Ron Seymour 2009-07-31 Kelowna Herald:
Farmers across B.C can access up to $10 million in the next four years to make environmentally friendly changes to their operations. High-efficiency drip irrigation systems, fences to keep cattle away from streams and improved fuel storage are some of the upgrades that may qualify for financial assistance from the federal and provincial governments.Generally speaking, farmers may expect to recoup about 20 per cent of the extra cost involved in a project deemed to have significant environmental benefits. “That could be the little bit of an incentive that makes a farmer consider that it‘s worth doing,” Agriculture and Lands Minister Steve Thomson said Thursday, as the program was explained during a press conference at St. Hubertus Estate Winery on Lakeshore Road.Winery co-owner Leo Gebert, who has used a similar program in the past, stressed that farmers will still cover the bulk of the cost for any new environmentally friendly equipment or farming procedure.But it‘s still worth doing, he said, because more sensitive farming practices, such as techniques that reduce pesticide use, help to ensure a better environment “for our kids in the future.” Drip irrigation systems, used by about half the farmers in the Valley, cut water consumption on a typical orchard by about 70 per cent. But the systems are expensive to install, compared to overhead sprinklers, and, even with the savings in water charges, it can take eight years for the conversion to pay for itself. With the new government assistance, Gebert estimated that timespan could be reduced to five years.“Water is really the resource we have to cherish and value,” said Kelowna-Lake Country MP Ron Cannan.The assistance program is funded 60 per cent by Ottawa and 40 per cent by Victoria.
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