For fruit and grape growers hit hard by the extreme cold in January, a recent provincial funding announcement is some welcome relief.
The announcement, made by Premier David Eby on March 13, provides $70 million from the province to help fruit and grape growers replant crops damaged by the extreme cold weather event.
The cold weather has devastated the industry, with some farmers reporting vine and fruit tree losses of up to 100 per cent as a result of the past two deep freezing winters.
The funding announcement is in addition to the perennial crop renewal program which was announced last spring. That program was worth $15 million.
In addition, the province is establishing a B.C. wine grape sector task force, to run for two years and to provide the fruit and grape industry with recommendations on how to cope with the challenges from climate change.
These measures are badly needed.
The wine industry in this province had earlier experienced a devastating cold snap in 2022. In addition, flooding and extreme wildfire seasons in recent years have also taken a toll on the industry. These severe weather anomalies are occurring more and more frequently.
Because of the nature of the fruit and grape growing sector, the effects of an extreme weather event can be long-lasting.
If trees or vines must be replanted, it will take several years for the new plants to reach full production. During this time, there are still costs involved for the farm or vineyard in nurturing the plants, even though the yields are not yet there.
Tree fruits and vineyards are a significant part of the economy in British Columbia. There are also businesses which serve farmers and grape growers, as well as businesses related to agri-tourism. They are affected if agriculture has a hard year.
The $70 million in funding will help numerous farmers and grape growers through a difficult challenge.
At the same time, if the number and severity of extreme weather events continues, it will be necessary to look at long-term solutions to coping with the effects of a changing climate.
— Black Press