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And the list just keeps on growing... Up Front


By Bryden Winsby T


he vote on controversial changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve legislation had yet to be taken, but there was little point in pursuing much of a discussion about them for our summer issue with Norm Letnick following his appointment to a second stint as B.C. agriculture minister. As everyone knows by now, the government shut down debate on the changes — Bill 24 — at the end of May and showed no indication that it would respond positively to the criticism levelled from numerous directions. There’s been a steadfast determination by the BC Liberals to split the ALR into two zones, something the B.C. Agriculture Council has opposed, insisting the land reserve should remain a single entity that “observes a provincially consistent set of criteria that thoughtfully consider regional diversity.”


Opening up farmland in the north, central Interior and Kootenays to other uses, particularly petrochemical development, has been the most contentious aspect, although the BCAC has expressed concern about the decision-making power given to six regional panels that would be established. The result, according to a council statement issued soon after Letnick’s reappointment, may be “moral hazard and local bias, with the ultimate fracturing of the ALR.”


The BCAC says it “must be confident that the chair’s ability to manage the implementation of the Act is not diluted and that the system does not effectively create six different commissions managing six different Agricultural Land Reserves.”


For his part, land commission chair Richard Bullock has been in a tough position through this process, having conducted an extensive review of the ALR only a few years ago, but he’s not one to hold his tongue when something needs saying. Late last year, months before the Bill 24 uproar, he sent a 12- page letter to deputy ag minister Derek Sturko that contained this cogent comment (which Bullock had made in October in his ‘Message from the Chair):


“The ALR exists precisely because British Columbia has long recognized that if agricultural land were to succumb every time anyone proposed a


4 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Summer 2014  


development on particular land that proponents and


politicians viewed on an ad hoc basis as being more economically favourable than the current use of that land, expedient and even short-sighted decisions would often follow. to


the long term detriment of the province's agricultural land base. The commission exists precisely to prevent the British Columbia public waking up one day and asking “What happened to our agricultural land?”


Although the ALR in Zone 1 — the Okanagan Valley, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island, would see little change, the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association has supported the BCAC’s position.


Just how long Zone 1 will remain the same is anyone’s guess, of course, and we can but hope there will be a helluva lot more public dialogue if and when such changes are proposed.


Meanwhile, as Associate Editor Judie Steeves notes in her article about Letnick’s return, “the meat will be in the regulations” that are to follow passage of the legislation.


Elsewhere in these pages, you’ll find out how Julie Sardinha has fared since


the untimely death last year of hubby Joe, a staunch supporter of the ALR. The growing apple cider industry is the subject of a piece by Susan McIver on how the founders of Left Field Cider were undaunted and perhaps inspired but their initial failure at the craft. On the cherry side of things, find out what’s up with the Marble variety found by chance a few years back in West Kelowna. There’s also a profile of Sukhpaul Bal, new president of the B.C. Cherry Association, and his views on why belonging to the group is very important for growers.


Peter Waterman offers tips for coping with temperature extremes in the orchard, and there’s an update on the international attention being given to the Sterile Insect Release program.


On the grape and wine side, we’ve got details of a promotional effort that has a clever artistic twist, as well as advice on dealing with vineyard site problems and maintaining good colour in red wines. And more.


Have a great summer!


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