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 (March 18).
But many are also bracing for a difficult year ahead that might be worse than last year.
Werner Stump, vice-president of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, said ranchers are concerned about water scarcity in 2024.
“Spring is normally a season of optimism in our industry…but in the backs of our minds, it (water scarcity) hasn’t really left us,” Stump, said. “The fact (is) that we are probably going to be dealing with a water scarcity situation again in 2024. That has been exacerbated by the low snowpacks.”
Figures released in early March show the provincial snowpack at 66 per cent of normal — tied for the second-lowest March 1 level and the lowest in more than 20 years.
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.
Speaking to Black Press Media after the event, Stump called the $80 million a “really good” starting point. “(It) signals that government is taking investment in water infrastructure seriously, but I expect limited positive impact for this coming year.”
Monday’s announcement in support of ranchers and farmers came after a record-setting drought in 2023 that financially stressed farmers across the province and caused conflict between various users. The $80-million-announcement was also the second major agriculture-related announcement in as many weeks. Last week, the provincial government announced up $70 million to help B.C.’s grape and fruit growers to replant crops damaged by January’s cold snap.
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.
“If we don’t, we are going to be very hungry in B.C.,” Eby said.
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Stump, 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.
“Five months ago, I sat in Premier Eby’s office on behalf of (BCCA) and we discussed with Minister Alexis the need to enhance water storage,” he said in Delta. “Thank you for listening, thank you for hearing and thank you for acting on our concerns. Water is the foundation of all life. It is critical for agriculture and it is critical for food security. Without water for agriculture, the Agricultural Land Reserve is practically meaningless.”
While B.C. is blessed with an abundance of water, extremes in the form of flooding and drought pose problems, he said, adding last year’s drought forced his ranch to “substantially” to curtail operations.
“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.
Experts broadly share the assessment of Stump, who paired his praise of the provincial support with comments about the importance of water storage and calls for additional steps.
“The most effective way to manage water is through water storage,” he said. “We need both larger bodies of water like lakes and reservoirs and smaller bodies of water like dugouts and wetlands and they need to be scattered throughout the landscape.”
Increasing water storage will limit the severity of peak flows and offer water during times of scarcity, he said, adding that ranchers and farmers are not the only benefactors.
“Stored water is a source of life for countless fish and wildlife species and it is a huge contributor to biodiversity and resilience for this province,” he said, adding that it also helps in the fight against wildfires.
Water storage on a provincial basis requires long-term commitment, he said.
“Prioritizing water for food security through an agriculture water reserve in local water sustainability plans will be important and finally continuing the work toward livestock water regulations to protect livestock,” he said.
Stump also drew attention to the sunny weather that blanketed much of B.C. over the weekend.
“I’m enjoying this beautiful sunny day in the Lower Mainland, but in the back of my mind, I can’t help but think about the snowmelt that is going on. That precious little snow that we have is melting (and) it is making its way to the Fraser River. Once that water is gone, it is gone.”
-with files from Lauren Collins