than just one to two pages) is a critical yet often neglected piece of farm business management that could save both parties time and money – especially if anything ever goes wrong.
Young Agrarians can help you protect your farmland or farm business! The B.C. Land Matching Program is a free service that can walk you through creating a robust land sharing agreement.
Your agreement will also be reviewed by a lawyer, all at no cost to you! For the Kootenays and Boundary areas, we are fortunate to have Nyree Marsh as our Land Matcher.
Reach out to bclmp@youngagrarians.org for more information or to get started.
Updated Trickle Irrigation Manual
Now available for free online! This represents a significant modernization of an important resource that was previously only available in hard copy through the Irrigation Industry Association of BC (IIABC).
The manual provides comprehensive guidance on trickle irrigation system design and operation for British Columbia conditions, covering everything from system flow requirements to specialized applications for greenhouses and landscapes.
You can find the manual at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/agricultural-land-and-environment/water/irrigation/bc-trickle-irrigation-manual
The Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses Action Plan Publication
The Stewarding Agricultural Watercourses project, initiated in 2021, seeks to enable and encourage improved stewardship of agricultural waterways on private land in British Columbia. Phase 1 of the project consisted of engagement with producers, government staff, environmental professionals, and NGO's to gain an understanding of the stewardship barriers facing producers with agricultural watercourses and then develop a plan to address these challenges.
The culmination of the first phase is the Stewarding Agriculture Watercourses Action Plan which is now publicly available. Phase 2 is now underway seeking to implement actions identified in the plan. To read the Action Plan and learn more about the project visit the website.
Exciting updates from the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Program (KTTP):
A total of 49 knowledge development and hands on-learning events were approved through the 2024 intake, which closed on December 13th, representing a funding commitment of over $210,000 to the agriculture and food sector. Many events have already been delivered and more are expected to wrap up by Spring 2025!
Here are a few examples of completed events that were supported by the program:
- Field Days, organized by the BC Hazelnuts growers Association: Farmers gathered twice in 2024 to explore innovative hazelnut farming practices. The first field day in Black Creek, B.C., included hands-on workshops on soil health, orchard tours showcasing organic practices, and expert insights on becoming Certified Organic. During the second field day in Chilliwack B.C., attendees toured various orchards and learned about soil nutrient management and opportunities for hazelnut value-added products.
- Conference, organized by the Wine Island Growers Association (WIGA): In April 2024, expert Nikki Callaway joined the WIGA Viticulture and Oenology Conference to present on small-lot Pinot Noir production. Topics included the vinification of Pinot Noir under various conditions of terroir and climate, the diversification of multiple styles of Pinot Noir, and the maintenance, conservation, and promotion of varietal typicity.
- Hands-on Workshop, organized by the Kootenay Milk Producers Association: Instructors from the Western Canadian Certified Hoof Trimmers Association delivered a two-day workshop for dairy producers. This course taught participants how to provide a higher level of animal care and increase their technical skills.
Stay connected with AgriServiceBC for announcements from the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Program and future program intakes.
New Research Brief
from BC Food Web!
Recent field trials across 20 organic vegetable farms in southwest BC found that using compost to meet crop P needs, paired with a high-N organic fertilizer to meet N needs, can work well on farms with moderate to high soil P. However, the best approach depends on farm context like compost and fertilizer cost, and soil P and organic matter levels.
Read the research summary here: bcfoodweb.ca/briefs/balancing-nitrogen-and-phosphorus-vegetable-farms-southwest-bc
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