A recent article in the Kelowna Daily Courier regarding the sterile insect release (SIR) program has bugged Coun. Barry Beardsell. The article quoted Kelowna Coun. Colin Day, chairman of the SIR board, as saying that Beardsell 
had avoided SIR meetings, although he criticizes it frequently. According to Beardsell, not only is this misleading, it ignores the larger issues surrounding the program which is in its 16th year. “Why make these accusations? It‘s almost as if the purpose of (the article) was to try and stir things up before the SIR program comes under the service 
review,” said Beardsell. Beardsell said city council has put in a request to have the terms of the North Okanagan Regional District‘s partnership with the program reviewed by the minister of agriculture. Under the current agreement, municipalities cannot opt out of the program, which is something Vernon has contemplated. “It was not necessarily bad to help out at the beginning of the program, to give it a chance, but when does it stop?” asked Beardsell, “Taxpayers have contributed year after year and there is no end in sight.” Beardsell has said that some on council feel the city is being unfairly asked to subsidize the fruit growing industry‘s pest control costs. “What if it was the beef or asparagus industry? When does local government draw the line on programs it will subsidize?” Beardsell said Vernon is required to shoulder more than its fair share of funding for the program. “In 2007, greater Vernon has 13.5 per cent of the trees yet we pay 47.8 per cent of the taxes (for the North Okanagan).”
had avoided SIR meetings, although he criticizes it frequently. According to Beardsell, not only is this misleading, it ignores the larger issues surrounding the program which is in its 16th year. “Why make these accusations? It‘s almost as if the purpose of (the article) was to try and stir things up before the SIR program comes under the service 
review,” said Beardsell. Beardsell said city council has put in a request to have the terms of the North Okanagan Regional District‘s partnership with the program reviewed by the minister of agriculture. Under the current agreement, municipalities cannot opt out of the program, which is something Vernon has contemplated. “It was not necessarily bad to help out at the beginning of the program, to give it a chance, but when does it stop?” asked Beardsell, “Taxpayers have contributed year after year and there is no end in sight.” Beardsell has said that some on council feel the city is being unfairly asked to subsidize the fruit growing industry‘s pest control costs. “What if it was the beef or asparagus industry? When does local government draw the line on programs it will subsidize?” Beardsell said Vernon is required to shoulder more than its fair share of funding for the program. “In 2007, greater Vernon has 13.5 per cent of the trees yet we pay 47.8 per cent of the taxes (for the North Okanagan).” Cara McCurrach, SIR program general manager said the question of whether the funding scheme for the program amounted to subsidization was “a question of politics” and that the benefits to all Okanagan residents far exceeded the costs. “In 1991 there were 47,808 kgs of organo-phosphate pesticide sold in the valley; in 2005 only 16,807 kgs were sold. That is a huge reduction of chemicals in our air and water,” said McCurrach. “If you owned a $100,000 property, the program‘s cost to you is about the same as a latte.” According to SIR‘s website, the organization has raised and released 2,168,650,103 sterile moths in the Okanagan region since 1992. Coddling moth numbers are reduced as female moths attempt to mate with the sterile moths, resulting in no offspring. A 2006 update to growers claims that the program has been very successful in reducing moth numbers; 90 per cent of orchards experienced less than five moth damaged samples of fruit per thousand.
No comments:
Post a Comment