How Climate Change is Affecting BC Farms

Climate change affects everyone in many different ways, but it also has a profound impact on the BC Agriculture industry which relies heavily on weather patterns. Whether it be unseasonably warm weather, severe storms or the impact of wildfires, climate change has many farmers understandably concerned. Here is how climate change is affecting BC farms across this diverse landscape.

Just as an example, in 2014 cranberry farmers in the Lower Mainland lost around $10 million in berry crops due to unseasonably warm weather in January and February. Following the warm weather was an unexpected cold snap that damaged plants. Cranberry farmers have remarked that in the past few years, spring weather has become more unpredictable.

In another example, farmers in Delta and Richmond are concerned about rising sea levels. As the sea water encroaches on farm land it deposits salt in the soil making growing anything extremely difficult. This also affects the amount of fresh water in the south arm of the Fraser River, which is the only source of irrigation for farmers in that region.

Water management has always been a concern in the Okanagan, but never more than the present day. BC’s wine country does have the advantage of the massive Okanagan Lake which is an almost unlimited source of freshwater, however communities that rely on snow-pack runoff are increasingly becoming concerned.

Of course with any change comes opportunity. Warmer temperatures could mean longer growing seasons for some crops. Savvy farmers are considering planting different crops to take advantage of the long summers we experience in BC. However warmer temperatures also bring violent storms. Lightening is one of the biggest causes of wildfires in BC, and this year we are all still experiencing the effects of the latest wildfire season.

Climate change is affecting BC farms for better or for worse depending on the crop and region. Regardless of how your farm is being impacted, change is already here and not some distant problem to avoid.

Handlers Equipment stays on top of all BC agriculture trends in order to provide the most relevant equipment solutions to maintain your operation. If you would like to learn more, contact the agriculture experts at Handlers today!