Dehydrating facility turned down by ALC

By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star - April 27, 2008

A local humanitarian project striving to feed the hungry is facing a major setback. An application made to the Agricultural Land Commission to build a dehydrating facility on a Lavington acreage has been rejected, despite support from the District of Coldstream. The intention of the project was to dehydrate and package surplus and reject fruits and vegetables into relief supplies for people in developing countries.Applicants Denis and Eileen Nogue annually travel to developing countries to help less fortunate communities. Along with other humanitarian efforts, they often bring bags of dehydrated food from the Okanagan Gleaners in Oliver.They recently returned from Nicaragua, where they brought 50 bags to a community that is living in the dump. Knowing how much food is wasted back at home, Eileen says it’s a heart-wrenching situation to see families living on so little. “You can’t really imagine. It doesn’t really seem fair.” But thanks to dehydrated food products like what they are trying to produce, they are able to offer relief to such communities.They recently established the North Okanagan Valley Gleaners Society to do just that.

They were proposing a 4,000 square-foot facility on one acre of their 9.77 acre property. The Nogue’s say the facility would be no larger than many local area barns, and would utilize excess produce in the valley that would normally go to waste. But several neighbours weren’t as eager to see the project unfold, for fear of increased traffic, lights, odour and noise. In the end, the ALC denied the application as it felt that “it would have a negative impact on agriculture,” as stated in its decision. The ALC felt that it would be an industrial intrusion into the area, despite the fact that the O-I Glass Plant and Tolko mill are both audible and visible from the property While the Nogue’s cannot appeal the decision, they are still determined to find a way to make this happen. They have applied for a reconsideration based on new information they recently discovered with regard to irrigation. However, other options are being considered.

“If they definitely close on this we’ll be looking at different avenues,” said Eileen, as there may be someone out there who would be willing to sell or lease a portion of or donate the use of their land or buildings for such a facility. The Nogues say there has been much support and encouragement for this project from people in the Okanagan and even as far away as Edmonton and Nicaragua.Anyone who would like to support the efforts can now do so with donations. The North Okanagan Valley Gleaners Society is a registered society in B.C. and federally, so tax receipts can be issued. For further information, call 545-1672 or denogue@shaw.ca or visit www.novgleaners.org.