By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The Province is further investing in the tree fruit sector after four years of weather-related crop losses, labour shortages and market issues that are set to be compounded by the threats posed to growers and food businesses by proposed US tariffs.
Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food announced on Wednesday a further investment of $10 million to “help them rebuild to ensure a resilient, sustainable future for BC’s tree fruit industry.”
“These past years have been very challenging for BC tree fruit farmers and we want to make sure they are ready for this season and seasons to come,” Popham added.
The one-time payment will make support available to tree fruit farmers throughout the province based on acreage. This support aims to help growers recover from recent hardships, including labour shortages, production loss and increasingly competitive markets.
“We appreciate the hard work and commitment of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA) and its leadership team, and we will continue working with the sector to support initiatives that further stabilize the industry so people in British Columbia can depend on fruit produced right here at home,” Popham said touching on the current mood of “buy local, buy Canadian” as Canadians rally against Donald Trump’s economic war on Canada.
The BCFGA said the support comes as a “direct result of our persistent advocacy and collaborative efforts with the government to address the significant challenges faced by our sector over the past four years.”
British Columbia’s tree fruit industry is comprised of approximately 400 commercial growers who cultivate about 6,000 hectares of various fruits.
BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food graphic
Noting Popham’s commitment to maintaining a collaborative approach, the Association added that it will continue to work closely with the provincial government “to develop and implement initiatives that further stabilize and strengthen our industry.”
It also follows closely on the heels of the enhancement of the AgriStability program and the $5 million Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program announced at the end of January and is now fully subscribed according to the Province.
The enhanced replant program announced last year on the other hand continues to provide assistance to growers looking to renew their orchards with more resilient varieties.
“We are incredibly grateful to Premier David Eby and the government for recognizing the importance of the tree fruit industry in British Columbia and for taking decisive action to support our growers,” said BCFGA Vice-President, Deep Brar.
Harwinder Sandhu, parliamentary secretary for agriculture and MLA for Vernon-Lumby welcomed the investment saying he has been hearing the challenges impacting farmers directly for many months.
“This will help tree fruit farmers in our province and it will help all British Columbians have access to BC fruit at a time when the dangers of the US tariffs are looming large.”
As BCFGA President, Peter Simonsen observes, “Buying local is more important than ever.
“By supporting BC tree fruit growers, you are not only enjoying fresh, high-quality fruit but also contributing to the resilience of our local food system and the livelihoods of our farmers.”
British Columbia’s tree fruit industry is comprised of approximately 400 commercial growers who cultivate about 6,000 hectares of various fruits, including:
- Apples
- Apricots
- Cherries
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
A ministry-led tree fruit stabilization project was launched in February 2021, after consultation with an external advisory committee composed of key stakeholders and partners. Recommendations in the resulting stabilization plan were built from extensive feedback.
More than 30 sessions with 165 individuals were held during the consultation process, representing all aspects of the industry, including producers, packers, marketers, retailers, researchers, and government.
