Orchard & Vine Pre Spring 2018

Converting to Cannabis Creating a Succession Plan New Stone Fruit Varieties Recruiting the Samurai Wasp

Pre Spring 2018 $6.95

2018 Tractor Issue

Display Until Mar 31, 2018 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40838008 www.orchardandvine.net

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Annual Tractor Guide and Survey on page 24.

Regulars 6 Publisher’s View – Lisa Olson 8 Calendar 10 News & Events 42 Seeds of Growth – Fred Steele 45 Word on Wine – Laura Kittmer 46 Safety Tips – WorkSafe BC

Michael Botner chronicles Rise of BC Bubbly on page 32.

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Pre Spring 2018

Features 19 Should You Bet the Farm on Cannabis?

22 A Love of Leftovers 24 Tractor Guide & Survey 27 Robotic Farmers Coming to A Field Near You 32 BC Bubbly On the Rise 35 N ew Stone Fruit Varieties Coming to Commercial Growers 37 Samurai Wasps Wanted for Stink Bug Battle 39 C reating a Formal Succession Plan for your Farm - Part 1 Cover photo of Bruno Kelle of Castoro de Oro Estate Winery on a restored 1978 MF 245 Diesel tractor.

Photo by Alyssa Kelle, Hawk Design & Creative, Calgary

BC looking for insect allies in war on the stink bug, page 37.

Pre Spring 2018

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 PUBLISHER’S VIEW | LISA OLSON

Robotics, Stone Fruit, and Cannabis

I

f you’ve ever seen a robotic vacuum scoot around the room cleaning your floor you know how enjoyable it is to see your floors cleaned without lifting a finger. If you don’t own one, there are plenty of funny cat videos online riding these robotic house cleaning appliances to see how they work.

Vol. 59, No 1 Pre Spring 2018

Is that what is coming in the way of tractors? In some areas of farming they are already here. In this issue, we give you the lowdown on where technology is heading for self-driving tractors and their use in orchards and vineyards. We also asked you, the readers, your thoughts on the topic as well. We are so grateful for receiving your answers. Hope you find it interesting to see how others responded.

Gary Symons

Growers are asking if they should build greenhouses to plant this new cash crop, and growers that have greenhouses are asking what to do next. There are a few growers and wineries that are already in this process. So, inside this issue we decided to give you the answers and steps necessary if that is a route you want to take. An interesting read even if this is not in your plans.

Research and technology are such a necessary part of growing quality stone fruits and new varieties are in high demand with consumers. Canada has to

Publisher Lisa Olson Editor

Graphic Design Stephanie Symons Contributors Michael Botner, Kim Elsasser, Tracey Fredrickson, Laura Kittmer,

Photo by Kim Elsasser mpa

There is so much new technology out there; we are covering such a wide range of topics in this issue! I think 2018 will go down in history as a year that brought about many changes. From politics, to women speaking up, to cannabis legalization!

Established in 1959

Ronda Payne, Fred Steele, Gary Symons, WorkSafe BC Contact lisa@orchardandvine.net

keep up! There are seven new varieties that are nearly ready for market thanks to all the work and collaboration being done in Ontario with The University of Guelph, Agriculture Canada and Vineland Research and innovation Centre along with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. See that story on page 35.

Orchard & Vine Magazine Ltd. 1576 West Kelowna Road West Kelowna, BC, V1Z 3H5 www.orchardandvine.net Phone: 250-769-2123 Fax: 1-866-433-3349 Orchard & Vine Magazine is

Lastly, it’s the bubbles! Consumers love their bubbly, for celebrating and all around enjoyment and wineries are making some delicious varieties! Read more inside.

Hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed pulling it all together.■■

published six times a year and distributed by addressed mail to growers, suppliers and wineries in the Okanagan, Kootenays, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Washington State and across Canada. Orchard & Vine is also available online.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40838008 Undeliverable copies should be sent to:

Providing Canadian Grapevine Solutions BRITISH COLUMBIA Nathan Phillips p. 250-809-6040 bcsales@vinetech.ca 6

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QUEBEC Alexandre Jacquel p. 905.984.4324 qcsales@vinetech.ca

NOVA SCOTIA Ian Kaye p. 902.740.2493 nssales@vinetech.ca

ONTARIO Wes Wiens/Tina Tourigny p. 905.984.4324 sales@vinetech.ca

1576 West Kelowna Road West Kelowna, BC V1Z 3H5

Cert no. SGS-COC-006263

Here’s to the

GROWER “When I was a boy in India, I never could have imagined the opportunities I’d have in Canadian agriculture. My orchard business takes hard work, but I’m glad to see my kids grow up on a farm, just like I did. My name is Lakhwinder Brar and I grow fruits and vegetables.”

From all of us at FCC, thanks for making Canadian agriculture so amazing.

#HeresToCdnAg

fcc.ca

FEBRUARY 13

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ALL YOUR VINEYARD

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 PRE SPRING | CALENDAR BC Tree Fruit Horticultural Symposium February 8 Trinity Baptist Church, Kelowna, BC Contact: Ron Patterman, Brenda Jorde or Field Service Rep. Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers AGM & Trade Show February 6 - 8 Kennewick, WA, USA www.wawgg.org

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Young Agrarians Land Linking Workshop February 17 Shatford Centre, 760 Main Street Penticton land@youngagrarians.org http://youngagrarians.org Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention February 21 - 22 Niagara Falls, ON www.ofvc.ca BC Cherry Association AGM February 22 Ramada Inn, Kelowna, BC admin@bccherry.com COABC Conference Certified Organic Association of BC February 23 - 25 Abbotsford, BC www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca Vancouver International Wine Fest February 24 - March 4 Vancouver, BC vanwinefest.ca BC Association of Farmers’ Markets Conference & AGM March 2 - 4 Victoria, BC www.bcfarmersmarket.org ProWein 2018 March 18 - 20 Dusseldorf, Germany www.prowein.com VinItaly 2018 April 15 - 18 Verona Italy www.vinitaly.com

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Land-Matching Project Connects New Farmers To Farmland A pilot project matching new farmers with available fertile farmland in the Metro Vancouver area will kick off in 2018, thanks to a $25,000 investment from the governments of Canada and British Columbia.

“This investment will help create opportunities for young and beginning farmers, leading to economic growth and helping to strengthen our middle class,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

The project is led by the Young Agrarians, in partnership with Farm Folk City Folk Society. This Metro Vancouver project builds on the success of a two-year pilot in partnership with the City of Surrey, and in collaboration with Quebec’s L’ARTERRE. It addresses a major challenge for new farmers; gaining access to expensive land in Southern BC “My mandate includes getting more young people farming, and making sure that they have the land to farm on through projects like the Metro Vancouver land-matching project is an essential first step,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture.

“Part of why we established Grow BC was to help young farmers access land. I believe strongly that agriculture has the potential to unlock prosperity throughout our entire province, and we need farmland and farmers to make that happen.”

The Surrey pilot matched new farmer Roger Woo with David Feldhaus, a local land owner. Woo, a former chef with a passion for local, organically grown and sustainably farmed produce, was just the type of person that Feldhaus was searching for when he was looking to expand agricultural activity on his farmland.

“I knew I wanted to farm in BC, but I saw significant challenges to acquiring the appropriate farmland in the Lower Mainland,” said Woo. “Through the land-matching program, I’ve been able to find a supportive land owner who has agreed to let me farm

his land. I came to this process with my farm dream, and have received step-by-step support to make it a reality.”

The land-matching project screens owners of underutilized land and farmers ready to start a business, and supports the parties in the development of legal contracts. The goal is to create seven to nine new farm operations in 2018.

“For years we have wanted to make a positive change with our farm,” said Feldhaus. “In a short time, the Young Agrarians were able to understand our needs and the goals that we had for our farm, and helped guide us through the land-matching process, matching us with a great young farmer. Seeing our fields blooming with row after row of organic vegetables is proof of the value provided by the land-matching program.”

“We are excited to see investment at all three levels of government in this program and the future of new and young farmers in BC,” said Sara Dent, Young Agrarians BC program manager.

“Fifty per cent of farmers in Canada under 35 lease land. The prohibitive cost of farmland in southern BC means that we have to facilitate solutions to land access if we want to see a future generation farming the land.”

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Outstanding Young Farmers for 2017 Derek & Tannis Axten of Axten Farms Ltd- Minton, SK and Véronique Bouchard & François Handfield of Ferme aux petits oignons at Mont-Tremblant, QC were chosen as National Winners from seven regional farmers at Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer(OYF) Program’s national event held in Penticton in December.

Meeru Dhalwala, one of the three judges, commented, “In addition to judging such amazing farms as businesses, I was personally enriched by learning in greater depth how their farms work and how important so many family members of different generations are to the success of current and future farms of Canada.”

Both families assessed the challenges they face in farming and found new and innovative ways to address them, one taking over a generational farm and the other starting from scratch.

“Once again, the seven regional finalists exceeded our expecta-

2017 OYF Award Winner’s and Sponsors.

tions as innovative, forward thinking, young agricultural leaders. The judging process of evaluating their applications, presentations, and interviews was not easy. The National Winners are strong role models and oozed with everything positive in their agricultural operations,” said OYF Past President Luanne Lynn.

Independent Committee to Shape Revitalization of the ALR An independent committee with members from diverse agricultural backgrounds and experiences will lead the revitalization of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) through a consultation process with stakeholders and British Columbians, Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham announced.

The nine-member Minister of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee will provide strategic advice, policy guidance, and recommendations on how to help revitalize the ALR and ALC to ensure the provincial goals of preserving agricultural land and encouraging farming and ranching in British Columbia to be a priority.

The committee will be chaired by Jennifer Dyson, with members

12 Pre Spring 2018

from throughout the province with diverse agricultural knowledge and experience. “As we embark on this consultation, our collective mandate is to ensure that the ALC and agriculture is positioned for the future,” said Dyson The committee will use the input it receives during the consultation process to develop recommendations for the provincial government’s consideration.

The recommendations may include changes to the current legislative, regulatory, and administrative framework to revitalize the ALR and the ALC. Any legislative changes that support the revitalization of the commission and the reserve are targeted for late 2018 or early 2019.

 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Poplar Grove Owner Goes from Wine to Weed at Sunniva would be competing for market share with 86 already licensed producers across Canada.

He has a successful winery, and now Poplar Grove owner Tony Holler is betting he can have equal success with an Oliver-based ‘weedery’.

Holler, a medical doctor by trade, founded Sunniva Inc. in 2014.

In addition to the Sunniva greenhouse in Osoyoos, the company is also building a similar facility in California.

Holler has unveiled plans to build what would be among the largest Licensed Producers of legal cannabis in BC at the Senkulmen Business Park on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve.

The facility would consist of a 700,000 square foot greenhouse, purpose-built for cannabis production, and would produce roughly 125,000 kilograms of cannabis a year.

Holler says the lease agreement is being finalized with the Okanagan Indian Band, and the application is in the final stage under Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations.

At $7.50 a gram the facility would be capable of generating close to $1 billion in revenue annually. However, the company

The company is hoping to begin construction this year and begin operations in 2019, employing approximately 200 people.

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Pre Spring 2018 13

 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Broken Ladder Takes Gold at the Cidercraft Awards BC Tree Fruits Cider Co has been awarded another gold medal for its Broken Ladder Apples & Hops premium craft cider by the North American Cidercraft Awards. In September of 2017, 20 cider industry professionals including tenured judges, certified experts and restaurant buyers blind tasted over three hundred North American-made ciders over the course of two days made ciders over the course of two days. Three Canadian provinces and eighteen US States were represented.

Broken Ladder Apples & Hops cider remains true to the core with no added sugars or additives. All fruit is grown locally in Okanagan orchards by BC Tree Fruits growers. Apples & Hops brings the beer and cider worlds together to appeal to true cider fans. The BC grown hops adds a distinct dryness to the overall juicy flavours of the original 6 variety apple blend and brings out the citrus notes of grapefruit on the palate and the nose.

Antonio Carraro Isodiametric Reversible Articulated Tractor If you're looking for a specialized tractor that can work in cramped spaces, on sloped or flat terrain, between orchard and vineyard rows then the SRX ERGIT 100 can do just that job.

The wheelbase, the limited external width and the articulated frame make this tractor very agile between crop rows.

The smooth and sensitive hydroguide steering wheel assures precise maneuvering on steep slopes, in crossways movements, in bottlenecks, among crop rows and in car parks.

The SRX is a reversible, isodiametric steering tractor featuring an articulated chassis for agility and a tight turning circle. Its versatility is determined by its reversible driving position: this vehicle can change position in order to use an extensive range of ploughing, pruning, treatment,

harvesting, towing and material handling equipment. Its low centre of gravity and its 4-wheel drive assure stability.

With its finely tuned engine, ground adherence, and ergonomic controls all assist with a smooth operation for the operator and workload.

Thanks to the ACTIO™ Chassis, the driving position coincides with the center of oscillation of the tractor. Sideways jerking and stress are very limited and operator fatigue is reduced, even after many hours of hard work.

The tractor features a synchronized transmission gearbox with 32 speeds, 16 fwd +16 rev, and synchronized shuttle reverser; PTO 540/540e independent and ground speed with progressive electrohydraulic engagement: front/rear or only rear differential lock; Electro- hydraulic

disengagement control for front drive wheels.

The on-board instrumentation is elegant, functional and intuitive: backlit anti-reflection screen for nighttime use; “on-off” information system; digital tachometer and PTO rev counter; and electro-hydraulic pushbutton controls.

Elegant headlight grilles protect the headlights and make for an appealing looking tractor Want to sit in comfort? Then you’ll want to opt in for the Gammer Seat with air suspension, reclining backrest and lumbar support.

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Thunder from Down Under As Aussies Attack BC Trade Practices The Ontario government has pointed out that import wines account for 76 per cent of wines sold in their LCBO stores. Canada is the fourth largest market for Australian wines, but Australian wineries and government officials say they’ve seen exports falling by almost half between 2007 and 2016.

Aussie winemakers are accusing Canada of unfair business practices. BC wine lovers may like having VQA wines in their grocery stores, but the move has winemakers Down Under in a tizzy.

Australia has formally filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization alleging unfair trade practices by not only British Columbia, but three other provinces. The United States first filed a complaint with the WTO back in October, accusing BC of giving local wineries an unfair advantage by only selling local VQA wines in grocery stores.

Speaking to The Australian newspaper, Trade Minister Steve Ciobo says Canada has clearly discriminated against Australian and other imported wines.

“Canada’s inconsistent measures include extra taxes, fees and markups on imported wine, separate distribution channels reserved for Canadian wine, and restricting sale of imported wine in grocery stores to a ‘store within a store,” Ciobo said.

The Australian government is taking the argument a few steps further, saying Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia also have policies that break the WTO’s rules on fair trade.

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We have several qualified buyers for your orchard or farm property!

Call Jerry & Elya today for your complimentary evaluation.

COLDSTREAM 7.5 acres in scenic Lavington.

Flat and useful, great for orchard, privacy or equestrian uses.

Beautiful mountain and pastoral views. Planted this year to brand new high density Ambrosia apple orchard. Enjoy a great community and privacy.

MLS® $749,900

NORTH GLENMORE 1.74 acres on Begbie & Glenmore Rd - perfect for fruit stand or hobby farm. Mature landscaping, fencing & barn in place. Great spot for dream home/home based business. Set up currently for horses & would make a great boarding facility.

MLS® $579,000

BELGO 12.12 acre estate. Approx 2.5 acres of modern apple varieties.

Beautiful, meticulously built 2659 sq. ft. rancher (built in 2002) and a separate shop/commercial building with legal suite set well off from the house. Perfect for a home-based business/fruit stand.

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Your local experts in farm, residential, and estate properties JERRY GEEN

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ELYA BYRNE

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OLIVER Scenic 6.2 acre property bordered

by Hike & Bike trail. Prune plum orchard with fantastic rate of return! Drilled well. Good access off Hwy 97. Great spot for dream home or ag business.

MLS® $595,000

KEREMEOS Modern cherry orchard on premium site with Highway 3A frontage & stellar views. 36 acres of modern cherry varieties, 6-7 acres of modern variety peaches, 2 acres of prunes, 1 acre of apples for diversity. Irrigated by a high production well.

MLS® $3,880,000

KELOWNA Independently owned and operated toll free: (800) 663-5770

www.GeenByrne.com Pre Spring 2018 15

 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Arterra Wines Canada Acquires Laughing Stock Vineyards Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. (AWC) has acquired Laughing Stock Vineyards (LFNG), a family-owned, premium boutique winery, founded in 2003 by David and Cynthia Enns.

LFNG is located on the Naramata Bench and their flagship wine, Portfolio, is considered one of Canada’s iconic wines receiving impressive accolades year over year, most recently earning a 94 score on the 2015 vintage.

The winery will continue to operate as usual, with David and Cynthia Enns continuing to play a key leadership role sustainably growing the business over the next several years.

AWC has been making award-winning wines in the Okanagan for more than 30 years, with over a thousand acres of premium vineyards like Black Sage and Sunrock. They make recognized wines from Black Sage Vineyard, Sumac Ridge Estate

Winery, See Ya Later Ranch, JacksonTriggs and Inniskillin Okanagan, Nk’Mip Cellars, and employ over 500 people in BC The addition of LFNG into the AWC family of wineries complements its diverse selection of Canadian and international award-winning VQA wines and becomes AWC’s first estate winery in the esteemed terroir of the Naramata Bench.

“We started Laughing Stock Vineyards to create a premium, boutique Naramata Bench winery and after a decade and a half, we reached a tipping point both in terms of scale and demand. We made the decision to partner with Arterra Wines Canada because of their commitment to maintaining the integrity and quality of our wines and their solid history in the Okanagan,” said David and Cynthia Enns, co-founders, Laughing Stock Vineyards.

“Laughing Stock Vineyards has earned

the distinct reputation of being a wellrespected and recognized premium, boutique winery in the Okanagan, with a strong team dedicated to making wines of superb quality. We are proud to welcome them into our family of Okanagan wineries and look forward to working together into the future,” said Jay Wright, president and CEO, Arterra Wines Canada, Inc.

BC’ers Prefer Locally Produced Wine According to New Survey BC wineries are on a roll, as a recent poll found local residents increasingly prefer drinking BC wines over imports.

According to the December survey by Insights West and Will Creative, 58 per cent of BC drinkers prefer wines produced in the province.

And that trend continues to increase.

Forty-one per cent of wine drinkers say they are drinking a higher percentage of local wines than they did five years ago,

Lance Marshall 250-470-8450

lance@lancemarshall.com

Lance Marshall

Kelowna All MLS®

16 Pre Spring 2018

while only seven per cent are drinking less BC wine.

Another encouraging trend is that Millennials are also starting to discover BC wines, whereas in the past the market for local product was much stronger among the Generation X crowd.

The highest proportion of local wine consumption is among men (59 per cent) and those aged 35 to 54 (62 per cent), but the Millennials are now coming on strong.

Scott Marshall 250-470-2388

scott@scottmarshallhomes.com

To take advantage of generations of valued agricultural experience in the Okanagan, call Lance or Scott Marshall for your farm property needs!!

The survey found more than half of the respondents aged 19 to 34 now say they are consuming more BC wines than they did five years ago.

There’s also an interesting difference in taste between the Gen X’ers and the Millennials. The older Gen X’ers like their red wines best, while Rosé and white wines are more popular with the younger crowd.

2834 Belgo Road- New Listing Stunningly private 17.9 acres with 2 connected homes prominently located and offering panoramic Okanagan & Gallaghers Canyon views. 7127sqft of Tuscan inspired living, perfect for multi-generational use with gorgeous finishing and attention to detail.

Prime farmland, formerly nursery/gardens, perfect for orchard or vineyard etc. $2,995,000 Call Lance at 250-470-8450 or Scott at 250-470-2388

 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Axe the Tax: Canadian Breweries Fight New 'Escalator Tax' Canada’s brewers have launched a major new campaign to fight runaway taxation on behalf of beer lovers and beer makers from coast to coast.

The www.axethebeertax.ca campaign launches at the same time a new Conference Board of Canada report is released which updates for 2016 the economic contribution beer makes each year in Canada: $13.6 billion in economic activity and 149,000 Canadian jobs delivering $5.3 billion in wages to Canadian workers, including everyone from grain farmers, to bottlers, to drivers who deliver product to local communities.

Beer Canada says the country’s beer industry is severely threatened in 2018 by runaway taxes.

The association says every bottle or glass of beer consumed by Canadians is already half empty – half of what consumers pay (47 per cent) is tax. That’s already one of the highest beer taxation rates in the world.

What has Beer Canada and the brewers really fired up is an automatic “escalator” tax that kicks in on beer taxes that will continue to drive the tax rate up, unchecked, with no end in sight.

“Imagine being stuck on an escalator going up and up and up, and you cannot get off, and you cannot make it stop – that’s what beer lovers in Canada are facing with this escalator tax. We need people who love beer to help us axe the escalator tax,” said Beer Canada Chair Geroge Croft.

The Conference Board report highlights that, already, per capita consumption of beer in Canada has declined by 10 per cent due to various factors including high taxation driving up beer prices.

Since 2012, provincial taxes on beer have increased 58 per cent in Quebec, 18 per cent in Ontario, 19 per cent in Manitoba, 24 per cent in Saskatchewan and 28 per cent in Alberta.

Now, the 2 per cent federal excise tax that came into effect in March 2017 will climb annually, with the automatic tax escalator kicking in on April 1, 2018.

“That means even higher prices for beer in Canada,” Croft said. “Governments are punishing beer drinkers with these price hikes for no good reason and its time brewers and consumers said enough is enough.”

The Beer Canada campaign asks Canadian consumers to go to www.axethebeertax.ca to watch videos about the campaign, sign a petition to politicians demanding they scrap the escalator tax, and share their thoughts with Finance Minister Bill Morneau and their Member of Parliament.

Narrow enough to work between the vines and powerful enough to be part of the M-Series Line-Up...

Meet the Kubota M4N

Pre Spring 2018 17

 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Studying the Virtual Reality of Wine Production We’ve all heard of ‘beer goggles’, the tendency to get a bit … uh … blurry after too many Canadian craft beers.

But now, wine goggles have become a thing, and in fact, a very serious $2.4 million thing.

The Province of Ontario invested $960,000 into the Brock University Viticulture Institute to support research in a virtual reality lab.

The lab will be known as R3CL, and among other things will be using virtual reality goggles (VR) to push forward research in a variety of areas. The goggles would be used, for example, to project augmented reality data to the researcher’s eyes as they look into issues like how climate change impacts wine quality.

“Supporting Ontario’s researchers as they make breakthrough discoveries will help advance technology and drive economic growth across the province,” said Ontario Minister of Research Innovation and Science Reza Moridi. “Making sure they are working in state-of-the-art facilities with the most up-to-date technology will help researchers do their best work and lay the groundwork for new products and services, and economic opportunity for people in Ontario.”

The project is estimated to cost $2.4 million and will go towards the creation of R3CL, or augmented reality, virtual reality, and consumer reality consumer laboratory. The idea is to create a virtual reality that will combine sights, sounds, and smells to help researchers further understand what comes into play when

18 Pre Spring 2018

consumers choose wine.

“The concept of coupling consumer behaviour with technical tools of augmented and virtual reality is not only going to put Canadian researchers on the forefront of this research, but it’s also an international first,” said Debbie Inglis, the CCOVI director in a statement to Brock News back in October.

The funding will not only be utilized in the creation of R3CL but through additions to the CCOVI research lab. This will include new fermentation equipment as well as gas and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry machines which will give researchers the opportunity to further examine viticulture treatments that have an influence on aroma, colour, and flavour of wine.

Through the new fermentation equipment, Brock researchers are looking to determine ideal fermentation temperatures and conditions for different wine styles.

What is especially important about this equipment is that it will allow researchers the opportunity to monitor how climate changes impacts the quality of wine and in what ways this can be combated to protect future crops.

Beyond the news advances that will be made through the funding, the CCOVI has played a significant role in the Niagara wine industry, it’s Oenology and Viticulture program being the only one of its kind in Ontario. The grant is yet another reminder of the impact that the wine industry, and Brock has on the Niagara economy.

As for fermentation equipment, the CCOVI is purchasing 30 stainless steel tanks, individually controlled, as well as a computerized glycol heating and cooling system that helps control the heating and cooling process of fermentation within each tank.

Brock president Gervan Fearon says, “We are pleased that the Ontario government recognizes the important role Brock University’s research plays in helping Ontario’s grape and wine industry be more strategic and successful in a competitive global marketplace.”

This is especially important as the process of winemaking needs specific biochemical conditions to create good wine —too hot and the wine will come out tasting too cooked, and too cold stalling the fermentation process entirely.

The CCOVI offers an array of both research and outreach services that support the Ontario wine industry.

By O&V Staff, with files from Elizabeth Martin at Brock Press.

Read This Before you Bet the Farm on

CANNABIS

By Gary Symons

If there’s one thing hotter than cryptocurrencies these days, it’s the cannabis industry in Canada and abroad.

What started as a highly risky clutch of tiny companies in 2012 has now turned into the fastest growing industry in Canada, with no fewer than five companies boasting multibillion dollar valuations.

The value of these companies is soaring even higher this year, as Canada prepares for full legalization. The temptation to transform one’s existing farm property has never been higher, but is it a good bet right now?

To be blunt, if you’re starting from scratch, it would be very difficult indeed to go through the licensing process with Health Canada and become a Licensed Producer (LP). And, if you did, the likelihood is that the large companies out there today will already have dominated the Canadian market.

That does not mean, however, that there’s no hope for farmers wanting to get into the lucrative cannabis trade.

As someone who has worked in this

industry almost since its inception, I’m approached almost daily by people who want to convert either a greenhouse complex, a farm property, or an industrial property into a massive weed farm. It is my sad task to inform folks that, unless they are very lucky and very clever indeed, it is not likely they will be buying Ferraris or private islands any time soon.

To give you some idea of how difficult the licensing process is, consider there have been 1,665 applications for a cultivation license in Canada, as of May 25, 2017. Of those, only 86 companies have been approved as Licensed Producers under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations. The rest were either rejected, abandoned, or sent back because there was some defect. As of last year there were 428 applications still in process.

Most of the people in the industry that I know actually believe that getting the cultivation license is the end stage, but it’s not. The task of getting your license to sell cannabis is almost as hard.

Of the 86 Licensed Producers in Canada, only 35 are licensed to both grow

and sell, and just going from the cultivation license to the sales license takes more than a year on average. In some cases, it may take several years.

On top of all that, if you applied for a license today, you have to realize there are about 400 companies ahead of you in the queue.

All of that sounds pretty hopeless, but in fact one can see a glimmer of hope through the darkness, depending on one’s location or the stage they are at.

The most obvious way forward is through the new ‘craft grow’ program announced by Health Canada in November. While it will definitely be very difficult to start a large-scale Licensed Producer at this late stage, Health Canada has opened the door to the possibility of small-scale growers.

Under those proposed regulations, the government would allow small grow ops to exist, operated even by low-risk criminal offenders, who could then sell into the larger industry. One way that might happen is selling through another Licensed Producer, such as the Tweed Mainstreet online portal operated by industry giant Canopy Growth.

Pre Spring 2018 19

Photos contributed

Marijuana clones at a Licensed Producer in Canada.

It may also be possible to sell to local licensed dispensaries in your area, provided you live in a province where private dispensaries are allowed. For example, Ontario will have publicly owned and operated stores, but Manitoba will have private retail stores.

These regulations have not yet passed, but they are expected to be part of the new legislation taking effect in July this year.

The other option is doing what’s known

in the industry as a second site license, which involves approaching an existing Licensed Producer, and essentially selling out a significant interest to that producer. Normally you’ll end up with the producer taking over the licensing and construction process, and will likely end up with shares in the new company, and may continue running your operation under the new owner’s supervision.

In my experience, second site applications are much more likely to get approved, and they are also approved more quickly.

This may seem unfair to the hundreds of companies still stranded in the queue, but the truth is, these existing LPs have already been through the security clearance process, and more importantly they already have established systems to get through the various inspections required

by Health Canada.

Six Steps To Licensing 1. Intake and Initial Screening 2. Detailed Review and Initiation of Security Clearance Process 3. Issuance of Licence to Produce 4. Introductory Inspection (as cultivation begins) 5. Pre-Sales Inspection 6. Issuance of Licence to Sell 20 Pre Spring 2018

Pretty much every major Licensed Producer in Canada is looking for partnerships on second site applications, but they tend to look for companies that are already in the licensing queue, rather than those who have not yet made an application.

So, if you have already submitted your application your best bet is generally to partner with an existing LP. If you have not submitted your application, you would have to first push your application through to a certain point before a partner would seriously look at you.

Under the current ACMP process (which has seen three major rewrites since 2012) there is a six stage process to getting your license. The Intake and Initial Screening looks at the quality of your application, and to do an application you will need to hire a certified Quality Assurance person and a Master Grower to design your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), your Quality Assurance Protocols (QAPs), and your Good Growing Practices.

There are also a number of companies that specialize in putting together applications, and it’s worth looking at hiring one of these companies unless you find a QA expert who’s been through the process before.

You then have to go through a security clearance stage to make sure you’re not actually a Colombian drug lord going through a career change. The next step is to build your facility, and in this regard I personally differ from most consultants.

I recommend building a very small facility first, for a couple of reasons. First, the smaller the facility, the less there is to go wrong. If Health Canada finds even one small defect, you won’t pass, and you’ll have to then fix those defects and wait for them to come back. Secondly, why spend a huge sum on a facility, when you can’t be absolutely sure the growing method you choose is the one you’ll stick with long term?

Health Canada has made it much faster and easier to amend your license these days, so it’s just smarter to build small, get your license, and then amend your license after you achieve both your cultivation license.

You then have to go through at least one or two grow cycles (another good reason to stay small at first), and you must go through every single SOP, QAP and GGP process perfectly to get your sales license. Again, this is very difficult, and most companies take a year or more to go through it.

However, once you get your Pre-Sales Inspection complete at Stage 5, you then qualify for the full License to Sell.

Summing up, there are really two ways forward if you are either new to the process, or in the early stages of your application.

First, if you’re new, you’re probably better off applying for a Craft Grow license when and if these become available under the new laws in July. Such a license might not replace your farm income, but it could greatly supplement that income.

If you are in process as an LP applicant, seriously look at working with an existing Licensed Producer on a second site application. You can find the entire list of licensed producers online, which you can find easily by searching for “Licensed Producers Canada” on Google.

The final things you’ll need are enough capital to last through this long and arduous process; a healthy stubborn streak, and luck. Lots and lots of luck. ■ Gary Symons is President of Deep Incite Consulting Ltd., and has worked in the cannabis industry since 2012.

Among other things, he is Director of Communications at Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not reflect the opinions of Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.

Marijuana growing hydroponically.

Pre Spring 2018 21

A Love of Leftovers The Okanagan wine industry’s marc contributes to a range of flavourful, nutrient-rich foods

By Ronda Payne For Bill Broddy, it all started while riding his bike shortly after moving to the Okanagan Valley in 2015. Broddy was out for a bike ride on the back roads of his new hometown, musing about his hobby of creating sourdough bread, when he discovered some wild grapes. The wheels of his brain began turning as fast as those of his bike. Little did he know his lightbulb idea to use the grapes as a yeast source for bread would lead to a burgeoning gourmet food operation.

Broddy contacted Tyson Still and asked if he knew anything about baking. Still responded with a resounding no, but wanted to find out more about what Broddy was up to, and when he heard Broddy’s somewhat crazy idea, the two decided to create a new company called Winecrush.

The wild yeast living on the skins of the grapes proved to be a fine source for an organic “mother” for the fermented sourdough bread (Italian nonnas have been working with biga – the grape sourdough starter – for generations) but success in the bakery didn’t come instantly for the entrepreneurial pair.

“We tried many, many times to figure out

this bread, then we finally got it down and everything was working out,” Still explains. “I also went to a bakery in the South Okanagan and had a class with a baker about the special tricks behind every aspect of sourdough making. It didn’t stop there.”

From that bread making experience evolved a full food product line. Still notes the original concepts came about in November 2015, but the business really got its feet under it in January 2016.

Now, two years in, Winecrush is experiencing great success and partnerships by making use of the leftovers from Okanagan wineries. After the bread and grape yeast experiment, Broddy and Still began collecting marc (grapes after the juice has been extracted for wine) and processing it for use in fine food products.

“I have always called it crush, just because it’s a big pile of crushed grapes,” Still says of the leftover product that comes from wineries to their Summerland-based operation for dehydrating. “We have a company that picks up our grape seed and skin for us. Then it’s dehydrated and milled into our fine powder before it’s infused into food.”

Co-founder Tyson Still at Feast of Fields.

As Still explains, there is an endless supply of Winecrush’s key ingredient in the Okanagan. Plus, there is plenty of life left in the grape after being pressed. He claims there is 70 to 75 per cent of the grape’s nutrients still in the marc after pressing, and for every three bottles of wine there is one bottle of “nutrientpacked leftovers.”

The marc is something Still sees as being so flavourful and nutritious; so good, he’ll often take a handful and chew on it until the flavour is gone.

Photos contributed

“From the oil in the seeds to all the antioxidants and natural plant compounds called oligomeric proanthocyanidins complexes (OPCs) and procyanidin dimers,” he explains. “Bill and I are both very passionate about fine foods and we took it to the next level because we soon learned you can add Winecrush to everything including meat, cheese and Winecrisps.”

Wine Crush products on display at Feasts of Fields.

22 Pre Spring 2018

Still describes the Winecrush line as products “truly for everyone,” adding “I

es, red wine lees paste and in-house red wine vinegar. This combination will become hot sauce sometime in May 2018.

“I’m working on packaging for the hot sauce,” explains Still. “I’m looking for a smaller version of a wine bottle.”

When ready, the hot sauce will join the other Winecrush products for sale in Okanagan Valley wineries, Save On Foods, Urban Fare and fine wine shops throughout BC The gourmet food items are found at these locations in Winecrush self-serve point of purchase stations (also known as picnic stations), which includes a mini-fridge with the Winecrush tiger logo and may be paired with shelving filled with mustards, Winecrush powder and Winecrisps.

“We even have one of our stations down at Fireball Brewery in Oliver, BC, because who doesn’t love meat and cheese with a crisp cracker?” Still says. “We had wineries signed up for our picnic station last year and it was a huge hit amongst the wineries involved. Our goal is to add another 30 more this year from Vernon to Osoyoos.”

Another way Winecrush gets out into the Okanagan is through catering for corporate events and weddings. Still’s brother Drew often helps out at events. don’t think it should be just the people that care about wine that care about Winecrush.”

Winecrush creates delicious foods that include the dehydrated marc like Pinot Chorizo, Cabernet Salami, Pinot Gris Turkey sausage, Gamay goat cheese, Mericheese, Sulree Red Cheddar, Hot Surlee mustard, Red Surlee mustard, Merlot Winecrisps and Gewürztraminer Sourdough Winecrisps. Plus there is a range of the Winecrush powders (Pinot Nois, Pinot Gris, Merlot and Malbec) customers can use in their own recipes. Still even posts a number of his favourite recipes on winecrush.ca to share.

With the passion for good food that Broddy and Still share, it was necessary to bring in partners to create items that met their high standards.

“We have also built some tremendous relationships with our contract suppliers for our meat and cheese,” Still says, noting Helmut’s Sausage Kitchen makes all of the meat products, Sulree Red Cheddar is made at Castle Cheese while Meri

cheese and Gamay Goat cheese is made at Happy Days Dairy Farm.

Mustards and Winecrisps are made inhouse at Winecrush.

“It really took a lot of developing and testing with every single one of our products,” notes Still. “There is a lot of science behind every product we develop and we stuck to what we knew best.”

Recipes and product development are a team process with Still at the helm of creating.

“It’s definitely a group effort,” he says.

“But the initial development of our products has been done with my recipes.”

Still dreams up his recipes from his passion for home cooking, which he has enjoyed his entire life.

“I’m always pushing boundaries with my cooking,” he notes. “It really is my happy place. I love cooking for people.”

One of Still’s new creations starts with the oak barrel full of 78 pounds of hot peppers that he’s been aging for about five months in his special blend of spic

“We have portable wood-fire ovens that we do all our cooking out of,” Still explains. “It gives our clients a very unique experience having dinner come out of a fire. You have flavours you never had before. If I could cook everyday over a fire, I would.”

Still and Broddy see Winecrush growing at a consistent pace in the coming years with a long term goal of leaping to multiple licensed Winecrush operations around the world in the various wine regions.

“As Winecrush grows, we are definitely going to need more grape seed and skin,” notes Still. “There are so many [wineries] that have supported us since the start. Thank you everyone for the support throughout our first couple of years. The wine industry is one of the best communities to be part of.”

Wine grapes are seeing an extended life, sometimes even being paired with the wine they started, thanks to the ideas of Broddy and Still and their innovative gourmet food products. ■ Pre Spring 2018 23

ORCHARD & VINE TRACTOR SURVEY

Orchard & Vine Readers Talk Tractors

Welcome to the Annual O&V Tractor Guide and Survey.

The O&V Annual Tractor Guide and Survey looked at how robotics play a role in tractor technology and we asked readers their opinions in our Tractor Survey.

Contributed by Castoro de Oro Estate Winery

Take a look at the responses and thank you to those readers who sent over photos of their tractors.

Bruno Kelle, Darwyn’s Walnut Rhapsody, Welsh Terrier on a restored 1978 MF 245 Diesel.

DO YOU USUALLY BUY NEW OR USED TRACTORS?

35% BOTH

HOW MANY TRACTORS DO YOU OWN?

16%

1 TRACTOR

58%

2-3 TRACTORS

55% NEW 10%

10% USED

24 Pre Spring 2018

16%

4-6 TRACTORS

OVER 6 TRACTORS

48%

This is what they want

• Bin trailer

SAID YES TO WANTING A NEW

• Bucket

IMPLEMENT Photo contributed by Van Western Vineyards

• Airblast sprayer

• Deleafer under row mower • Flair chopper with wagon • Harrow • Hedgerow trimmer for summer pruning • Leaf remover • Net applicator/remover • New vineyard mower

Riding the tractor at Van Westen Vineyards in Naramata.

Are their certain features that you like on your tractor or that you wish you had?

• Mower • Plough • Pre-pruner

• Less computer controlled features. In our industry narrow gauge farming (Orchard and Vines) we use very corrosive chemicals that are very hard on electronics.

• PTO driven slow blower • Sprayer • Stainless steel manure spreader • Trailered over the row multi use tool bar for using over the row vine tillage tools

• The ability to work in the mud (bog-like) land at this time of year.

• Mulch & mower attachment.

• 4WD • Roomy cabs, more storage space, more leg room, open or closed canopy.

• Low and narrow profile gps.

• Low centre of gravity.

• Radial tires.

Photo contributed by Leo Gebert

• Simple effective 3 pt hitch stabilizers.

• Front PTO. • Vineyard friendly , narrow gauge, tight turning radius.

• External hydraulic ports.

• No tier four engine requirements.

Tractor at work at St. Hubertus in Kelowna.

Pre Spring 2018 25

Orchard & Vine Readers Talk Tractors WE’VE HEARD A LOT LATELY ABOUT DRIVERLESS CARS. WOULD YOU BUY A DRIVERLESS TRACTOR? 14% YES

55% NO 31% MAYBE

DOES HAVING THE NEW TIER 4 MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?

29% YES AS LONG AS MY TRACTOR DOES THE JOB

Photo contributed by Stag’s Hollow

22% 48%

NOT AWARE OF WHAT THIS IS

What is Tier 4 Tier 4 is the final step in the EPA’s progressive tier system designed to scale back the harmful emissions from diesel engines.

After a health assessment conducted in 2002 concluded that long-term inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes posed a substantial lung cancer hazard to humans, final Tier 4 emission standards were designed to cut exhaust emissions from diesel engines by 90 percent. When implemented in the United States, 12,000 premature deaths will be prevented annually by 2030.

The Canadian Tier 4 standards came into force on January 16, 2012 and apply to engines of the 2012 and later model years manufactured on and after January 16, 2012. The Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations align Canadian emission standards with the US EPA Tier 4 standards for nonroad engines, including the emission limits, testing methods and effective dates. www.dieselnet.com 26 Pre Spring 2018

Tractor at work during the harvest at Stag’s Hollow in Okanagan Falls

DO YOU USE YOUR SMART PHONE WHILE OPERATING YOUR TRACTOR? WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR? 4%

4%

11%

29%

54%

TEXT ONLY SHORT RESPONSE

SEARCH & ANSWER EMAILS

TEXTING

TEXT ONLY WHEN STOPPED

NEVER, I KEEP IT IN MY POCKET

Robotic Farmers Coming to A Field Near You

By Gary Symons Tractor companies have long been a hotbed of innovation, but over the past few years the rapid development of autonomous Artificial Intelligence (AI) the industry has seen a quantum leap in technology that will quickly change the nature of farming.

Long established companies like Kubota, Case, New Holland and John Deere have all brought out fully autonomous tractors between 2015 and 2018, but new players like Autonomous Solutions Inc. are also bringing stunning new developments to farms, orchards and vineyards.

The ‘Hands Free Hectare’ project was set up in October, 2016 by a team from Harper Adams University. They modified a tractor and combine harvester with cameras, lasers and GPS systems to create equipment that could do the job with no human intervention.

Autonomous drones and a small robot scout on the ground handled the monitoring of the field.

While the Hands Free Hectare was an experiment, Kubota tractors are now hitting the ground in Japan this year with full-fledged sales of self-driving tractors, following trials last year.

Because the tractors need to be monitored, Kubota assumes the farmers will

Photo www.precisionmakers.com

In one startling experiment in Shropshire, England last summer an entire field of barley was planted, tended and harvested using nothing but robotic equipment.

operate two tractors in tandem, one with a driver and the second using the Kubota Smart Agri System (KSAS) to drive itself and operate the machinery independently.

John Deere has been working on selfdriving tractors for two decades now, having built its first autonomous navigation system way back in the 1990s.

Dan Leibfried, Director of embedded solutions at John Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group, says total autonomy is still some years away, as self-driving systems

Precision Makers uses Teach & Playback technology, to record a work task, the farmer carries it out as usual and the machine saves all the actions, such as driving, steering, accelerating and even raising and lowering the mower and turning on the sprayer. After that, you can play back the recorded route as often as you wish.

Photo www.caseih.com/northamerica/en-us

Case IH, has developed the Autonomous Concept Vehicle, a 400-horsepower robotic Magnum tractor. The tractor can be programmed with a tablet. It has no cabin for a driver. Instead, it utilizes cameras, radar, LiDAR (range-finding lasers) and GPS, which allows farmers to remotely control and monitor the machine with an app on a tablet. The machine can operate day or night and is designed to plant seeds and harvest crops, among other tasks.

Path planning technology developed

by Case IH will allow farmers to manage their fields and oversee the overall operation of multiple vehicles simultaneously.

The X-pert package from Precision Makers makes it possible for your existing machines to work autonomously. The package is available for all tractors and mowers. It is ideal for spraying fruit trees.

Pre Spring 2018 27

don’t have either the intelligence or the senses of a human being.

Photo www.kubota.com/news/2018/index.html

“We have to have the ability to sense everything the human would inside of the system related to the quality of the job,” said Leibfried. “Whether it be preparing the soil, planting the seed, protecting the crop, or harvesting it.”

For now, John Deere’s self driving tractors still must have a human in the cab to make sure nothing goes wrong, even though they can function without human input.

Prototypes are already fully driverless, but beginning this year Mahindra will start marketing the first of their ‘quasi driverless’ models in India. Those will be followed by a completely driverless tractor line once testing is complete.

“Our tractor R & D has always been at the forefront of pioneering cutting edge solutions. Today’s display of the driverless tractor is another proud moment for us, as it opens up new possibilities in farming,” said Dr. Pawan Goenka, managing director at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. “We are happy to dedicate this innovative mechanization for the global farming community.”

One of the companies doing the most work on self driving tractors is Autonomous Solutions Inc., which unveiled new concept tractors in partnership with CNH Industrial, the maker of both Case and New Holland tractors.

The one that really turned heads was a Case IH Magnum tractor unveiled at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa last August. What blew people’s minds was

that the sleek, futuristic machine had no cab for a human driver. It is designed to only work on its own, though it can be sent instructions remotely through computer tablet software.

ASI founder and CEO Mel Torrie says the partnership with CNH is critical in developing solutions that can be applied across the entire agricultural sector.

“Our relationship with CNH Industrial is vital in facilitating the near term disruption of how farming is done. We’re thrilled to be working with the leaders in Ag innovation to make this exciting future of driverless tractors a reality,” Torrie said. “Autonomous tractor technology will address the growing concern of labor shortages while also increasing productivity and efficiencies bringing higher yields. The technology will allow for true 24-hour, round the clock operations and a farmer will be able to manage their operation from their home office or on a tablet on the go..”

The ASI technology is already being applied to the orchard and vineyard industries, with specialized narrow trac-

In collaboration with Hokkaido University, Yanmar has successfully developed a robot tractor that is being tested in real-world scenarios.

With the autonomous system employed, one person can operate two tractors. The built-in-sensor identifies obstacles in its path, preventing collisions. A tablet user interface is currently under development for intuitive operation. The engine control unit (ECU) automatically optimizes engine speed and travel speed depending on operating conditions. A cockpit camera lets you see operating conditions with a tablet. In addition to GPS, the robot tractor also sends telemetry to a base station, giving tractor positioning an added level of precision.

28 Pre Spring 2018

Three driverless tractors seen operating in tandem at a trial of Kubota's new AI technology at a demonstration in Japan last year. Sales of semi-autonomous tractors are expected to begin in 2018.

tors that eerily drive through the rows of plants with no driver in the cab, that circle around at the end of each row, and then proceed throughout the vineyard or orchard.

The system can even have multiple tractors working tandem.

There’s some good news for farmers as well, as many of the systems being developed can be applied to existing tractors.

For example, both John Deere and ASI offer their systems for multiple brands of tractors.

At the moment, no fully autonomous tractors are available for purchase in Canada just yet, but with sales beginning this year in Japan, it’s expected the technology will start to spread into North America by as early as 2019. ■

Photo www.yanmar.com/global/technology/robotics.html

Not to be outdone, Mahindra showcased their own driverless tractor in September last year at the Mahindra Research Valley facility near Chennai, India.

TRACTOR

SPECS

2018

Manufacturer

Antonio Carraro

Antonio Carraro

Case IH Farmall N

Case IH Farmall N

Model

TGF 9900/10900 R

SRX 9900/10900 R

Farmall 110N

Farmall 100N

Engine Hp

89 Hp/99 Hp

89 Hp/99 Hp

95

95

PTO Hp

75 Hp/85 Hp

75 Hp/85 Hp

86

86

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

60 litres

60 Liters

19

19

Transmission

16 x 16 Manual Shuttle

16 x 16 Manual Shuttle

16 x 16 power or mech.shuttle

16 x 16 power or mech.shuttle

Steering

Frt. Axles with 2 Cyl.

Articulated Hydrostatic Hydrostatic

Brakes

Hydr Brakes in oil bath

Hydr Brakes in oil bath

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wheelbase

1530 mm / 60.2"

1645 mm / 63.3"

96”

96"

Minimum Width

1325 mm / 52.1"

1080 mm / 41.4"

52.9”

52.9"

Weight

2520 Kgs. / 5555 Lbs.

2590 Kgs. / 5698 Lbs.

5772 lbs

5772 lbs

Driving Wheels

4 x 4

4 x 4

380/70R24

380/70R24

Website

www.antoniocarraro.it/en/ www.antoniocarraro.it/en/ www.caseih.com

www.caseih.com

Manufacturer

Deutz Fahr

Deutz Fahr

John Deere

John Deere

Model

5080DF Ecoline

5080DS

5GN

5GV

Engine Hp

75

75

75,90,100 75,90

TRACTOR

SPECS

2018

PTO Hp

70-95

70-85

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

14

14

19.3-22.7

19.3-22.7

Transmission

20+10 or 30+15

30+15 or 45+45

24F/12R PowrReverser 24F/12R PowrReverser

Steering Hydrostatic Hydrostatic

Hydrostatic

Hydrostatic

Brakes

4 wheel brake disc

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wheelbase 79"

80"

82.6"

82.6”

Minimum Width

59"

49"

49.5”"

39"

Weight

5776 lbs

5926-6657 lbs

5567-6559 lbs

5379-6052 lbs

Driving Wheels

4WD 4WD MFWD

2WD or MFWD

Website

www.deutz-fahr.com www.deutz-fahr.com www.deere.com

www.deere.com

4 wheel brake disc

Pre Spring 2018 29

TRACTOR

SPECS

2018

Manufacturer Kioti

Kioti

Kubota

Kubota

Model

CK2510/CK2510H

RX7320

M5N-091

M4N-071

Engine Hp

24.5

73

95

72.6

PTO Hp

19.5/19

63

78

61

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

6.6

22.5

20.1

20.1

Transmission

Manual/Hydrostatic

Power Shuttle

Electro-hydraulic

Electro-hydraulic

Steering

Power Steering

Hydrostatic Power Steering

Hydrostatic power

Hydrostatic power

Brakes

Wet Disc

Wet Multi Disc

Hydraulic wet disc

Hydraulic wet disc

Wheelbase

59.8"

83.9"

Power Crawler

Minimum Width

49.2"

77.2”

48.0”

48.0”

Weight

2260 lbs

5589 lbs

7275

5291 lbs

Driving Wheels

4WD

4WD

4WD

4WD

Website

www.kioti.com

www.kioti.com

www.kubota.ca

www.kubota .ca

Manufacturer

Kubota

Kubota

Mahindra

Mahindra

Model

MX5200

B3350

1526

2545 Shuttle Cab

Engine Hp

54.7

33

25.6

44

PTO Hp

45.7

27

19

28

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

13.5

7.3

7.1

9

Transmission

8F/8R hydraulic shuttle

3 Range HST

Synchronized Shuttle

Sync, shuttle w/part synchromesh

Steering

Hydrostatic Power

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Wet Disc

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65.6"

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53.7"

63"

63.2”

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2447 lbs

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3506 lbs

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TRACTOR

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2018

Manufacturer

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Massey Ferguson

New Holland

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MF4610

T4F

Engine Hp

38.5

99

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PTO Hp

32.7

80

65/93

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

10

27

25

Transmission

9.3 mechanical shift

12F X 12R pwr shuttle

16 X 16

Steering

Hydrostatic

Supersteer FWD Axle

Brakes

Wet Disc

Wet Multi Disc

Wet Disc

Wheelbase 65.9"

88.5"

96”

Minimum Width

52.4"

78.7”

61.7”

Weight

2756 lbs

6503 lbs

6243/6614 lbs

Driving Wheels

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BC Bubblies – We‘ve Come A Long

By Michael Botner Next time you pop a tasty bubbly made in BC, think back to an earlier era when Baby Duck stormed onto the scene.

Port Moody-based wine producer Andrew Peller hatched a clever plan to introduce a low alcohol sparkling wine and thereby reduce the tax burden compared to conventional wines and lower the price.

The result? A pink, carbonated sparkling, or ‘crackling’, wine with Concord grape juice as the chief ingredient and an iconic label showcasing the image of a cute, cuddly animal. Sales soared, exceeding over 80 million bottles between its launch in 1971 and 1980.

Fast forward to the late 1980s as a new breed of winemakers emerges to lead the BC wine industry into a bold, new age of premium, world class wines. The Becker Project carried out in the 1970s and 80s confirmed the viability of vinifera grapes in the Okanagan.

According to noted wine author John Schreiner, it was leading Summerland Research Station scientist Gary Strachan who recognized the potential of more acidic Okanagan grapes for making Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines.

With a grant from the National Research Council, Strachan launched trials in 1983 to make as many as 80 small batches of bottle fermented bubblies.

Convinced the area between Summerland and Okanagan Falls produced grapes with the right acid balance, Sumac Ridge co-founder Harry McWatters joined with Strachan as the first producer to par32 Pre Spring 2018

ticipate in the project. After years of trial and error, McWatters in 1991 launched Stellar’s Jay Cuveé, BC’s first commercially produced, classic method sparkling wine, marking Sumac’s 10th anniversary.

The task of making the wine - a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay harvested in 2007 – went to Eric von Krosigk, a native of Vernon just back from studies in Germany that included an apprenticeship with a sparkling wine producer. Von Krosigk recalls early trials at the “mobile chateau”, a 40 foot truck situated on property now known as the Blue Mountain Vineyard.

kling wines gets a lot more challenging. It is essential to pick earlier for the desired finesse and to ensure a consistent style.”

Stephen Cipes subsequently enlisted Von Krosigk to establish Summerhill Pyramid Winery and make traditional-style bubblies. He developed Summerhill’s widely-popular Cipes Brut, a bottle-fermented sparkling wine based primarily on

Riesling, the great German grape grown extensively in the Okanagan.

Lengthy and labour-intensive, the process for making bottlefermented sparkling wines in the style of Champagne comes at a price. Depending on the occasion, say when fun takes precedence over image, the cheaper alternative for many is a sparkling wine fermented in a tank and bottled

“Blue Mountain’s co-founder Ian Mavety was part of all that,” he says. “Our cool climate contributes to ensuring the right phenolics and balance for sparkling wine grapes - as long as everything goes according to expectations.

“But when conditions get hotter, as has been the case in recent years, making spar-

The View Winery offers sparkling wine in a can.

Way from Baby Duck length. Toasty palate features creamy texture and notes of plum, fig, nuts and biscotti.

Tantalus Old Vines Riesling Brut 2014 has the distinction of being produced from grapes grown on a small vineyard in East Kelowna planted

by Den and Pat Dulik in 1978.

A forest on the edge of the vineyard partially blocks the sun ensuring that the fruit retains bright acidity to enliven flavour-packed palate suggesting grapefruit, lemonlime, green apple and mineral with a hint of petrol.

A Sampler of BC’s Sparkling Wines Cipes Blanc de Franc 2011 is a one off, pink bubbly made with Cabernet Franc sourced from a block in Osoyoos. “Typically, these grapes are left on the vine and used to make Icewine,” says Von Krosigk.

“But 2011 was a difficult year, producing grapes unusually low in sugar. When we started picking on October 19, there was a brief window to make an exceptional sparkling wine.

Dusty rose in colour, it boasts a complex and penetrating nose suggesting mince pie and min

erals, and a rich, creamy palate with notes of raspberry, tobacco and black pepper.

Fitz Brut 2014 is the second sparkling wine vintage from Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, a cutting edge winery recently established on the historic Greata Ranch in Peachland.

Estate grown with 72% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir, Fitz Brut was left en tirage for two years in the style of traditional Champagne. Classy and complex, it features apple, apricot and fresh bread aromas and rich, creamy palate enlivened by a clean, crisp, biscuity, champagne-like presence.

The pop bubblies of the bunch, Bling White and Pink are sold in the six-pack format instead of traditional champagne bottles. Inside the cans are nicely crafted products made exclusively from estategrown grapes. Picked at lower brix to produce 8% alcohol wine, the wines are lightly carbonated in Charmat style tanks, slightly sweetened by the addition of late harvest wine and, lastly, blended with green harvested “verjus” to add crisp acidity and further lower alcohol. Gauche by traditional standards, it no doubt appeals to a new generation of unconventional souls.

Stephen Cipes of Summerhill Pyramid Winery.

Maverick Ella Brut Rosé 2013 has inverted the grape mix with 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, in part because winemaker Bertus Albertyn is determined to make a single variety Chardonnay table wine as well from limited availability of estate grown fruit. A serious bubbly with a high proportion of Pinot Noir and skin contact, Ella Brut accentuates flavour richness, balance and

Photos contributed

under pressure, also known as Charmat method or méthode cuvee close. Sealing the bottle with a metal cap does away with the ritual involved in opening sparkling wines sealed with a mushroom cork and wire mesh and adds a casual touch. Carbonation by simply injecting the base wine with carbon dioxide produces less pressure and results in lighter effervesce and bigger bubbles along the lines of frizzante style wines.

The View Winery & Vineyard, housed in an East Kelowna packing house built by George Ward in 1922, has carved its own niche in trendy sparkling

wine segment with a diverse line-up of bubbles.

Harry McWatters of Time Estate Winery.

Pre Spring 2018 33

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Pearls Traditional Brut 2016 is a bottle fermented bubbly with extended lees contact to build complexity and a biscuit like yeast character. Derived primarily from 18 brix Riesling grapes with a touch of blanc de Pinotage, Pearls comprises under 12% alcohol and a dry, refined, near steely palate with hints of green apple, bright mineral and freshly-baked bread embellished by a trace of creamy richness. Élan Effervescence NV is feel-good, party bubble produced by Harry McWatters’ Evolve Cellars in Summerland. Gently frothy and cheerful, here is an aromatic, off-dry, fruit-driven sparking wine for the masses. Coming in 2019 to mark McWatters’ 50th vintage, a traditional method, blanc de blancs made from specially-selected Chardonnay fruit crushed at the new Time Winery facility in downtown Penticton on August 28, 2017.

Singletree Winery, a small, family-operated vineyard located at the foot of Mt. Lehman in the heart of the Fraser Valley, will be adding a frizzante-style bubbly made from early-ripening Siegerrebe grapes from the 2017 vintage, to be released this coming spring.

Intriguing options in the sparkling wine segment are a duo of frolicsome, ecologically sensitive fruit wines from Cawston’s Forbidden Fruit Winery in the Similkameen Valley. According to co-owner Steve Venables, “they are sweet with fruit up front and the finish is refreshingly neutral. We call Flirt and Flaunt the ‘the sparkling wine sisters’.”

Made with certified organic Satsuma, Friar and Redheart Asian/Japanese plums, Flaunt exudes flavors of watermelon, strawberry, tropical fruit and a slight cranberry tartness on the finish.

Flirt is made with three varieties of certified organic freestone yellow peaches, Redhaven, Glohaven, and O’Henrys. “It really captures a summer day in the orchard eating ripe, juicy peaches right off the tree with the frothy juice running down your chin,” says Venables. ■

34 Pre Spring 2018

New Stone Fruit Varieties Coming to Commercial Growers

By Ronda Payne

Seven new varieties of peaches, nectarines and plums could be hitting the market soon, thanks to an expedited process for testing.

Accessing new varieties of domesticallybred stone fruit has been problematic for growers in the past due to lengthy lead times of both variety testing and plum pox virus clean-up.

On-site testing is in its third year for seven varieties of peaches, nectarines and pears with a plan to see these new options in retailer hands for further evaluation soon. Based on feedback, the fruit trees would be offered commercially to growers in the future.

Lack of new fruit varieties in the market in the past can be blamed on the plum pox virus, which despite its name, impacts more than just plum trees. The virus doesn’t kill trees, but it negatively influences yields (often by as much as 30 per cent) of peaches, plums, nectarines and even ornamental and almond trees.

Western Canada has been free of the virus but fear of the virus spreading has

Photos contributed

Through the work of the University of Guelph, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and a new approach by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), varieties will make it through the process in about half the time according to Michael Kauzlaric, technology scout and grower outreach with Vineland.

The world is hungry for new varieties… bred in a northern climate… It’s a good thing.

Michael Kauzlaric caused a lack of new varieties of soft fruit bred within the domestic market.

be shared with the rest of the country. It was a lengthy and painstaking process.

Consumers however, don’t wait for breeding programs to get through the work. New varieties are demanded all the time and can be sourced from international growers when domestic growers can’t comply.

Now, since the CFIA has allowed the processes of virus cleaning and variety testing to be done simultaneously, growers have access to new varieties grown in a northern climate which Hank Markgraf, grower services manager with BC Tree Fruits, sees as beneficial.

“Consumers’ tastes have changed. The newer variety might have more colour, might be a bigger size, might have more sugar,” says Kauzlaric.

When the plum pox virus was discovered in Southern Ontario around the year 2000, a 20 by 60 kilometre quarantine zone was established in the Niagara region to prevent further contamination to the other commercial growing regions in BC’s Okanagan Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Varieties grown in the contaminated region’s breeding program had to be cleaned of the virus, then tested for market viability before they could

“In the soft fruit world, it’s advantageous to have – especially in peaches – something from a more northern clime,” Markgraf says. “[We can get] lots of them from California, none of which we can grow.”

The concept of doing the breeding and cleanup work simultaneously was presented to the CFIA by Guelph’s breeding program at Vineland to speed the process up, Kauzlaric notes.

“The way that sped up was in August 2012, plant material was sent to CFIA in

Pre Spring 2018 35

Sydney [Nova Scotia] and at that same time, it was grafted at Vineland Research as well,” he says. “We pretty much cut the timeline by five years. We went from a 10-year program to a five-year program now just because CFIA allows us to do two things at once.”

Vinelands Tender Fruit Evaluation Committee (TFEC) - comprised of growers, nurseries, marketers and retailers - is evaluating the trees and fruit based on suitability to the Canadian climate, disease tolerance/resistance, degree of fruit sweetness and fruit flesh colour, texture and flavour. For example, apricots with a later harvest and a stronger blush to the skin will be evaluated this year.

From the 2012 breeding block varieties, two peach and two nectarine varieties showed promise. The TFEC urged the grafting of a few hundred trees to be planted in the quarantine zone in 2014 for commercial grower testing.

“One of those varieties [planted in 2014] is showing promise,” explains Kauzlaric. “Vineland is looking to move that ahead in the commercial stream.”

Since 2012, about 600 trees are planted each year at commercial grower sites.

“There’s been over 2,000 test trees planted out [at 18 commercial sites], representing about 30 different selections of peach, plum, pear, nectarine and apricot,” he notes. “In 2017, those trees that were planted in 2014, they have produced some fruit.

We’ve had some grower evaluation.”

Some grower testing is being done in BC, although most is in

Southern Ontario.

More commercial growers are needed for planting 50 to 200 trees per site to see how new varieties do in a truly commercial setting. Kauzlaric notes it will be a matter of time to see if any of the varieties planted in BC have promise in the region.

From the 30 different varieties planted for testing in Southern Ontario, two peaches, one yellow Japanese plum and two apricots have potential. Commercial plans have begun for these five fruit varieties.

“Every year there has been more test fruit that has been distributed to growers across the industry,” says Kauzlaric. “Through the testing we’ve had a third-party contractor undertake the field evaluations to give a non-biased opinion. Winter hardiness was evaluated, harvest timing was evaluated, filling the gaps – there’s still some gaps in the harvest window. Another criteria was replacing an existing variety. We’re hoping that by 2021 there could be some fruit [for sale] in the retail stores.”

Having varieties bred in Canada is a win according to Markgraf.

“The world is hungry for new varieties,” he explains. “Bred in a northern climate, it is [good] because it’s Canadian. All Canadian [growers] get equal access to it. It’s a good thing.”

The decreased timelines on new stone fruit varieties means clean, domestically-bred stock will soon be available to growers for commercial growing and testing, depending upon the varieties being released from the program at Vineland. ■ For more information about grower testing, contact Michael Kauzlaric at 905-562-0320, extension 755.

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BC Recruiting Samurai Wasps for Stink Bug Battle

By Gary Symons

The BC Ministry of Agriculture is looking for a special type of warrior to help them deal with an invasion that threatens orchards and berry farms in the province.

Susanna Acheampong says Ministry officials are on the lookout for the deadly Samurai wasp, which can lay waste to populations of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug.

“We are working on a biological control, which is generally the best way to manage this pest,” says Susanna Acheampong, a Kelowna-based entomologist with the Ministry of Agriculture. “Unfortunately, we haven’t found the Samurai wasp in Canada yet, but perhaps in time we can bring them in to control the stink bugs.”

BC farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture are gearing up for the first phase of an intense battle with the invasive brown marmorated stink bug this year.

Acheampong says new funding will be dedicated to putting up new traps in farms, to get an idea of just how far the stink bugs have spread into farmland.

Photo from http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/wimanlab/

The pesky and sometimes smelly pests are a major concern for farmers throughout the US and Canada. A 2010 study found the insect caused $37 million in damage to the US apple industry alone, and since then the stink bugs have moved into southern Ontario, Prince Edward Island

The destructive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug can devastate fruit crops.

We haven’t found the Samurai wasp in Canada yet, but perhaps in time we can bring them in to control the stink bugs.

Susanna Acheampong and now British Columbia.

The stink bug also attacks and damages various tree fruits, berries, grapes, vegetables, corn and a variety of ornamental plants.

The first sighting of the destructive Brown Marmorated species was in Penticton in 2016, but as of November last year most of the sightings of the insect have been in or around the City of Kelowna.

“Brown marmorated stink bugs will start in backyards; that is their behaviour,” says Acheampong. “The numbers build up and then they move into our commercial crops.”

For that reason the stink bugs haven’t caused much damage to crops yet; they are still primarily being seen in urban back yards, although one stink bug was found in an orchard in Vernon.

The samurai wasp preys on stink bug eggs.

Acheampong’s colleague Tracy Hueppelsheuser says the same thing is happening in the Fraser Valley. The BMSB varmints have been spotted in urban areas including Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Mission, Abbotsford, and particularly in Chilliwack.

“It’s been all urban, and mainly it’s people spotting these big, weird bugs in their yards and reporting them to the Ministry,” Hueppelsheuser says.

Neither she nor Acheampong expect that reprieve to last long.

“Our orchards are very close to our downtown areas,” Acheampong points out. “We might not have a lot of time before they move into our commercial fruit.”

The Ministry is setting up additional traps in agricultural areas in the Okanagan and the Fraser Valley to track the Pre Spring 2018 37

movement and expansion of the stink bug invasion. More than 1,000 of the invasive insects were found in Kelowna’s downtown core alone between May and October of last year, when the Ministry set up more than 150 traps from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos.

They become their peskiest from September through October when the peak populations occur. The eggs can usually be found on the underside of leaves in clumps of 20 to 30 eggs per leaf, and the nymphs grow throughout the summer, becoming adults in the fall when the cycle repeats.

Data coming in from the new traps over the spring and summer months in 2018 will give farmers and ministry officials a better idea of the size and scale of the coming threat to BC’s tree fruit and berry crops.

The bugs have a narrow, needle-like mouth, and pierce fruit to suck out the juices, a bit like a kid with a straw in a juice box.

The piercing causes widespread discoloration of the fruit.

“For our region we don’t really know what this year is going to look like until we can complete this monitoring,” Acheampong said.

The Ministry is also asking residents and farmers to keep an eye out for the large, brown insect, to report sightings to the Ministry, and ideally to kill them on sight.

The brown marmorated stink bugs are distinguished from the native species of stink bug by distinctive white bands along their legs and their very large antennae. The regular stink bugs are not really harmful for local growers and should be left alone, but if you see one of the Brown marmorated variety, assassination is the preferred option.

The only caution is that the bugs will emit a foul stench if they are stepped on. Acheampong says if you see one, you can vacuum or sweep it up and then kill it by immersing the bug in soapy water. Or, if you’re just good and mad and don’t mind the smell, squishing is definitely a valid option!

Stink bugs are generally dormant in a Canadian winter, revive in the spring and have two generations of stink bugs per year.

Unfortunately, the best ‘assassins’ are Samurai wasps that don’t currently exist in Canada.

“We’ve tried to find them, but they are not native to BC,” says Hueppelsheuser. “We have people looking for these wasps in insect egg masses, because that’s what they eat, but no luck so far.

“Stink bugs in general are vulnerable to egg parasites, but the brown marmorated variety doesn’t seem to be as affected by the parasitic insects we have here in BC.” Hueppelsheuser and Acheampong say the Samurai wasps do exist in large numbers in Oregon and southern Washington State, and there is a real chance they could follow their prey into British Columbia.

“The hope is that they will find their way here naturally,” says Hueppelsheuser.

In the meantime, anyone who does spot either the BM stink bugs or one of the tiny but effective Samurai wasps is asked to contact the Ministry of Agriculture at this toll-free number: 1-888-332-3352. ■

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Creating a Formal Succession Plan for your Farm - Part 1

By Tracy Frederickson

A

formal succession plan should be part of the exit strategy for any type of business, but it’s particularly important for farms, as the majority of farms involve multiple family members. Yet, industry averages show that less than 25% of farm operators have a formal succession plan in place.

The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, in partnership with the BC Ministry of Agriculture, recently held a one-day workshop on the topic as part of its agricultural programming.

The workshop was facilitated by Chartered Professional Accountants Chris Henderson and Nathalie Merrill, partners at Rossworn Henderson LLP who work extensively with farm businesses on taxation and succession. Approximately 20 farm operators attended including multiple generations of several families. The participants found out a good succession

The succession planning process begins by looking at the “big picture,”… the first requirement is having the right mindset.

Chris Henderson plan addresses not only financial and legal considerations, but also the sensitive issues that are frequently associated with family dynamics.

This first of two articles provides highlights from the workshop and an overview of what’s involved in preparing a farm succession plan, how to get started, and factors that help achieve an optimal outcome.

The first requirement is having the right mindset, says Merrill. “People often approach succession planning with an ex

pectation of perfection. A successful plan results in everyone coming away slightly unhappy with the end results. The participants need to come to the table knowing they will likely have to compromise on some issues in order for the final plan to be fair for all concerned. The entire process to get to a tangible plan will likely take months to complete, and the goalposts may continue to change throughout the process. Factors such as marriage, divorce, changing land values and profitability of the farm are just some of the things that can influence the plan.

Pre Spring 2018 39

The process begins by looking at the “big picture,” says Henderson. Gather the necessary financial information and prepare to set goals. You will need this information to share with advisors and to support family discussions around transitioning the farm.

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This includes such information as: • The approximate value of your farm • Debts (i.e. mortgage) • Original cost of land and buildings, and legal description • Structure of the farm business i.e. sole proprietor, partnership, spousal partnership or corporation •H ow you use your farm assets, for example are they or have they been farmed by you or somebody else?

• F inancial statements for the last three years •R ecent personal income tax returns •O ff-farm assets, such as life insurance policies, RRSPs, or other real estate You will also need to assemble details about the family including the number of children, their ages, marital status, addresses and present involvement in the farm. You will need information about the non-farm children including their current employment and the need for continuing support from you. Finally, recent wills, lease agreements, shareholders’ or partnership agreements, valuation day appraisals and the most recent appraisals should also be assembled.

The next step is to review personal and financial issues and make decisions that will be affected by income tax. These critical issues fall under five broad headings: •O wnership •C ontrol

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Reviewing the critical issues areas is a considerable exercise where you will put a number of ideas or goals under each area as a basis for discussion with family members. During this process, it is often easy to fall into a trap of focussing on the details of “how” you will transition your assets to your children instead of concentrating on the “what” you want to have happen to those assets. The most efficient way to proceed through this process is for you to keep your preliminary goals (the “big picture”) top of mind and leave the finer details of “how” to achieve those goals to your advisor(s) who know the tax and legal landscape.

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Your advisor will be key to completing the final phase of the succession plan in terms of “putting it all together” on paper.

In the process, there are three important areas of taxation that can have significant impact on a farm transition that will be looked at to determine the most efficient tax structure that meets the overall goals. They are the Capital Gains Exemption, Intergenerational Farm Rollover, and the Principle Residence Exemption. These areas are addressed in detail in the publication Loopholes for Farmers, downloadable from www.farmtax. ca.

In our second article, we will address the importance of effective communication and how to approach family discussions around succession clearly and effectively.

The Best Way to Predict the Future – Is to Create it.

“Every farm operator engaging in succession can improve their understanding of the many succession planning tools that are out there,” says Henderson. “Before you even start the process, meet with your advisor, attend a succession planning workshop or do some internet research to familiarize yourself with the terms and processes involved.” ■

Achieving success in business is hard work. After all the sacrifice, risk and commitment what’s next? How do you design the future your way? A well-structured plan can result in significant tax savings and increase the value of your operation. Our TransitionSMARTTM program will help you develop and complete a plan that gives you peace of mind and allows you to successfully transition on your own terms.

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GETTING READY TO MEET YOUR ADVISOR

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Pre Spring 2018 41

 SEEDS OF GROWTH | FRED STEELE

What If There Was No BCFGA? I think of the jobs that were created and the political battles fought and the course the industry followed until it reached its current place.

Then it struck me. What might be different if the BCFGA was never formed?

T

his will be my last column as the President of the BCFGA. After four years as President, I have seen first hand how much the BCFGA is really involved in the lives of the members and the community as a whole.

I was reflecting on the changes the association brought to the community since its inception.

Most don’t realize the industry didn’t start in the Okanagan; it had its beginnings in the Lower Mainland. The first BCFGA Board of Directors didn’t have a single farmer on it.

The leadership was made up of real estate people and land developers. It started with David Oppenheimer, the Mayor of Vancouver and founder of the international fruit and vegetable broker sporting his name. The first President was

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What prompted the formation of the BCFGA? The first apple shipment heading east.

It went from Chilliwack to Winnipeg in 1899. Fruit production, harvesting and transportation were going to be profitable, not to mention the sale of land to the growing industry.

Apples had come to the Okanagan in the mid-1800s with Father Pandosy who planted them at his mission in what is now Kelowna. In 1892 the Aberdeen’s planted thirteen thousand acres in the valley from orchards in Kelowna to Coldstream. In 1867 apples were in production in the Si-

milkameen Valley.

The biggest problem facing growers is one we have even today; water. There is conflicting credit given as to who first thought of going into the mountains and damming the creeks and streams to develop the lakes that would supply irrigation water to the valley below. Some claim it was the Aberdeens and others give credit to John Rutland in the early nineteen hundreds.

When I look around I think, this area would look so much different had the industry not taken root, both in terms of the economic impact of tree fruit production and the infrastructure that was built to sustain the new industry. The

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BCFGA was the power house that brought the change to the valley. The list of development looms large. Here are a few: At one time there were 64 packinghouses as the BCFGA brought SunRype into production to get some value out of the cull apples.

BC Tree Fruits, the Marketing Division of the BCFGA, was formed as a Depression-era solution to marketing issues.

In order to transport fruit out of the valley the infrastructure required was monumental. Paddle wheelers plied the waters of Okanagan Lake to take fruit to the railheads in Vernon and Kelowna. These transportation links breathed life into towns like Summerland, Peachland, Naramata, Okanagan Centre, and at the time the biggest Okanagan Landing at the head of the lake. The big boats were assembled in Vernon.

The railroad extension to Kelowna reduced the need for paddle wheel traffic, but the train and the building of new highways saw transportation needs change. The barges to Penticton took boxcars south right into the 1970s.

The BCFGA had clout, with 2500 members strong and thousands of acres in production. This continued until the sixties when the Columbia River Treaty was signed between Canada and the United States. The treaty established the procedures for the US to ask Canadians to control the flow of water, for flood control and hydro power. At that time the industry on both sides of the border produced about twelve million boxes of apples each. Today BC produces about three million boxes, Washington produces one hundred sixty million boxes.

When you think about it the

BCFGA and its ability to lobby government saved the tree fruit industry from extinction.

It advocated for and got Farm Income Insurance (now defunct) and Replant Programs, the Sterile Insect Release Program, and other important programs that allowed the industry to retool to meet market demands.

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The BCFGA became the go to voice for governments when talking about horticulture issues and program plans. The BCFGA supports research and development, though today there are other important players such as the BC Cherry Association. One of the biggest achievements was the development company Summerland Varieties Corporation. The company owned by the BCFGA administers the intellectual property rights for a number of apple and cherry varieties around the world.

These include the Ambrosia apple and nearly eighty percent of the commercial varieties of cherries.

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The BCFGA is involved in community events and seminars, and we often host foreign dignitaries who come to offer their workers in our marketplace. We are invited to round tables to listen and give input on everything from finance to trade. We have participants on the boards of directors on umbrella associations such as the BC Agriculture Council, and the Canadian Horticultural Council.

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Many of our Presidents developed into great leaders and held the confidence of politicians for both representing the industry and being credible and trusted. An outstanding example of BCFGA leadership is the late Joe Sardinha, who everyone in agriculture, including Agriculture Ministers, knew as “Joe”. If you said “Joe” on the national agriculture scene, from cattle

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to grain to dairy to fruits and vegetables, people knew it was Joe Sardinha.

Looking back, one of the greatest achievements was bringing the next generation of growers into the fold by changing some of the rules in how we govern ourselves. And out of the chaos of a few years ago the BCFGA found a leader who I think would make a President who will have impact and leave a lasting impression in the minds of those in government and agriculture circles. I speak of Pinder Dahliwal. Over the last four years Pinder has learned what it takes to lead in prime time.

There comes a time to say goodbye and make a graceful exit, and on February 16th I will do just that.

It is a time to reflect, and to thank the members of the BCFGA for having confidence in me. It is a humbling experience that was renewed each year. The election campaigns were long ones too, running from mid-November to February.

I would like to thank the BCFGA Office Staff and especially Glen Lucas, BCFGA General Manager, for without his advice and dedication, this industry would not have made the strides it did. I would also like to sincerely thank Lisa Olson of this publication, Orchard & Vine, for the generous column space she provided and the patience she had sending me a note that simply read “Column? Deadline Friday”.

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The time has come for me to join those Presidents before me, at least forty of them, in stepping aside to make way for the next generation to take the mantle of leadership and take the BCFGA to new heights we never thought possible.

Thank you all. ■ Fred Steele, President BCFGA

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 THE WORD ON WINE | LAURA KITTMER

Building the Future Together March will bring inaugural BC Wine Industry Insight Forum to the Okanagan Valley

T

he BC Wine Institute is partnering with the BC Wine Grape Council and the BC Grapegrowers’ Association to host the inaugural BC Wine Industry Insight Forum on March 13, 2018 in Penticton. This full-day event will bring industry together and provide an informative overview of the current and future state of the wine industry from notable speakers.

change; working collaboratively from a Washington state producer’s perspective; the Ministry of Agriculture update and plans; new research opportunities and latest findings affecting the value chain – from vineyard to consumer; and wine and food tourism trends.

“The day will be filled with a strong selection of national and international speakers sharing their stories, research and insights, including successes based on their experiences as they relate to these topics,” says Prodan.

“The forum is an opportunity to hear from industry experts on issues that affect and will drive our collective success,” notes Miles Prodan, President and CEO of the BC Wine Institute.

Speakers will include: Dr. Greg Jones research climatologist and Director of Wine Education at Linfield College in Oregon; Dr. Pat Bowen plant physiologist and Viticulture Researcher at the Pacific AgriFood Research Centre (PARC) in Summerland; Lee Cartier professional Agrologist and professor in the Okanagan School of Business at Okanagan College in Kelowna; Steve Griessel Proprietor of Betz Family Winery in Woodinville Washington; and Wes Shoemaker Deputy Minister with BC Ministry of Agriculture.

Topics will include climate

“As a presenter at this forum

Wine industry specialists will share their expertise on what’s next, what’s possible, and the external factors that play a role in the success of BC’s wine industry today and going forward.

I’m excited to share my experience with collaboration in the Washington State Wine Industry," says Steve Griessel of Betz Family Winery. "It can be daunting to figure out how to work with the large producers and to share expertise, but ultimately it leads to everyone’s success.”

The goal of the BC Wine Industry Insight Forum is to deliver thought-provoking research, plans, trends and successes to inform, promote and increase dialogue and collaboration amongst our wine industry.

“We are pleased to be a part of the Insight Forum and to offer all of the grapegrowers in BC the opportunity to learn about different facets of the industry value chain and current issues and plans in the industry,” said Mason Spink, Chair, BC Grapegrowers’ As-

sociation.

Lynn Bremmer, Chair of the BC Wine Grape Council says “It is exciting to see our industry come together at this forum, we look forward to providing insights for the industry that will drive our mutual success.”

The forum takes place March 13, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Penticton Lakeside Resort & Conference Centre. The event is open to all in the wine industry. Tickets are $25.00 (+GST) and include lunch and a wine reception. To purchase tickets and for a list of speakers and day’s agenda, please visit www.WineBC.org/ bcwi_programs/wine_industry_insight_forum. ■ Laura Kittmer is the Media Relations Manager at the BCWI. lkittmer@winebc.com www.winebc.org

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 SAFETY TIPS | WORKSAFE BC

Safety Procedures For Working Around Tractors to minimize serious injuries or even fatalities.

Tractors are one of the most useful and dangerous pieces of farm equipment.

When working with tractors, it is crucial for operators to follow safety procedures

Proper education, training, and supervision is essential Seasonal and new workers are particularly vulnerable and at higher risk of injury when operating tractors and other hazardous equipment. If you’re an employer,

you’re responsible for making sure your workers understand the hazards of their job and have been trained on how to operate tractors and other equipment safely.

Follow these safety procedures when operating a tractor or other equipment: • Assess the work and ensure you are using the right piece of equipment for the job: • Read and make sure you understand the operator’s manual; • Check to ensure the tractor is in good working condition before you operate it: • Always make sure all PTO shields and guards are in place and are in good condition; • Ensure the rollover protective structure (ROPS) is up, and always wear your seatbelt; • Ensure the tractor brakes are in good condition, working well in both directions (forward and reverse), and are properly locked for higher speeds;

Ensure your workers stay safe on the job As an employer, you’re responsible for making sure your workers have the proper training and equipment to stay safe on the job.

Find health and safety resources for safe tractor operation at worksafebc.com/agriculture

• Always drive at a safe speed and be familiar with the terrain slopes and conditions; • Always review the conditions of your work area for irregularities such as holes or other obstacles; • Ensure all loads are properly secured, including large bales, and any objects being raised are at the level of the operator; • When driving, make turns on level ground whenever possible and avoid soft shoulders; • When getting off the machine, disengage the PTO, turn off the tractor, and ensure the parking brake is on and operating before you dismount; • When operating a tractor with a frontend loader, keep the bucket low when travelling and turning – never get off the tractor seat with the bucket raised.

Find resources and safety videos at worksafebc.com/agriculture.

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