The Grower August 2013

CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

AUGUST 2013

VOLUME 63 NUMBER 08

EXTREME WEATHER

@mothernature: a tweet of things to come KAREN DAVIDSON Farming or fishing?

Sometimes it hasn’t been clear this summer as extreme rainstorms flood vegetable fields.

“It’s been bloody crazy this year,” says Ian Nichols, president, Weather INovations Consulting, (WIN) based in Chatham, Ontario. “In the flat plains around Chatham-Kent, the heavy rains are creating big ponds and the soil is being starved of oxygen – not great growing conditions.”

With more than 500 WIN rain gauges reporting across Ontario, most of the province was more than 100 per cent of normal in precipitation and in the southwestern corner, 200 per cent of normal had been recorded by mid-July. Corey Versnel, chair of the Essex County Associated Growers, is one of the rain’s victims, with some of his squash flooded out completely. Located just west of Leamington, the tomato capital, he was more optimistic about his tomato crop which was in full flower in mid-July.

As farmers of high-value fruits invest in more high-tech equipment – hail netting, frost fans, high tunnels –to blunt the force of Mother Nature, vegetable growers are more vulnerable with their field crops. To some degree, social media has been helping.

Tweets from agronomists such as

INSIDE Growing Forward 2: More Q than A Page 4 Grocery channels are fracturing FOCUS: Storage/Containers

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www.thegrower.org P.M. 40012319 $3.00 CDN

An exceedingly wet summer in Ontario is challenging growers from Windsor to Ottawa. Here, Corey Versnel, chair of the Essex County Associated Growers, wades into a sweet corn field in a mid-July heat wave to examine development. While many vegetable crops such as tomatoes and beans are contracted for nearby processing plants, a good percentage is also shipped fresh to local farmers’ markets and the Ontario Food Terminal. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

Janice LeBoeuf (@ontariotomato) are warning of diseases on the wind. For example, the Ontario vegetable specialist tweeted on July 18: Late blight in neighbouring states, but no confirmed Ontario cases yet. How to protect your tomato crop. Her 875 followers are alerted to the threat as well as how to time prevention.

In Manitoba, a similar system sponsored by Syngenta is operating with success for potato growers. Twice-weekly reports with input from 32 weather stations are tabulated by Andy Nadler, the western Canadian operations manager and agricultural meteorologist for WIN. He also gathers information from the provincial plant pathologist Vikram Bisht as well as Keystone Potato Producers’ Association. The complimentary report is emailed to about 250 growers. Here’s an example:

“

What we’re finding is that disease is

changing. The strains are different and tend to evolve.”

Andy Nadler

Hot days of 30°C + (in the last couple of weeks) has led to heat stress sprouts on tubers in some fields. The temperatures have now cooled down and there has been plenty of rainfall throughout Manitoba. This has led to an increase in the DSVs (Late blight Disease Severity Values) in western and central parts of the province. A few weather station sites are at or over the threshold of 18. Fields close to these sites should now be considered for regular weekly fungicide application for late blight management.

If your fields are in general vicinity of high DSVs, it will be good to protect even the late-planted fields. Many fields are now row closed, and must have received at least a couple of protectant fungicide sprays.

“What we’re finding is that disease is changing,” says Nadler

who also posts the weekly provincial potato aphid reports (@mbpotatoes). “The strains are different and tend to evolve. The conditions that we encountered with late blight a decade ago are different today. That means management and forecasting need to keep up.”

For any grower unconvinced of the value of Twitter, just go to the Twitter sites of these agronomists for photos identifying key pests and videos. It’s like being in the field with a personal plant pathologist and weather expert.

Sheldon Wiebe agrees. He follows these reports to protect his 1200 acres of potatoes near Carberry, Manitoba. “It’s a fantastic tool,” says Wiebe. “I tighten up my fungicide treatment from seven days to five days if growing conditions are ideal for late blight.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PAGE 2 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME… Snack program extended three more years

ny. According to the July 16 announcement, the land will be leased back to local operators.

“We’re not sure what this means for the Ontario potato

NEWSMAKERS Local farmers plan to continue lobbying the provincial government for changes to the Aggregate Resources Act to ensure agricultural land is properly protected.

Del Monte invests in Ontario

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne made a historic visit to Centennial Public School in Timmins on June 21. It’s a hub for the Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program. Betty Ann Horbul and Laura Needham, Porcupine Health Unit, presented the premier and ag minister with Ontario-grown fruits and vegetables.

Later that week, the Ontario Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care committed to three more years of the snack program.

An enhanced evaluation component was added to the budget.

Highland Companies sell potato acres The future of potato land in Ontario’s Dufferin County has taken a new turn now that The Highland Companies have sold 6,500 acres to Bonnefield Financial, a farmland investment and property management compa-

industry,” says Glen Squirrell, chair Ontario Potato Board.

“Highland is the largest grower in the province and lead supplier to Loblaw and Frito Lay. The company owns the machinery and the crop currently in the ground, but we’re not sure what happens after that.”

The area has been under a media microscope with The Highland Companies’ initial plans to build a mega-quarry to mine 2,316 acres for limestone.

Sustained opposition, both urban and rural, was so vehement about the potential damage to water and soil that they withdrew their application last fall.

Growers remain skeptical about the long-term goals of Bonnefield, the new owners. The Ottawa-based company has acquired close to 35,000 acres of farmland in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick since April 2010. No figures were released on the farmland transaction.

Del Monte Fresh Produce has purchased 12 acres in Oshawa, Ontario for a state-of-the-art distribution centre and what the company calls “one of its most sophisticated” fresh cut fruit and vegetable processing operations.

The site will also house a banana ripening centre.

The company is retrofitting an existing building and installing industrial refrigeration units. This new base, expected to be complete by the end of 2013, will accommodate 16 trucks at a time – eight in, eight out with imported fruits and vegetables. However, there could be some opportunities for home-grown produce.

“We also expect that demand for high quality locally grown products will be increasing,” says vice president Dionysios Christou, in a statement to local press. “To meet the demand for Ontario, Quebec or Canadiangrown products we’ll be glad to support local growers whenever possible.”

Del Monte’s clients include conventional and non-conventional retailers, supercenters, convenience stores and food service companies across Ontario and Quebec. The company currently has a base in St. Leonard, Quebec.

Lorne Hepworth is retiring after 18 years as president of CropLife Canada, the trade association that represents manufacturers, developers and distributors of crop protection and plant science technologies. A veterinarian by trade, Hepworth has led a distinguished agricultural career. Elected in 1982 to serve the constituency of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, he served nine years in the Conservative cabinet as minister of agriculture, education, finance, and energy and mines. In the early ‘90s, he held several executive positions with the Canadian Agra group of companies specializing in agrifood/feed production, and the marketing of such diverse products as wine, apple juice concentrate, canola oil and dehydrated alfalfa.

He has been a tireless crusader for biotechnology in the last decade, an interest that has led him to recently become chair of the Genome Canada Lorne Hepworth. Photo courtesy CropLife Canada board of directors.

The Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame has announced its 2013 inductees to be formally recognized on November 3 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario. One of the four is Donald Ziraldo, a pioneer of the Canadian wine industry. He co-founded Inniskillin Wines in 1975, the first winery to be licensed in Ontario since prohibition, founded the Vintners Quality Alliance program and was instrumental in developing the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University. Other inductees include Lowell Lindsay, John Oliver and the late John Wise.

Congratulations to Garry Sloik on his retirement after 33 years as manager of the Keystone Potato Producers Association. His storied agricultural career has spanned Carnation, McCains, Manitoba Agriculture as well as being a potato grower himself. Dan Sawatzky, a past president and director of the association, fills his shoes as of August 1.

Dela Erith has resigned as executive director of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association after 15 years in the post.

Pillitteri Estates Winery has been named the winner of the 2013 Ontario Food Exporter Award. The Niagara-based winery exports to more than 30 countries, including China where it operates 25 wine retail stores.

The Ontario Produce Marketing Association announces the hiring of Simone Weber as director of marketing and communications. A recent graduate of the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in marketing management, Weber will be responsible for promotional activities and membership development. She follows in the footsteps of Ashlee Mclean who returned to Ippolito Produce, Burlington, Ontario as director of marketing.

Janet Horner is the new chair of Rural Ontario Institute (ROI), replacing Rob Hannam. A Shelburne-area resident, Horner is currently the coordinator of the GTA Agriculture Action Committee.

Celebrations are underway this summer to mark the 100th anniversary and five generations of farming at Murphy’s Farmstead, Allison, Ontario. The Murphy family are active members of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association, Ontario Berry Growers’ Association and Simcoe County Farm Fresh.

Makhteshim Agan of North America (MANA) Canada has hired Donald Surgeoner as Eastern Business Manager and Canadian Quali-Pro Manager, handling customer relations and sales for the expanding crop protection and turf grass product lineups.

For more information or to pre-register products with CleanFARMS for disposal call 877-622-4460 or visit www.cleanfarms.ca

If you care about food, then you’ll be delighted with the news that former Canadian Living Magazine editor Elizabeth Baird has been named as a Member of the Order of Canada. The distinguished award honours the author of more than 25 cookbooks, countless media appearances and her unflagging support to Canadian cuisine.

In her ‘retirement’ she continues to write stories for the SunMedia chain. Baird was featured along with friend Rose Murray and garlic and vegetable grower Mark Wales in the October 2009 cover of The Grower.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER

EXTREME WEATHER

@mothernature: a tweet of things to come

A fishing pier? Rather, it’s a portion of Ontario’s Holland Marsh that was swamped when dykes failed after excessive rain. Photo courtesy Jamie Reaume.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Manitobans are acutely aware of the havoc of weather, especially given that the Red River floods every year. So it’s no surprise that Manitoba is the only Canadian province that participates in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (@CoCoRaHS Canada).

It’s a non-profit network of volunteer observers manually measuring precipitation.

The concept, now practised across the U.S., germinated with the Colorado Climate Center in 1998, after a Fort Collins flood. The massive floods experienced two years ago in Manitoba and Saskatchewan spurred the network in late 2011. It’s expected to grow across Canada with

volunteers measuring precipitation from as many locations as possible. Readings are then reported and posted to the website at www.cocorahs.org.

With extreme weather more likely the norm, these amateur meteorologists will make a difference in providing hundreds if not thousands of data points across Canada’s vast geography.

This proactive movement is no replacement for crop insurance, a thorny topic at best for fruit and vegetable growers. For many, premiums are too high to enroll. And even for those who are insured, Ontario’s apple growers, for example, felt punished when their premiums rose 50 to 100 per cent after the significant frost losses of 2012.

Growers in Ontario’s Holland Marsh literally bet the farm when they invested in Asian greens, only to be flooded in

early 2013. No crop insurance exists for them or for those venturing into hazelnuts or hops.

One idea is to consolidate crops under crop groups, as is done for pesticide purposes, to broaden the insurable base and spread the risk. Growers also need to be able to insure the weather events that most threaten their crops.

For some, frost and hail are more damaging than rain or pests.

Crop insurance or not, growers are coping with biological systems that are evolving. Invasive species.

Weed resistance. Disease evolution. Extreme weather.

There’s more pressure than ever to adapt.

INTERNATIONAL UNITED KINGDOM

CHINA

Asparagus – a snack?

More pears grown globally

The craze for crisps has embraced vegetables such as beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes and even carrots. Now a U.K. chef has sliced asparagus, cooked the green vegetable in oil and served at parties.

Although the asparagus season is short in Worcestershire, Daren Bale has made Stalkers Crisps to last all year in bag form. He sources his green stalks from a nearby village, capitalizing on its fame as the host of an annual asparagus festival every April.

In a news release, Bale says that his crisps don’t have the same concentrate of mercaptan – the sulphurous compound that releases the strange smell – as eating actual spears of asparagus.

Global pear production has hit new highs over the last decade, with China leading the way. As recently as the 2002-2003 season, global output was just under 15 million MT. That number is now pegged at more than 21 million MT for the 2012-2013 season.

Chinese growers account for 16

Source: FreshPlaza.com

million MT of this pear production.

After China, Argentina and the United States are the next biggest growers of pears. In the current season, Argentina produced about 800,000 MT and the U.S. grew the same number.

Italy harvested just over 700,000 MT. Spain, Turkey, South Africa and Japan produced the remainder.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

NETHERLANDS

UNITED STATES

Taste to trump yield

Big blueberry crop

Will taste, quality and presentation be more important than yield? That’s what a French breeding company says will be key to future success in breeding greenhouse tomatoes.

Gautier Semences, a family business with a reputation as a supplier of open field vegetable varieties, is also making a name as a greenhouse vegetable seed grower. While well-known in North Africa and western Europe, they also have sights set on North America.

But to make inroads in North America, they need to preview their varieties in the Westland greenhouse cluster of the Netherlands. That’s where to find their seedstock. All varieties cultivated in North America are introduced in the Netherlands first.

This season’s North American blueberry harvest is so big that prices are starting to fall.

Washington state’s blueberry commission is reporting large volumes of blueberries. Last year, the country’s leading producer tallied 70 million pounds, a record, but will likely boost output to 80 million pounds this year.

The state is joined by other producers with bumper crops: Oregon, New Jersey and Michigan. This year’s weather has spurred the fruit to ripen all at once, creating a logjam in cold storage. Blueberries can last just a month in those conditions.

Rainier Fruit, a key supplier of blueberries, predicts demand will remain strong, but does not advise expanding acreage.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Source: Hortidaily.com Top ten pear producing countries.

PAGE 4 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

GROWING FORWARD 2

First-come, first served traded for merit-based system of grants KAREN DAVIDSON The Growing Forward 2 program is experiencing its own growing pains as bureaucrats set up the mechanisms to distribute $417 million in Ontario over the next five years. For the non-business risk management components, there are three administrative agencies: Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) for farmer projects; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) for processor projects; Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) for organization and collaborator projects.

Six focus areas of Growing Forward 2 are targeted for funding with innovation considered a component of each.

• Environment and climate change adaptation • Animal and plant health • Market development • Labour productivity enhancement • Assurance systems (food safety, traceability and animal welfare) • Business and leadership development Projects can be either: • Capacity building – education, skills development and training, assessments, planning, etc; or • Project implementation - implementation of plans, applied research projects, etc.

Applicants are encouraged to undertake capacity building projects in advance of applying for project implementation.

Andy Graham, OSCIA’s director of operations, offers a road map for the farmer stream. First, workshops are still available for Environmental Farm Plans and Growing Your Farm Profits. Look to the OSCIA website for dates and places for workshops. More workshop titles will be coming on stream later in the year.

Secondly, applications are cur-

rently being accepted for the capacity-building part of the program. Applicants are encouraged to apply online.

The biggest change is that the grant system for project implementation is not operating on a first-come, first-served basis but rather on merit. What criteria will be used is not yet known as of The Grower’s press time.

Under the farmer stream of projects, note that the OSCIA will be accepting applications from September 9 through October 24.

Information Sessions are planned for the end of August and early September to educate applicants on the new process. The definition for “innovation” is still to be determined.

“In the merit-based system, not every application will be successful,” says Graham. “Those not successful are encouraged to tighten up their application and resubmit for the next intake.”

OSCIA will be evaluating each application based on criteria agreed to by OMAF. “We expect brisk demand for the program,” concludes Graham.

“As we move into a different system, the farm caps are higher, there are more areas of focus, and the process is different.”

For more information, go to www.ontario.ca/growingforward2.

The collaborator stream of funding, to be administered by AAC, is new to applicants. A combination of two or more growers or organizations may be eligible for funding. As much as $3 million of matching funds may be assigned over five years – a number well worth pitching for.

Here’s the definition of organizations and collaborations: • ORGANIZATIONS - Any notfor-profit, Ontario-based, legal entity involved in the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector capable of entering into a

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contract, including, but not limited to: associations; marketing boards; and aboriginal groups.

Organizations must have a membership comprised primarily of Ontario residents.

• COLLABORATIONS Combinations of two or more legal for profit businesses and/or non-profit associations/organizations, and/or academic/research institutions in the agriculture, agri-food, agri-products sector, primarily located in Ontario.

Collaborations must identify a lead applicant. The lead applicant and all collaboration members must be actively and directly engaged in the project and have a vested interest (i.e. financial investment, resources provided, etc.) in the project. Collaboration funding is intended to support projects that demonstrate benefit beyond the collaboration members. Collaborations are strongly encouraged to involve organizations in the project to ensure results are shared broadly.

For more information, go to www.adaptcouncil.org

Labour productivity

Climate change adaptation

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER

VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING

Field-to-fork horseradish is hot business

Horseradish is an unsightly tuber that is transformed into a cook’s best-kept secret ingredient.

KAREN DAVIDSON Horseradish, that knarled and pungent tuber root, is an unlikely culinary hero. When grated and marinated in vinegar, the secret ingredient provides a piquant punch to everything from stews to potato salad. “It’s grown like a potato,� says Jason Ryder who has successfully cultivated 30 acres near Delhi, Ontario for the last five years. As one of a dozen Ontario growers, Ryder says the niche crop has provided a surprising sideline to the farm’s asparagus and spring onions.

Locally grown, fresh root has been sniffed out by major retail-

ers. About 60 per cent of Ryder’s crop is sold to Loblaw. The remainder, interestingly enough, is transformed into the Dennis’ brand, which he acquired from a neighbour.

As a certified food processor, Ryder has set up all the equipment to grind and bottle horseradish on his farm. He produces anywhere from 10,000 to 12,000 cases per year, with 12 jars to the case. Substantial enough to employ two full-time workers through the winter, the business is as much about marketing as growing. What’s unique about the Dennis’ brand is its line extension of blends that include mustards and beets. That’s the story to be told to retailers as well

Rick Hantz (L) and Jason Ryder admire their lineup of Dennis’ branded horseradish produced right on the farm at Delhi, Ontario. Photos by Denis Cahill

It’s home-grown businesses such as Jason Ryder’s that may be eligible for funding under the new Growing Forward 2 program.

as suggestions about a new use for a hot pepper creamed horseradish ideal for making Caesar drinks.

It’s home-grown businesses such as Jason Ryder’s that may be eligible for funding under the new Growing Forward 2 program.

It’s a tough grind for growers who need to marshall marketing expertise not to mention negotiating acumen with large retailers. Is money well-spent refreshing labels? Can a brand strategy truly pay off when consumer purchases may be monthly, not weekly?

Those are the questions to be answered as new business plans are put forward.

experts Top -notch seeds

GROWING FORWARD 2

A team of

Growers eligible for processing stream Unprecedented funding is available for food and beverage processors, says Norm Beal, president of the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors. What’s key is that a grower with an on-farm value-added processing project would be deemed eligible under the processor stream. “The alliance has been working long and hard to make sure governments understand the value of processors to the Ontario economy,� he says. “Funding through Growing Forward 2 is a positive signal for our future.� “All processors in this province should be considering their options under Growing Forward 2,� says alliance executive director Steve Peters. “This is exactly what’s needed for food and beverage processors to push ahead on innovative projects, new product development, skills and workforce training and productivity advances.�

The support is expected to help many of the 3,000 food processor businesses in the province. Martin Bohl, OMAF, says that the intake for capacity-building project applications started June 26 and is on-going. For processor project implementation, intakes will be September 9 until October 24 and then December 16, 2013 until January 30, 2014.

The ministry will use internal staff and expertise to review the applications based on set evaluation criteria. In other words, the applications need to support the key GF2 themes, such as growing your profits, expanding your markets and managing shared risks.

For more information, visit www.ontario.ca/growingforward2 and follow the links to Growing Forward 2 to start the enrollment process.

Ryder is up against the wellknown Cedarvale brand owned by Toronto-based Lounsbury Foods.

But more than that, he’s up against all the private labels too.

Tim Higgins, vice-president, Lounsbury Foods, says the condiments company contracts two Ontario growers for 175 acres. The Lounsbury Foods business is “steady and growing� supplying private label brands to many of Canada’s major retailers.

So while horseradish may be a hot commodity, don’t get your fingers burned in the value-added process.

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PAGE 6 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

CONSUMER RESEARCH

More consumers want to move fresh vegetables to center plate Top five favourites are carrots, potatoes, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes

More than three-quarters of meal preparers are looking for ways to serve more fresh vegetables according to the Taste and Discover Research Study.

Reminded of the unique tastes and textures of everything from broccoli to eggplant, 1407 respondents (5000 surveys) were clear about which vegetables they love and which ones need more promotion. The study was conducted during last November’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair at the Journey to your Good Health pavilion.

“It’s an exciting time to develop recipes for our richly diverse communities,” concludes Karen Poncelet, marketing and community relations manager.

“Gone are the days of one-size-

fits-all recipes.”

The study, funded by the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Council, was designed to take the pulse of consumers’ current vegetable and fruit knowledge as well as to investigate what tactics might increase consumption of fresh, frozen and canned varieties.

Some of the key findings are: • 75% of meal preparers are looking to serve more fresh vegetables.

• Local sourcing is becoming a mainstream mindset. Where vegetables are grown, how to store and prepare them along with recipes are important motivators.

• Parents haven’t given up the battle! Households with children serve the same average number of vegetable varieties (11.3 different

kinds in 7 days) as those without children.

• Recipes should target cultural communities. Be sensitive to the changing ethnicities of the Canadian population and demographics (aging boomers, single households, younger assembly-type cooks).

• In dietitians and farmers, we trust. Consumers find these professions the most credible sources of information with food companies and retailers farther down the list.

• Ready, set, app! The next opportunity is to develop more apps for smartphones and tablets.

Just 26 per cent of consumers with smartphones or tablets use food apps, but 45 per cent express a strong interest. No specific food

app has a monopoly on this information channel at this time.

“Broccoli is no longer the poster-child for vegetables we love to hate,” says Lois Ferguson, Registered Dietitian and consultant to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. It’s now one of the top five favourites with science behind its health benefits. The top five are carrots, potatoes, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes. These findings encourage retailers, manufacturers and growers that education can increase consumption of specific vegetables What’s unique about the research is a rich vein of information on each of 27 vegetables grown in Canada. These results will give growers and processors more insight on how to increase

consumption. For example: respondents said that knowing where spinach is grown would encourage them to eat it more often; the appeal of eggplant is strongest with younger consumers and the Asian/Indian population; 41 per cent said that recipes would encourage them to eat rutabagas more often. Partners included the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, University of Guelph, Foodland Ontario and General Mills Canada.

The Taste and Discover Research Study is posted at www.royalfair.org.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER

GROCERY RETAILING

Demographics and condo boom change grocer strategies KAREN DAVIDSON Food retailing is fracturing at the same rate as entertainment channels. Only 63 per cent of groceries are now sold through traditional channels compared to 93 per cent 20 years ago. That fact is reverberating with the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors (AOFP), an umbrella group of about 3,000 food and beverage processors.

Additionally, of $39 billion in sales, more than $3.4 billion originated with value-added fruit and vegetable products.

These numbers are important context for the highly competitive landscape of grocery retailers in Canada, all of whom profess to some degree, a local foods procurement policy. Just two months ago, Sobeys purchased Canadian Safeway in western Canada for $5.8 billion, solidifying its position as number two retailer behind Loblaw. This news was a timely backdrop for the AOFP keynote speaker at the annual general meeting in late June.

John Scott, retired from his recent post as CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, offered a nuanced appraisal of the current grocery scene in Canada. He also offered kernels of advice for growers.

Loblaw has been strong in western Canada, taking their

successful SuperStore model in Saskatoon – “variety seemingly at a discounted price” – to Winnipeg and then to Edmonton. At the time, Safeway enjoyed 78 per cent of the Edmonton market.

“This was the start of soft discount in Canada, then came Costco,” Scott said. “But if you’re going to be a retail store, what do you stand for?

Discount? Premium? Ethnic?”

Nobody really did high-level, high-quality meat so Costco became a destination for meat, then baked goods and blossomed into other areas. Consumers thought the prices were lower in an entertaining format that, by the way, sold the cheapest hockey tape anywhere.

Along came Walmart in 1994.

Initially Walmart was not into food, starting out with pantry stores but the American behemoth’s plans for growth were serendipitous. Expansion occurred at the same time as the recession and Walmart rode the wave of consumers seeking lower prices.

Suddenly, Walmart, Costco and Loblaw were all competing for the same consumer.

During these years, society changed profoundly with the arrival of new Canadians. There are now 4.5 million new Canadians in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal who packed their own food tastes in their suitcases when they came.

Relishing in the cross-cultural

Condo ‘cave dwellers’ now descend to grocers for spur-of-the-moment shopping. experience, the rest of us joined the trend, enjoying the T & T shopping experience to such a degree that Loblaw eventually bought the chain in 2009.

“This was an ethnic chain of stores doing soft discount,” Scott explained. “But don’t forget hard discount at No Frills, another Loblaw banner.”

For the last five years, soft and hard discount have grown. The middle class that U.S. president Barack Obama has focused on is shrinking. So the question becomes where does the traditional grocer go?

“There’s no possible way for all those traditional companies to continue,” Scott said. “It’s going to be a tough go for Target.”

Given this history, it’s a surprise that traditional grocer Sobeys bought Canadian Safeway. Another eastern foe, Metro, bought A & P in 2006 and

found it hard to integrate. While Metro has dominated Quebec, the grocer has fought a losing battle against Dollarama which entered the market two years ago and lowered the margins in small towns.

“This phenomenon hasn’t manifested itself yet in Metro’s statements, but margins will come down in Quebec,” Scott predicted. “With no assets in western Canada, Metro had to get Safeway and could have gone with a 11.5 multiple. I couldn’t believe that Sobeys got it for a multiple of nine.”

On the good news side of the ledger, Scott says that Sobeys made a tremendous acquisition. A Canadian company bought another Canadian company. “Sobeys also has a packing private label and while growers/processors will have more market opportunity, they will grind you. There are 10

Sobeys processing plants so there’s a huge opportunity to expand markets.”

The bad news? Sobeys announced that the deal would save $200 million in synergies in the next three years. Translation: the money will come through the trade.

“If I was still at the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, I would say the trade impact on suppliers will be huge, but so will the opportunities,” Scott commented.

In his past global travels, Scott has noted the twin trends of urban densification and ethno-cultural communities. Consumers don’t store stuff in condos, so that trend opens an opportunity for premium foods. In the new economy, grocers such as Longos and Pusateris are doing very well in the Greater Toronto Area. Urban Fare, owned

by Overwaitea in western Canada, is succeeding with prepared foods for urbanites who come out from their condo “caves.” Whereas Costco wants to sell volume, niche grocers are selling toilet paper by the roll. In Richmond, British Columbia, for example, there are 500 direct-delivery stores.

Overall, many of the grocers have been confused. Various loyalty programs are in the marketplace. “They need the data, but they don’t understand the consumer,” Scott concludes.

PAGE 8 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

BITS AND BITES

New Greenbelt Fund grants announced Ontario’s Greenbelt Fund has announced a new Market Access program.

Letters of intent are due September 6. If invited to submit a full application, the deadline is October 24, 2013.

The intent of the grants is to increase local food access for public institutions such as hospitals, schools and cafeterias, retail outlets and foodservice markets.

“For small and medium-sized growers, it’s difficult to sell into these commercial markets,” explains Megan Hunter, program manager, Greenbelt Fund. “These grants should help growers come together to form food hubs.”

The Market Access grant stream distributes grants under two headings – expansion and new ventures.

Expansion: For successful regional food aggregation, value-add, and distribution businesses already operating in Ontario to either expand their operations or increase the amount of services provided in support of Ontario farmers and processors.

Developing New Ventures: In the event that there is no existing operation for expansion, funding is available to start-up projects with experienced management teams. Funds are also available for groups interested in evaluating and analysing the opportunities for establishing a food hub, regional aggregation facility, or valueadded service. Under business planning, there are funds for groups who have completed a thorough market analysis

demonstrating a demand for the proposed food hub, regional aggregator, or valueadded service provider, who are ready to develop a business plan for the project.

And for groups having completed both a full market analysis and business plan that clearly demonstrate the demand and projected success for the proposed food hub, regional aggregator, or value-added service provider, funding is available to begin these projects.

Interested applicants should contact Megan Hunter, program manager, before submitting a full proposal. For a detailed application guide visit Ontariofresh.ca The Market Access program builds on the success of the Greenbelt Fund’s Broader Public Sector program. Since its

launch in 2010, it has supported a $26 million increase in the amount of Ontario foods purchased by public institutions meaning that every one dollar invested has supported the purchase of five dollars’ worth of local food.

If you miss the first round, the following intake will accept letters of intent before December 9, 2013. Full proposals are due February 7, 2014.

Canadians waste $2.5 billion fresh produce annually British Columbians spend an average of $43.90 each week on produce — and throw away about 11 per cent of their purchase, according to a new study commissioned by KitchenAid. Both those numbers — expenditure and waste — are above the Canadian national average. The average Canadian home throws out $190.94 worth of fruit and vegetables each year, making a national total of more than $2.5 billion.

Here's a closer look at the numbers: $121: amount the average Canadian spends each week on groceries. $40.80: What the average Canadian spends each week on produce, eating up 34 per cent of the weekly grocery budget. $43.90: What British Columbians spend weekly on produce, the highest amount in the country. $29.80: What Atlantic Canadians spend weekly on produce, the least in the country. $49.70: What Canadians aged 18-34 spend weekly on produce, 26 per cent more than Canadians aged 35-44 ($39.40).

55% of Canadians say they are willing to pay a premium for fruits and vegetables if they are organic or locally grown.

30% of Canadians buy produce twice weekly.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Pest Management Centre: A decade of service In 2013, the Pest Management Centre (PMC) celebrates a decade of achievement as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)'s hub for improving farmers' access to newer, safer pesticides and to novel production practices that reduce reliance on pesticides. One measure of its success is the large number (more than 1,350) of new pest control solutions – whether chemical, cultural, biological or mechanical – that are now available to growers.

PMC was established by AAFC in 2003 to implement the Minor Use Pesticides Program (MUPP) and Pesticide Risk Reduction Program (PRRP).

MUPP responds to the needs of Canadian farmers for access to new minor uses of pesticides.

PRRP focuses on the development and implementation of risk reduction strategies, including biological controls and integrated approaches, for pest management in both major and minor crops.

Both programs, jointly delivered by AAFC and Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), contribute to the Government of Canada's efforts to support innovation, competitiveness and

market development in the agricultural sector by ways that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

PMC is headquartered in Ottawa and conducts field, greenhouse and growth chamber trials at seven Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research sites: Kentville, Nova Scotia; Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec; Vineland, Ontario; Harrow, Ontario; Scott, Saskatchewan; Summerland, British Columbia and Agassiz, British Columbia.

The wide geographic distribution of these sites – located across all but one of Canada's growing zones – helps PMC coordinate field trials and collect data on new products to combat weeds, diseases and insects that can threaten the quantity, value and quality of crops.

Partnerships have yielded results For many years, Canadian farmers did not have access to the same range of pesticide products as farmers in other countries. In particular, growers of horticultural and other specialty crops require a lot of diverse products

(insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) for use on relatively small areas of production. Many pesticide manufacturers have been unwilling to invest the time and money to pursue pesticide registrations for this important part of the agriculture industry.

According to Health Canada's PMRA, a minor use of a pesticide is defined as a necessary use of a pesticide for which the anticipated sales volume is not sufficient to persuade a manufacturer to register and sell the product in Canada.

Recognizing the need to improve the mechanism for approving new minor uses of pesticides on specialty crops as well as limited uses of pesticides on certain major crops, AAFC took steps to determine the appropriate structure and put staff in place. Two programs, MUPP and PRRP, were announced in 2002 and a year later they were up and running under an umbrella organization, PMC. A departmental realignment in 2012 allows PMC to work more closely with researchers of AAFC's Science and Technology Branch.

Getting input from federal and provincial governments, industry

Summerland, BC representatives and producer groups, PMC matches major weed, disease and insect problems in the agricultural regions of Canada with potential pesticide solutions. Its research activities include non-chemical control options, such as biopesticides and farm management practices that integrate tillage, crop rotation, cultivar resistance, seed selection, balanced fertility and sanitation.

PMC has been able to move its agenda forward in large part because of the successful partnerships it developed over 10 years.

Its team of experts works with counterparts at the inter-department, national and international levels to bring crop protection tools, knowledge and support for

adoption to Canadian growers.

Minor uses of pesticides are an international issue and cooperation between countries has increased remarkably in recent years. Much of MUPP was modeled after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's successful minor use pesticide program called the Interregional Research Project No. 4, or IR-4.

Today, there are larger initiatives between Canada and the United States to close technology gaps and better align regulatory systems. That is the way to bring new products to both sides of the border simultaneously.

Source: Pest Management Centre

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PAGE 10 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

Horticulture has lost a friend

RAY DUC CHAIR, OFVGA

On July 4th 2013, Wayne Roberts passed away suddenly.

With this passing we lost someone who was devoted to the horticulture industry in Canada.

Most of Wayne’s career was spent in Ontario working with OMAFRA, grape and tender fruit sectors and Landscape Ontario.

He also spent some time with Ag Canada which gave him national experiences and contacts.

After his public service in OMAFRA and Ag Canada, he came to work with grape and tender fruit. This is when I got to know Wayne. With his knowledge of governmental processes

he became invaluable to the Industry. He became our go-to guy on issues around crop protection products. His ability to liaise between government, chemical manufacturers and researchers was unmatched and made it possible to get registrations in a timely manner.

In 2003, the grape and wine industry in Ontario was facing an unprecedented threat. The multi-coloured Asian lady beetle threatened the long term economic health of the industry. The ladybug had tainted millions of liters of wine and caused huge economic losses in the wine

industry. The wineries’ tolerance of this pest quickly became zero or very close to it. One ladybug in a load of grapes was too many and the load would be rejected.

At the time of the invasion we did not have the tools to combat it.

Wayne Roberts was instrumental through his contacts and intense lobbying efforts to secure registration of two crop protection products more than a year ahead of schedule. The multi-coloured Asian lady beetle remains present to this day but we now have the tools and process to control it.

This instance was one feather that Wayne could have stuck in his

cap but he never took the time to revel in successes. He was on to the next challenge.

Later in his career, Wayne was recognized for his dedicated service receiving Awards of Merit from both the Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association and the Tender Fruit Board of Ontario.

On behalf of the horticultural producers in Canada, I thank Wayne Roberts for his years of dedicated service. I will miss his humour, that smile that only Wayne could pull off, and his ah-shucks manner. Rest In Peace, and know you will be missed.

pensions for retired provincial civil servants. It has also been used to determine wage increases in the past for some government employees and is used to determine the allowable per cent rent increases for landlords.

This would be very simple and it would certainly avoid major jumps unless of course we were in a state of very high inflation and would also eliminate the desire of political parties that are tempted to adjust the wage rate at election time.

As simple as this process might be is it the sole answer for establishing minimum wage rates? Ontario is very diverse and the cost of living is much higher in some parts of the province than in others. The cost to live in Toronto I am sure is higher than it is to live in Windsor or Niagara. To compensate for these differences perhaps a two-tiered system needs to be established.

This could have a set minimum wage that was suitable for all sectors of our economy plus a market driven factor that was more regional in nature. In this case if an area had higher costs of living and jobs were in greater demand then the market for jobs would soon create a new minimum wage level. Of course this new level would always be higher than the province-wide minimum wage.

Markets will always dictate what employers can afford and are willing to pay.

This system is not as easy as one that simply follows inflation but it is still doable and since the higher rates would be more regional in nature it would not create hardship and job loss in those areas where employers could not afford the higher rate.

This is different from the old sys-

tem where agriculture actually had a lower rate than industry but farmers were forced to pay the higher industrial rate to attract employees. By having effectively different regional rates the pressure to pay an unaffordable rate would be eliminated.

These are just two ideas that I think have some merit.

Regardless there will be many interest groups calling for a much higher minimum wage rate here in the province. Many of them will have never had to meet payroll, many will never had to be competitive in the global market place and many simply will not understand the realities of business; yet it will remain the task of this advisory panel to weed through everything they hear and read and then come up with a reasonable proposal to take back to government.

I certainly hope they are up to the task and that they remain objective and are not blinded by what may be their own personal bias. A minimum wage rate that is unrealistic for rural Ontario would be disastrous for our farmers and fruit and vegetable production here in Ontario!

At the end of the day, fighting poverty through increasing minimum wage is not the answer or at least not a major part of the answer. The Government(s) need to create opportunity, as a society we need to educate better and we need to leave more money in the hands of the lower wage earners by adjusting our tax system to higher levels of personal tax exemptions. It is after all a complex problem with complex answers.

For what it is worth, it’s the way I see it.

Minimum wage and poverty

ART SMITH CEO, OFVGA Prior to the spring provincial budget, there was considerable speculation that there would be an increase in the provincial minimum wage rate. Fortunately this did not happen, instead an advisory panel has been put together to hear comments and advice on the topic of future minimum wage increases. Unfortunately, no one from the agri-food sector was named to sit on this advisory panel. Too bad, considering that the agri-food sector is the largest economic driver in the province and also a shame since the reality of our world does not allow us to recoup additional expenses from the market place. Some on the committee will understand this -some will not -- but it is a point that can not be overlooked.

I have written recently about this topic and why minimum wage increases do not fight poverty but rather contribute to poverty. Some may think that my comment is way off base but large increases in minimum wage levels force employers to cut back on jobs.

Minimum wage increases are nothing new. We have had them for 50 or 60 years, perhaps

longer. Now this, at least to my mind, begs the question: if increasing minimum wage is a good way to fight poverty then why is there more poverty in Ontario today then there was 10 years ago?

I’m not saying that there should not be a minimum wage set for the province; obviously there needs to be one but it needs to be reasonable. It can not be set so high as to stifle job creation or worse cut jobs. If it does, then it contributes to poverty which is counter to what the government is trying to do.

For this discussion there are two types of employers: those who can recover additional costs by adjusting the price for their goods or services and those who cannot as the market place simply does not allow for it. Such is the case for our fruit and vegetable farmers.

When was the last time you heard a produce buyer or retailer say to you that they would pay more for your produce because your input costs had gone up? . . .

That’s right, you haven’t and neither have I and I have been around for a long time . . . Your costs don’t matter to the buyer or the consumer for that matter and this is why we are so impacted by large minimum wage increases.

The prices are set by retailers and are based on the landed cost of produce from other parts of the world, not by our costs here in Ontario Between 2008 and 2010 the minimum wage jumped by 28.5 per cent and I personally know many farmers who had to cut back on the jobs they provided so as not to go under; hardly a good way to fight poverty and many farmers still have not recovered

from that financial blow.

Some sectors are of course able to pass on these additional expenses. When labour rates go up at one coffee chain they will go up at all coffee chains and so will the price to the consumer. So minimum wage increases are not as big an issue to these sectors as they have the ability to adjust.

In my opinion it is the size of the rate increase and the inability to adjust to these increases that causes so many problems for our farmers.

We will always have wage rate increases to deal with but we need to avoid the large increases that we saw a few years ago and we need to avoid the “political football” that we see from time to time. It is too easy at election time for political parties to get into a bidding war on minimum wage just to buy votes. A mechanism that avoids both of these needs to be adopted here in Ontario.

One such way would be to follow inflation where each year the minimum wage rate would automatically be increased by the previous year’s cost of living increases. These statistics are published monthly by Stats Canada and very easy to follow.

For example if the Consumer Price Index for Ontario was up 1.3 per cent for the 12 months to Oct. 31st then 1.3 per cent could be added to the current minimum wage for the following year. By doing this we would avoid large increases and the political football as mentioned above. This is not a new concept, it is already being used by a number of provinces to calculate their minimum wage rate. As well it is currently being used here in Ontario to determine annual increases for indexed

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ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Chair Vice-Chair Fruit Director Veg Director Director

Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Verkaik, Bradford Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Brian Gilroy, Meaford

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Apples Fresh Vegetable - Other Tender Fruit ON Asparagus Grws’. Mkg. Brd. GGO/Fresh Grape Growers Fresh Vegetable - Muck ON. Potato Board Small Fruit/Berries ON. Ginseng Growers’ Greenhouse Greenhouse

Brian Gilroy, Meaford Mary Shabatura, Windham Centre Fred Meyers, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Ryder, Delhi Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Verkaik, Bradford Mac James, Leamington Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Ken Van Torre, Burford Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Don Taylor, Durham

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC

Charles Stevens, Newcastle Harold Schooley, Simcoe Brian Gilroy, Meaford Ken Forth, Lynden Mark Wales, Alymer Murray Porteous, Simcoe

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER

PERSPECTIVE Researchers look far and wide for waning consumption answers

OWEN ROBERTS UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Researchers are taking another step towards trying to figure out why Ontarians are not eating fruits and vegetables, and moreover, what can be done about it.

Prof. Lisa Duizer from the University of Guelph has teamed up with Dr. Isabelle Lesschaeve from the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and graduate student Claire Zhang to try to get a handle on this ongoing and frustrating mystery.

You’d think consumption patterns would be changing, given the allure of local food and its strong fruit and vegetable foundation. And that’s not to mention what we’ve learned over the past couple of decades or so about the eye-opening health benefits of strawberries, apples, blueberries and the multitude of other tasty, good-for-you commodities that grow here in abundance. This is nothing new.

But all that knowledge and emphasis on communication hasn’t changed things. In fact, consumption has fallen off. A recently released study from the university showed just one out of 10 Ontario consumers is committed to incorporating vegetables in their family’s diet.

Is education a key? Probably, but not from a health perspective.

Rather, it seems people need help in the kitchen.

“Many people aren’t aware of how to cook vegetables, and they don’t want to take the time to make something when they aren’t certain that they can make it taste

good enough that their families will want to eat it,” says marketing and consumer studies Prof.

Vinay Kanetkar, who conducted the Guelph study along with Profs. Paula Brauer and Sunghwan Yi. Beyond consumers’ cooking capacity, the new GuelphVineland study is looking at the lack of availability, which likewise might be a surprise. I imagine to most Grower readers, fruits and vegetables are quite easily accessible. Whatever they can’t find on their own farm they can likely get nearby, with more and more farmers’ markets opening and retailers stepping up the way they promote Ontariogrown products. As well, the province’s Foodland label continues to resonate with consumers when they’re queried about quality.

But it turns out accessibility is indeed a problem for many Ontarians. As the researchers point out, in Toronto alone, 40 food deserts have been identified by the Toronto Food Strategy

group, also a partner in this project. These are typically highdensity, low-income housing whose main food outlets are convenience stores. Food is not their specialty and fresh produce is lacking.

The province has long been concerned about this lack of availability. Shelves full of research show a link between low income and poorer health. And escalating health costs are a nightmare.

But despite numerous intervention programs, the fruit and vegetable consumption situation is not improving. So the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Ministry of Rural Affairs is getting behind the new study research to figure out why these programs haven’t met their goals.

They’re reaching far for answers. As part of this study, an inventory of public initiatives in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada, as well as in the U.S. and the European Union targeting adults and school age children is currently performed and will be ana-

lyzed for their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats.

And then, they’ll recommend marketing strategies to enhance the uptake of fresh produce purchases. For example, what about efforts to have fruit-and-vegetable vending trucks visit food-desert areas? Look what happens when someone sets up a fresh fruit and vegetable kiosk in a parking lot – it’s like people have never seen the likes of these commodities before.

“The outcomes should drive the development of future food policies and the implementation of strategies by both producers and retailers to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and sales,” says researcher Lesschaeve. “Opportunities are foreseen to meet consumers’ need for convenience and ease in meal preparation by connecting Ontario growers with Canadian processors who would develop healthier snacks made of fruits and vegetables available year round.”

This research, she says, is a first step towards this direction.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Re: Ditch the miles – it’s minutes to market that count

As a land use planner who has worked extensively on agricultural land use issues in the Golden Horseshoe for the past 20 years (and coincidentally was retained by the North Dufferin Agricultural Action Committee, the farmer-based group who opposed the Melancthon quarry) it is my observation that although the various levels of government have many policies to protect the land base unless they support these policies with actions that allow the agricultural community to farm efficiently these policies will not work.

For years agricultural land has been viewed as land in waiting for urban development. Although there is huge emphasis on planning for and funding infrastructure to support urban development, there is no focus on planning or providing rural infrastructure. Issues such as getting fresh product to market in a timely way, moving farm equipment on roads used by commuters, ensuring there are accessibile farm services in

reasonable proximity, providing rural infrastructure (power, water for irrigation) providing effective protection for the right to farm, building buffers on developers' land not on the farmers' land as is currently set out in MDS, providing flexible policies so farmers can react quickly to changing demands, addressing the issues associated with farm land value versus development value and just generally supporting a strong rural community, are critical to the survival of agriculture in the Golden Horseshoe. Strong measures will be required to achieve this.

Although the greenbelt legislation was a start it was a weak start in that it did not include effective consultation with farmers. It seemed to be environmentally based since the best land such as the Peel plain and the incredibly fertile land around Markham was left out, setbacks negatively impact area to farm, designations appear arbitrary and boundaries do not respect farm property boundaries. One unintended consequence of the greenbelt legislation has been to establish the area as an ideal location for rural estates which drive up land prices and increases farm and non-farm conflicts.

To ensure we have the land we

need to feed the rapidly growing Golden Horseshoe population from the area's rich and unique land base, we need the government and the population to make

agriculture a real priority backed by strong, comprehensive planning, social and economic policies developed in consultation with farmers in the area and

rigorously enforced.

Margaret Walton Senior Planner, Planscape Bracebridge, ON

PAGE 12 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

Breakfast on the Farm event shines a spotlight on Ontario agriculture KIM WAALDERBOS They came. They ate. They toured. When the morning wrapped up, more than 2,000 visitors had walked through the farm gates to attend Ontario’s first Breakfast on the Farm event. For many, it was their first time on a

farm – and meeting farmers.

Organized by Farm & Food Care Ontario, and presented in partnership with Egg Farmers of Ontario and Foodland Ontario, the event was an overwhelming success. It was held on a farm in New Dundee, Waterloo region on a clear Saturday morning in June.

“Breakfast on the Farm was a

fantastic opportunity to showcase all Ontario agriculture,” says program coordinator, Heather Hargrave of Farm & Food Care.

“Even though it was hosted on a dairy farm, we had such widespread support from partners and sponsors across the industry to really round out the event.”

The day started with a complimentary Taste of Ontario breakfast featuring donated eggs and sausage, blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, honey, milk and apple cider – all produced by Ontario farmers. Hargrave says the meal was made extra special because farmers were the ones that handed the plates directly to hungry visitors. “Our guests were literally fed by farmers,” she says.

Then visitors wandered through the dairy barns to experience the sights, sounds and smells at Heritage Hill Farms, owned by seventh generation family farmers the Johnston and Doré family.

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Additional hands-on exhibits from many farm organizations showcased the diversity of Ontario agriculture – from crops to animals.

“Encouraging Ontarians to connect with all of the good things we grow in Ontario is important. This event brought all of agriculture together and built a common voice with the public to show them where their food comes from.” says Denise Zaborowski, manager Foodland Ontario.

She added, “It was definitely an ‘I love our industry day’ to get to spend time with the Premier, host families and more than 100 agri-food industry volunteers and connect with many individuals who were visiting a farm for the first time.”

For many visitors, Breakfast on the Farm was their first opportunity to see and touch calves, cows, chicks, pigs, hay, grain and

so many more farm-related wonders. Even the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, and several of her Queen’s Park colleagues got in on the experience.

A team of 130 ag-proud volunteers helped run the event and gave visitors a chance to chat with farmers and ag-vocates one-on-one.

This event brought together 30 national, provincial and regional organizations and businesses, whose support made the initiative such a success. The organizing committee is now looking at the possibility of hosting similar events in other communities in 2014.

Breakfast on the Farm is an initiative based on similar events organized by Michigan State University Extension.

COMING EVENTS 2013

Loblaw acquires Shoppers Drug Mart creating Canadian juggernaut

August 3

Food Day Canada

August 6

Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association Annual Orchard Tour, NS

Aug 10, 11 16th Annual Perth Garlic Festival, Perth Fairgrounds, Perth, ON Aug 13, 14 North American Strawberry Growers Association Summer Tour, Vermont, U.S., info@nasga.org August 15

‘Intelligent’ Sprayer Demonstration Day, J.C. Bakker & Sons Ltd., St. Catharines, ON 9 am – 4 pm

Aug 16 – 18 Leamington Tomato Festival, Seacliff Park, Leamington, ON August 18

Celebrate Food and Water First, Honeywood Arena, Honeywood, ON (www.foodandwaterfirst.com)

August 22

Ontario Potato Field Day, HJV Equipment, Alliston, ON

August 22

AgBiomass Canada Conference, Minto Suites, Ottawa, ON

Sept 5 – 8

Shores of Erie International Wine Festival, Fort Malden National Historic Site, ON

Sept 7, 8

7th Annual Stratford Garlic Festival, Stratford Fairgrounds, Stratford, ON

Sept 10

Ontario Berry Growers’ Association Farm Tour and Supper, near Mt Albert, ON, info@ontarioberries.com

PETER CHAPMAN There is never a dull moment in retail these days! Last month we had Sobeys’ acquisition of Safeway and now we have Loblaw acquiring Shoppers Drug Mart. This significant move will add more than 1,200 stores to Loblaw’s network. The price for Shoppers Drug Mart is more than double what Sobeys paid for Safeway.

The retail landscape will line up as follows: Loblaw (pro forma inc.

Shoppers Drug Mart) - $42 billion Sobeys (pro forma inc. Safeway) - $24 billion Metro (53 weeks ending Sept 29, 2012)- $12 billion Walmart and Costco do not report their Canadian sales separately. These numbers include more than food: gas, pharmacy, liquor, general merchandise and clothing. Smaller regional chains such as Overwaitea, Coops and specialty stores round out the Canadian retail landscape for food.

Loblaw’s July 15 news release states:

“This transformational partnership changes the retail landscape in Canada. With scale and capability, we will be able to accelerate our momentum and strengthen our position in the increasingly competitive marketplace,” said Galen G. Weston, executive chairman of Loblaw. “This combination creates a compelling new blueprint for the future, positioning us to capitalize on important trends in society, from the emphasis on health, wellness and nutrition, to the imperatives of value and convenience.”

I agree that society is putting more emphasis on health, wellness and nutrition. The question will be whether Loblaw changes the format that Shoppers Drug Mart currently delivers. Today’s offering is more a general store as opposed to a destination for health and wellness. It is a challenge for me when the store is positioned as offering healthy solutions and then at the checkout, I’m bombarded with pop, chips and chocolate.

Consumer research would point to filling the stores with healthy items that complement the health and wellness positioning. Loblaw has the expertise and infrastructure to do this. But what consumers say and what they do are often different.

The bigger opportunity for Loblaw is convenience.

Shopper’s have many urban locations that will be valuable to Loblaw in the future. As Canadian consumers get older, they will be looking to drive less and shop in smaller stores. The locations are in demand and the Shoppers Drug Mart network is solid with many stores being new or remodeled in recent years.

Private label is an important piece of this new retail entity.

While Loblaw will operate Shoppers Drug Mart as a separate division initially, it will be interesting when the President’s Choice house label starts to appear in Shoppers Drug Mart.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Sept 10 – 12 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Woodstock, ON Sept 17 - 21 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo, Mitchell, ON Sept 22

Third Annual Toronto Garlic Festival, Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, ON

October 5

Holland Marsh Soupfest, Ansnorveldt Park, King Township, ON (www.soupfest.ca)

October 5

Asparagus Farmers of Ontario 75th Anniversary Dinner, Hungarian Hall, Delhi, ON info@asparagus.on.ca

Oct 9, 10

Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls, ON

October 24 Ontario Harvest Gala, Guelph, ON

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER

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Loblaw acquires Shoppers Drug Mart CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Loblaw, asserting more control over day-to-day to operations, may nix the deep discounts on grocery staples.

Shoppers Drug Mart also brings the popular Life Brand to the table, and I would expect to see this brand in Loblaw’s health and beauty sections, replacing the Exact line.

As the organizations become more integrated, Loblaw will learn about pharmacy, health and beauty and cosmetics while Shoppers Drug Mart will learn about food and perhaps fresh food. Close to 50 per cent of Shoppers Drug Mart annual sales was prescriptions.

Shoppers Drug Mart franchisees will be a significant challenge for Loblaw in the long term. There are many benefits to a franchise operation however there are also challenges. Loblaw has a lot of experience with franchisees however the pharmacists at Shoppers Drug Mart will be different than the current grocery franchisees. This will require a lot of commitment from Loblaw to ensure they are all focused on selling products as opposed to fighting about agreements and franchise fees.

What does this mean for suppliers?

Suppliers who sell product to Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart will soon have one customer as opposed to two. It goes

Announcing the deal: From left Loblaw executive chairman Galen G. Weston, Shoppers chairman Holger Kluge and Loblaw president Vicente Trius. without saying they will expect the lowest cost, if there is a difference between the two companies today.

There could be opportunities for fresh food suppliers to move in to Shoppers’ locations in the future. Loblaw has the infrastructure to supply these stores with a limited line of perishables and fresh prepared foods. This could deliver some incremental sales.

There will be changes for private label suppliers. My expectation would be that Loblaw’s food private label suppliers will benefit and Shopper’s food private label suppliers will lose. In health and beauty it will be the opposite. Loblaw will review the items but if there is not a clear benefit the simple solution is to maintain the status quo.

Some product was distributed to

Shoppers Drug Mart by other retailers. As the details get finalized and the transaction is approved, there will be changes in distribution. Loblaw will work to find the most efficient methods, probably using their own network. If your products are currently distributed to Shoppers Drug Mart locations by a third party, make sure you understand what the plans are.

Most of these changes will not happen for several months. The important thing for suppliers right now is to determine what will happen and then be ready as the changes start to filter through the system.

Be proactive. Do not wait for them to get in contact with you.

This deal adds approximately $10.8 billion to Loblaw’s annual sales. Perhaps Loblaws felt Sobeys was getting too close to them in total sales. There is no doubt this was being put together before Sobeys announced the Safeway acquisition, however the timing is interesting. Both deals require some approvals but it is likely they will proceed.

Peter Chapman, a retail food consultant and professional speaker, is principal of GPS Business Solutions, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Peter works with producers and processors to help them navigate through the retail environment with the ultimate goal of getting more items into the shopping cart. pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

PAGE 14 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

FOCUS: STORAGE

How old corrugated board becomes new paper containers JERRY SCOTT MILLS In the wake of a call from the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) for an Ontario ban on the dumping of used corrugated boxes into landfills, the acronym ‘OCC’ for Old Corrugated Containers has become widely recognized by growers.

In the October, 2012 issue of The Grower, PPEC’s executive director, John Mullinder emphasized that OCC—the basic material for making new corrugated linerboard—is far too valuable a commodity to simply waste.

One of PPEC’s members adds a key economic consideration.

“The more OCC we can acquire locally, the more raw material for milling we can access easily and cost-effectively,” says Serge Desgagnes, paper product specialist for Kruger Inc. It is vitally important for the corrugated packaging industry to recycle as much OCC as it can, says Robert Lanthier, Norampac’s vice-president of sales, marketing & innovation for containerboard and boxboard divisions.

Achieving that optimal goal requires wax-free moisture barrier coatings and treatments which will enable all corrugated produce shippers to be recycled and milled into new paper. A high-profile example of a non-wax alternative for shipping fresh produce in ice is Norampac’s Norshield process, performance-profiled by Lanthier: “Compared to traditional wax-coated containerboard, our new wax-alternative product is at least 80 per cent effective for the grower, and 100 per cent effective for recycling by retailers.”

Wood fibre extracted from recycled OCC is ideal for milling into the high-strength grades of paper required for manufacturing new corrugated board.

“There’s far more to making paper than meets the eye,” says Joe Zenga, manager of Norampac’s recycling paper mill

in Mississauga, Ontario, commenting on the complexity of OCC repulping and milling. “A lot of science is involved in our mill operation. And the processes are getting more scientific every year.”

How old corrugated board becomes new paper At the ‘wet end’ of the mill, arriving shipments of collected OCC are mixed with municipal water and slowly churned to create a coarse mixture which undergoes mechanical separation to remove all foreign matter. The liquified slurry is washed, treated and filtered, leaving a residue of extracted wood-pulp fibres that can now be processed and milled into packaging-grade paper.

“At the end of the initial reclamation stage, wood pulp from recycled OCC comes out as clean, or even cleaner, than pulp made from virgin wood.” Says Gerry Murray, vice president of mill operations at Atlantic Packaging’s OCC paper mill in Scarborough, Ontario.

After emerging from the pulper head-box, the mixture composed of 96 per cent water and four per cent wood fibre enters a multi-step drying and rolling process which extracts

water from the mix until it is 92 per cent wood fibre.

Compressed between hardened-steel rollers containing pressurized steam superheated to above 350° Fahrenheit, the temperature of the passing paper sheet is elevated to between 220° and 240°F, well above 212°F (100°C), the boiling point of water and the temperature required for sterilization.

Chemical engineer Murray describes milled OCC as the perfect paper for corrugating and converting: “With all milling processes completed, new paper from recycled OCC is at least as strong as paper made from virgin wood fibre. Strong, sterile and absolutely clean, you couldn’t ask for a better paper.”

How clean is paper that began as collected trash?

Questions often arise regarding the relative cleanliness of paper milled using woodpulp from OCC (compared to virgin fibre); however, such concerns are unwarranted and easily allayed. OCC is indeed recovered ‘trash’ but that lowly status will be completely reversed during the recovery, separation and milling processes.

Wendy Cerilli, quality and technical manager for

Norampac’s Mississauga paper mill, summarizes testing disciplines that engender total customer confidence in the end product. “From pulping the incoming OCC to its finished stage, treatments and processes are carefully monitored,” says Cerilli. “Our constant goal is to ensure that the paper be free of any defects: physical, chemical or bacterial.”

Hygienic safety assurance While processes and technologies for OCC recycling differ at various paper mills, every method is specifically engineered to ensure that output quality not only meets all required shipping container standards but also provides the assurance of hygienic sterility for every roll of newly milled paper.

In addition, high operating temperatures reached during subsequent corrugating and converting stages will also sterilize surfaces of newly formed boxes before bundles of container flats are shrink-wrapped for airtight protection during palletizing and shipping to customers.

For food-grade applications, these final stages of boxmaking take place in a totally-controlled hygienic environment that gets

the new corrugated containers to their end users in pristine condition, ready to be filled with confidence by produce growers and food producers.

Jerry Scott Mills is a freelance photojournalist who has covered the paper packaging industry for more than a decade.

Editorial Acknowledgement: Management members representing three leading Canadian OCC recyclers and paper manufacturers—Quebecheadquartered Kruger and Norampac, and Ontario-based Atlantic—generously contributed their time, advice and expertise to a series of articles commissioned by the CCCA on the growing importance to the containerboard packaging industry, and to this country’s economy, of recycled corrugated containers.

Although the fundamentals of OCC repulping and papermaking are similar, each company has its own processes, unique technologies and special competitive applications.

Their confidence in providing information and insight and permitting individual inputs to be blended and cross-referenced is sincerely appreciated by the author.

Canadian paper packaging mills produce more than 75 per cent average recycled content The average recycled content of paper packaging produced by Canadian mills for use in Canada is more than 75 per cent, according to the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC). The council’s biennual survey shows that for 2012, the average was virtually the same as in 2010: 76.4 per cent.

“What we have seen over the years,” says executive director, John Mullinder, “is an increasing mill reliance on recovered paper and board, whether from industrial or residential sources. Most packaging mills in Canada,” he says, “now produce 100 per cent recycled content material. Eight sites produce what we call a blend between recycled and virgin fibre, and three mills use only virgin fibre. Actually, virgin is a bit of a misnomer since these mills primarily use wood chips and sawmill residues that are left over from lumber operations as their feedstock, rather than fresh trees.”

Domestic shipments of containerboard used to make corrugated boxes averaged 81 per cent recycled content in 2012, while its lightweight cousin, the boxboard carton, averaged 70 per cent. Kraft paper packaging averaged 35 per cent.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER

FOCUS: STORAGE

Silver scurf: a potato storage yield robber Silver scurf is a cosmetic disease of potatoes caused by the fungus Helminthosporium solani Affected tubers develop silvery blemishes on the skin causing them to look dirty. Although some tubers are infected in the field, the greatest damage occurs in storage where the fungus will grow and spread.

Silver scurf attacks all potato cultivars, yield is not affected but buyers reject fresh-market tubers with silver scurf blemishes. In contrast, silver scurf is not a problem for processing potatoes that are peeled.

Symptoms and damage Silver scurf forms tan to silvery gray, circular or irregular patches on the tuber skin. The patches may be as small as a pinhead or may cover most of the tuber. There is usually a sharp line between healthy and infected skin. The disease spreads slowly in cold storage, and individual silver scurf lesions coalesce and form larger patches. The silvery shine of older lesions is most evident when the tubers are wet.

Lesions caused by infection in the field generally are irregular and close to the stem ends. Lesions caused by infection in storage are often circular.

Silver scurf can be easily confused with black dot, another disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum coccodes. The lesions caused by black dot are often darker than silver scurf and have a poorly defined margin.

The lesions contain microsclerotia, which are small, round, black survival structures embedded in the tuber surface. The silver scurf pathogen does not produce microsclerotia. Both fungi can infect the same tuber.

Silver scurf lesions usually remain superficial causing no damage to underlying tissues, but in severe infections the tuber flesh just beneath the lesion becomes slightly discolored.

Moisture escapes more easily from diseased skin than from healthy skin. Infected skin will crack and tubers shrivel after prolonged storage. Moisture loss can be substantial during long-term storage.

If tubers have been stored at high humidity for a long time, the margins of young lesions may have a sooty appearance due to the black fungal spores produced by the silver scurf fungus.

Source of silver scurf infection and disease cycle Usually, the soil is not a source of infection for new tubers. Spores of the silver scurf rarely survive for more than two years in the soil. The main source of infection is the seed. Planting highly infected seed pieces can result in high infection rates of daughter tubers. In the soil, the

fungus produces spores on the surface of infected seed pieces.

The spores germinate, and then the fungus grows along the stolons to infect daughter tubers through lenticels or the skin.

Disease severity and damage increase the longer tubers are left in the ground after vine death and skin set. Tubers are most susceptible after the skin has begun to mature. Although the greatest problems occur in storage, a significant amount of infection and damage can already be present on smooth-skin cultivars at harvest.

Time in the field after skin set and time in storage both contribute to disease development.

Spores develop on infected tubers in storage, but spores can also be brought into storage in contaminated soil. Contaminated wood, concrete, and organic materials can also be a source of spores in storage.

Silver scurf spores form on the surface of diseased tubers when the relative humidity is above 90% and temperatures above 38°F. Spores are easily dislodged, and they spread through the storage’s air system to infect healthy tubers.

Spores germinate and infect tubers when there is water on the tuber surface. Given adequate humidity and time, a large proportion of tubers in storage can be infected.

Management practices that reduce the incidence of silver scurf 1. Practise crop rotation with at least two years between potato crops.

2. Use seed that is free or relatively free of silver scurf.

3. Clean and disinfect seed cutting and handling equipment between lots.

4. Keep vines healthy until frost or vine kill.

5. Harvest potatoes as soon as skins are adequately set. Leaving the crop in the ground beyond skin set will encourage higher levels of infection.

6. Thoroughly clean and disinfect storage facilities 7. Remove plant material and debris before storing tubers. Also reduce the amount of soil going into storage with tubers. Soil can be a source of inoculum, and can also restrict air movement around tubers, increasing humidity at the tuber surface.

8. Cure tubers under conditions of high humidity (95 percent), optimum temperature (50 to 57°F), and good ventilation (up to 25 cfm per ton of potatoes) 9. Reduce temperature and

tible, so they may not be stored successfully for the same length of time as more tolerant varieties.

If long-term storage is planned, do not open the storage facility to pack and ship some tubers and then reclose the facility. Major losses have occurred from this, apparently due to the dislodging of spores by vibrations. The air system then spreads the spores throughout the pile.

Chemical Control in Storage humidity once the tubers are cured adequately. Keep temperatures at the lower range of optimum for the type of potato being stored: about 38°F for seed, 42°F for table stock, and 50°F for potato chip processing.

Modifying the storage environment only slows silver scurf.

Know how much infection is on the potato crop and adapt storage placement and length of storage accordingly.

Test representative tubers going into storage, particularly those likely to be stored for 4 or more months. This procedure is best performed by digging some tubers from each lot of potatoes

just before vine kill and checking for silver scurf. It is important to take a representative sample from each lot because levels of infection may vary among lots.

Separate lots with high levels of infection from those with little or no infection. Knowing the amount of infection of all lots also can help you decide how long tubers might be storable without large-scale secondary infection. Lots with little or no infection can probably be stored until May or later, given a proper storage environment, but it is still important to check the tubers in storage periodically. Smooth-skin cultivars seem to be more suscep-

Research in the US has shown that general biocides such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide/peroxyacetic acid mixtures and chlorine dioxide do little to reduce silver scurf.

Drs Jeff Miller (Idaho Crop Consultant) and Nora Olsen (University of Idaho) have tested Phostrol in storage and found that a post-harvest application was effective for pink rot, late blight and silver scurf and safe for tubers when used according to label instructions.

Phostrol is registered in Ontario as a foliar spray and as a post-harvest treatment.

PAGE 16 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

FOCUS: STORAGE

Optimizing the quality of ‘Sundown’ pears during storage JENNIFER DeELL As more and more ‘Harovin Sundown’ pears come into production, the need for maintaining good fruit quality throughout the marketing period becomes very important. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of ‘Harovin Sundown’ pears from two harvest times, treated without or with SmartFresh at one, three, or seven days after harvest, and stored for four months in air storage at 0-1°C, followed by 14 days at room temperature.

‘Harovin Sundown’ pears were harvested on September 11 and 20 (2012) from the same commercial orchard near Simcoe, Ontario. Pear maturity at the first harvest time was: 12.8 lb firmness, 15.0% soluble solids concentration (Brix), 48% starch content (starch-iodine test), green skin colour, white seeds, and no ethylene production. Maturity at the second harvest time was: 10.1 lb firmness, 17.0% soluble solids, 52% starch, more green than yellow skin colour, >60% seeds brown or turning, and no ethylene production.

Pears were transported within 30 minutes to the nearby storage research facility. After one, three or seven days at 3°C, three boxes of pears were treated with SmartFresh (0.3 ppm, label rate for pears in Canada) for 24 hours at 3°C. Three boxes from each harvest time were also not treated and served as the control fruit.

Following SmartFresh treatment, all pears were held at 0-1°C for four months, and evaluated for quality after one, seven, and 14 days of holding at room temperature (~19°C).

Harvest 1. After four months of

air storage at 0-1°C, ‘Sundown’ pears from the first harvest treated with SmartFresh softened slower (~ half rate) and had lower ethylene production than those not treated. Pears treated with SmartFresh three days after harvest were also firmer after seven and 14 days at room temperature, compared to fruit treated one or seven days after harvest. Fruit were greener upon removal from storage when SmartFresh was applied one or three days after harvest.

Some storage disorders developed within seven to 14 days at room temperature, following cold storage. SmartFresh applied one or three days after harvest reduced the incidence of senescent scald (8% vs. 22% without SmartFresh) and friction marking or bruising (11% vs. 34% without SmartFresh). Only SmartFresh applied three days after harvest reduced core breakdown (12% vs.

31% without SmartFresh). There was high incidence of storage rots

(6-10%) after 14 days at room temperature and SmartFresh had no significant effect.

Harvest 2. After four months at 0-1°C, ‘Sundown’ pears from the second harvest were ~2 lb softer than those from the first harvest.

Pears from the second harvest with SmartFresh applied one or three days after harvest were firmer (1-2 lb) after seven and 14 days at room temperature than those not treated or treated seven days after harvest. There was high incidence of storage disorders in these pears, with >80% senescent scald and core breakdown in non-treated fruit.

SmartFresh applied one or three days after harvest reduced these storage disorders, but not to acceptable levels (41-57% incidence).

Conclusions 1) ‘Sundown’ pears from the second harvest (<11 lb firmness)

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Pear grower Murray Porteous tastes ‘Sundown’ treated with SmartFresh after four months of storage.

were not suitable for storage because of extreme disorder development.

2) SmartFresh applied seven days after harvest was not an effective treatment for ‘Sundown.’

3) SmartFresh applied one or three days after harvest had substantial benefit by slowing fruit ripening.

4) SmartFresh was more effective on ‘Sundown’ pears harvested when firmness was 12-13 lb.

Additional data from one or more growing seasons is needed

to confirm these results.

For more information contact Jennifer.DeEll@ontario.ca Thanks to Vineland Growers’ Cooperative, AgroFresh Inc., Ontario Apple Growers, Norfolk Fruit Growers’ Association, and Lingwood Farms Ltd. for their support of this project.

Dr. Jennifer DeEll is Fresh Market Quality Program Lead, OMAF and MRA, Simcoe, Ontario

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER

FOCUS: STORAGE

Repeated SmartFresh treatments for apples improve firmness and acidity retention JENNIFER DeELL The SmartFresh label for apples in Canada was expanded in 2011 to allow up to four applications (1 ppm 1-MCP) within 240 days of harvest. As a result, many storage operations are treating rooms with SmartFresh more than once during filling. This has led to interest in the possibility that more than one application of SmartFresh could enhance fruit quality benefits, but also potentially increase the development of disorders that are aggravated by SmartFresh.

There had been no scientific reports on the effects of rapid consecutive SmartFresh treatments on apples at harvest, simulating daily SmartFresh applications as storage rooms are loaded with fruit. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of rapid consecutive postharvest SmartFresh treatments (one and two days after harvest) on fruit quality and storage disorders in apples. ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Spartan’

apples were studied through longterm storage in air and controlled atmosphere (CA).

‘McIntosh’ and ‘Spartan’ apples were harvested twice from commercial orchards and SmartFresh was applied either one day after harvest or one and two days after harvest. Similar fruit were also not treated with SmartFresh. Fruit were held in either air storage at 0.5°C for three or six months, or in CA storage for six or nine months.

CA for ‘McIntosh’ consisted of 2.5% O + 2.5% CO for one month, 3.5% CO for the next month, and then 4.5% CO thereafter, at 3°C. ‘Spartan’ apples were held in CA storage of 2.5% O + 2.5% CO at 0.5°C. 2

2

2

2

2

2

Results • SmartFresh improved firmness and acidity retention, and reduced internal ethylene in both cultivars (but ‘Spartan’ in CA often maintained these attributes without SmartFresh).

• ‘McIntosh’ apples treated twice with SmartFresh were often firmer (<1 lb) than those treated

just once.

• SmartFresh substantially reduced superficial scald and there was no difference in scald incidence among the treatments.

• SmartFresh increased the incidence of external CO injury in ‘McIntosh’ from the first harvest.

• Core browning was generally reduced by SmartFresh, but fruit treated twice sometimes had higher incidence than fruit treated only once.

• ‘Spartan’ treated twice with SmartFresh had higher incidence of internal browning after nine months in CA. • Storage rots were greatest after six months of air storage and SmartFresh treatments usually reduced the incidence, regardless of application times.

These results suggest that using more than the traditional single application of SmartFresh may improve firmness retention, but there is also some risk associated with increased disorders, especially when storing apples long-term, such as for six months in air or nine months in CA 2

‘McIntosh’ apples with various SmartFresh treatments after six months in air or controlled atmosphere storage.

Using multiple applications of SmartFresh can provide greater flexibility for rapid treatments as storage rooms are being loaded. storage. Delaying SmartFresh application should be investigated.

Thanks to the Ontario Apple Growers, AgroFresh Inc., Pommes Philip Cassidy Inc., Norfolk Fruit Growers’

Association, and Lingwood Farms Ltd. for their support of this project.

Dr. Jennifer DeEll, is Fresh Market Quality Program Lead, OMAF and MRA – Simcoe, Ontario

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PAGE 18 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

FOCUS: STORAGE

Six tips for managing potato storage diseases As an agronomist with Delta Ag Services and owner of White Potato Services, Darren White’s summer office is his truck. He’s responsible for scouting 4,000 acres of potato fields in southern Manitoba from his base in Portage La Prairie. He maintains that storage diseases can be prevented with good management, starting in the field before harvest. Here are some timely tips.

1. Ideal humidity and temperature. The most critical time for shrink is during the wound healing period during the first few days and weeks after harvest.

While removing field heat during the first few days of storage, it is important to keep the temperature setpoint within two or three degrees of the pile temperature with humidity on. If the setpoint is too far below the pile temperature, unnecessary dehydration will occur, and can lead to more severe pile settling and pressure bruising later in storage season.

2. Environmental conditions.

Ensure proper tuber temperature for storage as well as proper soil moisture. Temperatures between 50F and 65F are ideal for tuber handling. Temperatures below this range tend to increase chances of shatter bruise and other mechanical damages, while temperatures above this range will increase the risk of rapid disease progress such as pythium rot or leak early in the storage

Pythium rot on potato

season. Irrigating prior to harvest will aid in addressing the soil moisture. It is important to irrigate a few days prior to harvest to allow irrigation to infiltrate and equalize in the hill.

3. Phosphoric acid. These products have been used with much success in the past few seasons.

Most applicators – either purchased or homemade -- have been as a post-harvest treatment to control tuber disease, specifically the risk of tuber late blight. Most applications have gone without issue and proven to be helpful in reducing storage losses from late blight.

4. Phosphoric acid foliar. There have been a limited number of growers applying phosphoric acid foliar in season. Until recently,

Tubers suffering from extreme heat/drought in 2012 crop. These tubers didn't store well when harvested in the fall due to jelly end rot. the relatively large amount of phosphorus acid necessary as a foliar has been cost prohibitive, however, there has been a significant change in phosphorus acid pricing as more products have become available in the market.

Although we haven't had much experience with foliar applied phosphorus acid, research indicates that it is effective in controlling tuber late blight.

5. Irrigation throughout season.

As growers transition from the

summer crop demands and enter the mid and late bulking stage of development, cooler daytime temperatures and cool nights prevail.

The peak of water demand is past and it can be difficult to reduce irrigation to plant needs. It is important during mid- and late August in our environment to begin watering with harvest in mind. Soil moistures of 55 per cent to 65 per cent available water is often adequate for this part of the season, compared to 70 per cent to 90 per cent earlier

in the season.

6. New equipment. Nearly all storages have automated temperature and humidity control. More recently, many growers have added outside RH to allow maximum use of cooling potential of outside air with humidification systems. As well, CO2 monitoring and installation of heaters have become standard components of managing storages through the coldest parts of the storage season.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER

IT’S WHAT’S

INSIDE THAT COUNTS

Unlike retrippers, corrugate is always new. It does not need to come from or return to washing stations in the USA. Corrugate is the food industry’s packaging of choice because you can focus on what matters – what’s in the box.

BRANDED, NEW AND TRUSTED.

www.cccabox.org Proud supporter of the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC)

PAGE 20 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

Cover crops – can be so much more!

Cover Crops

Plant Family

Root System/role

Oats, rye, wheat, pearl millet, annual ryegrass

Grass

Fibrous root system - Excellent soil structure builder

Clover, alfalfa, peas, vetch

Legume

Tap root system, some are more fibrous - Fixes nitrogen from the air

Oilseed Radish, rape, canola

Brassica – related to other members of the cabbage family

Tap root system - Fast ground cover and high nitrogen need

Buckwheat, phacelia

Various

Weak tap root and fibrous root systems

Soil structure target

Cover crop best suited

Better soil structure near the soil surface

Choose a fibrous root system – the fine roots will help to bind soil particles together - Spring and winter cereals like oats, rye - Buckwheat or the warm season grasses like sorghum sudan

Mild tillage pans or compaction

Choose a cover crop with a tap root such as cover crop radish or an aggressive fibrous root system such as sorghum sudan

Deeper compaction from rutting or harvest operations

This is beyond using just a cover crop. Options include: - Rotate out of production for several years using sweet clover or alfalfa to break up the compacted layer and improve drainage - Or a combination of targeted deep tillage (done under appropriate soil conditions) combined with a cover crop program using both deep rooted and fibrous rooted cover crops such as cover crop radish and rye or oats and allowed to grow for 6 to 8 weeks minimum

Cover crops are a must for vegetable soils; holding on to soil to prevent blowing in the spring, filtering and anchoring soils during heavy rainstorms and

helping to stabilize field headlands and harvest driveways. But there is more, much more that cover crops can do in a vegetable production system.

Rotation benefits – achieving a good crop rotation can be challenging with high value vegetable land and limited land base. Select cover crops from plant families

Pearl millet growth unrelated to your crops to ensure that you get the most rotation benefit. Getting a different root system and different crop residues in the system will encourage a wider variety of soil organisms and in particular, support beneficial organisms. Rotation research in field crops suggests a yield increase of approximately 10 per cent can be achieved with a well-planned and varied rotation.

Suppress Weeds – Cover crops can help to suppress weeds at various times through the production year. An early spring cover crop prior to a later warm season crop can shade and delay weeds.

Similarly, planting a cover crop after an early harvested crop, like peas, can significantly reduce the weed biomass in the field and the potential seed production. Cover crops can suppress or reduce weeds in a variety of ways, most depend either upon allelopathy or basic shading/competition.

Cover crops in the sorghum family such as sorghum sudan have been studied extensively for their allelopathic control of weeds.

Sorghum sudan root exudates contain an allelopathic compound called sorgoleone that has been shown to provide significant weed suppression with common weeds such as nightshade, pigweed and common ragweed (Czarnota et al 2001). Cereal rye is another cover crop with known allelopathic effects. Often the compounds that provide the weed suppression are very short lived and are only as consistent as the plant stand. With rye, the main allelopathic compound varies with rye variety and the maturity of the rye, declining as the rye matures (Regerg-Horton et all, 2005).

Cover crops like buckwheat and those from the Brassica family – things like oilseed and daikon radish, rape and canola, can cover and shade the soil quickly, reducing early weed seed germination. However, avoid these cover crops if you produce crops from the same family like broccoli and some Asian vegetables, in order to prevent disease.

Warm season grasses like pearl millet and sorghum sudan also do an excellent job of growing rapidly and shading the soil under good conditions. Sorghum sudan managed with successive cuts has been shown to reduce the stand of Canada thistle through competition.

Reduce nematode populations –

nematodes are a serious pest of many vegetable crops. However, it is important to test for and know the species of nematodes present in your fields. The species will help to determine cover crop choices. For example, the common nematode pest for most vegetable crops is the root lesion nematode. Almost any crop or cover crop is identified as an alternate host for that particular nematode. Read cover crop nematode claims with care – you need to know which nematode.

For example Sunn hemp – a tropical legume is used in Florida as a nematode control cover crop for many vegetable crops.

However, the target nematode is the root knot nematode.

Some cover crops like pearl millet and some varieties of sorghum sudan have been identified as non-hosts for nematodes, but this tends to be variety specific.

Another approach to controlling or suppressing nematodes is through the use of biofumigant cover crops like oriental mustard.

Many of the brassica cover crops contain large amounts of glucosinilates – compounds that breakdown to materials very similar to chemical fumigation products. Brassicas are capable of growing large amounts of green material in a short time, if managed well. However, most of the brassica cover crops are also alternate hosts for root lesion nematode. Using mustard and other brassicas as biofumigants requires that the cover crop be chopped finely to release the compounds, worked consistently into the soil and the soil sealed through tillage and packing or irrigation.

Improve soil structure and drainage – cover crop root systems can help to break up mild tillage pans. For severe compaction a longer term rotational crop really should be grown to get root systems through the compacted zone. Choose a fibrous root system like those found in spring cereals like oats, to glue soil particles together and build better soil structure.

Refer to the Midwest Cover Crop Council website for the Ontario Cover Crop Decision Tool for more information and to compare cover crops. http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu/VertI ndex.php

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 21 THE GROWER

VEG FOCUS

Making it count: maximizing your fumigation dollars SEAN WESTERVELD, JANICE LEBOEUF, MICHAEL CELETTI, JASON DEVEAU, MELANIE FILOTAS, OMAF AND MRA For many vegetables and other high value crops, fumigation is a viable option for controlling soilborne pathogens that are difficult to control using other management strategies. Fumigation is used to control or suppress plant parasitic nematodes, soil-borne pathogenic fungi and bacteria, soil-inhabiting insects, and weed seeds. However, the cost of fumigation can range from a few hundred dollars per acre for banded applications to a few thousand dollars for tarped and broadcast applications. With such a high cost, it is essential to ensure proper fumigation or a significant investment can be wasted.

Currently registered fumigants require careful attention to application procedures listed on the product labels in order to be effective. The available fumigants control different spectrums of organisms in the soil. Growers should find out what research has been conducted on their crop to determine which product is best for their crop and growing conditions.

Before the fumigant can be applied properly, it is important to know how the fumigant moves through the soil. Whether a fumigant is applied as a liquid or a solid, the active ingredients are converted to a gas and move through the soil in the air spaces between soil particles. A study conducted at Ridgetown looked at how far metam-sodium fumigant moved through the soil from the point of injection. The study basically showed that the fumigant rises from the point of injection moving laterally about 7.5 cm (3 in.) in each direction. Working the soil to seed-bed conditions prior to fumigation improved penetration of the fumigant.

There are 6 main things a grower needs to consider to get the most out of their fumigant application. Whether the product is a standard fumigant, a biofumigant, or nematode-suppressive cover crop, these general considerations still apply.

1. Soil Preparation. Preparing the soil before fumigation is very important for maximizing the efficacy of the product. As shown in the research at Ridgetown, working the soil prior to fumigation can result in better penetration and movement of the fumigant in the soil. Any large clods of soil or organic matter will result in large air spaces in the soil, which will allow the fumigant to escape to the surface faster. In addition, fumigants will not penetrate these clods very well and any pathogens contained

within the clod may not be controlled by the fumigant. These pathogens will have an opportunity to re-colonize the soil after fumigation because they will no longer have any competition from beneficial soil organisms. Soil should be worked a few weeks or more before fumigation to allow organic matter to be broken down and then again prior to fumigation to break up soil clods.

2. Soil Moisture. Most fumigants work best when soil moisture is at 60-80% of field capacity. Too little soil moisture and the fumigant can move through the soil too quickly, and the soil cannot be sealed properly after fumigation.

Too much moisture and the fumigant may not move through the soil, reducing the area treated. In addition, the fumigant may be slower to gas off after fumigation in wet soils, which could interfere with planting of the subsequent crop. If rainfall is not sufficient prior to fumigation, irrigation may be required. While this can be a costly and labour intensive, consider the money wasted on fumigation if it is not effective.

3. Soil Temperature. Most fumigants can be applied at soil temperatures ranging from 4 to 30°C. However, the fumigation may be more difficult to manage or less effective at the high and low end of that range. Soil temperatures above 20°C increase the volatility of the fumigant, meaning it can move through the soil more rapidly. This can lead to more rapid escape of the fumigant from the soil if it is not properly sealed. Soil fumigants should remain in the soil for 7 to 14 days for maximum efficacy, and the soil should be worked after fumigation to allow any remaining fumigant to escape so it will not damage the subsequent crop. Low soil temperatures can result in the fumigant remaining in the soil for longer than 14 days, which can delay planting. Generally soil temperatures around 10 to 20°C are ideal, which generally occurs in early May or late September in southern Ontario.

4. Weather Conditions. Weather conditions at the time of application are most important in determining the potential for escape of the fumigant and drift off of the field. Fumigants should not be applied if a temperature inversion is forecast within the first 48 hours. Temperature inversions occur on clear and calm nights when the soil radiates heat into the atmosphere. Cloud cover radiates heat back towards the surface and a breeze will mix the air preventing an inversion from occurring. In a temperature inversion, any fumigant that escapes the soil can be trapped in the cold layer at the surface and flow into low areas in or around the field. If

houses or businesses are situated next to the field, people could be exposed to the fumigant, which can cause significant health effects and potentially significant fines.

5. Sealing. Regardless of the condition of the soil and the product being applied, it is essential to seal the product in the soil immediately after fumigation. Without a proper seal, the fumigant will rapidly escape from the soil and the money spent on fumigation will basically vaporize. With a poor seal, soil pathogens in the top layers of the soil may not be exposed to the fumigant long enough to be killed. At a minimum, a good soil seal is required after fumigation. For broadcast application, this usually involved rolling the soil with a roller that moves faster than the speed of the tractor. For banded applications, beds are often formed behind the injector to seal the product into the soil. Good soil moisture will be essential for forming a proper seal. Any stubble remaining from an earlier crop can interfere with the seal and allow the fumigant to escape. A small amount of water

applied after fumigation (e.g. 5 mm) can provide an even better seal. Tarping is by far the most effective method of sealing the soil after fumigation. Tarping is required for any broadcast applications of chloropicrin fumigants.

A special tarp is used that is impenetrable by the fumigant.

However, tarping adds significantly to the cost of fumigation, and it may only be practical for crops with a very high value or no viable alternatives.

6. Post-Fumigation Practices.

Regardless of the methods used to ensure proper fumigation, it is highly unlikely that the fumigant will be 100% effective. Any organisms located below the

injection shanks will not be treated, and banded applications only treat the area immediately around the shank. For broadcast applications, care should be taken to avoid digging up soil from below the treated zone or bringing in untreated soil from outside of the field. For banded applications, growers should ensure the plants are planted in the centre of the treated zone, and soil from outside of the row should not be introduced into the row through post-plant cultivation. Fumigated soil is virtually sterile and will be colonized by the first organisms introduced to the soil. If that first organism is a pathogen, significant disease issues may occur.

PAGE 22 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

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PAGE 24 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

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AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 25 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Control of mites on fruiting vegetables JIM CHAPUT, OMAF/MRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for Acramite 50WS miticide (bifenazate) for control of two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) on fruiting vegetables, crop group 8-10 in Canada. Crop group 8-10 includes eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, goji berry, okra, tomatillo, etc.

Acramite 50WS was already labeled for management of mites on cucurbit vegetables, apples, stone fruit, caneberries, tree nuts, hops and grapes in Canada.

Expansion granted for miticide

Hazelnut trees The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for Kanemite 15 SC miticide for control of two-spotted mites on caneberries, eggplant and tree nuts in Canada. Kanemite 15 SC miticide was already labeled in Canada for management of mites on pome fruit and outdoor ornamentals.

The following is provided as a general, abbreviated outline only.

Users should consult the complete label before using Kanemite 15 SC miticide.

Kanemite 15 SC miticide should be used in an integrated pest management program and in rotation with other management strategies. This product is toxic to aquatic organisms. Do not contaminate any body of water by direct application, cleaning of equipment or disposal of wastes.

Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Kanemite 15 SC miticide label.

For copies of the new supplemental label for caneberries contact Pam Fisher, Simcoe (519) 426-2238; for eggplant contact Janice LeBoeuf, Ridgetown (519) 674-1699; for tree nuts contact Melanie Filotas, Simcoe (519) 426-4434 or visit the Arysta LifeScience website at http://www.arysta-na.com/

Access to spider mite management tools is a priority for fruiting vegetable producers and the label expansion of Acramite 50WS will provide producers with an effective mite management and resistance management tool. The following is provided as a general, abbreviated outline only. Users should consult the complete label before using Acramite 50WS miticide.

Acramite 50WS miticide can be applied at a rate of 851 grams product per ha (15 pouches per four ha) for TSSM in a minimum spray volume of 500 L per ha as soon as mites appear. A maximum of one application per season is permitted. The pre-harvest interval for fruiting vegetables is

three days.

Acramite 50WS miticide should be used in an integrated pest management program and in rotation with other management strategies. Acramite 50WS may be harmful to beneficial predatory or parasitic arthropods and is toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. Do not contaminate these habitats when cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or containers. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Acramite 50WS label.

For copies of the new minor use label contact Janice LeBoeuf, OMAFRA, Ridgetown (519) 6741699 or visit www.bartlett.ca , www.growercentral.com and/or www.chemturaagrosolutions.com

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PAGE 26 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS

How do we fix CODEX?

CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA Many organizations around the world adopt ‘catchy’ slogans that express their values and tell people who would otherwise not know who they are or what the organization is all about. ‘Learn to do by doing’ is one. ‘Be prepared’ is another. The ‘Four-Way Test’ of Rotary International is another.

When it comes to helping one’s-self, it is almost always beneficial to get there by helping those who can help you most. Not only does that just make good sense, it actually works! The term ‘pay-back’ can have a negative or a positive connotation -- it just depends on what precipitates the ‘response’ in the first place.

At the recent meetings of the CODEX Committee on Pesticide Residues, our Canadian delegation was beefed up with several senior government staff. That alone shows that their commitment to the process is real, and that their efforts merit recognition. They were there (in part) in response to the recent exhortations from grower groups across Canada (including horticulture) about the need to ‘fix’ CODEX to facilitate trade. Canada was not alone in its desires to fix the problems that plague the CODEX system. CODEX is the international body charged with setting pesticide residue limits for most of the countries around the world, and is sanctioned by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Canadian delegation

supported resolutions and activities undertaken by other nations, but in some cases to no avail. There are 180 nations there, and if the politics of food, poverty, trade imbalances, and internecine strife were not enough to scuttle the talks, jealousies and long-standing political differences would have doomed the best of intentions in any case! What I found fascinating was that the out and out stone-walling of attempts to make CODEX work better were immediately followed by demands for more funding, which was of course to be funded from those asking for change and to go to help the efforts of those resisting change!

Like some of the serious problems with our pesticide regulatory regime that we dealt with several years ago, the solution must include ousting of the worst of the die-hards, and bringing in of new blood with new ideas, new approaches, and with the mandate to make the drastic steps required. It is not a job for the faint at heart, but it must be done! The other option of course is to come up with another approach entirely, that may go against old commitments to FAO and the WHO, and those made under GATT (Global Agreement on Trade and Tariffs) but that may still be the lever it takes to instill change.

Of the major attempts at change made at this year’s meetings, there are three that stand out.

The first has to do with using the ‘proportionality concept’ to adjust data that may have been generated on a crop in various parts of the world, but at different rates (up to +/- 25%) of active ingredient per acre. To facilitate a decision on a Maximum Residue Level (MRL), there may not be ‘enough’ data at one rate but by being able to use properly adjusted data from other trials, a good use of the available data could allow such a decision to be made. This is hardly rocket science, but after three years, it was adopted, except for desiccants and for post-harvest

The Codex Alimentarius, Latin for "Book of Food," is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, including maximum pesticide residue limits (MRLs).

uses! I can only hope these will be included when more data on them becomes available, and shows the same trends.

Meanwhile, we will struggle on.

The second item was an attempt to make good use of the global registrations that have become increasingly the way to go by major registrants. Since registering countries are already doing full reviews of toxicology, setting a ‘risk cup’ for the sum total of residues, and have access to the GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) for each and every use proposed on the label, their determination of the appropriateness of the proposed MRLs for each country’s use could/should then be used in the CODEX process (at least in lieu of the preliminary reviews) to set global MRLs. This was done as a pilot project on a new product. However, since the majority of the 180 countries were not part of the global registration, they voted to NOT accept this approach! Instead of trying to move to the 21st century (and save at least two years and many thousands of dollars) and to maybe try to get included in future global activities, they decided instead to cling to a past that just does not work! It is back to square one on this, when it should have been a home-run.

The third item was an attempt to set priorities for Minor Use MRL needs separate from and in addition to the regular work plan.

This item was bogged down immediately by attempts to befog it with calls for new definitions of Minor Use. In addition, there were once again the wails of the ‘have-nots’ that felt they were not going to get as much out of this

‘additional’ drain on CODEX resources. They did not consider how they could actually benefit from this in the short and long terms- only that those who already have Minor Use programs would seem to gain more! The fact that we have already shown willingness to share, and to involve any/everyone who chooses to become a part of existing trials would seem to have been overlooked.

The Canadian reps did provide comment, and access to data to support the actives that were actually evaluated this year. They also suggested their additions to the list of products to be looked at for 2016! That is how far behind the process has fallen.

Now our growers have a chance to further help the process.

We have been asked to provide a comprehensive list of commodities that we do or expect to trade beyond Canada’s borders, and that have gaps in the MRLs for the pesticides that are registered and needed in crop production, and that MRLs are needed to facilitate this trade. All of the more recently registered actives might come into play. Some long-term irritants from older registrations may also be nominated.

These could be as a result of new minor uses of older chemistries, or the sudden reliance on a onceshunned active when resistance in the pest population precludes the use of an otherwise trade-acceptable active. Only commodity groups would have such detail. In fact, some groups routinely list actives to avoid using on the farm, if trade to certain places is contemplated. All of these scenarios should be identified, so at

least an attempt can be made to facilitate a CODEX MRL. There are already long lists of actives/commodities that have been nominated in the ‘normal’ process. None of these need to be repeated, but grower lists can actually corroborate the need for them to be on the lists. Some of the actives/commodities may NOT be supported by registrants.

(They must have their reasons?)

However, growers need to act on this opportunity now. Our lists need to be in by late July. Each commodity group should do their homework and at least for horticulture, the CHC Crop Protection Committee will accumulate any request we get. I fully expect other national groups will do likewise. This is our chance to help ourselves by helping PMRA to have the best data set available.

We will also need to do some outreach beyond Canada on the other issues if there is to be much chance of ‘fixing’ CODEX. If every country we currently trade with could be convinced to support positive change at CODEX regardless of who proposed it, perhaps good things could stand on their merits rather than become hopelessly bogged down in petty squabbling. If every trader of commodities out of Canada were to ask for their customers to push their representatives for change at CODEX, anything is possible.

Perhaps CODEX needs its own slogan. It might be along the lines of “Just do it.” But I think that one is taken!

Let’s just adopt it anyway- it works for me!

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AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 27 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Emergency use registration for control of cucumber beetles JIM CHAPUT, OMAF/MRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an emergency use registration for Pyganic crop protection EC 1.4 II (pyrethrins) for control of cucumber beetles on field cucumbers, squash, melons and processing pumpkins in Canada.

Pyganic was already registered for use against several insects of beans, tomatoes, blueberries, grapes, raspberries and roses in Canada.

This emergency use for Pyganic can be used only in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Ontario until

Fungicide control for ginseng The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use registration for Acrobat 50 WP fungicide (dimethomorph) for suppression of Phytophthora blight on ginseng in Canada. Acrobat was already registered for use against several diseases of other fruit and vegetable crops in Canada.

Phytophthora blight is one of the most common and serious diseases of ginseng in North America and has been identified annually on the minor use priority list. The registration of Acrobat is an important step towards improving the pest management toolkit for ginseng.

Acrobat 50 WP can be applied at a rate of 450 grams product per hectare as soon as crop and/or environmental conditions become favourable for disease development. Applications can be made on a five - seven day interval under high disease pressure or every seven – ten days under low disease pressure. A maximum of three applications per year is permitted and the preharvest interval for ginseng is 30 days. To reduce the development of fungicide resistance, Acrobat must be used as a tank-mix with Dithane DG Rainshield Fungicide, Manzate Pro-Stick Fungicide or Penncozeb 75 DF Raincoat Fungicide at 3.3 kg mancozeb per ha.

For copies of the new minor use label contact Sean Westerveld, OMAF/MRA Ginseng & Medicinal Herbs Specialist, Simcoe (519) 4264323, Rebecca Coates, OGGA, Simcoe (519) 426-7046 or visit https://agro.basf.ca/basf/agsolutions/SelectRegion.htm

October 31, 2013.

Cucumber beetles are the most common and serious pest of field cucurbits in North America and have been identified annually on the Canadian minor use priority list and more specifically by organic producers of field cucurbits. The emergency use registration of Pyganic is an important temporary step towards improving the pest management toolkit for organic producers of cucumbers, squash, melons and processing pumpkins.

Pyganic crop protection EC can be applied at a rate of 4.65 L product per hectare as soon as cucumber beetles are observed.

Apply in sufficient spray volume to ensure complete and thorough coverage of plant surfaces.

Applications can be made on a

five day interval if monitoring indicates a need. A maximum of eight applications per year is permitted.

Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Pyganic label carefully. This product is highly toxic to honey bees and native pollinators exposed to direct spray on blooming crops or other vegetation.

Avoid use when pollinators are actively foraging. This product is toxic to aquatic organisms. Do not contaminate any body of water by direct application, cleaning of equipment or disposal of wastes.

Pyganic should be used in an IPM program and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance.

Although Pyganic is OMRI listed

Cucumber beetle in the U.S., growers should consult their organic certification body in Canada to confirm that it can be used here also.

For copies of the new minor use label contact Melanie Filotas,

OMAF/MRA, Specialty Crops IPM Specialist, Simcoe (519) 426-4434, Jim Chaput, OMAF/MRA, Guelph (519) 8263539 or visit www.plantprod.com or www.bartlett.ca

PAGE 28 –– AUGUST 2013 THE GROWER

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