Snow geese wreak havoc on Metro Vancouver farms - Action News
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British Columbia

Snow geese wreak havoc on Metro Vancouver farms

The annual snow geese migration is causing thousands of dollars worth of losses for local Metro Vancouver farmers.

'It's insane,' says farmer who loses more than $80,000 each year due to annual migration

The Lower Mainland is the only place in Canada where snow geese spend the winter, according to Environment Canada. (Denis Dossman (CBC))

Metro Vancouver farmers say they arelosing thousands of dollars each year because of the annual snow geese migration in October and November.

Young snow geese cause problems for farmersby feeding on grass and eating crops, resulting indamaged fields.

"It'sinsane," said third generationfarmer John VanKeulen.

"Thatcropthatweloseoutonwould maybe be an $80,000cropfor us....They love lush green grass. They just slowly peck away at it."

VanKeulen'sfamily runsDoniaFarms in South Surrey and the birds have become a major problem over the last decade.

"Because of the rainy wet weather and mild temperatures that we do have, the birds seem to love it," said Van Keulen.

Last year, experts estimated the Metro Vancouver snow goose population may have increased by upto50 per cent over a one-year period, up to 100,000 birds.

"They cansometimesgraze it so badly there's nothing left of the crop," said Drew Bondarof the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust.

Drones to deter birds?

Bondarsaid in some cases, farmers have to reseed an entire field because the damage is so severe.

"There's quite a large cost associated with that. Over the winter season they can graze a field so badly it has to bereseededin thespring."

VanKeulenhas tried different methods to save his fields, including planting different types of grass.

"We've certainly tailored our farmingnow to annualcrops where wedon't haveperennialgrass growing."

Next month, Van Keulenis hiring a private company to test its technology that uses robotic birds and drones to deter the birds.

"It's a quiet problem that a lot of us farmers have been trying to battle."