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September 12, 2024 - 5:00 PM
The BC government is redirecting $4 million to support orchardists who have been affected by the BC Tree Fruit Cooperative shut down.
The money is coming from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC to help make sure members of the cooperative get paid for past harvests without having to wait for court processes to play out, according to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture issued, Sept. 12.
"These are very challenging times for BC's tree-fruit growers and we are continuing to support them in getting their fruit to market as well as with cash in their pockets now," Minister of Agriculture Pam Alexis said in the release.
The foundation is giving the cash to growers but it will recoup the money at the end of the court process.
READ MORE: B.C. Tree Fruits, $58 million in debt, files for creditor protection
The province has also given $100,000 to the BC Fruit Growers Association to do food safety certification that used to be done by the cooperative. This certification is important for the 179 apple orchardists who were part of the cooperative so they can harvest their crops in time.
"Our priority from the beginning has been working with growers to ensure they are receiving as many of the services the co-op provided as possible, including food-safety certification, access to storage and bins, and connecting with packinghouses. This is why we set up an emergency table with the sector to work together on solutions,” Alexis said.
There have been 73,000 bins of apples sent to packinghouses from 120 of the 179 apple orchardists in the co-op.
“We are monitoring the court process closely and will continue to support growers in finding alternative arrangements for their harvest," the minister said.
Growers who are looking for a packinghouse can click here for contact information.
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