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By Corey Fischer
Chicken

Community Welcomes More Chickens

Feb 19, 2019 | 7:00 AM

Residents of Spallumcheen may be hearing the “cluck cluck” of more chicken farms.

Ray Bayliss from the BC Chicken Growers Association has made a presentation to council, says their quotas will be increased by 20% over the next year to meet the demand.

He told council, more poultry producers want to move operations to the township due to issues with farms at the Coast.

“With all the farms (at the coast) being in such close proximity, and if there is ever disease or problems, it really impacts the whole industry,” says Mayor Christine Fraser. “Whereas here, they are quite spread out, so you don’t have as much risk of cross disease from farm to farm.”

Fraser says the chicken growers group wants to make sure it has the continued support of council.

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“We invited them to our next farming round table,” Fraser tells Beach Radio News. “It’s new thing we’re doing. It will be on Feb. 20 at 9 am and its for any farming producer in the township, so small hobby farms, chickens, beef, dairy, and vegetable farming. It’s to make sure we’re addressing the needs of all the farms in Spallumcheen, from the small farms to the larger commercial farms.”

Bayliss told council,in the area that includes Salmon Arm, there are currently 50 broiler farms, two hatcheries, two processing plants (Colonial Farms and Farm Crest Foods), nine small processors and one large feed mill.

by Corey Fischer

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