Several hundred Okanagan farmers united at Gyro Park in Osoyoos on Tuesday, to rally support for B.C.含羞草研究社檚 agriculture industry, while just metres away the BC NDP caucus was gathering for a retreat.

The Stronger Together rally was organized by the BC Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA), supported by other organizations such as the BC Grape Growers Association, to drive home the impacts that have left the agriculture industry reeling.

Multiple years of drought and wildfire, combined with cold snaps and extreme heat, have taxed farmers含羞草研究社� resources to the point that for some, it含羞草研究社檚 not a question of when their situation will improve, but if.

含羞草研究社淗ow long can we say there含羞草研究社檚 always next year? It used to be one bad year in every five to 10. Now, it含羞草研究社檚 been four climate disaster years in a row and 2020 was the COVID disaster,含羞草研究社� said BCFGA vice-president Sukhdeep Brar to the crowd of farmers and supporters.

含羞草研究社淚 would rather sell a crop than collect insurance. Insurance is supposed to protect us in bad years, but the system wasn含羞草研究社檛 designed for multiple bad years in a row.含羞草研究社�

The number of local staples, that either won含羞草研究社檛 produce fruit at all or only in greatly reduced amounts, was emphasized at the rally to illustrate the direct impact climate disasters have had in recent years.

Plants such as grapes, which experienced , , nectarines, peaches and other soft fruits, were all severely impacted over the last several years.

Those losses are leaving some farmers without any product to sell.

READ MORE: Kelowna farmers must diversify to adapt to climate change

Further complicating the situation is how market prices have become disconnected from what farmers are getting paid, said Brar.

含羞草研究社淵es, the shoppers who bought the apples paid $3/lb, but the farmer who grew them got 10 per cent less than they would have 39 years ago,含羞草研究社� said Brar.

BCFGA president Peter Simonson also called on grocery stores to step up, urging for them to finally sign onto the retail code of conduct, or for the federal government to force them to sign it. He also echoed the point that sticker prices have not led to an equal increase for farmers.

含羞草研究社淧rices at retail are higher than ever. Farm returns are the same or less,含羞草研究社� said Simonson.

Even beyond the immediate financial impact, which has seen orchards and vineyards up for sale across the Okanagan, there is an emotional and mental toll on the region含羞草研究社檚 farmers. Some of the farmers are concerned about whether there would be a future for their families in the industry, while others wonder where new generations of farmers might come from.

Members of the NDP caucus, including Premier David Eby and Boundary-Similkameen MLA Roly Russell, attended the rally as did BC United MLA Dan Ashton. The politicians were asked to not address the rally to keep the event non-partisan.

Eby spoke briefly to media about some of the concerns that he had heard first hand from farmers.

含羞草研究社漌ithout farmers, we don含羞草研究社檛 have food, without food, we含羞草研究社檙e in real trouble,含羞草研究社� said Eby.

Through the rally, the BCFGA repeated the importance of standing together and getting support from not just the government but consumers too.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e still farmers. We含羞草研究社檙e not going anywhere. We need to fight. We need to stand together,含羞草研究社� said Brar. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 not ready to give up and I don含羞草研究社檛 think anyone here is ready to give up. None of the farmers are ready to give up.含羞草研究社�

Ways of support from the average consumer laid out included simply buying local, whether that is directly from the farmer or by making sure that truly local food is stocked at the local store, by holding retailers accountable and by putting pressure on MPs and MLAs to get government support.