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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • MARCH 2020


Wine grape council charts R&D priorities Workshops discuss themes to steer research over the next three to five years


by RONDA PAYNE LANGLEY – Fraser Valley


wine grape growers contributed to the BC Wine Grape Council’s research and development plan at a February 6 workshop in Langley. Comments from the 10


growers in attendance were combined with those from four other sessions in Kelowna, Penticton, Osoyoos and Vancouver Island to determine where to focus research in the next three to five years. Kate Durisek, executive


director of the council, says the workshops aimed to engage as many members as possible to identify and discuss the key issues the plan should address.


“We are looking for


industry input on priorities in this area and thoughts on how we can best meet our mandate towards development of a strong and viable wine grape industry that will result in the production of world-class wines,” she says. The workshops were the second stage in the process led by Jacques-Olivier Pesme, director of the Wine & Spirits Academy at KEDGE Business School in Bordeaux, France, a partnership with UBC- Okanagan. The two schools have


worked together since 2015, when UBCO received $630,000 from Western Economic Diversification Canada to help strengthen cooperation in the industry,


enhance export readiness, and develop a global identity in partnership with KEDGE. The first stage was a survey


sent to growers and wineries in 2019 about priorities and actions. “We gathered that


information. We received about 50 answers,” Pesme says. “From that information [we were] able to determine high-level points.” Those points were


narrowed down to five main themes: water management, vine health and disease management, wildfire effects, pest control and


collaboration. Soil nutrition was added during the February workshops. Pesme says interactions at


the workshops were valuable. “You have to go and meet


and engage with the industry,” he says. “Identify your big points, the real-life questions.” Setting a direction for the council that is in alignment with what growers want is critical for industry support. The Fraser Valley was seen as an important part of the equation. “It’s a little piece, but a


growing piece,” Pesme says of the region. “The conditions are quite different from other industry areas.” Despite these differences,


Township 7 Winery winemaker Mary McDermott, who draws from properties in both Langley and Penticton, didn’t feel there were any surprises in discussions at the Langley workshop. “Concerns in grape growing and winemaking are different


in the Fraser Valley than in the Okanagan,” she says. “Also, it was an opportunity to connect with the members in the Fraser Valley and see what educational or R&D projects members there are interested in moving forward.” The third stage of the


process will be to send another survey to the industry to make sure it approves of what will be proposed in the final report to the BC Wine Grape Council. “The process is not completely finalized yet, which means that these themes can still evolve between now and the submission of our report,” says Pesme. Pesme expects to submit the final report to the council at the end of March.


Institute forms action plan On-farm housing, defining ‘farming’ are priorities


by RONDA PAYNE LANGLEY – Langley


Bumper pull & Gooseneck With or Without Tack Rooms


Farmers Institute held its first general meeting on February 5, with president Megan Dykeman noting two burning issues members want to see immediate action on: on-farm housing restrictions introduced under Bill 52 and a clear and well-defined description of farming that all levels of government can use. “Our first steps are to reach out to government on those issues,” notes Dykeman. An invitation will be sent to


government to engage on the two primary issues from the institute. From there, committees will be formed to provide feedback from the membership on concerns. “Concern [with Bill 52] is definitely the ability for farmers to age in place. Often you need to have either family or you need to have employees that live on the farm,” she says. “It’s actually a barrier to creating a succession plan. You’re now facing a succession issue.” Institute directors will create a plan on how to


further engage with government on the two key issues once they have responses and are able to talk to complementary organizations. “We talk about the


province being committed to farming but we live in one of the most expensive provinces,” she says. “So we’ve just created another barrier really.” Dykeman is a veteran of the local farming sector. She owns Freedom Fields Farm, a small-lot specialty poultry broiler and layer farm. She has been part of the Township of Langley agricultural advisory committee and is a 4-H leader. Being part of the new institute is important to her. “I’m a farmer who is also


really involved in my community,” she says. “We have a passionate farming community here in Langley.” She looks forward to


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