Islands Edition Regional Newsletter
July | Feature of the Month: - Table grape opportunity assessment identifies Vancouver Island potential
Flood, Drought, and Wildfire Preparedness: Upcoming Events: Programs and Services: - The Ministry of Agriculture and Food programs and services
- Intakes now open
- Intakes closing soon
Business Risk Management Programs: Resources and Services: | Table grape opportunity assessment identifies Vancouver Island potential | Bite into a large, crisp grape from your local grocer and you’re likely tasting fruit from the U.S., Chile or elsewhere abroad. Most table grapes sold in Canada are imported but the BC Table Grape Growers’ Association (BCTGGA) sees opportunities to increase their share of the market. Vancouver Island’s mild coastal climate is identified as a potential growing region for traditional green seedless grape varieties such as Thompson seedless. While we can’t compete with imports in volume, there is an opportunity to produce high quality, fresh seasonal grapes that appeal to the loyal ‘island-grown’ clientele. In addition to traditional green varieties there are several newer pink varieties with high consumer appeal. Key steps for moving the crop forward include variety trials and grower education. Table grape yields have benefitted from new trellising and canopy management approaches as well as precision irrigation techniques. As with any new crop, there’s a learning curve, but the BCTGGA is interested in finding growers to expand production. Contact Jane Johnston, President BCTGGA (avocavineyards@shaw.ca) for more information. Opportunity Assessment for BC Table Grapes | Peak irrigation season with limited water | In July, water demand can be at its highest, and the day-to-day choices you make now have a big impact on how your operation carries through the dry weeks ahead. Regardless of a watershed's formal drought level, producers are experiencing dry conditions across the province. Fine-tuning irrigation, working together as a community, and keeping an eye on local conditions helps stretch available supplies when they matter most. Managing without irrigation? For dryland farmers, sound grazing and management practices can help protect long-term health and productivity of forage stands, even in a dry year. For practical guidance, see the Livestock Drought Management Guide, Pasture and Hay Rejuvenation Options, the B.C. Grazing Management Guide, Adapting Dryland Cropping Systems to Drought Conditions and other livestock and forage resources on the Drought in Agriculture webpage. During intensifying drought and water scarcity conditions, the province may request voluntary water use reductions to help conserve and protect critical stream flows and fish habitat and eventually may issue temporary protection orders under the Water Sustainability Act that restrict water use for certain users. Staying aware of conditions on your water source means you're better positioned to respond if an order comes. Watch for notifications from the province and check the B.C. Drought Information Portal for current conditions in your watershed. | Wildfires are affecting many parts of B.C. As of July 2, 2026, the BC Wildfire Dashboard is reporting: - Warmer weather brings a heightened risk of new fire starts and increased fire behaviour in some areas of the province, including the Chilcotin and Southern Interior.
- Current response includes 84 personnel, 52 aviation, 3 heavy equipment, and 1 structure protection resources.
Stay Informed -
Sign up for local emergency notifications: Check the website of your local government to sign up for local emergency notifications. Your local authority is a key source of information during an emergency, including evacuation alerts and orders, and is responsible for the local Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). - Use the BC Wildfire Service Map: Online or download the app on Apple or Android
- Bookmark EmergencyInfoBC and EmergencyMapBC: Find current and verified updates, safety instructions, and links to official sources during emergencies. Follow EmergencyInfoBC on Facebook and X.
Get Prepared Create a custom Wildfire Plan: Protect livestock: Prepare for wildfire smoke: Reduce wildfire risk to farm buildings: - Wildfires can leave little time to react. Small actions ahead of time can substantially reduce the risk of structures being damaged from wildfires.
- Consider using field-proven FireSmart on your structures and the area within 30 metres of each structure, such as:
- Removing dry leaves, needles, and debris from around and on roofs of buildings
- Moving wood piles, equipment, and other flammable materials away from or into buildings
Learn more about protecting farm and ranch buildings with FireSmart principles. | Livestock Producer Roundtable Webinar | When: July 9, 2026, from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (PT) Where: Online Register here | | Maximizing Yield and Nutrition for the Ecologically Minded Grower | When: Jul 15, 2026 from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (PT) Where: WAWWE Farm, Baker Road, Salt Spring Island Register | | Understand the full farm/garden ecosystem from soil to production to harvest to market to waste. Integrating logistics, labour, regenerative techniques, and infrastructure, this course covers planning across seasons and continuous adaptation based on observation and experience. Design your farm/garden for resilience and scalability. Instructor: Clay Houghland With 20 years of experience in regenerative and organic farming, Clay brings a wealth of knowledge to the We Are What We Eat (WAWWE) Farm. After working with West Coast Seeds and honing his skills across Canada and the US, he returned to Salt Spring in 2018 to cultivate both the land and a vibrant community food system. WAWWE Farm is a thriving 12-acre regenerative farm focused on nourishing our community and planet. At WAWWE, the goal goes beyond food security—it's all about creating a sustainable food system that enriches our bodies, our community, and the environment. Clay and WAWWE are dedicated to providing Salt Spring families with fresh, nutrient-rich, harvest-to-table food grown sustainably on their 12-acre farm. | Webinar: Indigenous Agricultural Development Network | When: July 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PT) Where: Online (Zoom) Join the Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF), and New Relationship Trust (NRT) as they share program streams that align with Indigenous Food Systems and Agriculture Enterprises. Funding for the Indigenous Agriculture Development Network (IADN) is provided by the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Register | PacifiCan: Regional Innovation Ecosystems Program | As a part of PacifiCan’s commitment to enhancing client service, we are moving to a timed intake under the RIE program and a single-stage application process. The current intake opened June 24, 2026, and will close at 12:00 PM (PT) on September 11, 2026. PacifiCan anticipates a second opening later this year. Eligible activities include those that help businesses, for example: - Productivity improvement: enabling technology transfer, training and adoption of new technologies, business models and industrial applications to scale firms and boost competitiveness
- Market development and diversification: supporting businesses to expand and diversify markets through export readiness, promoting domestic trade and attracting investment, including through market analysis and trade mission
- Ecosystem development and business support: seizing strategic opportunities in B.C.’s areas of strength, including building resilient domestic supply chains, developing workforces, providing access to shared-use infrastructure and increasing the economic participation of Indigenous peoples and other under-represented groups
- Business acceleration: supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups to grow their businesses
Learn more | Beneficial Management Practices Program – Extreme Weather: Plans & Assessments | Applications are open for Extreme Weather: Plans & Assessments - FireSmart™ BC Farm & Ranch Assessment (Practice Code 3601). This assessment is required to apply for Wildfire Preparedness BMPS (BMP 3602 – 3604) in future program intakes.
- Planning & Design of Fill Pad for Farm Buildings (Practice Code 3704.1). This plan is required to apply for the ‘Fill Pad for Farm Buildings’ (BMP 3704.2) in future program intakes; get ahead and apply now!
Learn more about FireSmart Assessments: https://firesmartbc.ca/farm-and-ranch/ Book a Call:
If helpful, book a 10-minute phone consultation about your application. Prior to booking an appointment, please start your draft application and provide the ID number (similar to: BMP-202425-0####). Submissions are open until August 31, 2026 Learn more 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. | Foodtech Frontier is back for its second year, and applications are now open. This program recognizes Canada's leading and emerging food technology companies across two designations: Established Foodtech Leader and Rising Star. This year, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and MLT Aikins join Foodtech Frontier as program sponsors, helping spotlight the companies shaping Canada’s food tech future. Foodtech Frontier winners can expect to receive: - National media visibility and credibility as one of Canada’s leading food tech companies
- Investor and partner exposure
- Featured content across Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) channels
- A place in five regional showcases across the country
Applications are open until July 22, 2026. The winning companies will be announced this fall. More information can be found in the Program Guide. 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. | Farming has enough uncertainties – while you can’t predict extreme weather, rising costs, or market shifts, you can stabilize your bottom line against severe income drops with AgriStability. Please note: The final deadline to submit your 2025 Statement A (with penalty) has changed to September 30, 2026 (was December 31). Learn How to file your Statement A. We’re here to help make the process as simple as possible. Our AgriStability forms and prices page includes new online forms that make it easier to submit your information, and staff are always available to help. If you need assistance, please contact us at 1-877-343-2767 or AgriStability@gov.bc.ca. Learn more | Production Insurance helps producers manage their risk of crop losses caused by hail, spring frost, excessive rain, drought, flooding and other extreme weather events. In British Columbia, Production Insurance is available for Berries, Flower bulbs, Grain, Grapes, Tree fruits, and Vegetables. How to Claim Damages: If you have production insurance and damage is suspected, file a Notice of Loss immediately. Each time there is suspected crop damage, a Notice of Loss must be filed. File a Notice of Loss (PDF, 390KB) An insurance adjustor will then inspect the crop to determine the loss. It’s important to not put the crop to another use (like grazing, tilling under, removing, etc.) until an adjustor has visited the farm operation. Need Help? Production Insurance Representatives are available to help with claims, application and renewal process. If you need assistance, please contact us at 1-888-332-3352 or ProductionInsurance.Kelowna@gov.bc.ca Learn more | Agricultural Land Inventory | The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Partnership for Water Sustainability in B.C. are completing an Agricultural Land Inventory (ALI) across Regional District of Nanaimo (July 8 to 31) and Comox Valley Regional District (August 17 to August 25). The ALI program started in Pitt Meadows in 1996 to support the Ministry’s Strengthening Farming Program. Since then, ALIs have provided insight into the current state of the farming landscape across the province, including within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).Agricultural Land Inventory data has been used to: - Model potential impacts of climate change and different adaptation strategies;
- Model agricultural water demand for current and future climates;
- Inform the development of municipal Official Community Plans and Agriculture Area Plans;
- Understand the extent of actively farmed land and other major activities on the ALR land base; and
- Understand impacts to agriculture from new developments, bylaws, or regulations.
To complete an ALI, Professional Agrologists and ALI technicians perform visual observations to help confirm mapped crops, irrigation, natural vegetation, buildings, livestock facilities, and farm practices within the ALR and parcels where significant farming is observable.Visual observations are conducted only from public roads using vehicles marked with “Government of B.C.” or “B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food” signs. Watch for survey crews making frequent stops between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. across the region. This project was funded in part by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Learn more | New soil health assessment tools | Soil health is the foundation of productive agriculture, resilient ecosystems, and environmental and economic sustainability. To help producers monitor soil health and track the impact of soil management practices over time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food has developed two soil health assessment tools: - Soil Health Assessment Protocols (SHAP)
- In-Field Indicators of Soil Health
The two assessment methods are separate tools that serve different purposes but can complement each other. In-field indicators help growers quickly learn more about a field and decide where more detailed testing may be useful. SHAP provides more precise results that can be tracked over time.Producers interested in laboratory assessments of soil health can find out more in the B.C. Soil Health Assessment protocols: Producers interested in in-field measurements of soil health that can be self-assessed can find out more with the B.C. In-Field Indicators of Soil Health Guide and self-assessment videos: | B.C. agriculture and seafood statistics publications | Cariboo silvopasture planning demonstrations | A demonstration focused on planning and evaluating potential silvopasture adoption was initiated in 2015 with two ranches in the Cariboo. The objective was to identify, work through and illustrate some of the planning processes and considerations used within a private land context. The case studies serve as examples highlighting objectives, site conditions, experiences gained and management decisions made at the time. Learn more | Dairy Barn Cooling Factsheets | Health and wellness in the agriculture industry | Owning a farm business can be very stressful. Farmers, producers, processors, workers and their families face unique challenges that can lead to health and wellness issues. If you are struggling with the impact of these stresses, you are not alone. For information about health, wellness and managing stress please click the button below: Learn more | Organic BC Podcast: Grazing-Based Approaches to Invasive Weed Control | New on the Organic BC Podcast: a two-part miniseries on grazing-based approaches to invasive weed control. Join grazing expert and author Sarah Flack, retired B.C. agrologist Greg Tegart, and B.C. producers as they explore how intensive rotational grazing can help manage invasive weeds, improve pasture health, and support resilient farming systems. Through expert insights and on-farm case studies, this series highlights livestock as a practical tool for effective pasture management. Listen to the first episode here, and the second episode here. Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). | Pesticide application by drone not yet permitted in B.C. | Drone technology is advancing quickly, and this has many people curious about trying drones in B.C. While there have been recent changes at the federal level to allow more pest control products to be applied by drones, pesticide application by drone is currently not allowed in B.C. Understanding the roles:
Pesticide application by drone is regulated both federally and provincially. Federally, the operation of drones is regulated by Transport Canada and the application of pesticides by drone is regulated by Health Canada’s Pesticide Regulatory Directorate (PRD), formerly known as the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Provincially, pesticide application by drones is also regulated by the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks. Transport Canada requires specific certification for the pilot and the supporting field crew depending on the type of drone and how it will be used. Health Canada is responsible for evaluating and registering pesticides for use in Canada and has recently released a policy that allows drone use for pesticides that are already registered for aerial use. B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) regulates the sale, use and transportation of pesticides in B.C. in addition to federal Health Canada requirements. ENV is responsible for the development of training materials for pesticide applicators. What this means in B.C.:
Even if the federal pesticide label allows a product to be applied by drones, pesticide application by drone is not permitted in B.C. at this time. This is because drone application is not yet covered under existing provincial applicator certification categories and new training requirements and certification standards need to be developed. In addition, provincial regulations must be updated to support this new application method. Other crop uses for drones including pest monitoring, seeding and fertilizer application are not regulated provincially by ENV and can be conducted if all other relevant requirements (for example, Transport Canada pilot certification) have first been obtained. What’s next:
The work to allow pesticide application by drones is underway. ENV is currently developing new training materials and assessing the best way to safely integrate drone use into the existing regulatory framework. Stay Informed:
This is an evolving area, and there will be opportunities for input as work progresses. How to report complaints:
If you observe any pesticide application by drone, or suspect any other violations of environmental laws under the provincial IPM Act and Regulation, they can be reported to Report All Poachers and Polluters by phone or online form: https://forms.gov.bc.ca/environment/rapp/ Learn more | Missed the last e-bulletin? Catch up on previous issue here. | | | | |
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