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The 133rd BCFGA Annual Convention was held on-line Feb. 22 and 23, and the growers’ parliament once again provided the heartbeat of the tree fruit industry. Outgoing President Pinder Dhaliwal noted the challenges of COVID-19 and the “heat dome” of 2021, while also noting the progress made by the BCFGA on a range of issues. In particular, the President noted the need for progress on the government’s Tree Fruit Industry Stabilization Report, issued November 12, 2021.
About 55 people attended the meeting and 186 voted in the election of the BCFGA President, with Peter Simonsen elected President for the two year term. Delegates approved all but one resolution. Most resolutions passed as-is with a few amended prior to passing. Considering the challenges of COVID-19 and the switch to on-line meetings, grower engagement is not an issue!
Several horticulture topics were top-of-mind, including:
- Establishing a soil health program.
- Enhancing water security and establishing an agricultural water reserve.
- Providing Oversight of Irrigation Rates, independent of irrigation water providers.
- Helping the viability of the Sterile Insect Release Program by making provincial and federal investments.
- Investigating the supply of fruit trees from nurseries to deal with shortages.
The resolutions on labour generated a lot of interest:
- Making permanent resident status easier for agricultural workers who wish to resettle to Canada, and allowing for post-arrival work visas for ‘international backpackers’.
- Helping with wage costs by providing a government subsidy for those entering into seasonal agricultural work, encouraging seasonal farm work by reducing the clawback of farm wages from Employment Insurance. Investing in centralized farm campsites was also supported.
- Establishing a pilot program for SAWP, styled on the new US program, to allow participation for small farms.
Growers were interested in seeing Production Insurance adjust to climate change, by allowing all weather perils to be covered and to allow for coverage at blossom time rather than later at fruit set.
Marketing was high on growers priority list this year, judging by the number of market-related resolutions and the amount of debate. Growers want to see the food safety programs simplified and ensure that retailers do not make the program more complicated than needed and follow ethical rules (a “Food Retailer Code of Practice”). BCFGA delegates directed the BCFGA to facilitate discussion and communication on an Apple Marketing Commission proposal. Finally, delegates want the BCFGA to help access new markets for apples.
The BCFGA Board of directors will meet in early March to prioritize and direct resources for the new resolutions approved at the BCFGA Annual Convention, as well as the Standing Resolutions approved at previous Conventions and on which work remains to be completed. Information on the Annual Convention reports and resolution is available at the BCFGA website (www.bcfga.com).
The new Board will also be anxious to see progress on the new BCFGA Business Model, which has already seen significant
implementation. The BCFGA is hiring a Project Manager and adding new resources to staffing to help with committees, governance, and communications. If you know of someone who is interested in starting a great career in the tree fruit sector and working for the growers’ parliament, have them contact me directly.
Resolution 19 - Prohibit Retailer Manipulation of Food Safety Programs
Therefore Be It Resolved That the federal government include in a Food Retailer Code of Practice initiative, a prohibition in the addition of requirements to food safety programs though the unilateral decision of a food retailer, primarily through the use of addendums or changes to commonly accepted food safety programs, and
Further Be It Resolved That the food retailers submit for consideration any requested changes to the food safety program to the national standard program, CanadaGAP, thus avoiding unilateral decisions of the food retailers on food safety addendums.
Resolution 20 - Government Action on Input Cost Inflation
Therefore Be It Resolved That there be federal and provincial programs to offset the increased costs of regulations and general inflationary pressures on agricultural producers.
Resolution 21 - Government Funding when Introducing New Regulations and Rules Therefore Be It resolved That the Government share the costs associated with introducing new rules.
Glen Lucas, General Manager, BCFGA