B.C. tree fruit growers get new $10M fund from the province

VANCOUVER — British Columbia has launched a new $10 million fund to help tree fruit farmers facing proposed U.S. tariffs on the heels of years of devastatingly low crop yields.

A statement from the Ministry of Agriculture says the money will be handed out as one-time payments to farmers and can be used to help with needs like tools, training, capital for farm improvement, farm debt repayment and farm wages.

The ministry says approximately 720 tree fruit growers will be eligible for a payment on a per-acre basis, up to a maximum of 28.3 hectares.

The funding comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, though that plan is paused until March 4 — the same day the province is set to release its budget.

Extreme weather has led to multiple bad years recently for B.C. farmers including a cold snap last winter that wiped out almost all of the province’s stone fruit.

The province says the latest funding is part of more than $237 million it has spent on supports for tree fruit growers since 2020.

“These past years have been very challenging for B.C. tree fruit farmers and we want to make sure they are ready for this season and seasons to come,” Minister of Agriculture and Food Lana Popham says in the statement.

“We want farmers to be successful and this $10 million will help them rebuild to ensure a resilient, sustainable future for B.C.’s tree fruit industry.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.

The Canadian Press