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SIR pr
Time to turn
ogram:
over a new leaf?
W
m
The B.C. leaf brand is
wa
a
it
n
r
h
k
an eye on export
t
e
to
ts
s
,
e
c
e
herry growers
associated with quality
by consumers. An area-
of i
expansion
wide insect control
program is seen as a
ma
n
n
s
a
e
g
c
e
t
m
p
e
e
n
s
t
t
effort.
way to make our tree
fruits even ‘greener.’
By Judie Steeves
T
with a proposal for a
he tree fruit industry must
three-year transition of the
decide now what it wants the
program, from
suppressing codling moth
Insect Release program to be.
future of the current Sterile
the Okanagan Valley, where more
state of control, and to a program
to maintaining a steady
what it was when the program began,
With pomme fruit acreage half
effort has to be expended to try and
which may include using alternative
the cost to the remaining participants
reach better control of the pest.
methods of controlling other
has gone up, but the program’s board
commercial pests.
has been approached by the
of directors from the four regional
The SIR board, which is made up
Okanagan Kootenay Cherry Growers
districts, plus non-voting members
current SIR program are maintained,
That would ensure the goals of the
to consider an area-wide program to
representing the BCFGA, organic
and by providing additional services
combat cherry fruit fly, with
growers, federal and provincial
with new partners, would keep it on a
enforcement in urban areas,
agriculture ministries, had heard
better economic footing, he noted.
entomologist Hugh Philip told the
from Philip about options for the
SIR board at its July meeting.
future of the program at its previous
meeting this spring.
to be supported and governed by
The new program would continue
regional districts, but would include
because they can use it as part of the
“Cherry growers would benefit
representation from the grower
certification programs required by
working with SIR as well as the
He is currently a consultant
community and from the Okanagan
export markets,” he noted.
BCFGA. Tree Fruit Cooperative as well.
provincial agriculture ministry, Philip
Recently retired from the
for the board’s ad hoc committee
In that presentation, he reported
management services program was
That proposal for an area-wide pest
recalled that the innovative SIR
program was kick-started by the B.C.
Fruit Growers’ Association. “It’s
Agricultural Nets
always been industry-led, so where
does industry want the program to go
and Fabrics
next?” he asked.
Farm Management Softwar
capital investment from the federal
The program started in 1992, with
a19
e
and provincial governments, in the
a19
field-to-consumer traceability a19
a19 unbeatable bird protection
rearing facility where moths are
a19
ef ficient barcode-enabled tool a19
hail, shade rain and other fabrics
irradiated to render them sterile. The
a19
reduce payroll, manage costs!
total cost of the program is now more
than $57 million.
N
a19
easy to apply and remove
over 20 management reports
EAL C AR TER & A SSOCIA TES
a19
we protect all types of crops
custom nets and structures
L TD . (250) 49 4-1 099
to operate at the maintenance stage,
It costs about $3 million annually
but there are still some “hotspots” in
www .farmsolutions.net
British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Fall 2009
17
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