DECEMBER 2016 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Are hops the new ginseng for BC?


by TOM WALKER


KAMLOOPS – “Give it five years and I think we are going to see the same in hops as we did in ginseng,” says Joey Bedard, founder of Hops Canada in Kamloops. “People are just not seeing this” “There was a shortage of hops in 2012 when Hop Union had a fire in their warehouse,”


Cascade. It grows easily and it’s great to harvest,” he says. “Last year at this time, I was the only one with Cascade left over from the year before and right now they are saying there is 100,000 pounds of Cascade left from last year. We went from zero extra to 100,000 pounds.”


TOM WALKER PHOTO


“When I started, you could get $11.95 for Cascade – 12 bucks,” he says. “I’m predicting that for the 2018 harvest, Cascade will be worth five bucks a pound. It’s getting too popular and too well known. People who would only use Cascade because it was local are now branching out because there are other things available.” “We will grow Cascade for the people on contract but I don’t think we are going to grow Cascade on the spot. We are stuck with


Ian Matthews with a hops rhizome.


explains Bedard. “150,000 pounds were burned in the fire. It was just as the craft brewing industry was peaking. They were the largest producer in the States and that was a third of their production, so the market was short.”


As a hops grower and a broker who sells on the world market, Bedard has a good perspective.


“You can’t build a business model based on $15 or $16 a pound for hops and expect the market to last,” Bedard says. “That is the same as happened to ginseng with growers who had smaller, less efficient plots. They were saying, “Well, everybody is getting $70 a pound so I am going to get $70 a pound.” “I think the market is still recovering from that fire. This is the last year where there will be a slight shortage. There will be a lot of hops but we won’t meet the demand. I think starting next year, we are going to have a surplus.” Take Cascade hops, Bedard


says.


“Everybody who starts a hop farm has at least some


maybe 1,700 lbs from last year, which is not a lot. We will sell it. I


would rather be out in August than rushing to sell it in September.”


Lots of growers


The number of growers in BC has expanded quickly, Bedard points out. He recounts a list from Vancouver Island, Chilliwack, Pemberton, Lillooet, the Sunshine Coast, up the Eagle River outside of Sicamous and topping out in Hazelton, the most northern planting in the province. Bedard says he has talked with other growers about contracting his processing facilities next year as the capital cost for harvesting, drying and baling is a significant investment for a farmer. But time is crucial to preserve the aromatic oils in hops.


“The problem is, if I am bringing in my crop, I’m not going to give up my production space for someone else.”


“We get every hop farmer who is starting out come through here,” Bedard says. “I’m not the Negative-Nelly to tell them don’t do it, but I ask them are you sure?”


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Record cranberry harvest this year by DAVID SCHMIDT


DELTA – BC cranberry growers are on pace for what could be a record harvest. “It may be the biggest cranberry harvest, ever, for BC,” BC Cranberry Marketing Commission chair Jack Brown said in mid- October. “Quality is very good and all indicators point to an exceptional year for BC cranberry production.”


Last year, BC growers harvested about a million barrels of cranberries, up from 850,000 barrels in 2014, and the BCCMC expects this year’s final figures to top those numbers.


With about 85% of the crop harvested, “we are still forecasting a record BC crop,”


BCCMC general manager Heather Carriere said in early November.


There are about 70 cranberry growers in BC, with farms in Richmond, Delta, Langley, Chilliwack, Agassiz, South Burnaby, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and on Vancouver Island. About 90% are members of the Ocean Spray Co-op which has receiving stations in Richmond and Langley. Most of the BC cranberry crop is destined to become Craisins.


The BCCMC notes BC may be bucking the trend across North America.


“Not all cranberry growing regions in North America have been as fortunate as BC, but 2016 appears to be ‘our year,’” it states.


As you celebrate the holiday season, we thank you for your business and wish you every success in the New Year.


For more information on our complete suite of services, contact one of our specialists or visit us at scotiabank.com/agriculturalservices. You can also follow us on Twitter at @scotiabankB2B and tweet using #ScotiaAg.


Kimberly Ross, M.Sc. (Ag.Ec.) Sr. Client Relationship Manager 604-302-2620 kimberly.ross@scotiabank.com


Lee Gogal, BBA Sr. Client Relationship Manager 604-308-1657


lee.gogal@scotiabank.com


TM Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. Used under license, where applicable.


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