several years before returning to Canada and a job at Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland. Wallich’s responsibilities include


administration of the AgriInnovation Programand the collaborative agreements with industry collaborators who are participants in the program. Looking to the future,Wallich said,


“There will bemore of a research strategy with increased interaction between our work and that being done at PARC.” She is also responsible for the


coordination of the core components of the B.C. tree fruit industry’s New Varieties Strategic Plan. Appointed at the end of last


November,Wallich is in themidst of a steep learning curve. So is Bart Fieten who was hired


soon afterWallich and whose work also focuses on the AIP. A native of The Netherlands, Fieten


earned amaster’s degree in plant science fromthe University of Wageningen. His duties include the development


and application of variety testing protocols and horticultural practices of new tree fruit varieties in various agro-ecological zones across Canada. These zones will be expanded this


year to include those in Nova Scotia. “So far the work in this programhas


been in B.C., Ontario and Quebec,” said operationsmanager Nick Ibuki, a former horticultural technician whose duties includedmanaging the budwood orchard.He became operationsmanager upon the retirement ofHaddrell and will continue tomanage the budwood orchard. “The day-to-day activities are co-run


by three horticultural technicians— Rajiv Dasanjh, Ken Cook and Dan Gregory. Things are really looking good in the orchard with all their great work,” Ibuki said. To help reduce costs PICO and its


parent company, the BCFGA, share the services of Bunvir Nijjer, corporate secretary, and SheilaMacGregor, chartered accountant. Another new face, Tara Parson,


financial administrator, is fulltime in the PICO office. “She takes all the new budwood


orders,manages the local grower accounts, follows up with payables and receivable and does everything else that needs doing,” Ibuki said.


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2014 17


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