Modern Agriculture Magazine Volume 1 Issue 4

MODERN AGRICULTURE VOL. 1 ISSUE 4

BRITISH COLUMBIA’S AGRICULTURE MAGAZINE

NUTRACEUTICALS: LET FOOD BE THE MEDICINE ENERGY PIPELINES AND AGRICULTURE ALPACAS: THE NEW RED MEAT? DRIVING DOWN ELECTRIC AVENUE 1ST ANNUAL BLUEBERRY CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

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The PUBLISHER’S

LETTER ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY Dear readers,

MODERN AGRICULTURE MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER Modern Media Group Ltd.

One full year has passed since the inception of Modern Agriculture Magazine. Despite the learning curve, we have enjoyed every minute of it, and It’s because of our readers that we’ve been able to enjoy such success within the last year.

The agriculture community is doing great things and we always want to take time out to recognize the individuals and groups who make a big difference. The blueberry industry hosted its 1st annual golf tournament and helped raise an astounding $15,000 for the BC Children’s Hospital. Innovation and technology is alive and well, and we’ve included some tips on how using your smartphones and tablets can help with everyday farming practices and possibly save you time. Our website also hosts articles ranging from the history of agriculture to fun topics such as famous farmers. Be sure to check us out online as we continuously post new content between issues.

We are committed to providing you with excellent content and promise to do everything we can to bring the most up to date and informative content we can, while keeping you, the readers, engaged. Countless readers have told us how much they enjoy the content because it engages them while informing them about issues being talked about in the agriculture industry. We want to keep offering different views on agriculture while keeping things fresh and interesting.

Enjoy the sunshine while it’s here and happy harvesting!

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Reuben Mann

COPYEDITOR Cate Pedersen

PARTNERS Harwind Bassi Amir Maan Gurtaj Sandhu

MAILING PO Box 13003 Highstreet PO V2T 0C4 Abbotsford, BC, Canada

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Sincerely,

LETTERS MODERN AGRICULTURE MAGAZINE

info@modernagriculture.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

NOTES Modern Agriculture Magazine acknowledges an error made on the advertisement of Clark Services & Insulations advertisement in Volume 1 Issue 3 of this magazine.

Tom Baumann, Miranda Elsby Eric Gerbrandt, Sukhi Gill, Kaitlyn Gisler, Hussain Haji Phil Johnson, Hyder Khoja, Rachel Ludwig, Jim Narraway Ronda Payne, Cate Pedersen, Kate Petrusa Sheila Poznikoff, Grant Ullyot, Greg Welfing

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Modern Agriculture Magazine is published quarterly by Modern Media Group Limited. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher. ©2014.

Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us. Modern Agriculture receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. Modern Agriculture, and its affiliates and assignees, may use, reproduce, publish, republish, distribute, store, and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. This statement does not apply to materials and/or pitches submitted by freelance writers, photographers, or illustrators in accordance with known industry practices.

SUMMER/2014 MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES FEATURED ARTICLES

Written by: Hussain Haji, Sukhi Gill

24

VEGGIES

06

NATURE’S COURSE Written by: Hyder A. Khoja

ECODAIRY MERGES SCIENCE, FUN Photos: Rachel Ludwig

09

BIG AG IN A SMALL SCALE Written by: Kate Petrusa Photos: Sheila Poznikoff

DRIVING DOWN ELECTRIC AVENUE Written by: Kaitlyn Gisler

COW POSITIONING LOCATOR Written by: Kaitlyn Gisler

10

ENERGY PIPELINES& AGRICULTURE

12

EUROPEAN RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP

Written by: Tom Baumann

ALPACA: THE NEXT RED MEAT? Written by: Ronda Payne

27 28 30 32

Written by: Miranda Elsby

CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT Photos: Reuben Mann

21

BAN ON CAGES

22

OPTIMISM IN BC’S HOG INDUSTRY

Written by: Ronda Payne

Written by: Grant Ullyot

THE NATURE AND NUTURE Written by: Eric Gerbrandt

NEW CHAIR OF THE BCBC Written by: Grant Ullyot

FERTIGATED VS. GRANULATED Written by: Greg Welfing

34 36 39 40

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NATURE’S COURSE | MODERN AGRICULTURE

NATURE’S COURSE

NUTRACEUTICALS LET FOOD BE THE MEDICINE

O

ver the past few decades, the world has witnessed the explosive growth of a multibillion-dollar nutraceutical industry. Nutraceuticals, a term combining the words nutrition and pharmaceutical, are foods or food products that provide health and medical benefits. Nutraceutical-rich vegetables and fruits are not only an important component of a nutritious diet, they are medicinal foods that play a role in maintaining well-being, enhancing health, modulating immunity and thereby preventing as well as treating specific diseases.

The exploration and exploitation of the disease-fighting properties of a multitude of phytochemicals found in both food and non-food plants have created a renaissance in human health and nutrition research. At the same time, many opportunities for the development of novel dietary products have been created. Such products may range from isolated nutrients, dietary supplements and specific diets to genetically engineered foods, herbal products and processed foods such as cereals, soups and beverages.

Research has proven that foods with phytochemicals, including carotenoids found in carrots or even lycopene from tomatoes, may help to provide protection from diseases such

as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

Nutraceuticals may be an emerging industry, but it has ancient beginnings. About 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” The Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, and Sumerians are just a few civilizations that have provided evidence suggesting that food can be effectively used as medicine to treat and prevent disease; this fact was supported by Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Indian health science. The modern nutraceutical market began to develop in Japan during the 1980s; it has continued to grow ever since as new technologies, along with increased awareness, drive

its exploration and expansion.

In recent years there is a growing interest in nutraceuticals to provide an alternative to modern medicine and possibly reduce or eliminate the need for conventional medications. Such products include food supplements, dietary supplements, and value-added processed foods, as well as non-food supplements like pills.

Food products used as nutraceuticals contain chemically active compounds that are derived from fruits, vegetables and different types of herbal foods. The most common of these compounds are phytochemical antioxidants, prebiotics, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fibres.

Research has proven that foods with phytochemicals, including carotenoids found in carrots or even lycopene from tomatoes, may help to provide protection from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. It has also been suggested by various epidemiological and animal model studies that nutraceuticals (mostly phytochemical extracts from nutritional or medicinal plants such as tea, garlic, tomato, ginger, soya bean etc.), may have chemopreventive activity.

Thus, the field of nutraceutical can be envisioned as one of the missing blocks in improving the overall health of all humans.

And the research proving that nutraceuticals are efficacious to treat and prevent various disease conditions is growing every day.

MODERN AGRICULTURE I NUTRACEUTICALS

Role of Nutraceutical in Treating Various Disease Conditions Research studies have found that the mechanisms nutraceuticals use to offer benefits such as reducing cancer incidence, are closely related to apoptosis—more commonly known as programmed cell death. While this may sound scary, it is actually a beneficial process found in all multicellular organisms. There is a vast amount of information in the literatures demonstrating various nutraceuticals supporting apoptosis in cultured human cells.

As Flavenoids

Flavonoids are found ubiquitously in all pigmented plants (specifically such as the catechins). The most common group of polyphenolic compound ingested by humans in their diet through variety of food sources like: fruits and vegetables. The widespread distribution of flavonoids, their variety and their relatively low toxicity compared to other active plant compounds make it rich of any other compound found in plants with a significant health benefits.

They have shown to have a wide variation in biological and pharmacological activities. They are well researched for anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, an-

LET FOOD BE THE MEDICINE

07

tiviral, anti-cancer and as antioxidant activities. They also have shown to inhibit topoisomerases enzyme and induce DNA mutations in the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) gene.

As Terpenoids

Terpenoids are the most diverse and largest class of plant natural products with wide industrial application, including provitamin A, vitamin E, flavours, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, insecticides, and anti-microbial agents. Other valuable terpenoid compounds that have been modified include the introduction of beta-carotene to tomato fruits and rice and zeaxanthin to potato tubers. Tomato is a major food crop and the principal source of the carotenoid lycopene. Epidemiological studies have clearly shown the great benefits of consumption of tomato to human health due to tomato carotenoids, mainly lycopene, beta-carotene, and lutein.

Hence, the advances in the areas of food technology, food biochemistry and the nutritional sciences (including nutritional genomics) are providing consumers with access to fresh and often supplemented produce with recognizable health benefits that previously were not available.

Table 1: Table shows the various phytochemicals used in disease prevention by their apoptotic action Nutraceutical

Obtained From

Flavenoids

Obtain from black tea Induce apoptosis in human stomach cancer cells, virally transformed human fibroblasts, and Theaflavin (TF-1) hepatoma cells.

• Theaflavin-3-gallate and theaflavin-3’-gallate (TF-2) • Theaflavin-3 3’-digallate (TF-3)

Carotenoids Stillbenes Sulphur containing compounds

Apoptotic Action

Obtain from green tea Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) also known as epigallocatechin 3-gallate.

Apoptotic in human lymphoid leukemic cells, human carcinoma cells, lung tumor cell lines, colon cancer cells, breast cancer cells, virally transformed human fibroblasts, prostate cancer cells, stomach cancer cells, brain tumor cells, head and neck squamous carcinoma and cervical cancer cells.

Genistein, quercetin, rutin.

Inhibit carcinogenesis in tumor cells

Obtain from tomato Lycopene and beta-carotene.

Inhibit carcinogenesis in tumor cells.

Induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells and malignant lymphoblast cells by DNA fragmentation, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, and caspase-3activation.

Obtain from grapes, peanuts, and pines Resveratrol (3,5,4-trihy-

Induces apoptosis and inhibits the growth of various human tumor cells, including oral squamous carcinoma, promyelocytic leukemia, human breast cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, esophageal carcinoma cells by induction of p53 at the mRNA and protein levels.

Obtain from garlic.

Induce apoptosis in lung cancer cells, prostate cancer, breast cancer cells by changing Bax to Diallyl-sulfide and diallyl-disulfide Bcl-2 ratio in cells.

Obtain from Brassica plants (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) Isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane

The Future of Nutraceuticals

Induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, and leukemia cells by increasing of Bax in the treated cells.

Nutraceuticals are intended to play a significant role in future therapeutic advancement, but their victory will be governed by direction of purity, safety, and efficacy without reducing innovation.

Nutraceuticals will continue to lead because they are suitable for today’s lifestyle. Some are also authentically researched and offer novel ingredients that can bring about health profits faster than would normally be the case through eating conventionally healthy foods alone. Public health authorities consider prevention and treatment with nutraceuticals as a commanding gadget in maintaining health and performing against nutritionally induced acute and chronic diseases, thereby promoting optimal health, longevity and quality of life.

A place for nutraceuticals in clinical practice is rising, but important pharmaceutical and clinical issues need to be addressed by further research. Nutraceuticals still need extensive scientific study to prove their effects with reduced side effects.

The next discoveries and innovations in nutraceuticals may come from a large pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, such as Monsanto, DuPont or Novartis, all of which are investing significant resources in their investigations.

Nutraceuticals are intended to play a significant role in future therapeutic advancement, but their victory will be governed by direction of purity, safety, and efficacy without reducing innovation.

However, many of the most significant nutraceutical applications thus far have come from independent researchers and health supplement companies. Therefore, one should keep an eye on more than the big corporations when looking for the next major nutraceutical breakthrough.

- Hyder A. Khoja, Ph.D., M.Sc., P.Ag.

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MODERN AGRICULTURE

MODERNAGRICULTURE.CA

MODERN AGRICULTURE I BIG

AG IN A SMALL SCALE

09

BIG AGRICULTURE IN A SMALL SCALE:

THE GROWTH OF THE ORGANIC SECTOR

P

itchfork Organic Farm is a small-scale, certified organic farm, nestled in the furthest reaches of West Abbotsford.

Amid a sea of blueberry fields, silage corn and dairies, and chicken barns, it is an unusual blip on the agricultural landscape.

On only four acres, Jeremy Pitchford and Sheila Poznikoff produce a remarkable diversity of produce: beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, salad greens, kales, chard, squashes, zucchini, melon, parsley, sweet corn, beans, onions, shallots, leeks, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, fennel, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, rhubarb, and more. The remaining acreage is devoted to tomatoes and long English cucumbers in cold frames, and berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries).

“I get to be there along the whole chain, right from growing it, and selling it to the person who is going to use it.”

Even more unusual than such a range of crops grown on one farm, is Pitchfork’s access to land. Jeremy and Sheila lease their farmland from Glen Valley Organic Farm Cooperative—a co-operative who owns 50 acres of land to ensure its use as farmland.

The co-operative’s mandate facilitates access to organic farming on Class 1 soils, and for a reasonable lease, which is quite removed from the $50,000 per acre market value of most Fraser Valley farmland.

This farmland is blessed with alluvial floodplain soils from the Fraser River, and more than 20 years of organically managed soil. In a given year, the main fertilizer used is 250 yards of compost, and Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a commonly found bacterium, is used for pest management. Pitchfork utilizes human weeding crews, and a smattering of black landscape cloth. Jeremy and Sheila typically hire two seasonal workers, which allows for one person per acre. Pitchfork Organic Farm grosses around $25,000 per acre, per year.

Images courtesy of Sheila Poznikoff

Farmers like Jeremy and Sheila are helping to grow the organic agriculture sector in BC. Today, BC is home to approximately 500 certified organic producers on 61,000 acres, as well as 110 organic processors and handlers (around 13% of all Canadian organic operators).

The wider public has led the charge to recognize the value of locally produced, organic agricultural products. The value of certified organic sales in BC through direct marketing routes alone totaled $64 million in 2012.

“Our customers have a chance to talk to us about our produce,” says Sheila. “From our conversations with them, I know they value quality food, as well as the knowledge of how their food is produced, and by whom. I believe it instills a sense of confidence about their own health, too.”

Pitchfork Organic Farm sells all its produce direct to customers through two Farmers’ Markets (New Westminster and White Rock), chefs, and their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box program. The CSA program is an opportunity for individuals and families to pay a lump sum up in the early spring, and look forward to a box of fresh produce and fruit delivered to a nearby location on a weekly basis.

For Jeremy, being able to sell his product direct to customers is a very satisfying part of his job. “I believe my produce provides a service for the community. I get to be there along the whole chain, right from growing it, and selling it to the person who is going to use it. When a customer comes up to the Farmers’ Market stall, I can see what they are buying, and they can tell me what they like. By seeing the same people come back each week, you know that they are enjoying what they are getting.”

While Pitchfork Organic Farm may still be the anomaly across the agricultural landscape, its contributions are beginning to add up in the economic market, and continuing to make a difference to our ecological and social landscapes.

- Kate Petrusa

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ENERGY PIPELINES AND AGRICULTURE | MODERN AGRICULTURE

ENERGY PIPELINES

C

HOW MUCH DO WE STAND TO LOSE/GAIN? ertainly, the energy debate is heating up with Enbridge, Kinder Morgan and others proposing all sorts of new pipelines. And I don’t care which side of the debate about the energy pipelines you sit on—whether oil, bitumen, natural gas or god knows what else. Every single one of us uses energy.

So, if we all use energy from the gas in our tanks to the plastic we use to protect our crops, and we accept that our computers are made from mostly plastic and we heat our houses with relatively clean natural gas, why are we so concerned with new pipelines? We have all heard commercials touting the great clean pipelines, and we read letters to the editors about the earth heating up relentlessly and that we may soon all die anyway. I would like you to forgive me for not addressing the issue that way. I’d like to address the issue from the standpoint of agriculture itself and the impact pipelines have on agriculture production on the BC Agriculture Land Reserve (ALR).

We are all familiar with the usual extractions of agriculture land from the ALR for reasons of “progress”: a new mall, a parking lot, an industrial park, a new housing project or religious establishment—anything seems to go. In one local case, even a swap for a dyke to protect other agriculture land. The government itself wants to open up the land reserve in the interior region for more development. Now add energy pipelines. I am sure everyone knows, pipes are buried underground and we just carry on as usual. Right? NO! Not so fast. When pipelines were built in the past, the soil was mixed, leading to sagging and compaction. If you are a real keener, go to Google Earth and find a picture from space that still clearly shows pipes running through farmland though they were installed in the 1950s. Yes, the soil damage still exists. Also, did you know that pipelines actually heat up the ground around them via friction and accelerate crop

growth above? Now imagine you have a pipe like that under your crop and that entire section ripens early; and when you are finally able to harvest it is overripe and lost to you.

Not so good, is it?

In the end, all of society loses is we do not defend our agriculture land,

What if something is wrong with the pipe and the company needs to check or repair it? In an emergency, there may be lots of water pooling; and some examples show that even in the absence of an emergency, repairs are conducted when soil conditions are unsuitable for heavy loads, resulting in soil compaction. Mostly, today, environmental laws and rules ensure companies are held responsible to make every effort to lessen the impact on farm land. Several lifts of soil are mandated, so that soil horizons are not mixed. Work is shut down when the soil is wet to avoid excessive compaction. The original right of way documents, as well as current environmental plans filed with the National Energy Board, look great on paper and following them would be a real pleasure when the necessary work is done. After all, what we are after is that the farm, once disrupted for a year or two, gets back to regular business and that the pipe can be forgotten.

This ideal scenario is not always the case. In some areas, the pipe is so close to the surface that heavy machinery cannot cross over without causing an incident that results in helicopters and trucks from the company screaming in and the farmer now responsible for a major fine. Did you know that you must have permission to deep plow across the pipe, and that in some areas you are not able to deep plow to disturb the plow pan? Yet, in the agreement with the pipeline company, it says that normal farm practices are

MODERN AGRICULTURE I ENERGY

PIPELINES AND AGRICULTURE

11

AND AGRICULTURE

allowed. So a swath of 60 feet on the pipeline right of way cannot be farmed properly and leads to loss of crop. Well, you say, the company needs to reimburse me for the losses.

Do not count on it. In a construction project of that sort, you cannot gain.

In the end, all of society loses if we do not defend our agriculture land. The planet is running out of decent agriculture land as populations swell and demand for high quality food increases.

On the right of way, the energy companies, with the protection of the National Energy Board (NEB), rule. If you do not believe it, check out the website of the NEB, or email or call the Canadian Association of Energy Pipeline Land Owners. The latter has been fighting for the rights of landowners against the NEB and pipeline companies for many years now and examples can be found on many websites.

You may actually find a reference to some little-known facts, such as when pipelines get to the end of their lifetime and are abandoned, the landowners become responsible if something goes wrong! Or, that the NEB has changed regulations without consulting landowners, allowing 100 feet of workspace on either side of the ROW without compensation. So, what to do? What to do to protect our farm land, our source of family income and the very environment in which we live?

Before a company enters the property, a proper contract needs to be negotiated. The NEB enables the companies, of course, and it takes a lot of work and fighting to get there. Membership in an association and sticking together helps plenty.

In the end, all of society loses if we do not defend our agriculture land. The planet is running out of decent agriculture land as populations swell and demand for high quality food increases. By 2050, we will have 9 billion people on the planet; we are now just over 7 billion at the time of writing. Scary? You bet!

We use energy from oil and gas sources, we use the products made out of the oil and gas, and we’d be hypocrites saying no to them. The real challenge is to get the NEB and the energy companies to recognize that farmland is as important as the air we breathe and the water we drink, and that protection of that environment is paramount. Business contracts are a must to protect our farmland for future generations.

This author is a farmer. This author is host to a pipeline right of way. This author has been negotiating with pipeline companies. This author has worked with energy companies to help valuate losses to farmers. He’s been there.

I hope I have stimulated some discussion and some peaceful actions and I hope this article will inspire everyone to learn more about both sides of the story. Then my job will be done.

- Tom Baumann

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EUROPEAN RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP | MODERN AGRICULTURE

EUROPEAN RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP

BENEFITS CANADIAN FARMERS

(LEFT) Root-feeding weevil Cyphocleonus trisulcatus, currently being studied as a potential biocontrol for oxeye daisy (RIGHT) Research plots at CABI’s facility in Delemont, Switzerland (Photo courtesy of Tim Haye, Research Scientist at CABI)

C

ABI is a not-for-profit organization set up by the United Nations treaty, with over 100 years of operation and nearly 50 membership countries, including Canada. Throughout its existence, CABI’s mission has been to improve people’s lives worldwide through the transfer of information and scientific innovation relating to agriculture and the environment. A few of its goals include the improvement of food security worldwide, the preservation of the environment and biodiversity, and the transfer of sustainable agronomic knowledge to farmers.

One of CABI’s current focuses is researching the impacts and management tools involved in invasive weed species.

CABI has generated decades worth of scientific knowledge and research, with massive improvements in agronomic practices, including pest and environmental management. In addition to its global research, CABI’s publishing efforts provide funding for rural development projects, spreading wealth and agronomic knowledge to some of the world’s poorest communities. CABI’s influence is also felt Canada-wide, with research partnerships in many provinces, helping to educate Canadian farmers on agricultural innovation and tackle the many challenges faced by the modern farmer.

One of CABI’s current focuses is researching the impacts and management tools involved in invasive weed species, many of which have European sources. Oxeye daisy

(scientific name Leucanthemum vulgare) is a well-known aggressive weed in North American pastureland, as well as other natural landscapes. The shallow root system of this plant promotes soil erosion of agricultural lands, and it is avoided by grazing cattle in pasturelands where its populations are often dense, reducing the amount of available feed.

Farmers can combat this weed with regular mowing and herbicide applications, but both methods are time consuming and costly. And while these control methods present challenges in an agricultural setting, they are even less effective in a natural landscape where broad spectrum herbicides and mechanical controls are not feasible. In an attempt to better equip farmers with a means of control for this weed, scientists in both Canada and Europe are investigating a more ecological approach: introducing insects as a weed suppressant.

Biological control, or the introduction of a living organism as a means of weed or pest suppression, is growing in popularity as a management tool as scientists and farmers look for innovative control methods for the ever-evolving list of pests they are forced to deal with. A successful example of such a control would be the use of the parasitic wasp (scientific name Encarsia formosa) as a means of greenhouse whitefly suppression. This insect has been used for decades as an alternative management tool to chemical application, helping to minimize whitefly populations on important greenhouse crops like tomato and cucumber. It is this successful model that scientists hope to use as a basis for a similar relationship between insects and oxeye daisy.

The CABI centre in Switzerland,

in cooperation with North American institutions, has spearheaded the research program that hopes to find a viable biological control candidate for oxeye daisy. Sonja Stutz, PhD student at the University of Fribourg and researcher at CABI, is currently looking at four possible insect biocontrol agents, including a root-boring weevil, a root-boring moth, a flower head-boring fly, and the rare European root-feeding weevil (pictured above). Each of these insects attacks the target plant in some way, hopefully suppressing its growth and limiting spread in the field. The research involved in ensuring the insects’ feeding specificity is very time consuming, and must take into consideration the possibility of the insect attacking a non-target plant, with the greatest concern placed on native North American plant species or those with high economic value. And with current field research underway at the CABI facility in Delémont, Switzerland, progress is being made with very promising results. Research projects such as Stutz’s, as well as the work of other innovative scientists based at CABI, contribute information to a bigger scientific picture, allowing agricultural practices and the livelihoods of farmers to evolve and improve on a global scale.

The research centre in Switzerland serves as a base to both scientists and students, many of whom hail from Canadian universities. Several projects are currently underway, including other invasive species and biocontrol work, as well as integrated pest management programs and ecosystem research. The rest of CABI’s exciting projects can be seen online at www.cabi.org.

- Miranda Elsby

MODERN AGRICULTURE I PRECISION

GROWING

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PRECISION GROWING

THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF GREENHOUSE GROWING

M

odern greenhouses utilizing advanced Precision Growing techniques are the ideal solution to achieve sustainable food production as the world’s ballooning population puts more demands on land use and the earth’s natural resources.

Precision Growing, the most efficient and effective form of growing, is focused on doing more for less in a better way. It facilitates sustainable greenhouse production and impacts positively on the Greenhouse business performance. Precision Growing optimizes the relationship between climate, variety and root zone.

GRODAN® enables Precision Growing by focusing on root zone management solutions.

Recycling drain water throughout the growing cycle

Optimizing water usage and fertilizer application are critical for efficiency, cost reduction and emission control in the greenhouse sector. Table 1 illustrates the impact of run-to –waste hydroponic systems compared to closed systems on nitrogen emission from greenhouses. It is easy to see the cost and environmental implications of recycling the drain water.

Table 1: Nitrogen emission from the greenhouse in open run-to-waste system compared to closed system recycling (based on application of 1,250 l/m2 and 18mMol-1 Nitrate -NO3).

Strategy

Nitrogen emission

1. 100% run-to-waste system realizing 30% drain

945 kg/ha

2. 85% reuse and 30% drain

142 kg/ha

3. 85% reuse and 15% drain

71 kg/ha

What is evident from table 1 is the huge impact that simply recycling the drain water has on reducing nitrogen emission from the greenhouse and secondly even when using closed systems the impact that a targeted irrigation strategy can have by lowering total

drain volumes.

Managing first drain

GRODAN in-house research has shown that for slab volume of 11.25 liters (100 x 15 x 7.5 cm) the initial drain volume will be approximately 2 litres per slab or approximately 12m3 / ha (at 6,000 slabs/ha). The same trials also show that the initial drain from coco substrate of the same volume can be up to double. Table 2 illustrates the contribution to the emission of nitrogen from the greenhouse if the nutrient solution is not recycled.

Table 2: Nitrogen emission (kg/ha) from first drain using standard feed recipes for tomato, pepper, and cucumber.

Tomato

Pepper

Cucumber

N emission from GRODAN (12m3)

3.95 kg/ha

2.86 kg/ha

3.53 kg/ha

N emission from Coco (24m3)

7.90 kg/ha

5.72 kg/ha

7.00 kg/ha

GRODAN stone wool

By using a chemically inert substrate such as GRODAN stone wool, the grower can lower fertilizer emission as it is possible to recycle the drain water from day one of the growing cycle. This immediate and continuous recycling of the drain water is achieved with GRODAN stone wool substrate because the nutrient elements which are applied in the drip solution are the only elements found in the substrate and initial drain water (Figure 1).

Flushing

In contrast, coco substrates leach large amounts of K, Na and Cl. The initial drain solution is not balanced and would require blending to lower the overall EC. However and more importantly the slab solution is unbalanced at the start of the cultivation cycle (Table 3). Secondary products such as tannins are also released into the drain water (Figure 1) and consequently the substrate must be “flushed” to balance the nutrient ratios and improve the clarity of the drain water for an acceptable T10 value for UV sterilization.

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PRECISION GROWING | MODERN AGRICULTURE

Figure 1: Clarity of first drain in GRODAN stone wool compared to coco.

Although the volumes of water (l/m2) are low compared to the volumes applied over the entire cultivation, the impact on nitrogen emission from the greenhouse is substantial (Table 4).

Compare the figures in table 4 to the overall emission of nitrogen 142 kg/ha in table 1. They show that the inability to recycle from the start of the cultivation can contribute to as much as 47% of the total emission from the greenhouse.

Figure 2: Data from Water Content Meter Illustrating how WC (dark blue) and EC (red) develop over 3 contrasting days (Global radiation (w/m2).

Table 4: Comparison of Nitrogen emission (kg/ha) from initial drain and flushing of GRODAN and coco substrates.

Coco

GRODAN Initial Drain

Flushing Total

0 kg/ha

7.9 kg/ha

0 kg/ha

59.2 kg/ha

0 kg/ha

67.1 kg/ha

Figures are based on initial volume of drain volumes illustrated in table 2 and the amount of applied irrigation water applied as a standard feed recipe to balance the nutrient solution in the slab and reach acceptable T10 values for effective functioning of UV systems.

Optimizing the Irrigation Strategy

GRODAN trials indicate that the amount of water required to flush coco slabs is the equivalent to that applied in the first 8 weeks of the cultivation on GRODAN substrate. This targeted application of water has additional benefits in terms of improved plant balance and production.

When looking to optimize the irrigation strategy during the entire growing cycle it is important to remember three golden rules: • Transpiration then irrigation.

• Every irrigation results in a vegetative crop reaction so timing and duration between irrigation is important when steering the plant balance.

• Drain should not be the goal. It should be the result of a structured irrigation strategy.

Figure 2 shows data from a water content meter measuring substrate WC (dark blue) and EC (red). It demonstrates how EC and WC have developed over three consecutive yet contrasting days (global radiation). With a structured irrigation strategy in place you can see WC remains stable and EC remains stable. Crucially on the blue sky day EC is lowest when radiation is highest.

Summary

The modern Greenhouse Industry faces several challenges but applying Precision Growing techniques will help ensure growers can have stronger plants with higher yields using less resources and inputs to realize maximum profits. For more information on Precision Growing visit: www.precisiongrowing.com.

About the Author: Phil Johnson has a BSc Honors Degree in Horticulture from Pershore College in the UK, in which he specialized in glasshouse crop production. Following his degree, Phil worked as a Grower Manager for Humber VHB for seven years before joining GRODAN as a Technical Advisor and Business Manager. Phil is also a recognized speaker at industry conferences.

Table 3: Nutrient balance in GRODAN and coco substrate following initial saturation with a complete hydroponic feed solution DATE

SAMPLE

REFERENCE

EC

pH NH4 K

mS/cm 4-3-2010

Sample 0

4-3-2010

Sample 1a

4-3-2010

Sample 1b

4-3-2010 4-3-2010

Sample 2a Sample 2b

Irrigated water Drain Water Slab Water Drain Water Slab Water

Na Ca

Mg NO3 Cl

S

HCO3 P

Si

Fe

Mn Zn

mmol/l mmol/l

mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l mmol/l umol/l umol/l umol/l

B

Cu

umol/l umol/l

Mo K/Ca umol/l

umol/l

548874

2.8

6.1

0.5

7.0

1.1

7.7

2.2

19.9

0.7

1.8

0.2

2.18

0.25

17

12

12

83

1.6

0

0.9

548875

2.9

6.1

0.5

7.5

1.2

7.8

2.2

19.5

0.8

2.0

0.1

2.12

0.26

16

13

12

80

1.7

0

1.0

548887

2.9

6.2

0.5

7.4

1.1

7.9

2.2

20.4

0.8

1.9

0.0

2.18

0.27

14

13

16

83

1.5

0

0.9

5.8

0.4

21.2

7.3

5.8

3.1

21.8

14.1

2.0

0.2

2.41

0.43

7.2

11

16

47

1.8

0

3.7

5.8

3.3

24.0

17.7

2.1

0.3

2.49

0.50

4.8

11

21

46

1.9

0

4.2

548881 548889

4.8 5.2

5.9

0.5

24.5

8.6

16

CREDIT CHECK | MODERN AGRICULTURE

CREDIT CHECK: CHOOSING THE RIGHT FINANCING TOOL FOR THE JOB

W

hen it comes to tools of the trade, farmers understand the importance of using tools appropriate for the work at hand. Using the right tool equals the right results.

Knowing which financial tools are best suited to meet a particular financial need can be difficult, if not confusing. This is especially true of credit and the array of facilities available.

A decision that producers often face is whether to meet a financial need using available room on an existing line of credit or to give their commercial account manager a call and arrange term financing.

Blind spots on the path of least resistance

The most common mistake that an account manager sees is when available room on an approved line of credit is used to purchase a piece of equipment with a price tag in the tens of thousands of dollars. Often, the underlying assumption is that the income from the farm is sufficient to cover all of the farm’s ongoing operating costs as well as the equipment purchase, so why not use the line of credit?

When considering the credit facilities available to your farm operation, don’t be tempted to take the path of least resistance.

While using an existing line of credit is easy, it also has blind spots. The farmer may be right about cash flow, but what if it isn’t sufficient to cover expenses and a costly purchase? Or worse yet, what if there is an unexpected, expensive repair that needs to be made immediately and there isn’t sufficient room in the line of credit to cover this repair?

Deciding whether to use the line of credit or to arrange new financing should be based on the expense type. Is the expense strictly for farm operating costs, such as repairs, purchase of feed inventories, and so forth? Then the tool to choose is the line of credit, because operating costs are usually much lower than equipment costs, leaving more room in the line of credit as a buffer should

other unexpected operating costs arise. But if the expense is an equipment purchase, especially high-cost items like tractors or other vehicles, then term financing is the right tool for the job.

Advantages of term financing

In most cases, the best way to buy any type of equipment or vehicle is to work with your account manager to make an application for the purchase. There are a number of advantages to this approach: 1.

The loan can be set up with repayment terms that can easily be covered from the farm’s cash flow. These types of loans can usually be set up for three to five years, or longer in some cases.

2.

The interest on the loan is an expense that would be deducted from the farm’s gross income. Typically, this is classed as interest on long-term debt.

3.

Most importantly, the operating line of credit will be available for all normal operating costs, as well as for unexpected or infrequent expenses.

If the farmer has been consulting the same commercial account manager for several years, this should mean that the account manager has sufficient knowledge about the farm operation and the farmer’s short- and long-term plans and strategy for growth.

This familiarity should make arranging an equipment purchase relatively simple.

When considering the credit facilities available to your farm operation, don’t be tempted to take the path of least resistance. The easiest route isn’t always the best one. Work with your commercial account manager to pair the need with the appropriate tool to help ensure the financial results you want to see and avoid those unforeseen financial pitfalls.

- Jim Narraway

MODERN AGRICULTURE

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MODERNAGRICULTURE.CA

20

RECORDS, RECORDS, RECORDS | MODERN AGRICULTURE

RECORDS, RECORDS, RECORDS

R

ecords can give us powerful insights into the past and help us plan for the future; we can analyze how things are working (or not) and make educated decisions.

By applying records to things like animal treatments, pesticide applications, equipment maintenance or even manure applications, you can really see how your efforts influence your success, and even make or save you money!

What does a record generally look like?

• Simple. Combining common themes (e.g. processing or treatments), tasks (e.g. cleaning/repairing equipment) and/or locations (e.g. south field or prep room) may help reduce repetition, encourage completion and save time.

• Accessible. A record kept in the house is of no use if the persons doing the task don’t have access to it.

• Consistent. If it’s not possible or practical to make the master record accessible, use temporary records that match your master record format. Have staff hand the temporary records in frequently for entry into the master so they are never without one and your records will stay current and complete.

• Legible. Encourage everyone to print clearly. Added or bigger spaces will greatly improve the quality of information collected.

• Accurate. Having the right information is crucial, especially if you’re trying to make quick decisions and can’t take the time to verify the information. If withdrawal/residue calculations are incorrect due to inaccurate or incomplete information, the end result can be very damaging and costly.

What’s the best format for my records?

What record format you choose will depend on the type of information you want to collect and whether your farm is enrolled in a program requiring specific records, e.g. on-farm food safety (OFFS) programs. All are useful but different when it comes time for analysis later. For example: • Tables. Inability to meet benchmarks can quickly demonstrate whether a protocol is successful over a wide variety of situations,

or an employee needs some assistance or retraining. Combine this with knowledge of other variables like weather conditions, housing, and/or plant/breed lines and some very key cost-saving management decisions can be made.

• Checklists. Quickly confirms if a task(s) has been done or helps someone remember all the components of a task, especially if done infrequently or by a new trainee. Where possible, always include space for writing down problems or changes that may have occurred while doing the task as it will greatly improve communication and allow for cost-saving improvements later.

• Journals or calendars. If little information is required, these can be useful. However, if you need to write down more it can very quickly become ineffective. For example journals often: 1.

Lack headings. Without reminders to write down all the information, users will often write the bare minimum or assume certain things will be easily remembered or found in other sources—often not the case.

2.

Lose valuable information. Most journals are a broad collection of varied information separated by a date and finding information later within the content is difficult.

3.

Consume time. Time spent reviewing poor records is time not well spent.

• Computer records. If set up correctly with user-friendly data entry sections, computers can be efficent tools. Computer access and training for all users and back-ups for power failures or when the computer goes down is key to success. Software programs must be kept current or match OFFS program requirements to avoid costly mistakes later.

Every farm is unique.

To create an effective record-keeping system that works for you will depend upon how you use them. Records will help you make better, cost-effective decisions in your business.

Annette Moore, BC-Verified Beef Production Program Coordinator and Quality First in Agriculture Inc.

MODERN AGRICULTURE I BAN

ON CAGES

BAN ON CAGES

21

CANADA BANS CAGES FOR LAYER

I

n July of 2013 a motion was passed by the Egg Farmers of Canada’s (EFC) board of directors in regard to laying hen housing. The motion will move Canadian egg farmers from standard housing to furnished housing.

Furnished housing is a change from battery cages in that it provides additional room, perching facilities, separation of animal waste from eggs, nesting facilities and other hen comforts.

According to the EFC, reviews of hen housing have been underway for a number of years and the Canadian egg industry has spent time observing trends in hen housing and assessing the importance of having the option to house birds in cages.

The specific motion states: “The Canadian egg industry will move to phase out conventional cage use as existing facilities are either rebuilt or re-tooled in favour of furnished housing at 116 ¼ sq. in. (750 sq. cm.) per bird such that no new conventional cage systems will be installed in Canada after December 31, 2014.”

The EFC noted they have made use of the following activities to make sure the new motion is based on sound facts: 1. Investment in animal care research through EFC’s Chair in Poultry Welfare at the University of Guelph and support work at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and the University of Manitoba to evaluate the enriched cage systems 2. Participation in the National Farm Animal Care Council’s review of the Recommended Code of Practice for Laying Hens, to strengthen the EFC’s Animal Welfare Program 3. Establishment of an Animal Welfare Advisory Panel comprised of researchers from several Canadian universities and producers 4. Contribution to international standards through the International Egg Commission and advocation for science-based standards at the world animal health organization 5. Participation on the United Egg Producers Animal Care Committee 6. Membership in the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply

Within the industry, it is understood that reviews of caging systems have not only been influenced by animal health care standards, but also regulations passed in California to ban all cages as well as public perception. Although public perception may not include an understanding of farming realities, it does, nonetheless, impact the market. With programs like the Vancouver Humane Society’s Chicken Out, the public desire for cage free layers and advanced cage options is bound to grow.

While the motion outlines some specifics like space per bird and the date of change, Al Sakalauskas, executive director of the BC Egg Marketing Board (BCEMB) noted that there aren’t enough specifics at this point to advise growers of strategies going forward.

“The producers association and the board will be meeting [the week of the 16th] and decisions will come out some time after that process is complete,” Sakalauskas said. “We are starting to move forward on a national front. The national guidelines are there, but don’t provide a whole lot of details except sizes.”

It is uncertain when the results of the BCEMB meetings will be made available to farmers, but based on the amount of input, the process from reviewing the regulation to understanding implementation will be complex. EFC has stated they will work with provincial marketing boards to establish solutions given that implementation is within provincial jurisdiction.

- Ronda Payne MODERNAGRICULTURE.CA

22

BC HOG INDUSTRY | MODERN AGRICULTURE

OPTIMISM RISING IN DESPITE ONGOING CHALLENGES

B

C hog producers are keeping a wary eye open for any sign that the virus (porcine epidemic diarrhea or PED) has infected pigs in BC. The virus, which spread from China in 2013, has invaded over 30 states in America, killing over 7 million pigs. PED has been detected on 65 farm sites in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island.

According to Tom Droppo, the hog industry specialist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture, the disease is transferred mainly by feces contamination on transport vehicles, and on clothing and boots worn by people who handle an infected animal.

Infected pigs will get a severe case of diarrhea and lose weight rapidly. Mortality rates in newborn piglets up to 8-10 weeks of age typically run from 90 to 100 per cent.

BC producers have developed a surveillance program intended to keep close contact with any producer on high alert. If the signs of the virus (diarrhea) occur, producers are advised to immediately contact their veterinarian and have samples collected and analyzed to determine the cause. In multiple barns on a farm site it is possible to iso-

late an infected barn from animals in uninfected barns by applying high levels of biosecurity protection.

Once a barn is infected, pigs have to be managed to raise them to market weight and empty the barn. Then the barn can be properly cleaned and disinfected. This is a very costly and time-consuming process but absolutely necessary in order to prevent the next group of pigs from being infected.

Meanwhile, Provincial and Federal governments have jointly provided the BC hog industry with $613,050 to pay for increased surveillance and preventive measures to keep the virus from spreading into BC. The BC Pork Producers Association (BCPPA) will use the funding to implement enhanced bio-security for transport trucks, slaughter plant traffic and animal handling. BC’s two processing plants and 21 hog farms will receive funding to support and develop responses and containment plans should the virus be found in BC.

Federal Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz, emphasized the importance of a strong bio-security program. “Vigilance towards PED is key to reducing its impact on

MODERN AGRICULTURE I BC

HOG INDUSTRY

23

BC HOG INDUSTRY

the Canadian agriculture sector and on Canada’s economy as a whole. The money allocated to the BC hog industry should provide it with the tools and resources it needs to support producers and processors in improving their biosecurity.�

Consumers will be pleased to learn that the hog industry will introduce federal traceability legislation in July 2014, which will allow for rapid trace back of pork products if a health or quality problem is discovered.

The industry has a lot of catch-up to do, says Droppo. While producers are now enjoying positive profit margins, he adds that the bulk of it has to be re-invested in machinery, equipment, and facility repairs and/or replacement, which have been allowed to go unattended through many years of heavy losses due to low market prices and high feed costs. The hog industry generates about $28 million in annual farm cash receipts (FCR) for BC and when the multiplier effect on feed suppliers, equipment, construction, trucking, pharmaceutical, and processing industries is factored in, the value of the pork sector to the BC economy runs many times greater than the $28 million in annual FCR.

The industry has also contracted for services to determine what niche markets the industry can exploit.

While niche markets cost more to develop they command a premium price for the products and this results in increased revenues for producers.

- Grant Ullyot

24

MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES | MODERN AGRICULTURE

MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES

W

ashington State is the fifth largest exporting state in the United States, and is a global gateway to the Pacific Rim, Canada, and Alaska. Today, there are a growing number of BC farmers looking to expand their operations into the US – many of them not considering the long term implications before doing so. It is important for Canadian companies doing business in the US to be aware of the tax consequences and ongoing requirements.

Regardless of whether the business is generating taxable income, the possibility exists that the Canadian company could end up with a tax bill simply by engaging in business activities in the US.

As a general rule of thumb, Canadian farmers, with operations in the United States will become taxable when they are said to be “effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States”. This approach is similar to Canadian tax law, whereby a non-resident (corporations or individuals) is taxed on any income that is earned in Canada.

With the rising cost of land in British Columbia, many farmers have looked towards Washington to increase their production of blueberries, cranberries and other commodities.

If you have income that would be defined as effectively connected with a trade or business within the US, there may be provisions under Canada – US Tax Treaty that may provide relief from US tax. Specifically under the treaty, Canadian residents are set to become taxable on their business profits in the US if this business is carried on through a permanent establishment (“PE”). The US defines PE as a fixed place of business through which a non-resident carries on a business. Some examples of PE’s applicable to Canadian farmers include: • Office • Processing plant • Income generated from the sale of produce or other agriculture production • Place of management • Branch

Furthermore, a Canadian corporation will be deemed to have a US PE in circumstances where an individual repeatedly has the authority to negotiate and execute contracts on behalf of the Corporation within the US. A common example would be an employee signing a sales agreement while attending a trade show in the US. Despite the Company not having physical operations in the US, the Company could be considered to have a PE in the US by virtue of the employee’s general authority to conclude contracts at the trade show.

There are addition PE considerations for service based business, which we have not addressed.

With the rising cost of land in British Columbia, many farmers have looked towards Washington to increase their production of blueberries, cranberries and other commodities. Expanding your operations can have short term and long term implications to your business.

Firstly, under the PE rules it is possible that when Canadian controlled private corporations (“CCPC”) carry on business or provide services in

the US, any income derived will not be eligible for the small business deduction (lower tax rate on the first $500,000 of taxable income). Secondly, many owners do not realize is that having these US operations could threaten their eligibility of being a qualified small business corporation (“QSBC”). This becomes crucial with our aging population and succession planning. As the Canadian shareholders of CCPC’s want to utilize their lifetime capital gains exemption of $800,000 when selling their shares.

Failure to understand the tax environment at the early stages of setting up operations in the United States can lead to significant costs, penalties, and time. It is extremely important to consult your professional advisors before expanding into the US and be aware of the US tax filing requirements. In addition please refer to our website for more discussion on “Doing Business in the United States” under the Resources tab.

- Hussain Haji, CA, Sukhi Gill, CA, Smythe Ratcliffe

26

MODERN AGRICULTURE

MODERNAGRICULTURE.CA

MODERN AGRICULTURE I ECODAIRY

MERGES SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND FUN

27

ECO-DAIRY MERGES SCIENCE, EDUCATION AND FUN

Y

oung minds will be inspired to take an active interest in farming at Abbotsford’s recently re-launched EcoDairy in partnership with Science World.

Formerly the Bakerview EcoDairy and opened in 2010,the new-look EcoDairy has been redesigned by Science World British Columbia’s team of world class curators with the goal of becoming the Fraser Valley’s premier experiential learning destination.

EcoDairy president, Bill Vanderkooi, said the Science World partnership delivered some much-needed ‘magic’ to the facility.

“We wanted EcoDairy to become a place where families and groups could come and be engaged and inspired. In place of static displays delivered via a 40-minute guided tour, we can now deliver a self-guided experience that can keep both adults and children entertained for hours,” he said.

“We wanted EcoDairy to become a place where families and groups could come and be engaged and inspired.”

The enhanced Discovery Centre experience includes a range of hands-on and interactive displays including Vicki, the incredible milking cow, where guests can test their skills at milking a cow by hand.

The dairy barn features new exhibits which emphasize innovations in the dairy industry and cow health; while upstairs in the Moozanine, visitors can lie back on a real cow bed or enjoy some quiet time with a range of Discovery Box activities.

While the EcoDairy experience just got a whole lot more fun, Mr Vanderkooi said it supports a serious mission—to promote agriculture science and technology education, and inspire future innovation in the agricultural sector.

“We know the future of dairy and the agriculture industry generally lies in our ability to innovate and produce food more sustainably,” he said.

“Our goal is to educate the public on where their food comes from and to inspire the next generation of innovators to take an active interest in agriculture science and technology.”

Images courtesy of Rachel Ludwig

Sharing a passion for science and technology education, Mr Vanderkooi said Science World was the perfect partner to bring science-based learning to EcoDairy.

“Both of our organizations are built on very similar values, which is why we believe this partnership is truly a win-win,” he said.

Science World British Columbia CEO, Bryan Tisdall, said the partnership was the first step in extending his organization’s reach to other locations throughout the province.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with EcoDairy. Science World has a provincial mandate to excite minds—young and notso-young—to the wonders of science and technology and its importance in our lives,” he said.

“EcoDairy is the ideal partner for us in the Fraser Valley, combining real-life farming with the science and technology of agriculture in a manner that is meaningful and engaging.”

The enhanced EcoDairy experience also includes a range of new support materials which align with the BC school curriculum ; it is hoped this will attract more school groups to the site.

The unique and highly interactive new experience was unveiled at the beginning of June and is already boasting record visitor numbers. The EcoDairy site also includes a farm animal exhibit and picnic grounds which are free to the public in addition to an ice cream kiosk and market.

28

DRIVING DOWN ELECTRIC AVENUE | MODERN AGRICULTURE

DRIVING DOWN ELECTRIC AVENUE: A NEW GENERATION OF TRACTORS

T

he tractor brand Fendt has uploaded two flashy and streamlined videos onto their website. Between strobe-like black and white graphics punctuated with cool music and bursts of bright lettering, viewers are given a glimpse into the future of farming: the Fendt X Concept tractor.

The overall vibe of the videos is electrifying, energetic and powerful; lighting the way into a future free of PTOs and hydraulics. Instead, tractors—like Fendt’s—generate their own electricity, and have high voltage interfaces that connect to and power farming implements.

In the tractor manufacturer world, this isn’t shocking news. John Deere also has its own design, the 7030 E Premium series (sister and nearly look-a-like twin to their 7030 series). According to a news report, Deere nabbed a gold medal in 2007 for their innovative E Premium design at Germany’s renowned Agritechnica, an agricultural equipment trade fair that takes place annually in Hannover, Germany.

Deere’s E Premium tractors have a built-in electric generator that is driven by the tractor’s crankshaft. The generator replaces the alternator, and instead is attached to the engine’s flywheel and can whip up 20 Kilowatts (kW) of electricity to power engine auxiliaries.

The AC compressor is electric powered and runs independently from the engine speed as does the coolant pump. The engine fan is also powered autonomously and can be reversed to blow out dust and debris collecting on the tractor’s grille. Finally, there is the possibility to plug into 230 volt single phase or 400 volt three phase power sockets; so, even though there are few electrically powered implements on the market, any power hand tools can be hooked up to the tractor and be used.

Fendt’s Concept X tractor functions much the same. Their model is based on their 700 Vario series tractors, and their gen-

Images courtesy of Fendt.co.uk erator—the POWERBUS—can support two high voltage interfaces located at the front and back of the tractor. The POWERBUS design also runs internal tractor devices, like the electric fan and coolant pumps independent from the engine. Tools can invariably be hooked up to the Concept X’s outlets, but the real desire is for farming implements that are electrically—not PTO—powered.

According to Farm Industry News, there is a fertilizer spreader that has been developed to be run by an E Premium or Concept X design. A benefit with this set-up is that the spreader’s speed is not reliant on the tractor’s ground speed. Also, the rapidity that the implement can be shut down—if there is an issue—is much faster than with hydraulics. It’s like flicking off a light switch.

Ease and cleanliness are also benefits of electrically driven tractors: connecting to an attachment is straightforward, simply plug into a socket. There are no hoses to handle, or high pressure oil and leaks to worry about.

John Deere cites their E Premium tractors are also environmentally friendly, using 6.3% less fuel than their mainstream 7030 Premium tractors. Their engineered Intelligent Power Mode also distributes the kilowatts created by the generator to where power is required within the tractor—so nothing is overloaded or underpowered. Instead, the Intelligent Power Mode creates an energy equilibrium. Studies done by Deere have also proven that their E Premium designs can accelerate 15% faster than their regular 7030 series.

Electric drive tractors—like many innovations in agriculture— are already being used in Europe. This, however, is a good guarantee that they will eventually be brought to Canadian soil.

There has definitely been enough buzz surrounding this technology over the last few years. Let’s keep our wires crossed.

- Kaitlyn Gisler

MODERN AGRICULTURE I DRIVING

DOWN ELECTRIC AVENUE

29

“With the X Concept, tractor and implement are transformed into an extremely high-performance unit, one that opens up a new dimension of ultra-efficient complete solutions for agricultural work processes. The tractor and implement communicate via the proven and standardized ISOBUS. Electrical power of up to 130 kW is transmitted to the implements in the form of a 700 V DC supply via the ‚POWERBUS‘. By the same token, the POWERBUS provides power to internal tractor consumers such as the electrical fan drive or the coolant pumps.” - Fendt.co.uk

“The X Concept, based on the 700 Vario series, is powered by an AGCO Power 4-cylinder diesel engine rated for 147 kW / 200 hp and has an integrated high-performance alternator with unique performance capabilities. This particularly compact and powerful diesel engine leaves plenty of room to place the components required for electrical technology, e.g. the alternator, the power electronics, the wiring and the specialist heat exchanger. The alternator is positioned between engine and transmission.” - Fendt.co.uk

30

COW POSITIONING LOCATOR | MODERN AGRICULTURE

COW POSITIONING LOCATOR

N

edap has created a way for farmers to keep better track of their cows. Using sensors and a digital map, dairy farmers can now pinpoint the exact location of a specific cow within their barn.

Specializing in agricultural innovation for over thirty years, with locations worldwide, Nedap develops “technology that matters”; and, keeping ahead of the curve, develops solutions for issues that farmers haven’t seriously considered yet, but will have to in the near future.

Originally established in Groenlo, Netherlands, Nedap saw the opportunity to save farmer’s time in the barn looking for cows. Their dual Cow Positioning and Heat Detection System was launched to the public at Eurotier in 2012, an international renowned tradeshow in Germany dedicated to livestock and livestock innovations.

“...the selected cow’s position is updated as often as every five seconds and displayed back to the farmer via a personalized, digital map of their barn.”

The value of Nedap’s cow locator is becoming more relevant each year as herd sizes increase and more farms switch to voluntary, robotic milking systems. With robotic milking, cows are milked when they feel like it, as opposed to the entire herd being brought forward two or three times a day for milking with a traditional parlour. Consequently, robotic milking—although beneficial for the cow and the farmer—means farmers spend more time in the barn looking for specific cows that might need individual treatment or attention. At any time a cow can be in the robot milking, laying down, or eating at the feed bunk—amongst her other black and white counterparts—it can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a haystack.

Nedap’s system involves specialized neck tags, or collars, worn by the cows (all dairy cows already wear collars for identification). The specialized neck tags provide information on a cow’s

activity and health, but can now also provide their location. This addition still only requires a single tag and no previously provided information is lost in place of knowing where the cow is within the barn.

Beacons are placed in the barn at permanent locations and a study done by a Netherland university found that the maximum distance between beacons should be 25 metres. A greater distance can affect their accuracy when locating a cow. Using low frequency signals, the beacons connect to the cow’s label and then send information to a processing unit. The processor then determines the cow’s location based on the signal strengths submitted by the beacons to narrow down where the cow is in the barn. Finally, this information is sent to a computer or mobile device (of the farmer’s choice) showing the time when the last location was determined.

Taking into consideration that animals are usually on the move, the selected cow’s position is updated as often as every five seconds and displayed back to the farmer via a personalized, digital map of their barn.

In the study, there were only a couple of issues with Nedap’s system. Metal walls and roller doors—fixtures on some farms—can interfere with signals, and the number of beacons in relationship to the size of the barn can also affect accuracy. The placement of the tags on the collar had no effect on the exactness of the locator. However, the animal’s movement can tamper with how precise the locator is: a cow that is running or walking from point A to B will have different accuracy than a cow that is resting. Based on the study, this system can pinpoint the cow’s location within zero to 0.75 metres when in the barn.

Nedap does not directly distribute its products to Canada (but is heavily established across Europe and Asia) although some Canadian farm suppliers do carry their products. Nedap also has an informative website detailing its numerous livestock innovations (http://en.nedap-livestockmanagement.com) but be careful, their website is teeming with inventive ideas—it may be hard to keep track of them all.

- Kaitlyn Gisler

32

ALPACA: THE NEXT RED MEAT? | MODERN AGRICULTURE

ALPACA: THE NEXT

FOR FIBRE AND PROTEIN, ALPACAS ARE A SOLID CHOICE FOR ALTERNATIVE LIVESTOCK

N

ative to the Andes Mountains of South America, in the 80s and 90s, alpacas began to make their way to Canada due to their soft, cashmere-like coat; ease of rearing; and excellent temperament. It was the shearing and selling of the animals’ soft fibre that originally turned alpacas into a business-generating livestock, but many producers are finding that the sale of alpaca meat is a necessary part of their business.

Most Canadian alpaca farms are located in B.C., Alberta and Ontario and although somewhat outdated, statistics from the Canadian Llama and Alpaca Association note there were approximately 18,300 alpacas registered in Canada in 2006.

While these domesticated animals haven’t yet gone mainstream, owners of a Langley, B.C. farm have found that alpacas make an excellent choice for alternative livestock and hope the industry makes headway in the future.

Catherine Simpson and her husband Jim Doyle own Kensington Prairie Farm in Langley. Founded in 2006. It is the largest alpaca farm in the Lower Mainland and the couple breeds and shows their Huacaya alpacas (the most common variety) while also selling a variety of products including fibre-based items and frozen meat through their on-site store as well as online.

“The industry isn’t all that great right now,” she said honestly. “The demand isn’t there. We’re not there in Canada yet.”

Simpson points to other countries like Peru, Australia and the U.S. for their industry models with the hopes that Canada is soon to follow. She treats the alpacas like any other livestock and cautions that the animals are not pets. Because Kensington Prairie also has cattle, Simpson is well versed in the day-to-day needs of livestock and the importance of culling alpacas for the

best stock.

“I am the only one in Canada culling the animals,” she noted.

For Simpson and Doyle, the sale of alpaca goods has come with a learning curve. The most significant has been with the meat.

“People don’t know how to cook the meat,” Simpson said. “It’s like cooking elk and venison, there is no fat.”

She added that the meat is also fairly expensive given that there is only approximately 70 pounds of meat per animal.

Because of the challenges, Simpson has gone from slaughtering the animals at 18 months old to three years old. This allows for three years of fleecing prior to meat production.

“We shear once a year in April,” commented Simpson.

“All our fleece goes out to be made into yarn, then comes back here for sale.”

There are six grades of fleece from alpacas ranging from the softest, cashmere-like fibres, to thicker, coarser fibres. It is a warm and thin; ideal for socks and shirts because of the ability to hold heat even when wet.

Some of Simpson’s yarn is turned into wearable products like socks, shirts and hats by local knitters. While there are 23 colours of alpaca fibres, Simpson, with her heard of 62, only sorts into about a dozen colours.

Alpacas are a relatively low-maintenance animal. They don’t require much acreage (about 1/8 of an acre per animal), eat a small amount for their size and are happiest with one or more other alpacas as they are quite social.

For farmers prepared to take on both fibre and meat production, alpacas can be a viable, and hopefully, growing option.

- Ronda Payne

MODERN AGRICULTURE I ALPACA:

RED MEAT?

THE NEXT RED MEAT?

ALPACA FACTS: • PREGNANCY LASTS ABOUT 11.5 MONTHS • NATURAL LIFE SPAN IS ABOUT 15 TO 25 YEARS • HEIGHT IS APPROXIMATELY 36” TO THE SHOULDER • AVERAGE WEIGHT RANGES BETWEEN 100 & 200 LBS.

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1ST ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT | MODERN AGRICULTURE

1ST ANNUAL CHARITY

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&B Packing Equipment and WECO Sorting & Automation have come together to host the 1st Annual Blueberry Invitational Charity Golf Tournament. The tournament took place this year on May 30th at Golden Eagle Golf Club and was attended by over 100 people. The tournament was a huge success and thanks to the generous support of all attendee’s, it was able to raise over $15,000 for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

This was the first year of this charity golf tournament, A&B Packing Equipment and WECO are looking to make this an annual event for all members of the blueberry community. The purpose of this event was to unite the blueberry community and raise funds towards a good cause while also bringing everyone together before the season starts for a day of fun and relaxation.

A&B Packing Equipment and WECO are looking to expand next year’s golf tournament and bring a larger group of supporters for the charity.

WECO (Woodside Electronics Corporation), based in California, has been designing, manufacturing, and servicing electron-

Images provided by Reuben Mann ic sorters for over thirty years and has thousands of units deployed worldwide. WECO serves several industries: tomato, walnut and several small fruits including, blueberries, cranberries and wine grapes.

A&B PACKING EQUIPMENT

What started in a small garage in 1995, A&B Packing Equipment has quickly become the industry leader in fresh pack and processing equipment. A&B is located in its newly renovated 55,000 square foot building in Lawrence, Michigan. The newly renovated building allows A&B Packing Equipment the space for in-house production of all their equipment and enables them to continue growing and meeting the demands of customers worldwide. A&B Packing Equipment will remain small enough to know its customers by name, but large enough to supply our fresh pack and processing customers with the latest custom equipment. A&B Packing Equipment can help customers who pack anything from blueberries, tomatoes, zucchini, cherries and much more.

MODERN AGRICULTURE I DRIVING

DOWN ELECTRIC AVENUE

GOLF TOURNAMENT

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THE NATURE AND NURTURE OF A NEW FRUIT CROP | MODERN AGRICULTURE

THE NATURE AND NURTURE OF A NEW FRUIT CROP

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t’s difficult to provide a simple answer to the question of whether a particular crop or variety should be grown in a given region. A complete answer to a question of location-specific crop suitability requires a correct view of the concepts of nature and nurture. An outdated and incorrect assumption is that there’s a necessary dichotomy between the two—that it’s “nature versus nurture”. This leads to the further misconception that crop adaptation is either entirely genetically determined (i.e. nature) or entirely environmentally determined (i.e. nurture). That the adaptation of a crop or variety doesn’t fall into one category or the other may be self-evident to some readers. Nonetheless, the common oversimplification is to juxtapose nature against nurture when they are, in fact, interrelated: not the inverse of one another, but affecting each other in complex ways.

To understand plant performance, we

should keep in mind that a variety’s genes may manifest quite differently in one region than another, and rarely is the adaptation of a crop or variety to a new production region a simple one.

The issue is not “nature versus nurture”, but “nature and nurture”. The genetic code may be inherent to each plant, animal and bacteria, but all genes are expressed in an environmental context.

Different genes, governing different characteristics, vary in the degree to which they are affected by the environment, but the genetic nature of an organism is only ever realized through the nurture of its surrounding environment. An equation that reminds us of this fact is: Phenotype = Genotype + Environment. Phenotype is an organism’s observable traits; genotype is the genetic nature of an organism; and the environment is the conditions surrounding an organism. To illustrate, the yield (phenotype) of a plant variety is a due to the expression of its genetic code (genotype) in the region in which it is being grown (environment).

This idea is important when evaluating the potential of a new crop or variety. Where was its performance evaluated? What are the differences in climate, soils and cultural practices between regions? To understand plant performance, we should keep in mind that a variety’s genes may manifest quite differently in one region than another, and rarely is the adaptation of a crop or variety to a new production region a simple one.

The focus of my research since 2010 has been the Blue Honeysuckle (A.K.A. Haskap). Its claims to fame include its unusually early-season fruiting in May and June; extremely high antioxidant content; range of unique flavour profiles; and versatility as a fresh or processed product that makes it a hit with chefs for making jams, juices, sauces or even wines and liquors. Most wild types of this small, sour-sweet fruit harken from relatively cold regions, like Siberia, Hokkaido (Japan), the Kuril Islands and the boreal forests of Canada. Using types being bred for commercial production, my research focuses on evaluating a broad range of genetic variability for this crop under the unique conditions of the Fraser Valley; that is, scratching the surface on the complex question of how nature and nurture contribute to crop adaptation for this new crop.

Should one go into Blue Honeysuckle production in the Fraser Valley? Some currently available cultivars grow well in our Prairie and Maritime provinces, but most don’t do nearly as well in south coastal British Columbia. That’s the “bad news”. The “good news” is that there is a lot of research and active breeding underway in Saskatoon and Oregon to produce improved varieties, several of which hold definite but unproven promise for the Fraser Valley.

Current information indicates that varieties that are well-adapted to the Fraser Valley will be available in the next couple of years.

Similar to the investments being made by the BC raspberry, strawberry and blueberry industries to breed, test and commercialize superior varieties, this ongoing work focuses on understanding how nature and nurture interact to introduce this exciting new crop.

- Eric Gerbrandt, Pacific Berry Resource Centre, UFV

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THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT | MODERN AGRICULTURE

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

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here seems to be an “ag-lag” when it comes to quality farming applications for iPhones or Androids. Plenty of agriculture-related games are available for download, but what about the farmers who do this for a living and—although love their work—know that it isn’t always fun and games?

Here are some of the better—and free!—apps to offer a helping hand around the farm.

To find equipment…your local dealer most likely has a free app for your phone. The application has dealership updates, an overview of equipment on their yard and the phone numbers of their employees. They’ll usually have a link to their primary brand.

For example, PrairieCoast Equipment has their own app, and provides quick links to the John Deere website.

To identify any weeds…download Weed ID, a free app for Android phones developed by the University of Missouri. Search for any ubiquitous weeds that might be growing among your crops by checking options off a detailed list of characteristics. If you already know the name of the foe in your field but are curious to learn more, you can also find it by typing in the plant’s common or Latin name. Pictures and plant details (where it likes to grow etc.) are then provided.

To mix sprays…and kill those weeds you identified, download Taplogic’s Tank Mix Calculator for iPhone or Android.

Provide the number of acres you are planning to spray and the size of your tank in gallons and spray rate (how many gallons per acre). The next step is selecting your chemicals from a lengthy, alphabetized menu and then let the app calculate. It will determine the number of loads required (full and partial) and the chemicals to water ratio for an accurate—and money saving—application.

To fix a breakdown…use Miller Electric’s Miller Weld

Setting Calculator. Free and downloadable for Android phones, this will help you to figure out the right polarity and temperature when starting a repair job. You’ll have to select whether MIG Solid Wire or MIG Flux Core, whether you’re using a stick or TIG, and the metal you’re working with. Select “Get Settings” and this app will suggest an amperage range, the correct polarity and the proper depth of weld.

To clean up around the farm…the iScrap App, for iPhone or Android is your easy-to-use solution. Specializing in scrap steel, this Canadian-based app provides the latest, updated prices for scrap steel. Using GPS, iScrap can also find the nearest scrap yard or auto wrecker in your area and—using the app—you can request a metal recycling bin from the yard of your choice. If you’re wondering about any mystery metals around the farm, take a photo and send it to the closest recycler. They’ll provide you with an answer and a price. So what’s the cost of all this information at your fingertips? Nothing, it’s free—which is priceless.

If you have a sick animal on the farm...you can use Bayer’s Compendium of Veterinary Products downloadable from iTunes and compatible with iPad and iPhone devices. Claiming to be the most complete and concise collection of references available—and a good aide for vets and farmers alike—this free app provides a comprehensive list of 5,000+ drugs. Included is instruction on how to properly use the product as well as withdrawal times.

Finally, for anyone who can’t handle being off the farm for long periods of time, you can always download one of the many farming simulator games out there. Grow and harvest crops, tend to animals, manage employees. Yes, there is even an app for that!

- Kaitlyn Gisler

MODERN AGRICULTURE I JASON

SMITH, NEW CHAIR OF THE BCBC

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JASON SMITH, NEW CHAIR OF THE BCBC

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he new head of the BC Blueberry Council is no stranger to the blueberry industry. Born and raised on a blueberry farm, Jason Smith is a fourth generation grower who farms 15 acres on Matsqui flats.

The new chair recently returned from a meeting of the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) held in California where they talked about the expansion that has characterized the industry.

“It is not limited to BC,” says Smith, “it is a North American phenomenon.” The NABC also took note of the expansion in South America, New Zealand, South Africa, Korea, and China.

Smith stated that the Chinese market is a major objective for Canada. Last year the Chinese agreed to let BC cherries into their country. Next on their list are blueberries. But there is a major stumbling block to overcome, says Smith.

We are hoping to develop new varieties which will not only grow well, but produce the better berries our customers are demanding.

The Chinese only want Grade A, high quality blueberries. Growing enough high quality berries to ensure the highest price possible, with a shelf life that will allow for processing in BC and shipment to China, is the challenge Canada faces.

“Fortunately,” says Smith, “I think we have a lot of room to improve the overall quality of our product. We have many growers who are constantly striving to produce the best berry possible.

In the past, growers were able to just grow blueberries and make a profit; their fruit found a home. But those days are now gone.

“It seems our growers are faced with new challenges every year,” commented Smith. “If it isn’t a safety issue, then it could be new pest problems. These contribute to an ever-shrinking profit margin.”

The spotted wing drosophila (SWD) insect is considered to be the number one insect problem for soft fruit growers in the Fraser Valley. However, according to Smith, the infestation is not limited to BC. It is a North American problem and has also spread to several other countries in the world.

Here in the Fraser Valley, there are personnel from both the federal and provincial agriculture ministries seconded to deal with the SWD problem. They have developed monitoring and control systems to reduce the problem, but Smith says the insect has established itself well and will continue to be a source of concern.

Unlike other agricultural sectors, the blueberry industry has experienced tremendous growth and is still expanding. In some cases, growers are replacing older plants with higher quality stock. The industry has also established a breeding program together with the raspberry and strawberry growers.

“We are hoping to develop new varieties which will not only grow well, but produce the better berries our customers are demanding. We are very fortunate to have Michael Dossette working for us,” said Smith. Smith says Dossette is on the leading edge of developing some promising new berry varieties and considers him to be a major asset for the BC berry industries.

Dossette, a former berry researcher at the federal Pacific Agriculture Research Center (PARC) in Agassiz, maintains several experimental breeding research plots at PARC. The federal government recently provided the three berry groups with $2.9 million, which included funding to retain Dossette and his breeding program for another four years.

Smith said that the proposal to implement a system of fees that would be used to provide funding for research is still in limbo.

Growers turned down the idea in 2012, and to date a revised plan to raise funds for special projects is still being worked on.

- Grant Ullyot

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USING FERTIGATION VS GRANULAR FERTILIZER | MODERN AGRICULTURE

USING FERTIGATION VS. IN HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY

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he practice of fertilizing plants through an irrigation system (fertigation) is becoming increasingly popular in Fraser Valley blueberry fields. I constantly get asked if it is better to apply fertilizer to blueberries through fertigation or with the standard practice of granular applications. There are some serious advantages and disadvantages to both practices, so a number of factors should to be taken into consideration before a farmer decides how to fertilize high bush blueberries.

Research has shown that applying Nitrogen through a drip system leads to better yields and larger plants than applying an equivalent amount of Nitrogen as a granular split application.

Some fertigation advantages: 1. Fertilizer use by fertigation is much more efficient. Research has shown that applying Nitrogen through a drip system leads to better yields and larger plants than applying an equivalent amount of Nitrogen as a granular split application. This is likely due to the fact that Nitrogen is lost as the fertilizer granules sit on the soil surface; whereas, the liquid is applied directly into the root zone where it is taken up more quickly.

2. Labour costs are far lower with fertigation.

3. Nutrient application is much more precise with fertigation. Nutrients will reach the root zone faster with fertigation; whereas, the granule has to be broken down (either by microbes or water

or both) and then leak down into the root zone. If your application timing with fertigation is correct, this is a huge advantage; but, if it is not, that advantage is mostly lost.

Some disadvantages of using fertigation: 1. Water soluble and premixed fertilizers are generally more expensive than granular forms. This added cost can be offset somewhat by the savings in labour; however, fertigation still ends up being more expensive in most cases.

2. Irregular applications can occur and damage the plants. The most important aspect of fertigation is consistency in the application rates. If the system is malfunctioning, or not set up properly, some plants may receive more water and fertilizer than other plants. This causes some plants to potentially receive toxic amounts of fertilizer and other plants to receive inadequate amounts. Of course this can happen with granular applications as well, but it is much rarer.

3. Fertigation requires the use of water, and adding water to already water logged soil can be disadvantageous. Historically, the first fertilizer application is done just after bud break. At this time of the season, the fields in the Fraser Valley are usually very wet already. Adding more water to the root zone at this time is not a great idea especially in fields already suffering from root rot. Water-logged soils reduce root function and increase root rot.

4. It is very hard to make large scale changes in pH or soil nutrient content through fertigation. If your soil requires a large scale change in pH or a large addition of one nutrient or the other, it can be very expensive to perform this through fertigation methods.

MODERN AGRICULTURE I USING

FERTIGATION VS GRANULAR FERTILIZER

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GRANULAR FERTILIZER

Granular applications are much better suited (and cheaper) for this task.

Both systems of fertilizing are useful, yet they are not mutually exclusive. They can, and should, be combined to give the grower his maximum return. One example of this is that some growers find it advantageous to do a granular application early in the season, and later in the season top up the nutrient requirements through fertigation and foliar applications. In conclusion, deciding which one to use, and when, requires some careful thought and consideration.

- Greg Welfing