KELOWNA, B.C. – It wasn’t want they wanted. In fact, it was only half of what they asked for, but Okanagan orchardists will take the $5 million offered by the federal and provincial governments.British Columbia Fruit Growers Association president Joe Sardinha was thankful, but noted some discontent among growers.”There is some grower disappointment that there won’t be direct assistance, but the BCFGA is encouraged by today’s commitment to the long-term success of the tree-fruit industry. We see this as an opportunity to focus on areas such as infrastructure, innovation, marketing and value-added initiatives, key areas going into future.”He also noted that while the $5 million will help in the long term, many growers are hurting now, and may hurt later because of short cuts they are forced to take now.”A lot of growers are scratching though and running up their lines of credit, and some growers are doing minimal spraying and as a result may have lower grades of fruit than they would normally have.”In Kelowna, federal treasury board president Stockwell Day held up four apples he plucked from a bin behind him at the B.C. Fresh Food store.”This is why we’re here today,” he said at the event that announced the federal and provincial governments are investing $5 million to develop new marketing opportunities infrastructure and improve orchard pest management.”The B.C. tree fruit industry is the most productive, most advanced, most nutritious and delicious in the world and we want to continue to see that happen,” said Day, MP for Okanagan-Coquihalla, the riding just across Okanagan Lake from Kelowna.B.C. agriculture minister Steve Thomson echoed Day’s sentiments.”We are committed to working with the industry to promote B.C. agrifood products,” said Thomson, a former BCFGA general manager whose family has farmed in the area for 110 years.”We recognize growers are facing difficult challenges, such as a high Canadian dollar and unpredictable weather.”Added to those woes was last year’s killing frost, overwhelming competition from Washington state, and low prices, which on average were half the cost of production, causing the 800-grower BCFGA in March to seek a $10 million emergency payout from the provincial government.That was denied, but the federal government was willing to invest $3 million and the provincial government $2 million in the industry.One line in Thomson’s speech gave Fred Steele a reason for optimism that had nothing to do with the $5 million cheque.”Minister Thomson was talking about working with the industry (and) we get to talk to their trade experts to find a way to get money from the marketplace,” said the BCFGA board member.”If we can find a way to do that within (World Trade Organization) rules, we can create a market in Canada and a pricing system on an equal playing field, and we will not need to have cheques like this anymore.”That is more important than the money; that’s the future of the industry.”
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