Mentoring program proving its worth
Transfer of horticultural skills and technology to growers seen as critical to success of the fruit industry.
By Susan McIver T
he Okanagan Plant Improvement Corporation (PICO) has launched a program to help apple growers
make more money. It encompasses growers of all apple varieties and is funded through dollars derived primarily from sale of international licenses. PICO’s program follows a 2011
project for Ambrosia producers which was funded by the New Variety Development Council through a levy on each box of the variety. “It’s the corporation’s way of giving
back to growers and promoting the industry,” said PICO board member and Summerland orchardist Gord Shandler. Owned by the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association, PICO commercializes fruit varieties, both domestically and internationally. The corporation also supports development and testing with a focus on improving the competitiveness of Canada’s tree fruit and berry growers. Transfer of horticultural skills and technology to growers, so they can realize optimum returns is critical to the success of the fruit industry. Or as Shandler said, “If we’re not cost effective, we don’t exist.”
SUSAN MCIVER
Summerland orchardist Gord Shandler has been hired by PICO to mentor other growers.
Shandler, who met with 25 growers
in last year’s Ambrosia project, said he’d had reports of an increase in overall fruit size and healthier appearing trees. For all apple varieties, he said growers who learn to use the best horticultural techniques can expect substantial increases in returns, up to double in some instances. A decrease in government support of qualified extension specialists and in field staff at packing houses created a need that PICO hopes to help meet. “Our assistance is free and available
to all growers. We’ll gladly meet on weekends with growers who work off- farm during the week,” said Ken Haddrell, PICO’s operations manager. Last December, PICO hired Shandler, who has grown many apple varieties on multiple properties, to mentor other growers. He also facilitates the work of four
other more recently-hired mentors— Jamie Kidston of Vernon, David Powell and Rawd Potter of Summerland, and Kashmir Bengag of Keremeos.
British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2012 More mentors will be hired as the
need arises. “It’s not a matter of telling people
how to do something, but rather to let them know how you and others do it to get good returns,” Kidston said. Flow of information can go both
ways as Shandler has learned during his mentoring of close to two dozen growers to date. “I can then pass along what I learn.
It’s all about raising the overall level of knowledge,” he said. Mentoring starts with a phone call by
the grower to PICO. Interestingly, some of the area’s best growers have asked to see a mentor. “They’re good because they keep on learning. The best always want to get better,” Haddrell said. A mentor meets with the growers, usually for several hours on the first visit, to assess the grower’s skill level and the orchard. One of Shandler’s biggest chal-
lenges is getting some growers to realize that producing the maximum number of apples does not equate to
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