Deer damage at vineyards

Dear Editor: In a recent letter to the fall/ winter issue of Fruit Grower, the Minister of Agriculture, Lana Popham, referred to the various problems currently facing agriculture in B.C. She specifically referred to the loss of crops due to geese and other birds.

There is another major issue which causes a significant loss of crops and income to B.C. orchards and vineyards which overshadows the loss from birds — the marked increase in urban deer over the last three to four years.

If no action is taken, the damage from deer will exponentially increase in years to come, as they train their offspring to live in our urban and farming areas.

The deer strip the new buds and foliage from the bottom five feet of the trees, markedly reducing future yield, health of the trees, and income to the farmer. They also do considerable damage to the vineyards.

Currently, the only option is to install an eight-foot fence around crops to protect the trees at considerable capital expense and loss of productive acreage. The deer also invade the gardens, eating and destroying plants. To date the city and regional governments have ignored the issue, probably not wanting to face the backlash of animal lovers.

If urgent and immediate action is not taken to initiate a major cull of the deer, or an effective alternative approach, B.C. will lose a major agricultural crop which will take years to recover.

Yes, there will be an outcry by a number of the populace who don’t understand the severity of the problem, however, it is not acceptable for the province and the regional district to ignore this significant threat to the valley and its farmers.

I urge our Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry to take action to save B.C.’s agriculture and our farmers. William Arkinstall Arkindale Farm

Kelowna