Time for Harry McWatters Marketing Savvy at Liquidity Cherry Orchards Heading North Responsible Water Use Fall 2018 $6.95
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The view from Liquidity Wines in Okanagan Falls. Page 24
Regulars 8 CALENDAR 9 NEWS & EVENTS 41 BCWI – LAURA KITTMER 43 MONEY MATTERS – ALAN FETTERLY 45 SEEDS OF GROWTH – GLEN LUCAS On the cover, Time Winery winemaker Graham Pierce and BC wine industry pioneer Harry McWatters. Photo by Michael Botner
Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/DesertHillsEstateWinery/
6 PUBLISHER'S VIEW – LISA OLSON
Ali from Desert Hills Winery was voted the best winery pet by the Best of BC Wine 4
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Features 21 Grand Entrance for Time Winery 24 Liquidity Wines: Wine, Food, Art & Social Media 28 Cherry Farmer Grows Business by Heading North 31 Coral Beach Wins Right to Farm Case 32 Wine Technology Steps Inside the Box 35 New Tools Encourages Responsible Water Use
Photo by BCTF
37 Sanding Not Always Needed for BC Cranberries
Country Awards. For more winners check out page 41.
Peaches on the BC Tree Fruits new packing production line in their Oliver packing facility. Page 12.
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PUBLISHER’S VIEW | LISA OLSON
Fall Ideas Come to Life
H
ave you heard that fall is the new January, as in; we tend to get back on track and set up new routines after the summer season is over or once the kids go back to school. Or in the case of harvest, you could be in full work mode, so there is no time to think about much other than to be in action mode. Otherwise, it might be a good time to set up a few new systems and figure out how you want to end the year and make plans for next season. In any event, there is lots to think about and do.
Vol. 59, No 5 Fall 2018
How we think plays a big role in our dayto-day happiness. Are you feeling content, fulfilled, and safe in your life? Do you try to spend time with people who matter the most to you and do things you love to do? (As much as possible anyway.)
Contributors
Here’s a challenge for you. Think of four things that you want to do before the end this year. Try to bring some balance into your life and include areas of work, family, physical and emotional. Is there something you want to initiate in your business, an education piece that you want to learn to add to your skills, or a trip that you have wanted to take? These things can be large or small, simple or
Publisher Lisa Olson Editor Gary Symons Graphic Design Stephanie Symons
Photo by Kim Kanduth
If you are thinking and planning for next year, what are your ideas, dreams or goals? Think about what is really important to you? What is the one thing that you have been putting off doing or maybe that item you’ve been putting off isn’t really that important to you anymore and you can wipe it from your list?
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involved. I’d be curious as to what you decide. Inside this edition there are people who have taken big leaps, they’ve had dreams and taken action. Industry veteran Harry McWatters and his new Time Winery, Ian MacDonald, President of Liquidity Wines and David Geen of Coral Beach Farms who is expanding the cherry orchard and packing business to the north Okanagan. We also explore the challenges of farming around residential communites. I hope you enjoy reading all that there is inside as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you. Enjoy the magazine!
Alan Fetterly, Kim Kanduth, Laura Kittmer, Glen Lucas, Ronda Payne, Gary Symons, Tom Walker Contact lisa@orchardandvine.net Orchard & Vine Magazine Ltd. 24-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578 West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9 www.orchardandvine.net Phone: 778-754-7078 Fax: 1-866-433-3349 Orchard & Vine Magazine is 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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î Ž FALL | CALENDAR 1st Annual For-ti-fy Conference November 7 Penticton, BC www.fortifyconference.ca Speak Up! Workshop - Kamloops Nov. 21, 2018 Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre www.bcac.ca/pt Speak Up! Workshop - Kelowna Nov. 22, 2018 Sandman Hotel & Suites Kelowna www.bcac.ca/pt Agricultural Excellence Conference Nov. 26-29, 2018 The Fort Garry Hotel Winnipeg https://fmc-gac.com 17th Annual Agri-Food Industry Gala January 23 Abbotsford, BC http://www.bcac.bc.ca 20th Annual Pacific Agriculture Show January 24-26 Abbotsford, BC http://www.agricultureshow.net Unified Wine & Grape Symposium January 29-31, 2019 Sacramento, California http://www.unifiedsymposium.org Islands Agriculture Show February 1-2 Saanich Fair Grounds, BC http://www.iashow.ca Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers AGM & Trade Show February 5-7 Kennewick, WA, USA www.wawgg.org Oregon Wine Symposium February 12-13 Portland, Oregon https://industry.oregonwine.org/ Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention February 20-21 Niagara Falls, ON www.ofvc.ca
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FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
Organic Food and Beverage Products Sold in B.C. Must be Certified As of Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, people can buy British Columbia food products and beverages that are marketed as organic with more confidence, knowing the products have been certified through an accredited provincial or federal program. “People are more engaged then ever with how their food is grown and processed,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “Requiring certification for the use of the term ‘organic’ for the sales of B.C. foods and beverages means producers are able to offer British Columbians an increased level of certainty about the farming and processing practices of their products.” Photo by Government of BC
Under a new provincial regulation, organic food and beverage operators are now required to maintain up-to-date proof of certification. The regulation follows consultation with organic operators in 2015, and a subsequent transition period that included multiple announcements, an awareness campaign targeting growers, outreach at agriculture shows, conferences, agriculture association events and annual general meetings. Previously, there were no official requirements for people who were selling or marketing B.C. food products as organic.
Minister Popham (left) announced that the new standards for organic certification came into effect Sep. 1, 2018.
Certifying bodies, such as those that are members of the Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia (COABC), will ensure organic standards and requirements are met by producers and processors. The B.C. government will enforce any misuse of the term “organic”.
The B.C. government will use a graduated enforcement approach that initially will focus on bringing businesses and individuals into compliance through education and warnings.
“The organic sector is grateful to the ministry for introducing the new organic product regulation. This step forward is so important for consumer clarity,” said Carmen Wakeling, president of COABC. “As we transition into the new regulation, we will continue working with the ministry to build a strong organic sector in B.C.”
Certified organic operators will have the BC Certified Organic Checkmark, the Canadian organic logo or both logos on their products, as well as having valid certification at their business. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency does the same for certified organic companies in B.C. that sell their goods in other provinces or countries.
Uncertified operators marketing their food or beverage products as “organic” face possible penalties, including a $350 fine.
New Book is a Food-lover's Guide to the Fraser Valley With decades of culinary experience in the Fraser Valley, local food expert and author Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store has released her first book, Eating Local in the Fraser Valley, that celebrates the bounty of Canadian food. Featuring more than 70 locally-inspired recipes and 100 culinary destinations in the Fraser Valley, Eating Local in the Fraser Valley invites us to discover the culinary richness of the Fraser Valley that has been built by the dedicated farmers, producers and chefs who live in the region. This book is not only a celebration of Angie's passion for local food and commu
nity, but also a way to connect us to the farmers, producers and chefs that bring food to our tables each day. Angie has opened the door for us to get to know the wonderful array of food and beverage makers that are in the community. Open this book and take a road trip with Angie to the Fraser Valley. From Langley to Abbotsford to Chilliwack, with stops in Surrey, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and Mission, Angie will guide you through this undiscovered food-lover's paradise to share stories and anecdotes that introduce you to the people behind them. There's no doubt that you will fall in love with the people and food of the Fraser Valley. Fall 2018
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FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
Vibrant Vine Rated #1 on Trip Advisor The big expansion at The Vibrant Vine Tasting Room appears to have paid off, as Vibrant Vine and the associated Okanagan Villa Estate Winery were rated the #1 Winery in Canada by Trip Advisor, the Worlds largest Travel Site with over 600 million reviews. “This is a very,very big deal for us coming just two days before we open our new expansion,” said owner/operators Wyn and Marion Lewis. “All 41 of our staff have worked incredibly hard over the last eight years to achieve this recognition one customer at a time and we owe our success to their incredible focus on Customer Service.”
Photo by Gary Symons
Vibrant Vine also hit the #1 spot in BC last year, but this marks the first time the psychedelic winery hit first place in Canada. "Trip advisor is the #1 metric world wide for all travel related businesses, and since about 50% of our business is driven by Trip advisor Reviews, we couldn’t be happier!” they said.
Okanagan Crush Pad Launches Organic Wine Label Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland is launching a new wine label, Free Form, that celebrates the winery earning organic certification for its cellar. The winery has achieved certification under the Pacific Agricultural Certification Society (PACS) program, making it one of only a handful of BC wineries to do so. Starting with the 2017 vintage, Free Form will offer five wines: an ancient method sparkling wine, a skin-contact white, a Vin Gris, a Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Franc. The wines are made using organic grapes, native yeasts, free of additives and left to find their own course in the newly-certified organic winery cellar, all under the watchful eye of chief winemaker Matt Dumayne. "In our pursuit of wines of place we celebrate the inherent difference and profile of each wine from each vintage. All are one of a kind - never to be repeated," says winery owner, Christine Coletta.
Oliver Winery Named Canada’s Winery of the Year Road 13 Vineyard didn’t just crush grapes this year, the Oliver winery crushed the competition at the annual National Wine Awards of Canada. This year more than 1,850 wines from 257 Canadian wineries were entered in the competition, which was judged by 22 wine experts in Penticton, BC, for a five10 Fall 2018
day blind tasting. When the blindfolds came off, Road 13 walked away with 15 medals, including 1 platinum, 8 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze wowing judges over multiple flights in a blind tasting environment, and the coveted title of Canadian Winery of the Year.
“We are so delighted with this win,” said co-owner Joe Luckhurst. “Our team’s tireless dedication to excellence has really paid off, as has following our passion for Rhone-style wines. A platinum medal for the 2016 Roussanne is proof of our understanding of the best way to express our terroir in the glass.”
www.OkanaganFarms.com
OLIVER 9.9 acres of peaches, prune plums and gala apples. Approx. 6 acres very well suited to vineyard. 380’ of highway frontage. 2 bay fruit stand w/3 piece bathroom and separate shop. Attached storage room w/ farm machinery storage below. 4 bdr home. High production well. MLS® $1,389,000
OLIVER 16.67 acres in 2 titles with 494 ft of frontage on Highway 97. Ideal location for winery, and vineyard land with highway 97 frontage is becoming difficult to find in the south OK. Land is rated a mix of class 2, 3, & 4 in Grape Atlas. Structures include a farm home and small farm help building. MLS® $2,275,000
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
KEREMEOS 8.26 flat acres, 252 ft. fronting on Ashnola Road (runs parallel to Hwy 3). Easy access off the highway - terrific site for an ag business requiring good highway exposure. Insulated 26x42 fruit stand w/walk-in cooler. Modern, high density. Diverse mix of tree fruits. 1,330SF home w/dbl gar. MLS® $1,200,000
PEACHLAND High production Staccato cherry orchard! Phenomenal lake views & income from this Peachland acreage! 10 acre parcel, approx 7.5 acres planted. Great elevation for late cherries. 4 bdr main house/2nd home and studio, detached oversize garage/workshop. MLS® $1,599,000
SE KELOWNA 15.6 acres of prime farmland in SE Kelowna. Well suited to orchard and some grape varietals, currently set up for horses. Large 5 bedroom home w/ updated suite perfect for extended family or farm help. 2 acres planted to apples, balance in hay. Fully arable, virtually no waste. MLS® $1,690,000
RUTLAND Stunning views of lake & city from 8.98 acre apple orchard right in the city! Great proximity to city services, zoned A1 and in the ALR but a very strategic location on the border of medium density residential. Close to recreation, schools, airport & Orchard Park. MLS® $1,950,000
LAKE COUNTRY SW Panoramic Wood and Kalamalka lake views from this 9.3 acre orchard estate property. Productive high & medium density apple orchard, 24’2x50’ 3 bay. Enjoy low taxes with farm status. Lovely rural country setting just 10 mins to Lake Country’s many amenities. MLS® $1,395,000
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COLDSTREAM Custom chalet style home on 9 lake view acres. Property has a history of apples with cherries considered recently & currently hay. Bring your farming ideas to this blank slate. Backs onto 8000 acres of Kalamalka provincial park land! MLS® $1,390,000
COLDSTREAM 18.3 acres planted to high density Ambrosias & approx 2 acres Galas. Frontage on both Hwy 6 and Buchanan Rd. Gentle southern slope with no “frost pockets”. Coming in to full production in the next 2-3 years. Also includes a nicely updated 3 bedroom home situated off the Highway 6 access. MLS® $2,000,000
COLDSTREAM 7.5 acres in scenic Lavington. Flat and useful, great for orchard, privacy or equestrian uses. Fully deer fenced. Beautiful mountain and pastoral views. Planted this year to brand new high density Ambrosia apple orchard. Enjoy a great community and privacy. MLS®
Your local experts in farm, residential, and estate properties JERRY GEEN
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ELYA BYRNE
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COLDSTREAM 17.17 acre orchard 10 min from downtown Vernon shops and amenities. Quiet yet central location on east side of Middleton Mtn. High production orchard planted mainly to high density Royal Gala apples. Gently sloping and facing mainly south. The 3 bdr home was renovated in 2014. MLS® $2,000,000
KELOWNA Independently owned and operated toll free: (800) 663-5770
www.GeenByrne.com
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FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
BC Tree Fruits Cooperative Opens New Oliver Packing Line BC Tree Fruits unveiled a brand new, state-of-the-art peach and apple packing production line in their Oliver packing facility in July. The installation of this multi-million dollar packing line was completed and saw the first bins of fruit. BC Tree Fruits continues to be a leader in the industry and the Valley and with the addition of this new line continues the trend of employment opportunities within the Cooperative, specifically in the South Okanagan region.
“We are excited to bring this technology to our grower members,” says Director of Operations Peter Hoffman. “This new packing line utilizes an optical sorter that has advanced machine-learning capabilities that revolutionizes the sorting process. The results will allow us to colour map, grade and defect sort fruit with increased accuracy, all with the focus of delivering consistent, high quality fruit to our consumers.” “With the launch of this new packing line, we maintain our commitment to reinvest in our industry and our growers with
Photo by BCTF
The launch of this new packing line brings the Okanagan Valley, and more specifically the grower members of BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, the advantage of having some of the most efficient grading technology in Canada. The new packing line will deliver accurate and consistent fruit quality to consumers across Western Canada and will support the expectation in the market of high quality, locally grown fruit from the growers of BC Tree Fruits Cooperative. state-of-the-art technology,” says Stan Swales, Chief Executive Officer. “With this line comes the ability for us to continue to meet our consumer’s expectations of premium fruit whenever they see the BC Tree Fruits leaf.” The Oliver facility will handle the packing of all summer fruits for BC Tree Fruits Cooperative outside of cherries, which are also packed in the Kelowna facility. The new packing line will also handle apples starting in the fall.
Advisory Committee Submits Recommendations for ALR The independent Minister’s Advisory Committee for Revitalizing the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) has submitted its interim report to Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture.
fied 14 key issues that are still under consideration for its final report.
“I want to thank the committee members for their significant work engaging British Columbians in the development of these recommendations,” said Popham. “The ALC plays a key role in protecting the ALR and encouraging farming throughout our province. This independent report is an important contribution to the conversation we’ve been having in B.C. to build a strong and resilient agricultural sector for generations to come.”
Along with the interim report, the committee also submitted a “what we heard” report summarizing the findings from stakeholder meetings and public engagement held from February to April 30, 2018.
The committee identified 13 recommendations for legislative and regulatory change, and four recommendations for action to protect the ALR. It also identi-
12 Fall 2018
The Ministry of Agriculture will review the committee’s recommendations over the coming weeks to analyze the impacts of the recommendations.
The committee travelled to nine communities around B.C. to hear from regional stakeholders. There were also over 280 written submissions made as part of the engagement process, and more than 2,300 British Columbians completed the committee’s online survey. The committee, formed in January 2018, is made up of eight British Columbians with diverse agricultural backgrounds
and experience who were tasked with leading both the revitalization of the ALR and the ALC and an authentic and meaningful consultation process. The report will focus on the common themes discussed in the consultation: • A defensible and defended ALR • ALR resilience • Stable governance • Efficacy of zones 1 and 2 • Interpretation and implementation of the Act and regulation • Food security and B.C.’s agricultural contribution • Residential uses in the ALR • Farm processing and sales in the ALR • Unauthorized uses • Non-Farm uses and resource extraction in the ALR
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FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
BC Cherries Secure Market Access to Japan BC’s booming cherry industry just got another boost, as the Government of Canada announced it has secured market access for BC-grown cherries in Japan. In 2017 Japan imported more than $62.7 million of fresh cherries from around the world, making it a major new destination for BC fruit. The move is part of a broader initiative on trade for Canada in Asia, and follows the March 2018 trade mission to Japan by Minister of Agriculture Lawrence MacAulay. The federal department says that, once the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP) comes into force, Canadian agriculture products will benefit from preferential access to key Asian markets, including Japan. Through the CPTPP, Japan’s 8.5 per cent tariff on fresh cherries will be eliminated over a period of five years.
“Our Government is committed to seeking market access opportunities across the globe to strengthen our bilateral trade relationships, put more money in the pockets of Canadian farmers, and grow the middle class in Canada," MacAulay said. Stephen Fuhr, the MP for Kelowna-Lake Country, says the agreement is a longterm benefit for BC growers. "Our Government has worked closely with B.C.'s cherry growers to achieve this significant milestone,” Fuhr said. “Selling fresh, high-quality cherries to Japan will help drive economic growth, while creating more job opportunities in British Columbia." The news was well received among cherry farmers in the Okanagan, with BC Cherry Association President Sukhpaul Bal commenting, “Our growers and industry partners look forward to building long-lasting relationships with Japanese customers and cannot wait to see
cherries branded with the maple leaf in stores across Japan." Japan is already Canada’s third largest market for agri-food and seafood products, with exports of $4.5 billion in 2017. The Canadian government estimates fresh cherry exports to Japan could add up to $8 million annually to that total.
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Let’s Grow Together To Our Valued Customers and Partners With harvest in full swing, we know this is a busy time of year for all of us in agriculture. At Bayer, this season also brings an historic milestone that will help us achieve even more together as we look toward our collective future. I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you about it. Growth – both on the farm and in our industry – requires a steady stream of new innovation. This can only be driven by ground-breaking R&D aimed at finding new solutions to the challenges you face in your fields every day. We are confident we can help make a difference. Our recent acquisition of Monsanto combines our 150-year history of innovation and service excellence with Monsanto’s portfolio of seeds, traits and data science. To say we are excited about the future would be an understatement. To our Canadian growers: Everything we do, including this acquisition, is built around helping you improve your operation. Your success is our success; it’s that simple. And we will continue to work hard in the months and years ahead to earn – and keep – your business. To our stakeholders across the industry: We won’t be successful unless you are equipped with the knowledge and support you need to keep serving the growers who depend on you in the way they’ve come to expect. You are a critical link in the support system that growers trust, and we are committed to our relationship. These are truly transformational times in our industry, but we are here to listen, answer your questions, and develop a path forward together. This is how Bayer does business. If you have questions related to a product remaining in the Bayer or Monsanto portfolio, your regular Bayer or Monsanto contact will be happy to help you. You can also find more information at AdvancingTogether.com. We appreciate your hard work producing crops for the benefit of consumers around the world. Above all, we’re proud to work with you, and we’re eager to earn that privilege every spring. Have a safe harvest,
Al Driver President & CEO Crop Science Canada
Fall 2018
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FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
Okanagan Falls Recognized as a Distinct Wine-Producing Area Wine drinkers will be able to easily identify bottles of wine from Okanagan Falls now that the area is officially recognized for its wine production. Changes to the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation mean eligible wineries on the east side of the Okanagan Valley from Vaseux Lake to just north of Shuttleworth Creek can label their wines as coming from Okanagan Falls. Including the area-specific labeling helps people recognize the wines are made with local grapes, and enhances the area’s overall reputation as a wine and agri-tourism destination. “British Columbia wine is enjoyed both here at home and around the world, and consumers will now be able to identify the unique terroir and wine from Okanagan Falls," said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “Congratulations to the wine producers in this fantastic area and I look forward to seeing the Okanagan Falls label on BC VQA bottles soon.” Okanagan Falls is the second wine region to be approved as a recognized sub-appellation in British Columbia. The other is the Golden Mile Bench near Oliver. “There is a tremendous amount of collaboration, science and research that goes into defining more precise regions within an appellation, which is based very much on terroir,” said Miles Prodan, CEO and president, BC Wine Institute. “Wine is about place, and we are proud of the hard work by industry and wineries coming together to define and certify these meaningful and scientifically unique regions producing distinc-
tive world-class wines. This is a true testament to the maturation and progress of BC VQA’s premium wine industry.” Other changes to the regulation prohibit the use of unregulated geographical indications (areas) on BC Wine Authority members' wine labels. “We are thrilled with the announcement today of B.C.’s second official subappellation, Okanagan Falls. Our focus is to produce single vineyard wines to showcase the terroir of each individual vineyard,” said Jim D’Andrea, proprietor, Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery. “Having a legal definition to include ‘Okanagan
Falls’ on the label is one step further in helping consumers relate to the unique terroir where the grapes are grown and taste the distinct difference from this specific area.” Located in the southern Okanagan, Okanagan Falls includes about 150 hectares of vineyards that produce over 1,100 tonnes of grapes per year. Wineries include the BC Wine Studio, Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars, Bonamici Cellars, Liquidity Wines, Meyer Family Vineyards, Noble Ridge Vineyards, Stag’s Hollow Winery & Vineyard, Wild Goose Vineyards and Synchromesh Wines.
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FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
Canada and BC Support Sustainable Winemaking from Soil to Shelf British Columbians who love a glass of BC wine and support environmentally responsible businesses have easy choices ahead, as a new sustainability certification program for BC grape growers and wineries will put those green standards right on the label. Sustainable Winegrowing BC (SWBC), a program of the British Columbia Wine Grape Council, is developing the certification program. Participation in this program will allow BC to highlight the integrity and credibility of the provincial wine industry, and increase competitiveness of BC wine with other top wine-growing regions around the world.
growers and wineries in their application for certification. “This new sustainability certification program will maintain the sector’s competitiveness, increase consumer confidence in B.C.’s award-winning wine, and minimize the environmental footprint of our wine industry,” predicted BC Agriculture Minister Lana Popham,
“Sustainable Winegrowing BC is looking forward to developing the certification program, through support from the Ministry of Agriculture,” said Karen Gillis, chair of SWBC. “The positive impacts on environmental, financial, and social aspects for individual vineyards and wineries, and the industry as a whole, will contribute immensely to our long-term sustainability.”
The SWBC oversight committee includes BC viticulturists, winemakers, hospitality directors, researchers, and sustainability and marketing specialists.
SWBC has already established an online self-assessment tool that allows growers and wineries to view their sustainability performance. The new certification program will take the next step in maintaining and enhancing public trust. The certification program will include a sustainability advisor assisting
The sustainable certification program is receiving $100,000 in cost-shared funding from the governments of Canada and BC, through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Planning for Climate Change in the Agriculture Sector The British Columbia agriculture sector will have new resources available to support its efforts in adapting to climate change. The Climate Change Adaptation Program is providing $6 million in federal and provincial government support, over the next five years, through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The program builds on previous government-supported work and is focused on building resil-
ience to climate change at the farm level, and at the wider regional level. “Farmers are stewards of the land and they need to have the right tools to support making good decisions,” said Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture. “The Government of Canada is proud to support the development of new strategies and tools that will help farmers in British Columbia adapt to climate change, while producing healthy
food in a sustainable way.” The Regional Adaptation Program will establish three new regional strategies and provide support for the implementation of projects in new and existing regions. The Farm Adaptation Innovator Program will fund seven to nine new research projects on B.C. farms and pilot and demonstrate farm practices and technologies that support climate adaptation.
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2018-01-12 12:11 PM 17 Fall 2018
1st Annual Business Conference and Tradeshow, November 7, 2018 Agenda 7:30 - 8:30 am 8:45 - 9:00 am 9:00 - 9:45 am
9:45 - 10:00 am 10:00 - 11:00 am 11:00 - 12:00 pm
12:00 - 1:30 pm 1:30 - 2:30 pm 2:30 - 3:00 pm 3:15 - 4:15 pm
4:30-5:30 pm
5:30 - 6:30 pm 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Registration and Breakfast Welcome Remarks Geoff McIntyre - Business Advisor Food and Beverage Processing, MNP “Things I Would Do Differently If I Started Over…” Panel Discussion Tyler Dyck,- CEO, Okanagan Spirits Craft Distilleries, Lance Verhoeff - Co-Founder, Trading House Brewing Taphouse and Eatery, Kristen Needham - Founder and Cidermaster, Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse, Cynthia Ens, Founder, Laughing Stock Vineyards Funding Opportunities Tradeshow Opens/Coffee Break Morning Concurrent Sessions: • Sales & Marketing, Building Loyalty In Your Retail and Licensee Channels: Paul Rickett - Principal, VARketing! • Finance/Operations, What A Lender Wants: Amos Rossworm - Senior Relationship Manager, Farm Credit Canada, Geoff McIntyre - Business Advisor Food & Beverage Processing, MNP • Human Resources, Human Resources Basics, Government Regulation and You: Jennifer Sencar - BC Employment Standards Lunch and Beverage Bar Open / Tradeshow Plenary Session - TBD Mark Hicken - Principal, Vintage Law Group Coffee Afternoon Concurrent Sessions: • Sales & Marketing, Defining and Telling Your Story: Christine Coletta - Co-Owner, Okanagan Crush Pad • Finance/Operations, What A Buyer Wants: Aleem Bandali - Managing Director, MNP Al Hudec - Partner, Farris LLP • Human Resources, Winning Employee Retention Strategies for Today: Arlene Keis - CEO, Go2HR Afternoon Concurrent Sessions: • Sales & Marketing, Dealing With The Media: Handling Queries and Reaching Out to Get Your Story Told: Leeann Froese - Co-Owner, Town Hall Brands, Joanne Sasvari - Editor Vitis The Alchemist & Author Vancouver Eats, Shelby Thom - South Okanagan Video Journalist, Global Okanagan • Finance/Operations, How To Pass Every Liquor Inspection: Randy Brown - Manager, Liquor Manufacturing, BCLCLB, Shea Coulson - Partner, Dentons • Human Resources, Health and Safety for Business Owners: Steven Marino - Occupational Safety Officer, WorksafeBC, Sandra Oldfield - Partner, Elysian Projects Tradeshow Social and Networking Event at Cannery Brewing
Details: All sessions, trade show, meals and beverages included in ticket price. See https://fortifyconference.ca for more conference information
18 Fall 2018
FALL | NEWS & EVENTS
Local Government Can Now Ban Cannabis ‘Bunkers’ on ALR The BC government is taking action to ensure lands in the Agricultural Land Reserve are preserved for food production, not for growing cannabis. Local and First Nations governments are now able to prohibit cannabis production in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) within their communities, unless it is grown in ways that preserve the productive capacity of agricultural land. Local governments can now prohibit cement-based, industrialstyle, cannabis-production bunkers on ALR land in their communities, but cannabis production in the ALR cannot be prohibited if grown lawfully: • in an open field; • in a structure that has a soil base; • in a structure that was either fully constructed or under construction, with required permits in place, prior to July 13, 2018; or • in an existing licensed operation. The regulatory change pertains only to land in the ALR. Local and First Nations governments cannot regulate or prohibit cannabis production on lands outside of the ALR.
Artisan Fermenters and Distillers Business Conference and Tradeshow Join your colleagues from breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries for BC’s first annual business conference and tradeshow exclusively for artisan fermenters and distillers. Who: Distillery, brewery, cidery and winery owners/presidents, managers, team leads, operations, production, sales staff, growers, makers, and industry suppliers. What: for·ti·fy is a one-day business conference and tradeshow for fermenters and distillers, featuring presentations from industry professionals and experts. This conference is coordinated by the
Business Alliance for Artisan Fermenters and Distillers and topics will include: finance and operations; human resources, government/regulatory; sales and marketing, & more. Keynote, panel discussions, workshops, and a 7100+ sq.ft. trade show with industry trade suppliers displaying products and services. for·ti·fy was established to fill a need across industries for education, training and network opportunities to help BC’s breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries affordably access business supports and tools to increase viability and profitability.
When: Wednesday, November 7th, 2018 Where: Penticton Lakeside Resort, 21 Lakeshore Dr W, Penticton, BC Why: Meet industry experts, learn industry secrets, do business, network and enjoy great BC products.
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Grand Entrance for TIME Winery In Penticton
By Michael Botner
To describe Time simply as an urban winery does not do justice to Harry McWatters’ latest endeavor. The completion of Time Winery involves the transformation of the historic Pen-mar movie theatre on Main Street in downtown Penticton into a cutting edge winery complex. The project is the culmination of half a century as a pioneer in the BC wine industry. The journey to this innovative new winery began in 1968 when McWatter’s legendary wine career began at Casabello, a winery established in 1966 on Main Street in South Penticton, literally just down the road from Time.
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Photo by Michael Botner
Harry McWatters and Christa McWatters-Bond.
Before the purchase of the old theatre in 2016, the Time Winery project took a few twists and turns followed by challenges and delays during the design and construction phases. As president and CEO of Encore Vineyards, owners of Time, McWatters Collection and Evolve Cellars, McWatters originally slated his 60acre, Black Sage Road property known as Sundial Vineyard as the venue for Time. But, partway through the project, along came former Hong Kong, Vancouver-based entrepreneur Bill Lui who made an offer “we could not refuse” for the property and the partly completed winery.
Inside the new Time Winery on Main Street in Penticton.
The search began for a new location and McWatters soon zeroed in on the old theatre, vacant since 2012 when Landmark Theatres moved to the sleek, new Pen-Mar Cinema Centre nearby. “As part of the ill-fated effort to save old Pen-Mar and turn it into a community theatre, I was already aware of its availability,” he says. “Get me inside for a look, I told the realtor at our first meeting over breakfast.”
Photo by Michael Botner
Already stripped of all the seats, the size of the four theatres impressed McWatters. They had potential for use as key components of the medium to large scale winery complex as Time’s fermentation hall, barrel room, storage room and multi-function event room. Two years later, as Time prepares to receive the 2018 vintage, the winery is up and running. Only the multipurpose events room, used as the construction shop, requires completion. Save for the foundation and original roof of the four theatres and the cement block walls, not much remains of the original cinema that McWatters recalls first visiting in 1957 for a Saturday afternoon matinee during Penticton Peach Fest, soon after the building opened on Christmas Eve 1956. The massive renovation of the building has resulted in an im22 Fall 2018
Graham Pierce, winemaker.
Once inside, the visitor enters a bright, airy, spacious atrium which houses the wine shop and tasting area, and a bistro which serves a Mediterranean-inspired menu. A fully equipped kitchen supports special events and dinners whether held in the inviting atrium, the as yet unfinished multi-purpose theatre and events room or in the winery itself. The mezzanine level – where the old cinema’s projection room used to be – has been converted into a suite of offices and meeting rooms. The move from Sundial Vineyard in Oliver to a property in downtown Penticton without a vineyard has meant switching from a land-based winery license to commercial winery license. Most significantly for customers, the expanding range of wines offered by Encore Vineyards including those of Time Winery, Harry McWatters Collection and Evolve Cellars are all available at Time. A new méthode champenoise McWatters Collection sparkling wine will be released in 2019. Looking back at the challenges of converting the historic movie theatre into a world-class winery in downtown Penticton, McWatters gives a trademark response. “I probably wouldn’t have done it,” he says. “The project took a lot more time and expense as well as endless approvals than we anticipated. On the other hand,” he quips partly in jest, “this is where I want to be if there’s an earthquake. It’s one of the safest buildings in town – and there’s lots of food and wine.” ■
pressive, 12,000 sq. ft. winery complex on one acre of land. The parking lot on the north side is used as the crush pad and has been designed to take extra equipment and tanks to accommodate future expansion. The plan is to start at 25,000 cases in 2018 and gradually increase production to 40,000 cases, the maximum capacity feasible. Innovations have been utilized to boost wine quality, efficiency and reduce cost and space requirements. These include raising the raw juice to tank height by lifting the containers rather than pumping the juice through hoses and using hard lines built into the substantial walls to connect the working areas from crush pad to bottling lines. Photos of the winery interior by Chris Stenbberg
Such features “reduce distance and handling of wine in crowded, compact spaces, big pluses for a winery our size,” says winemaker Graham Pierce. When Pierce or McWatters hold a winemaker’s dinner in the temperature- controlled fermentation hall, built-in water coils will heat the floor without changing the ambient temperature. From the street, Time’s modern, inviting winery facility bears no physical resemblance to the old structure – described by some as “bunker-like.” Clean lines and two stories of windows that cover most of the frontage of the building shout: functional and friendly.
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WINE, FOOD, ART Liquidity Wines Achieves Early Liquidity Through Smart Marketing By Michael Botner When a group of investors acquired the property now called Liquidity Wines in 2009, “it was nothing but dirt and vines,” says Ian MacDonald, one of the founding partners and Liquidity’s president. Farming on the property goes back to the 1930s when Charlie Oliver developed Oliver Ranch, once touted as the biggest soft fruit orchard in the British Empire. In 1971 the Liquidity parcel was planted with non-vinifera varieties.
Ian MacDonald, whose company Moving Products supplies non-athletic uniforms for the Olympic Games, oversees the winery operation as Liquidity’s president. When Liquidity opened in 2012, the winery produced less than 2,000 cases of wine in its first year. In five years of operation, Liquidity has been transformed into one of the Okanagan’s premiere destination wineries, the Mediterranean -style house on the property encompassed by a contemporary, west coast-style winery, with production just over the 7,000 case mark.
Starting in 1991, they were replaced with the current varieties for a total of 20 acres planted, a third of that with Pinot Noir vines still in the ground. A suitor with plans for the winery took over the property in 2005 but ran into financial difficulties, providing the opportunity for a group of three investors to acquire the 30-acre property in 2009.
Remarkably, given the economics of starting a new winery, “Liquidity will be profitable this year,” he adds. “On average it takes 8-10 years for new wineries to make a real profit. As well, we’ve had a positive cash flow from the start, not the usual circumstance for 80 per cent or more of wineries.
One of Liquidity’s founding partners,
“The dream of owning your own winery is becoming very remote in the world
24 Fall 2018
of consolidations and a scarcity of land which, at $200,000 to $250,000 an acre, is more expensive than ever,” MacDonald says. “When I made my pitch to investors, now thirteen partners, I told them it was the worst investment ever. You need the right investors with deep pockets who are willing to take more of a risk upfront. They were committing to providing the level of quality and experience required to create our own identity as a world class winery in the Okanagan and establish a marketing platform to build a national brand.” To gain insights on what people are looking for when they walk in the door, MacDonald visited top destinations in New Zealand. “It comes down to three top things,” he says, “the setting, the wine and a chance to meet the owner or winemaker.” Starting from scratch, “we decided to build this into a destination for all who
& SOCIAL MEDIA want that experience, one that works as well for boomers as millennials. Everything from the front gate, long driveway and landscaping to the modern architecture, art gallery and bistro have been designed accordingly. When people walk past the sculptures at the front door and look through the walls of glass to the other side of the building and see the iconic view over rolling hills and Vaseux Lake to McIntyre Bluff for the first time, they say ‘Oh My God’. People drop in for a tasting and I see them on the patio sipping on wine three hours later.
MacDonald realized the plan was not going to work without integrating wine with a quality culinary experience. “At
Photos contributed
“When you get people to pause, they remember it and share. The wine, the food and the art, that is our shtick. It is something to package yourself with and take to the market. With 80 major works of art and sculptures on site, we are holding art shows and lectures all the time.”
Ian MacDonald, President Of Liquidity Wines in the tasting room.
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Photo by Jon Adrian
The Liquidity Bistro has a focus on seasonal, sustainable, artful food.
Liquidity, kitchen and dining room are open to each other,” he says. “They are together in the same room so you feel like you’re in your own home. The diner thinks, ‘I wish I lived here’.” Essential for success at a small, landbased winery is developing marketing strategies that includes social media and
direct to consumer sales. Compared to other industries which spend massively on advertising, including social media, the wine sector as a substantial product category is mostly ignoring this sector, according to MacDonald.
says. “Considering Facebook’s appeal to boomers and millennial’s preference for Instagram, a more interactive and userfriendly platform, social multimedia is wide open for trailblazers in the wine industry.”
“Almost no dollars are spent on advertising on Facebook and Instagram,” he
A leading voice in favour of allowing free direct to consumer (DTC) shipment of wine across Canada, MacDonald explains that interprovincial barriers are a major threat to the wine industry. “Without the distribution channels of the big guys, we have to ship at least 60 per cent of our wine just to stay alive,” he says. “Given that DTC is now only 4 per cent, social media is key to maintaining vital connections with wine consumers.” In recent months, Liquidity has been exploring opportunities by working with a former vice president of Facebook to develop social media strategies. “Realizing that we have to invest a lot of
Liquidity social media strategy posts. 26 Fall 2018
Erin Korpisto, Customer Experience & Communications Manager is a WSET level 3 certificate holder and graduate of Okanagan College’s Wine Sales Certificate program.
time, money and energy in this area, we have started a 60 day test program to be followed by a 90 day roll-out, MacDonald says. “As well, we have approached Facebook with a plan to look into using Liquidity as a test to show how well this type of marketing can work for the wine industry in Canada.” Liquidity has introduced a new wine club concept to develop online wine sales. The first of its kind in Canada, the Equity Tasting Club gives members the opportunity to try Liquidity wines at home before buying. “For an annual fee of $75, the winery will send a box containing 3 x 200 ml samples shipped under temperaturecontrolled conditions at least twice a year,” MacDonald says. “Members agree to purchasing a minimum of 18 bottles each year, which range in price from $19 for Pinot Gris to $54 for Reserve Pinot Noir.” ■
Winemaker Alison Moyes is a certified Sommelier with a degree in Oenology & Viticulture from Brock University.
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Cherry Farmer Grows Business by Heading North
By Tom Walker The cherry industry in the Okanagan is evolving and Coral Beach Farms, the largest cherry grower in the Okanagan, and indeed in Canada, is an example of that evolution.
1080 acres, with the most northerly site in North America.
“Things have changed a lot since my great grandfather began fruit farming at Carr’s Landing/Lake Country in 1903,” says Geen. “For one, the center of gravity has moved north.”
Coral Beach began expanding out of Carr’s Landing in 2013 to several blocks in the Lavington/Coldstream area east of Vernon and a site on the northwest side of Okanagan Lake, known as Cholla Hills, in 2017. Other recent properties include two sites in Winfield. The first, which fronts on Hwy 97 is also the location of a new packing facility. And if you cast your gaze to the east and up to some 2500 feet above sea level, you’ll spot the 100 acre Eldorado blocks perched up on the west-facing slopes above Winfield. Another recent acquisition is adjacent to Layer Cake Mountain in East Kelowna, where the farm has a nursery plot as well as production plantings.
No one planted cherries in Lake Country back in the day, says Geen, let alone in Vernon. Yet today, Coral Beach only farms from Kelowna north and they are just breaking ground on a new orchard site at Pritchard, 40 kilometres east of Kamloops along the South Thompson River. When the Pritchard property is in production by 2023, that will increase Coral Beach Farms total cherry plantings to
This spring, the purchase of another family farm with a long Okanagan history links the Geens to the Dendys, growers who Geen credits with leading this new wave of the Okanagan industry. “Hugh Dendy was one of the first growers to plant the newer (Agriculture Agri Foods Canada) Summerland developed varieties in the 1980’s,” Geen recounts. The Okanagan cherry industry had pretty
Coral Beach was a feature on the International Fruit Tree Association’s summer tour in Kelowna in July. Delegates got to tour several of the farm’s blocks led by company horticulturists and Orchard and Vine followed up with an interview with company president David Geen.
28 Fall 2018
much died in the 1970s, Geen says. “Several years of heavy June rains wiped out the crop. The older varieties were not tolerant to rain splits,” The Lapins variety developed by Summerland was less prone to cracking and it matured later in the season when the June monsoon in the Okanagan was usually over. “This was the beginning of a new industry targeting a later market for cherries,” Geen points out. “Back when my great-uncle Percy grew cherries in the mid 1900’s the season began in late June and was done by July 20th. “ Geen says that with his northern and higher elevation plantings in some years he may be harvesting fruit into the first week of September. The northwest US is a juggernaut to compete with, says Geen. “But their industry is winding down by the first week of August and we will be picking through to August 25th this year” Geen explains. ‘I thought it would have been later, but this summer’s heat has really sped up and compressed the ripening season.” “The Dendy farm has their own packing plant,” Geen adds. “That allows us to acquire more capacity without stretching
our own packing line. There are roughly 85 acres of bearing cherry orchard on a combination of owned and leased properties.” Coral Beach has a variety of leased properties of their own, and Geen says the cost of land in the Okanagan was one of the factors driving him north into Kamloops cattle country.
“We also have some of the new numbered varieties from Summerland on order and we will get some test trees to experiment with next spring,” Krahn adds. “Our standard planting is central leader on Mazzard root stock.,” says Krahn. ‘It works well for us. We find it is easy to train our pruning staff to pull out the older wood and it consistently turns out six to eight tonnes per acre for us.”
Photos by Tom Walker
A mix of plantings across their multiple sites allows Coral Beach to diversify. “We plant mostly Summerland varieties with a focus on the later ones,’ horticulturist Gayle Krahn explains. “We have Staccato, Sovereign and Sentennial, and Sweetheart does particularly well in the North Okanagan. But we also have significant acreage of Regina, a variety from Germany, and Kordia, a Czechoslovakian variety.” Photos from the International Tree Fruit Associations summer tour in Kelowna, Coral Beach Farms and their packing plant.
Krahn was giving an overview of the Lavington plantings. The sixty-five acre south sloping site showcases a number of Coral Beach best practices. Custom-built worker accommodation trailers as well as tree shaded camping sites, house staff. Wind-break plantings help to mitigate noise and dust and reduce spray drift. A
laser beam pans over the orchard to keep birds out and eliminates the need for propane cannons and Voen rain covers are being trialed in an adjacent block to protect high value Reginas from summer storms. When the tour stopped at Winfield, horticulturist Craig Dalgliesh gave an Fall 2018
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overview of their higher elevation and latitude plantings. The Eldorado blocks range from 2150 ft to 2650, notes Dalgliesh. “We couldn’t get in to prune till April this year because of the snow pack,” he says. “But it will be our latest ripening site which will be good for our marketing.” The climate at the 200-acre Pritchard site on a south-facing bench above the river looks promising, says Dalgliesh. “Part of our reason for buying Pritchard apart from the more reasonable cost was to diversify our weather exposure. That site is dryer than the Okanagan and quite warm. I expect that we will see ripening times similar to our home farm in Carr’s Landing.”
The Winfield plant is close to the Kelowna airport. “We have some early shipments going in to export markets by air,” says Geen but the majority of our US shipments (30%) go by truck. Another 30% go to Asia with another 30% to Europe mostly by container. Having exposure to
the variety of markets allows us to direct fruit of different sizes and keeping ability to different markets.” A three-day truck ride is quite a bit different than three weeks on a boat, he points out. Being on a bus route making it easier for local staff to commute to the plant. Year round, Coral Beach employs 15 full time salaried staff. During the shoulder seasons of February through May and September to November that goes to 75-80 and by summer the work force is up to 1000. “When all the new plantings come on stream by 2023 that will be all the expansion for a while,” says Geen. “It will be time to consolidate, get our infrastructure in line with our production base and expand our management team to get ahead of the curve.” ■
Photos by Tom Walker
The new packing facility in Winfield will support the expanded production with a new Unitech packing line capable of 18 tons per hour, cold storage and modern shipping bays. The original Carr’s Landing plant was built in 1995 before optical sorting existed Geen points out. “We have been adding onto the plant at Carr’s Landing as we have grown, and everything is sandwiched in tight,” Geen comments. “We are running double shifts in the plant to maximize the 7 ton per hour capacity, and it is quite a challenge to squeeze reefer trucks up and down the narrow roads.,”
Coral Beach Farms president David Geen.
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www.oklandbuyers.ca 30 Fall 2018
Coral Beach Wins Controversial Right to Farm Case By Tom Walker Life can get very hectic in the cherry farming business and sometimes it’s noisier than your non-farming neighbours might like.
Thanks to the work of Geen, his staff, and a good number of industry members across the Okanagan this past year, the right of farmers to work with the machines that they need to conduct their business has received more protection against the complaints of their urban neighbours. Often referred to as “The Right to Farm Act”, The Farm Practices Protection Act exists to permit farmers to do their business. However, the Act also states if a person is aggrieved by any odour, noise, dust or other disturbance resulting from a farm operation conducted as part of a farm business, the person may apply in writing to the board for a determination as to whether the odour, noise, dust or other disturbance results from a normal farm practice. The issue before the panel this January was “Is Coral Beach Farms operating frost fans, turbo spray fans and helicopters on its farm in accordance with normal farm practice? “This is certainly not a process I would like to go through again,” says Geen. “It chewed up a lot of my time and a lot of Gail’s (horticulturalist Gail Krahn) time and a lot of lawyer bills over the course of last summer and through the fall and winter. “It is not something you can take likely,” he adds. “I took it very seriously and worked very hard to defend our practices.” Geen notes that he had a lot of help from other growers. “We had to demonstrate that our practices are not any different from what other growers do,” he ex
Photo by Tom Walker
“I have eight helicopters in the air right now,” was David Geen’s initial reply to my interview request. The right to work those helicopters was recently validated by the Farm Practices Industry Review Board, responding to a complaint against Geen and his Coral Beach cherry growing business.
A helicopter flies a pattern above a cherry orchard early morning after a rain storm in an orchard tucked below Kirschner mountain in SE Kelowna. Houses on Black mountain can be seen in the distance. Down draft from the rotors helps dry the cherries to prevent splitting following a rain storm.
plains. “We had support from people like Hank Markgraff (Field Services Manager) at BC Tree Fruits, who testified that yes, what Choral Beach is doing is not any different from what a lot of other growers are doing.” The troublesome part of the whole process for Geen is the low fee for launching a complaint. “For the couple of retired gentlemen who were the complainants in my case, with lots of time on their hands, they can cause a lot of grief for 100 bucks,” he says. “At the end of the day their complaints were completely dismissed, but I had to go through this whole process.” The other side of the coin are the benefits of the Farm Practices Industry Review Board and the Act, Geen says. “It does immunize a grower from nuisance lawsuits and it does immunize a grower from the Municipality to put in noise bylaws or other obstructive measures that could interfere with farming,” he points out. “So, if one sits back and looks at it philosophically, it is not a fun process for the grower, but at least it is the only recourse that somebody that doesn’t like farming has. “They can’t sue me, they can’t go to the municipality, so now that we have been
through it, hopefully that will be the end of it. I think it will be for me,” Geen says. He adds that it should also be a valuable precedent if other neighbours of orchards in the Okanagan valley decide they are going to launch a complaint. “The FPIRB panel doesn’t necessarily need to hear it, if there are no new issues being heard. But a farmer can’t say, oh I’ve got right to farm, and I’ll do whatever the hell I want,” Geen points out. The grower has to be able to demonstrate that he has a minimum threshold of consideration for his neighbours by adjusting his practices, he explains. “In our case we have a practice that we don’t spray immediately next to our neighbour’s homes in the middle of the night, we use lasers rather than propane cannons for bird control, we have buffer trees at the edge of the orchard to minimize spray drift,” says Geen. “This is just being a good neighbour.” “But it is not reasonable for your neighbour to say you don’t have the right to protect your crop and there shouldn’t be any noise at night,” Geen says. I think if growers are farming responsibly the risk of a farm practices case dramatically impacting them is reduced.” ■ Fall 2018
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Wine Technology Moves Beyond the Oak Barrel By Ronda Payne Did romance ever save anyone money? Probably not. And when it comes to the romance of winemaking, Luke Smith would resoundingly say, definitely not. Smith feels the industry can still have the taste of tradition while giving up some of the cost and waste. “I think right from the start, it became apparent that the industry, like a lot of other industries of its kind, has the word tradition pop out all over the place,” Smith says. “As soon as I hear the word tradition, especially in business, it means you’re doing something the old way without any other reason. Which usually means high cost.” Smith and his wife Jennifer planted the Howling Bluff Estate Winery vineyard on Naramata Bench in 2004. The first release of white wines sold from their kitchen in 2007. Right from the get-go, Smith knew there were better ways to do things. Like a bloodhound, he sought out ways to make their vineyard more responsible as well as profitable. “First was water. There really was no technology to put water where you needed it without putting water everywhere else,” he says. “It made no sense to be watering everything when all you were trying to do was water one plant.” The solution was drip lines. Smith removed the overhead sprinklers which sent water everywhere, including into the wind and trees. “That did get me thinking, what’s next?” says Smith. “The next thing that became obvious was the maintenance of the plants.” New sprayers that sprayed only the leaves (not the ground and air too) were coming on the market. This more efficient style of sprayer was incorporated into the vineyard’s practices along with organic sprays.
I did not move to organic farming practices to make you feel good, I did it because my dogs walk through my vineyards and my kids live here and I live here. Luke Smith who should come up with an alternative to that? In this case, wisdom came from Daniel, one of the Smith’s children.
“I did not move to organic farming practices to make you feel good,” Smith says, tongue-in-cheek. “I did it because my dogs walk through my vineyards and my kids live here and I live here.”
“He’s the real push behind going into (this method),” says Smith. “Daniel said, ‘let’s make great wine and let’s do it smart,’ and I can’t argue with that. Within the process of winemaking is the smartest, most cost-efficient and least wasteful way of making wine.”
Next on the list was the barrel, which he has always questioned. Interestingly,
Smith started thinking about natural resources and how oak forests are finite,
32 Fall 2018
yet more and more barrels are being purchased. Plus, there’s Smith’s concern around the inefficiencies in barrel making itself. “I’ve heard something like 50 per cent or more of the tree is wasted. That’s insane,” he says of barrel making. “It’s a massive amount of waste that goes on.” Add to that, the cooper’s rule. Smith explains, in a batch of 10 barrels, six barrels will produce wine as expected, two will create “magic” wine and two will
Photo courtesy of Howling Bluff
Howling Bluff is working toward being a sustainable winery, which means inviting llamas over to cut the grass.
be less than impressive. He realized that because barrels are handmade, each is unique which alters the Oxygen Transfer Rate (OTR) and creates variations in the final product. “If I need consistency, how the heck can I do that?” Smith asked. He determined the oak barrel has three jobs: to be a container, to influence flavour and to allow for the right amount of oxygen. There’s controversy (as is often the case in winemaking) about the job of the barrel. Many see it as the essential element, but according to Smith, some research shows it’s only the cuts against the grain that impart the flavours. Those who opt for stainless steel tanks use proprietarilyshaped oak pieces. When he discovered this option, Smith saw the way to circumvent one of the three roles of the oak barrel. One down, two to go.
Square barrels mean using 75% less oak with the same results as a traditional barrel.
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“To get the oak influence on the wine, they will use a block of oak, oak chips, or oak staves, whatever the winemaker wants,” he says. “It’s all part of that waste wood that is hitting the cooper’s floor. The traditionalists have poo-pooed that because they are saying there’s something magic about the barrel.” Further exploring the stainless steel tank, Smith learned about OTR systems where the exact amount of oxygen a winemaker wants can be adjusted. “They have replaced one [more] function that the barrel does, which is the oxygen rate and the stainless steel replaces the container function,” he explains. “Two out of three.” However, this wasn’t Smith’s preferred option. The system controlling the oxygen for the tanks includes equipment that could break. He says it is elaborate and needs to be monitored.
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It was the Australians, who like Smith were exploring alternatives in winemaking, that came up with a space-age polymer that delivered the two functions: container and OTR. The manufacturing process of the plastic permits a designated number of milligrams of oxygen per liter through the container walls. The plastic tanks gave Smith control over the process he was after. The Australians had even explored the best oak shapes to effectively mimic the desired flavour transfer from oak barrels. At last, Smith had discovered how to replace the oak barrel. Why such a burning need? Including the finite nature of oak forests, Smith saw hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on barrels that would last a maximum of seven years. To top that off, cleaning the barrels leads to excessive water waste and use of chemicals. It was time for Howling Bluff to switch to the Flexcube.
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“It’s a shape that’s perfect for storage. The cube can put more wine in the same volume of space than any other shape,” he says. “Not only do we have [the roles of the oak barrel] solved, we have them dialed in as efficiently as they can be. We use only one tenth of the water and no chemicals to clean it. It lasts at least 20 years.” The only thing left was to try the wine. After all, the quest would be pointless if it didn’t create great wine. Smith’s son Daniel brought local winemakers and wine consultants in for unfinished wine tastings. Not only could no one tell the difference, about 80 per cent of the time these experts preferred the Flexcube-made wine over traditional barrel-made wine. “There are a number of winemakers who are quite embarrassed [that they can’t tell the difference],” Smith says. “This technology is actually becoming widespread in China, Australia, California, South Africa and France.” Smith believes he is saving between 65 and 75 per cent on winemaking, and labour costs are 98 per cent less because of the ease of moving the Flexcubes around. Fortunately Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) helped Smith make the move to the new method. “We weren’t going to do it unless we had co-funding or shared the risk, because if I made 1,000 liters of bad wine, that would just kill me,” he says. “My hat’s off to that program. Programs that take the risk out of experimenting. This wouldn’t have been done without them.” ■
Photo by © Deyana Robova | Dreamstime.com
New Tool Encourages Responsible Water Use
By Ronda Payne Several years ago, in 2012, stakeholders in the Okanagan region voiced their opinions about the priorities towards mitigating climate change at workshops hosted by the Climate Action Initiative (CAI). The priorities they chose make up the foundation of the BC Agriculture Climate Change Adaptation Risk and Opportunity Assessment at bcagclimateaction.ca. Water use came up as a key concern and subsequently, CAI partnered with Sustainable Wine Growing BC (SWBC is a program of the BC Wine Grape Council) to undergo the Vineyard Water Use Efficiency Project that would provide tools and resources useful for grape growers, but also transferable to other forms of agriculture. Water isn’t always seen as a major concern in BC, but Katie Pease, the program manager with SWBC, came from California and has seen what the situation can be like when pressures for the resource
Tracking water is important for understanding your grape quality, the better we understand what we need… the better, the easier it is for all of us… to understand how we can share the resource. Katie Pease increase yet availability decreases. With no standard for water use in the region and no current controls, what is currently seen as a minor issue could grow exponentially without proper management. Pease notes that climate scientists have said the Okanagan Valley is expected to experience increasing variability in production conditions and precipitation as a result of climate change. Over the last 15 years the region has experienced extremes with droughts, floods and extremely hot days, which lead to vine stress. These trends are expected to increase, and this puts pressure on water
when the supply is at its lowest. Add to that, the population growth in the region and it’s obvious the urban, agricultural and environmental uses will grow. Growers need to know water will be available when they need it, but because agriculture uses the greatest amount of water, they also need to be seen as responsible stewards. Grapes may not be the highest water user, but there are still efficiencies possible. There are benefits to grapes from watering efficiently: maximize quality, optimize yields, minimize costs and reduce pests and disease.
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To this end, an Excel spreadsheet-based Water Use Tracking Tool was created by SWBC along with fact sheets and other information including a Stake of Knowledge and Technology Report. Growers can navigate tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to access fields to input their own data. This leads to answers about water use, water costs and more. “It is quite simple in this first version and we’ll work to increase its function over time,” Pease says of the tool. “It allows a grower to input various aspects of their practices and shows their water use against their yields and their costs. A lot of growers, as I understand it, don’t have that metric.” Funding in part from the BC Wine Grape Council, Growing Forward 2 (through CAI) and Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) led to the development of the tool which was added to the SWBC website at sustainablewinegrowingbc. ca. Now, along with sustainable practices guidebooks, a self-assessment tutorial video, a winery process wastewater management handbook and yearly reports, the heading “Vineyard Water-Use Efficiency” can be found with a variety of fact sheets and tools suitable for use in vineyards. “When we did this project, it was important for the tools that we created to be transferable across agricultural commodities,” Pease says. “We completed a successful process to develop the resources and tools which could be completed for other commodities.” Growers may think their water use is being tracked and providers can help them with management, but this may not be the truth. Contacting the water provider will reveal whether this information exists or not. “Tracking water is important for understanding your grape quality,” Pease explains. “The better we understand what we need… the better, the easier it is for all of us… to understand how we can share the resource.” Pease is excited to share the resources with growers in hopes of making water efficiency an easy transition and everyday practice. ■
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Study Shows Sanding Not Always Needed for BC Cranberries By Ronda Payne The question often arises among cranberry growers: to sand or not to sand? Dr. Rebecca Harbut of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) finds that while the practice of sanding may be commonplace, the unique growing conditions of BC bogs leaves the question open for research. “The reality is, we have a very different bog here, than in other regions,” Harbut notes. “Some of the management practices we employ should reflect that.” ‘Sanding’ is exactly what it sounds like: A layer of sand from one-half inch to two inches thick is applied to the surface of the cranberry bogs every few years, and during the winter, growers may actually apply sand on top of ice and snow. The sand filters down to the vines, covering the stems, encouraging better rooting, and reducing insect populations, weeds and fungi.
Photo by Ronda Payne
Harbut’s point is that since the growing conditions in BC are different, the management practices should reflect that difference. Standard practices from other regions shouldn’t simply be adopted because they are familiar or known. She’d spent time in Ontario and the U.S., so when she returned to BC, the question of sanding came up from BC growers again. “But it’s not the only question,” Harbut says. In this vein, in 2016 she began two sanding trials in two different fields to look at the practice of sanding and whether it made sense for BC cranberry growers. One field was healthy, with a dense canopy, upright growth and even signs of overgrowth. The other field appeared to be stressed with patchy sections in the canopy and a lower upright density.
When Harbut measured the results, she noticed the yield and canopy depth had not changed significantly when looking at the amount of sand that had been applied to the different replications in each field.
To these fields, she applied three depths of sanding: no sand, 1/2 inch and one inch. Each depth was replicated eight times in each field, and plant growth characteristics were measured in 2017.
“Statistically, there’s no difference,” she says. “What was interesting is what we saw in the pull test.”
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The pull test is a way to measure root health, or the actual power of a root system. By pulling up on the canopy and measuring the non-rooted volume, growers can see how well rooted their plants are. Anything more than an inch in a pull test is often an indication of a plant in stress, under disease or having other issues that contribute to poor root health. In the pull test, the first field – the healthy field – showed no difference. It already had good rooting ability. The second field gained Harbut’s attention. In this field, while the canopy and yield hadn’t yet changed, there was a non-statistical difference in the rooting capacity and number of uprights. “On the more stressed bed, sanding had an impact on the number of uprights,” she notes. There was a growing improvement in rooting capacity that correlated to the increased amount of sand applied. Thus, the plots with one inch applied showed an improvement in rooting capacity and greater rooting capacity than the plots with ½ inch of sand or no sand. The amount of upright growth in the stressed beds also increased. “It may help to maintain productivity and prevent the bed from becoming stressed,” Harbut suggested. If sand improves rooting capacity, more may need to be applied depending upon a grower’s results from root tests. When comparing the amount of sand in the trials to other regions, Harbut notes, “Our canopies are deeper, so this amount of sand is minimal compared to the canopy.” Sanding may be a viable option for stressed fields that show poor root capacity in a pull test, it may also help prevent poor root health. Testing will continue to help determine if canopies and yields show any change. ■
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Croptracker: Manage Produce from Spray to Shipment Developed especially for the fruit and vegetable industry, the Canadian-made crop management software platform Croptracker is used by growers, associations, and cooperations of all sizes. The platform schedules and tracks chemical usage, monitors employees and harvest on site, cuts operational costs associated with creating GAP reports and auditing, enhances traceability, and provides data so operators can make more informed decisions. As 2018 draws to a close, we look back on a particularly exciting year for the team with great implications for users. This year saw Croptracker receiving two grants to support new innovative product development. The first, funded by Bioenterprise Corporation and Innovation Guelph, will support the development of an offline mode for growers without or with limited digital coverage. The second, provided by the Canadian government, will support the development of a Harvest Quality Vision system which allow growers to instantly identify
discrepancies in bins of fruit before they are packed. Both features are expected to launch in early 2019. Croptracker also had the privilege of beginning to collaborate with Mr. Craig Hunter. A global authority on crop protection, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association's 2018 Award of Merit winner is the longest-serving member of the Ontario Pesticide Advisory Committee, an active member of the NAFTA Growers' Network, and was a driving force behind the Ontario Pesticide Education Program. Croptracker is excited to work with Mr. Hunter in better serving the chemical use and traceability needs of its users. The company is rapidly expanding globally and is pleased to announce the implementation of its software by Mr Apple, New Zealand’s largest apple producer and exporter, after a successful pilot trial earlier this year. The deal marks Croptracker's biggest project to date as well as its first in the Oceanic region.
Despite its international appeal, Croptracker’s development team stays true to its Canadian roots and collaborates often with growers and the grower associations to constantly improve the platform. It’s a time-honoured tradition for Croptracker, which has been developed on a foundation of grower insights since 2006. If you'd like to learn more about Croptracker, visit www.croptracker.com or give us a call at 1-800-903-1492. We look forward to helping you grow safer, more efficiently, and more profitably.
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Bin97 Offers Mobile Filtering With Bucher Vaslin Flavy Technology! Clarification of wine has undergone a revolution during the past couple of decades, and membrane technology has led that revolution. The technology of the systems and membranes have significantly improved due to the specificity of what and how grape components are removed from the liquid delivered to the winery. For some wineries, it starts with the juice, but more often it starts with the wine. Bucher Vaslin has a wide range of crossflow filter systems for the diverse needs of a winery production system. Their smaller sized systems— comprising the FX 2 to FX 10 models—have from 2 to 10 filter modules that provide a filtrate flux of up to 10 hL per hour per module. The next range of systems includes the FX 100 to FX 300. These systems take the FX 10 system and package them into multiple modules connected to one control system, providing systems up to 100 m2 of membrane area. The same production should be expected from each module as on the smaller system. For complex operations, one
might want to consider the Flavy FX Tandem. In this system the winery can have multiple modules configured for different wine types or conditions. For example, a wine with heavier solid content can be processed on one module with a relatively high flow rate until the retentate portion is concentrated to low solids level. At that point the wine can be transferred to a high solids module, and the low solids module can move to the next wine, all controlled by one central process system. In this type of system, each wine can be managed as a whole, recovering the maximum volume of wine to be combined into one lot. Bucher Vaslin offers a unique design that combines the FX series crossflow filter with its rotary drum juice lees filter. This arrangement allows a winery to recover more clarified juice to add to a primary fermentation, all without needing to use diatomaceous earth for clarification. These systems have juice throughput from 80 hL to 400 hL of juice in a 20-hour day. For larger size wineries that generate a large amount of
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THE WORD ON WINE | LAURA KITTMER
Wine Lovers Pick the Best of BC
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t was about learning first hand from winery-goers what keeps bringing them back. This was the passion behind the BC Wine Institute’s second annual Best of BC Wine Country Awards, which called on the public to vote on their top picks from the Wines of British Columbia in all nine diverse wine regions. Voting lasted four weeks and crowd sourced close to 3,500 votes, with 25 per cent of people voting on multiple wine regions.
Director of Communications and Content Maggie Anderson is pleased with the uptake from the public. “The participation from both the public and wineries was outstanding,” she says. “In its second year running, we received 175 per cent more votes than last year and what really impressed us was the engagement we saw on social media.”
So what are the “people’s choice awards” or “best of” in BC wine country for 2018?
Travel expert and best-selling author of Travel Best Bets, Claire Newell is a big supporter of the Best of BC Wine Country awards, blogging, “Here in BC they are essentially the people’s choice awards of wine. Winners are voted on by tourists and locals – not wine experts - making this a truly consumer-based award.”
BEST OF BC WINE Best BC Red: Black Hills Estate Winery Nota Bene Red Blend Best BC White: Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery Autumn Gold White Blend
Best BC Sparkling: Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Brut BEST OF BC PLACE Best Wine Trail: Naramata Bench Winery Association Best Winery Accommodation: The Guest House at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
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Best Restaurant Showcasing Local Food: Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate Winery Best Winery Pet: Desert Hills Estate Winery – Ali the dog BEST OF BC EXPERIENCE Best Winery Tour: Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
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Best Tasting Room: Silver Sage Winery Best Events: Concerts at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery Best View: Mission Hill Family Estate Winery Visit http://bestof.winebc.com/ for a complete list of region winners in each of the above categories. Votes indicated that beyond general enjoyment of BC wines, the local culinary, educational experiences, culture and scenic views at wineries are encouraging people to explore beyond their usual BC wine experience.
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Celebrated Kelowna-based social influencer Tori Wesszer of Fraiche Nutrition blogged about her wine touring experience in August saying, “British Columbia wineries are truly one of the most interesting places to visit. From local gourmet food trucks and restaurants, boutique accommodations, artisan shopping and world-class views, every winery is different and offers a rich and unique experience. There’s so much more than just wine to be enjoyed at these wineries!” What does the future hold? The wine industry in BC has boomed, now boasting nine official Geographical Indications (GIs), two official Sub-Geographical Indications (Sub-GIs) and more than 276 wineries. BC wineries continue to expand their wine touring experiences for consumers, and with grape harvest upon us we can look forward to another excellent BC wine vintage. ■ Laura Kittmer is the Media Relations Manager at the British Columbia Wine Institute. www.winebc.org @WineBCdotcom
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42 Fall 2018
MONEY MATTERS | ALAN FETTERLY, CFP
Private Mortgages a Solid Investment Alternative
I
n today’s current tight credit environment, there are many borrowers, with good quality marketable properties, and a good chunk of equity in their home that have been kicked to the curb by banks and credit unions for one reason or another. The private mortgage market has always been a vibrant, albeit somewhat obscure, part of the Canadian mortgage lending landscape. While the
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While the big banks drool over guaranteed mortgages, they have left a widening gap for investors to lend both their registered (ie. RSP/TFSA) or unregistered funds in providing private mortgage alternatives to these borrowers… and reaping the benefits of much higher interest rates!
candidates for these alternative mortgage can often be the severely credit impaired, this has evolved and changed drastically in very recent years as banks, credit unions, and governments make it increasingly difficult for all kinds of individuals and businesses to access traditional mortgage financing. Immigrants, the newly self-employed, investors, developers and other mortgage candidates who may have been considered “bankable” only a short time ago have now been pushed to the sidelines as lenders prefer lending to employees with a guaranteed paycheque and established credit, who are also backed by CMHC or other mortgage insurers.
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Many of these borrowers are, of course, declined by banks for very good reason, and one should be very careful as to who one lends money to. While "bad things happen to good people" every day, some individuals simply have poor character, low levels of home equity, little income stability, or properties that are not desirable. These people are NOT candidates for prudent
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Of course, should the borrower not keep his or her end of the, the lender can take quick action in realizing on their security, which is the mortgage registered against the property, through a court ordered sale or foreclosure, and ideally recovering all their capital and interest. This is the great
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private mortgage financing. Many other borrowers, however, represent a very acceptable level of risk as they get their affairs in order. The reasons borrowers seek private capital are extremely varied, and a good mortgage broker or private equity underwriter needs to clearly understand the borrower’s circumstances, and only lend in situations when it makes sense.
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ALAN FETTERLY, CFP Mortgage Broker Mortgages. Done. Right.
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part of being a prudent secured lender; lend to people that have a demonstrated ability to make the payments, and if they don’t, you can foreclose on the home and get your money back. Rarely do things even go this far, and the borrower will normally just sell their home if they can’t afford the payments any longer. This is a primary reason why the private or equity lender has a keen eye for quality marketable properties; they can be sold quickly in order to recover the capital. Most private mortgages are relatively short term, ranging from six months to two years, and should always have an exit strategy in mind. Many of these borrowers just require a period of time to establish/re-establish themselves before ideally getting back to the “A” side of mortgage lending. Yes, some of these people may have serious credit issues, but most of these will be screened out by a good broker or private mortgage firm, who won’t just lend to anybody. The borrower should have a demonstrated ability to make payments and a good amount of equity in the home as evidenced by a full appraisal. Most lenders will not lend more than 75% of the value of the home, and like to see a clear exit strategy to have the loan paid out in a reasonable period of time. There are a variety of ways to get your money working for you in the private mortgage lending space. From pooled products such as shares in a Mortgage Investment Corporation (MIC) or larger, more sophisticated syndicated mortgages, having private mortgages as part of your overall investment portfolio is worth considering. These instruments are not without risk, however, and can be quite complex, so it’s important to deal with a mortgage broker who specializes in the private lending space, as most mortgage brokers in the marketplace are generalists and not equipped to navigate these transactions on your behalf. ■
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Alan Fetterly is a mortgage broker, and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Alan works with both borrowers and investors in arranging private and syndicated mortgage transactions, in addition to traditional mortgage products. Alan has over 20 years experience in many aspects of the financial industry. 250-460-2986,alan@alfettmortgage.com, www.alfettmortgage.com
SEEDS OF GROWTH | GLEN LUCAS
Apply Early This Year For Mexican Seasonal Workers deadline for mandatory biometrics, then no biometrics are required for 2019 arrivals of workers.
T
he Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program has existed for almost 52 years in Canada and since 2004 in BC. In BC alone, the program provides about 6,000 Mexican workers and 1,700 Caribbean workers on a seasonal basis, mainly to help harvest fruit and vegetable crops.
However, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada, in charge of work permits and biometrics processing) has advised that the last of the 'biometricless’ work permits will be processed December 7, 2018. Combine this with the 2-4 week
Save the Date
This program is very important to growers, and this importance was highlighted by the impact of several problems and delays that occured in the processing of worker requests in 2018. Delays in the arrival of workers meant delays in pruning, thinning, and challenges in keeping up with the harvest. The good news is that processing problems seem to be 'ironed out’ and turnaround times have improved. The 2018 Mexico SAWP processing of applications and recruitment of workers had several issues causing delays in the arrival of workers (five problem areas by my count) that have mainly been resolved. A challenge next year for the Mexican program will be the introduction of a “biometrics” or fingerprinting requirement. The Caribbean program implemented biometrics about 5 years ago, so that is already done. Mexico SAWP will be challenged to implement biometrics next year. The issue is that 25,000 Mexican SAWP workers plus any other Mexico citizens with work permits must pass through a single Canadian biometrics processing centre in Mexico City. Originally, the capacity was put at 250 workers per week. Capacity of 1,000 workers per week is now promised, and the process is being streamlined. Hopefully, no delays will occur, but growers whose first Mexican workers arrive in the JanuaryApril period can avoid biometrics snafus by submitting LMIAs by early November. If growers apply and the work permit is processed before the December 31, 2018
LMIA processing time required before the IRCC work permit process starts, and growers wishing to avoid the uncertainty of biometrics should apply by early November, 2018. Combine this timeframe with the rule that LMIAs cannot be submitted more than 6 months prior to worker arrival, then only Mexican workers arriving in the January to April, 2019 timeframe can avoid biometrics.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 Quality Hotel & Conference Centre 36035 N Parallel Road Abbotsford, BC
y tr s u d n I od o F i r g 9A
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Space is limited! Tickets go on sale November 5, 2018. To discuss sponsorship, please contact the BCAC office. e: communications@bcac.ca | 604 854 4454 | www.bcac.ca
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There are three other points to keep in mind: 1. If a grower applies by early November, and the application is for some workers to arrive in the January-April period, and other groups to arrive later, then IRCC can process all of the workers on the LMIA by December 7 and even those arriving after April will avoid the biometrics deadline. 2. Biometrics (fingerprinting and criminal record check) will only be required once every 10 years for an individual worker, so any potential delays that occur due to mandatory biometrics will only occur for 2019 Mexico SAWP arrivals. Subsequent years should not be an issue for biometrics processing. 3. None of the confusion on biometrics applies to Caribbean workers - biometrics has already been implemented by the participating Caribbean countries. A final area of concern with biometrics is the ability of the worker to travel to the Mexico City IRCC processing centre several days, weeks, or months in advance of their departure for Canada. Also, the worker will have to pay a new biometrics fee, and affordability of this fee for some workers is a concern. In addition to anticipating issues such as the above-noted possible biometrics hiccups, Provincial Commodity Associations collect information on how the program is going and what improvements are desired. Collecting information throughout the year, the process gains momentum as the annual national review sessions approach in October (Mexico) and November (Caribbean). Tree fruit growers can contact the BCFGA with ideas, and the BCFGA will take forward these suggestions to regional and national annual program reviews Mexico and Caribbean programs are reviewed separately. Grape grower associations are not as involved, so BCFGA has been accepting associate membership (non-voting) of grape growers wishing to be supported by BCFGA staff and have direct input to grower representatives attending the annual review meetings for the Mexican and Caribbean SAWP. Just one more reason to be a member of your agriculture association! Let us all - employers and workers, associations and government - work for a smooth-running 2019 Mexico and Caribbean SAWP. â&#x2013; BCFGA
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46 Fall 2018
WE HAVE A HEALTHY ATTACHMENT TO GROWERS.
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To clear debris (like leaves) in weed spray area. Attaches to any 30 Inch Turbo-mist turbine equipped sprayer. It allows the manager to multi task by blowing both sides of the drive row at the same time. This tool maximizes your sprayer investment.
Designed narrow and tall to spray in tight growing conditions. This height-adjustable attachment offers even airspeed through the opening. Additional openings available to maximize air volume.
FRUIT DRYER SYSTEM
Built to blow moisture off fruit, this product improves harvest quality while decreasing operational time. Available in two models, both with an aluminum cover to prevent intake of tree branches during operation.
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1521 Sumas Way
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3663 S. Island Hwy
250-334-0801
CRESTON
Kemlee Equipment Ltd.
N.W. Boulevard
250-428-2254
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4650 Trans Canada Hwy
250-746-1755
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Douglas Lake Equipment
706 Carrier Road
250 851 2044
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Avenue Machinery Corp.
1090 Stevens Road
250-769-8700
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Hwy 97 South
250-498-2524
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7155 Meadowlark Road
250-545-3355