A Lake Country orchard owner is encouraging fellow growers and farmers to stand up to the provincial government.
During a meet and greet with growers and BC United Leader Kevin Falcon on Tuesday (July 30) at Gatzke Orchard, Alan Gatzke urged the crowd to speak up and be heard.
“We built this valley to what it is,” he said. “Let's not lose it. So do what you can to raise your voice.”
Gatzke cited extreme weather, burdensome provincial regulations, falling prices for growers, and the closure of the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative (BCTFC) as reasons the industry is in crisis.
“The BCTFC collapse is one thing, but we've had 30 or 40 years where every year they put another regulation, they put another tax, they just make it harder.”
Falcon said the provincial government should have seen the crisis coming and is refusing to act.
“They’ve got government representatives sitting at the table, this should not have been a surprise to them.
Falcon added what he’s hearing from growers is heartbreaking.
“I saw grown men crying talking about the impact this is having on their family farms.”
Asked what BC United would do to solve the crisis, Falcon said it would appoint someone independent to investigate the BCTFC.
“I would say stop, you’re not going to liquidate this cooperative that’s been around for 90 years.”
BC United would also provide temporary funds to growers Falcon said.
“If they don’t have somewhere to store their fruit…they’re going to lose entire crops, and that’s not right. We’ve got to make sure we’re there for them at a time when they need us.”
In a letter to growers dated July 26, the BCTFC announced it would no longer accept produce.
"Due to extremely low estimated fruit volumes, weather effects, and difficult market and financial conditions, the cooperative will not be able to effectively operate the business moving forward," VP Laurel Van Dam said in a statement.
