quality until we have narrowed it down a bit and have the selections of interest in multi-plant trials. “Right now we have a lot of seedlings in Agassiz we are evaluating and if we find something good we transplant it into a trial plot in Abbotsford and hopefully replicated trials. Some things that look really good we have in tissue culture and are getting the plants ready for grower trials. So we should have our first plants for grower trials ready in the fall of 2016.”


Dossett noted that there is also a variety of projects not aimed specifically at variety development, but more at trying to understand the best way to manage things in the breeding program and selection targets.


"We have a project that UBC science co-op students have been working on the last couple of years, looking at inheritance of splitting tendencies and rain splitting. It is a major fruit quality issue and we would like to develop varieties less prone to splitting.” A student also has been screening germ plasm for resistance to pseudomonas bacterial blight. “We have these sorts of projects in the background,” Dosssett explained. “They are going to help us long term in the breeding program, but they are not projects focused immediately towards variety development or things that are already in the pipeline.”


With the prospect of exporting fresh blueberries to China, Dossett was asked if that might mean extending our current blueberry season.


“Well, I think we are limited in a lot of ways by our weather. It is awfully hard to get something that is going to be earlier than Duke in the spring. You don’t want to develop berries too early in the spring because they would likely be susceptible to frost. At the end of the season we are limited by rain in a lot of years.’


Dossett noted that could change if growers decided to cultivate their berries in a tunnel. Towards the end of the season prices tend to be a bit better, “so a variety a little later than Elliott might be okay, but we don’t want to get too much later or we would run into weather problems which would likely lead to reduced quality.”


At the blueberry field day luncheon, the Investment Agriculture Foundation’s executive director, Peter Donkers, reviewed the relationship between the IAF and the industry. The foundation is now into its 19th


British Columbia Berry Grower • Fall 2015 13


growers with identification of pests and diseases and other disorders in their fields. “The Growing Forward export program delivered by the foundation provided funding for the council’s Chinese market export project and the Buy Local fund provided $50,000 to support the industry’s fresh season outreach campaign.


GRANT ULLYOT


Research scientist Michael Dossett


year and over that time it has invested more than $1.5 million dollars into projects that have benefitted blueberry growers.


Those projects have included investigation of blueberry scorch virus and other virus-like threats, development and management of bacteria blight, and a range of producer education programs on good agricultural practices.


“Sector-wise, we provided funding for the strategic plan for the industry and for the export marketing of blueberries. IAF has been very proud to have been able to work with the blueberry council,” he said.


“Recently we provided Agri- Innovation funding to enhance yields, and a mobile phone app which will help


In addition to these projects, Donkers said, “we have increased our financial assistance to both growers and processors with funding to develop new markets and new market opportunities and create high value-added revenue streams back to growers and producers. “So we know that your hard work has resulted in creating an industry that is world class and IAF is proud to have been able to contribute to that success. We also appreciate that the work and the need for IAF funding is no less today than it was 10 years ago.


“As a sector we know you continue to struggle with labor-management issues and challenges, bird control and disease management marketing and an increasing domestic demand for high bush blueberries.


Donkers said the industry has come a long way “and you can rest assured that the foundation will be there with you in the years to come.


“I have one last item, and that is to acknowledge the contributions that your industry has provided to the IAF over its 20-year history, beginning with Parm Bains, who was our very first director representing the berry sector. He passed the torch to Rhonda Driediger, who passed it on to Barr Hayre, who passed it on to Ken Bates. “Their contributions around our board table where we look at the ag industry in general have been tremendous.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20