Cariboo Central Coast Edition

"The Roots"

Regional Newsletter
December 2024

Please be advised, the January e-Bulletin will be circulated on Wednesday, January 15.
From our farm to yours, have a safe and happy holiday!

Winter Focus on Invasive Species 

Throughout the winter season, we will focus on one invasive species per month and then provide a review of all at the beginning of the growing season.

Invasive species have negative impacts on our environment, economy, and health. As they are one of the five most important direct drivers to biodiversity loss, it is important to learn more about these species and take action to stop their spread! 

Black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) - a toxic and highly invasive plant species from the Mediterranean - is sparsely found across the lower interior within the Chilcotin Plateau, with a plant being reported as far north as Prince George. This is a high-priority invasive plant in B.C. and is classified by the province as an Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) species. If left untreated, black henbane has the potential to spread aggressively as each plant can produce half a million seeds that can remain viable in the soil for up to five years. 

Black henbane has green-yellow flowers, brown-purple veins, and a foul odour! It is poisonous to humans and livestock, and improper handling can irritate skin and eyes. Exercise caution - proper protective equipment is strongly recommended! 

As a new invader in the Cariboo Chilcotin region, the goal is to eradicate any occurrences of black henbane before it has the chance to establish.  Hand pulling can be effective if the entire root system is removed, preferably before the plant matures, and has a chance to grow deep roots. Mowing limits the spread of these plants, but once they’ve grown to their full height of one meter and developed their strong woody stems, mowing can be incredibly difficult. If an area has too many mature plants for hand-pulling or mowing, herbicides have proven to be an effective option. Black henbane spreads by wind, livestock, and wildlife, while long-distance seed dispersal is via contaminated soil, gravel, and wildflower or bird seed mixes. 

If you find black henbane in your community, you can report it on the Invasive Species Council of BC website via their online reporting form or use the Report Invasives BC app. If you decide to remove it, do not compost it - put it in a black garbage bag and ensure it is disposed of at a landfill. Black henbane, like many invasive plants, is resilient and hardy and if disposed of improperly could continue to spread its seeds or regrow if presented with the right conditions. 

Virtual Workshop
Understanding Your Soil Test Report

To register, please visit:

• VIRTUAL WORKSHOP - Understanding Your Soil Test Report (Forage)-Dec 10 Tickets | Eventbrite
• VIRTUAL WORKSHOP - Understanding Your Soil Test (Vegetables/Grains)-Jan 21 Tickets | Eventbrite

Seed Security: Organic Vegetable Seed Production Course

Including online classes, guest speakers, reading exercises, and field days, the Seed Security: Organic Vegetable Seed Production course will run from January 7th to March 11th, 2025, meeting on Tuesdays 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm.

The course will discuss policies surrounding seed sovereignty as well as the supply chain in Canada. 

Food Business Planning Workshop

We invite you to join us for our free Food Business Planning Workshop, designed to help food processors learn, develop, and strategically expand their businesses.

This 2 day workshop focuses on:

• Identifying key challenges that hinder growth
• Enhancing the ability to scale through improved business management skills
• Adopting effective management practices and creating a business plan

You will gain access to planning support systems like This Commerce Life and BC Food and Beverage and connect with fellow food and beverage entrepreneurs who have successfully advanced their growth strategies, acquiring valuable expertise to help you compete in your target markets.

We aim to improve access to business planning resources and foster collaboration across different regions.

• Vancouver, January 13-14, 2025
• Burnaby, January 15-16, 2025
• Victoria, January 20-21, 2025
• Vancouver & Gulf Islands (Virtual), January 22-23, 2025

Lab to Land

Join us online for a Lab to Land virtual workshop to connect with researchers, farmers, agrologists, and policymakers from across the province. Grow your network and participate in thought-provoking discussions on adapting to climate change challenges at both farm and landscape scales. This multi-day workshop offers presentations, panels, and networking sessions exploring projects and research that are advancing agricultural resilience:

• January 15: Explore collaborative approaches to drought resilience across the province. Featured projects address adaptation from the farm to watershed level and include research from on-farm management to Indigenous co-governance.
• January 16: Dive into research investigating how soil supports ecological and community resilience. Discuss farmer-led research to evaluate soil management practices and learn about collaborative soil stewardship integrating Western scientific and Indigenous methodologies.

Thanks to funding by the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food and CleanBC the workshop is available at no cost, registration is required.

🗓️📌This virtual workshop is on Jan 15 & 16, 2025, from 9am-12:30pm PST. Registration opens early December. Stay tuned by following @BCFoodWeb on their website www.bcacarn.ca and social media platforms: Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

More details and registration: labtolandbc.eventbrite.ca

Register Now for the Beef Cattle Research Council's 2025 Winter Webinar Series

This year’s Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) webinar series will cover topics focused on improving the health and biosecurity of Canadian beef herds based on practical, science-based information for Canadian beef producers and veterinary teams. Topics include need-to-know information for Foot and Mouth Disease prevention as well as parasite control management.

The first webinar will be held  January 15, 2025.

Find detailed descriptions and register at BeefResearch.ca.

Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) Program

Applications for Planning, Technical Assessments and Engineered Designs BMP will close Friday December 13th, 2024 at 4:00 PM.

Don’t have time to complete your application? The BMP Plans & Designs category will be accepting applications again in 2025. Sign up for the BMP Newsletter to stay tuned.

Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Advisors for BMP Applications

Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Advisors can allot up to 5 hours per Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) application to support making a BMP application.

The 5 hours can be used for:

• Assisting you in identifying which BMPs would be most suitable for this operation,
• Supporting you in the steps to design and implement the BMP,
• Providing details of the EFP workbook numbers that align with the corresponding BMP for your application.

More information on EFP's can be found here.

Knowledge and Technology
Transfer Program

The last day to apply for the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Program is Friday December 13th at 4:00PM.

Thank you to everyone who has already submitted your applications. We had a lot of interest in the program this intake.

The program aims to support the competitiveness, resiliency, and innovation of B.C.’s agriculture and food sector through facilitated knowledge and technology transfer. Funding of up to $7,500 is available for eligible knowledge transfer events.

New for this intake: Applications will be adjudicated on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage interested applicants to submit your application soon.

To apply, visit the program webpage: 

Buy BC Partnership Program 2025

Save the Date – Buy BC Partnership Program 2025 Intake

Cost shared funding is available for B.C. producers, processors, and industry associations to support local marketing activities that increase consumer awareness and sales of B.C. agriculture, food, and beverage products.

The next application intake for Buy BC Partnership Program funding will open January 6, 2025 to January 27, 2025.

Funding is available under two streams:

• Stream 1: For producers and processors, Buy BC projects are anticipated to start in April 2025 and be completed by September 2025.
• Stream 2: For industry associations, boards, and councils, Buy BC projects are anticipated to start in April 2025 and be completed by March 2026.

Apply for a Buy BC logo license or find out more about Buy BC.

Business Risk Management Programs

B.C.'s agricultural producers face many business risks that are beyond their control (production losses, severe market volatility, extreme weather events or disasters); the Province’s suite of agricultural insurance and income stability programs can help you manage those risks.

UPCOMING PROGRAM DEADLINE:

Late Participation for 2024 AgriStability until April 30, 2025

AgriStability Enhancement
Program 2024

The Government of British Columbia developed the 2024 BC AgriStability Enhancement Program which offers greater coverage and helps agricultural producers manage income losses due to extreme weather, marketing challenges or natural disaster in 2024.

2024 BC Enhancement Program details:

• Late Participation for AgriStability 2024 ensures you can enroll in the AgriStability program until April 30, 2025.
• The BC Government will pay a higher compensation rate to AgriStability Participants for the 2024 Program Year; BC will top up AgriStability's existing 80% compensation rate to 90% on margin declines greater than 30%; learn How AgriStability Works.
• The higher compensation rate applies to all producers in British Columbia who are enrolled in AgriStability for 2024.
• The B.C. Government will increase the existing AgriStability $3 million payment limit to $6.2 million.

Contact us, dedicated staff are available to assist you with the Enhanced AgriStability Program.

• Visit: AgriStability 2024 - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
• Phone: 1-877-343-2767 toll-free. Support is available in English and Punjabi.
• Email: AgriStability@gov.bc.ca

B.C. Agriculture and Food Export Program (BCAFE)

Next Intake Opening January 2025

The Ministry is pleased to announce the next intake of the B.C. Agriculture and Food Export Program (BCAFE), an initiative supporting B.C.’s agriculture, food, and beverage exporters in growing their sales, reducing market risks, and building long-term sustainability.

BCAFE offers cost-shared funding for market development activities outside B.C., helping businesses and associations expand, diversify, and sustain their export markets. This program is part of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3.5 billion federal-provincial investment in the agriculture and food sector. MNP LLP administers funding on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Applications open in January 2025.

Real Estate Industry Grants

The Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) is now accepting applications for Real Estate Industry Grants. REFBC makes grants to support projects that advance sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use and real estate practices in BC.

Applications are due on December 10, 2024, at 5 p.m. PST.

Livestock Drought Management

• The Livestock Drought Management Guide is now available online, and focuses on livestock feeding, forage crop considerations and economic decisions and includes suggested strategies for producers working through drought conditions. It is applicable to all livestock.
   
• One-on-One support is available: If you have questions and would like to talk with one of the Livestock Drought Management Consultants, you are able to book a phone/virtual appointment. Please call 1-877-688-2333 or email drought@cattlemen.bc.ca for assistance (open to all livestock producers).
   
• There are new articles for the Livestock Drought Management Article Series (Drought articles - Province of British Columbia)
  
  Article 4, “Replacement Heifer Target Weights”
  Replacement heifer nutrition is tremendously important as it directly affects a heifer’s lifetime reproduction, longevity, productivity and profitability in your herd. For heifers to successfully enter the herd they need to grow enough to reach puberty and breed by 13-15 months of age to then calve at 2 years of age, and annually after that. Because puberty is related to weight and age, targeted nutrition is vital in ensuring your replacement heifers are ready to breed and conceive in time to successfully enter your herd. 
  
  Article 5, “Minerals and Livestock Nutrition”
  Mineral nutrition for livestock is a critical part of their diet, affecting health, fertility, production and your bottom line. Supplementation requirements can vary greatly depending on feed types, animal requirements and your operation’s location. Mineral levels influence reproduction and performance / growth, immunity and disease resistance.  This article walks you through considerations of how to choose the appropriate mineral for your situation, how to feed it appropriately and how to start to troubleshoot a suspected mineral problem.

Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza Outbreak

British Columbia is currently experiencing a serious Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak. As the virus arrives with migratory birds, poultry owners should be implementing high biosecurity measures to protect their flock.

For more information, please visit:

Current disease alerts and events 
Avian influenza - Province of British Columbia
Status of ongoing avian influenza response by province

New Research Briefs
from BC Food Web!

A study conducted outside of Vernon, B.C. found that placing leftover logging debris from timber harvesting in riparian areas deterred livestock from grazing in these areas, leading to better riparian ecosystem health.
Photo: Clayton Bradley

A study conducted in Delta, B.C. found that enrolment in agricultural stewardship programs improved on-farm climate mitigation and adaptation. Specifically, farms experienced an increase in soil organic carbon stocks by 60-70% and improved soil water regulation. Agricultural stewardship programs are a great way to drive positive environmental change as they help farmers cover costs associated with adopting management practices such as growing hedgerows and cover crops.

Exploring the Advantages of Intercropping for Biodiversity Management and Livestock Forage Potential

The B.C. Forage Council (BCFC) is engaging in collaborative research to explore the advantages of intercropping in promoting biodiversity and optimizing livestock forage management. We are looking for agricultural producers from the North Okanagan, Thompson-Nicola, and Central South Cariboo regions to join us as on-farm research partners for the summer of 2025 (with a possibility of extending over multiple years).

Expected Benefits

There are several expected benefits for the farm partner from participation in the demonstration project, including:

1. Being familiar with identifying both native and non-native beneficial species that can thrive in their local environments can help farmers track the improvements (or opportunities for improvement) on their land. Creating habitats that attract these species, such as wildflower strips or hedgerows, can bolster pollinator populations and improve crop yields.
2. Gain agronomic support for selecting the appropriate species for their aims, nutrient management consideration and other production considerations, while also accessing support for economic assessment of the practices.
3. Regularly monitoring the farm's biodiversity and crop performance can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of implemented strategies. Farmers should be prepared to adapt their practices based on observed outcomes, ensuring ongoing improvement in both biodiversity and productivity.

To be considered, please fill out our
Intercropping On-Farm Research Interest Form:
https://forms.gle/mK5NASLEBtZv2d8B7

While we expect many producers will be interested in this opportunity, our selection will be based on ensuring an even distribution between study regions, experience with on-farm research projects, and other factors.

Those who submit a form may be considered for future research projects! Thank you for expressing your interest in contributing to the future of agricultural knowledge and practices!

CANOVI Farm Club

On November 25th, CANOVI Farm Club discussed the outcome of the cross-Canada 2024 Heat Tolerant Lettuce Trials. Find out more here:

ubcfarm.ubc.ca/csfs-research/canovi/

Follow the link below, follow, like and share! 

https://www.facebook.com/AgriService-BC-103287979487810