Problem deer munch on South Okanagan orchards costing farmers thousands
'They literally eat all the bottoms, and once they've eaten, then those branches have problems growing again'
Okanagan Valley deer have long been known to swing by local orchards for a quick bite to eat — but farmer Joe Machial says it's starting to get out of hand.
Over the last few years, Machial says the number of deer frequenting his farm has risen substantially, and it's taking a toll on his finances.
"The deer come into the orchards and they browse on trees," he told host Chris Walker on CBC's Daybreak Souh.
"They literally eat all the bottoms, and once they've eaten, then those branches have problems growing again because there's something in the saliva of the deer," he said.
While the deer may be gobbling up some of the finest fruit in B.C., farmers are eating the costs.
Machial says younger plantings are often targeted by the problem deer, and can cost up to $20,000 per acre to replace.
"Once they've eaten those young trees — that's it," he lamented. "You've got to start over again."
Neighbour Michael Sidhu told CBC News deer recently damaged over $15,000 of cherry trees on his own farm.
Hopes for deer cull
The B.C. Growers Association has urged provincial and local governments to organize a regional deer cull, but so far, their calls have fallen on deaf ears.
B.C.'s Ministry of Agriculture did not comment on the prospect of a deer cull directly, instead pointing to a series of programs to protect B.C. farmers from unexpected losses, including the AgriStability Program.
Under Agristability, farmers are able to recoup losses from the provincial government if they fall 30 per cent or more below their targets.
Machail says its frustrating that requests for a cull have yet to be addressed at the provincial level.
"My fear is that if nothing is done about the deer problem — if there isn't a cull, or some attempt at a perimeter fence... then I think people aren't going to be able to keep farming the way they are," he said.
The farmer has considered putting up a fence around his own farm; however, he says the rows closely approach public roads.
"For us to put up a fence, we'd have to pull out 30 feet of orchard — and that's not very economically viable either."
Fences can also work against farmers by trapping deer inside an orchard, he added.
"I would say the status quo continues for now, unless farmers start getting guns and taking matters into their own hands."
With files from CBC's Daybreak South