The provincial government has launched an emergency task force to identify actions to protect growers impacted by the closure of the B.C. Tree Fruits Cooperative.

B.C. Agricultural Minister Pam Alexis announced the immediate measures Friday (Aug. 2) in an interview with Black Press Media. Roly Russell, B.C.'s parliamentary secretary for rural development and MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, joined her.

"We understand how important this issue for the region – 100 per cent," Alexis said, who credited Russell as well Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu for working on this issue locally. 

The government is also assembling a list of packers and storage facilities to assist farmers who need to preserve their fruit. She added that government is planning to announce additional steps early next week. 

Friday's announcement comes after the BCTFC had announced late last week that it would stop accepting produce and wind up operations, leaving growers with limited options to sell their fruit. BCTFC has been a part of the farming industry since 1936, with more than 330 current members and three packing and six receiving facilities. These developments around BCTFC represent another blow to the Okanagan tree fruit industry, which has been dealing with effects attributed to climate change as well as changing market conditions. 

While not all farmers are part of BCTFC, its demise could further damage the industry, as BCTFC has helped farmers with pricing and storage over its existence. Farmers have raised concerns about the BCTFC's management, and its sudden demise has caught many by surprise but also created a political opening for both B.C United and the provincial Conservatives as the Okanagan has emerged as a key battle ground in the upcoming provincial election. 

Alexis' announcements come after the provincial government had announced several measures earlier this spring to help fruit as well as grape growers. They include among others up to $70 million to support fruit and grape growers to replace plants damaged by temperature extremes with more resilient varieties with the proviso that that measures won't pay off immediately. 

Alexis said the size and membership of this industry-led task force is still evolving.

"We have already got a few (experts), who have said yes (in being part of) this table," she said, adding that the first meeting will hopefully take place early next week. "We need to hear from the people who have been impacted. We need this to be industry-led," she added. 

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When asked whether this task force faces tangible deadlines, Alexis said government needs to hear from the group first. "We need to hear from them and the time-lines will depend on the information that they share with us." 

Perhaps the most pressing issue facing growers impacted by the closure concerns access to cold storage facilities. Russell said available ministry numbers show that a "significant" number of growers have already been able to make alternative arrangements.

"The most immediate question is 'what about those remaining growers?'... and the ministry has said 'we can help,'" he said. 

When asked about available storage capacity, Russell said available evidence points to sufficient capacity.

"It is making sure that people are getting connected to the right opportunities to find and take advantage of that capacity," he said. "Hopefully, we will have a better sense, whether that is true or not in the days to come." 

– with files from Gary Barnes and Jacqueline Gelineau