Extreme Heat Resources – Safety Measures and Best Practices

With extreme temperatures settling in throughout British Columbia, it’s a good idea to brush up on safety measures and best practices for keeping you, your workers, and your farm safe during the heat—both now and in the future.

Here are some key resources, with thanks to the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food for rounding them up!

 

Government resources:

• An updated version of Heat, the Workplace, and Your Health
• A new working outside during heat events document is also available
• Be prepared for extreme heat and drought
• Download the extreme heat guide – find out what to do before, during and after an extreme heat event

 

 Other resources:

• Managing extreme heat on Fraser Valley dairy farms
• Managing extreme heat for dairy, poultry and berries
• Ventilation of agricultural structures
• Farm Practices – Ventilation
• AgSafeBC – Video – Working in Extreme Weather Conditions – Heat
• CCOHS Working in the Heat Infographic
• AF Drought in Agriculture webpage
• AF Climate Change Adaptation Program Resources – Drier Conditions & Drought

 

Programs

Extreme Weather Preparedness Program

The Ministry’s Extreme Weather Preparedness Program is still open and accepting applications!

Extreme Heat Preparedness stream:

• Livestock and horticulture crop operations are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat events. Heat stream targets farmers who are most at risk of extreme heat events and aims to support infrastructure and equipment upgrades that will reduce on-farm vulnerabilities.
• Approved applicants may receive between 20-60% cost share reimbursements for select on-farm projects up to a maximum of $35,000. A Critical Infrastructure Assessment will not be required for this stream.
• Extreme heat project categories include:
  • Improved barn and indoor aquaculture cooling systems
  • Extreme heat protection for horticulture crops
  • Extreme heat protection for outdoor livestock- shade trees
  • Extreme heat protection for outdoor livestock and seafood farms- infrastructure
  • Enhanced livestock watering to mitigate heat stress
  • Cooling systems for outdoor aquaculture operations

 

On-Farm Beneficial Management Practices / Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program

The On-Farm On-Farm Beneficial Management Practices / Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program just opened for application intake on August 10^th!!

• Cost Shared Ratio: 75% unless otherwise noted
• Maximum Funding Amount: Up to $100K unless otherwise noted
• Application Window: August 10^th – August 25^th at 4:30PM
• Project Completion Date: + 140 days from Project Approval/Start Date
• Project Categories Include:
  • Dams and reservoirs (new and existing)
  • Dugouts (new and existing)
  • Rainwater harvesting systems (new and existing)
  • Improved irrigation system management and irrigation scheduling
  • Irrigation systems (new or upgrade/replacement of existing)
  • Improvement of water supply systems to farm
  • Water meters and other flow measuring devices on farm