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Rows and rows of plump wine grapes at Okanagan Hills Winery are ready for harvest, but owner Jesse Gill isn’t celebrating.
A season of heavy wildfire smoke means most of the fruit will be destroyed.
“The industry is facing unprecedented smoke taint right across the [Okanagan] Valley,” he said.
“Growers are now having their contracts cancelled by a lot of the wineries that they would normally ship fruit to.”
Following years of frost damage, drought, and wildfires, growers like Gill say the B.C. provincial government crop insurance program meant to protect farms and industry is just as damaged.
Production insurance is assessed each year by inspectors based on current field condition, expected yields, and past production.
Gill says that is a problem.
“They have an underwriting model that is now outdated, because climate change has demonstrated that we have consecutive back-to-back events,” he explained.
“When you’re underwriting an insurance claim, you’re doing it on the basis of what’s been your historical production.”
Gill estimates his crop this year would be worth $600,000 if it wasn’t tainted by smoke, but because of past crop losses, he’s only insured for $130,000.
“What’s the point of having production insurance? It’s like the government says, ‘Well, you know, we’re supporting farmers and they’ve got a safety net underneath them,'” he said.
“Then you fall, and the safety net isn’t a safety net, because it’s all shredded and you fall right through and you hit the ground.”
Only harvested crop eligible
Growers say an additional production insurance rule is creating anger: only harvested grapes are eligible for coverage, cannot be sold for other use such as animal feed or fertilizer and must be destroyed if growers want to claim insurance.
Ron Kubek, owner of Lightning Rock Winery near Summerland, say that’s another financial loss — with growers paying for labour costs during harvest and disposal.
He’s hoping to organize a volunteer day, offering lunch and wine tasting, for anyone interested in helping cut grapes from the vines and learn more about the viticulture industry.
“It’s tough some days, because I feel that it’s two steps forward and three steps back,” he says.
“Canadians have supported us and will continue to support us. I just need the government to support us by getting out of the way.”
CBC News reached out the provincial Ministry of Agriculture and Food for comment, but was told that “due to the ongoing election campaign, government is in a temporary caretaker mode and communications are limited to critical health and public safety information.”
Gill says he’s talking with ministry staff and other producers about the challenges, and hopes the provincial insurance program will be reviewed.
“We cannot rely on status quo,” he said.
“If you’re going to have production insurance and crop insurance to help stabilize growers in those years that they are relying upon it, then the model has to change.”
