Kelowna’s mayor said the city has worked out a deal to help area farmers struggling to get their fruit to market in the wake of the BC Tree Fruit Cooperative closing.
“The city will assist the fruit growing industry by entering into an arrangement with Sandher Fruit Packing for wash water disposal on a limited-term basis while they work through their provincial approval for a longer-term solution,” Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas said in a statement.
Dyas said the arrangement supports the local fruit-growing economy and local farmers, “while addressing the concerns of the surrounding community and adds further measures to ensure the protection of the natural environment.”
Sandher Fruit Packers in the Ellison area east of Kelowna has been dealt more than $110,000 in fines since 2022 for discharging effluent into a failed septic field and it has been cited as an ongoing issue.
Sandher was given six months to apply for a permit in September 2023, but has been rejected twice by the Ministry of Environment for incomplete information.
“While we do not have any direct influence on industry operations, as a council we have a shared goal of keeping the farming industry competitive and sustainable,” Dyas said.
“Orchardists in Kelowna and the Okanagan have a reputation for growing some of the best fruit in the world and we hope the industry can work together to find a long-term solution and continue the rich history of distributing Okanagan fruits across the country and around the globe.”
Meanwhile, the union representing fruit farmers is also working on a solution.
There are around 125 UFCW Local 247 members who work at the packing plant and union officials said it is a significant loss, despite signs over the years that the cooperative was facing financial challenges, including the recent closure of the Winfield facility that preceded the decision to close entirely .
More needs to be said about the people who called the cooperative their workplace for so many years, union officials said.
“Never forget that we have members who spent their working lives, in some cases nearly 45 years, working for the cooperative,” Elisca Long, UFCW Local 247 Union Representative, said.
“We expect the company will do the right thing by settling up with our members. At the very least, they should avoid making things any more difficult than they already are for our members.”
At a town hall meeting in Kelowna on Thursday evening, party leader Kevin Falcon talked about the bind that Okanagan fruit growers are in because of BC Tree Fruits’ announcement last week.
Long is working closely with legal counsel to ensure that the rights of UFCW Local 247 members are fully protected and realized throughout the closure process, according to the union statement.
He said with the 88-year-old co-operative shutting down, hundreds of farmers are now left without a way to sell their produce, and there are genuine concerns that their livelihoods are at risk.
“The key is: What’s gone wrong? More importantly, let’s freeze the liquidation and selling off of these facilities until we get through this growing season,” Falcon said.
“The government needs to provide temporary financial support to help our growers get through the busy season. Apples are going to be harvested in two weeks; they have to have a place to go.”
Falcon said if that happens, the government will then have time to figure out what the next steps are.
The tree fruit industry has faced several years of challenges and instability and the province has offered $6 million to a tree fruit stabilization plan that was endorsed by all industry stakeholder groups, Agriculture and Food Minister Pam Alexis said in a statement.
“This work included efforts to help address the governance and structural issues within the tree fruit sector, including addressing challenges with the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative,” Alexis said.
“While, the Province has no authority to take over the board of such an entity, at this time, ministry staff are consulting with the BC Fruit Growers Association and working with individual farmers to explore available options for getting their fruit to market.”
BC Tree Fruits has been in operation since 1936 and was the biggest fruit storage and distributor in the province. The abrupt closure means some farms have nowhere to sell or store their fruit.