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Prunings


Fruit Growers’ Association at February’s annual general meeting, defeating Vernon grower Jeet Dukhia. Pinder Dhaliwal was acclaimed in his bid for re-election as vice-president. Representing the south, Denise MacDonald was elected back on to the executive, after a year off, but Peter Simonsen was not re- elected. Deep Brarand Ravinder Bains were re- elected. Incumbent Sukhdev Goraya, who represented the north, was defeated this year, replaced by newcomer Tony Nijjar. Niel Dendy and Surjit Nagra were re-elected.


K vote.


Steele commented after the election he felt his executive’s success in persuading the provincial government to support the industry with an $8.4 million, seven-year replant program helped gain the upper hand. He intends to look at putting some of the profits from the Summerland Varieties Corporation into such industry needs as an area-wide fencing program, in cooperation with ICBC and the ministry of forests, providing wildlife corridors in high-traffic areas. As well, he pledged to move ahead with a new industry strategy...


B.C.’s


Ambrosia apple hit the big time in February, as it was selected to be part of the ‘swag bags’ presented to


Oscar nominees as part of Hollywood’s Academy Award festivities. It was all due to a pitch by Columbia Marketing International Inc., for the exclusive U.S. producer of the homegrown variety, McDougall & Sons of Wenatchee, WA. The inclusion of Ambrosias, all grown from a chance seedling discovered by Sally and Wilf Mennell of Cawston, made the news, from such shows as Good Morning America, to the widely-read USA Today newspaper. Steve Lutz of Columbia commented that “because Ambrosias are a niche variety, it’s a challenge to


34 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2015


elowna orchardist Fred Steele was re-elected president of the B.C.


make people aware of it.” The gambit certainly put Ambrosias on everyone’s radar... B.C. wineries will have a new opportunity to shine as


Okanagan Life magazine


JUDIE STEEVES


Re-elected BCFGA president Fred Steele chats with vice- president Pinder Dhaliwal, who also was returned to office during the association’s February AGM.


There were 140 members registered to


announces it will hold its inaugural Best of B.C. Wine Awards in March, with winning wines in 17 categories to be featured in a special edition of the magazine to be


published in April. Coordinating the competition is the magazine’s wine columnist and writer Michael Botner, who is a sommelier, wine consultant, author and speaker on wine... The Okanagan Sterile Insect Release program’s board of directors welcomed a number of new members, following last November’s civic elections. Board chair is Duane Ophus, councillor in West Kelowna, vice-chair is Shirley Fowler of Armstrong. New board members include Brad Sieben of Kelowna, Chad Eliason of Salmon Arm and George Bushof Cawston... B.C. Young Farmers are inviting young farmers 19 to 40 years of age to a networking event at Hillcrest Farm


Market, 700 Highway 33 East in Kelowna. It’s April 25, from 3 to 5 p.m., and will feature agriculture minister Norm Letnick as keynote speaker. There’s no charge for the event, but pre- register by e-mail: info@bcyf.ca Long-time tree fruit specialist for the provincial agriculture ministry, Jim Campbell, retired at the end of February, after 17 years with the ministry. He will be missed, by growers, but


Campbell


welcomed home by his family and his orchard. The ministry says the process for hiring a new tree fruit industry specialist is underway. The competition closed Feb. 13...


A list of fruit and vegetable producers certified by the country's good agricultural practices program (CanadaGAP) is now available on the food safety organization’s website, www.canadagap.ca. The list, which can be downloaded as a .pdf file, consolidates certificate information available from CanadaGAP certification bodies. Each entry includes the company’s city and province, certificate issue and expiration dates, scope, certification option, certification body; and whether the company operates as a multi-site. The list will be updated monthly...


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