BC Blueberries in the News - 2022 Recap
A compilation of BC Blueberry news highlights from 2022
2022 was a busy year over the airwaves for the BC Blueberry Council. To make sure you didn’t miss the biggest news, we’ve put together a list of the top stories featuring our very own BC Blueberries.
If your favourite blueberry news story didn’t make the list, share the link on socials and tag @bcblueberries in your post.
January & February 2022
As was to be expected, the lion’s share of the media coverage during the first few months of the year was devoted to the devastating floods which swept across the Lower Mainland in November 2021, and the effects on BC blueberry farmers. The key story during these months was the announcement made by the government of a $228-million agriculture aid package and fund, designed to help BC’s farmers (blueberry and otherwise) recover from the floods.
The news of this aid package was shared far and wide by multiple media outlets, including CBC, The Globe and Mail, Global News, and The Vancouver Sun, to mention just a few.
Montecristo Magazine also had a supportive take on the floods, by encouraging readers to support BC blueberry farmers by making recipes using frozen BC blueberries (available year-round).
Amidst all the flood-related news, many media outlets did pause to celebrate National Blueberry Pancake Day, held on January 28th every year, with delicious pancake recipes from BC Blueberries.
CBC News
Governments providing $228M to help B.C. farmers recover after floods
The Globe and Mail
Aid package for flooded B.C. farms announced, as farmers face ‘desperate’ choices
Global News
B.C. announces $228M to help farmers, ranchers impacted by flood
Vita Daily
Make These Fluffy BC Blueberry Pancakes
BC Living Magazine
Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake with Hazelnut Butter
Vancouver Guardian
Healthy Vegan BC Blueberry Pancakes
Montecristo Magazine
Recipe: Savoury BC Blueberry Scroll Biscuits
Grocery Business
Assessments continue on post-flood BC blueberry fields
March, April & May 2022
With winter almost over, the media embraced the promise of lighter days ahead by sharing many Spring-inspired blueberry-based recipes. Lemons and blueberries in particular played perfectly with each other and the prospect of brighter days, inspiring media to share multiple lemon-and-blueberry recipes across multiple platforms. Along with Spring, there was a focus on Easter celebrations, with BC blueberry coconut cupcakes playing a starring role, and, of course, Mother’s Day, with BC blueberries featured in a roundup of Vancouver Mother’s Day celebration suggestions.
May also ushered in some concern over a cooler than normal Spring weather system, with media interested in how the weather would affect BC farmers – both physically and mentally.
As May drew to a close, some media ran a story to answer the question of whether it was safe to eat food grown after the flooding of BC fields. (The answer was, in short, a resounding yes, with soil tests showing that “the integrity of the agricultural food supply production … remains strong.”)
VITA Daily
Hop Into a New Season with Blueberry Spring Recipes
Western Living
Recipe: The Perfect Blueberry Scones for Springtime
Vancouver Guardian
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Toast by BC blueberry
Vegan Blueberry Lemon Galette by BC blueberries
Cooking by Laptop
Blueberry Mango Custard [Vegan] (with a wonderful shoutout to local frozen BC Blueberries, with link to bcblueberry.com)
Vancouver Sun (and multiple syndicates)
RECIPE: BC blueberry lemon and ricotta toast
BC Living
Blueberry Coconut Easter Cupcakes
Foodgressing.com
Mother’s Day Vancouver 2022: Brunch, Dinner, Restaurants
Vancouver CityNews
BC farmers affected by cold, wet spring
CBC Radio
Vancouver Sun
Is it safe to eat food grown after BC fields flooded?
June 2022
Heading into the summer months, the first story to interest the media was the $700k federal investment into BC’s fruit industry. The news was shared far and wide by multiple outlets. Also making news was the global honeybee crisis, and how that was affecting BC’s blueberry farmers.
It wasn’t all hard news, though: BC blueberries were taking a starring role on the Mission Hill Winery’s early summer menu, with a roasted BC blueberry dessert garnering fans galore. BC blueberries were also a highlight at Commercial Drive gelato heaven, Dolce Amore. And, of course, berry picking season beckoned, with BC blueberries playing a key role in a roundup of berry picking in Metro Vancouver.
Global News
$700k federal investment announced for BC’s fruit industry
Newswire
Government of Canada invests in British Columbia’s fruit industry to grow the economy
Financial Post
Western Living
Here’s What You Can Expect from Mission Hill Winery’s Restaurant This Year
Dished
BC bucket list: Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Family Estate
Sweet Potato Mag
Healthy Family Living
Berry Picking Locations Across Metro Vancouver
July & August 2022
On the recipe front, scones and squares proved particularly popular among lifestyle media outlets, while Vancouver restaurant Torafuku had journalists talking about their blueberry corn bread – a marriage made in heaven between BC blueberries and BC corn.
Darpan Magazine
Vita Daily
More Reasons Than Ever To Go Blue This Season
Foodology
Celebrating BC Produce at White Spot with new Limited Time Only Menu
Georgia Straight
Great local blueberry recipes from BC chefs and restaurants
Vancouver Sun (and multiple syndicates)
Karen Gordon: Summer blueberry bounty showcases perfectly in scones, squares
Vancouver Sun
Wine match recipe: Torafuku blueberry cornbread
September, October, November & December 2022
With the weather turning colder, lifestyle media embraced warming comfort food, with recipes like Duck Confit with Blueberry Chutney making a splash at multiple outlets. BC blueberries also featured on the menu of the eagerly awaited new downtown Vancouver foodie hot spot Archer, with journalists picking up on the addition to the downtown food scene eagerly.
In November, the anniversary of the 2021 floods, media once again shone a light on the impact of those floods on BC’s blueberry farmers one year on.
Finally, to end off 2022, lifestyle media embraced the holiday season by posting a gorgeous BC blueberry take on the traditional Christmas Linzer cookie.
Langley Advance Times
Candidate wants to represent Langley farmers at Township council
Global News
USask researchers working to prevent honeybee loss among blueberry pollinators
CBC News
U.S. fruit sellers look to Canada for berry production amid drought, rising costs
Vancouver Sun (and multiple syndicates)
Wine match recipe: Duck Confit With Blueberry Chutney
Food Industry Network
Recipe: Duck confit with blueberry chutney
Foodology
Archer officially opens on Wednesday, September 28th
Vancouver CityNews
On anniversary of B.C.’s catastrophic floods, some farmers face years of recover
BC Living
