For all intakes, applicants are invited to start drafting their applications up to two weeks before applications can be submitted. This allows producers to work on their applications, ask questions, collect necessary application information, provide quotes etc, in anticipation of submission. Two weeks after applications are available, the submission button will go live, and producers can submit the applications for their projects. Projects will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis upon submission. Intake windows are as follows:
 
Soil Carbon and Energy & Fuel Efficiency BMPs: 
Open for applications: NOW
Submission window: Mar 12 – Mar 18

Re-opening Plans & Designs BMPs:
Open for applications and submission window: March 12 at 9 AM and ongoing until funding is fully allocated

Note:
’Open for applications‘ means applicants can commence drafting their application form and start uploading quotations etc.
’Submission window‘ means applicants can submit complete applications to IAF for review and adjudication.
 
*Intakes for Water Infrastructure BMPs for Fiscal Year 2024-25 will not be opening as funds are being applied to applications from the oversubscribed 2023 August/September intake.
 
For additional program details visit: www.iafbc.ca/bmp/

Applications Will Close March 11th!
 
Due to incredible demand, applications for the Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture (EWP) Program will be closing at 4:30pm on Monday, March 11, 2024.
 
IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you have a draft application in the IAF client portal, you must submit it prior to the deadline to be considered for funding!
 
Applications may reopen in 2024/2025 depending on available program funds. Stay tuned to this newsletter for program updates.

Learn more about the 2024 EWP Program, please visit: https://iafbc.ca/extreme-weather-preparedness/

Food Safety Program (FSP) ongoing application window will close at 4:30PM on March 15th, 2024!

The program provides 70% cost-shared funding up to a maximum of $25,000 to eligible B.C. farm-based (e.g., growing crops and raising animals for food) and eligible B.C. post-farm agri-food businesses (e.g., processing, packaging, warehousing, transporting, distributing, and importing operations) to increase adoption of food safety practices.

The FSP seeks to build public confidence in foods and beverages that are produced, processed, or handled by B.C. businesses along the agri-food value chain. FSP is being delivered by Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) until March 31, 2026.

For detailed information, program guide and application forms please visit the IAF website.

Please help us spread the word of this funding opportunity with your industry contacts.

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is announcing a new FCC Replacement Heifer Program to help Canadian cattle producers in maintaining or expanding their herds.

Sophie Perreault, FCC’s chief operations officer, says the drought conditions this summer affected a large cattle producing area in Western Canada and right now ranchers are making decisions about how to best manage their herds. She adds the Heifer Replacement Program will help reduce cash flow pressures for those who want to maintain or grow their herd.

Learn more about the program.

Date: 24 & 25 April, 2024
Location: 1767 Angus Campbell Rd, Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3
Time: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm

Day 1: Participants will be engaged in a full day of class sessions on how to prepare an NMP.
Day 2: Participants will take the exam components of the course. Thereafter, participants will prepare their case study NMP (working as a team).

Prior to the in-person sessions, participants are expected to complete the online component of the training. For any enquiries, please contact Ahmed Lasisi at ahmed.lasisi@gov.bc.ca.

B.C.’s farmers and food producers depend on a reliable supply of water to support food security and develop a resilient food system and economy. Water supply can be affected by many factors including seasonal weather, land use changes, water restrictions, and climate change. At the same time, flooding is a common hazard on B.C.’s farmland that can occur with little warning and have significant impact on farm operations.
 
Learn more about financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by drought on the Ministry’s Drought in Agriculture webpage. This page also contains key drought resources and information on livestock, crop, and irrigation management during drought. Links to information on flood forecasting, preparedness, and mitigation are found on our Flooding webpage.
 
Please visit the Ministry’s Agriculture Water website to access our library of water management resources for producers.

What is a Towards Increased Profits (TIP) Report?  A TIP Report is a simplified farm financial analysis, which provides producers with a cost of production (COP) report to compare their own farm (income and expenses) to other farms of similar type (benchmarks).

The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food will provide to those who are enrolled in AgriStability / AgriInvest and requested / consented to a report, a personalized, free, and confidential TIP Report to be mailed out this fall-winter. 

For more information about TIP Reports, please visit Towards Increased Profits (TIP) report - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca).  

Great news! You can still complete the University of Guelph Foundations in Agricultural Management course.

Completing this course will give you the knowledge and confidence to take your agricultural business to the next level.

Each of the eight modules takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and getting back into it is easy. Simply log in today using the same login name and password that you originally signed up with, and you can continue completing the course from where you left off!

Invest in Your Business. Invest in Yourself!
Questions? Reach out to us at help@guelphagriculturalmanagement.com

Effective February 13th, 2024, the Chief Veterinarian has removed General Order AIV2023-04 which prohibited commingling of poultry in the lower mainland.

If your flock is in an active Avian Influenza (AI) Primary Control Zone (PCZ), you will still need a permit to move your birds, their products, and by-products. Permits are required for both small and commercial flocks. More information can be found at:

• Avian influenza - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
• Avian influenza – Permits and conditions needed for movement control - Canadian Food Inspection Agency (canada.ca)

It is recommended that anyone attending a poultry commingling event continue to follow the guidelines listed below.
 
For 14 days preceding the commingling event:

• Maintain a closed flock.
• All persons who enter and exit the flock area use clean, dedicated boots, gloves and over-clothing in the flock housing area. 
• Minimize equipment movement into the closed flock housing area and ensure any required equipment is clean and dry before it is moved into the closed flock housing area;
• Exclude wild birds from the flock area
• Monitor the flock diligently for signs of illness and ensure birds from flocks with signs of illness are not brought to commingling events.

At the commingling event:      

• Minimize handling of birds     
• Maintain a distance of 2 metres between birds from different premises, and between birds and the public
• Use boot wash and hand sanitizer before entering and before exiting.

After the commingling event:·      

• Segregate and monitor new or returning birds for a minimum of 2 weeks.

Visit our AgriService B.C. Past Webinars library to view recorded webinars that could support your business.