A team of researchers is looking to uncover the mysterious cause of a new disease damaging blueberry fields across the province. Over the last few years, farmers have tested plants showing symptoms of disease for blueberry scorch and other diseases. However, more and more plants are testing negative while symptoms persist, leaving producers unsure how …
BC Blueberry Council
Fraser Valley flooding continues
A thousand acres of blueberries remain underwater in the Fraser Valley, while more than 200 farms in the province continue to operate under evacuation orders or alerts as another series of weather systems tracks across southwestern BC. A statement from the BC Blueberry Council this week described the flooding as “an unprecedented event of great …
BC blueberry crop down 30%
BC Blueberry Council estimates point to a 30% reduction in this year’s harvest. The council collected levies on 185 million pounds of berries last year. This year, it expects to collect levies on just 135 million pounds. “Crops are estimated to be down approximately 30% due to various factors, including the [late June] heat dome …
BC Blueberry Council gets a new chair
Abbotsford blueberry grower and veterinarian Dalbir Benipal is the new chair of the BC Blueberry Council. Benipal narrowly edged out fellow grower Jason Smith at the first meeting of the council’s nine directors following the council’s annual general meeting in late June. Benipal received five votes while Smith received four. Benipal previously served as vice-chair, …
Blueberry growers dodge US complaint
BC’s several hundred blueberry farmers are relieved and elated after the US International Trade Commission announced that blueberry imports cause no harm to American growers. The commission launched an investigation into global blueberry imports in response to a complaint filed in September by former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer following a report on produce imports jointly authored …
US holds blueberry hearing
Presentations scheduled for January 12 will give the US International Trade Commission the material need to determine if US blueberry growers have suffered economic injury as a result of imports from Canada and other countries. A vote on whether or not injury has occurred is scheduled for February 11. The proceedings are being closely watched …