Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/764547
30 JANUARY 1, 2017 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com How it works The key element of the new replant program is a preassessment process that ranks projects based on five criteria: site mapping, soil analysis, variety selection for location, economics and the overall plan. Projects with the best scores receive first approval for funding. Projects remain on a waiting list for funding until all funds have been allocated; this means that if a project is smaller than the grower expected, for whatever reason, funds are re-allocated to projects further down the list. The system assumes that growers believe in projects enough to proceed without the assurance of government funding. Replanting typically costs about 22,000 Canadian dollars an acre for rootstock plus C$10,000 for planting, trellising and irrigation, or about $24,600 total in U.S. dollars. Withler said the ideal application is an Ambrosia planting on 10-by-2-foot spacing (or perhaps a 6-by-14- foot cherry planting), with a government-designed trellis system featuring some form of drip irrigation below and overhead irrigation above. "We start applying funding from the top to the bottom, trying to invest in potentially better applications and bet - ter land works," he said. "(But) if you could really tell the story, meaning convince the review committee of some market that you have or some advantage that you have found with a variety that might not hit the top three, four or five, those would look pretty appealing as well." While the variety of choice right now is Ambrosia, followed by Honeycrisp, Withler said 2015 saw funding granted to growers eying Braeburn for cider production and the early-season Sunrise variety for pollination. Cherry varieties included Sentennial and Lapins, with some growers also replanting to pear and peach varieties. Based on the 143 applications received for funding in 2016 (99 of which were complete), Withler expected a similar breakdown. Approved projects are eligible to receive C$3.50 a tree to a maximum of C$7,625 an acre ($5,860 in U.S. dollars). Raj Bagha of R. Bagha Orchards in Coldstream leases a 40-acre orchard and has replanted 6 acres of the property under both the old and the new versions of the program. Most recently, in 2015, he replanted 2 acres to Ambrosia from Golden Delicious, which he said was the least-paying variety in his orchard. Next up is a block of Spartans, which he hopes to replant in 2017 with Honeycrisp. While the new system has worked well for Bagha, he said the volume of documentation can be onerous for ""You've got to get your soil samples done, your bioassay, what variety you pick, your support system, your irrigation system … it all has to be up to par in order for it to be accepted." —Raj Bagha CALL TODAY for the dealer nearest YOU! We've got you covered We've done our homework. Have you? TOLL FREE: 855-855-0318 www.hfhauff.com • hfhauff@gmail.com