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Originally Posted by Changing City
Similarly the collapse of the tree fruits cooperative is due to the poor yield and damage caused by extreme weather (see climate change, above). In this case the province are taking action. " Tuesday, the province announced a variety of programs to assist farmers across the province whose businesses have been ravaged by natural disasters and other difficult circumstances for several consecutive years.
Premier David Eby said he's asked the federal government for subsidy frameworks taking place in Washington state, where the federal and state governments are heavily subsidizing their farmers.
"Our farmers are expected to compete on what's been called a level playing field … when it's clearly not a level playing field," he said. "One group of farmers is being subsidized, and one isn't. If there's a level playing field, our farmers can compete with the best in the world."
The provincial AgriStability fund will be improved, increasing compensation from 80 to 90 per cent, as well as doubling the cap for the 2024 growing season, said Eby." [ CBC] |
Climate change can be a fair argument with the practices the past 5 years (the 2021 head dome killed off many fruit trees) but the fruit industry was already on the decline in the 2000's with the dissolution of many farms/fruit producers.
Having seen the insides of the industry I can say farming has become a vehicle to speculate on agricultural land while doing the bare minimum to grow anything on the land. You see it in the Lower Mainland with many agribusinesses electing to grow blueberries while more farmers in the interior are electing for vineyards which require less water and maintenance. Monster homes with dozens of rental suites are either built or the lands are being purposed for truck storage. Not sure about the current practices but there were instances where you had many new owners immediately applying for ALR land exemptions and throwing tantrums when these were rejected.
Throwing money in the form of aid will help some farmers but there's a hyper focus on gaining a quick return...Not sure what this will accomplish long-term.
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