Feds fund research into better berries

May 19, 2010

Alf Krause (kneeling at left) welcomed fellow berry growers and MPs Ed Fast and Mark Warawa to his Aldergrove farm Wednesday for an announcement of federal Economic Action Plan funding of more than $1 million to develop new varieties, sustainable production methods, and best practices for pest and disease management.


KURT LANGMANN PHOTO
By Kurt Langmann - Aldergrove Star

More than a million dollars of federal Economic Action Plan funding will be invested in the $130 million B.C. berry growing industry.
MPs Ed Fast and Mark Warawa made the announcement on behalf of agriculture minister Gerry Ritz on Wednesday morning at the Krause Berry Farm in Aldergrove.
Most of the funding will go to the Lower Mainland Horticulture Improvement Association to help berry growers improve production efficiency. More than $1.1 million will fund research projects that will develop new varieties, as well as sustainable production methods and best practices for pest and disease management.
The Abbotsford Growers Co-op will receive an additional $27,812 to bring more berries to market with the aseptic processing technology that prolongs shelf life of the fruit.

LMHIA president Alf Krause said "meaningful research" is the only way B.C. growers can stay competitive in the global economy.

"Critical to survival of our industry is innovation," said Krause, whose family farm on 248 Street has undergone major changes and expansion over the past 30 years.
"I'm excited to see the scientists here today who help us keep on the cutting edge of the berries we grow."

In recent years Krause has experimented with new varieties that have enlarged the farm's fresh berries season. This includes 10 acres of strawberries that end the fresh sales season in October as well as late raspberries and blackberries grown inside "tunnels" that end the first week of November.
This year's strawberry season will start in about two or three weeks.

The Krause farm has also increased its farmgate sales by developing new products such as the fresh berry pies, of which some 30,000 were sold last year.
"We're aiming for 40,000 pies this year and trying out a new homemade ice cream and fudge with berry swirls inside them," said Krause.

AGC chair Moe Gill said, "We are excited to offer a 'green' alternative to the fruit processing industry of Canada. Aseptic purees reduce the need to keep raspberries block frozen, creating significant savings to fruit processors and the environment, while continuing to offer the consumer quality raspberries."