But low snowpack douses optimism about 2024 with water scarcity challenging ranchers and farmers
B.C. ranchers and farmers will be able to tap into public funding of up $80 million to improve water access thanks to a provincial program announced Monday .Werner Stump, vice-president of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, said ranchers are concerned about water scarcity in 2024.
Stump made these comments in Delta during an announcement by Premier David Eby and Agriculture Minister Pam Alexis that the province has quadrupled last year’s one-time funding for the Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program. It supports projects that improve water access and storage. Running through both announcements is the theme of climate change hurting provincial agriculture and Eby promised that his government would continue to support food-growing industries.RELATED: B.C. snowpack at lowest March 1 levels in 2 decades, 2nd lowest everRELATED: Shuswap ranch wins 2023 Sustainability AwardStump, who owns and operates a 870-acre ranch as well as a small commercial vegetable farm with his wife Jody in the Shuswap community of Malakwa, welcomed the funding.
“Right now, as mentioned, we are still in an extended drought with below-average snowpack in all of the province and 2024 could be challenging,” he said.