MAY 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
Raspberries hit hard by harsh February
Acreage down as weather forces growers to rethink future
by RONDA PAYNE ABBOTSFORD – Record
cold in February has pushed Fraser Valley raspberry growers to the brink, casting doubt on 2019 production estimates and the crop’s long-term future in the province. Raspberry Industry
Development Council chair James Bergen notes the winter damage added insult to injury, given the ongoing decline in raspberry acreage and disappointing yields of previous years. “There is some concern
right now,” he says. “Last year, we were just under 17 million [pounds] and this year we estimated about 13.75 million and that number is likely high at this point.” Raspberry acreage this
year will likely fall to 2,200 acres, down from 2,900 acres last year. Five years ago, in 2014, Statistics Canada reported 3,637 acres in BC. “There’s certain fields that people saw the damage and they haven’t tied [the canes] yet. They’re not going to tie. They aren’t going to harvest at all, or they are waiting a ridiculously long time to do it,” he says. “I don’t know how many acres there are like that. I know of at least two fields.” Varieties hit hardest by
February’s cold snap appear to be Meeker as well as Wakefield. Others are
showing less damage. It’s another blow for the
already struggling industry. With delayed federal research funding, levy revenue is set to continue falling the Raspberry Industry Development Council (RIDC) anticipates a deficit of $43,657.52 in its 2019 budget. Members approved the budget at the organization’s annual general meeting in Abbotsford, March 26. It seems bleak, but there is hope for the future. “The council is in a strong financial position ... despite the small shortfall this year,” RIDC auditor John Pankratz of Friesen, Pankratz and Associates told the meeting. “You're in good, solid shape.” Raspberries ended 2018 with a deficit of more than $19,000 due to a drop in levies and a significant decline in funding from the federal government’s Agri- Science program, which ended March 31, 2018. New funding has yet to be announced.
The new budget includes
more than $400,000 for research and development, an increase of nearly 60% over the $253,824 spent in 2018. The research promises to give growers new varieties and proven growing practices that will place them on a competitive footing. “What we need is a new
variety,” says Bergen. “I don’t know if the climate has
Good deal
17
Arne Anderson was pretty tickled with the tiller he picked up at Beekman Auctions’ Spring Consignment Sale at Chilliwack’s Heritage Park, April 6. A new one would have set him back around $4,500, he figures. He picked this one up for about a third of that. SEAN HITREC PHOTO
changed that [Meeker] isn’t able to handle the climate or if this is an anomaly. We will continue working with our breeding program to find a new variety that is specifically suited to the climate for the Fraser Valley and that is high yielding, disease resistant, has good or exceptional fruit quality, taste, and is machine harvestable.”
Challenges The breeding program
wasn’t without challenges last year. BC Berry Cultivar
Development Inc. research scientist Michael Dossett reported that the cooler where seedlings were stored malfunctioned, interrupting dormancy. The plants were
$22,000,000 of agriculture property SOLD in the last 6 months
placed in a greenhouse to await planting, but many performed poorly and some died. Some plants experienced lower growth so trials will be reviewed as year-over-year averages to reduce the impact of anomalies.
Dossett said new
selections from 2015 and 2016 crosses are looking good. He considers BC 1653.7 the most promising.
“It’s about a Chemainus-
sized berry, very firm. It looks like it’s going to machine harvest really well,” he says. “But the more exciting thing is it has up to 30 berries per lateral. It just looks so promising that we’re bulking it up for trials.” The variety could be tested in growers’ fields this year, with a large number of
ISLANDTRACTORS.com See BERRY on next page o
USED EQUIPMENT
N/H FP230 27P GRASS HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL N/H FP230 PROCESSOR, GRASS HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL BRILLION 6 FT GRASS SEEDER, 3 PT HITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,500 FORD 542 SMALL SQUARE BALER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 LEON M375 2017, MANURE SPREADER, VERT BEATERS, AS NEW . 49,500 HAGEDOORN 275 MANURE SPREADER, HYDRA-PUSH . . . . . . . . 19,950 MASCHIO A180 TILLER, 73” WORKING WIDTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,990 NH HARLEY POWER RAKE, 72” WIDTH, S/S MOUNT . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 USED TRACTORS
M/F 5455 TRACTOR/LOADER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46,500 JD 1026R 2011, 540HRS, TRACTOR/LOADER/MID-MWR . . . . . . 15,500 KUB L285 1980, 2WD, LOADER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,300 N/H TN90F 1998, 7,600 HRS, CAB, MFWD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,500 CASE MAGNUM 225 CVT NEW ALO LOADER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL KUB F2880E 2008, 2WD, 2,900HRS, 60” MOWER . . . . . . . . . . 7,995 KUB Z122EBR-48 2016, ZERO-TURN, 48” DECK, GRASS CATCHER 5,300 NEW INVENTORY
NH BC5070 SMALL SQ BALER, ALL HYD OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . 39,000 KUBOTA RAKES, TEDDERS, MOWERS AND ROUND BALER. . . . . . CALL JAYLOR 5575 MIXER WAGON, FLAT CONVEYOR, DEMO UNIT . . . . . CALL JBS VMEC1636 VERT. SPREADER, SAWDUST & SAND THROWERS CONSTRUCTION
CAT 305-ECR 2015, HYD THUMB, 2 BUCKETS, 1650 HRS . . . . . 58,145 KUB R530C 2016, CAB, HYD Q/C, SIDE-SHIFT FORKS . . . . . . . 69,500
75 Years Experience Combined Extensive Market Knowledge Digital Marketing Specialists Professional Photography Weekly Colour Advertising
islandtractors.com
604.858.7179 NYDA REALTY
ISLAND TRACTOR & SUPPLY LTD. DUNCAN 1-888-795-1755 NORTH ISLAND TRACTOR COURTENAY 1-866-501-0801
See xxx on next page o
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 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
