Metadata
The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture (AGRI) collaborated with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(AAFC) and Pacific Field Corn Association (PFCA) to launch a website called Farmwest.com in 2001 to
provide real-time weather information for free to farmers, irrigators and researchers in British
Columbia. To date, Farmwest is linked to the federal, provincial and private weather networks with over
300 stations across Canada, of which over 150 stations are within B.C. including 18 agricultural stations.
A number of decision tools have been developed on Farmwest utilizing the weather data collected, e.g.,
evapotranspiration, corn heat units, growing degree days, and pest degree days, all publicly available to
help farmers to make informed decision in managing our natural resources.
AGRI and Farmwest are part of the Climate Related Monitoring Program (CRMP) which is an initiative led
by BC Ministry of Environment in 2010, in collaboration with the federal government (Environment and
Climate Change Canada), provincial agencies (Ministries of Agriculture, Forests, Lands, Natural Resource
Operations and Rural Development, and Transportation), private organizations (BC Hydro, and Rio Tinto
Alcan), and a non-profit organization specializing in climate data (Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium).
The objective of the CRMP is to integrate all federal, provincial, municipal and private weather station
networks into a single network for BC, including a standardized data quality control protocol, a
centralized data processing system, and a data-sharing web portal publicly available. The CRMP group
shares a common interest in meteorological monitoring and environmental quality management,
dissemination of environmental information, and promoting science-based decisions, and creating a
climate data set with transparent data sharing to enhance understanding of the scope of climate change
and climate variability within B.C.; thereby, providing long-term public benefits for British Columbians.
There are a number of non-profit agricultural organizations that strive to collaborate within the industry
to advance climate change prediction and develop resilience strategies using weather station networks.
These organizations include the British Columbia Agricultural Climate Adaptation Research Network
(ACARN), Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release (SIR) program, Pacific Field Corn Association (PFCA),
Irrigation Industry Association of British Columbia (IIABC), and Partnership for Water Sustainability in
British Columbia (PWSBC).
Real-time weather information and forecast help farmers manage their irrigation water use and predict
what the supply will be, pest disease in orchards and berries, manure and pesticide application, animal
production and welfare. Weather information also helps to prepare and response to air-borne disease
outbreak, drought, flooding, and wildfire management. Climate change adaptation is a long-term
commitment where weather stations provide the data necessary to assess climate change impacts and
develop climate change adaptation strategies for agriculture.
B.C. is only 50% food self-reliant. With increased population growth and climate change, B.C. needs to
become more self-reliant. The Province of B.C. requires improved monitoring of weather stations to
support crop and livestock growth, improve food security for British Columbians, and strengthen the
capacity of B.C. agricultural sector for local and international markets.
(AAFC) and Pacific Field Corn Association (PFCA) to launch a website called Farmwest.com in 2001 to
provide real-time weather information for free to farmers, irrigators and researchers in British
Columbia. To date, Farmwest is linked to the federal, provincial and private weather networks with over
300 stations across Canada, of which over 150 stations are within B.C. including 18 agricultural stations.
A number of decision tools have been developed on Farmwest utilizing the weather data collected, e.g.,
evapotranspiration, corn heat units, growing degree days, and pest degree days, all publicly available to
help farmers to make informed decision in managing our natural resources.
AGRI and Farmwest are part of the Climate Related Monitoring Program (CRMP) which is an initiative led
by BC Ministry of Environment in 2010, in collaboration with the federal government (Environment and
Climate Change Canada), provincial agencies (Ministries of Agriculture, Forests, Lands, Natural Resource
Operations and Rural Development, and Transportation), private organizations (BC Hydro, and Rio Tinto
Alcan), and a non-profit organization specializing in climate data (Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium).
The objective of the CRMP is to integrate all federal, provincial, municipal and private weather station
networks into a single network for BC, including a standardized data quality control protocol, a
centralized data processing system, and a data-sharing web portal publicly available. The CRMP group
shares a common interest in meteorological monitoring and environmental quality management,
dissemination of environmental information, and promoting science-based decisions, and creating a
climate data set with transparent data sharing to enhance understanding of the scope of climate change
and climate variability within B.C.; thereby, providing long-term public benefits for British Columbians.
There are a number of non-profit agricultural organizations that strive to collaborate within the industry
to advance climate change prediction and develop resilience strategies using weather station networks.
These organizations include the British Columbia Agricultural Climate Adaptation Research Network
(ACARN), Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release (SIR) program, Pacific Field Corn Association (PFCA),
Irrigation Industry Association of British Columbia (IIABC), and Partnership for Water Sustainability in
British Columbia (PWSBC).
Real-time weather information and forecast help farmers manage their irrigation water use and predict
what the supply will be, pest disease in orchards and berries, manure and pesticide application, animal
production and welfare. Weather information also helps to prepare and response to air-borne disease
outbreak, drought, flooding, and wildfire management. Climate change adaptation is a long-term
commitment where weather stations provide the data necessary to assess climate change impacts and
develop climate change adaptation strategies for agriculture.
B.C. is only 50% food self-reliant. With increased population growth and climate change, B.C. needs to
become more self-reliant. The Province of B.C. requires improved monitoring of weather stations to
support crop and livestock growth, improve food security for British Columbians, and strengthen the
capacity of B.C. agricultural sector for local and international markets.
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Network