Canadian Co-Operative Woolgrowers BC Collection Depots

BC Livestock Kamloops, Williams Lake, Princeton - Yard Manager - Ken Allison  250-573-3939

Robin Dalziel, Joybilee Farm, Greenwood   1-866-965-9665

Steve Lawrie, Black Creek, Vancouver Island   250-337-8488

Nancy Mallinson, Langley   604-534-2616

South Peace Colony (Ben or Reuban), Farmington   250-782-8164

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New Agricultural Online Discussion Forum

A one year pilot project is the product of finanacial support provided by the F.A.R.M. Community Council (FARM), Investment Agriculture Foundation and in-kind support of the BC Agriculture Council.  Its aim is to provide BC's farming community with an on-line venue to share ideas, establish markets, buy and sell and generally improve communications. As a member group of the FARM Community Council, the BC Sheep Federation has a real opportunity to contribute to the forum in a way that will both help the Federation and help strengthen the FARM Community Council.  The forum can be found at   http://forums.bcac.bc.ca/forum.php

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Sheep Numbers Drop on Salt Spring Island

A recent survey conducted for the Salt Spring Agricultural Alliance found the number of livestock (including poultry) on Salt Spring farms has decreased by half in the last five years.  In total, there are 44% fewer cattle, sheep, pigs and goats thatn there were in 2004 and 54% fewer chickens, turkeys, duck and geese.  The most significant factor in this decrease is the loss of slaughter and butchering services on the island.  This change is associated with the provincial government's slaughtering regulations which came into effect in 2007.  For more information, contact Barbara Johnstone Grimmer  firhill@gulfislands.com

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Update on Wild Predator Loss Prevention and Mitigation Pilot Project

The main objective of the pilot is to generate and evaluate information that can be used to enable livestock producers to make a case for funding of an ongoing wild predator program.  The committee working on the program hope to have a Project Manager in place by the end of March.  In the meantime, the 1-866-398-2848 call centre number is in effect for problems with wild predators.  Sheep producers are encouraged to report losses as there is a huge lack of reliable documented information on the impact of predation on the sheep industry.  The BCSF representatives on this committee are Roma Tingle  rhtingle@xplornet.com or phone 250-963-7301 and John Buchanan  jbchnn@shaw.ca  .

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