September 2022 - Issue 13

AG TEAM UPDATE

The weather is changing and we are all frantically harvesting and processing for winter, moving animals to pastures with the last remaining grasses before snow fall, and getting all those summer jobs on the to-do list completed. Over the past few months our team was busy speaking with many of you at Community Events and at all seven of the Farmers' Markets in each of the communities of the RDBN.

Emergency management and invasive species management have been two recurring topics of discussion. We are going back into fall with many plans, including:

• helping disseminate extension information the RDBN Protective Services staff have prepared to help people plan for wildfires, floods and other hazards,
• continue updating the Connecting Consumers and Producers online directory,
• attend producer organization meetings to listen to current issues and topics of interest, and
• to record a second podcast series! Stay tuned!

We will continue to update you through the newsletter so please spread the word about how to sign up to receive it.

Invasive Plant Removal - Landowner Rebate!

The Landowner Invasive Plant Removal Rebate Program, offered in partnership between the RDBN and the Northwest Invasive Plant Council (NWIPC), is in place to aid landowners with the cost of controlling invasive plants on their private land. Qualified applicants may be eligible for a 50% rebate, maximum rebate is $750. Use this rebate to help control Canadian Thistle, Field Scabious (shown above), Knapweeds etc. Click here to see the list of invasive plants that are common in our region.

There are 4 easy steps to applying for the rebate...

1. Check that the invasive plant you have is on the Target Invasive Plant list (part of the application form).
2. Hire a certified pesticide applicator with a valid service licence to provide a cost estimate. We have a list of contractors.
3. Fill in Part 1 of the application when the certified pesticide applicator is at your place. Send that into NWIPC.
4. When the work is done and NWIPC has accepted your Part 1, submit Part 2 of the application.

Deadline to complete this application process is by November 15. Go to the Application here.

Funding Opportunities for Local Producers

Demystifying Emergency Preparedness

There never seems to be time to sit down and make an emergency plan, until there are motivating circumstances (like a wildfire in your area), and often then things are forgotten or missed. That is why planning well ahead of an actual emergency is incredibly important for making sure that you are able to act quickly, safely, and decisively in the case of an emergency event. It's also important to realize that there are different considerations for farms and properties that have Farm Status vs. those that don't. But it is important for hobby farms, homesteads and rural landowners to be just as ready to deal with an evacuation order as large farms and ranches. The RDBN Protective Services staff have created this easy to follow factsheet to help all producers start to plan and prepare.

Learning Opportunities for
New and Experienced Producers

Please let us know what you'd like to see in the next Growing Opportunities eNewsletter!