Frueh Farms is located within the Koksilah River Watershed in the Cowichan Valley. The farm, which consists of rolling hills, is bordered on one side by the Koksilah River, which is known for historically low water levels in the summer due to its lack of headwaters. These low-flow conditions have been exacerbated in recent decades by the clear-cutting of trees in the upper watershed, increased water usage in the area, and climate change.
In 2019, emergency water restrictions were enacted within this watershed by the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardships, as water levels in the river had reached critically low flows, endangering salmon. These water restrictions affected farmers in the region greatly, as forage crop irrigation was cut off. Steve Frueh, the president of Frueh Farms, estimated that he lost over $10,000 worth of crops due to the restrictions. This event made water sustainability, water storage, and increased irrigation efficiency top-of-mind for the Frueh family and led Steve Frueh to seek out the Environmental Farm Planning (EFP) Program.
Farmers who have an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) learn how to reduce agriculture’s impact on the environment. Many Environmental Farm Plan participants enjoy increased efficiency, profitability, and new customers as a result of increased environmental sustainability. (Ministry of Agriculture and Food)
Wayne Haddow, the EFP advisor in the Cowichan Valley region, came to Frueh Farms for an afternoon and outlined changes that could be made to benefit the farm, especially when it came to conserving water. Wayne noted that the large-scale hose reels currently used by the Frueh Farms have issues when it comes to water sustainability: the water pressure used by hose reels can atomize water, which means that a percentage of water will dissipate before reaching the ground.
Since Frueh Farms now has an EFP, it is eligible to apply for other IAF programs to address these concerns. The Beneficial Management Practices program (BMP) could help Steve Frueh with water infrastructure planning. He could also apply for the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program (AWP), which could help him access more efficient irrigation infrastructure and better conserve water within the sensitive Koksilah River watershed area.
Funding for these programs have been provided by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a $3.5 billion, 5-year agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Additional funding has been provided by CleanBC. The program is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAF).
