John Anderson received the honour
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A member of B.C.’s ag community recently received the Order of British Columbia.
John Anderson from West Vancouver received the award for “transforming global farming with sustainable practices and championing community causes,” an Aug. 5 press release says.
Anderson’s journey in ag started with the Oppenheimer Group, now known as Oppy, a fresh produce distribution and marketing company, in 1975.
At age 17, he loaded and unloaded produce from railcars and semitrailers.
From there he moved into a different role.
“I was in the warehouse and they asked me if I’d come into sales. I guess maybe opportunities existed and they thought maybe I’d be good at it,” he told the Vancouver Sun.
He became Oppy’s CEO in 1992.
In 1996 the company introduced Pacific Rose apples from New Zealand, and in 2000 brought gold kiwifruit to North America.
And in 2003 Ocean Spray picked Oppy to market fresh cranberries in North America.
Farmers in more than 30 countries work with Oppy, and have a say in how money is invested.
“Fair trade means we put a certain amount of money from everything else we sell back into the community we purchase the produce from,” Anderson told the Vancouver Sun. “It doesn’t go to the businesses there, it goes to the workers.
“It’s very structured, the workers vote on where the money gets spent. Does it go to dentistry, to health, to education, to school buses, to housing?
“We’ve been doing that for many years in Central and South American countries.”
Another representative of B.C. ag received a community award.
Thelma Rodriguez from Pitt Meadows received the Province’s Medal of Good Citizenship for “migrant and farm-worker support and advocacy in the Fraser Valley,” a release says.
Originally from Mexico and fluent in Spanish, Rodriguez provides translation and helps farm workers access services.
“She is constantly giving her time to help farm workers and make sure they get what they need,” Steve Nicklen said on the Bikes for Farm Workers BC Facebook page. “But more than anything, she is a good friend to them and spends a lot of time listening to their heartfelt situations and difficulties.”
Bikes for Farm Workers is a volunteer organization that provides reliable bicycles and safety gear to farm workers to help them travel to and from their workplace and into the community.
Rodriguez helps collect bikes while Nicklen repairs them.