Background Report for the RDCK Agriculture Plan
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Background Report for the RDCK Agriculture Plan Prepared by: Brynne Consulting Nelson, BC Acknowledgments This Consultation Report would be meaningless without the participation of the residents of the Regional District of Central Kootenay who contributed their time and thoughts to this Project. They participated in the community meetings, completed the surveys, sent their thoughts via the website, met us in coffee shops, on the streets, and spoke with us on the phone. The enthusiasm and generosity of all who have contributed to date has been inspiring and extremely useful in this effort. The Project is also benefiting enormously through the guidance of our Steering Committee, composed of people from across the region. The members include: • Deirdrie Lang (Nelson Area/ Kootenay Co-op Country Store General Manager) / Ben Morris, Alternate (Produce Manager) • Rick Morley (Procter, mixed crop farmer) • Judi Morton (Passmore, mixed vegetables, fruit and small-lot livestock farmer) • Aimee Watson (Kaslo, urban gardener, Co-ordinator of the Kaslo Food Security Project) • Randy Meyer (Lister, mixed farmer – livestock and hay) • Curtis Wullum, (Lower Kootenay Band) • Jody Scott (Nakusp, forester and new viticulturalist) Ex-Officio members of the Steering Committee are: • Larry Binks (RDCK Director Area C) • Paul Peterson (RDCK Director Area K) • Don Low (BC Ministry of Agriculture, cherry farmer) • Sangita Sudan (RDCK General Manager of Development Services) Brynne Consulting wishes to acknowledge the financial assistance of the egionalR District of Central Kootenay, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. for making this project possible. Disclaimer: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC, are pleased to participate in the delivery of this project. We are committed to working with our industry partners to address issues of importance to the agriculture and agri-food industry in British Columbia. Opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Investment Agriculture Foundation, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture or Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Photos: Abra Brynne Table of Contents Acknowledgments ..................................................................... ii List of Figures ........................................................................... ix List of Maps .............................................................................. xi List of Tables ............................................................................ xii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 Vision ...................................................................................... 1 Scope ...................................................................................... 2 The Global Picture ..................................................................... 3 Income Levels ..................................................................... 3 Consolidation ...................................................................... 3 Food Shortages.................................................................... 4 Climate Change ................................................................... 4 Fossil Fuels ......................................................................... 5 Water ................................................................................. 5 Collaboration ............................................................................ 6 2.0 CLIMATE OVERVIEW 7 Average Frost Free Period ........................................................... 8 Average First Frost in the Fall ...................................................... 9 Growing Degree Days ................................................................ 9 Conclusions .............................................................................. 10 Monthly Temperature Charts ....................................................... 11 Castlegar Monthly Temperatures ............................................ 11 Creston Monthly Temperatures ............................................... 12 Kaslo Monthly Temperatures .................................................. 12 Deer Park Monthly Temperatures ............................................ 13 Nakusp Monthly Temperatures ............................................... 13 New Denver Monthly Temperatures ........................................ 14 iii RDCK Agriculture Plan Background Report June 2011 South Slocan Monthly Temperatures ....................................... 14 The 10 Hour Grow Line ......................................................... 15 3.0 HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN THE RDCK 17 4.0 FARM CHARACTERISTICS IN THE RDCK 21 Primary Agricultural Activities ..................................................... 25 Key Agricultural Concentration Areas ..................................... 25 Agricultural Land Area ............................................................... 27 The State of the ALR in the RDCK ................................................ 27 Map of the Agricultural Land Reserve ...................................... 29 Number of Census Farms ........................................................... 30 Agricultural Production - Land in Crops ......................................... 30 Livestock Operations ................................................................. 32 Cattle and Calves ................................................................. 32 Pigs ................................................................................... 33 Sheep and Lambs ................................................................ 35 Goats ................................................................................. 36 Bees .................................................................................. 37 Live Poultry ......................................................................... 38 Poultry Meat Production ........................................................ 40 Vegetables ............................................................................... 40 Fruits, Berries and Nuts ............................................................. 42 Organics and Sustainable Agriculture ........................................... 44 Potential for Agricultural Activity Expansion .................................. 46 Contribution of Agriculture to the Economy of the RDCK ................. 48 Financial Contribution ........................................................... 48 Impact on the Local Economy and Economic development ............. 48 Health and nutrition .................................................................. 49 Food security ........................................................................... 49 iv RDCK Agriculture Plan Background Report June 2011 Food miles, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions .................. 50 Other benefits .......................................................................... 50 5.0 AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES IN THE RDCK 51 Suppliers of Inputs and Services to Agriculture .............................. 51 Feed and other Inputs .......................................................... 51 Agricultural Equipment ............................................................... 52 Infrastructure .......................................................................... 53 Processing .......................................................................... 53 Livestock ............................................................................ 53 Fruit ................................................................................... 53 Storage .............................................................................. 53 Distribution ......................................................................... 53 Agricultural Training................................................................... 53 6.0 RDCK WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE, FLOOD CONTROL, AND DRAINAGE 55 Water Infrastructure ................................................................. 55 Surface Water and Groundwater Supply ...................................... 56 Flood Control and Drainage ........................................................ 56 Water Systems within the RDCK .................................................. 57 Agricultural Irrigation within the RDCK ......................................... 57 7.0 INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT FARMING 59 Community Food Charters .......................................................... 59 Community Food Action Initiatives (CFAI) ..................................... 60 The Land Conservancy of BC ....................................................... 60 Agriculture and the 4-H Connection ............................................. 60 Regional Farm and Food Organizations ......................................... 61 v RDCK Agriculture Plan Background Report June 2011 8.0 REGIONAL EVENTS AND SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT AGRICULTURE 63 Farmers’ Markets, Festivals and Fairs ........................................... 64 Access to Locally Grown Food ..................................................... 64 Seed Exchanges ........................................................................ 64 9.0 POPULATION 65 Population Overview .................................................................. 65 10.0 THE POLITICAL CONTEXT 73 Growing Forward ......................................................................