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downstream effects of the NDP’s victory in the 1972 election. “We had no experience in doing anything like this. We were flying by the seat of our pants,” Bernhardt recalled. Referring to the discussions preceding the establishment of the Agricultural Land Reserve, Bernhardt said, “Somehow people thought we were against the land commission, but we weren’t. We were against what wasn’t included. If the government wanted to preserve and control our farmland, then it should share in the financial burden placed on the shoulders of farmers.”


Bernhardt favoured direct subsidies to producers such as exist in the U.S. and U.K.


“At the time we were paying something like $47 per acre for irrigation while Washington growers were paying $8 per acre because of the subsidy.”


However, he recalled being satisfied with provisions of the Farm Income Assurance Act of 1973 and the Agricultural Land Commission Act that was passed a year later.


Over three decades later, Garrish wrote, “As a substitute for the legally binding requirement of the Tree Fruit Marketing Scheme, the FIA Act proved an unmitigated disaster. In what became known as the Bernhardt Doctrine, growers were told repeatedly they could not have it both ways: they could not sell their fruit outside of industry structures and at the same time claim membership in the BCFGA, accessing the provisions of income assurance.”


Policing such an ordinance, however, was impossible without the ability to regulate all fruit leaving the valley. Inability to forecast the amount of incoming fruit led to problems in the packinghouses such as miscalculation of product grade and supply requirement. “I think the current packinghouses are doing a good job,” Bernhardt said. He also praised leaders of the BCFGA. “I have a lot of respect for the people who have been and are leading the BCFGA—the right guy for the right job at the right time,” he said. “Joe Sardinha was an excellent leader. I’m impressed with Fred Steele, who is advancing into areas in which I’m totally lost.


Bernhardt is satisfied with his life. “I feel good about having been involved and still keep in touch with some of the people,” he said.


8 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2014-15


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