About 40 per cent of the crop goes to processing, with all of that frozen, off the farm.


Much of those are sold under the Snowcrest Foods Ltd. label, a company the Biln family owns. Finding and keeping good labour is


always an issue in agriculture, but one that affects some growers more than others, notes Biln.


At Silver Valley, three-quarters of the harvest crew has been with them for five years, and he attributes that to how employees are treated. “We’ve worked hard to create a family environment with them. We try to help them when they need it and they do the same for us.” The biggest problem begins in September when classes are back, which affects many of the harvest crew—yet they need a stable crew of about 100 pickers through to October.


Involvement vital Biln believes it’s important that individual growers be prepared to become involved in the industry in order to keep it successful.


He follows his own advice and is on the B.C. Blueberry Council as well as the North American Blueberry Council and the Canadian Horticulture Council.


When growers gripe, he advises them to do something about it. If they’re dissatisfied he suggests they get involved.


He’s been on the BCBC since 2003 and has gone through the industry’s ups and downs with fellow growers. He remembers paying pickers 35 cents a pound and getting 29 cents a pound for the fruit, but those people in the worst position today got into the industry at its height, when land prices were high, in 2008 and 2009. Still, land is two to three times the cost of land across the line, which makes it difficult for B.C. growers to compete in the marketplace with fruit from the U.S. and Chile. Add to that the higher cost of labour here, and the current strong position of the Canadian dollar against U.S. currency and the result is a distinct disadvantage in global markets for Canadian berries.


He says they now export less than when they did in 2004, when 90 per cent of the crop left the country, while about 50 per cent leaves now, with the rest sold in Canada, mainly in the East.


Reducing exports not only reduces 6 British Columbia Berry Grower • Fall 2011


shipping costs, but also red tape at the border, he notes. He does find it frustrating to deal with the federal attitude toward B.C. blueberries.


“It’s tough to get on their radar,” he comments. Despite the fact there’s a grassroots movement toward buying local products there’s no support from either federal or provincial governments for local agriculture to exploit that movement.


“Pitt Meadows understands the importance of agriculture to the fabric of the community, but many local governments don’t either,” he adds. Agriculture is of commercial importance to the business of the community, as well as the fact that food is vital, so agriculture should be supported.


B.C. still has a global reputation as a pristine growing area, so it should be flourishing on global markets, but those in power need to be educated to its importance so there’s more support for agriculture politically, he believes


“Agriculture never even comes up in election campaigns and voters prove


it’s not important to them,” he adds in frustration. Although locally the industry is very fragmented, Biln is pleased it has maintained strong ties with growers internationally, so everyone is working together to promote the product instead of working against each other.


He feels strongly that a national council of blueberry growers must be supported by all B.C. growers in order that a fund for promotion of the product and further research into its health benefits may be conducted. Even the North American Blueberry Council supports the movement to establish a national council in Canada, despite the fact it would require a levy on fruit imported to Canada as well as grown in the country, he noted.


All the large growers in B.C. are on board, and 80 per cent of the total volume is produced by 25 per cent of growers, but now smaller growers need to get on board, he says. He expects there will be a vote on the proposal next year.


“It’s better if we all work together,” he concludes.


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