DECEMBER 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


11 Summerland grower steps up as co-op president


Steve Brown takes leadership role as BC Tree Fruits faces crossroads by MYRNA STARK LEADER


me,” explains Brown. He worked for BC Tree


SUMMERLAND – When it comes to fruit quality, brown usually isn’t good. In the case of the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, however, Steve Brown might be just the thing to help the organization move forward. Brown was elected


president of the co-op’s board on October 31, its first meeting following the co-op’s annual general meeting the previous week. The Summerland apple and cherry orchardist was first elected to the co-op’s board in fall 2017. Brown succeeds Jeet Dukhia who also let his name stand for the top position. Raised in North Vancouver,


Brown switched paths from business to horticulture in university because of his passion for growing. “Basically, my entire family


on my dad’s side, except my dad, was heavily involved in agriculture. My granddad was a government fruit inspector and his brother owned an orchard on Gellatly Point,” says Brown, who along with his wife, Amanda, farm 15 acres at Happy Valley Orchard. “After school, I became a fieldman in Kelowna then transferred, landing at BC Tree Fruits in Summerland, which is where my family spent summers when I was young. When I first started working in Summerland, I met long- time plant manager Ken Beggs who told me, ‘Your great uncle (John Brown) used to have your exact same office and was a fieldman himself,’ which was news to


Fruits as a consultant for over 10 years and has always sold his fruit into the co-op, which gives him what he calls a unique perspective on the 400-member organization. “I’ve seen the belly of the whale so to speak,” says Brown. “It’s easy to look at one side of the story and see problems but if you haven’t been on the other side, you might not have a full understanding of the situation.” The co-op’s membership includes about 75% of BC apple growers as well as cherry, pear and apricot producers. Both apples and cherries had a challenging season this year. And, while apples are still a key crop in BC’s interior, apple acreage has fallen significantly as cherry and wine grape plantings expand. Consumers have more fruit choices throughout the year from non-Canadian markets and want trendy food and new products to choose from. But keeping up to date with new varieties is challenging. Many of those coming onstream have exclusive rights to sell, like Cosmic Crisp, an apple bred in neighbouring Washington that hits supermarkets this month. The growers who funded the breeding program have already planted an estimated 12 million Cosmic Crisp apple trees and have exclusive rights to produce the variety for 10 years. “Times have changed so, as


a co-op, we have to look inwardly and ask how to most efficiently move ahead.


UP THE LADDER. Steve Brown joined BC Tree Fruits' board in 2017. Now, he’s president. SUBMITTED PHOTO


Sometimes that means thinking out of the box. Tech changes. Commerce changes,” says Brown. He says everything is on the table as the co-op considers the future.


Crossroads


Personnel changes have also put the co-op at a crossroads. The co-op’s new CEO


Warren Sarafinchan, a supply chain management specialist, recently succeeded Todd McMyn, who held the role less than six months. McMyn entered after the contract of Stan Swales wasn’t renewed, although he remains with the co-op. Swales came on board


in 2016 after Alan Tyabji, who’d had the role for four years, was let go. Without commenting on the past, Brown believes he can lead the co-op forward. “We need to ask ourselves what the growers need. We can build the most state-of-


the-art facility but if growers don’t support it, that won’t matter,” he says. Brown aims to focus on communication, strategy, policy and decision-making. Along with vice-presidents


See FRESH on next page o Under the Terms of the Bylaws of the Association


Members are Directed to Take Notice of the 131st Annual General Meeting of the


BRITISH COLUMBIA FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION


February 11-12, 2020 At the COAST CAPRI, KELOWNA SAVE THE DATE


The BC Broiler Hatching Egg Producers’ Association The BC Chicken Growers’ Association The BC Egg Marketing Board and The BC Turkey Association


invite you to attend the BC POULTRY CONFERENCE


ANNUAL


TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020 BUSINESS SESSION (1 PM–5 PM) • Annual Report of the Board of Directors; • Financial statements, budget, and any Special Resolutions; • Annual reports of subsidiaries: • BC Research and Development Orchard Ltd. • Summerland Varieties Corporation;


• Guest speakers and reports of industry organizations and companies; • Committee reports and resolutions for delegate consideration.


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020 POLICY SESSION (8:30 AM–1:30 PM) • Guest speakers and reports of industry organizations & companies; • Special reports; • Committee reports and resolutions for delegate consideration; • Election of the BCFGA Executive at 1:30 pm


SOCIAL - A Social will be held on Tuesday evening. All members and government and industry organization representatives are invited to attend the social from 6 – 8 pm on Tuesday, February 11 at the Coast Capri Kelowna.


All members and industry and government representatives welcome. Lunch provided on Wednesday.


For Sponsorship Opportunities: bcpcsponsorship@gmail.com


BC FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION office: 880 Vaughan Avenue, Kelowna, BC V1Y 7E4 250-762-5226 (T) www.bcfga.com


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