Nine projects approved for the Peace through the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund

PEACE RIVER REGIONAL DISTRICT, B.C. – The BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund (PACF) board of directors has approved $173,510 in grant funding to support nine agricultural production and related projects in the Peace Region.

Grant recipients include:

$50,000 to Sunset Prairie Livestock Association for a dugout renovation. The association is responsible for managing the Sunset Prairie Community Pasture, which is a 13,500-acre grazing tenure used by 20 ranching families since the 1950s. The dugout renovation project will supply the local farm/ranching families with clean and adequate supply areas for gathering water for the livestock.  It will help to secure quality and quantity of livestock watering for years to come.  With adequate supply in dugouts, the cattle will be less likely to seek water in the riparian areas, improving the overall riparian health of the community pasture.

$33,423 to Ken Erin Price for sheep handling and sorting equipment, along with a three-sided shed to house it and panels to create sorting pens before and after the sheep pass through. This project allows for sheep to be processed quietly and with more efficiency, with less stress on the livestock and the workers. A difficult part of a sheep operation is the gathering and handling. This project can simplify this process and encourage others to diversify their operations to include sheep leading for more opportunity in agricultural production.

$27,865 to Whiskey Creek Ranch Ltd. for egg growth production in the Peace Region. The project consists of building a new coop to accommodate a larger laying hen flock, along with a retrofit and infrastructure upgrade to an existing coop to increase capacity for incubating, hatching and brooding laying hens for the region. The current coop has adequate space for 115 hens, while the new coop will provide space for the 399 hens Whiskey Creek Ranch are permitted to keep. The project will allow the ranch to incubate, hatch, and brood on-farm chicks in greater capacity for themselves, and other local producers.  This also decreases the biosecurity risk to the region (by not bringing in as many chicks from out of region) and reduces the risk of relying on external suppliers and distribution networks from outside of the Peace. 

$22,215 to Cody Johnson for a corral alley and chute upgrade. The lead-in alley and chute currently being used on the ranch have aged out and are quite slippery in the cold and snowy weather. The purchase of this new system will greatly increase the safety for those using the system and the cattle being processed through it. It will also enable vaccinations to be delivered more effectively and when tagging, the cattle will be held more securely with the neck extender and sternum bar, preventing them from going to their knees in the chute. This corral upgrade will really help increase the safety and decrease the stress of handling cattle during times of processing on the ranch.

$13,008 to Kathleen Peck for water capacity and irrigation. The farm is home to a one-acre market garden and in order to support the current operation and expand the mixed species cider orchard, a more efficient and effective water pump system plus increased and automated irrigation needs to be installed. This project will enhance productivity by providing a reliable and sustainable water source for agricultural activities, that will be less susceptible to climate change, especially in times of drought. An adequate water supply improves crop growth, increases agricultural yields and benefits other aspects of regenerative farming.

$12,124 to Pegasus Ranch Ltd. for rotational grazing. The project includes the purchase of an electric fencing system and supplies to efficiently support intensive, rotational grazing pastures. Using the tools to implement a proper intensive grazing program can increase soil quality, land and pasture grass quality, and also reduce the amount of brush and deadfall that can create a fire hazard. This will not only benefit cattle from the additional feed, but it will improve the biodiversity of the area, as well as limiting some non-native plants. 

$5,603 to Sunnyside Bookkeeping and Accounting for the purchase of portable chicken coops to start rotationally grazing chicken. The coops are designed to help lessen the stress on layers and broilers, improving their growth and egg production. The coops are movable which allows for an increase of soil nutrients to support more organic fertilizers that will improve grain production yields.

$5,010 to Kyle Bartels for two sheep grain feeders to reduce feed waste and improve animal quality for the flock and lambs that are brought to market. The farm currently has 90 heads and plans to expand to 200. These feeders are adjustable, saliva limiting feeders that remove the risk of bloating and acidosis in the animals. This will help reduce death loss, while wasting less feed and delivering the animals an optimal amount, per head per day.

$4,262 to Dead Horse Creek Cattle Company Ltd. to build a new fence around a section of approximately 100 acres to create a pasture for livestock grazing. The new fence will run along the property line and tie into existing fence that borders the fields and another pasture. This project will allow the area to be used for grazing and will increase the ability to rotate cattle from pasture to pasture effectively.

Quotes:

Rick Kantz, chair, BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund
“This is our first intake of 2024 and we are very pleased to be able to support nine important projects in the Peace. The applicants are passionate about what they do and whether it’s new fencing, rotational grazing, or increased irrigation, all these projects seek to benefit agriculture production overall in the region.”

Whiskey Creek Ranch
“We’re thrilled to have been selected to receive support from the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund.  The funds for this project will help us to enhance our soil health, improve our existing infrastructure, make us more resilient in light of continued challenging weather, and expand our capacity to offer more of our locally produced pasture-raised eggs and poultry products. It will also provide local infrastructure and services that are currently lacking in our region and more choice and accessibility for consumers who want to choose locally produced pasture-raised eggs and poultry.”