July 4 2014
A stretch of roadway from Hwy 3 at the Husky in Osoyoos to Constellation Brands winery at Tucelnuit Drive will be ground up and resurfaced next year. All that for $3 million says Highways Minister Todd Stone.
This project will create a smoother and safer drive for commercial trucks, local drivers and summer tourists going through the farmland area.
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October 8, 2014
Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick has named commissioners to the Agricultural
Land Commission’s (ALC) 3 interior regional panels:
Okanagan Coast Panel Region
Gerald Zimmermann, Vice Chair
Greg Norton, Commissioner
James Johnson, Commissioner
Interior Panel Region
Gordon Gillette, Vice Chair
Lucille Dempsey, Commissioner
Richard Mumford, Commissioner
Kootenay Panel Region
Sharon Mielnichuk, Vice Chair
Ian Knudsen, Commissioner
Jerry Thibeault, Commissioner
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May 28, 2014
South Okanagan orchardists are used to putting up with whatever Mother Nature throws their way, but Monday’s hail storm was particularly harmful.
Hail storm Monday has orchardists dealing with severely damaged fruit crops early in the 2014 growing season.
“Everything got hit hard, but it’s most noticeable with the cherries and apples,” said Harj Dhillon, who has a 15-acre orchard, just north of Oliver.
Glen Lucas, general manager of the BC Fruit Growers Association, said some orchardists in the Oliver and Osoyoos area were hit but its too early to estimate the damage in $$$.
The fruit growers have to file a notice of claim when they’ve had damage, and then the production insurance branch of the BC Ministry of Agriculture will decide based on severity.
Dhillon estimates he lost 100 percent of his apple crop, 70 to 80 percent of his cherries, and 70 to 80 percent of his peaches, in the storm that lasted around 15 minutes.
Compounding the situation to make it even more difficult, Dhillon also experienced a 100 percent loss to his apple crop from hail storms last year.
Iqbal Deol, who has a 10-acre orchard on Road 2, just south of Oliver, said all of his apples are gone and some of his cherries and peaches will recover, but others won’t.
While the trees are OK, the fruit sustained holes and bumps from the hail.
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November 21, 2014
B.C. tree fruit sector to benefit with sustainable, long-term replant program
$8.4 million for a seven-year tree fruit replant program that supports grower’s efforts to meet consumer demands for high-value, high-quality B.C. fruit announced
Premier Christy Clark gave out the details of the program with representatives of B.C.’s tree fruit industry.
“It’s about providing certainty for B.C. fruit growers,” said Premier Clark. “And making sure we continue to showcase the best tree fruits in the world, both here at home and internationally.”
Beginning April 1, 2015, through to the 2021 season, growers will be able to apply for the new program. It is estimated that more than 600 hectares (1,500 acres) of orchards will be replanted over the next seven years providing 2,600 jobs each year for the Okanagan.
“We are proud of the heritage of B.C.’s tree fruit industry and we look forward to continuing our partnership in promoting high-value, high-quality B.C. fruit so our growers can earn more dollars,” said Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick.
The new program builds on the recent success of growers who replanted low-value orchards with high-demand and high-quality varieties like Ambrosia apples and late-season cherries. B.C. growers produced Canada’s second-largest tree fruit crop in 2013, generating almost $103 million in farm cash receipts.