'Local heroes': B.C. dairy farmers fed cows submerged to their necks in water for 2 days, agriculture minister says
Farmers in B.C.'s flood-stricken Fraser Valley are demonstrating just how resilient and persevering they can be in the face of recent storms.
Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said Wednesday members of her team visited Abbotsford and spoke with the mayor and local farmers about the impacts last week's storm and floods have had on the community.
Popham said the sector has been hit hard, but "pretty amazing stories" are emerging, including one of two brothers, Carl and Rudy Meyer, who spent days feeding dozens of dairy cows that were submerged in water.
"The waters came up so fast (last) Monday, they couldn't get their livestock out and so 180 dairy cows were up to their necks in water," Popham said she was told by Holger Schwichtenberg, chair of the BC Dairy Association’s board.
"Those brothers went in and fed those cows hay for two days while those cows were submerged in that water."
Popham said she was told the waters receded last Wednesday and all the cows are fine and are back to being milked.
"So huge kudos to Carl and Rudy," she said. "Thank you for being amazing local heroes."
Schwichtenberg said in a statement that with the pandemic, a drought and flooding, this has been one of the most challenging years for dairy farmers that he can recall.
"And yet, as this event demonstrates, it has also been a year of coming together," he said in a statement last week.
"We will work through this disaster, and do what we can with the circumstances we’ve been handed. Farmers are nothing if not resilient."
At least 500 cattle are dead from the flooding, the BC Dairy Association said earlier this week, but thousands of animals were moved last week to farms not under evacuation order. Schwichtenberg told CTV Morning Live Wednesday he took in a couple dozen cows himself, but they'll be going home in the coming days.
Schwichtenberg said the best thing the public can do to support farmers is to have patience.
"Understand what we're going through," he said on CTV Morning Live. "Continue to buy milk, obviously."
Sixty-two dairy farms in the Fraser Valley were placed under evacuation order, according to the BC Dairy Association. Those orders have slowly been lifting in some areas, however.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.