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South Okanagan Photos

Award celebrated today – SIR

SIR neighbourhood mapping south of Oliver
SIR neighbourhood mapping south of Oliver

Award for what:

Since the SIR program started, pesticides used to fight codling moth has been reduced by 96 per cent.  Many orchardists in the valley have not had to spray their trees for codling moth for the last 15 years.

What: Okanagan Sterile Insect Release program receives an Integrated Pest Managment (IPM) Award of Excellence from the 8th International Symposium held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The award also recognized the hard work of the programs collaborators, including: the four participating regional districts (Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Regional District of North Okanagan, Regional District of Central Okanagan, and Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen), the BC Ministry of Agriculture, the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, and the BC Fruit Growers Associations.

Representatives from all the recognized collaborators will be on hand to accept their awards and celebrate OKSIR’s achievements with local elected representatives and fruit growers, and a number of senior government elected officials.

Speakers and dignataries gathering in Kelowna today to celebrate the award: The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Federal Minister of Veterans Affairs, M.P. Ron Cannan, The Honourable Norm Letnick, BCs Minister of Agriculture, M.L.A. Linda Larson, Fred Steele, President of the BC Fruit Growers Association Duane Ophus, Chair of OKSIR
When: Friday,

The OKSIR program has been controlling codling moths in the apple and pear growing areas of the Okanagan and Similkameen areas for 20+ years.

The Okanagan-Kootenay program operates from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos &Similkameen Valley – led by the general manager, Cara Nelson.

“It’s an honour to be formally recognized by the international integrated pest management community,” said Nelson.  “Our whole valley can be proud of the OKSIR program—not just for the amount of pesticides kept out of the environment because the program is in place, but also for the support it provides for our fruit growers, who are important to our local economy and our Okanagan way of life.”