Fred Steele
Over the past couple of decades several sectors of the economy had to reinvent themselves to be relevant in the marketplace. Sectors such as fisheries, forestry, beef, and grains and oilseeds witnessed serious upheaval and disruption to producers and communities. Restructuring brought new opportunities and new vision for the future. The tree fruit industry made some strides in the direction of change but much more is needed. If we are going to satisfy the voices of doubt, we must nourish the voices of hope.
The BCFGA is embarking on a new industry strategy to develop a common roadmap for the future. This strategy will be made up from the input generated from industry stakeholders so we can focus our momentum of progress. We have engaged senior levels of government with some partnering ideas, and the fundamental common reply is, ‘do you have a written strategy?’
The tree fruit industry is on the verge of a new awakening. The BC Tree Fruits Co-op has already embarked on a number of positive projects. Modernization has introduced new quality and food safety standards. More tree fruit that we harvest is reaching the fresh market. Independent farm operations are finding new value-added revenue streams. The time has come to develop a strategy that accommodates the various industry stakeholders.
The old method of simply trying to get a few more cents a pound is no longer good enough. We must look at the whole industry, and the opportunities it presents. The prospects are endless.
- We can develop a cider industry, and a host of other on-farm products.
- We can find the niche export markets, where the emerging economies have a growing middle class interested in purchasing quality.
- We need to reach out to local ethnic markets in Vancouver, where BC-grown products are not well known.
- New free trade agreements negotiated by the Federal Government will soon provide marketing without high tariffs to export customers wanting Canadian products.
- Other ideas include partnering with a commonwealth country in the southern hemisphere to provide year round fresh product. We need to know how this will work with the ‘buy local’ movement, but it seems to be an opportunity to explore. This would provide year round employment and lower dependency on expensive long-term storage.
To meet the demand of changing markets we need to increase the volume of products produced. In addition we need to service our local and national customer base, as they are the backbone of our current and future marketing plan.
We must continue our partnerships with the Federal Government's research facility in Summerland. Summerland Varieties Corporation in partnership with the Federal Government has been introducing successful cherry and apple varieties to the world for over two decades. In addition we need to encourage the federal government to invest more in Horticulture . A recent edition of National Geographic magazine, focusing on agriculture, noted that government investment in horticulture lags behind the other commodities (e.g. grain and livestock). Canadians are focused on healthy eating and yet they are deficient in their intake of fruits and vegetables. Such investment in horticulture will eventually see dividends as it could lower healthcare costs' a major consumer of federal revenues.
One of the most important partnerships we’ve developed is with the Mennell family, and twenty years of investment has produced the world-class Ambrosia Apple. The Mennells and industry have both benefitted immensely.
If we are to reinvent ourselves we must define how we fit into the global marketplace. We must be able to strike a balance between growth and managing costs. Most importantly we must explore the opportunities presented to us in a spirit of cooperation. The role of the BCFGA is to be a catalyst in preparing the strategy. Once the plan is developed the BCFGA will strive to secure the funding for innovation and implementation of the long term strategy.
We can truly make the future the present providing we are bold enough to act. If we have the courage to explore new initiatives, and create new opportunities in the areas of value added and embrace the concept of developing selective export markets we can reinvent our industry. By reinventing the tree fruit industry, we will be leaders in the marketplace
