BCFGA Convention


Steele takes the helm


‘New relationships’ and a written strategy among presidential priorities. By Bryden Winsby


F


red Steele hopes to forge positive newrelationships on a variety of fronts as the newpresident of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association.


Steele toldmembers attending the BCFGA’s 125th annual


convention in February that his vision for the immediate future of the organization includes development of awritten strategic plan and convincing government “thatwewant to workwith them, not be confrontational.” TheKelowna apple


orchardist and former broadcasterwon the post by 16 votes, succeeding Jeet Dukhia, a Vernon cherry growerwhowas elected president in 2013,when he defeated Steele. Bothmen have served as vice-president of the association,Dukhia most recently.He had that position in 2012 during a difficult period that sawhim take over the presidency following the resignation of Kirpal Boparai,who had been ousted fromthe B.C. Tree Fruit Cooperative for selling fruit out of province. In addition to serving on


BRYDEN WINSBY


Fred Steele addresses B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association convention.


the BCFGA board, Steele has been a director of the Sterile InsectRelease programand theOkanagan Plant Improvement Corporation (PICO). Steele said he is going to requestmeetingswith the


provincial and federal agricultureministers, the packinghouses and cherry growers, aswell as themedia, “ to set out newrelationships.” He believes the BCFGAmust pursue a replant programthat will continue for 10 years or longer and crop insurance that


10 BRYDEN WINSBY


Lieut.-Governor Judith Guichon and outgoing BCFGA president Jeet Dukhia get set to cut the cake celebrating the association’s 125th anniversary at the Laurel Packinghouse in Kelowna


covers the entire season, “to end the anxiety.” He expressed appreciation for thework done during the


past year by the executive and byDukhia,who didmaintain a lot of the things thatwewere fighting for.” “This executive teamwill do all it can to live up to the trust


you have placed in us,” he said. The electionwas a departure fromrecent ones as Steele


garnered some solid support fromthe association’s Indo- Canadianmembership. The process itself also differed a bit fromyears past.Rather than be nominated at a regional meeting, Steele’s namewas put forward fromthe floor during the election by Julie Sardinha,widowof popular former president Joe Sardinha,who died of a heart attack last August at age 52. The casting of ballots followed a procedure inwhich


memberswere given voter registration cardswhose color indicated the BCFGA region towhich they belonged. Some votes called for a showof hands (with cards raised) but the electionmeant bringing out the ballot boxes. And, for the first time in years,when the countingwas done,


therewas no vote to destroy ballots for the presidential election. Instead,members voted by amargin of 93-59 to have the result revealed—80 votes for Steele and 64 forDukhia. No ballotingwas required for the position of vice-president


as PinderDhaliwal ofOliverwas returned by acclamation, or for the south region reps,whowill beRavinder Bains of Keremeos, Peter Simonsen of Penticton and Sukhdeep Brar of Summerland. Members had to pick three of four candidates fromthe


north region,with themost ballots going toNeilDendy, SukhdevGoraya and SurjitNagra ofKelowna.


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2014


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