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Orchadists select new president

Orchardists will elect a new president at this month’s 123rd annual convention in Kelowna.

Orchardists will elect a new president at this month’s 123rd annual convention in Kelowna.

Joe Sardinha has served as president for the past seven years, and was on the executive of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association for four years prior to that. Vice-president Fred Steele and Kirpal Boparai, both of Kelowna, have been nominated for the position, but nominations could be opened from the floor as well.

Friday will feature the annual election of officers, including selection of a new president. Amarjit Lalli, who was elected to the board last year, has been nominated for vice-president, along with Jeet Dukhia, who is not currently a member of the board. The annual general meeting will consist of an afternoon business session, followed by a morning policy session, Jan. 26 and 27.

Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz will not be attending this year, but Sardinha said he’s hopeful that provincial minister Don McRae will be able to attend and will speak to orchardists Friday morning.

With even fewer growers on the membership roster than a year ago, BCFGA general manager Glen Lucas said he’s not expecting a large turnout. However, those who do attend likely will be feeling frustrated by the past three years of low returns and the lack of government support for agriculture in general.

“Something needs to change,” commented Lucas, adding, “and government needs to take on some of that role.

“Without government there as a meaningful partner, there’s a sense of real uncertainty, which isn’t good for business,” he said. “Time is of the essence. We need to know where we stand.”

During the AGM, B.C. apple growers will also be presented with a proposal that has the potential to raise $1.4 million for apple promotion and research, a figure that could double in future.

A plebiscite of growers on the proposed Apple Research and Promotion Agency must be completed by March 8 and will pass if at least 40 per cent of registered growers vote 65 per cent or more in favour. Voting will kick off at the AGM.

The new ARPA council would include up to three apple growers, one of which must be an organic grower; one or two members at large; one member from the Pacific Agri-food Research Centre and an ex officio government representative. It would manage funds raised by a levy of up to $.009 a pound ($.002 for processed fruit), but the initial levy would be half that, Sardinha said.

The new council would not undertake projects, but would fund projects for the co-operative, BCFGA or other industry groups Funds raised on organically-grown apples would go to that sector, as the current levy for Ambrosia apples would continue to go to the New Variety Development Council. That existing levy for Ambrosias is three times what is proposed by the new council, and the levy for other varieties of apples would be about the same as is currently collected by B.C. Tree Fruits for promotion.

Growers in Nova Scotia likely will work toward a similar council if B.C. growers approve this and growers in both Quebec and Ontario already have a levy system.

If there is a national council, which is possible once all growers in the country approve a provincial levy, it could collect the levy not only from apples marketed by Canadian growers in Canada, but also from apple imports, which could double the funds that could be raised, noted Sardinha.

“There’s strength in numbers,” he commented.

The idea for the B.C. ARPA came out of the Apple Working Group of the Canadian Horticulture Council. Formation of the council would come under the provincial Farming and Fishing Industry Development Act, and the levy would have to be authorized by the provincial cabinet under that legislation. Its mandate would then have to be renewed every five years by a vote. The BCFGA would administer the council’s work on a contract basis.

The levy would be collected at the first point of sale of fruit, which in many instances would be a packinghouse, but could also be another sales agency or a retail outlet. Packinghouses and processors would be responsible to report, collect and forward the levies, but growers selling direct to retail or wholesale outlets or processors would have to pay the levy directly to the council.

This month, meetings will be held with industry organizations to get feedback on the proposal, which will be submitted to the agriculture minister Jan. 17 for approval by Jan. 24.

Balloting will also be conducted by mail and will wrap up at the annual Horticulture Forum in Kelowna March 1.