Pollinators such as honeybees are the lifeblood of the Okanagan tree fruit industry, and if there are not enough of them it can have devastating results. For two decades commercial apiarists Kevin and Janelle Dunn of Penticton have provided millions of the bees to growers and were among those who experienced a shortage during this […] Read more
Stories by Mark Brett
Pollinators called vital for food production
A British Columbia bee expert is warning about the dangers of a continuing decline of pollinators, including honeybees. Commercial honeybee colonies are critical to helping fruit growers attain the quantity and quality of fruit they need. “In modern agriculture, there is no question, the growers can simply not operate if they don’t have access to […] Read more
Another dire season pummels apple growers
Labour shortages and an early snowfall leave Okanagan orchard floors covered under a blanket of millions of rotting apples
Apple growers are a dying breed in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and this season is shaping up to be another nail in the coffin. After three years of low yields and declining prices, producers this year had to contend with the labour shortage from COVID-19 and then an early October snowfall that snapped decades, even […] Read more
