Premier David Eby, alongside Minister of Agriculture Pam Alexis and representatives of the BC Cherry Association and the BC Tree Fruit Growers Association, announced a series of relief initiatives for a long-beleaguered industry.
It comes on the heels of the recent collapse of the BC Tree Fruits Co-op, the organization behind packing and marketing much of local fruit. The co-op is embroiled in court proceedings and is reportedly in debt for millions of dollars.
This has also been a difficult year for harvest, with farmers reporting huge losses of their tree stone fruits due to rapid temperature changes earlier this season — just the latest in a long string of seasons with one issue or another related to weather.
“It’s tough out there for farmers,” Eby said Tuesday, standing outside the Penticton Visitor’s Centre.
“I think that the collapse of the co-op really put a point on what has been a devastating set of events for the sector.”
Eby announced the following new initiatives:
- Increasing the AgriStability program, moving the the compensation level up from 80 per cent to 90 per cent for the 2024 year, at an estimated $15 million in direct payments to local farmers.
- Additional $5 million “Tree Fruit Climate Resilience Program” providing technologies to prevent crop loss due to climate events, which will launch after the apple harvest this fall.
- Temporary exemption to an agricultural land reserve rule.
The latter is a rule that 50 per cent of the product that is processed on agricultural land has to come from the farm where the processing site is located.
“We will provide an exemption specific to the tree fruit sector to respond to the collapse of the co-op so that crops this year can be processed, packaged and stored and we can minimize losses due to the co-op,” Eby said.
“I'd like to underline that it can't be just the provincial government that responds to this. We need a strong federal partner at the table as well,” Eby said.
“I've written the prime minister to ask for some very specific things in this urgent moment as well as an ongoing commitment to work with us just like they would work with farmers and other provinces that were facing a crisis like this. We deserve the same treatment as farmers in Saskatchewan and Ontario and Manitoba and Alberta. The crops are different here, the needs are different here, and we need a federal government that responds to that.”
He has asked the prime minister to put a two-year stay in place on advance payment loans for farmers, to replenish and match a $70 million B.C. replant program, and to review the subsidy frameworks taking place south of the border.
“Especially in Washington State, where we see the U.S. government, and state government, heavily subsidizing their farmers. And then our farmers are expected to compete on what's called a level playing field under free trade agreements. When it's clearly not level. One group of farmers is being subsidized and one isn’t.”
Minister Pam Alexis said the most urgent need has been working on ensuring co-op members get their fruit to market.
“By working with growers, private packers and other stakeholders, over 60,000 bins of fruit that was previously packed by the co-op will be shipped to other packing houses. We've been able to help a majority of co-op members find packing service. And we continue to look at other options to help more,” Alexis said.
Peter Simonsen, president of the BC Fruit Growers Association, expressed his gratitude.
“The majority of our growers are small family farms who have felt the brunt of these hardships, and many are hanging in by a thread. Relief is needed right now, and we want the iconic BC tree fruit industry to survive today,” Simonsen said.
“For so long, it feels like our growers have been alone on the front lines of climate change. Without this immediate assistance, growers will be able to unable to continue to grow in today's climate. The past few years have been disastrous due to the extreme weather conditions. We need help to manage the increased risk for our industry.”
He added, however, the fight is far from over.
“This is only the first step in supporting a sustainable tree fruit sector British Columbia,” Simonsen said.
“And while we appreciate the provincial government's efforts. It's also time to acknowledge the federal government needs to step up and provide the necessary support for our industry.”
BC Cherry Association president Sukhpaul Bal echoed the sentiment.
“As resilient as farmers are, this support recognizes these sudden changes in climate go far beyond what farmers can handle,” Bal said.
“British Columbia can and should be a leader in food production. However, this will require an unprecedented investment in agriculture.”
During a media question period, Eby explained further that food stability, specifically locally grown, is on the government’s mind.
“We know we've got more to do, and we'll continue to support our agricultural sector, because that will support British Columbians with stability around food pricing and stability around food in a really uncertain global environment,” Eby said.
“We'll put pressure on the federal government to make sure that they're at the table with us so that our farmers are supported, so that British Columbians are supported […] the farmers have to survive this year in order to be able to do the work for future years.”
