Innovations
UltraViolet Light Benefits Berries and Grapes
Different wavelengths of light are able to reduce or eliminate a variety of agricultural diseases, bacteria and pests pre- and post-harvest. Anubhav Singh, assistant professor in food processing with UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, believes C Read more
Photo by Tom Walker
Hail Covers On Trial at Vernon Orchard
Summerland company Farm Solutions.net are working with Vernon-based Davison Orchards on a trial installation of hail covers at a Davison property just northwest of Vernon. With the assistance of a $128,000 Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) grant Read more
Orchard & Vine: 60 Years of Innovation
To celebrate our 60th Anniversay Orchard & Vine magazine is reprinting a few of our historical articles and ads that highlight how the industry has changed. Below is a story on the new computer at BC Tree Fruits, the Model 30, which could perform up Read more
Okanagan Crush Pad Moving Toward Minimalist Wines
Okanagan Crush Pad is well known for bringing innovation to the Okanagan wine industry, starting out as the first custom crush facility and contract winery in the province, and later pioneering concrete tanks for wine production. Read more
Automated Irrigation Saves Time, Money & Water
Hortau, an irrigation automation company based in California and Quebec, has developed a new technology that measures plant stress and lets growers know precisely when to water their plants and by how much. Read more
A Kinder, Gentler Way to Sort Pears
Pears are among the most delicious tree fruits on the market, but as any farmer or packer knows, they are a delicate fruit that can be hard to handle. Read more
Waste Not, Want Not, With FoodMesh
An innovative service launched to help eliminate food waste while providing healthy food to the needy is now expanding to three new markets in BC. Read more
Automated Monitoring of Microbial Respiration
The soil science community now has a new instrument available in their carbon toolbox; a sophisticated yet simple way to measure biological carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Solvita IRTH (pronounced “earth”) reports the quantity of CO2 naturally Read more
New Post-Harvest Product Improves Quality
Hazel Technologies Inc., a USDA-funded company developing new shelf-life extension technologies for fresh produce, has launched a new post-harvest technology for fresh cherries that ensures excellent fruit quality, called the Hazel Cherry. Read more
Good Things Come in Great Packaging
Great products deserve equally great packaging, particularly for businesses involved in online sales of quality wine. Read more
Tracking Picker Production, Made Easy
If you’ve ever stood by a bin in an orchard recording buckets from cherry pickers with a clip board and pen as a storm approaches, you’ve probably asked yourself, is there a better way? Well, there is. FieldClock. Read more
Determine the Productivity of your Orchards
Eighty apples per tree at size 88 produces about 80 bins to the acre. A lot of BC growers aim for that magic set of numbers. But how do you know when you hit it? Read more
Labelling Tech Getting Smaller, Faster and Smarter
If you’re a farmer putting out value added products, you know well-designed labelling is critical, but also can be expensive to do right. Read more
Optimized Monitoring of Alcoholic Fermentations
Cellar-Tek in Kelowna is now offering Ctrl-Ferm®, a new patented system for the detection and monitoring of the fermentation process. Read more
Fertilizer Trailer Automates Distribution
Vancouver-based Vintality, a subsidiary of Geotronics Consulting Inc., is working with BC vineyards and fertilizer companies to boost yields and grape quality while lowering the amount of fertilizer needed to grow grapes. Read more
Robotic Raspberry Pickers Developed in the UK
Raspberries are one of those fruits that can be hard to pick properly, as they are extremely tender and easily damaged. Read more
The Backyard Beehive
If you want to help save the world’s honeybees, there’s now a quick, easy, and affordable way to join the battle while harvesting your own delicious honey. Read more
Photo by Valery Bareta | Dreamstime.com
"Pearing" Food & Technology
BC-grown pears will be top of the menu as the federal and provincial governments announced new funding for research into agritechnology. Read more
Photo by Government of BC
BC Farmers and Researchers Team Up on Climate Change
Over the next four years, farmers and researchers across the province will be working together to demonstrate and evaluate technologies and practices that increase the resilience of British Columbia’s farms and ranches as producers adapt to a changin Read more
Formation of Agriculture HSA Makes Industry Safer
Prior to 1993 British Columbia’s agricultural employers and workers had few safety resources and little direction about how to run their operations safely. As a result AgSafe, formerly known as FARSHA, was formed to coordinate and direct activities r Read more