Dear Editor:
Local apple growers recently received notification from the provincial government’s Sterile Insect Release (SIR) program relating to how they would like suggestions on how to improve or change the program.
To date this program has cost over $100 million of growers’ and taxpayers’ money.
This is just to tackle problems association with one insect. Growers still spray for many more insects to keep them under control.
The end result is $100 million has disappeared and the insect is alive and well.
Washington State is one of the largest apple producing regions in the entire world and they don’t have this program.
They use artificial pheromones to cause the mating disruption of insects, rather than raising and sterilizing them.
Wouldn’t it be more intelligent to raise predators rather than the insect that is trying to be eliminated?
Predators would reduce many of the pesticides we are using in the apple growing industry. As an apple grower and taxpayer, I believe the current program is an extreme waste of time and money.
Gerry Hesketh
Osoyoos, B.C.
