Fred Steele from Kelowna will return as the B.C. Fruit Growers Association president after being re-elected at the 126th annual BCFGA convention on Feb. 21.
“(The results) were probably close, these things are usually razor thin either way. It’s always good to have the family get together and squabble over the issues. That’s what the convention is about,” Steele said.
Steele faced a familiar opponent during the election in Jeet Dukhia. The two were up against each other last year and have been opponents in years prior.
“We’ve had a few over the years, but the nice thing about it is Jeet is a member of the BCFGA and sees things differently and we challenge each other and I don’t think there are any hard feelings at all,” Steele said.
“There’s always next year,” Jeet said. Who said he plans to run again.
“I think what we have to do now is looking toward other areas because we have to think about expanding this industry,”
He said infrastructure will be a focus moving forward.
“What we have to do is start looking at the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Industry for national issues, the Ministry of Western Economic Diversification for infrastructure funding and the Ministry of Agriculture of course,” Steele said.
“It’s always a good day when you win,” Steele said.
BCFGA to administer replant funds
The BCFGA’s 126th annual convention at the Penticton Lakeside Resort saw a visit from B.C. Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick.
Letnick spoke to growers from around B.C. and announced that the BCFGA were selected as the administers of an $8.4 million, seven-year replant program.
The replant program allows farmers to take existing stands of trees with older fruit and replant new varieties that will afford them more money. The partnership provides government assistance with a third of the cost of the replant on average.
Letnick said that the strategy moving forward is focused on quality and differentiating the B.C. market from the rest of the world.
“That’s the biggest strategy we have is helping people convert their existing, low-margin fruits to higher margin fruits, and that’s where the replant program comes in,” Letnick said.
He said that American producers have more acres under production resulting in a lower cost per pound as well as lower land costs. Creating quality and unique products is the way to differentiate according to Letnick.
“That’s why apples like Ambrosia Honeycrisp and others help us do that. Late harvest cherries help us do that,” Letnick said.
“We have a great product, how do we get more people to buy it.”
He added helping growers market products domestically as well as nationally and internationally will be another focus moving forward.
