Research cutbacks ripped
Makara baffled by blueberry shift, but federal agminister figures it’s time for ‘shotgun’ funding approach to end. By Judie Steeves
I
t’s ludicrous for Agriculture Canada to move all the blueberry research to Nova Scotia when 98 per cent of the country’s blueberries are grown in B.C. says Mike Makara, chairman of the B.C. Blueberry Council.
“I don’t know the reason behind it or whose decision it was,” Makara adds, but he is furious that the federal government is off-loading the responsibility and cost for research more each year.
“It looks like they will shut down the breeding program here at Agassiz,” he adds.
Plant breeding can’t be treated like a short-term program when it requires a minimum of 10 or 15 years to develop a new variety, he noted.
Makara said breeders in Oregon, Washington, Michigan and at Rutgers in New Jersey sometimes release new varieties prematurely, and growers in B.C. are so eager to renew that they plant them out and find they’re actually testing them—doing the long-term trials. After a decade or so, it becomes apparent that these varieties don’t work out for B.C. growers, he added. Instead, what’s needed is a program
in B.C.
“The government wants to centralize everything, which might be efficient for some things, but not for plant research,” he commented. In an exclusive interview with BC Berry Grower, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said no cuts are actually being made, but there have been retirements.
Chaim Kempler at the Pacific Agri- food Research Centre in Agassiz retired last fall as berry breeder, but Michael Dossett had been working with him from May, 2011 and continues working in the plant breeding program on a post-doctoral visiting fellowship from
8 British Columbia Berry Grower • Spring 2013
B.C. Blueberry Council chair Mike Makara, left, and agriculture minister Gerry Ritz don’t see eye-to-eye on federal research policies.
the University of Oregon, with matching funding from industry and government.
However, that funding is up March 31. Ritz says the program has the potential to continue. “It’s up to industry.”
He says industry can apply for matching funds through the new Growing Forward 2 program this spring to pay for whatever it feels are priorities.
Growing Forward 2 is a five-year, $3 billion federal-provincial initiative that begins April 1.
Government will continue to work with industry, but Ritz said the aim is to “look for efficiencies. It’s been a shotgun approach up to now.” Going forward, it will be results- driven research, driven by industry, he explained. “If industry has some skin in
the game, it will take ownership.”
Ritz said he views
development of new varieties as part of innovation in the industry.
The federal government is
refocusing its efforts on what he called the “science cluster approach; bringing experts together.” Field tests could be done in B.C. so the plants are adapted to the locale. It’s the new model of how business is being done, Ritz said. “Farmers farm
differently now too,” he
added. “Everyone shudders at the loss of the status quo.”
Berry growers from every commodity group in the Fraser Valley have joined together to write an application for that Growing Forward 2 funding called Enhancing Competitiveness and Productivity of the B.C. and Canadian Berry Sector Through Focused Research and Innovation.
It’s being coordinated by Sharmin Gamiet, executive director of the Raspberry Industry Development Council and the Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers’ Association. The application includes the breeding program, integrated pest management, irrigation practices, advanced and innovative cultural practices and would be a five-year project led by the Lower Mainland Horticulture Improvement Association.
Pollination Services 7,000 Colonies Available
Blueberry, Cranberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, Currants, Kiwi, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Squash
Contact: John Gibeau President, Honeybee Centre Cellular (604) 317-2088
Email:
Gibeau@HoneybeeCentre.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24