Goodness from the ground up!

Presenter:

Murray DriedigerPresident of BCfresh Vegetables Inc.

About Us

• 100% owned and operated BC growers

• 32 Grower Families throughout the Lower Mainland with warehousing and head office in Delta

•Combined sales of 70,000 tons of root vegetables per year with 60% originating from Delta

• Products include:• Potatoes Rutabagas

• Carrots Turnips• Cabbage Beets• Squash Shallots• Parsnips

The face of our brand is our grower families

Outdoor, Radio and Print Advertising

Understanding Today’s Consumer

Trends:

• Desire to Eat Locally Grown Food

• Books like the ‘100 Mile Diet’ • The global warming debate has

created a more aware and conscientious consumer

• Supports the Local Economy

• Every Dollar earned by BC growers generates $7 to $9 in income for other British Columbians

•Most retailers are very supportive. •The consumer needs to drive retail space for local products.

The Challenges – Land Supply

• Without a local land base and supply of product there is no BCfresh

• The loss of land in Delta and around the valley is impacting the ability to rotate crops- TFN Treaty- Container port- South Fraser Perimeter road project

• Martini farmers vs. Working farms

The Challenges – Food Safety

• All growers are now 3rd party audited annually. Many have multiple audits. Some farmers are just quitting.

• Potable water is mandatory for washing product

• Cost of water in Delta for farms has been a huge cost burden. Now $15m-$25m cost per packing shed

• Delta $0.59m³ on 1st 8000m³ and then$0.96m³ Point Roberts $0.45m³ (California $0.105m³)

The Challenges - Quality Irrigation Water

• The SFPR project will deliver much needed quality irrigation water to Delta.

• Long-term thought needs to be put into irrigation water for Westham Island.

The Challenges

Loss of Processing Capacity

• Processing vegetable crops are essential for crop rotation purposes.

• There were 7 major fruit and vegetable processors in BC in 1985.

• There is now only Lucerne. The other processors have left BC for lower cost jurisdictions