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2 New Climate Stations added to Farmwest Weather Network

• North Okanagan Region - MABLE LAKE
• Southwest Interior - HAT CREEK

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Fabulous vine-ripened BC strawberries are here . . .  

June is normally cool and damp but this year it has been absolutely amazing... and boy are they ripening fast! So fast, in fact ,that now we are worried that we won't be able to get the word out that the strawberries are ready now! It wasn't that long ago, two weeks to be precise that we thought our season would just be starting now, not be at its peak. And we find ourselves in a bit of a bind, how to let everyone know that this weekend will be the big one? We need to let Lower Mainland in on the fact that strawberries are here now and may not be for much longer.

There really is nothing like local strawberries because ours ripen on the vine and are picked at their peak of flavour perfection. They don't even make it to supermarkets because they have to be eaten right away and don't last as long as those imported ones.  Visit our website at www.bcstrawberries.com for more information on our season and the strawberry industry in BC. You may even find a recipe or two!

Sincerely,
Your local BC strawberry farmers

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I am interested in whether there is any initiative to allow BC wineries to sell their wines at Farmer's Markets? Apparently it is allowed in Washington and Oregon, and the Ontario Farmer's Markets are trying to get an initiative going there. It would be a great addition to our Farm Markets, it is a true farm product as BC winery licensees must use 100% BC fruit, and it pairs well with many of the other products sold at farm markets.

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Going Green with Natural Fibres     This spring, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced more than $9.6 million in funding for creation of the Natural Fibres for the Green Economy Network (NAFGEN), under the Agricultural Bioproducts Innovation Program.  NAFGEN is a multidisciplinary network developing value-added markets for flax and hemp fibres. It brings together Canada’s top researchers, industry and producers to breed better varieties and solve problems with harvesting, processing, storage, transportation and grading. The network will also develop technologies to convert fibre and associated residue into a range of new industrial products and chemicals. The end result will be new markets for farmers growing these crops.

Except for a few niche markets, flax and hemp are currently underutilized in the natural fibres industry. However, the possibilities for end use are virtually limitless: from plastic composites (replacing fibreglass in car panels and sewage pipes) to geotextiles for use in horticulture (serving as a mulch or weed barrier) and in construction (reducing levels of dust and erosion).

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Farmers Help Test new Greenhouse Gas Software   Ever wonder how changing your farming practices can affect the environment? Now, thanks to research by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists, a new software program can help farmers do just that!

Holos is a whole-farm modeling software program that estimates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based on information entered for individual farms. According to AAFC scientist Dr. Henry Janzen who helped develop the software, the main purpose of the program is to help farmers envision and test possible ways of reducing GHG emissions on their farms.

One component of the program allows farmers to select scenarios and farm management practices that best describe their operation. It then allows the user to enter options that might reduce emissions and estimate how those options would affect whole-farm emissions.

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What is Composting?  Composting is a natural biological process, carried out under controlled conditions, which converts organic material into a stable humus-like product called compost. During the composting process, various micro-organisms, including bacteria and fungi, break down organic material into simpler substances.

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Composting Research at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)   With berry season starting and tree fruits also on the way soon, it is a good time to highlight some composting research Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists are doing to support farmers in the Fraser Valley and the Okanagan. Their research is going far beyond the backyard basics, looking at how to use composts as organic soil amendments that improve crop production in farming operations.

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San Clemente Island Goat

Controlling Blackberry with Goats - Date: June 6, 2009 10am to 4pm

Visit Wildwood to observe an endangered livestock breed, the San Clemente Island Goat, doing battle with an invasive alien plant species the blackberry.

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June Manure Advisory Update - As a general guideline, manure application should be avoided if greater than 10 mm of rain is forecast for any day in the five-day forecast.

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Methane Production from Cows   Scientists have been examining the issue for years, but now a team of scholars led by the University of Alberta's Stephen Moore has come up with a set of tools for cutting a cow's methane output by up to 25 per cent. 

"The whole environmental footprint of the production system can be reduced by looking at more efficient animals," said Moore, a professor of agriculture, food and nutritional science.  "It is an issue because there are questions being asked internationally by the pressure groups about reducing methane from agriculture."

Some 4.8 million tonnes of methane were produced in Canada in 2007, according to emissions data from the most recent National Inventory Report. While the energy industry was the biggest contributor, about a quarter of the total came from the "enteric fermentation" that occurs in the digestive systems of animals such as cows.

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Quality Seeds West 2009 Forage Crop Guide

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Cocksfoot Mottle Virus

Cocksfoot mottle virus (CMV) infects orchardgrass and is well known in many regions around the world that produce orchardgrass. The disease is most easily noticed in late March or early April when plants are less than 30 cm (12 in) tall. Distinctly yellowish (sometimes mottled) plants are scattered around fields. The disease is most prevalent in older stands because it builds up gradually. The pathogen does not survive in the soil and is not carried by seed so most new stands are disease-free. The disease is spread from infected plants by certain beetles but more commonly by harvesting equipment. The disease is less common on pastures than mechanically-harvested fields.

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Phosphorus on Dairy Farms

• Phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient and an important contaminant of fresh water
• P fertilizer is a diminishing resource and improved practices are needed, especially on livestock farms, to conserve P and minimize pollution.
• Manure application can contribute to P loading of soils and it is suggested that solid-liquid separation produces two products that can be managed more effectively than whole manure (solid-liquid combined).
• The liquid fraction can be used as a primary N source with relatively little P loading.
• The solid fraction can be used to replace fertilizer P

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BC Forage Council AGM REPORT
The BC Forage Council's Annual General Meeting was held February 26, 2009 in Williams Lake. Denise McLean has withdrawn as a Director and will be replaced by Brent Barclay, BCMAL from Prince George. The Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and the Kootenays Director positions are vacant.  All elected executive positions remain the same:  President: Doug Hatfield (Hixon); Vice President: Doug Summer (Fort St. John); Secretary: Geneve Jasper (Williams Lake); Treasurer: Norm Dueck (Vanderhoof).

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BC Forage Council - 2008 Forage Cultivar Trials

• Alfalfa at Fort Fraser - 5 years yield data
• Grass at Fort Fraser - 5 years yield data
• Barley - 3 year average bu/ac
• Wheat  - 3 year average bu/ac

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FORUM TOPIC ... I am interested in how you are double cropping with Italian Ryegrass. Do you seed after the corn is harvested or before the corn is planted? We have done a lot of work in the past with fall seeding and relay cropping of Italian Ryegrass. With relay cropping we banded Italian into the corn when the corn was about 6-leaf. This meant we had a stand of Italian when the corn was harvested. Although the relay seeded Italian looked very weak and beaten up after the corn was harvested it had enough of a head start to grow well through the fall and continue in the spring.

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Government of Canada Announces Three New Berries -  Agriculture Canada today announced the release of Nisga’a, a new early strawberry, and two new raspberries: Ukee and Rudyberry. These promising new plants will be available to growers starting this spring.  These new berries will translate into increased profits for farmers because they are high-yield, early ripening, naturally resistant to disease, harvestable by machine and suitable for the fresh and processed food markets. In 2007 more than 80% of Canada’s red raspberries were grown in B.C., generating $12.8 million at the farm gate. Strawberries generated another $4.2 million for B.C. farmers.

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Agriculture, Environment & Wildlife Fund Announced  -  Enhanced environmental stewardship on B.C. farms will be the result of a new fund announced today by the B.C. Agriculture Council (BCAC) and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. (IAF).

Over $800,000 has been committed to the establishment of the Agriculture, Environment and Wildlife Fund (AEWF). Funded by the IAF with the support of industry groups, the AEWF will continue to strengthen the successful partnerships between industry, government and funding partners that have evolved through recent joint agri-environmental initiatives.  The goal of the AEWF is to reduce agricultural impacts on the environment through improved on-farm management practices, while simultaneously mitigating the impact of wildlife on the economic viability of agricultural operations.

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Elbert Koster teaches Barry Thompson of Agassiz, BC, about the 3 ¼ inch rule for toe length. Cutting a toe too short may result in a “thin sole” and predispose cows to lameness. 
Lameness Workshop for Producers, Hoof-trimmers and Veterinarians

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Extending Grazing and Reducing Stored Feed Needs

For most livestock producers, extending the grazing season for their animals, or otherwise filling gaps in pasture forage availability to reduce stored feed needs, should be a high priority objective.There are several reasons why this is beneficial:

• Better for the environment. Feeding hay or other stored materials in a barn or other enclosed area concentrates animals, and the manure that accumulates requires expense to remove. Feeding livestock in pastures concentrates nutrients, and often results in hoof damage to the land.
• Weather is less of a concern. Weather is a major concern with hay production, but animals can graze almost without regard to weather.
• Higher-quality forage leads to better animal performance. The forage quality of young, vegetative pasture growth and even leafy autumn residue is usually considerably higher than that of hay, which is produced by cutting older, more fibrous forage. Consequently, performance is typically better when animals graze properly managed pasture.
• Requires less labor. Less labor is required to have animals graze rather than to provide them with stored feed. In particular, in contrast to feeding stored feed in an enclosed facility, the labor associated with manure removal is avoided.
• Lowers expenses. Stored feed is almost always two to three times more expensive per animal or per day than pasture. In livestock budgets, stored feed typically accounts for 25% or more of the cost of production, and producer records often reveal it to be higher. The quantity of stored feed required is one of the best indicators of profitability for a livestock operation. In general, the less hay needed, the higher the profit.

Clearly, extending the grazing season and reducing the need for stored feed is highly desirable.Though the best techniques to accomplish this vary with geographic region, type of farming operation, and other factors, this publication outlines strategies that can be used in some or many areas to extend grazing and reduce stored feed needs, thus increasing profit.

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Lame cows improve when given access to pasture Lameness is a common and costly disorder affecting dairy cattle. Freestall housing systems are designed for ease of management but are also associated with a greater risk of hoof injury and disease leading to lameness. For example, the use of concrete floors, zero-grazing and uncomfortable stalls are all well known risk factors.

Pasture rearing can improve hoof health, perhaps due to the change in the physical environment or to associated factors such as change in diet. Fewer cows become lame during the grazing season and cows kept outdoors are less prone to claw disorders than those that are housed indoors. Despite these advantages in hoof health, switching from indoor housing to pasture is not a practical option for many producers. Providing a rest period on pasture for lame cowsmay be a more practical option.

The primary objective of our study was to test whether a relatively short period on pasture would help lame cows recover. Time on pasture may reduce lameness by providing access to more comfortable standing and lying surfaces.

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Wire Worm Research at PARC, Agassiz Todd Kabaluk, a research biologist in the Integrated Pest Management program at the Pacific Agriculture Research Centre, has been studying the biological control of field insect pests using microbial insecticides. Currently, Todd is working toward the use of Metarhizium anisopliae as a biological control for wireworms. Metarhizium anisopliae is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a parasite. It is considered to be a soil-borne insect pathogen.

Todd’s current research is focusing on the effect of Metarhizium anisopliae seed treatment to increase the yield of field corn. Research to date has shown consistent increases in yield as high as 20%. For example, without Metarhizium seed treatment, there was a 60% yield on a field infected with wireworm; with Metarhizium seed treatment, there was a 80% yield. The Metarhizium seed treatment performed as well as ‘Poncho’ – a currently used chemical seed treatment.

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FORUM TOPIC Reduced Tillage for Corn ... I'm quite interested to find out how reduced tillage works in a relay crop situation. And also how the injection of manure was managed in the system. There are now chisel plough type injectors which may have a place in this system. I'm also interested to know if the crop response to seeding applications of phosphorus was similar after the fresh injection of manure.

Although we have no direct experience yet with reduced tillage into relay crops, the experience with no-till into well established cover crops and into perennial grass swards suggests that this should be possible. One point to consider first is that if the relay crop is very well established, you might want to consider keeping it for the whole summer and planting corn in a different field.

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Field Crop Protection Guide, 2008-2009

Guide To Best Management Practices In British Columbia for Cereals, canola, field corn, field peas, grasses and legumes for forage and seed production. The 2008/09 edition of the Field Crop Protection Guide is now available for B.C. producers. Contact your nearest B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands office to obtain a copy. Contents of the Guide are also available off the BCMAL website in PDF* format. Contents:

• Introduction
• Disease Management
• Insect Pest Management
• Weed Management
• Herbicide Abstracts
• Application Equipment and Calibration
• Herbicide Tables

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Herbicide Selector

This selector will help you find herbicides to control specific weeds in cropping and non-cropping situations. You can begin the selection by choosing a crop, if you know the crop and leaf stage, and then selecting for the weeds you want to control. Click on the results link to display all the products and registered mixes that can be applied to control or suppress weeds for that situation. Alberta Agriculture link.