Peace Edition Regional Newsletter
September | Drought and Wildfire Preparedness: Upcoming Events: Programs and Services: Business Risk Management Programs: Resources and Services: Surveys: | This has been an especially challenging season for agriculture in many parts of B.C. due to severe drought and water scarcity. As the growing season winds down, fall is an important window to help your operation recover and prepare for the year ahead. Producers are encouraged to: - Plan forage, feed and herd needs. Take stock of feed and water now, assess pasture and forage stands weakened this year, and plan rejuvenation or reseeding. See the Forage and Livestock management resources on the Drought in Agriculture webpage.
- Protect soil over winter with cover crops, where fall conditions allow, as they help hold soil in place, improve water infiltration, trap snow (where it occurs), reduce evaporation, and build the water-holding capacity that pays off in future dry years. The Cover Crops webpage has resources to help you match a cover crop to your soils, goals, and conditions.
- Protect perennial crops. Where water is available, fall watering helps drought-stressed tree fruit, grapes, and forage harden off and improves their odds of coming through winter. Avoid excessive late-season irrigation, as it can stimulate new growth and delay cold acclimation.
- Think about longer-term resilience and water security in your community. The Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program will be reopening this fall to support community water infrastructure projects. If shared water supply is a challenge in your area, connect with your local government, irrigation or improvement district, or water supplier and encourage them to explore applying.
| 2026 Livestock Tax Deferral regions | Today, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an initial list of regions that will qualify for Livestock Tax Deferral in 2026 due to extreme conditions. The Livestock Tax Deferral provision allows livestock producers in prescribed areas, who are forced to sell all or part of their breeding herd due to forage shortfalls resulting from drought, excess moisture or flooding, to defer a portion of their income from sales until the following tax year. The income may be at least partially offset by the cost of reacquiring breeding animals, helping to reduce the tax burden of the original sale. Learn more | Online: Apprenticeship Program Host Farm Info Session When: Tuesday, September 8 at 11:00 AM (PT) Where: Online – Zoom link will be emailed to registrants Attend this information session to learn more about becoming a Host Farm in YA’s Apprenticeship Program. By joining the program, Host Farms not only have an extra hired hand on the farm but also have the opportunity to support a potential farmer in acquiring the skills they need to contribute to the growing movement of regenerative agriculture. Please RSVP for this free event. Register | | Seed Saving: Indigenous Agriculture Development Network (IADN) webinar When: September 22, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PT) Where: Online (Zoom) Why attend: Please join our webinar as Tiffany Traverse, the owner and operator of 4th Sister Farm, shares her immense knowledge on Seed Saving. Funding for the Indigenous Agriculture Development Network (IADN) is provided by the governments of Canada and B.C. through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative. Register | If you are looking for events that will put a smile on your face you have come to the right place. In every corner of the province fairs, exhibitions and festivals draw millions of visitors every year and for good reason. There is no better way to understand and celebrate a community than their local agriculture event. With agriculture exhibits, competitions and of course music, entertainment, food and thrills there is something for everyone. Find an agricultural fair, exhibition & festival! | Pitch and Plate When: January 27, 2027, and March 31, 2027 Where: Location TBD, Lower Mainland Now recruiting B.C. Food & Beverage Businesses to apply for the following Pitch & Plate Events. Apply here | | Why B.C. food and beverage brands should apply to attend: - Learn how to sell to K-12 schools and access the growing institutional food market (January 27)
- Bring your natural and independent products in front of retailers (March 31)
- Receive training, coaching, and market insights from industry experts
- Connect directly with buyers, distributors, and food service providers to pitch your products
| Applications open September 15! Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is fully allocated. The Agri-Business Planning Program (ABPP) supports B.C. primary agriculture producers and food and beverage processors in building stronger, more resilient businesses: - Access up to $9,500 in funding through two program streams
- Receive support for activities including business planning, financial analysis, business management training, disaster preparedness and recovery planning
Funding is provided by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Learn more | Beneficial Management Practices Program Extreme Weather: Plans & Designs remains open | Applications for the FireSmartTM BC Farm & Ranch Assessment have been extended and will now accept applications until October 31, 2026. This extension provides additional time for eligible farmers and ranchers to receive funding to assess wildfire risks on their operations and identify opportunities to improve resilience. The program is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. (IAF). Funding is provided in part by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Additional funding has been provided by Clean B.C. Visit BMP for full details | The Work-Sharing Program helps employers avoid layoffs during temporary business slowdowns by allowing employees to work reduced hours while receiving Employment AgriStability (EI) benefits to help offset lost earnings. Employers participating in Work-Sharing may also be eligible for the Worker Retention Grant (WRG), which supports training, upskilling, and income top-ups while employees are on reduced schedules. Temporary measures introduced in March 2025 have expanded access to Work-Sharing for businesses impacted by U.S. tariffs and will remain in effect until March 31, 2027. Questions or Support: Email: edsc.dgop.dmpj.smet-wrg.wdy.pob.esdc@servicecanada.gc.ca Or call: Employer Contact Centre at 1-800-367-5693 (Canada & US) TTY: 1-855-881-9874 Learn more | Insurance and Income Protection Programs are an important part of a farmer's overall risk management strategy. AgriStability and Production Insurance work together to provide the best coverage for producers. | | AgriStability is a low-cost program that helps protect your farm income. If your farm income drops by more than 30%, you may be eligible for financial support. 2026 Late Participation Because of the extreme weather impacts in 2026, producers have another chance to join AgriStability: - You can enrol as a Late Participant for 2026 coverage until November 30, 2026
- If you are enrolled for 2026, you may be eligible for an advance payment of up to 75% of your estimated benefit
Enrol or learn more about Late Participation today. Important: 2025 Statement A Deadline The final deadline to submit your 2025 Statement A with penalty is September 30, 2026. New online forms make it quick and easy to submit your information. Need Help? Our staff can answer your questions, help with applications, and discuss advance payments. Call: 1-877-343-2767
Email: AgriStability@gov.bc.ca | Learn more | | Application and payment deadlines: - October 31 for berries, grapes, flower bulbs and strawberry plants
- November 30 for tree fruit and forage
Production Insurance helps protect your farm income when extreme weather and other risks damage your crops or affect your yield. Get the coverage you need and peace of mind knowing your farm is with Production Insurance. How to Claim Damages If you have Production Insurance and suspect crop damage: - File a Notice of Loss as soon as damage is suspected
- Do not put your crop to other use (e.g., graze, remove, till under) until an adjuster confirms your production loss
Need Help? Representatives are available to answer questions and help with claims, applications, or renewals. Call: 1-888-332-3352
E-mail: ProductionInsurance.Kelowna@gov.bc.ca. | Learn more | The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is relaunching its online courses, an essential resource to support and promote ongoing education in farm safety. To ensure the most up-to-date safety information and resources are available to help protect farmers, farm workers and farm families, CASA recently undertook a review of its online courses and updated content where necessary. The refreshed courses provide the latest training on a variety of topics. Learn more | | Beef Cattle Research Council resources for feed quality, testing & analysis for beef cattle Information and guidance on sampling different feeds. Learn more | Livestock drought management articles and resources Managing livestock in drought conditions can be challenging. This series of articles has some pointers for livestock producers to aid in management decisions. Learn more | Stay connected with BC Organic Grower magazine Farming is about more than what grows in the ground—it’s about the people, knowledge, and connections that make it possible. For more than 25 years, the BC Organic Grower has shared the stories shaping British Columbia’s organic community. Each issue brings together practical experience, current research, and inspiring perspectives from growers, educators, researchers, and professionals across the province. Most Organic BC members receive the BC Organic Grower as part of their membership benefits, and non-member subscriptions are also available. Learn more | Export Market Guides Are you preparing to enter a new export market? We are pleased to announce the launch of a new collection of Export Market Guides to support B.C.’s agriculture and food exporters as they grow their international presence and explore new market opportunities. The series includes guides for 15 of B.C.’s priority export markets, offering practical insights into regulatory requirements, market trends, shipping and logistics, business culture, and other key considerations for market entry and expansion. Funding was provided by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Export market guides | Discussion Paper on encouraging food processing inside the Agricultural Land Reserve There’s more time to have your say! The engagement period on encouraging food processing in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) has been extended to September 18. Read the discussion paper | Missed the last e-bulletin? Catch up on previous issue here. | Contact your local Regional Agrologist Brenna Schilds
Email: Brenna.Schilds@gov.bc.ca AgriService BC connects farmers, food processors and new entrants to agricultural services, programs and information that can help them succeed. | | | | | |
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