About 150 grapegrowers from across the Okanagan gathered for two industry townhalls, February 2 and 6, to discuss mid-January’s freeze event. “Given the low temperatures and the length of the cold spell, we can assume that nearly all of the grape buds have been killed and there will be very little fruit this year,” says …
Wine Growers BC
New low for ice wine
A combination of winter damage and warm weather has resulted in a record low ice wine harvest this winter. Just four wineries registered their intention to pick grapes for ice wine with the BC Wine Authority last fall, but by the time temperatures allowed for the harvest, just three proceeded. A total of 12 tonnes …
Crop failure wins wineries concessions
With this year’s wine grape harvest set to be as much as 50% below normal, industry advocacy group Wine Growers BC is toasting recent measures by the province to support hard-hit wine producers. WGBC says the “well-documented ‘crop failure’” the industry is suffering this year as a result of an extreme cold snap last December …
Province files AgriRecovery request
The province has asked Ottawa to support an AgriRecovery program for the province’s beef sector, days after representatives of the province’s grape and wine sector asked agriculture minister Pam Alexis for similar support in response to last December’s devastating freeze event that killed a third of their vineyards. “I have spoken with federal minister [Marie-Claude] …
Ag minister visits Okanagan
Harsh weather drove stern words to BC agriculture minister Pam Alexis as she visited the Okanagan last week to meet with grape growers, orchardists and ranchers. The three sectors have been hit hard in recent months and years by weather-related events. Wine Growers BC is forecasting a 54% decline in grape and wine production this …
Short grape crop confirmed
A clearer picture is emerging of the damage to vineyards and wineries and the associated economic cost following the extreme cold weather event that hit the province in December. A new report by Cascadia Partners for Wine Growers BC indicates that 98% of the 38 growers surveyed reported damage to at least 10% of their …