tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13302545937669502612024-03-18T07:09:41.498-07:00THE FARMER'S STANDThoughts on farming in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia and beyond Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger376125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-42454850115713814292021-07-08T20:44:00.001-07:002021-07-08T20:44:32.007-07:00Summer on the farm<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmwDWKBPkfkwmcNFxnp1sohEKtVwyKMzv1LzXMctF1UG76qeaRLNSH3q3ez1tJgkgyccLDF8FRij3Yh3D9j7LzCe4LpLU0SYe38r8Cybkn_3sBn9t-DNmXevrju9e1Y9kX5mfnkeyPjQ/s2048/20190106_110732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmwDWKBPkfkwmcNFxnp1sohEKtVwyKMzv1LzXMctF1UG76qeaRLNSH3q3ez1tJgkgyccLDF8FRij3Yh3D9j7LzCe4LpLU0SYe38r8Cybkn_3sBn9t-DNmXevrju9e1Y9kX5mfnkeyPjQ/s320/20190106_110732.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I rediscovered my blog today when I saw a post that I did nearly 10 years ago show up on a Facebook post. I also found out that I could write in my blog again, having requested a new password when my old email didn't work anymore.</p>I am taking a moment from an extremely busy summer to reflect on what has been done and what needs to be done, as time marches on.<p></p><p>The picture was taken on our island from a spot near the farm, and I doubt I will see that spot anytime soon. The only salt water I see these days are glimpses as I drive to South Pender, or when I am on the ferry which isn't very often.</p><p>Much of the work happens inland, within one of the narrow valleys. This week it is haying, for the next few weeks we need to squeeze in sorting sheep and sending them away to market. Then there are the chickens to feed and protect from the predators, the eggs to gather and pack, and the orchard which needs irrigation which needs to be scheduled in zones, depending on which trees need water the most. The drip lines need checking, valves opened and closed.</p><p>The heat wave added something new. I had never seen heat like that here, beating down so intensely all of a sudden, with little warning. I checked the thermometers, was up at 4 to water, make sure the box fan was on for the chickens, that they had plenty of water. The sheep adapted quickly, rising well before dawn to graze and hunkering down by mid morning in the coolest shade they could find. On the hottest day the chickens stood in front of the fan, wings open, beaks open, panting. Chickens can't sweat, they pant. Some dusted, burying themselves with just their heads showing. All survived, and by the next day they were back to normal even though it was still unseasonably warm.</p><p>The hazelnuts planted a few years ago did well, not showing any wilting. The newer trees were thirsty and struggling, on the hottest day - some suddenly had many leaves wilt miserably. Although they also seemed to recover once it cooled off a bit, the worst of the wilted leaves dropped off, sometimes leaving a single leaf. New growth started at the base.</p><p>A mixed farm is a bit of a juggling act. Add to that the two farmers' markets we are involved with - the regular Saturday one, and a new Wednesday afternoon food-only one that is really growing.</p><p>The heat wave was a definite wake-up call. I delayed shipping sheep because of it, and will watch the forecast even closer than usual in case a heat dome is headed here again.</p><p>I had lived in the US for ten years, right in the sun belt, where nobody says it is hot unless it is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And it can get hot here too, but not so quickly and so early in the season. And it was pretty intense.</p><p>Now it is time to check the livestock water again, get the corral ready for tomorrow's sheep round-up.</p><p>It is never boring here, that is for sure.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-30858303261742722282017-01-09T16:31:00.001-08:002017-01-09T16:31:12.206-08:00One Welfare: The next step in animal welfare by Barbara Johnstone Grimmer, P. Ag. in Sheep Canada (2016) Volume 31 Issue 4 pg 15-17<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">One Welfare: The next step in achieving
good animal welfare<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">by Barbara Johnstone Grimmer, P. Ag.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">from Sheep Canada (2016) Volume 31 Issue 4 pages 15-17/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Fifteen years ago, we had a photojournalist
from Australia come to our farm. She
grew up on a large sheep station with thousands of wool-type sheep in the
Outback. She told us many stories of raising
sheep in Australia, but one story had a long time impact on me. She told us about a prolonged drought they
experienced, how it impacted the feed and water supply for their sheep, and how
devastating it was for her father who had to shoot and kill many of his sheep
as instructed by the government. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">When we think about animal welfare, we may
not consider how the health and welfare of our livestock may affect the mental
health of the farmer or rancher, or conversely what impact human well-being may
have on the welfare of our livestock. A
lack of information on this topic is part of it, but also privacy, the
expectation to move ahead and shoulder the burden, and the stigma of showing
weakness especially around mental health issues, have kept farmer stress hidden
from view. In fact human stress on the
farm has significant effects on families, communities, future generations and
on animal welfare. It was in the 1980s
while living in the US that I was exposed to severe farmer stress, as many
farmers endured droughts, floods and staggering interest rates with resultant
economic hardships. Several
international alarms of suicide in farmers and ranchers brought the issue of
farmer stress into the spotlight. In
many countries, farming has been identified as high risk for stress, with a
higher suicide rate than most other occupations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In our modern world focused on providing
good animal welfare, how is this to occur if we are not taking care of the
well-being of livestock producers? The
well-being and mental health of farmers and ranchers has been linked to animal
welfare with the term “One Welfare”. Many
public health agencies and animal health and welfare groups have embraced the
concept of “One Welfare” as an adjunct to “One Health”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The first International One Welfare Conference
was held September 26-28 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to bring together the many
groups interested in this topic. The
conference was organized by the government of Manitoba, funded by Growing
Forward 2, with partnering sponsor the National Farm Animal Health and Welfare
Council. Other sponsors included the
Public Health Agency of Canada, Manitoba Pork, the CFIA, Canadian Red Cross and
various agricultural commodity and health organizations. There were speakers from Ireland, Scotland, Australia,
US and Canada providing research results and insights into this complex issue. Topics included animal hoarding, animal abuse
and neglect, psychosocial health and agriculture, education campaigns, industry
initiatives, compassion fatigue by first responders and veterinarians, and how
do we work in a collaborative way for the best possible outcomes for people and
the animals in their care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I attended the conference, and happened to
sit next to Michael Rosmann, a farmer, clinical psychologist, professor and
writer from Iowa. His life’s work has
been dedicated to promote services that protect the welfare of farmers and
ranchers, particularly regarding their behavioural health. He attributed his success in this field more
to his farming background than anything else.
It is important to farmers that counsellors have a knowledge of
agriculture and its challenges. This
observation was repeated in the conference, and in research around the world. According
to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association National Stress Survey in 2005,
most mental health practitioners lack farm knowledge, while the triggers of
farm stress are different from general public stress. Farmers and ranchers in rural communities are
hesitant to seek help because of the stigma attached and the tendency of people
to know everyone’s business in small communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Successful mental health programs are
grassroots efforts that start with raising the awareness of family members,
friends and farm organizations so that they can identify and support farmers
and ranchers under stress early on, and build a cohesive network that has links
to multiple partners and agencies who can take the support to the next level if
needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Stress to farm life is not new. Sheep producers are impacted by economic and
market fluctuations, prices and input costs, flock depopulations from disease
outbreaks such as scrapie, emerging diseases such as bluetongue, the collateral
damage of diseases such as BSE, resistance to medications, lack of farm labour,
isolation, government regulations, lack of cohesion and support within the
sheep industry, lack of veterinarians in isolated areas, climate extremes with
impacts such as droughts, wildfires, floods,
and crop losses, an ageing farm population, consumer misconceptions and
expectations, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">A recent study by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton
of the Ontario Veterinary College of the University of Guelph reinforces the
findings of Canadian studies in 1993 and 2005, indicating a high percentage of
farmers feel stress, anxiety and depression.
Results from the study are currently being analyzed further, with the
expectation of establishing a provincial stress support program for
Ontario. Canada has no national stress
phone line for farmers, but some provinces have farmer stress lines (i.e.
Saskatchewan Farm Stress Line) and community stress or suicide lines. Canada could take a page from other countries
who are ahead of us in this area.
Examples are New York Farm Net, Scotland’s “How are Ewe?” program
initiated by a young farmer group, Australia’s “R U OK Day”. In the competitive business of farming, it is
important to show compassion and work together as a supportive industry and be
less self-absorbed. Already there have
been positive effects to these campaigns.
In recent years a critical drop in milk prices in Australia resulted in
herd dispersals and farm foreclosures, but armed with an education program and
some practical tools, farmers provided emotional support to each other and
reached out, aware of the impact of the economic and psychosocial stress on
their neighbours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It is disturbing that many efforts in
Canada to study and deal with stress in agriculture are well-meaning and show
promise, but fizzle out due to the short term nature of government
funding. PrioNet Canada is one example,
where long term work was needed but the network was disbanded after a few years
of good progress. Part of its work was
following community impacts of BSE, not just financial impacts but on the
ground long term chronic stress. Although
it was thought to be primarily a cattle problem, BSE heavily impacted the sheep
industry. I remember taking sheep to
auction shortly after BSE in Canada was announced, and receiving $10 per
ewe. Randy Eros, Canadian Sheep
Federation chair in 2004, said the sheep industry was hit harder than
beef. About 140,000 lambs destined for
US markets had to be sold domestically when the US border closed to all
ruminants from Canada. Prices plummeted.
The CSF requested that a scrapie eradication plan be put in place with the
assistance of the government. It is
fortunate that today we do have a scrapie eradication plan. We need to be vigilant regarding emerging
issues than can not only impact the viability and profitability of the sheep
industry, but also the health and welfare of our sheep farmers and ranchers and
their stock. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The Guelph Study shows that many Canadian farmers
feel stress, indicating a vulnerability of farmers to the next crisis. Although other countries have been building
resources to improve resiliency in the farm community, Canada lacks committed
resources to help farmers and ranchers, resulting in delays in getting help. The One Welfare conference was a good first
step to help Canada move forward into a One Welfare Initiative which can increase
the awareness of stress in the farm community and its impacts on farm families,
farm profitability and human and animal welfare and find ways to improve
all-around wellness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-17799279656109245552016-10-20T13:19:00.004-07:002016-10-20T13:26:46.587-07:00Weathering the Storm: Climate Smart Sheep Farming by Barbara Johnstone Grimmer, P. Ag. Sheep Canada Magazine Vol. 31 No. 1<br />
<a href="http://www.sheepcanada.com/sheep-canada-spring-2016/" target="_blank">http://www.sheepcanada.com/sheep-canada-spring-2016/</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1wIJFMy9boWwTYs8jYqx2ZpZG5tGECBE2Z6DuI9IriEwB4BgjIvKLgk4TmWQsMz97k9s91yEDJMVydcA41jYxqG1iR5qo_-W4Ai5LO9VUFgciAmqdmfOjONDntlbZqb1IiIOjwIzEk8/s1600/drought.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1wIJFMy9boWwTYs8jYqx2ZpZG5tGECBE2Z6DuI9IriEwB4BgjIvKLgk4TmWQsMz97k9s91yEDJMVydcA41jYxqG1iR5qo_-W4Ai5LO9VUFgciAmqdmfOjONDntlbZqb1IiIOjwIzEk8/s640/drought.png" width="640" /></a></div>
The summer of 2015<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> was the driest on record here, affecting our ability to bring in a
decent hay crop and making it tough for the sheep to get enough grass.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Although dry seasons can happen, there is a
growing consensus that we are in the midst of climate change, and </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">unfortunately</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> agriculture is viewed as both a villain
and a victim of this shift in weather conditions.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Ranchers and farmers have always worked
around changes in the weather, but the climate trends we are experiencing present
new challenges and opportunities.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Increases in extreme and highly variable weather events such as droughts
and floods, rising annual temperatures, and increasing winter precipitation
over most of Canada, are expected to be the new normal.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">So what is behind our changing
weather patterns? Climate change has been linked to the rise in “greenhouse gasses” carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>),
nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>), trapping the heat
from the sun. These gasses are linked to
the use of fossil fuels and human activities, such as agriculture. Besides the natural atmospheric conditions
that help keep our planet comfortable, there is good scientific agreement that
human activities have tipped the scale towards increasing levels of greenhouse gasses and their effects on the warming of the
earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> To limit the global increase in warming and
the ongoing impacts to agriculture requires a global effort. Canada intends to reduce emissions across the
economy by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.
“Climate-friendly” ranching and farming could help in this effort by
reducing, removing or replacing greenhouse (GHG) emissions. To take it a step further, farming could be “climate-smart”
by improving production efficiencies and profitability, while at the same time
adapting to climate change and reducing GHG.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Where do the agricultural GHG
emissions come from? Carbon dioxide can
come from on-farm energy and machinery use, intensive tillage and
overgrazing. Methane primarily comes
from the digestive processes of ruminants (enteric fermentation), as well as
manure storage. Nitrous oxide can come
from fertilizers, manure applications to soil, nitrogen-fixing crops, and
waterlogged soils. These gases are found
naturally in the atmosphere, but their levels rise significantly with human
activities such as agriculture. Carbon
dioxide is the predominant greenhouse gas, but methane and nitrous oxide are
more potent, at 25 and 298 times (respectively) the global warming potential of
carbon dioxide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">What can we expect to happen? Our
northern latitude will give us some advantages over warmer regions. There are indications that up until 2060,
Canadian prairie grazing capacity will remain productive, with an increase in
warm-season grasses. Earlier seeding dates, possibly improved soil moisture
levels, warmer summers and earlier spring warming are predicted in most
regions. Although growing seasons will
be extended, the hotter summers will shorten the season for cool season crops
and grasses. Extremes such as heat
waves are expected to decrease productivity as evapotranspiration increases and
soils become increasingly dry. The possibility of less snow, receding lakes,
lower stream flows and retreating glaciers will have their effects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Increased CO<sub>2</sub> levels
could result in more plant growth, but could also negatively impact plant
distribution and type, forage quality and quantity. Rising CO<sub>2</sub> levels could favour
weed growth and the general warming trend could expand the range of weeds,
forbs and invasive species. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Severe droughts are expected for
many of the ranching ecoregions. Forest
fires are expected to increase with increased temperatures, summer droughts and
insect infestations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Coastal areas are likely to
experience wetter winters, and with the warmer weather we will probably see
greater problems with parasites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Besides changes to growing
conditions and crops, livestock directly impacted by temperature extremes and
heat stress can have reduced appetites, impaired reproduction, increases in
stress hormones, decreases in thyroid hormones, water deprivation, nutrient
imbalances and nutrient deficiencies.
Some of these effects arise from seeking shade during the heat of the
day which reduces grazing time, and having insufficient water of quantity or
quality necessary. These changes reduce
productivity and increase morbidity and mortality of livestock. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Increased summer temperatures can also
influence meat quality of livestock, with dehydration, weight loss, altered
muscle metabolism and stress, especially during transport and handling to the
abattoir or auction mart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Diseases such as Anthrax,
haemonchosis, fascioliasis and Bluetongue are influenced by climate through
changes in their range of distribution, timing of outbreaks or intensity of
outbreaks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">So what can we do? Adaptation to
climate change can be short-term in reaction to observed changes, and long-term
by planning for anticipated changes in climate.
Each farm will need to determine its own vulnerabilities and
opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Adaptation measures can include
securing and enhancing water supplies, installing drainage and irrigation,
diversifying the farm, altering planting and harvest dates or breeding and
lambing times, improving livestock shelters and infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Mitigation refers to efforts to reduce
the net amount of heat trapping greenhouse gases (GHG) released into the
atmosphere. Mitigation strategies are
frequently linked to adaptive strategies i.e. planting trees for shade and
shelterbelts for the comfort of the livestock, also sequesters carbon and
reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Strategies
include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Improving
whole-farm productivity and resource efficiency<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Maintaining
optimal animal health and productivity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Sequestering
carbon in trees, grass and soils<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Minimizing
leakages of GHG emissions through efficient and minimal fertilizer and manure
applications and using nutrient management planning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Reducing
soil disturbances, tillage, summer fallow and overgrazing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Exploring
carbon-replacing renewable energy technologies (wind, water, solar, biofuels)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">To help with mitigation,
Agriculture and Agrifood Canada has produced a whole-farm modelling program
that estimates greenhouse gas emissions for farmers at no cost. The “Holos” program allows the producer to
test different farm scenarios to aid in reducing GHG emissions and it is
continually being updated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Each operation should conduct a
climate audit. The climate audit
identifies each climate trend (precipitation, temperature, extremes) and
determines the impact of each trend on farm inputs, animal production, logistics
and farm exports. Another useful
activity would be to conduct an energy-use audit which could reduce energy use,
and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. An energy
audit combined with a climate audit may reveal opportunities for replacement of
greenhouse gas emissions with renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar,
micro-hydro or biofuel production. This
could provide a cost savings, while also providing a new income stream through
the sale of surplus energy and mitigating climate change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Producers should have an emergency
drought plan. This can include improving
forage resources, modifying grazing strategy, improving water resources and/or
diversifying. If climate conditions lead
to reduced forage resources over extended times, de-stocking might be
necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Pasture management strategies can
also improve feed efficiency and reduce nitrous oxide and methane emissions by the
incorporation of digestible grass and legume mixes. The legumes fix nitrogen from the atmosphere,
increasing crude protein of the grass mix and replacing some or all of the
nitrogen requirement for grass growth.
This reduces the amount of fertilizer required, avoiding some greenhouse
gas emissions. Extended grazing seasons
due to climate change, coupled with grazing systems like management intensive grazing
that manage the grass and soil first, could provide some opportunities for
improvements to productivity. This could
result in a lower requirement for stored winter feed, but unpredictability
would require planning for the worst case scenario, like extended droughts or
crop failures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The number of lambs reared per ewe,
lamb growth rates, percentage of bred ewes, and level of nutrition are all
linked to improved resource efficiency (and reduced emissions) and increased
productivity. Flock health management, good biosecurity measures and disease
surveillance are especially important with climate change, based on the
northern migration of disease vectors and the adaptability of disease-causing
organisms. Healthy stock is more
productive and more feed efficient. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Managing water resources is
important due to the increased possibility of elevated temperatures heat waves
during the growing season, increasing water demand while impacting supply. Both quantity and quality of water are
important for flock health and welfare.
Precipitation may be reduced in the growing season, critical for pasture
and rangelands that are rain fed and not irrigated and increasing the incidence
of droughts. An adaptive strategy to
limited water resources may be to reduce stocking density, for herd health and
welfare and to reduce overgrazing and soil erosion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> If sufficient feed has been
stockpiled, and water resources are adequate for livestock needs, one strategy
may be to establish “drought pens or paddocks”, supplementing with grain if
possible. This can be done through early
weaning of lambs, feedlot feeding them until market size. Adult stock may be fed separately to avoid
overgrazing. Australians often implement
this strategy, and I found it to be very effective last summer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Canada has the advantage of having a
climate known for its cold, ice and snow.
For some, a bit of warming would be a welcome change and give us more of
an advantage globally. At this point,
the level of uncertainty and the projected extreme weather events for the
future make it hard to be totally confident in that view. Perhaps “hope for the best and plan for worst”
might be some good advice for the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Appendix 1.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"> Sheep Farm, Canada</span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background: #323E4F; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text2; mso-background-themeshade: 191; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Climate
trends<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #323E4F; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text2; mso-background-themeshade: 191; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Farm
inputs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #323E4F; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text2; mso-background-themeshade: 191; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Animal
production<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #323E4F; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text2; mso-background-themeshade: 191; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Logistics
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #323E4F; border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text2; mso-background-themeshade: 191; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.8pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Exports<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">PRECIPITATION
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #8496b0; font-size: 10.0pt;">More precipitation in winter months, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #8496b0; font-size: 10.0pt;">Drier in summer </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hay crop would be affected unless
there is irrigation , perhaps grain also since it is usually grown without
irrigation in prairies; higher prices, may need to plant different crops<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Production may be affected if there
isn’t shelter for winter rain or summer sun, warm rain can exacerbate
parasite problems in pasture systems, foot problems<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">May not get on field in spring early
enough if still wet, may have trouble harvesting if weather is unstable, mud
and rain makes it difficult to handle livestock, transport. Drought can impact grazing operations,
reduce carrying capacity of the land<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.8pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">May experience price crash if animals
are shipped at same time to save feed, price may also rise in long drought
with less supply, but costs will be higher too<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">TEMPERATURE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #8496b0; font-size: 10.0pt;">Increasing temperatures year round, especially hotter in
summer months, warm winter </span><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Add to reduced crop yield in
non-irrigated areas, may need to plant different crops<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Higher prices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Heat stress impacting reproduction,
feed intake, growth and production,
insect and parasites may over-winter and no longer have winter-kill
effect, could have a hot summer kill effect on parasites (positive), insects carrying disease could move north<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hot weather can’t ship livestock, may
need to delay breeding later if too hot,
may need to feed animals if grass dries up and to prevent overgrazing,
may need to ship livestock to save grass and hay for rest of year, hard to
plan, shipping planned in advance but animals might not be ready or it may be
too hot to ship<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.8pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hard to ship at peak of the market
sometimes if there are heat waves, may
not sell as much hay if saving for own stock<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">EXTREMES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #8496b0; font-size: 10.0pt;">More heat waves in summer, winter storms with wind and
rain, perhaps heavy snow storms. </span><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Higher feed costs <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Electrical disruptions, power outages,
shelter requirement for livestock might be adjusted, generators needed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Less production in both low and high
extremes, very hard on farmers and staff to work in extreme weather events <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.75pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Stressful on stock, farmers and
employees. Hard to plan. Focus on preparation for the worst, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 95.8pt;" valign="top" width="128"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hard to predict best time to sell in
advance or how to time the market<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Resources:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Australian
Wool Innovation (2013) Managing sheep in drought lots: a best practice guide </span><a href="https://www.wool.com/globalassets/start/on-farm-research-and-development/sheep-health-welfare-and-productivity/sheep-nutrition/awi-drought-resources/gd0458_managing-sheep-in-droughtlots.pdf"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">https://www.wool.com/globalassets/start/on-farm-research-and-development/sheep-health-welfare-and-productivity/sheep-nutrition/awi-drought-resources/gd0458_managing-sheep-in-droughtlots.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Holos
</span><a href="http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/science-and-innovation/science-publications-and-resources/holos/?id=1349181297838"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/science-and-innovation/science-publications-and-resources/holos/?id=1349181297838</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">USDA (2015) Animal Agriculture in a
Changing Climate </span><a href="http://animalagclimatechange.org/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">http://animalagclimatechange.org</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-70612439427667908792016-10-20T12:50:00.003-07:002016-10-20T13:01:33.541-07:00Determining the Carbon Hoofprint of Canadian Lamb - by Barbara Johnstone Grimmer, P. Ag. Sheep Canada Magazine, Vol 31 No. 2 Summer 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Carbon Footprint of Lamb in Canada – More Research Needed</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><a href="http://www.sheepcanada.com/sheep-canada-summer-2016/" target="_blank">http://www.sheepcanada.com/sheep-canada-summer-2016/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> Lamb doesn’t often make
global headlines, but a few years ago the greenhouse gas emissions from lamb
production were reported to be higher than any other meat. Headlines like “Eating lamb is worst for the
environment<sup>1</sup>” didn’t match with the image most people have of healthy
lambs frolicking in healthy pastures.
Recent suggestions to tax red meat through a carbon food tax doesn’t
help either<sup>2</sup>. Higher reported
emissions for lamb translate into a higher carbon footprint, the shorthand term
for global warming impact, usually expressed per unit product. The global warming impact for agriculture relies on three main greenhouse
gases (GHG); methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. Rising carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) levels
have been associated with the burning of fossil fuels. Methane, from enteric
fermentation in the rumen and from manure, is 25 times more potent than CO<sub>2</sub>,
the main greenhouse gas. Nitrous oxide
from soil management and manure is 298 times more potent than CO<sub>2</sub>.
The carbon footprint adjusts these impacts and expresses them in CO<sub>2</sub>
equivalents, or CO<sub>2</sub>e per functional unit. A functional unit may be kg live weight (LW),
for example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> This may seem
straightforward, but all carbon footprints are not created equal. Methods and calculations differ, lack of
reliable data results in generalizations and assumptions with lots of resultant
variability and uncertainty. Many
calculations are within a specific “cradle to farm gate” boundary for a farm
level assessment using a method called “life cycle assessment”, or LCA. Then there are direct emissions, such as
rumen emissions, versus the indirect emissions, which may arise from processes
traced back to the production of the feed that the lamb eats (fertilizers, land
clearing). In general, it is not advised
to compare carbon footprints using different methods, but that doesn’t stop
researchers from doing that. One paper,
aware of this reality, compared the carbon footprint of New Zealand to Welsh
lamb and clearly demonstrated that the variability between sheep farms
undermined any attempts to generalize about the claims made for the carbon
footprints of lamb for a region or country<sup>3</sup>. The authors advised that more on-farm
research was needed to collect sufficient data from similar farms within
regions to aid in the understanding of the variation in carbon footprints. Another Welsh study five years later compared
64 sheep farms, and found that carbon
footprints can vary with local conditions and management choices<sup>4</sup>. In particular, regardless of type of farm, the number of lambs reared per
ewe, lamb growth rate, percentage of ewe
and replacement ewe lambs not mated, and concentrate use had the greatest
impact on the carbon footprint of lamb.
Although Welsh lamb carbon footprints varied by farm type with lowland
10.85, upland 12.85 and hill 17.86 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e/kg LW, the authors
concluded that nationally, the carbon footprint of lamb could be reduced by
improving the productivity of the poor producing farms and reducing the
productivity gap between farms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> Canada covers several
ecoregions with varying climates and sheep production systems and breeds. Cattle are the main ruminant species in
Canada, producing over 95% of enteric fermentation emissions. Cattle production systems are
well-characterized and have been thoroughly studied regarding environmental impacts. Sheep are a minor species in Canada, although
consumer demand for lamb is growing and over half of the lamb consumed is an
imported product. There is little
Canadian research regarding sheep production environmental impacts through
tools such as LCA or carbon footprinting.
Estimation of greenhouse gas emission intensities from sheep</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> are generally based on values
from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). For sheep in
Canada, IPCC Tier 1 emission factors are used for enteric fermentation, and
IPCC Tier1/ 2 values are used for manure emissions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> The
IPCC methodology to determine GHG emissions is rated by its level of detail and
accuracy. Tier 1 is the lowest level,
and emissions are obtained by multiplying by the population of animals in a
livestock category by an emission factor (EF).
For Tier 2, climate and type of manure storage is taken into account, but a lot more data is needed for Tier 2,
especially in a country like Canada with such a wide range of climates and farming
types.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> The Canadian carbon footprint for sheep
was recently reported to be significantly higher than the beef carbon footprint
using national livestock population data and modelling
using Tier 1/Tier 2 methodologies<sup>5</sup>.
However, the uncertainty of the IPCC Tier 2 Canadian livestock model has
been determined to be especially high for lamb methane emissions, primarily
when values are assigned at the national scale<sup>6</sup>. Developing parameters that are
country-specific with regional refinements, and using appropriate production
stages for livestock, would reduce the uncertainties and produce more accurate
greenhouse gas emission values and carbon footprints. The Canadian enteric methane values for sheep
are based on Tier 1, at 8 kg methane/head/year regardless of age. In contrast, the UK enteric methane emission
factors for sheep are age specific, at 8 kg methane/head/year for adult sheep,
but 40% of that value for lambs less than one-year-old (3.2 kg
methane/head/year), allowing for a further adjustment to the average age lamb
is shipped. As to why lamb would have
higher emissions, there are suggestions that wool is not counted as a product
in these calculations (GHG), and would
contribute to lower dressing percentages.
The study also made broad management and feed assumptions which should
be verified, and assumed a shorter reproductive lifespan for ewes than has been
reported. More on-farm research,
industry collaboration with scientists, better regional data and better models for sheep are definitely needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Based on the need for more production and
regional-specific research, a carbon footprint project was conducted in the
Gulf Islands of BC using my farm as an example.
My farm is typical for the region, with a mild temperate Mediterranean-type
climate, home-grown feed, and an extended grazing season. We supplement our pasture and grass hay with
Sheep-Lyx nutrient block supplement
according to the nutrient value of the forage and balanced with the nutrient
needs of the sheep. The carbon footprint
calculated using the cradle to gate LCA method included most emissions related
to the production of lamb. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Three modelling
systems were used to estimate the carbon footprint of lamb. Farm data was put into the models. The results were as follows: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">UK- All-Tech Sheep E-CO<sub>2</sub>
“What If?” Tool (2015): <b>9.4</b> kg CO<sub>2</sub>e/
kg LW lamb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">UK/US- Cool Farm Tool (Excel
version 2.0): <b>5.13</b> kg CO<sub>2</sub>e/
kg LW lamb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Canada-Holos (version 2.2): <b>7.53</b> kg CO<sub>2</sub>e/ kg LW lamb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> The variability in carbon footprint can be
partly attributed to the different default values used for each model which can
reduce the complexity and simplify the results.
In general, a UK model may be used as a proxy for the Gulf Islands
because of similarities in sheep breeds and climate. However, there are differences in feed
sources, energy sources, management and resources such as soil. Based on other studies, 90% or more of the
carbon footprint was expected to be on-farm.
The other 10% was expected to come from upstream emissions (fertilizer,
off-farm feed) and can inform the producer regarding sourcing of inputs to the
farm and their impact. The majority of the emissions from this project were
from methane, regardless of the tool or model used. The primary source of methane was from
enteric fermentation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
The simplest system to use was the Alltech E-CO<sub>2 </sub>tool. The tool models UK scenarios based on
industry data. The Tool has three basic farm systems; rearing lambs to finishing, rearing to store sale, and stores
purchased to finish. Basic information
from farm records are used, and “what-if” scenarios can help advise management
decisions to improve the carbon footprint.
This tool is useful for exploring different scenarios for sheep management, but is not sensitive enough to
provide an accurate carbon footprint. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
The Cool Farm Tool (CFT) has an online version as well as an Excel
spreadsheet version. The CFT is useful
for farm level calculations to estimate GHG emissions. The calculator is based on peer-reviewed data
and goes beyond simple Tier 1 by including geographic locations. However, Canada was a single region for this
model, reducing the model’s reliability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
Holos is a farm level GHG calculator developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, and it includes a research version<sup>7</sup>. Holos is specific for
Canada using ecodistricts to account for
climatic, soil type, topography and
precipitation differences. Soil carbon
factors are incorporated into the model.
Estimates of uncertainty are identified. Holos allows for the estimation
of carbon accumulation and losses, by calculating the impact of land use change
such as land-clearing or planting of trees. Looking at the entire farm, our
farm is a carbon sink because of the amount of forest we have. Holos
is also being developed as a carbon footprinting tool and beyond carbon footprinting to include more environmental impacts<sup>8</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzISXMQuUQ2hVn5UjFQIdrlI_jUQt2iLCb0QQOz0km4m0OqfPlA67YwSwfUXicv_vrp0pPca97ipgXRKEGq048QQDZhM7xdOOs0qRwc3WHGQUo6ho2ebRGsSttMjMPGKu3fxej1AWSDWc/s1600/Emissions+Pie+Chart+-+Fir+Hill+Farm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzISXMQuUQ2hVn5UjFQIdrlI_jUQt2iLCb0QQOz0km4m0OqfPlA67YwSwfUXicv_vrp0pPca97ipgXRKEGq048QQDZhM7xdOOs0qRwc3WHGQUo6ho2ebRGsSttMjMPGKu3fxej1AWSDWc/s640/Emissions+Pie+Chart+-+Fir+Hill+Farm.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
All three tools are easily accessed and free on the Internet for
producers to use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> The carbon footprint results for my farm are
being used to help determine hotspots for improvements in management, and to
adjust future data collection so that a follow-up carbon footprint project can
fine-tune the emission estimates. The
results are a first step in understanding the impact of our local sheep
production systems on greenhouse gas emissions, and to identify the gaps in
data and modelling methods for regional,
provincial and national carbon footprint projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">References<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">1</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Brown, L. (2011). Eating
lamb is worst for the environment, 19
July 2011. <i>Earth Times</i>. </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.earthtimes.org/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">www.earthtimes.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">2</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Ong, S. (2016). Taxing
red meat to fight climate change, 24 May 2016. <i>Science Line</i>. </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.scienceline.org/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">www.scienceline.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">3</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Edwards-Jones, G.,
Plassmann, K., Harris, I. (2008). The carbon footprint of sheep farming in
Wales. Bangor University, Wales. Available to download at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://hccmpw.org.uk/medialibrary/publications/carbonfootprintsheepreportapril1508FINAL%20REPORT-1.pdf"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">http://hccmpw.org.uk/medialibrary/publications/carbonfootprintsheepreportapril1508FINAL%20REPORT-1.pdf</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">4</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Jones, A., Jones, D.,
Cross, P. (2013). The carbon footprint of lamb: Sources of
variation and opportunities for mitigation.
<i>Agricultural Systems</i> 123,
97-107. Doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2013.09.006.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">5</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Dyer, J., Verge, X.,
Desjardins, R., Worth, D. (2014). A comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from
the sheep industry with beef production in Canada. <i>Sustainable Agriculture Research</i> 3,65-75.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">6</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Karimi-Zindashty, Y.,
MacDonald, J., Desjardins, R. Worth, D., Hutchinson, J., Verge, X. (2011).
Climate Change and Agriculture Paper: Sources of uncertainty in the IPCC Tier 2
Canadian Livestock Model. <i>Journal of Agricultural Science</i>. 1-14.
doi: 10.1017/S002185961100092X.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">7</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Little, S.M., J. Lindeman, K. Maclean and H.H. Janzen (2008).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><cite>Holos
- A tool to estimate and reduce GHGs from farms. Methodology and algorithms for
Version 1.1.x.</cite><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Agriculture
& Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<sup><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">8</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Krobel,
R., Janzen, H., Beauchemin, K., Bonesmo, H., Little, S., McAllister, T. (2013).
A proposed approach to estimate and reduce the environmental impact from whole farms. <i> Acta Agriculturae Scand Section
A </i> dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2013.770912 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-30253103132148930072016-03-07T15:19:00.000-08:002016-03-07T15:20:44.080-08:00Local lamb thriving on BC islands by Barbara Johnstone Grimmer, from Vol 30 No 3 Sheep Canada magazine<a href="http://www.sheepcanada.com/local-lamb-thriving-on-bc-islands/">http://www.sheepcanada.com/local-lamb-thriving-on-bc-islands/</a><br />
<br />
<h1 style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Georgia, 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Times, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;">
Local lamb thriving on BC islands</h1>
<div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #565151; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.02em; line-height: 1.42em; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;">
<div class="date" style="font-size: 0.9em; padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<span class="tags"><a href="http://www.sheepcanada.com/tag/volume-30-number-3/" rel="tag" style="color: #cc9d19; text-decoration: none;">Volume 30 - Number 3</a></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<img alt="Saturna1" class="alignright wp-image-1619 " src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Saturna1-650x925.gif" height="563" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 7px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px;" width="395" />Story & photos by Barbara Johnstone Grimmer, P.Ag.</div>
<div class="p2" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
The BC sheep industry is relatively small and very diverse, with an average flock size of 30–40 ewes and a total of 55,000 head. There are no federally inspected plants that kill lambs in BC.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
According to Statistics Canada (2011), 26% of BC sheep are located on Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands (between the mainland and Vancouver Island). Sheep production is spread throughout the islands with 14,000–15,000 sheep on nearly 500 farms. The Gulf Islands are unique in that large predators are either absent or rare, with only flying predators such as eagles and ravens to worry about. Vancouver Island has cougars and bears, but no coyotes. Livestock is transported on and off the islands by ferry or, for those islands without ferry service, by barge. The mild coastal climate allows sheep to remain outdoors most of the year.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Up until a few years ago, most lamb was processed on the farm and sold to the community and visitors to the islands. Direct marketing increased following the BSE border closure in 2003, enhanced by the demand for local food. In 2004, the BC government changed its meat regulations to require licensing of all facilities slaughtering livestock and the inspection of all meat in the province. After a rocky period of farmer protests and consultations, the regulations became law in 2007. All over the province, local abattoirs shut down. Required plant upgrades were costly for many operators, especially in isolated rural areas where direct sales of uninspected meat had previously been allowed. With no inspection on the small islands, animals had to be transported off the islands for slaughter. Off-island abattoirs were often over-booked, creating long waits.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_1627" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: left; margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 409px;">
<img alt="SSI-island" class="wp-image-1627" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/SSI-island-300x225.gif" height="280" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="399" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
The Gulf Islands have no four-legged predators.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Sheep numbers fell across BC by 33%. Island numbers fell even farther. A 2010 study of livestock on Salt Spring Island determined that, although sheep comprised 90% of livestock raised on the island, sheep numbers had fallen by 44% in just five years.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Implementation of the new regulations was delayed initially because few plants upgraded to the new standards; most of them closed down. The government scrambled for solutions and offered funding to assist with upgrades, and slowly plants began to apply for funds. Some communities had to start from scratch.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
One of the few plants licensed to process lamb before the regulatory changes is located on a farm in Metchosin, a half hour from the city of Victoria. The small plant services southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands, providing custom slaughter services and lamb for local butcher shops, grocery stores and restaurants. John and Lorraine Buchanan and their family started out as regular customers and suppliers of lamb to the plant, and over 30 years became one of the biggest sheep producers on Vancouver Island. They have since taken over operation of the plant to preserve access to the local market. The workers remained; without that smooth transition the business would not have survived.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_1616" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: right; margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 310px;">
<img alt="Metchosin1" class="wp-image-1616 size-medium" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Metchosin1-300x263.gif" height="263" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
John Buchanan unloads a group of lambs for slaughter at the abattoir built by Bernie Nikkels at Metchosin, Vancouver Island. Lambs come down the ramp and through the chute that runs behind the back of the abattoir, into the holding pens on the left. The design is a good one and the animals move readily through it.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
John says the challenges have included training new workers in case someone leaves, finding people who are willing to slaughter, and finding work for them the rest of the week, such as making deliveries, as the plant only operates about one-and-a-half days a week and does not do cutting and wrapping. The plant can kill 60 lambs a week; this number is limited by how many can be cut and wrapped (about 35 per week) at three local butcher shops. The rest are wholesale carcass sales. John feels that they are succeeding in all of these areas. They are also succeeding with the buy-in of independent butchers and the many restaurants that really value having a good local supply of lamb.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Slaughter waste is taken to the local landfill, at an average cost of $5 per lamb, including trucking. John looked into composting, but his plant is just a bit too big to be exempt from composting regulations, and it can be difficult to make composting on a large scale economically viable.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<img alt="Metchosin2" class="alignleft wp-image-1618 size-large" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Metchosin2-650x342.gif" height="342" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px;" width="650" /></div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
The Buchanan family’s Parry Bay Sheep Farm is well known locally and in the larger sheep community. They are good farmers and good business people, and have expanded their 300+ ewe operation by leasing farmland and smaller pastures, while owning little land themselves. The ewes are on pasture for nine months, and grazed rotationally to optimize grass growth. They also grow some grain, including wheat for local bakeries.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
John and Lorraine are generous with their time and knowledge, hosting field days for the Inter-Island Sheep Breeders Association, teaching new sheep producers the finer points of raising good lamb, and inviting the general public and school groups to visit at lambing time. At a BC Sheep Federation (BCSF) seminar last year, the Buchanans heard about the Premium BC Lamb Program being developed by the BC Association of Abattoirs (BCAA), in partnership with BCSF. They hosted a field day a few months later, which introduced the BC Meats Quality Information System (BCMQIS), a carcass scoring system for grading lamb. The Buchanans provided lambs, and producers were taught how to select for quality and finish. The next day the lambs were processed and the carcasses graded and compared to the live evaluations.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Producers who are members of the BC Abattoir Association can sign up for the Premium BC Lamb program and receive feedback on their lambs from participating abattoirs. The association is a unique organization that has developed the Premium BC Lamb brand, bringing together chefs, retailers, processors and lamb producers, working for a strong, effective value chain. The BCAA was formed in 2009 by the licensed BC meat industry, and has partnered with the BCSF to develop standards and ensure high-quality lamb production and a powerful marketing scheme for the industry.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<img alt="BCLambLogo_C" class="alignleft wp-image-1628" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/BCLambLogo_C-300x300.gif" height="210" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px;" width="227" />Producers receive guidance and training on nutrition and selection of lambs, and abattoir operators are trained in the unique grading system.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
The weight and grade of each lamb is recorded with its RFID tag number, and the results are available to the producers. Lambs grading high are stamped, and can be marketed using the Premium BC Lamb label. Boxes of lamb are identified with the RFID tag number, ensuring traceability.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Marketing materials for restaurants state ‘Proudly Serving BC Lamb’, using a distinctive logo that is on all materials used by producers, stores and restaurants. The production, selection and grading system has been introduced at workshops around the province and more are scheduled for this fall.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_1625" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: right; margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 204px;">
<img alt="139_Lower-Cast-in-Lights-only" class="wp-image-1625" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/139_Lower-Cast-in-Lights-only-225x300.gif" height="259" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="194" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
Jacques (pronounced Jackie) Campbell operates Campbell Sheep Farm and Campbell Farm Abattoir on Saturna Island, BC.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
One of the early adopters of the BCMQIS grading system is also a director of the BC Association of Abattoirs. Jacques Campbell (with brother Tom and sister Nan) raises sheep and beef cattle and operates a small abattoir on beautiful Saturna Island, a 31-sq. km island with a population of 300. Jacques’ parents, Jim and Lorraine, started Campbell Farm in 1945. The Campbells currently run about 100 commercial ewes, with Cheviot, Charollais and Suffolk breeding, and ten cows. The ewes lamb in February under the trees, and the lambs are primarily grass-fed and finished.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Campbell Farm Abattoir, BC #32, was built in the 1950’s, designed with advice from the UBC Faculty of Agriculture, which both of Jacques’ parents attended in the 1940’s. There are two levels in the plant. A drop floor allows for beef to be hung. The walk-in cooler on the upper level has an overhead track to move carcasses. The change in meat regulations imposed only minimal upgrades on the plant, such as improved surfaces and a closed-in ceiling. Other items were added, such as a bolt gun and sanitizers for the knives. Wooden cutting boards had to go, but knives with wooden handles were allowed to wear out. Additional considerations, such as an office and bathroom for the inspector, were accommodated by facilities in an adjacent building.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1621" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 485px;">
<img alt="Saturna2" class="wp-image-1621" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Saturna2-650x488.gif" height="378" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="475" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
Campbell Farm Abattoir, BC #32., Saturna Island, BC.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Waste is under the jurisdiction of the BC Ministry of Environment, and the Campbells have a fenced and covered burial pit, with a separate pit for specified risk materials.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_1629" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: right; margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 294px;">
<img alt="Saturna4" class="wp-image-1629 size-medium" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Saturna4-284x300.gif" height="300" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="284" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
The holding pen outside the Campbell Farm Abattoir always has at least one additional animal, so that the last lamb to be slaughtered does not have to wait in the pen by itself.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Slaughter is seasonal, from June to December, three days a week, with one day for slaughter and two for cutting and wrapping. The inspector comes on an early ferry from Victoria, arriving around 6:30 am. Work ends when he has to catch the ferry back around 10 am. About 15-20 lambs can be done in a day on this schedule.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Jacques says that when the changes to the regulations were announced, they were told there was no room for small slaughterhouses like hers, but that attitude has changed with the assistance of the BC Food Processors, whom the government enlisted to help with the transition. Jacques feels that the advantages of the license and the inspection process outweigh the expense and extra oversight, providing opportunity. They now have scheduled slaughter days, and the farm can sell their lamb in the local store and to local restaurants. They can also continue to supply lamb for the annual Saturna Island Lamb Barbeque held each Canada Day. The Argentine-style barbeque has been an annual community fundraiser since 1950, bringing tourists by boat and ferry from all over BC and the world.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Being inspected also means they can provide custom cutting and wrapping for islands that do not have an abattoir. Campbell Farm has a growing customer base of sheep and beef producers from neighbouring islands, who bring animals by truck on the ferries, or from smaller islands by barge.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1638" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 660px;">
<img alt="IMG_20150701_130449" class="wp-image-1638 size-large" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/IMG_20150701_130449-650x410.gif" height="410" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="650" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
Argentinian-style barbecue at the annual Saturna Island Lamb Barbecue.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Jacques was one of the first lamb abattoir operators trained on the BCQMIS system, which uses a tablet to photograph carcasses, which are then graded against a standard. She also has a Psion RFID reader, FarmWorks software and an electronic scale head to monitor her own flock’s progress. In 2010, Campbell Farm hosted a producer workshop to show how the abattoir works, and to demonstrate the benefits of RIFD.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1622" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 660px;">
<img alt="Saturna5" class="wp-image-1622 size-large" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Saturna5-650x488.gif" height="488" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="650" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
Jacques gets help from friends and members of the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms Program (WWOOFERs), shown here holding their favourite lambs.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
One group of sheep producers who came to the field day had a specific purpose: to learn about small-scale abattoirs so they could build one for Salt Spring Island. They watched a lamb being processed, from start to finish. They saw how the sheep were handled, how the bolt gun quickly stunned the animal, how many people it took to process the lamb and how the facilities were laid out, as well as the role of the inspector. Two years later, the newest abattoir in the Gulf Islands is the community-owned and operated Salt Spring Abattoir.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Salt Spring is the largest Gulf Island, at 183 sq. km, and over 10,000 people. The abattoir was built because of the difficulty of transporting animals off-island for processing, and the decline in livestock and poultry on the island after the new meat regulations came into effect. Before it was built, there had been no slaughter service on Salt Spring for five years.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<img alt="SSI" class="alignleft wp-image-1626" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/SSI-300x225.gif" height="341" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px;" width="455" />Sheep have been central to the character of many Gulf Islands since the first European settlers found the island more suited to grazing livestock than growing crops. The animal has become a mascot for Salt Spring, featured on souvenirs and signage, and Salt Spring lamb has been proudly served to the Queen on her visits to British Columbia. It is said that the lamb’s famous flavour comes from the salt air, the island grasses and the apples that fall in old orchards every fall. All of this contributed to the ‘Save Salt Spring Lamb’ campaign, which spurred development of the new abattoir.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
A feasibility study determined that the only way an abattoir could be built to government standards would be through fundraising in the community, as the income from such a small plant would not pay to build it. An Agriculture Area Plan followed, which reinforced the idea that more infrastructure was needed on the island. The non-profit Salt Spring Island Agricultural Alliance was formed in 2008, and fundraised for the abattoir using crowd funding, farm dinners, chef’s dinners, restaurant fundraisers and musical events to bring the community together on the project. The original cost estimate was $500,000 for a permanent building (not including land) versus $300,000 for a simple mobile abattoir, a solution other communities had settled on.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<img alt="SSI-sign" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1630" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/SSI-sign-225x300.gif" height="300" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px;" width="225" />It was decided to build a multi-species abattoir on site, to process lamb, goats, poultry and (eventually) pigs and beef, with moveable modular components (in case another site is chosen in the future) for cutting and wrapping, cooling and freezing, offal and hides, plus a custom-built slaughter trailer. It was estimated that the society would need $350,000 to build this customized style of abattoir, with $200,000 from fundraising and $150,000 from a government grant. But costs went up as local and provincial governments added requirements and plans were changed, resulting in a final cost of $470,000, with another $25,000 still being raised for upgrades for beef and pig slaughtering.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
The Salt Spring Abattoir Society is the not-for-profit that was formed to manage the abattoir business. The business model is unique in that the abattoir is owned and run by the community. David Astill is the president of the society. The one thing that David would suggest to someone thinking of following their model would be to go with a permanent building rather than a mobile abattoir. Mobile abattoirs are expensive and tight on space, as well as hard to keep cool on hot days. The government’s requirements for docking stations are so high for a mobile abattoir in BC that it adds to the cost of construction and takes away the advantages of a mobile unit.</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1615" style="border-radius: 3px; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left; width: 660px;">
<img alt="Abattoir_small-1024x677-(1)" class="wp-image-1615 size-large" src="http://www.sheepcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Abattoir_small-1024x677-1-650x430.gif" height="430" style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="650" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">
The Salt Spring Island Abattoir has moveable, modular components.</div>
</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
The abattoir owes its success to the organizational skills and knowledge base of the fundraisers and volunteers, the incredible support of the community, and the attention paid to the labour component. A central goal was to achieve sustainability through high animal welfare standards, and fair wages and working conditions. The plant has retained good employees, critical for success in any business but even more so for slaughter plants. David emphasized that it is important to hire employees who work well for the business, work well together and are flexible, and to appreciate them for the hard work they do. An added benefit of good working conditions for employees has been the positive contribution to animal welfare, product quality, and a good working relationship with the producers and the abattoir society.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Building a community business has led David to develop a value chain for the Salt Spring Abattoir and its stakeholders, working with retailers like Thrifty Foods who are considering taking Salt Spring lamb back to Vancouver Island Thrifty stores instead of sending trucks back empty after delivering groceries to Salt Spring. That is a big win, supported by the Premium BC Lamb brand, which ensures quality and provides branded marketing materials for retailers. National chain stores often do not accept provincially inspected meat as a matter of policy, given that provincially inspected meat cannot be sold across provincial or federal borders. Thrifty Foods is a Victoria-based brand that values local food and, although it was sold to the national Sobey’s retail chain in 2007, has retained a lot of its character.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
The Salt Spring plant was designed to process 750 lambs per year at 20 per day. Last year the abattoir was able to process 25 lambs per day and did a total of 450 lambs. A local farmer composts slaughter waste from the plant, by mixing it with old hay in a feed mixer mounted on the PTO of his tractor. The mixture is turned for a half hour a few times a day and composting is complete in a week.</div>
<div class="p4" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
Now that the growing pains of the new plant have eased and its potential is being realized, the larger sheep producers on Salt Spring are starting to use it as well, and there is hope that as it becomes available to beef and pork producers livestock numbers will rebound and the viability of agriculture on Salt Spring Island will improve. The ‘Save Salt Spring Lamb’ campaign that started this project seems to have achieved its goals.</div>
<div class="p6" style="padding: 0px 10px 10px;">
<i>Barbara Johnstone Grimmer is a commercial sheep producer and professional agrologist who lives on Pender Island, BC.</i></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-87168327224754823092015-09-07T17:48:00.001-07:002015-09-07T18:09:49.754-07:00Drought in the Gulf Islands - Summer 2015.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Today marks the last day of summer vacation for the school kids. Tomorrow it is back to school for my son, who will be taking a water taxi to and from the high school on Salt Spring Island. </div>
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Although not officially the last day of summer it really feels like it. </div>
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The drought on our farm this summer was most severe we have ever seen. Usually it is dry and hot for July and August, but this year it was dry in May and June as well. </div>
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This photo is from one of our hayfields in July. We put the sheep in when it was apparent that the grass was too short and too dried out to harvest. </div>
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For the past week or so we have had rain off and on - enough to make up for the drought, and now we are seeing green grass coming through. In a few days I will deworm the ewes and put them into the pastures, once the grass height is sufficient to support them.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In the meantime, they graze what they can in this field and get supplemental hay that we were able to harvest earlier in the season. Some ewes were sent to be made into burger and roasts, some will likely go to auction this weekend. There is just not enough hay to last through the winter, and the price for hay has gone up too much.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0DsKkNP9HvJ-kGBfoDHkGUWBSDaHcl2OAW5Ae15T8lOVGa9Ch6fYO3a2CCEJNSfBB37r80sA0YvMsjQmkSTLHllo6J4rH6ZvG7ihMzPigoerG7E5_Az1I6GA3DChQFxbjFuDdi2E8n8/s1600/drought.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0DsKkNP9HvJ-kGBfoDHkGUWBSDaHcl2OAW5Ae15T8lOVGa9Ch6fYO3a2CCEJNSfBB37r80sA0YvMsjQmkSTLHllo6J4rH6ZvG7ihMzPigoerG7E5_Az1I6GA3DChQFxbjFuDdi2E8n8/s640/drought.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-6400588048490416082015-05-14T17:44:00.001-07:002015-05-15T12:33:07.595-07:00Liberals fire head of Agricultural Land Commission<a href="http://www.richmondreview.com/news/liberals-fire-head-of-agricultural-land-commission-1.1936455#sthash.xccoqyAo.cmfs">Liberals fire head of Agricultural Land Commission</a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/205633947&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-63947715054269969992014-11-26T18:00:00.001-08:002014-11-26T18:00:16.248-08:00Agri 007: XL customers lawsuit settled<a href="http://agri007.blogspot.com/2014/11/xl-customers-lawsuit-settled.html?spref=bl">Agri 007: XL customers lawsuit settled</a>: Customers whose XL Foods Inc. beef was recalled will be able to share in a $1-million settlement to a class-action lawsuit, ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-2359052016976839452014-07-05T10:41:00.001-07:002014-07-05T10:41:10.743-07:00COMET-Farm tool<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EBuKvziAUlE" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-76513532803241519242014-07-05T10:34:00.001-07:002014-07-05T10:37:41.958-07:00California ranchers tackle the climate crisis one pasture at a time By Sasha Harris-Lovett from Grist.org<a href="http://grist.org/climate-energy/california-ranchers-tackle-the-climate-crisis-one-pasture-at-a-time/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=update&utm_campaign=socialflow" target="_blank">http://grist.org/climate-energy/california-ranchers-tackle-the-climate-crisis-one-pasture-at-a-time/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=update&utm_campaign=socialflow</a><br />
<br />
more on the subject from <a href="http://www.marincarbonproject.org/" target="_blank"> http://www.marincarbonproject.org/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-24098099002369515862012-12-04T12:15:00.000-08:002012-12-04T15:37:14.325-08:00Gulf Islands Gold? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2n4ey2tNp9MXktWvArMoBOc9lMX6lXEpcy4ms5MxWIt6qJmqQfkZfKvUI09GN-uKem2YQdSSOLad2N1rYD-fz5z3WSW1WlBrhnLxgsfxjbFxy_qJ2nyLePqgxr6UnjP3H1t8KRbS4GWk/s1600/6531479.bin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2n4ey2tNp9MXktWvArMoBOc9lMX6lXEpcy4ms5MxWIt6qJmqQfkZfKvUI09GN-uKem2YQdSSOLad2N1rYD-fz5z3WSW1WlBrhnLxgsfxjbFxy_qJ2nyLePqgxr6UnjP3H1t8KRbS4GWk/s320/6531479.bin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There’s
gold on them thar islands!” or so it seems. With the <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/Mining+claims+Pender+Island+alarm+residents/7640138/story.html" target="_blank">recent news</a>
of mining claims covering much of the privately owned rural and
agricultural land on North and South Pender, “not in my back yard”
has taken on new meaning. Property owners have been consulting with
legal counsel, elected officials, neighbours and government websites
to try to make sense of it all. Both the Islands Trust and CRD are
conferring with the Ministry of Energy and Mines. It appears that
land with a building, the area around a house, orchards, cultivated
land, heritage land and parks are not included, but that still leaves
large rural areas open to exploration. It surprises many residents
who thought mining of this nature was not allowed in the Gulf
Islands, especially since such activity is counter to the “preserve
and protect” mandate of the Islands Trust.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">According
to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, claim staking with Mineral
Titles Online, established in 2005, has been a game changer.
Creating an easy to use online system was intended to streamline the
process, which it certainly did. Mining claims in BC increased
substantially as a result. But there were unintended consequences.
“Online staking now allows claims to be acquired without ever
setting foot on the land. MTO has significantly reduced the cost of
acquiring a claim, and, as a result, has allowed some claims to be
registered by persons who have no intention of ever conducting any
mining activity on the land.”</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although
a property owner’s initial reaction is to prohibit entry of someone
with a free miner’s certificate and claim to the subsurface mineral
rights, the provincial mining laws trump any local laws or private
property owner’s rights. In most cases the province owns the
minerals under the surface, so even if you own the land they own
everything under your land. Property owners should be aware of the
Mining Tenure Act regulations, which require proper notice to be
given and compensation paid to the surface rights property owner.
This can be as simple as an agreement with the miner, or as
complicated as a hearing with the Gold Commissioner or a surface
rights arbitration board. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> In the far north corner of the province,
the regional government has helped arrange for a Farmers Advocacy
Office to help landowners through the complicated process with a
compensation arrangement that is as transparent and fair as possible.
The FAO keeps a map and database clearly showing the terms of other
surface rights agreements to help farmers with their own
negotiations. In the case of the grain and forage growing Peace
River area the subsurface resource being extracted is oil and gas,
but the principle is the same.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All
of this harkens back to the gold rush days of the 1800’s. The
earliest regulation of mining in BC came with the Gold Fields
Proclamation of 1859, with the appointment of two gold commissioners
for the Colony of British Columbia. The original Gold Fields “Act”
was to promote land settlement at a time when the province was
sparsely populated and mines were smaller. The establishment of a
Gold Commissioner was to serve as the law in what was a lawless
frontier. It speaks volumes that we still have need of a Gold
Commissioner today, and that we allow our province to continually
tweak an antiquated law that clearly needs an overhaul and an
updating into the 21<sup>st</sup> century. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
mining industry in BC is very strong and important to the BC economy.
This fact is certainly not lost on our lawmakers. Perhaps a
complete review is in order, and should include the importance that
mineral and metal recycling may have on the environment and our
economy. It is known that recycling has the advantage of energy
savings and reduced pollution, in addition to the sparing effect on
our environment from reduced mineral exploration. New tools and
research in mining exploration can also reduce the damage to the
surface and water resources and provide a targeted approach to
mining, instead of a shotgun approach of yesteryear
when land was seen as an unlimited resource and miners with no
experience or training could stake claims over large expanses of
land.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com02625-3405 S Otter Bay Rd, Pender Island, BC V0N 2M1, Canada48.792842549198113 -123.2892608642578148.751023549198116 -123.36822486425781 48.83466154919811 -123.21029686425781tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-45754040333359974602012-11-07T11:24:00.000-08:002012-11-07T11:24:32.287-08:00Free run, free range or just plain Free
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClNjwfiOViO1uI12RUkJ4039KlXrxotkNt9mKQT-pMrU5sikkcxbxRwxsjVQjRWq5oC1eHLr5f_-Rz6t27l7LclZtHWDrIPz-BoxFWAJCM_h2VJGy0EWhvVeaDX3yBpeoF_bNGYMwS_w/s1600/Walters+wedding+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClNjwfiOViO1uI12RUkJ4039KlXrxotkNt9mKQT-pMrU5sikkcxbxRwxsjVQjRWq5oC1eHLr5f_-Rz6t27l7LclZtHWDrIPz-BoxFWAJCM_h2VJGy0EWhvVeaDX3yBpeoF_bNGYMwS_w/s320/Walters+wedding+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Caged,
free run, free range or just plain free. You may be familiar with the
first three terms, but “just plain free”? Raising livestock and
poultry on a farm can be done different ways, depending on the
facilities available, the inclination of the farmer and the market
demand. Codes of practice in raising livestock and poultry are
currently being revised and would also influence how animals are to
be raised. But sometimes the animals take matters into their own
hands (or hooves or wings).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAPfetwkaW8Is7fsjHGcpKMRilVzPn9egqwZl_w7Gj-QnG28JaAxvgB_sVgcCH86EDquQraQBZyRtjej2p73E3WHcFml4FLa2t5NMiOUNopMHIIhAjvGwxvyI3Qg5KocFf3s-c2nl09Q/s1600/camerra+may+2010+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAPfetwkaW8Is7fsjHGcpKMRilVzPn9egqwZl_w7Gj-QnG28JaAxvgB_sVgcCH86EDquQraQBZyRtjej2p73E3WHcFml4FLa2t5NMiOUNopMHIIhAjvGwxvyI3Qg5KocFf3s-c2nl09Q/s320/camerra+may+2010+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Last
year we had a visitor fly into our farm. She was a lovely young
Muscovy duck. Our two aged Muscovy drakes suddenly started to take
better care of themselves, eating better, getting more exercise and
grooming their feathers more. Their heads took on an Elvis
Presley-style “pompadour” look. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
female Muscovy eventually gave in to their charms, and in the spring
she began to take on the nesting look and sounds – a bouncy waddle,
puffed-and-fluffed up feathers, and a “ping” to her voice. We
didn't know where she was nesting, but my husband found out on
Mother's Day. She had hatched out fifteen babies on the porch above
our deck. Glenn carefully gathered up the babies and brought them
down a ladder to the ground below. Each time he went up the ladder
she was waiting for him, attacking his head as he gathered more
babies. Finally, she joined them on the lawn below, mothering them.
We grew concerned as each day she would show up with one baby
missing. It seemed that either a wild cat, or raven, or mink was
snatching her ducklings. Out of desperation and with some
encouragement by us, she started to sleep at night by our door, her
wings gathered around her young ones. Five young ones survived –
three males and two females. For quite some time they stayed each
night by the door until they were big enough to fend for themselves.
One day another female flew in to join them, and another male as
well. I don't know where they came from. That is where the “just
plain free” comes in.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OXBiUssv70BRKHFVkXfGkyBg7bOpjgEJHlO8mMsbBq8R_NHKVdhRymvquUhY2OYkPnT5T01jN34LORo4CZYc8hqHhA9uVryv1DSxl5rUmwLXZgaNzm04RLAity9FDIRqJ5vvnYzSCP8/s1600/Walters+wedding+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OXBiUssv70BRKHFVkXfGkyBg7bOpjgEJHlO8mMsbBq8R_NHKVdhRymvquUhY2OYkPnT5T01jN34LORo4CZYc8hqHhA9uVryv1DSxl5rUmwLXZgaNzm04RLAity9FDIRqJ5vvnYzSCP8/s320/Walters+wedding+032.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">One
of the challenges of “just plain free” is determining ownership.
We did provide feed and protection to the ducks, but by the way they
would go wherever they wanted I wasn't sure they belonged to us, or
anyone. When the young ducks were big enough their mom spent a few
weeks teaching them to fly. It was kind of a “OK, watch me do it,
now you try” kind of trial and error. The mama duck would fly
around the farm gracefully. Soon, the young ones would tentatively
flap their wings and lift off for short runs, then longer ones.
Sometimes they would fly over the ridge, sometimes into the
neighbour's farm. One day I spotted a male and female looking lost
on Port Washington Road. Somehow, this form of “just plain free”
makes management a challenge. There are still three young ones that
are by the door each morning, a bit hesitant about being so free.
Some have been reported further down on Port Washington Road, hanging
around at feeding time at one of the sheep farms. Yes, we could clip
there wings, but should we? That would make them more vulnerable to
predators.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4foXCbDZ4G-p2glSMobyfqBJGaKNpEnlpDdcbx0BVBCf_JIXUelaCIaDp2Bb9rXwevlmjscIMQjupRohUmxliK1cTxV-ilg1Mm9dcihmgDaYs42PvDu8tLkSl1yuxIHku3_JfSDBOxss/s1600/camerra+may+2010+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4foXCbDZ4G-p2glSMobyfqBJGaKNpEnlpDdcbx0BVBCf_JIXUelaCIaDp2Bb9rXwevlmjscIMQjupRohUmxliK1cTxV-ilg1Mm9dcihmgDaYs42PvDu8tLkSl1yuxIHku3_JfSDBOxss/s320/camerra+may+2010+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
same problem happened last year with our turkeys. All spring and
summer they would stay close to home, eating lots of blackberries and
such. At one point the females move far away from the males, as the
females nest and go about raising their young. As fall came on they
would move further afield, becoming an annoyance to some neighbours.
I ended up gathering them into the barn and sending a batch at a time
to the poultry swap and sales. The heritage turkeys have a way of
getting up into trees, onto fence posts, or will go high on a hill to
give themselves more range to fly over. I have spoken with other
heritage turkey producers who occasionally need to go to the
neighbours and gather up their stray turkeys, walking them home. At
least I am not the only one.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhntDBee3rBSDQSSHdJ-Mp1MYnstTzCW7y_qj9TQX5gJqf_hr2hPDrjsQhOvlTQ9d2di09GA6Bd-j1OTjcV6NMecN_z8e0bJMZbyiE4vTskWzXuRpjHs3KTSp0AnNUK1SfdHLFmSGLEk/s1600/camerra+may+2010+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhntDBee3rBSDQSSHdJ-Mp1MYnstTzCW7y_qj9TQX5gJqf_hr2hPDrjsQhOvlTQ9d2di09GA6Bd-j1OTjcV6NMecN_z8e0bJMZbyiE4vTskWzXuRpjHs3KTSp0AnNUK1SfdHLFmSGLEk/s320/camerra+may+2010+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Even
hooved animals can be in the category “just plain free”. A few
years ago I took a healthy group of Border Cheviot sheep to a nearby
farm of good size. That was my first mistake, because Border
Cheviots have a wild nature. They settled into grazing, and as fall
came it was quite a challenge to gather them and separate the lambs
for market. The next year, it was impossible as a dog had chased
and attacked them, so they would not be gathered by our Border
Collie. I soon declared them “feral”, or back to wild sheep, and
tried various ways to get them back to the home farm where I could
use our corral to gather them up. As luck would have it, one evening
the sheep decided to graze near the driveway, were spooked by a car
on the driveway, ended up on the road, and the RCMP put them into our
driveway and farm. Yes, the Mounties always get their lamb.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-61735283740591596402012-11-01T09:42:00.001-07:002012-11-01T09:42:35.555-07:00Abbotsford firm's egg has a daily dose of vitamin D<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Abbotsford+firm+daily+dose+vitamin/7479501/story.html">Abbotsford firm's egg has a daily dose of vitamin D</a><br />
<br />
<div class="imagesize310" id="imageBox" style="width: 300px;"><div class="wrapper_0_10_0_0"><div class="storyimage" id=""><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blog_this.pyra?t&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vancouversun.com%2Fnews%2Fmetro%2FAbbotsford%2Bfirm%2Bdaily%2Bdose%2Bvitamin%2F7479501%2Fstory.html&n=Abbotsford%20firm%26%238217%3Bs%20egg%20has%20a%20daily%20dose%20of%20vitamin%20D&pli=1"><img alt="Abbotsford firm’s egg has a daily dose of vitamin D" border="0" class="thumbnail" id="storyphoto" src="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/7479502.bin" title="Nutriva Group CEO Bill Vanderkooi holds one of the 10,000 hens his firm has laying eggs enriched with vitamin D in Abbotsford October 29, 2012." /></a></div><div class="clear"> </div><div class="imagetext"><h3 id="photocaption">Nutriva Group CEO Bill Vanderkooi holds one of the 10,000 hens his firm has laying eggs enriched with vitamin D in Abbotsford October 29, 2012.</h3><h3 id="photocredit"><b>Photograph by: </b>Ric Ernst , VANCOUVER SUN</h3></div></div></div><div id="1">An Abbotsford-based farming innovation firm is launching the first egg that contains 100 per cent of an adult’s current daily requirement of vitamin D, as defined by Health Canada.<br />
Each Vitala Vita D Sunshine egg contains 200 IU of vitamin D — about 5 micrograms — or seven times the amount found in a conventional egg, according to Bill Vanderkooi, owner of Nutriva, the firm that developed the egg and feed formula that produces it, and the parent company of Vitala.<br />
A glass of milk fortified with vitamin D provides about 100 IU.<br />
Vanderkooi is confident he will find a strong demand for an egg rich in vitamin D, as Health Canada is revising upward the recommended vitamin D intake for adults to as much as 800 IU per day, depending on age.<br />
Feed for the hens is supplemented with plant-sourced vitamin D, said Vanderkooi. The supplement is produced by Montreal specialty yeast producer Lallemand.<br />
The vitamin D content of eggs can be raised as high as 600 IU, according to Vanderkooi’s feed testing.<br />
There is considerable interest in vitamin D among scientists. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with some cancers, bone density disorders, multiple sclerosis and impaired immune function.<br />
“A lot more research needs to be done to assess the value of vitamin D for reducing the risk of all those diseases,” said Dr. Hal Gunn, CEO of Inspire Health cancer clinic. But, he said, a handful of studies on vitamin D and cancer have produced dramatic results.<br />
A four-year study at Creighton University of 1,179 women published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that calcium and vitamin D reduced the risk of cancer by 60 per cent compared with the group taking placebos.<br />
“It was very strong evidence that vitamin D can help prevent cancer,” said Gunn.<br />
Five studies of particular kinds of cancer have found that people who have higher levels of vitamin D at the time of diagnosis are half as likely to have a recurrence or to die from their illness, he said.<br />
People who live in northerly regions and who stay indoors most of the time are at risk of having low levels of vitamin D, which is naturally produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight.<br />
“Supplementing with vitamin D in a place like Vancouver is really important because many of us don’t get enough vitamin D from sunshine,” said Gunn. “It seems to reduce the risk of a whole range of diseases.”<br />
Gunn said a person in a bathing suit standing in the summer sun can produce more than 10,000 IU of vitamin D, a production rate that would have been quite normal for humans before the industrial age. Clothing, sunscreen and indoor lifestyles have all conspired to suppress our natural vitamin D production.<br />
Eggs from the 10,000-hen flock will appear on the shelves of Overwaitea, Save-On Foods, Urban Fare, T&T and Choices Markets this week at a cost of about $3.49 a dozen, roughly 50 to 60 cents more than conventional table white eggs.<br />
The flock is a conventional battery cage operation, which helps keep the price of the eggs affordable for a broader range of people, according to Vanderkooi.<br />
Vitala also markets a free-run Omega-3 egg that has 100 IU of vitamin D produced by 20,000 cage-free hens. The Omega-3 eggs sell for about $5.50 a dozen.</div><br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/Abbotsford+firm+daily+dose+vitamin/7479501/story.html#ixzz2AzRatA1n" style="color: #003399;">http://www.vancouversun.com/Abbotsford+firm+daily+dose+vitamin/7479501/story.html#ixzz2AzRatA1n</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-11542387699575316932012-10-22T16:46:00.000-07:002012-10-22T16:50:17.238-07:00Where have the bullfrogs gone?Where have the bullfrogs gone? Late in the spring I would hear
bullfrogs plopping into our ponds as I walked the water's edge. Then
summer came and poof - no bullfrogs. No deep throaty noises at night.
Some people spotted the odd frog dead by the road. <a href="http://thefarmersstand.blogspot.ca/2011/08/bullfrog-battles.html">But what happened to the invasion?</a> On our farm, something made them go away. And we didn't
do anything to remove or kill them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com02310 Grimmer Rd, Pender Island, BC V0N 2M1, Canada48.80415004207552 -123.3036804199218848.720463542075521 -123.46160891992187 48.887836542075519 -123.14575191992188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-11408691323119021802012-10-22T14:34:00.003-07:002012-10-22T15:31:58.258-07:00Balancing Beavers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9JdxyoSFnbV81rCO14sHmUSJUe9eJV6PuwBox26K8s2QI3HXWoAtOK2wBhLFlM4ZlHWUscFRNMn5w2vxk2Tx6KAbwam3Spzu5CJmEgEuzh2glDGNiN9cqm1vCrLcOqCgiiKcDarY7LI/s1600/canada_5_canadian_cents(nickel)_1988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9JdxyoSFnbV81rCO14sHmUSJUe9eJV6PuwBox26K8s2QI3HXWoAtOK2wBhLFlM4ZlHWUscFRNMn5w2vxk2Tx6KAbwam3Spzu5CJmEgEuzh2glDGNiN9cqm1vCrLcOqCgiiKcDarY7LI/s1600/canada_5_canadian_cents(nickel)_1988.jpg" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>When beavers first
showed up in our pond, we had mixed reactions. I thought it would be
great to have nature’s engineers maintaining our pond water levels,
adding to a balanced ecosystem. And hey, they are Canada’s national
animal and pretty interesting. My husband’s reaction was less than
enthusiastic. “Oh no,” he said. “They will take out the trees
and cause all kinds of damage.” We were both right. For a while
the busy beavers worked nightly to plug holes in the pond and raise
the water level. But the destruction – plugging the overflow
drain, dropping trees around the pond, even a large cedar at the
fence line. Trees landed across fences, resulting in the escape of
several sheep. There were simply too many trees in too large an area
to save by wrapping with chicken wire. After a few years the
parents turfed out the eldest children in their clan, at first by
punching a hole in the pond to create a new neighbouring pond. This
just succeeded in flooding the neighbour’s field. So the kids
moved on to the golf course, and were seen late at night waddling
down the road.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Besides the damage we
can all see, there is the microscopic damage caused by the organisms
they carry. “Beaver fever” caused by Giardia is a common
occurrence when beavers move their homes into open drinking water
systems. This organism causes severe gastric distress and diarrhoea
and is no laughing matter to those affected. One of my sons
contracted Giardia from playing on a river bank when were in
California. He had severe diarrhoea for a year, even after diagnosis
and treatment. Beavers can also carry E. coli and Salmonella. Even
though we do not drink from this pond, we worried that such organisms
would affect our garden’s irrigation water which came from this
pond. When the damage and health risk from beavers are weighed
against their benefits, it may become necessary to remove the
beavers permanently from a water body. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CRD enlisted the
help of a licenced trapper, trained in the Malaspina College (now
Vancouver Island University) Resource Management diploma program to
remove the beavers from a water system on Saturna Island. Private
property owners who use ponds as drinking water systems have also
used the same trapper to successfully remove beavers. It is
important that people have the proper training, permits and li<span style="font-size: small;">c</span>en<span style="font-size: small;">s</span>es
in place when they attempt to remove beavers from an area.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At one time beavers
were found in most ponds and lakes in the Gulf Islands. In fact,
they probably built most of the ponds years ago. They would build
dams which would hold water, flooding the land behind the dam,
creating a wetland area rich with life. The Hudson’s Bay Company
had a base on San Juan Island and proceeded to trap all the beavers
in the area for their pelts. In recent years, as farmers have been
digging ponds for irrigation, developments building their own
human-made dams for drinking water and predators (except for man)
absent the stage is set for beaver numbers to increase. There is
little interest in trapping them for their pelts these days, at least
around these parts. Their introduction is believed to be via
driftwood logs and log booms, but introduction by humans cannot be
ruled out entirely. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As beavers become
re-established throughout the Gulf and San Juan Islands there will no
doubt be conflicts between people who see only the cute Canadian
symbol on the nickel, the master builders who engineer ecosystems
that suit their needs and enhance wetlands, and those who are
concerned about the health and safety risks and the unwanted damage
and flooding that can occur. There will be a need to understand
these animals and balance their presence, often called “the most
destructive creatures next to man”. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-CA" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com02302-2310 Grimmer Rd, Pender Island, BC V0N 2M1, Canada48.808672325527844 -123.3091735839843848.787757825527841 -123.34865558398438 48.829586825527848 -123.26969158398437tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-73165437670787947972012-10-09T14:03:00.002-07:002012-10-14T07:29:13.061-07:00Why you don't put all your eggs in one basket - E. coli and XL Foods<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU-7cocp16sr6iGmuHxL4lqyEjZAt6C1r9u5n59aQYn0s78qHnwt_nBVLwTrPxJA_xOvwol8A7Blh83pqmDU3cBHUmTfRjdGulbCFk8nj25xGq-vucvCxj6EI6hU54y08c-MtjtS2_K8/s1600/july+2010+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU-7cocp16sr6iGmuHxL4lqyEjZAt6C1r9u5n59aQYn0s78qHnwt_nBVLwTrPxJA_xOvwol8A7Blh83pqmDU3cBHUmTfRjdGulbCFk8nj25xGq-vucvCxj6EI6hU54y08c-MtjtS2_K8/s320/july+2010+028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campbell Farm abattoir - CFIA inspected</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
few days ago I went to Saturna Island to pick up one of my lambs that
was being processed at <a href="http://thefarmersstand.blogspot.ca/2010/07/sheep-field-day-on-saturna-island.html">Campbell Farm's abattoir.</a> The lamb was for a
special local food event, a Farms Dinner at Poets Cove Resort on
Pender Island, profiling many of Pender Islands' farms and food
producers. While I was there, I picked up three boxes of beef from
Campbell farm, labelled with the beef's name “Flippers”. I know
that Flippers had to just walk down the valley to be slaughtered in a
clean, calm environment. I know the CFIA inspector was on site to
supervise each step of the process; first, to ensure the animal was
healthy, second, to ensure that it was killed humanely. The
inspector would then focus on the cleanliness of the entire operation
and process, from the hide removal, to the removal of the internal
organs, the inspection of the internal organs, and a close visual
inspection of the carcass with a final wash using clean water, tested
for purity. Only then does the inspector put the government stamp on
the meat, just before it is put into the cooler. After chilling for
several days, the meat would be cut and wrapped and ready to prepare.
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jacques
Campbell and I talked about the importance of a local food system
like this one. Small scale and local, completely traceable to the
source. Each animal processed individually. An inspection system
that is looking out for the health of the public.</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Wo1PVWxbHW9-AwFmFOzes12gExyFFFgXvFQKxgA9Xa3AFR7CjIiv6gKLsmGyqODQDdoJ_Q6lHyMljnx0R4zD1x_x0ACZtmjJqIVljNAgkzcqPgVw_XABp50UPOmdehYVflkCjRPxtRw/s1600/xl+plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Wo1PVWxbHW9-AwFmFOzes12gExyFFFgXvFQKxgA9Xa3AFR7CjIiv6gKLsmGyqODQDdoJ_Q6lHyMljnx0R4zD1x_x0ACZtmjJqIVljNAgkzcqPgVw_XABp50UPOmdehYVflkCjRPxtRw/s320/xl+plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">XL Foods Inc. plant - CFIA inspected</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
what went wrong at the XL plant, and why did it go wrong? XL Foods
Inc. is the largest Canadian owned and operated beef processor. One
would expect that such a plant, federally inspected by the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), shipping meat far and wide, would have
extra scrutiny upon it. Since the identification of E. coli 0157
back in the 80's, much has been learned about the organism. It is
known that many animals carry the organism. Cattle who carry the
bacteria do not show any symptoms of disease, and some animals can
shed huge amounts of the bacteria in their feces. It is known that
the organism spreads easily from animal to animal, and feedlots with
their high animal densities and high grain diets have the highest
proportion of infected animals. Even so, the rate of infection
within feedlot pens can vary widely. Infections come and go with
animals, and most infections are temporary, lasting about four weeks.
Some beef can be super-shedders, and some believe all it would take
is one or two super-shedders, some sloppy slaughtering and less than
perfect conditions for the meat to become infected in a plant such as
XL. </span></span>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcf-ItaSX3INrUtem5PAbqp1e29rBX7Z96wFjN7Kj6pI4C58tisnEOshYyiKa0vxsY8OG4fvR6r2gqbt0FQ_wxDgPg0219ieJsT0aUEhUhyphenhyphenkoEH7uQ-0klFsX9OC8x69EWy1nw2Towlo0/s1600/eco_fr_eng.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcf-ItaSX3INrUtem5PAbqp1e29rBX7Z96wFjN7Kj6pI4C58tisnEOshYyiKa0vxsY8OG4fvR6r2gqbt0FQ_wxDgPg0219ieJsT0aUEhUhyphenhyphenkoEH7uQ-0klFsX9OC8x69EWy1nw2Towlo0/s320/eco_fr_eng.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Econiche, vaccine developed by Brett Finlay's team at UBC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Given
these facts, a research team led by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CeLJ8EweOk">Brett Finlay</a>, a <a href="http://www.finlaylab.msl.ubc.ca/">UBC microbiologist</a> at the Michael Smith Laboratories, developed a vaccine
to E. coli 0157:H7 for use in cattle that can significantly reduce
the amount of bacteria shed, in order to protect public health.
The vaccine “Econiche” is licensed by Bioniche Life Sciences Inc.
Rick Culbert, President of Bioniche Food Safety, describes the
vaccine as “the world's first fully licensed vaccine for use in
cattle to reduce shedding of E. coli 0157”. He said “there are a
few producers (both beef and dairy) that have faithfully been using
the vaccine. These producers do so because they believe it is the
right thing to do.” Because of the lack of symptoms in cattle, and
the lack of negative impact on productivity, the vaccine is perhaps
seen more as an added expense. “As the majority of cattlemen are
commodity oriented, with resistance to input costs, the product over
all has less than 5% market penetration.” Mr. Culbert adds that
most enquiries into the vaccine following the XL outbreak have been
by consumers and media, not by cattle producers. “I suppose that
is appropriate in that the vaccine is not for the benefit of the
cattle. It is for the benefit of the consumer – by reducing the
risk of E. coli 0157 exposure.” In Bioniche's recent annual
report, President Graham McRae said “ sales of our E. coli 0157
vaccine – <a href="http://www.econichevaccine.com/en/?page=home">Econiche </a>– have been limited to date as there is
presently no mandatory requirement for cattlemen in Canada to
vaccinate their animals, nor do they receive any compensation or
incentive to do so.” </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
of the cattle producers that are using the vaccine are those that
show cattle, and don't want to risk their animals contracting the
disease on the show circuit, or passing on any such bacteria to the
public at the fairs. Other users are often special label beef, that
can use the reduction or absence of the E. coli 0157 as a marketing
feature for public safety. Many producers, and especially feedlot
operators, have an interest in using the vaccine but would like to
see research trial results and work done to reduce the number of
injections from three to two. Some are looking forward to trials
that are testing probiotics that can perhaps compete with E. coli
0157.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
then there is the simple observation made several years ago that a
forage-based diet of grass and hay will reduce the shedding of the
bacteria. Even so, E. coli 0157 is so infectious in humans that it
does not take very many bacteria to cause an infection. Even with
reduced numbers at the animal level, there still needs to be good
slaughter practices of meat. <a href="http://youtu.be/kY09m-WJi2Q">Enormous plants with fast lines and minimal inspection practices are the last thing we need to have safemeat. </a></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
recent press release by XL outlines a plan that should significantly
reduce such incidents in the future. It includes holding all
carcasses until test results are completed. That should have been
the standard in a plant as large as this all along, knowing that it
was a matter of time before the system failed. And the CFIA should
not be off the hook and pointing fingers. There is no reason why a
CFIA inspector at the plant could not have stopped the line or
ordered that procedures be changed as soon as deficiencies were
noted. Small plants, like Jacques Campbell's, are under such CFIA
scrutiny every time they slaughter. Why not the big federal plants?
Local food just looks better and better.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-25797205614809030702012-09-27T09:55:00.001-07:002012-10-22T16:39:42.658-07:00The Rural Blog: New fracking film starring Matt Damon set for release..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AHQt1NAkhIo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<a href="http://irjci.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-fracking-film-starring-matt-damon.html?spref=bl">The Rural Blog: New fracking film starring Matt Damon set for rele...</a>: A new film about hydraulic fracturing will hit theaters this December, but this time it's a feature film, not a documentary. "Promised Land"stars Matt Damon as Steve Butler, a gas company representative who comes
to a rural, economically depressed town offering financial salvation in
exchange for natural gas drilling leases. The film is being directed by
Oscar-nominated director Gus Van Sant, who directed Damon in "Good Will
Hunting."..Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-6842817678067793292012-09-15T10:26:00.002-07:002012-09-17T15:29:00.864-07:00George Ross-Smith 1937-2012 <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUSo0bSz-NeIUDMZr5NxSRgk1rV_yxCsteRRnbPEbOZXDPI-yW8ZIdE9KCxsn2tFVOs26P3W0AQvl0Mf0e_5kc3Yxl_4oMTyfRQYY6hPf5uQwX-QDMPjQEI7-55CrKKSqNL-6wbD9uZg/s1600/000_0730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUSo0bSz-NeIUDMZr5NxSRgk1rV_yxCsteRRnbPEbOZXDPI-yW8ZIdE9KCxsn2tFVOs26P3W0AQvl0Mf0e_5kc3Yxl_4oMTyfRQYY6hPf5uQwX-QDMPjQEI7-55CrKKSqNL-6wbD9uZg/s320/000_0730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George on left, with Isaac Grimmer, Martha McMahon and Wally Bradley stooking hay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Pender Island lost long-time
resident and retired farmer George Ross-Smith on Wednesday, September
5<sup>th</sup> 2012 at Saanich Peninsula Hospital. George was just
over a month from his 75<sup>th</sup> birthday, and although his
health had declined in recent years it was still a shock to hear of
his passing.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
George Alfred Ross-Smith was born
October 14<sup>th</sup>, 1937 in Cornwall, Ontario. In 1947 George's
father Ashton bought the big Menzies farm on Pender Island and moved
the family to the farm, a few years before Pender Island had
electricity. George loved the freedom of the farm and the island,
causing a bit of a stir with his brother Ian whenever he could.
George spent many an hour chasing sheep back to the farm in his
childhood, as we all know how sheep ignore fences.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In his teens, George went to
Montreal and became an electrician. He married Marilyn in 1963, and
next year they would have been celebrating their fiftieth wedding
anniversary. In 1965 George and Marilyn and their growing family
moved from Montreal to Pender Island. There was a lot of work for
young people on the island at the time with the new Magic Lake
Estates development. George worked as an electrician on the project,
and he later worked in Vancouver on the construction of the Bentall
Buildings. After that he worked for the Ministry of Transportation,
later with JJM, maintaining the roads of Pender Island.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
George was also a farmer. George
raised cattle and sheep, and produced hay on the Ross-Smith Farm for
many years. At first he worked on the road crew full time, and
managed to farm when he could make the time. He often spoke of how
he looked forward to retirement so that he could farm full time. He
especially liked the hay season and would spend many hours on his
tractor, mowing, raking and baling. Many island children had their
farm experience with George, helping lift bales onto the wagon and
getting a good old fashioned hay ride to the big barn at the back of
the farm. He also was a great help to those with small hay fields
and no equipment. George would methodically move his tractor and
equipment to the various acreages to make sure the hay was cut.
George would help out if someone needed thistles cut, or a field
tilled for a market garden. George was more than a farmer, he was a
farmer's farmer. He would help anyone out. He taught newer farmers
various skills. When he wasn't physically able to do the tractor
work anymore, or keep livestock anymore, he allowed other farmers to
cut hay and keep livestock on his farm.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
George also took a great interest in
community. George was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion for 52
years. For many years George was a member of the Farmers'
Institute, and he took a special interest in the Fall Fair. George
volunteered as one of Angus McMonnie's assistants for the famous fall
fair barbeque, back to when it first started. Even in later years as
George passed the torch to the younger barbeque cooks, he would still
show up and enjoy helping where he could. When the fair moved to the
current site at the Community Hall next to his farm, George allowed
parking in his hay field for several years, taking the time to mow
the field a second time just before the fair. He helped set up and
take down and enjoyed it very much. But the first year he would not
allow parking there because he said when the Hall was built, there
was not enough parking spaces allotted. Of course, he was right.
That first year the parking was a bit of a disaster as cars went far
and wide up and down roads. George just wanted to prove his point.
George had also written to the Agricultural Land Commission to ensure
that the Hall land remained in the ALR, which it does with the
understanding that the Hall will support agriculture. George was
also supportive of the Community Garden which is located on
Ross-Smith Farm, which he tilled for them when he was physically
able.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There will be a graveside service
at Pender Island Cemetery 12:00 pm Saturday September 15, 2012. A
celebration of life will follow at the Royal Canadian Legion on
Pender Island.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTy76U66v2pKfylSyZLlPKsnS8-yMWBgTLPr8n9_VOFRTVesNQNqL8-MCG84uuVIZeSbJZMMjv0dGeO03W9REskeJPzttO88BibaKdVOMWjF_C0dAXtI19AH6YbLiO09yWdzOcuFIj3Y/s1600/irving060826094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTy76U66v2pKfylSyZLlPKsnS8-yMWBgTLPr8n9_VOFRTVesNQNqL8-MCG84uuVIZeSbJZMMjv0dGeO03W9REskeJPzttO88BibaKdVOMWjF_C0dAXtI19AH6YbLiO09yWdzOcuFIj3Y/s320/irving060826094.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George second from right at Fall Fair BBQ, with left to right Aaron Grimmer, Michael Bradley, unknown, Fred Wiercyski , photo by Kelly Irving.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
George was predeceased by his son
Scott. He is survived by his wife Marilyn, son Randall (Soinia)
daughter Catherine, grandsons Geoffrey, Nicholas, Jorden, J. J and
granddaughter Britney. He is also survived by his sister Jean
(Wally) Bradley and brother Ian, and many nieces and nephews. George
was a true island character, an independent soul who had a wide
circle of friends and interests. He will be dearly missed.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-53303231663058470842012-08-28T15:27:00.001-07:002012-08-28T15:27:21.625-07:00It's been a busy summer - wordless wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-40811299572648787682012-07-17T10:50:00.003-07:002012-07-17T10:53:09.480-07:00Make hay while the sun shines<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhhNyMc5aVS7JkRXTr0USFrGclIZezJQ5AF3OrPeSyhC6cKfrE0mXTTfO00oPKigVWHJoWpCoM86tNUImM8BrFoa9i6Pak3Ane_uCY1SL54BKLgtxzDNqbUnjciKlXsO8FjwsfQuofPY/s1600/000_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhhNyMc5aVS7JkRXTr0USFrGclIZezJQ5AF3OrPeSyhC6cKfrE0mXTTfO00oPKigVWHJoWpCoM86tNUImM8BrFoa9i6Pak3Ane_uCY1SL54BKLgtxzDNqbUnjciKlXsO8FjwsfQuofPY/s320/000_0723.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wally Bradley pitching hay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Make hay
while the sun shines”</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Latin
proverb</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
“<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
a third-generation farmer and largest hay producer on the Peninsula,
I can tell you what real farming is. It means surviving in a global
agriculture marketplace.” Bryce Rashleigh, farmer</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Farmers
who make hay in the summer start thinking about making hay in the
spring. The grass is growing after a winter’s sleep, and the hay
in the barn is nearly all gone; if you’re lucky you might have a
good reserve to sell your less lucky neighbour who ran out already.
Equipment will be pulled out, greased up, tested and parts replaced.
Maybe the farmer has been to a few early spring farm auctions to pick
up a “nu-to-yu” tractor, mower, rake or baler. When the grass is
ready to shoot ahead in growth, the farmer might spread some
fertilizer on the fields to ensure a good yield. Perhaps a field or
two may be completely renovated, which means tilling, rock picking,
raking, planting, and irrigating. </span></span>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfvmL1iYOga2J6PNuGoxytSKEPzHFNulUz8v6ICoZvEeF_mUcZMvFFk8mX9lXddgDp1FD0v3CeOORkQvfJtxOaMNH1fNjL_jEBZ-HKYE3YOWn5iB-UErL75cBK3J7V-sdug1trp1o868/s1600/Haying+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfvmL1iYOga2J6PNuGoxytSKEPzHFNulUz8v6ICoZvEeF_mUcZMvFFk8mX9lXddgDp1FD0v3CeOORkQvfJtxOaMNH1fNjL_jEBZ-HKYE3YOWn5iB-UErL75cBK3J7V-sdug1trp1o868/s320/Haying+019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the crew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
farmer has an eye on the weather at this time, hoping for warm rains
to help the grass grow, and warm stretches of dry sun just at the
time of cutting, curing, raking and baling. Only comedy is more
reliant on timing and perception than farming. Then again, maybe
they are about the same in that respect. Because if you don’t hit
it all just right, nobody is laughing. There is no rest or
celebrating until the last bale is in the barn. Hopefully, none
of it was rained on. Hopefully, none of the equipment broke down in
the process. Once the hay is all in, the farmer should have enough
hay to last six months. Part of having a sustainable farm is being
able to produce and store your own feed for your own livestock so
they can enjoy their own “100 mile diet” year round. </span></span>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R9g8AvCBKXo8I6KFkbcagP9v0wFHnjLbKszhmIIXv_YOH9PWui2-DxYHQPU3aO7GpHy8ljNab08dsC45LCYi_rKu_W2NUvvLhBljROFcKjuuyaop-AIEG9fQgcvQRJu71UzSWPSlg24/s1600/Haying+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R9g8AvCBKXo8I6KFkbcagP9v0wFHnjLbKszhmIIXv_YOH9PWui2-DxYHQPU3aO7GpHy8ljNab08dsC45LCYi_rKu_W2NUvvLhBljROFcKjuuyaop-AIEG9fQgcvQRJu71UzSWPSlg24/s320/Haying+022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the whole family pitches in</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
of this takes a lot of work, and is a central activity of many farms.
So how is it that in the past couple of years I have heard that
producing hay is not really farming? What is a farm and what is
farming? We all know it is a place where food, fibre and perhaps
flowers are grown or raised or produced. Sometimes farms are
subsistent and produce only for the residents of the farm. Sometimes
farms are very productive, supplying food to many people who do not
farm at all. Many types, sizes and definitions. So how is producing
hay not really farming? Perhaps people who think this do not
realize that hay is just one step removed from the beef or lamb on
your plate. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bryce
Rashleigh of Central Saanich makes a living producing hay on his own
and other’s land. He keeps state of the art equipment, employs
7-10 people a year, and prides himself on being a very good farmer.
He believes that hay farms are keeping the land in farming until the
economics of farming improve. There is good demand for hay in these
parts. Many small farmers do not have the land base or capital to
grow their own hay, so they must buy it from someone who does, or
have someone like Bryce cut their hay for them. Farmers will grow
what they can sell. If you see land in hay and not “food” such
as carrots or beans, think about what might be behind this. Bryce
and many other farmers blame the global supermarket on the cheap food
and labour that Canadian farmers have to compete against. In the
west we have an overabundance of food from all over the world in our
supermarkets. If the consumer bought local food, or requested the
supermarket to source out and carry local produce, there would be the
demand to encourage more local vegetables and fruits to be produced
here. Otherwise, farmers will just keep growing what they can sell.
With predictions that global food production will have to double by
the year 2030 to meet the escalating demand for food, maybe rising
food prices and higher transportation costs will drive up the price
of imported food, making locally produced foods more competitive. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Farming
looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand
miles from the corn field.”</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dwight
D. Eisenhower</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Pender Island, BC V0N, Canada48.7758765 -123.255615248.765412500000004 -123.27535619999999 48.7863405 -123.2358742tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-69300999657627181572012-07-03T12:37:00.001-07:002012-07-06T16:16:16.209-07:00"Tired" - photo by Kelly Hofer, ex-Hutterite, and story on my visit to a Hutterite farm<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhofer/5736892333/" title="Tired"><img alt="Tired by An ex-Hutterite's Life . Kelly Hofer" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3299/5736892333_1f382bc38a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhofer/5736892333/">Tired</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhofer/">An ex-Hutterite's Life . Kelly Hofer</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
I was in Alberta for a sheep meeting a while back, and since we made a family visit/road trip out of it, it seemed a good time and place to look around for Border Collies. One of the ads we called said he had just the dog for me, so out we went. <br />
The farm was a huge grain and livestock operation on 6,000 acres, with several barns and buildings, and what looked like an apartment complex. There was no farm sign, no clear indication that this was anything but a big ubiquitous Alberta farm. The fellow with the dogs answered our questions, and then seemed quite pleased to grant our request for a short tour. We all went across the road to the main farm complex, and immediately it became apparent that this was a Hutterite farm. All the men were dressed in black, even the boys. No women were in sight. The children quickly swarmed around our vehicle, as curious about us as we were about them.<br />
Since it was winter, the tour started with their main workplace – the shop. They first showed us their woodworking shop. Then they showed us their pride and joy - a high tech computerized metal fabricating shop to make customized attachments for Bobcats. Many Hutterite colonies have diversified into manufacturing, some have developed value-added farm products, like pancake mixes or wool comforters. The needs to keep men working year round and contributing to the colony as they have adapted farming technologies that reduce labour requirements, and the need for capital to expand their operations, are the drivers behind the diversification into manufacturing. <br />
After the tour of the workshops, we got into a big farm truck to go feed the cattle. The cattle were sleek and healthy, and were fed a chopped mix of grain and forage. We noticed the absence of a radio in the truck. The influences of the outside world are minimized here, yet they still are on the fore front of any technologies that could enhance their farm. <br />
The colony also had a large layer operation. We entered the layer barn at the egg handling area. The eggs came in by conveyer belts, automatically picking up the eggs as they were laid and delivering them to be graded, sorted, washed, packed then put into a cooler. The packing area was tiled from floor to ceiling and very clean. We weren’t allowed into the layer barn, but could see inside where the chickens were. The colony also had pigs and meat chickens, and produced all of their own grain, hay and straw. They also had a large garden to produce vegetables for the colony. <br />
After I got home I researched Hutterites on the internet, and was particularly impressed by a Flickr site called the “Shutterite”, a young Hutterite’s photos of his colony and their work. Not long after I was looking at the photos, the site became closed to visitors or shut down, and I wondered what happened to the brilliant photographer. Then I opened my <a href="http://www.producer.com/2012/06/hutterite-photographer-walks-fine-line%E2%80%A9/" target="_blank">Western Producer</a> last week and there were the unmistakable images of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhofer/" target="_blank">Kelly Hofer,</a> laid out in full colour splendour in the center of the widely read farm paper. The article about him mentioned that although his photos have shown his colony in a good light, the religious leaders are not comfortable with the attention this has brought Kelly. Individualism is not encouraged in a Hutterite colony, where everyone works for the good of the group. I was further pleased to see one of Kelly Hofer’s photos on the front page of the <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/16/an-inside-view-of-hutterite-country-as-religious-community-opens-up-to-cameras/" target="_blank">National Post </a>only a week after the Western Producer feature. The photo was of a Hutterite girl in traditional dress, sitting in the rim of an enormous tractor tire out in a big farm field. The article that went with it was about Kelly and his life as a Hutterite photographer, and the struggle the Hutterites face balancing adoption of modern technology and adherence to traditional communal values. The article went on to say that Kelly had decided to leave the colony, a personal decision to pursue his gift.<br />
Whatever people may say about the Hutterite culture, they are among the most successful, productive, innovative farmers in Canada and the US. Hutterites came to North America in the 1800's, encouraged by the promise of religious freedom and the opportunity to grow their pacifist communities. They have somehow managed to blend their old-style communal traditions and strong work ethic with state of the art farm technology, easily adopting cooperative agricultural management and economies of scale to achieve a level of success non-Hutterites sometimes resent. Their colonies are self-contained, with their own schools, churches, abattoirs and all the services a small community would need. They have a communal structure where all assets are shared, none are individually owned, and their traditions are deeply ingrained and rigid. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxE0Ymi64fb8MXKFEHEEeIb7-gaF7siYaLBBY3nanVNNo-RLOmvm9XeHhx9ooYI10MxBstG-WV-q7fQ4w8-NaaTKNsEEjQaa45zEEMTCfPbazKj-ncruW_17AJnnZ3aOg1ILj9rarUZY/s1600/4324949401_1a4435a1b6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxE0Ymi64fb8MXKFEHEEeIb7-gaF7siYaLBBY3nanVNNo-RLOmvm9XeHhx9ooYI10MxBstG-WV-q7fQ4w8-NaaTKNsEEjQaa45zEEMTCfPbazKj-ncruW_17AJnnZ3aOg1ILj9rarUZY/s320/4324949401_1a4435a1b6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Since 1949 when the first colony came to Saskatchewan, they expanded their land holdings to over 2% of all agricultural land in that province, over half a million acres, by 1993. In 2009, Hutterites owned over 40% of all hogs in Manitoba, and over a third of all hogs in Alberta, even though they represented less than 10% of the operations. In South Dakota, Hutterites raise 50-60% of the hogs, in Montana, 90%. Colonies in Montana also produce 98% of the eggs using state-of-the-art equipment. In BC, colonies are in the Peace River area, many raising sheep, cattle and grain.<br />
These aren’t what some would call family farms, but they are.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Alberta, Canada53.9332706 -116.576503548.5796851 -126.6839255 59.2868561 -106.4690815tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-34074929530747996462012-07-03T12:19:00.003-07:002012-07-06T16:15:57.595-07:00Hutterite Farms<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BeemIdPuVGEP7CMOdcWLlNbaJ0rxbwUVy7aL5CY3SgSe6pkkqcgMz8l5RwalwQkRcxOK2fattTntP-pNBmW2wsC9GmGex0s5rmMLtDE5Sj41p_-mCiDOr3ETEIo7fu0Lh4CRWPzGQOI/s1600/4324949401_1a4435a1b6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BeemIdPuVGEP7CMOdcWLlNbaJ0rxbwUVy7aL5CY3SgSe6pkkqcgMz8l5RwalwQkRcxOK2fattTntP-pNBmW2wsC9GmGex0s5rmMLtDE5Sj41p_-mCiDOr3ETEIo7fu0Lh4CRWPzGQOI/s320/4324949401_1a4435a1b6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was in
Alberta for a sheep meeting a while back, and since we made a family
visit/road trip out of it, it seemed a good time and place to look
around for Border Collies. One of the ads we called said he had just
the dog for me, so out we went. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The farm was a
huge grain and livestock operation on 6,000 acres, with several barns
and buildings, and what looked like an apartment complex. There was
no farm sign, no clear indication that this was anything but a big
ubiquitous Alberta farm. The fellow with the dogs answered our
questions, and then seemed quite pleased to grant our request for a
short tour. We all went across the road to the main farm complex,
and immediately it became apparent that this was a Hutterite farm.
All the men were dressed in black, even the boys. No women were in
sight. The children quickly swarmed around our vehicle, as curious
about us as we were about them.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since it was
winter, the tour started with their main workplace – the shop.
They first showed us their woodworking shop. Then they showed us
their pride and joy - a high tech computerized metal fabricating shop
to make customized attachments for Bobcats. Many Hutterite colonies
have diversified into manufacturing, some have developed value-added
farm products, like pancake mixes or wool comforters. The needs to
keep men working year round and contributing to the colony as they
have adapted farming technologies that reduce labour requirements,
and the need for capital to expand their operations, are the drivers
behind the diversification into manufacturing. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the tour
of the workshops, we got into a big farm truck to go feed the cattle.
The cattle were sleek and healthy, and were fed a chopped mix of
grain and forage. We noticed the absence of a radio in the truck.
The influences of the outside world are minimized here, yet they
still are on the fore front of any technologies that could enhance
their farm. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The colony also
had a large layer operation. We entered the layer barn at the egg
handling area. The eggs came in by conveyer belts, automatically
picking up the eggs as they were laid and delivering them to be
graded, sorted, washed, packed then put into a cooler. The packing
area was tiled from floor to ceiling and very clean. We weren’t
allowed into the layer barn, but could see inside where the chickens
were. The colony also had pigs and meat chickens, and produced all
of their own grain, hay and straw. They also had a large garden to
produce vegetables for the colony. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTJU-nm2ZaTZEKYC72DVwWTHY8VrUzyrpJDcqyqn0B8K9LlWifGsUYB8_oofMtO6QA6yyHmwW1TbH2LVl8WFrumMqI3n3aT65bytKBMlEcxOXys-HvwffxBfzpGft4bZY9k1JuB5Flts/s1600/tired.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTJU-nm2ZaTZEKYC72DVwWTHY8VrUzyrpJDcqyqn0B8K9LlWifGsUYB8_oofMtO6QA6yyHmwW1TbH2LVl8WFrumMqI3n3aT65bytKBMlEcxOXys-HvwffxBfzpGft4bZY9k1JuB5Flts/s1600/tired.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhofer/" target="_blank">Kelly Hofer on Flickr</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After I got
home I researched Hutterites on the internet, and was particularly
impressed by a Flickr site called the “Shutterite”, a young
Hutterite’s photos of his colony and their work. Not long after I
was looking at the photos, the site became closed to visitors or shut
down, and I wondered what happened to the brilliant photographer.
Then I opened my <a href="http://www.producer.com/2012/06/hutterite-photographer-walks-fine-line%E2%80%A9/" target="_blank">Western Producer</a> last week and there were the
unmistakable images of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhofer/" target="_blank">Kelly Hofer</a>, laid out in full colour splendour
in the center of the widely read farm paper. The article about him
mentioned that although his photos have shown his colony in a good
light, the religious leaders are not comfortable with the attention
this has brought Kelly. Individualism is not encouraged in a
Hutterite colony, where everyone works for the good of the group. I
was further pleased to see one of Kelly Hofer’s photos on the
front page of the <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/16/an-inside-view-of-hutterite-country-as-religious-community-opens-up-to-cameras/" target="_blank">National Post</a> only a week after the Western
Producer feature. The photo was of a Hutterite girl in traditional
dress, sitting in the rim of an enormous tractor tire out in a big
farm field. The article that went with it was about Kelly and his
life as a Hutterite photographer, and the struggle the Hutterites
face balancing adoption of modern technology and adherence to
traditional communal values. The article went on to say that Kelly
had decided to leave the colony, a personal decision to pursue his
gift.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whatever people
may say about the Hutterite culture, they are among the most
successful, productive, innovative farmers in Canada and the US.
Hutterites came to North America in the 1800's, encouraged by the
promise of religious freedom and the opportunity to grow their
pacifist communities. They have somehow managed to blend their
old-style communal traditions and strong work ethic with state of the
art farm technology, easily adopting cooperative agricultural
management and economies of scale to achieve a level of success
non-Hutterites sometimes resent. Their colonies are self-contained,
with their own schools, churches, abattoirs and all the services a
small community would need. They have a communal structure where all
assets are shared, none are individually owned, and their traditions
are deeply ingrained and rigid. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Since 1949 when
the first colony came to Saskatchewan, they expanded their land
holdings to over 2% of all agricultural land in that province, over
half a million acres, by 1993. In 2009, Hutterites owned over 40% of
all hogs in Manitoba, and over a third of all hogs in Alberta, even
though they represented less than 10% of the operations. In South
Dakota, Hutterites raise 50-60% of the hogs, in Montana, 90%.
Colonies in Montana also produce 98% of the eggs using
state-of-the-art equipment. In BC, colonies are in the Peace River
area, many raising sheep, cattle and grain.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: transparent; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">These
aren’t what some would call family farms, but they are. </span></span></span>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Calgary, AB, Canada51.045113 -114.05714150.885386000000004 -114.372998 51.20484 -113.74128400000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-3507733760136466392012-06-19T09:25:00.000-07:002012-07-03T11:29:43.451-07:00In remembrance of John Wilcox<br />
<div style="border: none; line-height: 0.4cm; padding: 0cm;">
“Our
imperative now lies not in how to grow this or how to market that.
What’s critical is a rebirth of BC farm Leadership. In BC, only one
half of one percent of the province still farms, and our provincial
government spending on agriculture, by percentage of GDP, is the
lowest in Canada. We need new mortgage systems to enable investment
in farmland. Using the Agricultural Land Reserve to grow our own food
will never happen without such enabled investment – and such
investment requires leadership.”
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">John
Wilcox, Salt Spring Island farmer, farm leader and farm writer</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6e6XIMJDW9e9fy9HHqxrqUjlTH7p_Ems0IAVVgdGm6y9_E2jvonO5e_NOnzVwdt-a4Zf-2-HDLVVelJoQ5uTlkxzqB_W9krkJgCf0IN3xCGDmnMywC8-7ZTEY44AbWYXViIHTkSdHNK0/s1600/Vanc_Island_and_Saltspring_July_2009_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6e6XIMJDW9e9fy9HHqxrqUjlTH7p_Ems0IAVVgdGm6y9_E2jvonO5e_NOnzVwdt-a4Zf-2-HDLVVelJoQ5uTlkxzqB_W9krkJgCf0IN3xCGDmnMywC8-7ZTEY44AbWYXViIHTkSdHNK0/s400/Vanc_Island_and_Saltspring_July_2009_019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"> The
farm community lost a prominent voice, strong leader, good friend and
mentor when John Wilcox passed away on June 15</span><sup><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">
at age 72. John was a sixth- generation farmer/agronomist and
agriculture school graduate who owned and operated Duck Creek Farm on
Salt Spring Island with his life partner Sue Earle. Over the past
twenty years, since moving the family farm from Ontario to BC, John
was an active member and served on the boards of directors of several
farm and conservation organizations. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1330254593766950261" name="_GoBack"></a> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Active
is perhaps an understatement. In a notice to all District "A" Farmers’
Institute members, Jenny McLeod, Secretary of District A said “He
WAS District "A" Farmers’ Institute and our resident historian. He
gave his all for farmers and farming and gave a voice to small scale
farmers throughout BC. He was a founder of FARM Community Council
and a real contributor to agriculture in BC.” </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">John
also had interests beyond our borders and was at the forefront of
many initiatives. As a new graduate in 1961, he went to rural India
as an agricultural volunteer and became a founding member of Canadian
Volunteers Overseas, now Canadian University Students Overseas
(CUSO). His current positions included membership in BC Farm Writers
Association, Island Natural Growers and Salt Spring Island Chamber of
Commerce. John was also a Conservation Partner with The Land
Conservancy of BC. In 2007 John received a Life Time Achievement
Award for Dedicated Service to Community Agriculture and District “A”
Farmers Institute for his many years serving on boards for Islands
Farmers Institute, Island Natural Growers, District "A" Farmers’
Institute, BC Federation of Agriculture, FARM Community Council,
Investment Agriculture and the BC Agriculture Council.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">His
crowning achievement was Duck Creek Farm, an organic market garden
and biodiverse conservation area. He had to work hard, for many
years, to earn the money to buy and develop the land into a viable,
productive farm and home. His success as a farmer was recognized
by the business community, as he was awarded the first ever Salt
Spring Island Chamber of Commerce Home Based Business Award in 2006,
and the Agricultural/Farm Business of the Year Award in 2011. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">For
years John Wilcox wrote pearls of wisdom in his “Barn Side”
column, prominently featured with his infectious smile on the
editorial pages of the widely-read farm paper, Country Life in BC.
His columns dissected government policies and actions, presented
opinions and ideas, in essence not just thinking out loud but talking
(or shouting) out loud to anyone who would listen. His style was all
his own. The farmer-activist, who used his pen as his weapon, or
tool, was vital in communicating to policy makers, other farmers and
the public.</span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">His personal
frustrations with the ever-growing counterproductive bureaucracies
became the catalyst for his activism and his actions. His early
working life included government positions in both Ontario and BC in
the golden years of extension services for farmers, so he had a good
idea of what farmers needed, and what government could provide. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">John
was also known as “Johnny Canuck”, for his anti-Free Trade
mission in 1988 highlighted by a cross-Canada round trip in a 1941
maple leaf-painted Chevy. It is so appropriate that his life will be
celebrated on Canada Day, July 1</span><sup><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">,
at Fulford Hall, starting at 3 pm.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">John
is survived by his brother, Jim Wilcox, daughter Lisa Wilcox, first
wife Judith Stuart, daughters Samantha Wilcox and Emma Rubatscher
(Jon), second wife Lynda Wilcox, stepson Dan Brooke (Erica),
granddaughter Megan Brooke, partner Sue Earle, stepson Eland
Bronstein and daughter Ella Bronstein.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Unnamed Rd, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2B6, Canada48.8166622 -123.508875548.4831622 -124.1405895 49.150162200000004 -122.8771615tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-8513718802170310542012-05-26T11:55:00.001-07:002012-06-10T15:46:20.808-07:00Tent Caterpillars invade Gulf Islands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycPgpnLcJcF_2qZanwv4lUgFUBRgNh1RBnJxTk7krVbCOuhGb2zDP7M6zhbg4scCpcWn4DRM-ipsp3VxTiPum-_-wf690lDY3mx2c0Z5SXAtnrW5NNf6uGd7-aKYmKKX8LPRZv7VPN64/s1600/538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycPgpnLcJcF_2qZanwv4lUgFUBRgNh1RBnJxTk7krVbCOuhGb2zDP7M6zhbg4scCpcWn4DRM-ipsp3VxTiPum-_-wf690lDY3mx2c0Z5SXAtnrW5NNf6uGd7-aKYmKKX8LPRZv7VPN64/s320/538.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Tent caterpillars are
upon us again this year, with a vengeance. We watched the tents
forming on our apple trees and the surrounding alders and hawthorns,
and with a few warm days we saw an explosion of caterpillars. They
love the heat. Even though the damage to individual trees can be
severe, they usually grow back foliage by the summer and rarely are
trees killed, so there is no need for panic and drastic measures,
like cutting your trees down.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Still, it is hard to
stand idly by and watch the drastic defoliation that occurs in a tent
caterpillar outbreak.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I thought last year was
pretty bad, and asked Judith Myers, Saturna resident and UBC
researcher, some questions about tent caterpillars. Judith has
studied western tent caterpillars and their biological controls for
several years, and has several study areas, including Saturna,
Westham, Galiano and Mandarte Islands and the Cyress Mountain area.
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKW9PsK6X08otR-F1_pZBmReQYSqFRQLDxx504qNpKXkgibfKL8xgbX1xmt8sldCnghm3EK9vwAyZkQ2lhohn20flqXv6PUL1ggjY7oGk-M6sztxi-a0FKTlEyN5uk7YGW6ojQaHQsDwg/s1600/557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKW9PsK6X08otR-F1_pZBmReQYSqFRQLDxx504qNpKXkgibfKL8xgbX1xmt8sldCnghm3EK9vwAyZkQ2lhohn20flqXv6PUL1ggjY7oGk-M6sztxi-a0FKTlEyN5uk7YGW6ojQaHQsDwg/s320/557.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
According to Dr. Myers,
the severity of outbreaks varies with a cycle of approximately eight
to ten years, and different regions are not all in the same part of
the cycle at the same time. Last year Saturna was experiencing a
peak year with a lot of disease, whereas Galiano was quite healthy
and will probably be on their way to peaking.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The caterpillars hatch
into moths, which lay many eggs so have the potential to increase.
When they get very dense they get a viral disease that is specific to
them. That kills many of them. As parasites build up in the tent
caterpillars, and they defoliate the trees, their numbers begin to
decline. They are a native insect and their natural targets are the
deciduous trees, especially red alders, and the hawthorns and wild
roses. Their preferred hosts are alder, apple, ash, birch, cherry,
cottonwood, willow, fruit trees, and roses. During heavy
infestations, the tent caterpillars will migrate and feed on many
other plants.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Dr. Myers says that the
tent caterpillars are probably doing particularly well because humans
create disturbances which increase the number of red alder trees and
fruit trees that they can feed on. If they are just left alone,
they will naturally decline and continue their cycle, but most people
want to prevent or treat the outbreaks on their fruit trees. With a
few trees, hand picking and cutting off nests, in the evenings when
the caterpillars return to their nests, can help to reduce damage.
The cut-off nests are burned or put into bags and sealed for
disposal. Some orchards use Btk spray (<i>Bacillus thuringiensis
kurstaki</i><i> </i>) which is good for hard to reach areas. The
microbial sprays based on this bacterium work only after a
caterpillar eats a piece of leaf with Btk crystal proteins and spores
on it. The proteins dissolve in the highly alkaline conditions found
in a caterpillar gut and this paralyses their digestive tract. This
causes the caterpillar to stop feeding and eventually to starve. Btk
is non-toxic to humans, other mammals, birds, snakes, fish,
earthworms and most other insects. It is an excellent choice for
caterpillar control because it does not harm the beneficial insects
and other animals that keep caterpillar numbers low. Btk must be
eaten by caterpillars to have an effect, therefore it should only be
used when caterpillars are actively feeding. It does not work on
eggs, pupae or adult stages. For best results, spray in the evening,
when no rain is expected. Use a fine spray and ensure that both sides
of leaves are thoroughly covered. However, if only the apple trees
are protected, caterpillars can move on to them later in the season
from other host plants nearby.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Removing eggs and small
tents, spraying, and continual vigilance can reduce the problem and
protect the trees. The BT sprays have been widely used for years,
are safe, and don't kill off the natural enemies of the moths.
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXJnBuubOfiaM0X3UcauY8GinNP-733ZiiN8BEZwqX0E0-k8h0wDFPXcvcsWlcQd73fzltcEeaHHhTenT1i__zvfuBRpbwj7S_MOUtQ_ypEybNOF8IZZUgTtm61OH8jUMMKtetU4D19M/s1600/550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXJnBuubOfiaM0X3UcauY8GinNP-733ZiiN8BEZwqX0E0-k8h0wDFPXcvcsWlcQd73fzltcEeaHHhTenT1i__zvfuBRpbwj7S_MOUtQ_ypEybNOF8IZZUgTtm61OH8jUMMKtetU4D19M/s320/550.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Tent caterpillars have
many native enemies including birds, yellow jackets and other
predatory wasps, parasitic flies, tiny parasitic wasps and predatory
bugs as well as viruses, bacteria and fungus diseases. Encouraging
these native enemies is the most environmentally sound (and often the
simplest and least expensive) method of suppressing tent
caterpillars.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div align="CENTER">
<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com32215-3331 Port Washington Rd, Capital G, BC V0N 2M1, Canada48.804828410591895 -123.2988739013671948.783912410591896 -123.33835590136719 48.825744410591895 -123.25939190136718tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1330254593766950261.post-74801435276436294792012-04-27T08:53:00.001-07:002012-04-27T08:53:34.283-07:00Law of the Lands - Farm, Energy and Enviro Law: Is clearing of trees a normal farm practice?<a href="http://landownerlaw.blogspot.com/2012/04/is-clearing-of-trees-normal-farm.html?spref=bl">Law of the Lands - Farm, Energy and Enviro Law: Is clearing of trees a normal farm practice?</a>: The Supreme Court of British Columbia is going to be dealing with the question of whether a farmer can be restrained from clearing trees on ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0