Orchard & Vine Pre Spring 2021

Apple Texture Testing Marketing Advice Ag Minister Interview Canadian Winemaker Series Pre Spring 2020 $6.95

2021 Tractor Issue

Display Until Mar.15, 2021 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40838008 www.orchardandvine.net

Keeping it Simple®

WHEN SUCCESS IS MEASURED IN ACRES AND NOT HOURS IF IT’S WORTH IT TO YOU, IT’S WORTH IT TO US. Contact our agribusiness specialists by email at agribusiness@firstwestcu.ca

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Photo by Pintau Studio Shutterstock.com

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CONTENTS

See inside for our annual tractor survey, specs and the future of tractors.

6 Publisher's View – Lisa Olson 8 Calendar 10 News & Events

Photo by Jacqueline Downey

21 The Wrong Texture Can Upset the Apple Cart 23 Interview with Lana Popham

46 31

Bluegrouse Winemaker Bailey Williamson.

26 O&V Tractor Survey 29 The Robots are Coming to a Farm Near You 31 2021 Tractor Specs 36 New Holland Celebrates 125 Years 36 Kubota's New “Crossover” Compact Tractor 37 John Deere Enhances Operations Center 37 Handlers Introduces Ferrari Tractors 38 Kioti's All New CX Series 39 Email Still the Best Contact Tool 41 Seeds Of Growth – Glen Lucas

21

Tribology measurements rank apples for commercial viability.

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Pre Spring 2021

43 Marketing Mix – Leeann Froese 45 The Word on Wine – Carie Jones 46 Canadian Winemaker Series – Bailey Williamson Cover photo of Di Vine Domes at Singletree Winery in Abbotsford.

Photo by Megan Ashley Creative.

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 PUBLISHER’S VIEW | LISA OLSON

New Year Brings New Hope

L

Vol. 62, No 1 Pre Spring 2021

ast year around this time, we didn’t know that soon we would slowly be forced into changing our personal day-to-day habits, our working life and business structures due to circumstances beyond our control. The start of this year feels more hopeful. While there are many limitations, I too have worries and stress, but I try to run my days with as much hope and optimism as possible.

There is also a very fascinating article on apple texture. The research and study that is going on at Vineland Research Station was very interesting for me. I learnt a few new words too that I had to look up. The two words, briefly were: ‘penetrometer’ used to asses texture in apples and ‘tribology’ which measures the principles of friction, lubrication and wear, now used together helps test the juiciness, crispness, and mealiness. There sure is a lot that goes into choosing an apple before it is sampled by a select group of people. I will definably have a

Publisher Lisa Olson Editor Photo by Kimberly Brooke Photography

In this year’s Tractor Survey we asked some of our readers what they hoped for in 2021 and the answers were as diverse and similar as we all are. Some growers are planting new crops, some are ripping crops out, while others are keeping things just the way they are. There is something exciting and hopeful about planting a new crop and also something very comforting about staying the course. Whatever you choose this year, I hope you keep your spirits up and enjoy your day-to-day life. Read the full survey results and more information about tractors inside this issue.

Established in 1959

new appreciation next time I take a bite of a juicy, crispy, sweet apple.

The BC Wine Institute announces an exciting new name and initials to represent the growing multifaceted industry of value-added agriculture and agri-food, see page 45 for more details.

Marketing to customers can be baffling, so we may tend to leave it on the back burner while other business duties call.

Inside we bring you some useful pointers on marketing; like email marketing, your website and online presence and the customer journey as it relates to your goals and direct to consumer sales from marketing pros Leeann Froese and Adrianne Stillman.

Spring is coming and soon the blossoms will be on the trees. I hope all goes well, you have a great spring season and keep your dreams alive!

Enjoy the magazine!

Gary Symons Graphic Design Stephanie Symons Writers Leeann Froese, Carie Jones, Glen Lucas, Ronda Payne, Gary Symons, Tom Walker Contact lisa@orchardandvine.net Orchard & Vine Magazine Ltd. Mailing Address 22-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578 West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9 www.orchardandvine.net Phone: 778-754-7078 Fax: 1-866-433-3349 Orchard & Vine Magazine is published six times a year and distributed by addressed mail to growers, suppliers and wineries in the Okanagan, Kootenays, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Washington State and across Canada. Orchard & Vine is also available online.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40838008 Undeliverable copies should be sent to: 22-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578 West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9

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Professional Representation of Buyers and Sellers for horticultural, farm, acreage and estate properties throughout the Okanagan

1448 Latta Road, Kelowna 3309 McCulloch Road, Kelowna 20.9 acre medium density apple Caralyn Vineyards. Largest orchard. $7,000+ per month in table grape grower in rental revenue. 2 homes + Okanagan. +/- 11.56 acres w/ worker accommodations.

3980 sq.ft. executive home. $3,600,000 Listed at $3,400,000

1271 McKenzie Road, Kelowna 23.01 acre lot with 14 acres of irrigation rights. Multiple building sites and great views.

Sold ABOVE asking.

Listed at $1,700,000

16070 Carrs Landing Road, Lake Country 5.9 acre lakeshore estate property with 2 homes.

Unparalleled privacy. $15,000,000

2834 Belgo Road, Kelowna 17+ acres w/ 7000+ sq.ft home & 12.5 acres irrigation rights.

Former garden nursery. Land suitable for orchard.

Listed at $2,995,000

4675 June Springs Road 11 bedroom, 11 bathroom lodge on 12+ acres w/ equestrian facilities. Two separate businesses included. $3,350,000

3502 East Kelowna Road 12.78 acre apple and cherry orchard w/ well maintained home. Duplex for farm help. 2 separate outbuildings.

Listed at $2,600,000

Remainder NE1/4 Oyama Lake Road, Lake Country 50.7 acres of rurally zoned land, ready to be subdivided with great views. $1,795,000

Lot B Cemetery Road, Lake Country 6.9 acres of rurally zoned land with immediate subdivision potential. Great lake views. $794,000

Lot 58 Moberly Road, Lake Country 10.07 acre estate property with rural zoning & immediate subdivision potential.

Listed at $899,000

Thoughts leading into 2021

6022 Oyama Lake Road Controlled Atmosphere Storage Lake Country in Kelowna 2019-built walk-out rancher on 13,000+ sq.ft. of CA storage 12 acres of land. Tons of available for lease. Capacity for parking and great views. approximately 6400 bins. $1,399,000 Call for pricing and details.

2780 Camp Road, Lake Country Hobby farm planted out to cherries. Fruit stand potential in central location. Semidetached workshop.

Listed at $999,000

491 Philpott Road, Kelowna 90+ acre parcel with creek and 2007 built home. Several cleared benches. Very private setting.

Listed at $1,199,000

The farm, acreage, estate and unique property market continues to show promising activity as we start off the new year. Accurately priced product continues to sell in a prompt manner.

Low inventory continues to drive healthy purchase prices throughout the Okanagan valley. Tree fruits in particular are in very high demand; Bare land and under-utilized parcels continue to see strong activity as orchardists look towards converting the land use to tree fruits. 2021 is shaping up to be a great year for these property categories.

5 Generations of Family Farming Experience in the Okanagan!

Great Great Grandfather Thorlakur Thorlakson harvesting grain on the Commonage near Predator Ridge in Vernon.

Great Grandfather Lewis Marshall living in a tent on his first orchard in the Glenmore area of Kelowna.

Grandfather Rexford Marshall next to a newly planted orchard in the Carrs Landing area of Lake Country.

Ÿ Born and raised in the

Central Okanagan! Ÿ 4-year B.Comm Degree in Real Estate/Finance from Canada’s #1 Ranked Business School Ÿ Proven and aggressive farmfocused marketing plan!

Professional and knowledgeable representation of both Buyers and Sellers of Farm Properties in the Okanagan Valley!

REALTOR® / Associate-Broker KELOWNA

Father Lance next to nursery stock in the Carrs Landing area of Lake Country.

Scott training young cherry trees in the Black Mountain area of Kelowna.

I’ve represented Buyers and Sellers in over 1500 acres of farmland purchases and sales in the last year!

I am uniquely qualified to effectively assist with the purchase and sale of horticultural, farm, acreage and estate properties. To take advantage of generations of valued agricultural experience in the Okanagan, call Scott Marshall for your farm property needs!

Scott Marshall 250-470-2388

PREC*

www.ScottMarshallHomes.com www.KelownaFarms.ca Scott@ScottMarshallHomes.com E & OE: Information is deemed correct but not guaranteed. *Personal Real Estate Corporation. Sales include MLS & private sales.

Photo by Vadym Pastukh | dreamstime.com

 PRE SPRING | EVENTS

2021 CCOVI Lecture Series Wednesday's February 10 - March 31 https://brocku.ca/ccovi/outreach/lecture/ Certified Organic Association of BC COABC Conference February 27 - 28 www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca

Meet our Agriculture Services Team We are dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals and creating a flexible and customized banking solution that is right for your farming operation.

Jeremy Siddall

District Vice President Pacific Agriculture Services British Columbia 250-681-4656 jeremy.siddall@td.com

Michelle Curcio

Account Manager Vancouver Island 250-246-0859 michelle.curcio@td.com

Ted Hallman

Account Manager BC Interior 250-470-3029 ted.hallman@td.com

Alyssa Meyer

Account Manager BC Interior 250-575-5047 alyssa.meyer@td.com

WineVit Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers AGM & Trade Show March 15 - 21 Kennewick, WA, USA www.winevit.org Virtual BC Wine Industry Insight Conference March 18 winebc.com/industry/bc-wine-industryinsight-conference-2020/ ProWein March 19 - 23 Dusseldorf, Germany www.prowein.com FCC Young Farmer Summit - Online March 23 Vancouver, BC 11 a.m. PST www.fcc-fac.ca BC Enology & Viticulture Conference Dates to be announced www.bcwgc.org

Ramil Biclar B.Comm Relationship Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-2229 ramil.biclar@td.com

®

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Dave Gill Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-2224 baldev.gill@td.com

Rahan Ahmad Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-3819 rahan.ahmad@td.com

Ken S Uppal MBA P.Ag District Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-621-3350 Kanwar.Uppal@td.com

The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

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Canada’s Farm Show June 15 - 17 www.canadasfarmshow.com Canada’s Digital Farm Show September 14 - 16 www.outdoorfarmshow.com/

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Photo by Megan Ashley Creative

There is Something Magical about Dining in a Dome

Photo by Gary Symons

One of two domes at Singletree Winery in the Fraser Valley.

Domes on the patio at Frind Winery in West Kelowna.

Wineries and restaurants are finding new ways for guests to dine safely and in comfort this winter, by installing clear domes that cover the table and the guests.

The Oak + Cru restaurant at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort has similar domes overlooking lagoons in the adjoining park, located on the fine eatery’s popular patio, while Singletree Winery in the Fraser Valley offers two domes with distinct themed décor: The Canadian Cabin with traditional porch chairs, faux fur rugs and a rustic feel, and the Enchanted Forest, with a chandelier, live edge table and cozy seats.

Photo by Gary Symons

At Frind Winery in West Kelowna, staff say the domes are intended both to keep guests warm, and safe from COVID-19.

Each dome provides a cozy environment with a heater to keep it warm in winter, and the clear dome provides an excellent view over the lakeshore and the mountains beyond.

The Oak + Cru restaurant at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort has domes overlooking the lagoon.

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Find out About Community Supported Agriculture

Over 35,000

SOLD

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COVID-19 has exposed vulnerabilities to the global food system. In addition to an over-concentration of food processors and increased regional food dependencies, we have seen how large transportation distances and international restrictions can disrupt food supplies, increase costs to consumers, and undermine food security.

Buying local through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program allows farmers to invest in guaranteed crops for the next season and gives you the opportunity to learn from local growers.

What is CSA? CSA is a program where customers purchase ‘shares’ in seasonal harvests from their local farmers. This mutual commitment guarantees consumers repeated deliveries of fresh, local food, and provides farmers a source of income during a period of high expenses. Farmers increase their financial and environmental resiliency by incorporating the CSA model into their business.

Farm Folk City Folk's Strengthening Community Supported Agriculture Program is a coordinated set of activities geared toward both farmers and consumers in order to support the expansion of CSA programs in BC, and includes a series of farmer-to-farmer webinars that connect farmers around several topics; an online network that connects farmers and provides ongoing space for CSA mentorship; and an up and coming interactive web resource for CSA programs in the province. For more information visit https:// www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca/events/ BC farmers can also join the CSA Farmer Facebook Group. This group is a platform for BC farmers who currently use community supported agriculture (CSA) as a part of their business model or are interested in starting a CSA program on their farm. Join other CSA farmers in conversation, resource sharing, and networking.

When one cold night can ruin an entire year’s hard work...

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We are dedicated to serving you by providing the tools and service to stave off those frosty nights, protecting your harvest and your future.

Find us at orchard-rite.com.

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

The BC Bee Program The provincial government wants to put the ‘Bee’ back in BC, offering $100,000 in funding this year for projects aimed at preserving a healthy bee population in British Columbia.

The BC Bee Program is providing up to $5,000 of grant funding per project and it is expected that participants will contribute a minimum of 20 percent towards the total cost of the project, whether in cash or through an in-kind contribution.

The four-year, $400,000 provincial program is intended to support small scale regional/ community-based projects to research, explore, field-test and share information about best management practices associated with bee health in British Columbia.

For this intake, program funding is available to successful applicants from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. Interested parties can apply at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/bee-bc

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It helps berries thrive with a long list of advantages, including protection against a range of diseases, two modes of action, extended residual and unique plant health benefits. It all adds up to getting more where it counts most – in yield potential. Visit agsolutions.ca/horticulture to discover more.

Always read and follow label directions.

AgSolutions and MERIVON are registered trade-marks of BASF, used under license by BASF Canada Inc. © 2021 BASF Canada Inc.

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Nominations Open for the Canadian Wine Industry Awards Wine Growers Canada, the national association representing the Canadian wine industry, has officially opened the Canadian Wine Industry Awards 2021 for nominations until Feb. 26, in three categories.

• The Award of Distinction for an individual who owns, manages or is employed within the Canadian winery, and has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to the advancement of the Canadian wine industry.

• The Wine Industry Champion Award for an individual who has provided exemplary support for the Canadian wine industry through media, research, policy and regulation, education or advocacy.

• The Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award for a winemaker in a Canadian grape winery and who has exemplified leadership in winemaking excellence.

“It’s so important to honor and celebrate our industry greats, whose contributions have, and continue to, see the Canadian

wine industry excel,” said CEO Dan Paszkowski. “This past year has not been without its challenges for our wineries, but as well as supporting our wineries navigate and overcome some of these challenges, it’s critical to celebrate our successes and our champions.”

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Always read and follow label directions.

AgSolutions, CEVYA and REVYSOL are registered trade-marks of BASF; all used under license by BASF Canada Inc. CEVYA fungicide should be used in a preventative disease control program. © 2021 BASF Canada Inc.

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Private Members Bill Tabled to Allow Consumers to Buy, Ship & Sip Central Okanagan – Similkameen – Nicola MP Dan Albas is once again pushing to lower the barriers to cross-country liquor shipments.

Albas has drafted legislation that offers a workaround to interprovincial trade barriers and has tabled a private member's bill that would allow Canada Post to offer direct-to-consumer sales of out-ofprovince beer, wine and hard liquor from coast to coast to coast.

“Small-scale Canadian vintners, distillers and craft brewers should not be shut out of major provincial liquor monopolies because of their size. These small businesses deserve direct access to Canadian

consumers via Canada Post,” said Albas.

“This Bill is a simple but important solution that provides an economic opportunity to increase revenues while increasing choice for consumers. It is a win-win scenario.”

Albas calls the plan, "buy, ship and sip," and says the legislation would bypass provincial restrictions and offer beer buffs and wine connoisseurs more choice and unlock new markets for producers, particularly smaller operations.

The BC parliamentarian says provinciallyowned alcohol distributors such as Ontario's LCBO choke off variety, leaving Canadians with more access to U.S. and

European products than to those bottled in their own backyards.

BC Agriculture Sector as an Economic Stabilizer After Covid-19 A study released late in 2020 under the Cultivating Prosperity in BC Project found the agriculture sector will be a critical component in helping the Province of BC recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study was launched last March by the BC Agriculture Council and Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAF), with the help of financial analysts from MNP LLP. The purpose of the study was to assess agriculture’s current and potential contributions to the many challenges facing our society and provide baseline data and qualitative information to help guide future consultations with industry stakeholders for the identification and development of a long-term vision.

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14 Pre Spring 2021

The next phase of the project, starting this year, will include further engagement with industry and government as the sector’s vision begins to take shape.

“I believe that this report is an important step in developing an overall vision and strategy for the agriculture, seafood and processing sectors in BC,” says James Donaldson, CEO of BC Food and Beverage.

“Ensuring our industries long-term competitiveness – both domestically and globally – is critical.”

The report found that agriculture provides a stable economic backbone because food production is a necessity no matter what happens to the economy.

 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Brock’s CCOVI Launches First-of-its-kind Winemaking Course of all experience levels and educational backgrounds. It is open to everyone, from those with a general interest in how wine is made, to home winemakers and entry-level or non-production members of the grape and wine industry looking for a solid foundation in winemaking.

Wine enthusiasts can look forward to a fascinating new learning opportunity from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI).

Adding to its slate of successful online continuing education courses, the institute is launching the new ‘Foundations in Winemaking’ course in April.

“We’re excited that this will be a first of its kind and CCOVI has the expertise to lead the way,” says Outreach and Continuing Education manager Barb Tatamic.

It is the first standalone course from an accredited institution that will offer a foundation in winemaking to people

OkanaganFarms.com

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OYAMA 10 Acres! High density Honeycrisp & Ambrosia apples + adjacent 3 acre Gala lease. Sought after location at north end of Middle Bench.

Lake views & short walk to Wood Lake beach, boat launch, rail trail & General Store. 2 solid shops – 1 w/ multiple bays & power, both w/ concrete foundations.

MLS® $1,698,000

YOUR FARM LISTING

We have sold almost all of our farm listings!

Inventory is low and demand is high. Farms throughout the Okanagan Valley have climbed to record high prices. If you’re considering selling there has never been a better time!

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LAKE COUNTRY 10.75 acres prime agricultural land set up for horses, but also perfect for growers, in a sought-after location for tree fruits! 3700 sf home, 3 bedroom mobile home and dream shop.

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NORTH GLENMORE 12 acres with high visual exposure on Glenmore Rd & wide frontage on Scenic Rd. ALR, Zoned A1 but adjacent to multifamily residential.

Central location. View. Just minutes to airport, UBC-O, shopping and restaurants. In one of Kelowna’s most scenic corridors. MLS® $1,750,000

SOUTH EAST KELOWNA 22.9 acre prime agricultural legacy property in an exceptional SE Kelowna location. Spectacular views of Okanagan Lake, mountains and city. Ideally suited for a winery or vineyard or estate (previously planted to vines). Offers multiple building sites. MLS® $3,895,000

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9.25 acre modern apple orchard. Wellmaintained, freshly reno’d 2 suite home, affordable taxes, desirable location. Close to beaches, parks, rail trail, elementary school & corner store. 20 min from Airport & UBC-O. MLS® $1,650,000

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NORTH GLENMORE Glenmore Shangri-La! Tommie Award winning walk-out rancher home with salt water pool, hot tub, cabana, putting green and detached shop/ studio, all on nearly 7 peaceful acres.

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 PRE SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Supporting Better Fruit for the Future

By Ronda Payne After two years of implementing the BC Tree Fruit Competitiveness Program, Glen Lucas, general manager of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA), says that experience has given way to a new scope for the program which was updated on November 4, 2020.

In the early stages, the program focused on projects supporting new varieties, research and education into modern orchards.

It’s essentially a companion to the replant program. Funding from the province is administered jointly by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC and BCFGA for individual projects.

Lucas says the revisions to the program reflect the changes in the industry since the province first began funding it.

Improving fruit storage and expanding horticultural knowledge are also included as key objectives in the revised program.

“Working towards a reduced pesticide brand and finally to support packinghouse infrastructure are areas that the program seeks to support,” Lucas explains. “Now we’re allowing equipment for smaller projects, where previously there was no funding for equipment. It does have to be related to demonstration and innovative projects for equipment, but there’s certainly an allowance to have a pilot project to have something new.”

Equipment is a cost-sharing fund arrangement, so applicants could receive up to $50,000 for a project of a maximum of $100,000.

Other project values vary depending upon their structure and benefits to growers.

“It’s hard to compare an improved insect control project with an improved storage project,” Lucas says. “What will vary is the percentage of contribution to the project depending on how generic the project benefit is.”

As Lucas explains, the broader value the project has to all growers

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Photo by Gary Symons

“We are emphasizing that understanding export markets and understanding key markets in Western Canada is important to the future success of the industry,” he says. “Strengthening the competitive advantage through quality tree fruit production is a key and that can include extension and education for growers.”

BC Tree Fruit Competitiveness Program's biggest project provides 50% of the costs of purchasing orchard tarps that reflect light.

and/or packers, the more likelihood there is of higher funding.

“Probably, the biggest thing that the committee looks at in grant funding is, ‘is the project transformational?’,” he says.

“Does it change the way we do business?”

Lucas gives an example of a project that looked at immature cherries (fruitlets) being sampled and assessed for nutrient composition to determine storage qualities. This could lead to better storage or better storage practices for all growers, and so it was funded.

“We’ve never done this research for cherries. That’s now being investigated,” he explains. “We saw how it transformed apple storage.”

Another study by Okanagan College looked at tech readiness of growers and their ability to adopt new technologies around things like electronic spray records and the use of cell phones, computers or tablets.

program provides 50 per cent of the cost of purchasing these tarps and it’s a four-year program,” he says. “There’s $700,000 of grants that we can give out. There would be about $1.4 million tarps purchased. If fully subscribed, that would really transform the way we do business.”

“What we found was that we’ve got a lot of homework to do there in terms of increasing growers’ Information Technology (IT) skills in order to adopt new practices and equipment,” Lucas said.

Another aspect of the same project was looking at mapping IT usage by organizations and how to simplify processes. Lucas uses the example of an address change and says right now, it requires each organization to make a manual change to the address.

There is about $2.5 million in funding still available in the fund and it’s expected to be fully spent by March 31, 2023, as long as projects that make sense continue to come in. Lucas says BCFGA is hoping to extend that date for projects that may go beyond 2022 so that new multi-year projects can continue to be considered.

“And you just ask, is there a better way of doing this? And that’s a really simple example,” he says. Overall, the amount of data in the sector is very much more complex than a simple address, but often the information is ‘stranded’ and not providing the value that it should be.

All tree fruit projects are eligible and he notes that BCFGA is available to help with applications to ensure they are a fit before they are completed. More information is available at bcfga.com under Members Services.

Orchard tarps that reflect light into apple trees to improve colour was another example of a project that earned funding.

Note: At press time the project has been suspended but projects received before December 16, 2020 will proceed.

“It’s actually our biggest project right now,” Lucas said. “The

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Wine Packaging, Bottles & Closures from Interior Beverages An Okanagan company has teamed up with an American bottle supplier to service the local wine and cider industry. “Saxco International is an industry leader for rigid packaging in the US,” says Ken Millen, GM of Kelownabased Interior Beverages. “As their BC agent, we are able to provide a full range of bottles and packaging supplies for wineries and cideries.”

Although they have had enquiries from large wineries like Quail’s Gate, Millen describes their target customer as the boutique to mid-size winery.

“We are talking about the outfit that may be only producing 3000 cases a year,” he says. “They are not buying a trailer load of bot-

tles or corks and they might only have storage space for a couple of pallets.”

Millen says they have settled on Burgundy and Bordeaux style bottles. “Those are the most common and soughtafter bottles for wineries in BC,” he notes. “We also carry a full range of corks, screw caps, and closures.”

Interior Beverages has 14,000 square feet of warehouse space and are continuously stocking bottling supplies.

“We are prepared for large or small orders,” says Millen. “If you run out something in the middle of your bottling run, you can hop in your pickup and come and get it, or we provide weekly deliveries with our trucks.”

Sales manager Dave Simpson at the Interior Beverages' 14,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Kelowna.

With over 800 clients in the hospitality and beverage industry across the interior, you will be dealing with a company with a 30-year track record of service. “Service is what we do,” says Millen, explaining that the company started out supplying and servicing beer

and other beverage equipment, and now install fresh tap wine systems throughout the valley, as well as brewery and cidery tasting room hookups. “Our goal is to support the local and smaller winery by always having bottling products they can use.”

Weekly deliveries throughout the Okanagan.

Providing Packaging, Bottling, Corks, Screwcaps, Capsules & Closures for Wineries and U-Vins • Wine Bottles • Rigid Packaging • Amorim Neutrocork Corks • Aluminum Screwcaps

Proudly Locally Owned & Operated

• PolyLam Capsules

1989 Harvey Avenue Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6G5 info@interiorbeverages.com

• Closures

Toll Free: 1 (888) 703-6505 Local: 1 (250) 491-9266 www.interiorbeverages.com Pre Spring 2021

19

Sponsored Content

District Wine Village Creates Unique Experience With the opening of District Wine Village mere months away, Oliver is about to get a big tourism boost! In summer of 2021, visitors to the Village will get to experience offerings from Winemaker’s Cut, One Faith Vineyards, Vintners Cove Winery, Gneiss Winery, Wapiti Cellars and Trading Post Brewing.

Photos contributed

The first village of its kind in Canada, District Wine Village will bring craft wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries together with an amazing eatery and event space. “We are so excited to start welcoming guests to the Village this summer,” remarks District Wine Village Director of Operations Michael Daley.

“We like to think of it as Disneyland for

Trading Post Brewing offers an onsite brewing and tasting room, and runs the onsite eatery as well.

adults with a truly one-of-a-kind experience that will keep people coming back again and again.”

One of the first partners to sign-on was Langley-based Trading Post Brewing, who will not only be operating an onsite brewing and tasting room, but also the onsite eatery. “We love the idea of bringing people together over food and drink,” says brewery Co-Founder Lance Verhoeff. “The concept of the District Wine Village really resonated with us and our desire to create a unique experience that brings the community together and complements the variety of wineries in the area.”

Visitors to the brewery will get to enjoy their delicious range of beers including Helles Lager, SMASH Saison, Amber Ale and Best Coast IPA, as well as local comfort food classics at the eatery. Down the line, Brewmaster Tony DeWald is also excited to create some amazing beer/wine hybrid brews with some of the amazing wineries at District Wine Village!

For more information about Trading Post Brewing, visit TradingPostBrewing.com and to learn how you can start building your dream brand at District Wine Village, visit DistrictWineVillage.com.

Build the brand of your dreams at Canada’s first wine village • Limited spaces available • Opportunities for craft wine, cider, beer and spirit producers • Turnkey production facility with built-in tasting room • Low capital outlay • Access to shared crush pad & production resources • Co-operative marketing and PR DISTRICTWINEVILLAGE.COM

20 Pre Spring 2021

Call 250.809.1869 or email mdaley@greyback.com to discuss lease rates and start creating your story!

The Wrong Texture Can Upset The Whole Apple Cart

By Ronda Payne

Tribology is able to define more consumer preferences in apple textures than current technologies.

With thousands of varieties in the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre’s apple program, identifying the right fruits to move forward can take time; too much time and too much human involvement. Between 150 and 200 varieties are tested each year in Vineland’s Sensory & Consumer Services lab, but that’s a lot of bites for humans to take, chew and assess for texture.

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Texture is somewhat of a holy grail in eating apples. According to Alexandra Grygorczyk, research scientist with Vineland, consumers want crisp and juicy apples. Mealiness is definitely undesirable.

“Apple texture is one of the major decision factors behind our breeding program,” she says. “Mealiness is a combination of things. Because it’s this complex attribute, it’s harder to identify. A lot of the elements that are creating mealiness are also common to friction.”

Up until 2021 a combination of a penetrometer and human sampling has been used to assess texture in apples, but through work with the University of Idaho, University of California Merced and University of Guelph, tribology – the principles of friction, lubrication and wear – is being used for the first time to determine hard food texture and specifically mealiness. Method testing in apples using tribology has been ongoing since 2018 and in 2021 with Lisa Duizer from University of Guelph and masters student Min Sung Kim.

A widely available attachment and relatively inexpensive modifications to a penetrometer makes all the difference, says Grygorczyk. The tribology equipment can measure crispness better than the penetrometer while also delivering results on mealiness and juiciness, which the penetrometer can’t reliably predict.

This will essentially allow researchers to “kick out” apple varieties that don’t meet the levels of consumer preferences.

Photo by Raquels Franca | dreamstime.com

“For the most part, it works really well,”

Photo contributed

“We’ll use this instrument to test [the apples] and then bring maybe 30 of them to people for testing,” she explains. “It’s a much more manageable number.”

Alexandra Grygorczyk, a research scientist with Vineland.

says Grygorczyk. “We’ve developed the method of how to screen apples… how that predicts juiciness, mealiness and crispness. It’s been done on foods like yogurts, custards, wines. This is the first time it’s been done on solid food.”

ing that other people in the apple world will pick up the method themselves. If you already have a texture analyzer, it’s just adapting existing equipment. Buy the attachment and make some small modifications.”

By using consumer preference mapping data, data points from apples that have been measured with tribology allow researchers to rank the fruit for commercial viability. One variety can be tested in about 10 minutes and Grygorczyk sees the ability for growers to send their apples in to Vineland for testing against consumer preference points.

Human testing will still play a part in the leading 30 or so varieties determined by tribology, but as Grygorczyk explains, having a technological solution that reduces numbers of apples in the process will increase efficiency. It reduces the length of time as well as the volume of fruit required.

“We’re also looking at trying it in other crops as well,” she says. “But we’re hop22 Pre Spring 2021

“You just cut the apple, take a piece off the end and stick [the apple] on the analyzer,” she summarizes. ■

Photo by the Government of BC

New Year Interview with BC’s Minister of Agriculture

Minister Lana Popham announced a new online resource in 2020 that will make it easier to learn about jobs and careers in agriculture.

By Tom Walker Every fall Orchard and Vine speaks with the BC Agriculture Minister to recap how the year has gone for the industry in BC, but with the election this year we were unable to connect with Minister Lana Popham until just before Christmas. In this interview, Popham talks about some of her work during the year and some things to look forward to in her expanded role as Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries.

O&V: “How has this year been for fruit growers, given we had frost, rain, hail, freeze and COVID-19?”

Minister Popham: “It has been relentless, growers have been hit with everything. For the apple growers in particular, if the weather had

been perfect, and we hadn’t been hit with a pandemic and we weren’t having a bunch of cheap Washington apples in our stores, then maybe there could have been some improvements.”

O&V: “BC Tree Fruits Co-op is working on an extensive restructuring plan. Do you see any role for the Ministry in supporting this key business in the tree fruit industry, as they strive to improve fruit quality and the health of the business?”

Minister Popham: “Yes. The Co-op is a corner stone of the tree fruit business in BC and it has been struggling. We have been working since the summer to address some of the issues that were brought up in the governance study and I feel like there is some hope there. Sometimes change is really tough,

but we are almost at the point where there is no choice so we are going to be putting forward suggestions of how we would like to see things change and how we will go about supporting those changes. It is going to be a different approach, very hands on. These are not easy times for change because in some ways people are just hanging on to what they have got. But I think in many ways change is going to be welcome for growers.

“Consumers are more in tune with the food system now, which is great. Consumers got a big scare this year when they went to go buy things and the shelves were bare, so I will continue to push hard on producers to develop their domestic markets as well as trying to recover some of the international market.

But I don’t have to try and convince anyone anymore because people were there.

I sometimes feel a little bit of a broken record when I am talking to producers about the domestic market, but I don’t Pre Spring 2021

23

It comes down to, do you want an apple industry or not?

And when it comes down to being that harsh, I am pretty sure most people in British Columbia will cheer BC apples.

Lana Popham

O&V “When I talk with producers, some of them ask why we just can’t make it a law to sell only BC fruit in BC?”

Minister Popham

Photo by Dreamstime.com

“We can’t make it a law to just buy BC because of trade agreements, so unfortunately Washington apples are always going to be there. Even with our Buy BC program, it is well thought out, so we are not stepping on trade issues. We have retailers who are embracing the buy BC program and using that logo in-store, but it is important to make sure consumers are asking for our apples in their retail stores. I am looking forward to talking with our BC apple sector about how we make consumers understand the importance of that choice. It comes down to, do you want an apple industry or not?

And when it comes down to being that

Harvesting blueberries in the Fraser Valley.

24 Pre Spring 2021

harsh, I am pretty sure most people in British Columbia will cheer BC apples.

“But we can’t depend on retail sales completely, so moving food through the hospital system is one way to bring more stability. The apple industry hasn’t embraced that idea yet, so that is another way that we need to work with them more. They do say that the unprocessed fresh apple is the best way to make money, but honestly, the hospital system uses a lot of apple sauce and some sales is better than no sales. We have to figure how to bring some stability there and if it is going to have to be with value added products, then that is what is going to have to be.”

O&V “This is the last year of the tree fruit replant program. How successful do you believe it has been?”

Minister Popham “There have been millions of dollars invested in replant and I think it has been a success and we support that fully. But

Photo by the Government of BC

think I’m going to have to play that song anymore. I think we are all on the same page.”

within the reviews we are doing, we are going to be talking about the replant program to see if it is getting the biggest bang for its buck. We support replant. In fact we support it so much that we have initiated a new replant program for raspberries.”

O&V “Tell me more about the investment in raspberry replant.”

Minister Popham “The raspberry industry finds itself with the same pressures as other fruit adapting to the way consumers shop. Having the right varieties for the fresh market that will stay on the shelves a little longer, or ones that will freeze better are important. The industry just hasn’t had the support that they needed to make those changes.

“We put forward $90,000 this year which will include some money for a study to figure out what they need, but also try out an initial replant to see how it is going to work. Sometimes industry doesn’t necessarily need tons and tons of money, they just need some support along the way so they can get to the next level and that is what I see the raspberry support as being. It is not a massive amount of money, but it is the beginning of a program which I think is necessary to save the industry or else we won’t have a raspberry industry.”

Photo by Dreamstime.com

A group of farm workers picking vegetable crops near Chilliwack.

O&V “You were able to offer support for SAWP workers coming into the province this year. What success did you see with that support? Any plans for expansion?”

Minister Popham “We led the country with our plan to quarantine workers and I am really glad we were able to make that decision quickly. We do get workers earlier than other provinces, so we had a little bit of a heads up on what was happening. We could not have had a successful agriculture season without it.

“We are ready to continue doing it. We have the hotels secured again for workers who will be arriving in January. Making sure their stay is comfortable in those two weeks of quarantine is really important. We have tweaked the program a little bit to make sure that people arriving have more information and the way workers and farms are able to communicate together and with us, is going to be excellent.

“The pandemic has shone a big light on the life of temporary foreign workers, and we have seen right across the country that housing is an issue. I have been working hard with the Mexican consulate on this.

key words of the day for the Premier. I think the change in my title says it all, Agriculture Food and Fisheries. We have now acknowledged how important food processing and fisheries are to the portfolio.

“There are amazing farms that have excellent accommodation and generally they do, but when it is bad, it is bad. You can wag fingers at the farms that don’t have good housing but really that doesn’t fix the problem. We need to figure out how do we get the resources where they are needed to look after the workers in the way they need to be looked after.

We shouldn’t expect people to live in housing that we would not live in ourselves. That is the bottom line.”

“One of the coolest things is plans to set up a regenerative agriculture network.

Regenerative agriculture is of course one of the oldest ways of doing agriculture, but now it is also cutting edge, because it has the ability to address climate change.

Agriculture so often gets fingers pointed at it for being a culprit in emissions and this is going to help agriculture have a tool to fight climate change, because a regenerative agriculture network will involve looking at ways we can sequester carbon on farmland.

O&V “Are there any other initiatives you see coming out of your new mandate letter?”

Minister Popham “Well, it is a renewed mandate, so I am carrying on. But the profile is a bit higher because resilience and self-sufficiency are

“People think, well, that is just an organic growers’ approach, but actually for conventional growers there is an umbrella that they can get under too. It involves all types of agriculture. And that way we can use Agri-tech which is heavy in my mandate for testing and using technology to come up with ways to become more efficient.” ■

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25

The Tractor Survey – Orchard & Vine Readers Talk How many acres do you farm 34% 10 ACRES + UNDER

29% 11-25

24% 26-99 ACRES

13% 100+ ACRES

22% Need to purchase another tractor

1-2

3-4

5-9

10+

50%

24%

11%

16%

How many tractors do you operate?

USE APPS 15%

Photo by Halfpoint Shutterstock.com

DON'T USE APPS 85%

Do you use any software or apps that help you work with your tractor? Like Weather apps, GPS, precision mapping software.

26 Pre Spring 2021

Tractors How much research do you do before buying a tractor?

BOTH 32%

NEW 53%

USED

51% COMPARE MODELS, BRANDS & PRICE

16%

Do you prefer to buy a new or used tractor?

NEW OR USED? " Both as long as it does the job and is affordable"

45% CONSULT A SALES REP

40% TALK TO FRIENDS & FAMILY

63%

" New for the types that are not usually available used and get a lot of hours every year."

Photo by Pawel Brzozowski Shutterstock.com

"Prefer new with warranty" " Not buying someone elses mistakes I am concerned about history of use" " Always used the same brand. No need to research. Don’t fix what isn’t broken."

"P refer new but if I can find a used with low hours I will go with used."

"D epending what is available, or what looking for."

Plan to buy a new implement or machinery 35% SPRAYER

32% DELEAFER UNDER ROW MOWER

29% SPREADER Other implements on the wish list

Photo by www.ferrariagri.it

• Bin Trailer • Bucket • Compost spreader • Grape Hoe • Grapple • Hedgerow trimmer for summer pruning • In line cultivator • Leaf remover • Mower • Mulcher • Multi use tool bar over the row • Picking Machine • Plough • Pre-pruner • Pruning Sweeper • PTO driven snow blower • Shredder • Vineyard mower • Weed Cultivator

Pre Spring 2021

27

Photo by Aleksandar Malivuk Shutterstock.com

The Tractor Survey Orchard & Vine Readers Talk Tractors What are your goals for 2021?

The goal is to attempt to get through the covid scene with my employees.

To be able to open the tasting room more often‌

Planting a couple acres of syrah. Replacing old vines of a different varietal.

New irrigation system for the same site as well.

Removing an older cherry block and replanting.

Take out orchard apples.

Photo by www.kubota.ca

Install drip line one block.

Plant a bit more ground crop.

SAWP from Mexico to begin early enough for pruning.

Replant one block.

Planting pears.

Farming with no herbicides.

Two acres of pinot gris going in this year. Otherwise just hoping our foreign workers arrive.

More cover crops, soil improvement and less spraying.

Waiting for the bubble to burst on land prices before I buy more land.

Survival, new planting.

Photo by www.ferrariagri.it

Keep excelling at what we do!

Make some money.

Retire.

New planting, streamline operations, grow our sales and hire key staff.

28 Pre Spring 2021

The Robots Coming to a Farm Near You

By Gary Symons

But Case was hardly alone in this new area of research and development. Companies large and small are developing new technologies for precision farming that bring AI-powered robotics and advanced sensor technology onto the farm.

In fact, while the topic of autonomous passenger vehicles gets more press, it’s the agriculture industry that is leading the way in development of autonomous or intelligent devices like tractors, intelligent sprayers, precision picking and seeding devices, and drones that can survey or even target spray the fields.

There are powerful reasons for this research, which is driven by an agricultural dilemma. With the world’s population soaring to an estimated 10 billion people by 2050, farmers must produce 50 per cent more food while greatly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and their use of herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides.

According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), farming and forestry is the single greatest driver of global warming, other than the pro-

Photo by www.kubota.com

Three years ago, in February of 2018, we took our first deep dive into the world of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture.

At the time, Case had come out with its Autonomous Concept Vehicle in 2017, a tractor with no cab because it had no driver. The concept vehicle ran by itself using a combination of AI and sensors like cameras, LIDAR, and GPS.

The X Tractor by Kubota can sense everything from the weather to the terrain to the growth rate of plants.

duction of energy itself. IPCC scientists concluded that land use for farming and forestry produces almost a quarter (24 per cent) of all the human-caused greenhouse gases, measured as CO2 equivalents (CO2-e).

Agriculture is also the largest producer of the most dangerous greenhouse gases like methane (30X worse than CO2 per tonne) and nitrous oxide from fertilizers (300X worse than CO2 per tonne).

Increased use of fertilizers have also increased the issues with deadly algae blooms due to phosphorous runoff, not to mention the environmental issues caused by herbicides and pesticides.

Photo by www.bluerivertechnology.com

Increasing production without greatly increasing efficiency and lowering the use of these agricultural inputs would, according to climatologists and ecologists, result in an unprecedented environmental disaster that could even threaten life on earth. The goal today is to double food production without clearing more land, and while reaching carbon neutrality.

Blue River combines computer vision and sophisticated machine learning algorithms to spray selectively.

With so much at stake, agricultural technology companies are pulling out all the stops in a bid to massively increase efficiency and productivity, and lower the use of agricultural inputs.

Orchard and Vine has already covered

many of these innovations over the years. A good example would be the fully automated, robotic weeding machine developed by Eleos Robotics in BC. The purpose of Eleos is to largely eliminate spraying of herbicides by automating the pulling of weeds, using a tireless robotic assistant that also lowers costs for the farmer.

Eleos is among a growing number of companies developing completely autonomous tractors or devices that can act with greater precision than human labour. In fact, a sprawling report by Research and Markets predicts the market for farm tractors will more than double - from less than $30 billion today to $60.7 billion by 2025 - as the “autonomous farm tractor becomes an essential constituent of precision agriculture.”

Every large tractor company in the world is investing in this sector. Research and Markets lists two dozen companies making big strides in this area of research, including John Deere, Mahindra, Kubota, and Case, among others.

John Deere, for example, paid $305 million to buy Blue River Technology three years ago to enhance its R&D into autonomous vehicles and precision farming. Blue River had previously raised $31 Pre Spring 2021

29

million in venture funding, and subsequently developed precision farming technology that the company claimed could reduce the volume of chemicals used on the farm by up to 90 per cent.

Blue River’s tech includes “integrated computer vision” matched with AI that can see and identify weeds among the crops, and precisely target herbicides to the affected area, largely eliminating widespread spraying.

Other companies, like tech giant Bosch, have also released systems that autonomously identify weeds, and precisely target spray to the infestation.

In January, 2020, Kubota unveiled a stunning new autonomous tractor with a decidedly Robocop vibe, powered by solar-generated electricity and boasting advanced artificial intelligence.

Called the X Tractor, the machine can sense everything from the weather to the terrain to the growth rate of plants, taking in the data needed to precisely apply fertilizer or pesticides, to quickly and precisely seed the fields, or to harvest crops.

The X Tractor runs on four sets of tracks, and can raise or lower its chassis to better accomplish the task at hand, or turn in a tight circle like a tank.

Designed to operate even in rice paddies, the X Tractor is able to drive autonomously over the most difficult terrain with no human intervention.

But it’s not just tractors that are seeing revolutionary change. The war on agricultural waste has also launched an air campaign, as dozens of companies have produced intelligent drones that accomplish a wide variety of tasks.

Most farmers by now are familiar with drones that take multispectral images that help identify differences between healthy and distressed plants. There are two main types of drones in use today.

The first are the fixed wing craft that can cover large areas very quickly, but lack as much detail in their images, and the second being the multi-rotor drones that don’t cover as much ground, but provide much more precise and detailed imagery.

30 Pre Spring 2021

www.deere.co.uk

“These [sprayers] are better equipped for individual [weed] variants that we see on farms every single day,” said Lee Redden, co-founder and chief technology officer of Blue River. “It allows you to decrease the amount of herbicide you’re applying.”

John Deere’s new autonomous tractor concept has a very compact electric drive unit.

Drones, some of them autonomous, are now taking over the jobs of more expensive crop sprayers, and have been doing so since 2015 when the Federal Aviation Authority in the US approved the Yamaha RMAX as the first drone over 55 pounds (25kg) to be able to carry tanks filled with fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals.

to find affordable, trained farm workers, and Canada brings in thousands of seasonal workers every year to fill the gap.

From 1950 to 2010, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), agricultural labourers as a percentage of the workforce declined from 81% to 48.2% in developing countries, and from 35% to 4.2% in developed ones.

One 2019 study in Brazil showed the benefits of precision drone spraying when farmers used a senseFly eBee X drone combined with xarvio Field Manager software to detect and then eradicate weed infestations. The study found that the farmers used 52 per cent less herbicides, but those results are expected to improve as companies like senseFly or Skyx improve their technology in coming years.

Autonomous robots working tirelessly in the fields are now capable of doing most of the onerous, repetitive work, and it is almost certain that they will not only ease the labour shortage, but also take jobs away from human workers.

Another innovative company, FlashForest in Canada, has taken drone technology a giant step further, creating a system to plant tree seedlings for forestry companies using large rotary drones. The drones essentially fires specially created seed pods into the earth, using a combination of its seed-pod technology, aerial mapping software, and AI automation.

While the technology is currently only being used in forestry, it’s not hard to see the potential for rapid, mass seeding on the farm as well.

This revolution in autonomous farming also impacts another major farm input; namely, labour. In many modern, industrialized countries it can be very difficult

In France, it was the chronic shortage of farm labour that led Christophe Millot to develop a vine-pruning robot called Wall-Ye. The tiny robot is fast and accurate, making a cut every five seconds on average, working 10 to 12 hours on a single charge, and able to work day and night.

The fascinating question is just how far the technology can go. Just 10 years ago all of the technologies described here were the stuff of science fiction, and most of them have achieved some sort of commercial viability in only the past six years.

But as investment in climate friendly technologies increases, and the demand for clean, sustainable food rises, it’s not difficult to imagine that over the next decade the sight of ‘robot farmers’ will become increasingly common. ■

Photo by Dreamstime.com

ORCHARD & VINEYARD TRACTORS SPECS FOR 2021 TRACTOR

SPECS

2021

Manufacturer

Antonio Carraro

Antonio Carraro

Deutz Fahr

Ferrari

Model

SN5800V

Mach 4

5080DS

Cobram 65AR

Engine Hp

50 Hp

75 Hp

75 Hp

56 Hp

PTO Hp

540rpm

540/540E rpm

49 Hp

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

40 litres

50 litres

14 gallons

24 L 6.3 gallons

Transmission

12x12 Synchronized Reverser

16+16 Synchronized Reverser

30+15 or 45+45

F/R synchro-shuttle

Steering

Hydraulic Steering with 2 Pistons Hydraulic Power Hydrostatic

DualSteer

Brakes

Hydraulic rear oil bath

Hydr Brakes in oil bath

4 wheel Brake Disc

Wet Disc

Wheelbase

1530 mm / 60.2"

59.2"

80"

38"

Minimum Width

98cm / 39"

51.5"

49"

46"

Weight

1600 Kgs. / 3527 lbs.

3200 Kgs/7054 lbs.

5926-6657 lbs.

3748 lbs.

Driving Wheels

4 x 4

Tracks

4WD

4WD

Website

www.antoniocarraro.it/en/ www.antoniocarraro.it/en/ www.deutz-fahr.com

ferraritractor.com

Pre Spring 2021

31

TRACTOR

SPECS

2021

Manufacturer

John Deere

John Deere

Kioti

Model 5GN 5GV CX2510 Engine Hp

75,90,100 Hp 75,90 Hp

24.5 Hp

PTO Hp

70-95 Hp

70-85 Hp

19.3 Hp

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

19.3-22.7 gal.

19.3-22.7 gal.

6.6 gal.

Transmission

24F/12R PowrReverser 24F/12R PowrReverser

Manual/Hydrostatic

Steering

Hydrostatic

Hydrostatic

Power Steering

Brakes

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wheelbase 82.6"

82.6”

59.8"

Minimum Width

49.5”"

39"

49.4"

Weight

5567-6559 lbs.

5379-6052 lbs.

2260 lbs.

2WD or MFWD

4WD

Driving Wheels MFWD Website

johndeere.ca johndeere.ca www.kioti.com

Millcreek Row Mulchers

5GV SERIES 5075GV | 5090GV

• Eight sizes from 2.1-10.8 cu.yds • Single or twin row side delivery • Tractor hydaulic or PTO driven models • Machine Widths down to 48”

· Heavy Duty Weight · Industry Leading Hydraulic Flow · Premium Cab · 24 Speed with Creeper · Lots of Options to Meet Your Particular Needs Get Social

/PCEQUIP/

@PCEQUIP

@PRAIRIECOASTEQP PRAIRIECOASTEQUIPMENT.COM

Kamloops Kelowna Prince George Chilliwack Langley Nanaimo 250-573-4412 250-765-9765 250-561-4260 604-792-1516 604-530-4644 778-441-3210

32 Pre Spring 2021

69 years in business ~ 1952-2021 Rob Snyder Eastern Farm Machinery Ltd. RR3, 10 Nicholas Beaver Rd. Puslinch,ON., Canada, N0B 2J0 Phone 519.763.2400

www.easternfarmmachinery.com

TRACTOR

SPECS

2021

Manufacturer Kubota

Kubota

Kubota

Kubota

Model

LX3310 Cab or Rops

MX5400 Rops or Cab

M4N-071 Cab or Rops

M5N-091 or -111 Cab or Rops

Engine Hp

30.8 Hp

57 Hp

72.6 Hp

95/108 Hp

PTO Hp

27 Hp

46.5 Hp

61 Hp

78/91 Hp

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

8.4 gallons

13.5 gallons

20.1 gallons

20.1 gallons

Transmission

Hydrostatic

HST or Gear

Electro-Hydraulic Shuttle 12X12

Electro-Hydraulic Shuttle 12X12

Steering Power Hydrostatic Power

Hydrostatic Power

Hydrostatic Power

Brakes

Wet Disc

Mechanical Wet Disc

Hydraulic Wet Disc

Hydraulic Wet Disc

Wheelbase

65.5"

74.6"

83.9"

Power Crawler Optional

Minimum Width

53.7"

69.7"

48"

48"

Weight

2557 lbs.

3474/3716 lbs.

5291 lbs. (cab)

5622 lbs (cab)

Driving Wheels

Ag

4WD (2 wd Rops only)

4WD

4WD

Website

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TRACTOR

SPECS

2021

Manufacturer

Mahindra

Mahindra

Massey Ferguson

Model

1640HST Cab

2545 Shuttle Cab

1735M

Engine Hp

38.7 Hp

44 Hp

36.2 Hp

PTO Hp

27.7 Hp

28 Hp

26.4 Hp

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

29 L 7.66 gal.

9 gal.

10.6 gal.

Transmission

HST

Sync, Shuttle W/Part Synchro

12 Speed Shuttle Hydrostatic

Steering Hydrostatic

Hydrostatic/Tiltable

Power

Brakes

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wheelbase 76.9"

69.7"

Minimum Width

52"

Weight

1645 kg 3627 lbs.

3781 lbs.

3781 lbs.

Driving Wheels

4x4

4WD ag

4WD ag

Website

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TRACTOR

SPECS

2021

Manufacturer

Massey Ferguson

New Holland

New Holland

Model

MF1825E

T4F

T3.80F

Engine Hp

24 Hp

74/106 Hp 74hp

PTO Hp

20.4 Hp

65/93 Hp

Fuel Tank (imp. gal.)

10 gal.

25 gal.

Transmission

8 Speed Shuttle Hydrostatic

16 X 16

12x12 mechanical shuttle

Steering

Power

Supersteer FWD Axle

Supersteer FWD Axle

Brakes

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

Wet Disc

96”

73"

6243/6614 lbs.

5,000 lbs

Driving Wheels

4WD ag 2WD/4WD Ag or Industrial

2WD/4WD Ag or Industrial

Website

www.newholland.com

www.newholland.com

Wheelbase 52.4" Minimum Width

61.7”

Weight

2668 lbs.

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60 Hp

DEFinately easier to own.

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New Holland Agriculture Celebrates 125 Years Of History New Holland Agriculture turns 125 years old this year, celebrating over a century of commitment towards five generations of farmers across the globe, making their lives easier and the agricultural business more efficient and sustainable.

“New Holland has a rich heritage started in a small town of Pennsylvania and has grown to be a global brand with presence across 170 countries,” said Carlo Lambro, Brand President of New Holland Agriculture. “It is a history marked by important innovations that have changed agriculture. It brings together the unique legacy of brands such as Ford, Fiat, Braud and Claeys. Most important of all, it is a history marked by people: our customers, our dealers, our employees, day after day, year after year. Together, we are facing the many challenges of agriculture, helping farmers get the job done, efficiently and profitably, and get the best from their business.”

New Holland is the farmer’s partner for every season – for good times and challenging times, Lambro says. “We are living in extraordinary circumstances that are changing how we live and work in ways we could never have imagined,” he added.

Photo by www.newholland.com

The values and vision of New Holland’s founders are the beating heart of the brand to this day, as it celebrates 125 years at the farmers’ side, providing the support they needed at all times, constantly investing and innovating so they would have the products, technologies and services to farm efficiently, sustainably and profitably.

“This situation has highlighted the vital role of agriculture and brought to the attention of the public how important farmers are in their life,” Lambro says. “Agriculture has reacted to the crisis with strength, successfully ensuring the food supply without disruption in the face of exceptional difficulties. And New Holland has remained at the farmers’ side throughout, providing the support they needed. We continue to invest in the future, and we will make the most of the possibilities of new technologies, connectivity, automation and alternative fuels – working together towards sustainable agriculture. As we celebrate our 125th anniversary, at this unprecedented moment in history, we look to the future with confidence.” ■

Kubota Announces New “Crossover” Compact Tractor Kubota Canada Ltd. unveiled its new LX Series this year, the latest addition to the company’s compact tractor line.

“We are very excited to launch the new LX Series in Canada.

This new series is the perfect fit in the compact utility tractor segment between our current B and L Series,’’ said Yannick Montagano, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Kubota Canada Ltd. “We are confident the all-new LX Series will meet the demands of residential property owners as well as commercial operators, in a wide range of applications from snow removal to landscaping.”

Kubota’s LX Series compact tractors are powered by world-renowned Kubota diesel engines ranging from 24.9 to 30.8 gross engine horsepower. The LX3310 model features a Kubota Common Rail System diesel engine that is engineered for the harsh Canadian climate conditions while providing better fuel economy, lower emissions as well as a high level of power, torque and performance.

36 Pre Spring 2021

Photo by www.kubota.ca

The LX Series offers three models including the affordable entry-level LX2610SU Open Station model and the well-equipped LX2610 and LX3310, both of which come with Open Station and Cab model options. Designed with both residential and commercial operators in mind, the LX Series has the versatility to tackle rural residential tasks while providing the power and comfort to handle commercial applications.

The LX Series provides great maneuverability in a compact size allowing you to operate the 60-inch or 72-inch mid-mount mower, yet it boasts the power and weight required to operate a front loader with a lift capacity of over 1,000 lbs.

The 3-Point Hitch offers superior lift capacity for a wide variety of performance-matched rear implements. The LX Series also features Goodyear® R14 crossover tires for a variety of snow, ice, turf or mud applications.

Both Open Station and Cab models feature cruise control, tilt steering and a new deluxe suspension seat. ■

John Deere Releases Operations Center Enhancements

Handlers Introduces Specialized Orchard and Vine Ferrari Tractors

Tractor giant John Deere is making big changes to its cloudbased Operations Center system, which sits at the heart of the company’s network of connected machines and devices.

To meet the constantly changing demands of the business of farming, John Deere says it has improved the look, feel and navigation features to bring new levels of clarity and organization to farm data management.

Photo by www.ferrariagri.it

Another improvement John Deere made to the Operations Center is the addition of the new Work Planner feature farmers can use to streamline their work setup experience and help operators start working more quickly in the field.

Going forward, farmers can use the Operations Center to collect and securely store their field, crop, and machine data from their connected machines for easy analysis and decision making. Since the system is cloud-based, it eliminates the need for transferring data via USB sticks.

In October, Handlers Equipment became the new exclusive importer and distributor of Ferrari Tractors in BC. With over 30 years in business, the family-owned, Abbotsfordbased Handlers Equipment serves customers throughout the Vancouver metropolitan area and in a large area of southern and western British Columbia.

"We know farmers are always on the move, which makes the mobile app version of Operations Center more important than ever," said Jennifer Badding, go-to-market manager–digital technology, with John Deere. "That's why John Deere has made improvements to both versions, web and mobile, to make them look and function in a similar manner, so farmers have clear and easy access to their data from any device."

Born in Italy during the post-war reconstruction, Ferrari Tractors have long been intertwined with the mechanical evolution of agriculture. In 1965 they launched their first articulated tractor to great success. In those early years, Ferrari already had a remarkably high technological orientation. Their product offerings have ranged from the first motor mowers, to the first agricultural machines for the transport of foodstuffs across very rough terrain.

To get the most from John Deere precision ag technologies, Badding said farmers need four things: a Generation 4 CommandCenter™ display, a StarFire™ receiver, a JDLink™ connection, and the Operations Center. "A Generation 4 display gives farmers control of machine functions with more precision, right from the cab, and the StarFire receiver ensures accurate positioning. JDLink serves as the wireless connection between their machines and streams data from the Generation 4 display to the Operations Center."

“Ferrari is pleased to add another highly experienced and successful dealership to our Canadian network,” said John Webb, regional account manager for BCS & Ferrari Sales, “Handlers Equipment has proven to be customer focused and adaptive to the ever-changing demands of the marketplace.”

Using the Operations Center's Work Planner feature, farmers can now define field specific work details such as variety, prescription, or guidance lines in advance to simplify the operator's job in the cab.

The Vega and Cobram Series Tractors have been designed for narrow rows, very tight turns with a low center-ofgravity for stability: row crops, vineyards, orchards, greenhouses and nursery gardens as well as the routine maintenance work, in both summer and winter, typically done by local municipalities.

The improved Operations Center is active online, the iOS version for Apple mobile products is available in the Apple App Store, and the Android version can be downloaded from Google Play. ■

Photo by www.johndeere.com

“Thanks to the isodiametric wheels, low center of gravity, rigid frame and front-wheel steering, the best qualities of Ferrari are their agility and maneuverability.” said Joel Venema, Agriculture Sales Manager at Handlers Equipment. “Ferrari has been a pioneer when it comes to technology and innovation and Handlers is pleased to offer their products to hardworking orchard and horticulture farmers seeking high-quality products.” ■

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Kioti Tractor Delivers Compact Durability with All New CX Series KIOTI Tractor, a division of Daedong-USA, Inc., delivers land owners a durable and versatile new tractor series called the CX Series.

The all-new CX Series compact tractor is the perfect workhorse for the whole property; small enough to fit into tight spaces, and large enough to handle the dirty work.

The series boasts two ROPS (Rollover Protection Structure) models with either a manual (CX2510) or HST (CX2510 HST) transmission, both with 24.5 engine horsepower and PTO horsepower ratings of 19.3 and 18.8, respectively. The HST model offers dual HST pedals, which provide easy forward and reverse movement with smooth engagement.

“Our new CX Series gives customers a compact but capable solution,” said Peter Dong-Kyun Kim, president and CEO of the KIOTI Tractor Division. “The performance and convenience of this compact tractor series was designed with the operator in mind and includes a long list of impressive features.”

Photo by www.kioti.com

The CX Series comes standard with a spacious open platform and tilt steering wheel, an illuminated dashboard for day or night use, and adjustable seat suspension. The CX2510 HST model includes a dual pedal hydrostatic transmission and cruise control reducing operator fatigue. All CX Series tractors feature a powerful, Tier 4 compliant engine with improved fuel efficiency and with low noise and vibration. ■

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Email Still Best Tool To Keep Customers Coming Back

By Ronda Payne

Those who haven’t yet jumped on board aren’t alone. Ask many alcoholic beverage manufacturers how they can use electronic tools to engage with their customers and it’s liable to cause wide-eyed terror. Running an alcohol production and sales operation is the norm, while marketing – especially online – is not. It can feel overwhelming just considering all the options.

Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, what the heck even is TikTok? Aren’t email marketing and blogging dead?

Adrienne Stillman, marketing director with WineDirect, a direct-to-consumer solutions company for the alcoholic beverage industry, spoke about email marketing at the November Fortify online conference. She explains that while email may not be the latest tool for virtual communication, it’s still the best direct response option to drive sales.

“There are many other platforms. Email still blows them all out of the water,” she says.

What to say, how to say it and who to say it to Messaging and tone used on a company’s website and in marketing materials should be consistent with that used in email and other communications. It may seem like a great idea to send out a fun and playful email message, but if this isn’t the company’s standard tone of voice, there’s a risk of causing marketing whiplash for consumers.

“It’s very important to think of your email marketing in the context of all the ways where your customers interact with you,” she says. “You want to make sure there is a consistent experience.”

Photo contributed

COVID-19 changed the way businesses operated and those that hadn’t previously been using online communication channels found they needed to embrace virtual options, or risk being left behind.

It’s something wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries should have already been doing, but for many owners and operators, communicating virtually can feel like a land of unknowns and confusion.

Adrienne Stillman, marketing director with WineDirect spoke at the November Fortify Conference.

Hopefully, most operations have been capturing email addresses and permission to send emails through the sales process and in-person visits. These contacts are gold because they represent people who are already interested and may have already purchased.

taking an interest.

Other sources for gathering new customers can include social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and others that are a fit for the customer profile and the brand. Here too, ensure that the personality and branding of the winery, cidery, brewery or distillery is the same as in your other communications.

What happens after they click on that offer? It’s important to understand where and how the consumer will interact with the business. Stillman calls this the Customer Journey. Depending upon what happens after the initial email, there will be various options.

Starting the relationship Gathering email addresses is permission to start a conversation and Stillman says it’s important to show your appreciation of that opening.

“They’re telling you, ‘I’m interested in your brand’,” she says. “You want to tell them about you right away.”

This doesn’t mean overwhelming them with a two-page email that outlines everything about the business. Instead, an initial email should include a small amount of introductory information that builds on what the consumer may already know, links to the website to find out more and an offer to thank them for

“You don’t have to offer a discount code, you can offer free shipping or introduce them to an entry level product,” she explains.

Building the relationship

Perhaps a customer that opens the email, but doesn’t click on the link, is sent a second email with a better offer. Maybe customers who don’t open the email get a second email with a different subject line.

Those who purchase should get a different email from those who don’t purchase. It’s part of proving an understanding of the customer.

“It’s critical that we know who we are speaking to,” she says. “Tailor your content.”

Segmenting an overall email list into smaller groups with common interests and behaviours is worthwhile.

“Segmented, personalized emails have a Pre Spring 2021

39

Custom Fabrication

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Fruit & Wine Industry

26 per cent higher open rate and 20 per cent higher sales,” she says.

Measure and track results Goals need to be established and these will look different for every business.

Some want sales, while others want to build club enrollments. It could also be building the mailing list or collecting more information to allow for better targeted emails in the future.

For those concerned that they are emailing customers too often, she says not to worry too much.

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“Your subscribers will tell you with their actions that you’re emailing them too much,” Stillman says. “Very, very few wineries are sending too much email.

The way to tell if you are, is to track your open and subscribe rates. If you see those numbers going down and up respectively, you should pay attention to frequency. Of course it’s not only frequency that matters. The most important thing is relevance, which goes back to the importance of segmentation.”

She suggests connecting at least once a month and more often during holidays and special seasons.

Email marketing is a manageable marketing activity that can produce sales almost immediately. Being consistent, respectful and appreciative will garner the best results. ■ Connect with Stillman at AdrienneStillman.com

Coming Next Issue

2021 Buyer’s Guide Print + Online Quality Suppliers & Professional Services From Accounting to Winery Supplies To advertise contact Lisa@orchardandvine.net 778-754-7078 www.orchardandvine.net

40 Pre Spring 2021

 SEEDS OF GROWTH | GLEN LUCAS

Some Accreditations to Consider where to get information and who to contact for further information. The online BC Tree Fruit Production Guide (www.bctfpg.ca) also provides information and is updated regularly.

international food safety programs, Environmental Farm Plans, the WorksafeBC Certificate of Recognition, and the Pesticide Applicators Certificate (and the related recertification program). Organic certification is an important part of the tree fruit sector.

F

arming tree fruits is a multifaceted profession. Growers need to master crop production, insect and disease biology, crop protection products and practices, mechanics, irrigation, fruit physiology, human resource management, and financial management, to name a few. Time management and priority-setting may be the most important skills for farm operators! One of the ways of organizing and focusing on a skill is to participate in an organized program.

Certification programs seek to structure or codify the knowledge and practices required to master the area of focus, such as the CanadaGAP food safety program and related

Most people are on a certified food safety program, such as CanadaGAP or SQF. Program information is generally from manuals that are purchased from the standards organization, but there is help and funding available funded by the federal-provincial Canada Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The On Farm Food Safety Program information is available on the web at http://bconfarmfoodsafety. com. Tree fruit sector participation in the program is low, and the BCFGA recommends that all ‘non-BCTFC’ tree fruit growers engage in this program. BC Tree Fruit Cooperative growers should also participate, but through the guidance of the food safety personnel at BCTFC. The program also provides some funding for on-farm improvements to food safety. We recently discovered that pesti-

Informal certification is no less important than formal certification programs. During the pandemic, inspections have been established for worker housing and campsites, which provides evidence that the accommodation protocols for COVID-19 are being followed.

It’s not a true certification, but certainly a record that protocols are being followed.

With this plethora of formal and informal certification programs, what are the steps to participate?

Horticultural advisors and industry associations generally have a wide range of knowledge about certification programs. The industry contacts are good sources of information for finding out about certification programs; what is involved, understanding

cide storage sheds are eligible for funding. However, overall funding is limited, so getting into the program and completing the information prior to the launch of new funding allotments is critical to ‘getting in line first’ for the funding.

BCFGA has been encouraging growers to register in the Environmental Farm Plan. Once a plan is developed, with the assistance of an advisor (at no cost), then the grower may apply for funding for projects, called Beneficial Management Projects (BMPs). Like the On Farm Food Safety Program, BMP funding is limited and often runs out on the first day of availability. Again, ‘getting in line first’ is a key strategy until the governments improve their support for the agriculture sector to the levels of our competitors in other provinces and countries. Here is the ARDCORP website to get an advisor and find out more about the EFP: https://ardcorp.ca/programs/ environmental-farm-plan.

Similar to the EFP, the BCFGA

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strongly encourages growers to participate in the farm safety Certificate of Recognition (COR). Achieving this certification reduces WorksafeBC premiums, because it is proven that implementing some routine safety practices will reduce accidents. Over the past five years, tree fruit accident rates have been increasing, and not surprisingly, the WorksafeBC rate for tree fruit is starting to increase. Participating in COR will save money and reduce the risk to your family and employees, so why would a person not participate in such a certification?

AgSafeBC organizes the COR program.

To find out more and to get help imple-

menting COR, visit their website: https:// agsafebc.ca/cor.

The BCFGA administers the Pesticide Applicators Recertification Program, which renews an existing Pesticide Applicators Certificate (PAC). A grower needs to have a PAC before entering into the recertification program. Here is information on getting your PAC certificate the first time: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/pesticides-pest-management/ certification-training.

Recertification is done by gaining the required “PAC points'', which are grant-

ed when a grower signs into qualifying education/extension sessions, such as the BCFGA Tree Fruit Production Guide Sessions. Of note, a newer category of certification is the Assistant Pesticide Applicator. BCFGA operates a certificate program for this category which is available to its members. With changes underway to allow assistant applicators to meet the WorksafeBC pesticide application requirements, we hope to expand the BCFGA certification program, so stay tuned for that news.

In summary, there are program certifications which will help improve the performance of your farm operation, and there is help available to achieve the registration. In order to boost participation in the programs, some of the programs pay for on-farm projects (EFP and On Farm Food Safety), though funding is rationed as existing funds are insufficient to satisfy demand.

The worker safety program provides a financial benefit to growers by immediately reducing WorksafeBC premiums, and is also proven to reduce harm to your family and employees. Finally, the PAC program for Pesticide Application certification does not have a direct program benefit for registration, but is required to ensure workers and environment are protected from pesticide impacts and will ensure optimal use of pesticides to control insects and diseases of tree fruit, so that indirect monetary savings are expected.

The BCFGA is currently considering how to provide further encouragement for its members to participate in the certification programs. Grower’s mastery of food safety, environmental and pesticide practices need to be encouraged and recognized. ■ Glen Lucas, General Manager, BC Fruit Growers’ Association

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 MARKETING MIX | LEEANN FROESE

Optimize DTC Sales With A Strong Online Presence

I

t has become particularly clear in the past year that you need to have your direct-to-consumer strategy and tools in place more than ever.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) in the beverage alcohol industry is not a new concept, as building a direct relationship between you and your customer is the foundation of growing your winery sales.

Your tasting room remains the key component among the three main DTC sales methods: • Tasting Room • Wine Club / Email List •E -Commerce (your online shop) Be a customer-driven company, and make sure you understand the consumer journey, so you may offer memorable

at the top of your search results on Google requires some work on your SEO. You want wine lovers taking a look online to discover you with the relevant SEO keywords that pertain to your brand, location, and sub-GI, perhaps by including them in your title tags, URLs, and meta-descriptions. There are plug-ins and SEO tools that can help you with that.

experiences at each of these touch points. Most tasting rooms are not yet fully open for the season, so we will cover that another time, and there is an article on page 39 in this issue on email marketing, so we will not overlap that content here (except to say that email marketing is probably the most important tool for companies to use considering the pandemic, and ever-changing social media network algorithms). Instead, today we will look at websites and e-commerce.

You also want to protect what else people find when they search you online. Often when someone Googles a winery, the first thing that pops up is the Google listing which holds the reviews from others. Make sure that you are staying on top of your review sites like Google reviews and TripAdvisor, gaining good reviews from your customers. What if you don’t have a good review? If you have a negative review, the way you respond says a lot to anyone who looks at the comments.

If someone had a bad experience or opinion and shared it on your profile, what did you do to make it right? Showing

Before your customer shops with you or visits you in person, it’s likely that they’ve already checked out your winery online. People today, especially millennials, first search for information about products before any kind of interaction with a brand.

They read articles and watch videos before buying. Make sure that your website is an extension of your cellar door and that it reflects your overall brand and sales strategies.

Can people find your website?

Making sure that you appear

a positive outcome in a negative customer situation can drive more traffic for you.

For your website itself, make it enjoyable and easy for people to shop. Your website is always a work in progress, make sure that it is maintained from the front and back-end, so that it functions well and looks good. How does your site appear from the perspective of a first-time visitor? Or a repeat customer?

Don’t make the mistake of creating your website and then forgetting about it until it’s time to upload new wines.

Having an inconsistent or outdated online presence can be very damaging. Making sure that your site is up to date, including what SKUs are for sale, your About Us section, and other business news, not only helps with your search engine optimization, but it provides content that keeps people hanging around on your site, or coming back for more.

According to a report from Econsultancy, the focus will

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likely be on short-form content. For example, short posts on new developments at the winery will be sufficient in keeping customers' attention and persuading them to buy new bottles based on a promotion for one of your newer vintages. There is the potential for long form content, such as a post on how the winery approaches its grape growing and winemaking. A balance in content can encourage customers with both insights on your unique way of running your winery and special offers of the right now.

Also make sure that your website is mobile optimized, pages are fast to load, and that links all work. Is your website copy easy to read, the path to purchase simple, and is there a call to action to move people to sign up for your newsletter/email list, and to buy?

You want the sales steps to be as short as possible, with no more than two or three clicks. The more steps there are, the more likely customers are to abandon their purchase.

Determine what the best online store is for your needs. Options include: Commerce7, WooCommerce, Squarespace Commerce, Oliie, WineDirect, etc.

Ensure that all the costs a shopper face are shown clearly, and if any special prices or offers on shipping are in place, that it is clearly laid out.

Can people shop securely on your website? Make sure that your connection is SSL, the global standard security technology that enables encrypted communication between a web browser and a web server, so that people can trust your site with their personal information and credit card numbers. You want to guarantee to your customers that all purchases are made in a secure environment.

And once the purchase has been made, ensure that you have a follow-up email that goes to the customer automatically to thank them for their purchase. This email, and ongoing communication to follow, is super important as it presents the opportunity to speak directly to your customer and build a real relationship with them. In other words, the “direct” in directto-consumer. ■ Leeann Froese owns Town Hall Brands – a marketing and graphic design agency that specializes in branding and promoting in the areas of agriculture, beverage alcohol, food, and hospitality. See more at townhallbrands.com or on social @townhallbrands

Currently Suspended For further information contact the Ministry of Agriculture

44 Pre Spring 2021

 THE WORD ON WINE | CARIE JONES

BCWI Excited To Announce New Name better reflects the BC wine industry as part of a complex value-added agri-food chain and not simply a beverage alcohol product.”

T

he British Columbia Wine Institute (BCWI), the voice of the BC wine industry, is proud to announce that we have changed our name to Wine Growers British Columbia (WGBC) to better reflect the value-add agriculture, agri-food and growth opportunities of this dynamic industry.

Following the lead of our national organization, recently renamed Wine Growers Canada (WGC), renaming ourselves as WGBC reflects our deep connection to the land, from the vineyard to the glass, and repositions the BC wine industry and WGBC as the high value agri-food product and economic growth generator we are.

“As farmers, winemakers, retailers and tourism operators, the BC wine industry is the highest value-add agricultural product in British Columbia, contributing more than $2.8 billion in annual economic impact,” says Miles Prodan, President and CEO, Wine Growers British Columbia. “Repositioning the organization as Wine Growers British Columbia is a significant step in keeping our industry moving forward and

ing cooperatively with governments and stakeholders at all levels to find solutions that benefit BC wines and the communities in which we work and live.

Prior to the organization’s Annual General Meeting on September 1, 2020, the Board of Directors identified the importance of rebranding both the BC Wine Institute and the BC wine industry to Wine Growers British Columbia to better align with other provincial and national associations. Organization members voted unanimously to make the change.

“In British Columbia, more than 280 licensed grape wineries enhance the vibrancy and sustainability of our vineyards and agricultural communities which in turn supports more than 12,000 jobs and attracts more than a million tourists each year,” says Prodan. “We’re excited

For more information about Wine Growers British Columbia visit WineBC.com.

BC Wine Industry Insight Conference on March 18, 2021

“The objective for the new name was to focus the provincial association image from simply representing the beverage alcohol sector to being identified as a socially responsible, value-add agricultural contributor, representing and supporting grape growers and wineries as part of a family farm network,” says Erik Fisher, Board Chair, Wine Growers British Columbia.

Under the organization's new name, Wine Growers British Columbia will host the annual BC Wine Industry Insight Conference on March 18, 2021 in collaboration with the BC Wine Grape Council, BC Grapegrowers' Association and the BC Wine Authority to provide a virtual forum covering topics, issues, policies and opportunities that impact the BC wine industry.

The conference theme Navigating the Future – Together encompasses an exciting line-up of topics focused on best practices for operating in our new reality and will include key insights from research conducted through Wine Intelligence, the top global experts on wine consumer research and insights recently acquired by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, the leading authority on the worldwide beverage alcohol industry.

Wine Growers British Columbia continues to represent wineries across all nine wine growing regions of BC. Our member wineries are responsible for almost 95 per cent of all grape wine produced in BC including 100 per cent certified BC wines. WGBC will continue to bring together our membership to market the wines and wine regions of BC; deliver quality trade, media and consumer tastings; and advocate to government on behalf of industry by work-

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 CANADIAN WINEMAKERS SERIES | BAILEY WILLIAMSON

A Winemaker-Chef with a Heart for Terroir A ‘double-threat’ winemaker-chef with a heart for terroir, Bailey Williamson is the winemaker at Blue Grouse Estate Winery.

Before turning to winemaking, Bailey pursued a career in the kitchen. He attended culinary school in Vancouver, and then worked in high-end restaurants such as Il Caminetto in Whistler.

In 1993 he moved to Victoria and became a noted proponent of the farm-to-table movement.

After about 10 years in kitchens across Canada, Bailey made a change to the world of wine. He worked his way up, in the tasting room and then cellars at a handful of BC wineries.

Photo by Jacqueline Downey

After working five years as an assistant winemaker at Road 13 in the Okanagan, in 2012 Bailey accepted the call to Vancouver Island, to become Blue Grouse Estate Winery’s winemaker.

Here, he guides the estate wine portfolio and the popular Quill label.

After 25 years working in food and beverage, Bailey maintains a strong interest in exploring flavours. He’s an advocate for the Slow Food movement and led the way in the implementation of the Cowichan Valley as a recognized sub-geographical indication (sub-GI), a sub-region to the official Vancouver Island wine region of British Columbia.

At Blue Grouse, Bailey is guided daily by his mission of practising terroir-driven winemaking. Organically farmed grapes are treated with minimal interventions in the cellar, as Bailey wants the place and grape to shine through in the finished wines.

“It is important that we take what our terroir gives us, rather than trying to force the terroir to give us what we want,” he says.

His approach is working. The wines sell out and capture accolades year over year.

O&V - How did you get started in the wine industry?

Bailey Williamson - After working in the culinary industry for 10 years, I made the switch to wine.

I started in the tasting room, then the cellar, and eventually worked my way up.

There is no easy path in a small industry with few formal educational routes. I took the cellar assistant course at Okanagan University College (OUC), and with a day timer and mobile phone, walked around and sourced any work I could.

Bailey Williamson hard at work at Blue Grouse Estate Winery.

I later apprenticed at Road 13 in the Okanagan for five years as The Cellar Master.

I have since completed the Extension Program for Enology at Washington State University O&V - Have you worked in any other countries?

Bailey Williamson - In 2002 I did a six-month stint in South Australia at Hardys Tintara winery. I still have dreams of going overseas again, hopefully New Zealand.

O&V - What is your favourite varietal to work with?

Bailey Williamson - Pinot Noir; because it is most expressive and doubly so in this region, geography has much to do with it, it is the most noble of the grapes in this region. It never lets you relax you have to be attentive to it from growing to making.

The challenges are great but so too are the rewards.

O&V - What is the best thing about your job?

In 2000 there were not many full-time jobs, but I did get to meet many influential people who I was later able to call upon for advice and guidance.

Bailey Williamson - Completing a variety of tasks, constantly learning, seeing people smile, and providing visitors and wine drinkers with an escape (especially in these times).

O&V - Where did you go to school or apprentice?

O&V - Is there a particular wine or vintage that you have made that you are most proud of?

Bailey Williamson - I attended culinary school at Pacific Vocational Institute, the forerunner to Vancouver Community College (VCC). Then I took a break from cooking and received an Arts degree from Mount Allison University in the early 90’s.

46 Pre Spring 2021

Bailey Williamson - The 2006 Sparkling Chenin Blanc from Rd. 13. This wine marks a pivotal moment in my career development, and still stands the test of time in the bottle. ■

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