JANUARY 2012
CELEBRATING 132 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION
VOLUME 62 NUMBER 01
Leadership is more than speaking into a microphone Multi-tasking women are an untapped resource KAREN DAVIDSON For all that women contribute to horticulture, they are still as rare as hen’s teeth in policymaking leadership roles. Many women are now executive directors of associations, but only a handful are elected to sit on boards of directors. Yet on farms across Canada, women are partners in many businesses. That deep reservoir of knowledge and experience could be tapped for leadership positions that more often than not, requires the strengths of women: consensus-building and stakeholder relations. Director skill sets today must be broader than in the past, stretching beyond financial and industry-specific knowledge, says Kellie Garrett, senior vice president, strategy, knowledge and reputation, Farm Credit Canada. Freshly graduated with an Institute Certified Director Designation from Rotman, Garrett observes that board recruiters are looking for skills which haven’t traditionally been found on boards, such as strategy, communications and leadership. “Women face a double whammy if they hold these skills,” says Garrett. “They may be the only woman on a board, with expertise in an area that the accountants and lawyers think of as ‘soft.’ So it’s very important to ensure that their opinions are heard and incorporated in decision-making, which requires great influencing
INSIDE More Caribbeans seek work on Canadian farms Page 5
Spray drift videos launch at OFVGA
Page 11
Focus: food safety and traceability
Page 12
www.thegrower.org P.M. 40012319
Women just do it. Leadership comes naturally to many women in horticulture who run businesses, supervise work teams and negotiate supplier deals. However, the table is not automatically set for those who wish to serve on boards. Mary Shabatura is a rare example who sits on the board of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association. Last June, she took a moment to pose for our camera during the field workers’ break from strawberry picking at Windham Centre, Ontario. Photo by Denis Cahill.
skills, that is, backing up your position with how it will benefit the business.” Mary Shabatura is one of those examples of leadership, farming all her life with either her father
or her husband for 33 years, and now sitting on the board of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA). She was the first woman to graduate from the farm business
management course at Fanshawe College in 1978. Just as comfortable inputting data to Simply accounting as programming a tomato sorting machine, Shabatura is at home in a variety
of environments. “I think of myself as a team player,” says Shabatura. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
The border deal promises benefits for horticulture KAREN DAVIDSON The Joint Action Plan for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness holds the seeds of good news for horticulture. When Prime Minister Steven Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama signed the December 7 deal in Washington, the Canadian Horticultural Council’s (CHC) executive director, Anne Fowlie, was there. No accident, that was, after years of lobbying for some of the key tenets of how agriculture wishes to do business. In the 29 action items of the Regulatory Cooperation Council, there are keys to competitiveness in the following: • Develop common approaches to food safety and enhance collaboration to allow for assessment and
possible recognition of system comparability • Further align crop protection product (e.g. pesticides) approvals and establish maximum residue limits/tolerances in both countries • Develop a perimeter approach to plant protection with a view to leverage each country’s efforts to mutual advantage and, where possible, streamline certification requirements for cross-border shipments • Develop comparable approaches to financial risk mitigation tools to protect Canadian and U.S. fruit and vegetable suppliers from buyers that default on their payment obligations • Develop a harmonized approach to screening inbound cargo arriving from offshore that will result in increased security and the
expedited movement of secure cargo across the Canada-United States border, under the principle of “cleared once, accepted twice.”
“
The time for tasting is when the tarts are being passed. For our industry, the oven door just got opened.” Murray Porteous
• Provide a single window through which importers can electronically submit all information to comply with customs and other participating government agency regulations • Invest in improving shared border infrastructure and technology So encouraging are these developments that CHC’s vice-
chair Murray Porteous is arguing for a large mobilization campaign that will lobby elected politicians and bureaucrats to act expeditiously on the agreement. “We need to have the lobbying tools in place to mobilize our membership across Canada,” says Porteous. “In March, the launch of our on-line lobbying tool will be a start, but we need to encourage our members to tell their stories of how these regulatory changes will benefit them on the farm.” From his perspective, it’s important to position a harmonized pesticide regulatory system that does not give up Canada’s sovereignty, but eliminates trade barriers and helps farmers on both sides of the border. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
PAGE 2 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
AT PRESS TIME… On the Hill The Canadian Horticultural Council and Canadian Produce Marketing Association executed a joint lobby of key politicians on Parliament Hill in late November. The produce industry delegation met with Revenue Minister Gail Shea and Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Gerry Ritz as well as other MPs. “The MPs we met with were
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development over the years, download an electronic version of the 2012 catalogue at www.siegers.com.
Wal-Mart expands in Canada To counter the arrival of American chain Target in 2013, Wal-Mart is aggressively expanding in Canada in 2012. It plans to open 73 stores this year and renovate some existing stores.
Celebrating women leaders
CPMA and CHC representatives meet with MP Dave Van Kesteren. Photo courtesy CPMA interested in the issues we brought to their tables,” said Tom Byttynen of Thomas Fresh, Calgary, Alberta and CPMA chair. The agenda focused on biosecurity, financial risk mitigation and the overall impact of the produce industry on the health of Canadians.
Century-old Siegers grows again Siegers Seed Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary
moved Siegers Seed Company to Michigan and later bought out my uncle's share. I took over the company in 1973 and have continued the family tradition.” In Canada, Siegers operates an office in Tilsonburg, Ontario where Ernie Szucs operates trial plots on his farm. “We continue to add product development staff,” says Jeff Siegers, seed consultant. “We’re very open to our Canadian customers suggesting what they want in trials.” For a nostalgic tour of seed
Since 2006, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has been sponsoring the Rosemary Davis Award, honouring women who are active leaders in Canadian agriculture. The award is named after the first female chair of the FCC board of directors. To date, 25 women have been celebrated for leadership in their communities, industries and beyond whether they are growers, agribusiness operators, teachers or agrologists. This year, five winners from across Canada will be announced in March. They will receive a trip to Boston to attend the April 5, 2012 Simmons School of Management’s leadership conference for women. Deadlines for applications for the Rosemary Davis Award are due no later than January 23, 2012. For details, go to www.fcc-fac.ca
Benefits for horticulture CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “This is something that has frustrated our members for a very long time,” he adds. “Access to a broader range of new, environmentally responsible products will help improve our farmers’ ability to be good stewards of the land.” Expect the idea of a long-term lobbying
campaign to come forth at the January 9 to 11 annual general meeting of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association and again in March at the CHC. “The time for tasting is when the tarts are being passed,” quips Porteous. “For our industry, the oven door just got opened.”
Condolences to the family of Doug Connery, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba who died suddenly December 15. As a past-president of the Canadian Horticultural Council (2003) he led tireless efforts on the foreign worker program and was currently chair of the council’s human resources committee. This past spring, he was a frequent guest on national television as a grower impacted by the Manitoba government breaking the dam on the Assiniboine River next to his Riverdale Farm. Effective December 12, Fareed Amin became Ontario’s new deputy minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. He replaces John Burke who is retiring in early January. In his new role, Amin will conclude the first scheduled review of the clean energy Feed-in-Tariff program on behalf of the energy ministry, a task which he’s been leading since August. He has had several deputy minister posts in the past.
Fareed Amin
Adrian Huisman, long-time general manager of the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board, retires effective January 31. But he’ll be in the wings on a consultative basis as Sarah Marshall, currently marketing director, moves into his chair February 1. As this transition takes place, the marketing director position will cease to exist. Larissa Osborne, formerly the board’s treasurer and manager of grape and tender fruit (Ontario) Ltd. moves into a new position of market and production analyst, a role cost-shared with the Ontario Apple Growers. Grape Growers of Ontario recently hosted their annual wine tasting event with the newly elected speaker of the Ontario legislature, Dave Levac. Official wines to be served in the Legislative Assembly for 2012 are: 2010 Strip Room (red) from Burning Kiln Winery, St. Williams and 2009 Riesling (white) from Good Earth Food and Wine Company, Beamsville. Jayna Hart is the new communications officer for the Canadian Horticultural Council. The Holland Marsh Growers’ Association recently re-elected Alex Makarenko as chair. Kyle Horlings, a 23-year-old farmer replaces founding member Bill Scotch on the board. Also on the board are: Herman Gasko, Joe Srebot, Dan Sopuch, Paul Smith, Doug Weening, Doug Van Luyk, Avia Eek, Jason Verkaik and Domenic Riga. The Ontario Potato Board recently re-elected Glen Squirrell as chair and Chris Kowalski as vice-chair. Directors are: Harry Bradley, Mac James, Shawn Brenn and Rick Wallace. OMAFRA welcomes Kristy Grigg-McGuffin as acting pome fruit IPM specialist in Simcoe, who is replacing Kathryn Carter presently on leave. As well, Deanna Nemeth joined the ministry as the nutrient management horticulture crops program lead. She has previously worked as a special project coordinator with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. She can be reached at OMAFRA’s Vineland Resource Centre. Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario kept their slate of directors for 2012 with Tom Miedema, Newmarket, remaining as chair. Henk Droogendyk is a new addition to the board, replacing Albert Streef.
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Leadership is more than speaking into a microphone CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Whether it’s payroll, labour issues, human resources or cleaning the bunkhouses, I do it all.” At peak season, her multi-tasking capabilities are in demand with up to 200 employees on the Windham Centre farm where she and husband John grow everything from strawberries to tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, cabbage and melons. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, she was involved in the strawberry growers’ organization and local processor marketing board as secretary. Taking the minutes made her acutely aware of issues of the day, leading her to venture her own opinions. “Get your facts and figures in line, then take a position,” she says, recalling her days at the processing board where she was trained how to negotiate and arbitrate. Sitting on the crop insurance board furthered her understanding of the interconnectedness of agriculture and the issues facing unrelated commodities like hay. She has also been a director on the board of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services, providing input on the cultural differences of Mexican and Caribbean workers.
“I bring a passionate voice to the table,” says Shabatura. “I invest in relationships and can find a place for all workers to shine. We strive to do whatever is in our power to make the relationships work and that means they’re comfortable with their duties – feeling safe, being well trained and having no fear of expressing concerns or asking questions. It’s important they are happy to work alongside us to get the work done each day.”
time-starved people so they won’t commit to a sustained relationship. Rather, follow and observe at close range, then ask them out for coffee to ask for advice about a specific situation. Call it mentorship by minutes, this way will yield more relationship rewards than asking for large swaths of time.
leadership is not necessarily found in the senior ranks of the industry or even the best speaker at the microphone. Leadership is often behind the scenes, building relationships and investing in the renewal process. That’s where women have enormous strengths in communications and interpersonal skills.
Find a mentor Common themes emerge among those women who have served on boards. “What’s missing is mentorship for women,” says Brenda Lammens, former chair, OFVGA and a current director, Ontario Asparagus Growers’ Marketing Board. “The dynamics of agriculture have changed, so that many women are now working off-farm to sustain their lifestyle. Operations have grown in size. There’s no time to waste time and women pick very carefully where they’ll invest their energy.” For many, the concept of mentorship is formal, yet Garrett points out that asking someone you admire to be a mentor is not the right approach. By their nature, these are successful,
Engage in listening Once women are elected to a director’s role, what do they bring to the board table? “We’re good students,” says Lammens, now serving as vice-chair, Agricultural Management Institute. “If we don’t understand all the acronyms in the discussion, we’ll go home and research the topic. We’re also good listeners. We like to comprehend before we comment.” In her own experience, farm
Invest in training The process of leadership is very much like the 4-H motto: learn to do by doing. For those who want to stretch their abilities, a new crop of courses is emerging for 2012. Farm Credit Canada has just announced that it’s underwriting some of the major costs of Cultivate, a strategic agricultural leadership program for directors and managers of agricultural commodity boards to be delivered at the Richard Ivey School of Business. “When you’re a farmer, you’re managing yourself,” says Dave Sparling, chair in agri-food innovation at Ivey and one of the designers of the course program. “It’s a complete shift to helping guide an entire industry.” The course will help both men and women in directors’ roles, built around the core themes of strategy, innovation, policy, leadership and governance, and
SUSTAINABILITY
COMPETITION
DISEASE
TECHNOLOGY
Irrigation system scoops green award
Chile aims to become food power
Death of a sales icon
An irrigation and fertigation system used by a Staffordshire, U.K. strawberry grower has taken an award for its sustainable use of water and fertilizer. The AutoAgronom system, developed in Israel by the company of the same name, uses sensors in the root zone to detect plants' needs before applying water and fertilizer automatically - a method it calls capillarity control of irrigation and feeding. The manufacturer claims the system can save up to 30 per cent on water use and 70 per cent on fertilizer. The grower observed good results on a 60-day crop that yielded 20 per cent higher than normal, but said water savings were not as robust as promised.
Making the Chilean food industry more competitive globally is the reason why the Netherlands-based Wageningen UR (University and Investigation Center) will be in the country in 2012. Thanks to the InnovaChile program, funded by Corfo, the country encourages foreign entities to help stimulate innovation. Wageningen's plan includes a 10-year budget of US$39 million partly financed by the university and other Chilean public and private interests. "To arrive in Chile is part of our internationalization strategy,” says Peter Zuurbier, director of Wageningen UR Latin America Office. He leads an excellence center in Chile dubbed ‘ICEFood.’
Hydro cultivation promising for leafy plants
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
“
There’s no time to waste time and women pick very carefully where they’ll invest their energy.” Brenda Lammens Past chair, OFVGA
marketing. Slated for March 4 to 9, the course will be held at the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre in London, Ontario. For agriculture, a maledominated industry that still has its sacred cows, Sparling says that skill levels need to be strengthened and attitudes changed at the board level. “Men will be required to modify behaviours to make women feel comfortable,” he says. “Too often, if there’s one woman in the room, she’ll be asked to take the minutes. Men should be proactive in saying that request is not appropriate because it stereotypes women.” Seek new talent The next decade is ripe for profound changes in governance as senior directors retire and there’s a shallower pool for new recruits. Who has time? Who can travel? As Maureen Vander Marel, business administrator of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association points out, retiring baby boomers are surprisingly interested in joining boards. A new director of the association, a recent convert to beekeeping, brings an enviable fundraising skill set from a national health society. She’s a welcome asset.
INTERNATIONAL
Golden kiwifruit was the glamour fruit of New Zealand, famed for its stunning golden flesh, sweet taste, health traits and premium returns for growers. But the sun is setting on the 20-year track record of Hort16A or Zespri Gold. Kiwifruit Vine Health, responsible for helping the industry overcome the vine-killing disease Psa-V, is gloomy about its future. "Gold 16A almost definitely does not have a future in the Psa-V environment and this cultivar will need to be eventually replaced.” The gap will be felt most in Asia and Japan where Zespri Gold’s sweeter taste found favour over its green-fleshed cousin. Source: FreshPlaza.com
Open air hydro cultivation is showing promising results at Proeftuin Zwaagdijk, an agricultural research centre in the Netherlands. Researcher Matthijs Blind (see photo) says the system beats field-grown product in sustainable use of water. In a wet season, field growers face
lower yields and loss of quality, but also the problem of dirty product due to soil splash. Those issues don’t occur with hydro cultivation. In 2007, tests started with hydro-cultivated lettuce, but were extended to include cauliflower and spinach. In a floating system the plant always has sufficient water and the risk of drying up is almost nil. In addition, a floating system in an outside cultivation is easier and cheaper to construct – a saving in labour. Source: FreshPlaza.com
PAGE 4 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
Ontario potato crop down by 20 per cent Under recommending pricing, the crop may be worth more KAREN DAVIDSON
best time to have made this change. The crop was short, therefore maintaining a reasonable price was not as difficult as it could have been.” The full advantages of that pricing system will be known better during 2012, as last year’s crop works its way to market. Taking note of the five-year statistics of potatoes marketed, the board reported 5,397 million cwt marketed in 2010-2011 compared to a low of 4,286 million cwt in 2007-2008. Value is at a five-year high of $80.3
The industry already knows that extreme weather took a toll on potatoes – Ontario’s crop is down 20 per cent – but what’s encouraging is how well the recommended price is working for fresh potatoes. “We moved from a regulated price for fresh potatoes to a recommended price,” reported Glen Squirrell, chair, Ontario Potato Board at its recent annual general meeting. “This past season was either the worst or the
million dollars. This includes all fresh, chips, pre-peel and soups and stews markets. Some of that extra value is attributed, in part, to better relationships with retailers. The Ontario Potato Board met with major retailers four times throughout the past year in meetings coordinated by Ian MacKenzie, Ontario Produce Marketing Association (OPMA). “The more open communications is working very well,” says MacKenzie, who reported an exchange of needs of buyers and
sellers, sharing the November storage holdings and promotional efforts of the board. The OPMA and the board plan to hold two-hour potato grade training courses on the back docks of distribution centres to help the chains better evaluate quality. While these efforts may not address problems of rejecting a load based on one or two bad potatoes, the concept is to improve the relationship. Growers continue to heavily promote their potato crop during September, but also throughout
the year on a newly revamped website: www.ontariopotatoes.ca. Among other improvements, Kevin Brubacher, website and promotions coordinator, has added a ‘growers only’ section where potato prices are posted at 1 pm every Tuesday. The processing council led by Harry Bradley also reported storage quality problems in chipping potatoes, due to growing conditions. “In the next few months, we will be negotiating new agreements with our processing customers,” he reported.
Mark important dates for Self-Directed Risk Management The Self-Directed Risk Management (SDRM) program allows Ontario producers to deposit funds into an SDRM account and
receive an equivalent government matching contribution. Producers with a self-declared risk can withdraw funds to help mitigate
that risk. The eligible matching deposit is a percentage of your Allowable Net Sales (ANS) and is determined by deducting the
total eligible crops purchases (seed, plants, trees) from the total eligible crops sold in the tax year.
2011 Highlights • Deposit notice packages have been mailed out • Participants have until February 1, 20121 to make a deemed deposit • Participants have until February 1, 20122 to request a withdrawal in spring 2012 • Deadline to provide 2010 tax data for 2011 is December 31, 2011 1, 2 Or 90 days from the date of your deposit notice - whichever is later Changes for 2012 • Participants must be enrolled in 2012 AgriStability • Participants must have and report a Premises ID • Participants must make a matchable deposit to receive the Ontario government's matching funds • The matchable deposit limit will be two per cent of ANS up to $2.5 million, 1.5 per cent of ANS between $2.5 million and $5 million and one per cent of ANS above $5 million • Agricorp will issue funds upon request Key dates for 2011
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November 2011 - Agricorp begins processing fall withdrawal cheques January 2012 - Agricorp issues AGR-1 for calendar 2011 deposits February 1, 20121 - Deadline to submit deposit request December 31, 2011 - Deadline to submit T1163 or Statement A 1 Or 90 days from the date of your deposit notice - whichever is later Key dates for 2012 April 30, 2012 - Secure 2012 AgriStability coverage June, 2012 - Submit 2011 tax data September - Agricorp will issue 2012 deposit notices February 1, 20131 - Deadline to submit deposit request Upon Request - Withdrawal requests 1 Or 90 days from the date of your deposit notice - whichever is later For more information call 1-888-247-4999.
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER
LABOUR
APPLES
PEACHES
BROCCOLI
TOMATOES
A gentle buzz was in the orchard as workers harvested apples at Tom Haskett’s farm, Vittoria, Ontario. Photo by Denis Cahill.
This happy worker was harvesting peaches at Fred Meyers’ farm near St. Catharines, Ontario. Photo by Denis Cahill.
A crew of Jamaicans tackle spring planting of broccoli at the farm of Ken Forth, Lynden, Ontario. Photo by Denis Cahill.
Staking tomatoes is painstaking inside this covered tunnel at a southwestern Ontario farm. Photo by Sarah Fraleigh.
Caribbean countries want to send more farm workers to Canada Remittances pay for education, lift living standards KAREN DAVIDSON It takes more than a village to harvest Ontario’s fruits and vegetables. The equivalent population of a small town – 15,712 - arrived in 2011 to thin apples, plant broccoli and cut kale. Just under half (7,431) came from the Caribbean while Mexico (8,281) sent the rest. Those numbers are up by 277 workers from the previous year, signaling an ongoing critical need for labour. While those statistics underscore the economic importance of these off-shore workers, they don’t entirely communicate the sense of enthusiasm for the Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS) that is celebrating 25 years. It’s the non-profit agency that administrates the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. The labour ministers of several Caribbean countries – Barbados, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago – were recently in Niagara Falls for the SAWP’s annual review. And to a person, they extolled the virtues of a program that offers an honest day’s work for an honest wage. “This program is paying for the education of children, payment of houses and small business,” says Glynis Roberts, minister of labour for Grenada. “We’re looking for opportunities for additional workers including women.”
Participants of the review meeting of Canada-Caribbean Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program pose for a group shot. Photo by Eric Silveira. Jamaica, currently experiencing 17 per cent unemployment, sends more than 6,000 workers under the seasonal program. “While global GDP has increased, this development has not been translated into employment for us,” says Alvin McIntosh, permanent secretary, Ministry of Labour, Jamaica. “We need a more sustained effort at employment,” he says, noting the positive impact on family and community life from Canadian remittances. In fact, Jamaica is actively seeking to replicate the success of the SAWP in other sectors such as health care, automotive and the oil industry. “Opportunies abound,” says McIntosh. “The population is aging so fast in Canada that the declining work force will need reinforcements.” About 80 per cent of off-shore agricul-
tural workers come to Ontario fruit and vegetable farms says Henry Neufeld, Human Resource and Skills Development Canada. “We have a high caliber, reliable workforce,” he says. “It’s an organized migration whose best practices are copied in the south Pacific.” With the media spotlight increasingly on agriculture and how food is produced, there is more scrutiny than ever on labour practices. The Globe and Mail and other local media have reported that a statement of claim was filed November 17 with the Superior Court of Ontario, charging family-owned strawberry growers Tigchelaar Farms, Vineland, Ontario with wrongful dismissal of three Mexican workers in August 2010. In a precedent-setting move, political defendants were named including
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the minister for Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and minister for Citizenship and Labour. FARMS, the administrator of the labour program, was also named. The workers – Manuel Ruiz Espinoza, Salvador Reta Ruiz and Jose Ruiz Sosa – are seeking $50,000 each for breach of contract and breach under their charter rights. Until now, brothers Jeff and Dan Tigchelaar have had no problems in the 10 years of hiring hundreds of workers under the seasonal program says legal counsel, John Craig, Heenan Blaikie. “Once again, we hire legal defence in a case that could take five to seven years in the system,” says Ken Forth, chair, FARMS. That legal case aside, the larger issue is communicating to the public how offshore workers are treated, housed and paid, and that they provide labour that Canadians refuse to do. “Everything we do is out there in the public medium with cell and video phones,” says Ron Bonnett, president, Canadian Federation of Agriculture and guest speaker. “We need to start thinking about the effects of instant communications and be more proactive in telling our story of how these workers bring the harvest to the table.”
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PAGE 6 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
Government policies contribute to costs
BRIAN GILROY CHAIR, OFVGA
The past year has been difficult to assess. Significant gains have been made in areas like the Fraser case ruling and the implementation of the Self Directed Risk Management program, but some of the ongoing and new challenges could have serious impact on farmers’ profitability/viability. One of the constants with growing apples, like most horticultural crops, is that no two years are the same. 2011 will certainly not be remembered as a dry year with more
than ample rainfall in almost all areas. Most hort farmers have had a good production year and demand has been strong. The key factor is whether our returns from the marketplace will be sufficient to exceed the ever increasing cost of production. One of the major contributors to our increased cost of production has been government policy. The few farmers that remain need to work together to strengthen farming in general and I remain hopeful that the cooperative spirit,
which has been developing over the past couple of years through Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition, will continue to grow. With all levels of government needing to deal with significant deficits, hard decisions will be made. I hope that we as farmers are involved in exploring the options and making the decisions that impact us. One of the divisive forces in agriculture is the organic vs. conventional debate. It is a debate that often seems to be similar to a
debate on religion or politics. The ongoing myth that organic means no pesticides and the organic position that organic is better/safer than conventional grown needs to be addressed, somehow. It has been a privilege to be the OFVGA chair for the past two years. I am proud of the work that the organization has done and am confident that the staff and board will continue to work hard to ensure that edible horticulture is well represented.
Many efforts bore fruit
ART SMITH CEO, OFVGA Before getting into my comments, I would like to wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year and I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. As we get ready for the Annual General Meeting and upcoming year I thought I would make a few comments regarding the year gone by. Again a busy year, but one that bore fruit in the form of SelfDirected Risk Management (SDRM).. A good program to be certain and also one that will improve next year when new Allowable Net Sales (ANS) percentages are implemented. Even though under the new guidelines there will still be reduced ANS coverage at the higher ends this new level will allow for better coverage than this past year, most significantly there will be no farmer capped out of the program. This has been a position of the OFVGA for many years and I am glad to see it finally implemented. There will be other changes as well such as mandatory linkage to Agri-Stability and premises identification, additionally program deadlines will be different. Last month and again this month that information is in this paper. Please refer to
page four ---and also for more information contact Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999. By early December, 3,687 deposit notice packages had been sent out and 1,108 deposit requests had been returned to Agricorp. Remember there are deadlines here for the 2011 year and all returns need to be made by February 2, 2012. It’s a great program so please use it. Water is becoming a bigger and bigger issue both in accessing the liquid for irrigation and also in discharging it. This issue is not going to go away! Population growth and the separation of urban and rural Ontario and placing one group’s needs and wishes above the other is one of the key problems, the other, at least in my view is the lack of understanding of the needs of the agricultural sector by those creating the rules. Again it’s why we need a food policy in this country. Here at the OFVGA we have asked the government to cover these water-related discharge issues under the Nutrient Management Act. Additionally that a moratorium on the requirement for Environmental Certificates of Approval (ECAs) by the Ministry of the Environment regarding wash water and rain run-off be established until such time that it can be shown scientifically that these pose a significant risk to the environment. The Premier has recognized that we are mired in too many regulations, which all too often negatively impact reasonable business growth and sustainability. He established the Open for Business dialogue a year or so ago, which unfortunately got benched because of the fall election. This water issue clearly falls into the category of over regulation and is threatening both the growth and sustainability of many
Photo by Glenn Lowson farm operations. We need to get back to the Open for Business table. On the labour side of things we were fortunate this past spring when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the exclusion of the Labour Relations Act and the application of the Agriculture Employees Protection Act are both indeed constitutional. To say the labour union(s) was upset would be an understatement. This is another issue that is not going to disappear. What was previously a single focused approach by the groups looking to unionize farm employees has now become multifaceted, utilizing university theatre, targeting farmers and even threatening legal action against host country governments. The saga continues. At Vineland Research Innovation Centre, our work regarding new world crops continued and was once again successful. The
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take-up by different ethnic communities is very encouraging and we hope to be expanding this project in 2012 with a greater number of growers participating and as well by expanding the number of crops being tested. To be certain this is a slow process but it must be remembered that our traditional crops were not always grown here. It takes time; it has been and will continue to be an evolving process. Once again the grower associations benefitted from our healthy financial position when we created a $300,000 research and promotion fund. This money went back to commodity associations based on the origin of container and association fees paid to the OFVGA. In addition we continued to pay about $130,000 to the Canadian Horticultural Council on behalf of our members. The benefit of these two funds is that the associations get the benefit of
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Chair Vice-Chair Fruit Director Veg Director Director
Brian Gilroy, Meaford Mac James, Leamington Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Ryder, Delhi Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin
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 Doug Bradley, Tillsonburg Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Don Taylor, Durham
the programs without having to raise additional money from their grower members. The OFVGA coordinated fresh food for the northern school snack program again this year and while the Ministry of Health Promotions was eliminated after the provincial election, the program is continuing. It is our hope to develop a new program that would send fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as other food to communities in Canada’s far north. We currently have the support of a number of federal ministries to do the initial background work; the challenge will be to get the real funding to put the program together. These are a few of the things we have worked on, been able to achieve and will continue to work on throughout the coming year. Once again all the best in the New Year!
OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC AGCare/Nutrient Man.
Charles Stevens, Newcastle Harold Schooley, Simcoe David Lambert, Niagara-on-the-Lake Ken Forth, Lynden Mark Wales, Alymer Murray Porteous, Simcoe Charles Stevens, Newcastle
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER
PERSPECTIVE Forecast for 2012: Price wars and profitability pressures
OWEN ROBERTS UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Price wars are being predicted this year for Canadian food, and it looks like fruit and vegetables will be right in the middle of the battle. According to the 2012 Food Price Index report from economics Profs. Sylvain Charlebois and Francis Tapon at the University of Guelph, vegetables were a big part of last year’s food price spike
(they didn’t measure fruit prices . . . but say they will next year). In fact, vegetable prices were nearly at the top of the list of foods that spiked this year, having climbed 10 per cent. That was just one per cent lower than dairy, which rose the most. Now, the economists expect this year’s increase to be a much more moderate three per cent. Input costs have leveled out, which should put less pressure on grocery prices. But who knows for sure? The economists take a highly educated shot at it, but by their own admission some fascinating scenarios have arisen that will have a big influence on prices. The first, they say, is weather. Unpredictable heat, cold and rainfall continue to influence farming in ways never experienced in modern-era agriculture. Charlebois doesn’t know if, or whether, we’re experiencing short-term or long-term climate change. He just knows that when
he looks into the future of food prices these days, he gives a nod to Mother Nature. “It’s the first thing we mention in our report,” he says. “If the weather cooperates, our predictions will be fine. But how can we know what Mother Nature will do?” Generally, bad weather means less production and higher consumer prices. But equally as unpredictable is the global economic situation. Europe is a chronic mess. The U.S. recovery is sluggish and faltering. Even China is experiencing a slowdown as consumers everywhere tighten their belts. Still, though -- and this has always been agriculture’s ace in the hole -- people have to eat. And they have to shop somewhere to buy food. Lately, they’ve had more interest in buying local food. Yet they also have a drive to buy food as cheaply as possible. The latter is well-understood by retailers,
and it’s sparked massive grocery competition. The economists predict turf battles will only intensify when the Target chain moves into Canada. Target competes head to head with Walmart, which has said it wants to capture as much as four per cent more of the food retail market this year. That’s huge. The economists say that will turn the current price battles into an epic war. For his part, Charlebois says price pressure on farmers will continue as the war catches fire. Grocers will need to take profits from somewhere, and if consumers won’t pay at the finished end, farmers and processors could take a hit. Yet even through all this, there’s good news for farmers and even for fans of local food. Target has supply arrangements with Sobey’s, which Charlebois describes as being among the most receptive of the grocery
chains to local preferences. So even though a price war is likely, more opportunities could exist to put local food in front of grocery store shoppers year round. However, those opportunities will depend not just on availability, but also on price. And that’s where research comes in. Through research programs such as those at the University of Guelph sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, faculty are able to come up with new technologies, techniques and varieties to help farmers be as efficient as possible. Because if costs are going up, so must profit. And in an era of small margins and price wars, research is needed to help profitability grow.
food boxes, known as Community Supported Agriculture. Through direct communication, local food promotes both consumer choice and farmer integrity. Roberts, in reporting the survey conducted by Ben Campbell, misses this important point. An attempt is made to understand local food by defining what it is not. Instead, we need to understand the traits which are likely to be associated or correlated with local food. As far as I am aware, such studies have not yet been conducted. However, we would
expect that local food will be correlated with greater freshness, reduced pesticide and fertilizer use, and other associated health and environmental benefits. Rather than suggesting that consumers need educating, I would suggest that the “experts” such as Roberts and Campbell may need to overcome their confusion and bias about local food, and then design and carry out more appropriate studies.
LETTER TO EDITOR What is local food? Re: “Many consumers confused about local food traits” As a full time grower of fruits and vegetables, which are purchased by local chefs and consumers, I find that Owen Roberts’ assertions about local food and consumers are inaccurate and disappointing. Roberts states that, “Local food is local, period,” and then tries to prove
his point. To us, the overriding benefit of producing local food is that we are in close touch with our consumers. This allows us to adjust production practices to meet consumers’ needs. Far from being confused, we have found our customers to be generally clear and articulate about what they want and don’t want. As a result, we have reduced pesticide and chemical fertilizer, built up soil health through green manure crops and rotations, increased crop biodiversity, giving consumers an exciting
array of fresh produce. Much of our produce is consumed by our customers within hours of harvest, insuring the highest possible freshness and quality. We are not alone in realizing these benefits – the local food sector (ie. direct farmer to consumer sales) is expanding rapidly across the country. Details vary, but the common, and perhaps defining element of local food is that producers and consumers can be in close contact and listen to each other- whether on farm, at farmers’ markets, or through weekly
Ken Riley Bracebridge, ON
Ontario Ministry of Environment responds to cover story Your readers should know that the article, Pressures on water are rising, which appeared in the December 2011 issue, contained a
Also, no operations are under threat of shut down, nor is it the ministry’s intent to shut down any operations.
work with individual growers, the Holland Marsh Growers Association and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association to ensure the sector is aware of the ministry’s environmental rules
and requirements when it comes to washwater. Ensuring the water used to wash and process vegetables is treated and discharged according to environmental laws protects important local water-
ways such as Lake Simcoe. Kate Jordan Communications Branch Ministry of the Environment
SUPERIOR SEEDS, SUPERIOR SUPPORT number of factual inaccuracies. The Ministry of the Environment has not served growers in the Holland Marsh area with warning notices about washwater discharges. I can confirm that our Barrie district office, the ministry office responsible for inspecting growers in the area, has not issued any such correspondence.
Furthermore, there have been no changes to environmental standards or compliance requirements. Growers face the same standards and requirements as before. What is new is that the ministry has introduced a streamlined environmental compliance approvals process. The ministry will continue to
Michel Gratton Montreal Area, Quebec Tel: 514-332-2275 Fax: 450-682-4959
Gilliane Bisson, t.h. Montreal Area, Quebec Tel: 514-332-2275 Fax: 450-682-4959
Yves Thibault, agr. Central and Eastern Quebec and Atlantic Provinces Tel: 418-660-1498 Fax: 418-666-8947
2914, Cure-Labelle Blvd, Laval (Quebec) Canada H7P 5R9 Tel: 514-332-2275 Toll free: 800-561-9693 Fax: 450-682-4959 Toll free: 800-567-4594
Warren Peacock Ontario Tel: 519-426-1131 Fax: 519-426-6156
PAGE 8 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
Board briefs Following are highlights from the OFVGA board meeting held December 15, 2011. The purpose of this brief is to keep you up-todate on the issues that the OFVGA is working on, as well as projects and initiatives the organization is involved in. Audit report Representatives from Tonin & Co. LLP reviewed their audit report with the Board for the OFVGA fiscal year ended October 31, 2011. Final financial statements will be presented to the OFVGA membership at the annual general meeting in January 2012. Crop protection The Pesticide Advisory Committee, which typically meets with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) in conjunction with the Grow Canada Conference when that event is held in Ottawa, has been postponed until March 2012. The Grow Canada Conference this year was held in Winnipeg and not all committee members were able to attend. The registration for Telone, a soil fumigant used in ginseng and root crop production, will end on December 31, 2011. It is being withdrawn from the market by its manufacturer. A search remains ongoing for a replacement product growers can use that will protect their crops. An updated list of products approved for import by farmers under the Grower Requested Own Use (GROU) program is expected to be available at the end of January 2012. Under GROU, farmers can import approved crop protection products from the United States for their own use.
this year and produce resulting from the trials was sold at market price to various retailers and food programs that serve ethnic communities. The crops, which included Indian kaddu, Chinese red hot pepper, okra, yard long bean, Asian eggplant, amaranth, fuzzy melon, round eggplant, maca, tomatillo, bottle gourd, daikon radish and Indian red carrot, have been well received and expanded crop trials are being planned for 2012. Sensory research involving consumers from Asian, South Asian and Caribbean communities was also conducted. Respondents claimed by a large majority that they look for freshness first when purchasing produce. Researchers also found that produce origin doesn’t seem to matter as much when buying; appearance and price are stated as the primary drivers of purchase.
Labour The Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Service (FARMS), Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Human Resource and Skills Development Canada have been named in a lawsuit by three seasonal agricultural workers. The workers, who were dismissed by a Canadian farm employer in 2010, are alleging charter violations and wrongful dismissal.
Property The OFVGA has written a letter to Minister of the Environment (MOE) Jim Bradley concerning Environmental Certificates of Approval (ECAs) for some horticulture farms. The Ministry is requiring the ECAs for wash water (water used to wash soil from produce prior to it going to market) and rainwater runoff disposal. The process of obtaining an ECA is costly and not used elsewhere in agriculture. It includes direct application fees that must be paid to the MOE and potentially expensive consulting engineer costs to complete the required studies necessary to support an application. OFVGA is requesting to have the fruit and vegetable sector included in the Nutrient Management Act and that there be a moratorium placed on the need for ECAs for rainwater and wash water until such time that any potential environmental implications can be scientifically quantified. OFVGA has made a funding application to the wildlife loss working group for a study to identify the amount and type of damage to the fruit and vegetable sector by wildlife and to develop a best practices document. A decision is expected in February 2012.
Research Section Chair Harold Schooley is a member of the steering committee of OFVGA’s world crops project. The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has completed some crop trials
Canadian Horticultural Council The CHC is changing its governance regulations to allow the CHC president to serve more than one year. The president is the voice of the organization and it can take more than one year to
build the relationships needed for effective lobbying. Murray Porteous is letting his name stand for the President position at the March annual meeting of the CHC. CHC has been issued a warning by clothing retailer The Gap to change its CanadaGAP food safety program trademark or they will pursue legal action. CHC has asked The Gap to provide detail as to how the food safety program is being confused with its clothing lines. CHC is being sued in the Federal Court of Appeals for not allowing the use of N-Viro biosolids product on fresh vegetable crops if the crops are to be certified under the CanadaGAP food safety program. The use of N-Viro is not allowed under CanadaGAP because although the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has standards for heavy metals etc., which N-Viro meets, they do not set standards for human pharmaceutical residues and human sanitary products which their product may also contain. The CHC position is that the use of the product will not be accepted until a standard is established for these residues by CFIA. Murray Porteous and Charles Stevens represent OFVGA on the
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Canadian Horticultural Council. New Commodity Council Chair sought Mark Wales has stepped down as chair of the Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council due to his recent election as President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. The horticulture sector has 14 months remaining in its tenure as chair of the organization and has agreed to seek out and nominate a replacement for Mark. Research and Promotion Fund The OFVGA board passed a motion to allocate $300,000 to provincial sector groups for research and promotion in 2012. The distribution of these funds in 2012 will be based on the percentage of container and association membership fees collected during 2010. This is the second year of the pilot fund, which was first established in December 2010. CHC Legacy Project Murray Porteous reported that a new strategic plan, called the Legacy Project, is being developed for CHC that will serve as a road map for the organization leading up to the celebration of its centennial in 2022. Key proposed target areas include harmonizing
pesticide registrations between Canada and the United States, creating a PACA-like trust program that ensures farmers receive timely payment for produce, a common food security system for North America to reduce the risk of introducing invasive species and diseases, collecting and distributing levies from imported produce to be used for generic research and promotion in Canada and having the fruit and vegetable industry involved in the development of national food security, sustainability and health promotion policies. The OFVGA board voted to match any financial support from other provincial horticulture organizations of the CHC Legacy Project up to $50,000 per year for five years, starting in 2012. This support will be subject to the development and acceptance of the Legacy Project plan by the national sector members. Annual General Meeting The annual general meeting will take place in Niagara Falls January 10 and 11, 2012, with the OFVGA banquet and silent auction to be held the evening of January 9. Additional meeting and registration information is available at www.ofvga.org.
program designed to help Ontario farmers with water taking permit needs
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urface Water Services round Water Services
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eorge Shearer urface Water Specialist
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association 105-355 Elmira Road North Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 ph: 519-763-6160 ext. 219 cell: 519-222-3272 fax: 519-763-6604 email: water@ofvga.org
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER
New organization created by amalgamating AGCare, Ontario Farm Animal Council LILIAN SCHAER The amalgamation of two pioneering Ontario farm coalitions becomes official January 1, 2012. That’s when AGCare and the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC) formally unite to become Farm & Food Care Ontario. The new organization will work on behalf of all of agriculture and focus on ensuring public trust and confidence in Canada’s food supply by providing awareness, appreciation and objective
information on farmers and the food they grow here in Ontario. It will be located in the same office space that AGCare and OFAC currently occupy in Guelph’s Ontario AgriCentre. “Our new structure will provide a clearer and more effective voice for public outreach and proactive communications,” says Crystal Mackay, executive director of Farm & Food Care Ontario. “The need for and challenge of reaching the 94 per cent of our population who know little or
COMING EVENTS 2012 Jan 3 – 6
United Potato Growers of America Meeting, Orlando, FLA and Potato Expo 2012
January 4, 5 Southwest Agricultural Conference “Seizing the Opportunities,” University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, Ridgetown, ON Jan 8 – 11
International Fruit Tree Association 55th annual conference, “High-Density – High Profit: Competitiveness in the Southern Hemisphere,” Santiago, Chile; www.ifruittree.org
Jan 9 – 11
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza, Niagara Falls, ON
January 12
Farm Credit Canada Learning Tour: Food Safety and Technology for Better Management, Delta Hotel & Conference Centre, Guelph, ON 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
January 21
OSCIA FarmSmart Conference, Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
January 23
Ontario Lavender Association Education Event, Agri-tourism and Festivals, 1 Stone Road, Guelph, ON
Jan 24, 25
Ontario Processing Vegetable Industry Conference, Hilton Hotel and London Convention Centre, London, ON
Jan 26, 27
B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association 123rd Annual General Meeting, Coast Capri Hotel, Kelowna, BC
January 26 – 28 Pacific Ag Show, Tradex, Abbotsford, BC Jan 26 – 29 Guelph Organic Conference and Expo, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Jan 30, 31
Scotia Horticultural Congress, Old Orchard Inn, Wolfville, NS
February 2
Farm Credit Canada Learning Tour: Food Safety and Technology for Better Management, Old Orchard Inn, Wolfville, NS 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
February 6
Farm Credit Canada Learning Tour: Food Safety and Technology for Better Management; Club de Golf Triangle d’Or, St-Remi, QC 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
Feb 7, 8
Canadian Food Summit, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON
Feb 7, 8
Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association Annual Meeting, Lamplighter Inn, London, ON
Feb 7 – 9
Canadian International Farm Show, Toronto, ON
Feb 8 – 10
Fruit Logistica, Berlin, Germany
Editor’s note: Go to www.thegrower.org for a listing of events past February.
nothing about farming continues to grow, as do the associated costs. Our goal is to position agriculture positively to a broader audience, while being cost-effective and efficient.” The joining of AGCare and OFAC marks the first time in Canada that crop, horticulture and livestock sectors have come together with other agri-food stakeholders under a common mandate of promoting food and farming. Both groups were also the first of their kind in Canada over 20 years ago when Ontario’s farm leadership developed a coalition approach to dealing with issues like animal welfare and environment. The two coalitions have been working towards amalgamation over the last two years in an effort to streamline services, co-ordinate communications efforts and broaden their public outreach. An interim Board of Directors with representation from both OFAC and AGCare has been elected to serve between January 2012 and the new organization’s annual meeting in April. At that time, a new board will be elected, consisting of four livestock and four crop representatives, and four members at large. The interim board will meet this month to select its chair and executive. Two advisory councils, one focused on animal care and one on environmental issues, will play important roles in the new structure, building on the work that OFAC and AGCare have established on farm animal care and environmental issues respectively.
“This new structure is designed to be responsive to emerging issues while also creating an opportunity for proactive work and dialogue on animal care and environment for the whole sector,” says Mackay. “These councils are part of our industry’s commitment to ‘do the right thing,’ including programs and projects that deal with legitimate concerns that need improvement.”
Membership in Farm & Food Care is divided into five levels: platinum, gold, silver, affiliate
and supporter. Each category has a corresponding service level; platinum, gold and silver members have voting privileges. All platinum members have representation on one or both advisory councils as they wish, and gold members have a seat on either the animal care or the environment advisory council. The new organization will focus its efforts on consumer and media relations, issues management, industry relations and strategic partnerships, and member relations. Its base services – which include a newsletter, Enews updates, photo and video library, website links and research news – will be available to all members. Additional services, such as speaker services, workshops, training programs, weekly issue-specific email updates, will be available to platinum and gold members as part of their membership fee and to others on an à la carte basis. The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association has been a member of AGCare since its inception. Grape grower Ray Duc is OFVGA’s representative to AGCare. To learn more about Farm and Food Care Ontario, including how to become a supporter, visit www.farmfoodcare.org.
PAGE 10 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
CROP PROTECTION
Edutainment on the serious subject of crop spraying KAREN DAVIDSON It’s not quite Academy Award season, but two new “spray drift” videos will certainly be topping the charts for growers this winter. OMAFRA horticultural specialists Kristen Callow and Jason Deveau have taken a page from CBC’s Rick Mercer to create two videos complete with rock music and acting talent. The first is “What is Spray Drift?” which highlights the causes of spray drift and various factors that impact drift. The second is “Equipment and Methods to Reduce Spray Drift” which focuses on how applicators can reduce incidents of drift ranging from awareness of surroundings to modifying mechanical equipment. Both are scheduled to be launched at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) annual general meeting on January 11. The year-long project is the brainchild of Kristen Callow, OMAFRA’s weed management program lead, who notes increases in documented off-target spray drift events and trends towards increased glyphosate use. “With several new technolo-
Night spraying is demonstrated on the video.
Roundup injury on tomatoes. gies in herbicide tolerance emerging, crops will be treated with actives that may potentially be more volatile than glyphosate, such as 2,4-D and dicamba. There is the potential under certain spray situations to have heightened drift events. Applicators will need to be aware of spray drift dynamics.” The obvious partner was CropLife Canada and Russel Hurst, managing director, stewardship and sustainability, who
contributed one-third of the funding. Collaborating and co-funding on this project is an example of an industry-government partnership that serves the diverse stakeholders of both parties while using OMAFRA communication expertise. The ambitious script included hiring a professional actor, animation by SpongeLab and halogen lighting for night video shoots. “Crop protection spraying is oriented mostly to field crops,”
says Jason Deveau, OMAFRA’s application technology specialist. “But this video shows a variety of
“
With several new technologies in herbicide tolerance emerging, crops will be treated with actives that may potentially be more volatile than glyphosate, such as 2,4-D and dicamba.” Kristen Callow, OMAFRA
scenarios with horticultural crops that use airblast and boom-type sprayers. We use unconventional music. We use short, digestible graphics.” Since no other high-definition videos like this exist in Canada, distribution is expected far beyond Ontario’s borders. With OMAFRA specialists such as Janice LeBoeuf, Evan Elford and Melanie Filotas tweeting about the spray videos, the impact will reach other key extension workers as well as manufacturers of nozzles and sprayers, certified crop advisors, members of the Ontario AgriBusiness Association and the Ontario Pesticide Education Program. Translated into French, the videos are available at www.ontario.ca/spraydrift. In addition to the videos, this web page hosts the most up-to-date resources on pesticide drift.
A familiar nematicide is no longer available KAREN DAVIDSON Telone, a soil fumigant widely used to control nematodes, is no longer available for sale or use as of January 1, 2012. Dow AgroSciences, the manufacturer, has not re-registered the product for use in Canada, after the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) questioned the potential for toxic effects in water of the active ingredient, 1,3-Dichloropropene. When the liquid Telone is injected into the soil, it changes into a gas that fumigates the soil where nematodes live. However, in cold soil, there’s a chance that the active ingredient doesn’t change into gas and some of it can reach the water table. Loss of the product presents a major issue this spring for growers of root vegetables, cucurbits and high-value crops such as ginseng and strawberries. “There’s not a country in the world that hasn’t used Telone,” says Charles Stevens, chair, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) crop protection committee. “Most of the U.S. still has access to the product. As upset as Canadian growers are with the loss of this product, we’re happy that PMRA did their due diligence on this product. Safety and stewardship are paramount.” There have been very few new nematicides developed over the past 40 years, but as luck would have it, there are two or three new ones just coming along for evaluation, says Craig Hunter, OFVGA. These other replacement products for root knot nematode control are a couple years away from registration. There has been an emergency registration to extend the use of chloropicrin on all the root and bulb crops which were left with no registered nematicide. Growers will be scratching their heads about what to do when April arrives and there is no Telone product available for soil fumigation. They will have to use available products while research is done to find replacements.
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER
FOOD SAFETY AND TRACEABLIITY
2000 growers are enrolled in CanadaGAP. What’s next? HEATHER GALE Enrollment As of December 2011, nearly 2,000 producers across Canada are enrolled for CanadaGAP certification. Over 40 per cent of participants are signed up for group certification. In collaboration with the Conseil québécois de l'horticulture (CQH), CHC developed materials for a one-day workshop explaining the benefits and obligations of group certification under Option B. Thanks to provincial funding secured by CHC members in Saskatchewan, the first workshop was held in Saskatoon on December 3, 2011. CQH is coordinating a workshop for its members in February 2012. For more information, contact Emily Dickinson at the CHC National Office. Manuals There will be updates to the CanadaGAP (OFFS) manuals for 2012. The changes proposed by CHC have been submitted to CFIA for review, and CHC anticipates releasing the updated versions by February 2012. For certification purposes, the revised
manuals and an updated audit checklist reflecting the changes take effect on April 1, 2012. Benchmarking The CHC is currently rebenchmarking the CanadaGAP program to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). In January 2011, GFSI issued a set of new requirements for food safety programs seeking recognition. All currently recognized programs including CanadaGAP must initiate re-benchmarking this year. A few of the new requirements relate to: 1) provisions for Food Defense (bioterrorism); 2) additional requirements to control potential allergens; and 3) more stringent requirements for qualifying CanadaGAP auditors, among others. Changes made to CanadaGAP to meet new GFSI requirements will take effect April 1, 2012. News of recent GFSI activities and the new requirements are available at: www.mygfsi.com Webinar A CanadaGAP webinar hosted by QMI-SAI GLOBAL is scheduled for March 1, 2012. All those interested in learning more about
the program are encouraged to register for this one-hour overview. The free webinar will also feature a speaker from Loblaw Companies Ltd., offering a great opportunity to dialogue directly on customer expectations. A second webinar is planned for late April, to be hosted by the Gueph Food Technology Centre. For more information, check the Calendar of Events on the CanadaGAP website at www.canadagap.ca Update CanadaGAP will also be featured during a presentation entitled "Global Food Safety Perspectives and the Impact on Canada” at the Ontario Apple Growers' AGM the morning of January 10 in Niagara Falls. Technical Working Group Nominations to the CHC OnFarm Food Safety Technical Working Group are being accepted until January 15, 2012. Anyone is welcome to submit the name of a nominee. Nominations are reviewed by the CHC Food Safety Management Committee and appointments made to the Technical Working Group for a
one-year term. TWG members will be announced at the CHC AGM in March 2012. Nominations must be received in writing and can be sent to: offs@hortcouncil.ca. More info about the Technical Working Group, including a Terms of Reference, is available through the CHC National Office at 613-226-4880 Ext. 218 of offs@hortcouncil.ca. Food Safety Modernization Act CHC has been actively monitoring developments in the United States relative to the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. In recent months, the CHC has submitted comments on FDA dockets relative to import controls, third party certification and preventive controls. CHC representatives also participated in a “listening session” with U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials, hosted in Ottawa by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The session was designed to allow Canadian industry to share their concerns and priorities with U.S. officials. Alongside other industry groups, the CHC had opportunity to present its views and to engage in direct dialogue with FDA Commissioner Michael Taylor and his colleagues about the implications of the new legislation for Canadian producers exporting to the U.S. Comments were well received, and follow-up questions and answers demonstrated that FDA welcomes continued input from the Canadian
horticultural industry. Acknowledgment was made of the commendable work done to develop and implement the CanadaGAP program for fresh fruit and vegetable producers. The challenge of addressing a wide range of crop groupings and their varying levels of risk was highlighted by the Commissioner, and CHC’s experience in this area was recognized. Many challenges lay ahead in FDA’s development and implementation of specific rules for produce safety, third party certification and preventive controls. These were the key topics addressed by CHC’s comments, along with a request for recognition of CanadaGAP, and consideration for the role that international standards (ISO) and market-driven benchmarking initiatives such as the Global Food Safety Initiative could play in assisting FDA to meet its overall objectives. FDA officials encouraged industry associations and their individual members to continue commenting through open dockets and to participate in the rule-making processes as they unfold through 2012. Heather Gale is CanadaGAP national program manager, Canadian Horticultural Council.
The Annual “Muck” Conference is moving!!!! NEW LOCATION The
61st Annual Muck Vegetable Conference and Trade Show will be located at the . . .
Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre 125 Simcoe Street Bradford, ON L3Z2A8 Phone: (905) 775-3317 Fax: (905) 775-3318 sitehttp://www.uoguelph.ca/muckcrop/muckconference.html
PAGE 12 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
FOOD SAFETY AND TRACEABILITY
Off season: a great time to get ahead on your food safety program COLLEEN HASKINS The new season will soon be here, as will the demands of your farm operation. Parts of these demands include ensuring your food safety program is up-to-date and functional. Your food safety program includes all aspects of the food production process on your farm, such as Worker Policies, Training, Farm Buildings and Access, Equipment, Water, Cleaning and Sanitation, Farm Inputs, Shipping, Traceability, and additional items if you produce crops or livestock and poultry. Whether you’re developing a food safety program or currently have one, the fundamental part of any program is the supporting documentation and records you maintain. It is essential to demonstrate due diligence of your farm practices, not only to support what you do but to increase the traceability of the products you produce. Several resources are available to assist you with developing; implementing and maintaining your program through OMAFRA using ADVANTAGE GAP for on-farm food safety.
Available are the ADVANTAGE GAP manual (in print) or electronic, interactive version iGAP CD, risk identification table, 3-21- self assessment, producer checklist, procedure and record templates, several food safety posters and much more. These resources can help you stay on track, monitor your progress, and update your system to account for any changes at your farm. To help you get started in developing a program or refreshing your current one, included below are items that require ongoing records, needed throughout the season. • Worker Policies: Food Safety & Hygiene, Worker Practices • Procedures, schedules and verification records for detailed tasks • Training records with date and worker signoff for verification (upon arrival, and refresher if needed before harvest) • Visitor log-in • Equipment Calibration & Maintenance: ( e.g. sprayers, scales, spreaders, tractors etc) • Water Use and treatment: for human consumption, agricultural purposes (irrigation, fluming) • Cleaning and sanitizing of all food related items (equipment, harvest tools, pack house equip-
ment, etc). • Verified water tests (accredited laboratory ISO 17025) • Traceability: trace product “one up, one down” (e.g. back one step from the farm and forward to the first point of sale) • Procedure and records for practiced Mock Recall • Detailed farm map with farm references for main buildings, first aid, toilet and hand washing facilities, etc. • Agricultural Chemicals: valid pesticide license for any individual in contact with or applying chemicals, application records, chemical lot numbers, invoices and receipts, current chemical inventory and proper chemical container disposal This above list is not inclusive, but provides a good starting point for areas of focus to work on during the off-season. It is imperative that you familiarize yourself with the requirements of the food safety program you wish to follow, and use the various resources available to help you develop, maintain and be successful with your food safety practices. Contact us for advice, copies of our resources, or to attend a training workshop
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300 Email: advantage@ontario.ca website: www.ontario.ca/foodsafety
Colleen Haskins, On-Farm Food Safety Program, OMAFRA
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER
FOOD SAFETY AND TRACEABILITY
Tailor food safety training with OMAFRA’s workshops Reduce our risk of food contamination and expand your customer base by putting in place a food safety and traceability program. Need some help? Let OMAFRA’s food safety workshops help get you started on good agricultural practices. We are here to help you keep up-to-date on the latest food safety practices by mix and matching any of the following topics to create a workshop tailored to your farm group's needs. Getting Started in Food Safety (45 mins) Have you thought about making food safety improvements on your farm, but weren't sure where to start? Evaluate food safety programs and practices, write a basic food safety plan and discover what food safety resources OMAFRA has for you. 3-2-1 Assessment of Your Farm Operation for Food Safety (45 mins) Thinking of adopting a food safety program on your farm but confused as to where your operational farm practices already rate for food safety? This workshop is an interactive approach that takes you through a series of questions
rating your present farm practices for food safety. The end result is a summary of what you need to do to ensure safe practices. (Computer resources required for workshop.) Hygiene and Sanitation (1.5 hr) Did you know that dirty hands play a major role in the transfer of human pathogens to food? Reducing this risk on the farm means implementing a program of worker hygiene and building and equipment sanitation. This workshop will help you understand the risks associated with hygiene and sanitation. In the workshop you will become familiar with the good agricultural practices you need to customize and implement a program on your farm that reduces these risks. Pre and Post Harvest Water Use (1.5hr) (Also available via webex online presentation: February 14, 2012. Call 1-877-424-1300 for more details.) Did you know that water can carry germs from dirty produce to clean produce? A pre and post harvest water use program is an important step in reducing risks. Evaluate your risks, and discuss
Get a jump on spring with OMAFRA’s online Advantage workshop Protect your business by putting in place a food safety program. OMAFRA is here to help keep up-to-date on the latest food safety practices! Join us for this online workshop from the comfort of your home or business. All you need is an internet and phone connection. Pre and Post Harvest Water Use – Tuesday, February 14, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm (noon) Did you know that water can carry germs from dirty produce to clean produce? A pre and post harvest water use program is an important step in reducing risks. During this workshop, evaluate your risks and discuss how to construct and monitor a water sanitizing program. This online workshop will help you to evaluate your risks and discuss how to construct and monitor a water sanitizing program. You will: • Examine risks associated with water and assess risks on your farm • Learn how Good Agricultural Practices can be used to reduce risks associated with pre- and post- harvest water • Learn when and how to test your water and what it means • Develop a written practice for testing your water Photo by Glenn Lowson • Discuss when and how to sanitize your water Register today! Call 1-877-424-1300 or register online at www.ontario.ca/foodsafety Registration closes the day prior to each workshop. A confirmation email will be sent following registration with the online presentation and teleconference details.
how to construct and monitor a water sanitizing program. Manure, Compost and Compost Teas (45 mins) Do you know your dirt? Do you know what is required to create or maintain a good growing base for your agri-needs? This workshop will outline Good Agricultural Practices when using manure and compost teas, demonstrating proper implementation for better soil, growing for tomorrow. Food Safety on Multi-Commodity Farms (30 mins) Multi-commodity farms present a unique challenge when it comes to food safety. Do you know where your risks lie? Construct a map linking farm practices to food safety to determine where cross-contamination could occur. Discuss how to develop a risk reduction program for your farm.
Preparing for an On-Farm Food Safety Audit (50 mins) Do you need an on-farm food safety audit? Anxious about what may be required? This workshop
will help you interpret what to expect from an audit, the general requirements of a food safety program, and applying the tools needed for a successful audit. An Introduction to Traceability (1 hr) Tracing agri-food products from farm inputs, their production through consumer consumption is an important part of a safe food production system. Learn the basics of traceability, the drivers and benefits for adoption, details of premises identification, how traceability works in a farming operation, selection of technology in setting up a system and what other operations have piloted. Livestock - Animal Health Products Use (45 mins) Improper use and administration of animal health products can introduce food safety hazards to animal food products. This workshop will help you increase awareness of terminology, understand food safety risks, select the right animal health product working with a herd/flock veterinarian, learn proper use and handling of products and equipment to apply or administer and develop written
practices and records to keep. Using Food Safety to Market Your Products (40 mins) Make your food safety practices work for you in the marketplace. This workshop will suggest how you can keep your customers informed about the efforts you have made on their behalf. Let your customers know that you take food safety seriously and that their welfare is important to you. Who Should Attend our Workshops? Farm operators, managers and staff. What is included? Course materials, OMAFRA Food Safety Resources and lunch. Registration Details Call the Food Safety Team Lead to help you put together a workshop specific to your group's needs. These workshops are ideal for producer groups of 10 or more people. Workshops can be held at a location of your choosing or at a local OMAFRA office. The cost is $45 +HST per person. We are here to help! Book your food safety workshop today! Call 1-877-424-1300.
PAGE 14 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
Pollinating bees can now suppress crop pests Vector biocontrol costs the same as conventional fungicides PETER KEVAN The busy bee just got more efficient by being tasked with biocontrol of plant pests. The proven method relies on dispensers that fit onto bumblebee boxes or honeybee hives. When the bees leave to pollinate, they brush by the dispensers, picking up biological agents that are left on the flowers. The one-way system prevents the agents from entering the bee hives on the return home with pollen or nectar. Various beneficial agents have proven effective in economic suppression of a number of crop pests on various crops. Strawberries and raspberries were early targets for this innovative research. Dispensers carrying beneficial fungi were set into the entrances of honeybee hives. The bees delivered the fungi to the flowers while pollinating them. The beneficial fungi took up residence in the flowers, but remained more or less inactive until the pollinated flowers produced ripening fruit. The result was the suppression of grey mould to such an extent that the shelf-life of the fruits was extended by about a week. Great for fresh markets, stores, and shipping! The effectiveness and cost was the same as the application of chemical fungicides. More recently, the same idea has been applied in greenhouses where bumblebees are state-ofthe-art pollinators of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. The bee vector technology is now being used to suppress grey mould and several insect pests such as tarnished plant bugs, western flower thrips, white flies, peach aphids and cabbage looper. Other crops that have been tested include
Grey mould on raspberries.
Grey mould on strawberries. blueberries and sunflowers. For sunflowers, tests from 2011 indicate that yields were boosted by more than 20 per cent, that banded sunflower moth was suppressed to below economic loss levels, and that the incidence of sclerotinia head rot was suppressed. For lowbush blueberries in Maritime Canada, the incidence of grey mould and mummy berry was suppressed in tests completed in 2010 and 2011. The same technology can be applied to highbush blueberries. Greenhouse growers now have access to commercial production of these biological agents for suppression of grey mould and insect pests, except cabbage looper. For sunflowers, strawberries and raspberries commercial availability is assured for the 2012 season for suppression of both fungal disease and some insect pest suppression. For blueberries, lowbush and highbush, some further testing is needed but interested growers can contribute as collaborator-growers. At present the technology is
tailored to bumblebee pollination. By 2013, it will become applicable to honeybees and their management. More crops are being added to the list to receive the quadruple benefits of better pollination, bigger and better crops, and protection from pests and diseases. These include apples and pears, canola, other small and tender fruits, and so on. Costs are generally competitive with those for conventional,
chemical, treatments but vary depending on various grower's practices, investments into pollination, crop blooming times, and other factors. At present, use of the technology is tailored to individual grower’s needs. The research and development have been a joint effort of scientists at the University of Guelph, Agriculture & AgriFood Canada, and partners in the Canadian Pollination Initiative (NSERCCANPOLIN).
Growers interested in trying the technology for themselves, through buy-in or pre-commercialized testing can contact the scientific team at beevectoring@gmail.com. A web-page should be operational soon. Peter Kevan is the scientific director of the Canadian Pollination Initiative (NSERC-CANPOLIN) www.uoguelph.ca/ canpolin
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER
PVY NTN, a formidable foe for Yukon Gold EUGENIA BANKS The viruses that infect potatoes can cause serious economic losses not only to the seed industry but to the commercial production as well. The most common virus attacking potatoes in North America is PVY0 which causes common mosaic and forms part of the PVY complex. Some varieties such as Russet Norkotah and Shepody rarely show PVY0 symptoms, but can carry the virus and serve as sources of infection. Some of the strains of the PVY complex that have been identified differ by the symptoms they cause in potatoes and tobacco. PVYN, the necrotic strain, generally causes mild potato foliage symptoms, but it is of serious concern to tobacco growers because of the necrosis and yellowing and browning of leaves, which render the tobacco crop unmarketable.
A few years ago, the PVYNTN strain was detected in North America. While PVY0 and PVYN do not cause tuber damage, PVYNTN causes necrotic rings and arcs on the tubers that may penetrate a short distance into the tuber flesh. These necrotic symptoms on tubers may be detected at harvest or develop in storage. In the absence of external symptoms, there may be light brown internal rings, arcs and blotches deep within the tuber flesh. Cultivars react differently to PVYNTN infection. Symptoms in the growing plant vary from very
mild to severe mosaic and in the tuber from strong tuber necrosis to none. There is, often, a poor relationship between the development of symptoms on the growing plant and on the tubers of a cultivar. Consequently, the correlation between the level of virus disease in the growing crop and the incidence of necrotic rings on tubers is frequently weak. This difference between symptom expression on plant and tuber caused by cultivar may be exacerbated by environmental conditions. Moreover, isolates of PVYNTN appear to differ in their ability to cause tuber necrosis. Yukon Gold is particularly susceptible to tuber necrosis. Losses of up to 75 per cent have been reported for this variety. On tubers for processing, peeling losses may be increased significantly because additional peel has to be removed to achieve an acceptable product and this is
impractical in an industrial process. However, as the symptoms are usually superficial, diseased tubers can be seen and removed at sorting to make a crop acceptable for its end use. There will be a practical and economic limit to the amount of tubers which can be discarded. All the viruses of the PVY complex are transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner. This means that aphids acquire the virus from infected host plants within seconds, and are able to transmit it to a healthy plant just as fast. Because infective aphids carry the virus on
NOTICE of MEETING is hereby given that the 153rd Annual Members and Directors’ Meeting of the Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers’ Association will be held in Niagara Falls, Ontario at The Crowne Plaza Hotel January 9, 10 and 11, 2012 Election of Directors of the Association will take place as well as dealing with resolutions and any other business that may arise.
Strain PVY0
PVYN
PVYNTN
Disease Symptoms on Potatoes Common Name Common mosaic Stunted plants. Yellowish, mottled and crinkled leaves. Necrotic spots on leaves Lower leaves turn yellow and die. Dead leaves cling to the stem (leaf drop symptom) No tuber symptoms.
Potential yield losses Losses of up to 80% have been reported in Europe
Tobacco veinal necrosis
Yield reductions of up to 30% may occur
Usually symptoms are very mild. PVYn may induce slight mottling in plants with current-season infection. If infection occurs late in the season, leaf symptoms may not appear, but tubers harvested from such plants may carry the virus. No tuber symptoms. Potato tuber Mild mottling on leaves. Some varieties may necrotic ringspot develop symptoms similar to PVY0 disease (PTNRD) On tubers, necrotic rings that protrude slightly from the skin.
Up to 70% losses detected in Yukon Gold
From the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Common PVY, PVYn and PVYntn are considered regulated non-quarantine pests in Canada and the United States. They are regulated through the seed potato certification program tolerances for PVY in the crops, the Post Harvest Test programs and the internal tuber defect tolerances. With a stronger emphasis on laboratory testing for all PVY strains, it should be very effective to maintain PVY occurrence and variants below an acceptable threshold. their stylet, they lose their infectivity when fed and introduce the virus to healthy plants. Thus, insecticides, are not effective in controlling the spread of PVY viruses because aphids can acquire and transmit the virus very quickly, before insecticides can kill them. The green peach aphid is the most efficient vector of the PVY strains but several other aphids including the potato aphid and the soybean aphid can transmit viruses of the PVY complex. Also, aphids that do not colonize potatoes (visitor aphids) may be responsible for considerable spread of these viruses. A high level of infection results from high aphid numbers and a high incidence of infected plants
in a potato crop or in adjacent potato crops or volunteer potatoes. The use of non certified seed (farm-saved seed) is very risky. Transmission of PVYNTN by the green peach and the potato aphid has been reported to be twice as high (46 and 34%, respectively) from the hairy nightshade weed to potato than from potato to potato (20 and 14%). These results show that hairy nightshade may be an equal or better virus reservoir than potato and thus, important in the epidemiology of the PVY strains. Management Practices that help to reduce the incidence of PVY strains
• Plant certified seed tubers • Eliminate cull piles and volunteer potatoes • Eliminate weeds that surround potato fields. Hairy nightshade is an efficient host of PVY and its strains. • Manage aphids Incidence of viral diseases transmitted by aphids can be reduced with the application of mineral oils. Mineral oils can reduce the spread of PVY by preventing the virus from adhering to aphid mouthparts, but these products must be applied at frequent intervals. Eugenia Banks is potato specialist, OMAFRA.
Operators plan now to attend:
Airblastt Sprayerss 101 Airblas 101 An interactive worksh workshop hop with Dr. Dr. Jason Deveau, Application Technology Te echnolo ogy Specialist from OMAFRA, that includes hands-on hands-on demonstrations and dialogue with an experienced experienced airblast technician. calibrate, Learn how to calibrat te, maintain and adjust your sprayer to the crops you y spray. spray. To T o register i callll (Nanc (Nancy): (N cy): ) 416.622.9771 416 622 9771 $20 $ 20 Workshop Workshop F Fee. ee. S Space pace iiss llimited. imited.
Brought to you by:
Workshop W orkshop D Dates ates and and Locations Locations February 27, Brighton: 8am – noon no oon Cordington Community Centre February 28, Simcoe: 8am – noon noo on Little River Inn February 29, Vineland: 8am – noon noon OMAFRA Vineland March 1, Harrow: 8am – noon Harrow Research Centre
PAGE 16 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
Attention to detail can help increase raspberry yields PAM FISHER, BERRY CROP SPECIALIST, OMAFRA Raspberries are notorious for not reaching their yield potential. Yields vary tremendously from farm to farm and from year to year. Researchers estimate less than 20 per cent of the potential yield is actually realized. Figure 1 provides a possible scenario of what happens to the rest. There are many production practices that affect raspberry productivity and yield. This discussion will focus on three areas where attention to detail is important: microclimate and irrigation, pruning, and pest management. Trellising is another important management practice and will be discussed in a future article. Microclimate and irrigation “Warm roots, cool shoots” simplistically describes the conditions raspberries like for optimum growth. When air temperatures are too warm, (i.e. > 25C), photosynthesis slows dramatically. However, raspberry roots appear to grow better in warm soils. Growers can use black plastic mulch over the raspberry row in the planting year to warm the soil.
This mulch helps conserve soil moisture, control weeds, and encourage strong root development. After the first year, the benefits of plastic mulch are reduced, because of shading. As the plastic breaks apart, primocanes are able to grow up and fill the row. Straw mulch is not as useful for raspberries, partly because it keeps the soil cool, and partly because damp conditions around the crown can encourage Phytophthora infection. Windbreaks are important around a raspberry planting. Plants in windy sites have shorter canes and smaller foliage. Fruit can be easily damaged by wind. However, last year we saw the worst winter injury near windbreaks and hedgerows. Plan your windbreak so it breaks the wind but doesn’t prevent cold air drainage out of the planting. There should be about 50 per cent barrier and 50 per cent airspace in a good windbreak. Generally, berries benefit nine years out of 10 from irrigation. Trickle irrigation is preferred to overhead irrigation, because overhead irrigation spreads diseases. Raspberry roots typically extend 45-120 cm deep. Most water is taken from the top 10 cm. If the
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soil in this area dries out, the lower roots cannot increase water uptake to make up the difference. Growers should monitor soil moisture on a regular basis to provide just the right amount. An inch of water/week is only a guideline for irrigation amounts. The actual water needs go up or down depending on the soil type, weather conditions and stage of crop growth. The most critical time for irrigation in raspberries is from pre-bloom through the green fruit period. Primocanes, fruit and roots are all competing for resources at this time. Pruning In a typical planting of floricane –producing varieties, where rows are 2.5-3 m apart, prune out raspberry canes in late winter or early spring to approximately 1518 canes per m of row. Where rows are further apart, cane numbers should be increased. Over the whole area, the optimum cane number is about six to eight canes per square metre. In primocane fruiting systems, cane density can be much higher, typically 25-30 canes per metre. (For more details on cane density, refer to “The Ideal Red Raspberry Cane Density”, by Becky Hughes and Adam Dale, University of Guelph, in the Ontario Berry Grower January 2011.) Cut back the fruiting cane tips to a convenient height for picking. Be sure to cut off dried-up fruiting clusters from the tips of Nova and Prelude.
Use a mower for your summer pruning. Keep unnecessary primocanes mowed off from the row edges. The earlier these shoots are removed the better. After harvest, old fruiting canes should be removed from the row. We used to think that this job should be done as soon as possible after harvest. However we now know that nitrogen and other nutrients are transported out of fruiting canes after harvest, back to the crown. There is also anecdotal evidence that, in a marginal year, winter injury can be worse on varieties pruned right after harvest. On winter-sensitive varieties you should probably delay pruning out the fruiting canes until the plants are dormant. Finally, make sure that canes are pruned close to the ground.
Growers can choose Ferbam 76 WDG or Tanos 50 DF to protect new growth, both primocanes and laterals, before bloom. After bloom, choose fungicides for botrytis fruit rot that will also control cane diseases. Tanos, Captan or Maestro are good choices for post-harvest control of some cane diseases. Fungicides after harvest are also important for cane disease control. Another pest that can cause harvest losses is two-spotted spider mite. Outbreaks of this pest are more likely after multiple insecticide applications, or in hot dry weather. Autumn Britten is very susceptible to two-spotted spider mite, and this cultivar should be monitored carefully for mites. In Ontario, raspberry growers have four miticides to choose
Do not leave long pruning stubs. Several insects overwinter in the lower portion of fruiting canes, and careful pruning can help control these pests. Also, old cane stubs are a source of spores for some diseases.
from, but only Acramite 50 WS and Apollo SC can be used before harvest. Raspberry crown borer is probably the most serious insect pest of raspberries. Typically, populations build up gradually but are mis-diagnosed for several years. Canes infested with raspberry crown borer wither and die or are stunted with small fruit. Canes that grow out of infested crowns can sometimes be pulled or tugged away from the crown to reveal borer damage and insect frass. Eventually, primocanes become so few in number that the planting dies out. At the first sign of damage, dig up suspected plants to look for crown borers in the crown. Control options are changing, look for information in OMAFRA publication #360 Guide to Fruit Production.
Pest management Four cane diseases are common in Ontario. These include cane blight, cane botrytis, spur blight and anthracnose. Controlling cane disease is very important. Winter injury can be much more serious in plantings with significant levels of cane diseases. Lime sulphur should be applied between bud break and 1/4 inch green. This fungicide works on the overwintering fungus as it starts to grow. Application too early is not as effective. Application too late can cause leaf burn.
New ‘Herriot’ strawberry from Cornell University The new strawberry variety “Herriot” has been recently named by Courtney Weber, at Cornell University. This variety has some promising features which include: High yields In trials and with commercial growers in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota and Ontario, ‘Herriot’ yielded as much as 60 per cent more than ‘Jewel’, the predominant mid-season variety for perennial matted-row production that was also developed by Cornell. In trials at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, N.Y., ‘Herriot’ harvest consistently begins two days before ‘Jewel’ with yields greater than or equal to that variety most years. Beautiful berries ‘Herriot’ produces large (up to 25 grams, averaging about 11 grams), heart-shaped, shiny red berries with a bright green calyx. Fruit is generally larger
and more uniform than ‘Jewel.’ Flavour is sweet and mild with light pineapple overtones. Disease resistance ‘Herriot’ shows good resistance to common leaf diseases, and holds up well to summer renovation, allowing for wider adaptation to variable soils. In Geneva, ‘Herriot’ blooms in mid-May, avoiding most damaging frosts. Weber’s small fruits breeding program at Cornell is focused on developing improved strawberry and raspberry varieties for New York growers. Previous releases from Weber’s program – including ‘L’Amour’ and ‘Clancy’ strawberries and ‘Prelude’, ‘Encore’, and ‘Crimson Giant’ raspberries – have shown wide adaptation throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic States and the Midwest, as well as temperate regions of Europe. This variety will not be widely available in Ontario for several years, due to the propagation process.
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER
On-farm food safety programs and audits…..clear as mud? COLLEEN HASKINS, ON-FARM FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM LEAD, OMAFRA As more foodborne illness outbreaks surface and hit the news, a “ripple” effect results, creating heightened awareness about producing safe food. Although still voluntary, onfarm food safety programs are quickly becoming a “must” for primary producers at the buyers’ request. Increasing access to global markets is only part of the reason for producers to adopt a food safety culture on their farms; today it is customer demand. Being able to answer questions about how your products were produced, are they safe for consumption and can they be traced
back or fully identified in the event of a recall, demonstrates due diligence and instills confidence in customers about you and your products. This is the driving force for on-farm food safety programs. How does one decide which food safety program is best suited for their operation? The main factors that determine which program to follow are how you market or sell your product (your customers) and what commodity you produce. Certain commodities such as livestock and poultry have a regulated food safety program that is required. On-farm food safety programs for crops typically fall into two categories, audited and non-audited programs. Your customer will
determine which type you need to be following. In many cases, large retailers require an audited program to help ensure products are being produced in the same, safe manner following a predetermined standard. A food safety audit is an evaluation of a person or system, to assess how well the program standards have been met and if there is existing proof of proper implementation of the program. Examples of audited on-farm food safety programs are GlobalGAP, CanadaGAP, SQF 1000 and Primus. A successfully audited program provides a certificate as proof that food safety has been met. These programs are very prescriptive, and typically used for single commodity certification
purposes. If you’re following an audited program, be prepared to have at least three months of supporting documentation prior to your audit, and for the audit to occur during the production or harvest season. Non-audited food safety programs such as ADVANTAGE GAP offered through OMAFRA, provide a strong back bone and starting point for any audited program, or as a stand alone program for producers that do not require an audit. Programs such as ADVANTAGE GAP are beneficial for multi-commodity farms, farm gate or u-pick operations, as they can be tailored to suit your needs and are not prescriptive. This type of program is great for producers just starting to develop
an on-farm food safety program, as there are many user friendly resources, training tools and templates to follow. This will set you up for an easy transition, should you be required at a later date to be on an audited program. So, if you’re trying to decipher what food safety program you need or whether or not you need to be audited and it is still as clear as mud, give us a call! For more information about on-farm food safety, training, or additional resources, visit our website at www.ontario.ca/goodag-practices, or call 1-877-4241300.
Ontario Berry Growers Association annual meeting Ontario Berry Growers annual meeting, Feb 21, 2012 and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Feb 22-23, 2012, will be held in Niagara Falls at the Embassy Suites Hotel ( OBGA) and New Scotia Bank Convention Center (OFVC) . Watch the conference website for details at www.ofvc.ca Reserve a room at the Embassy Suites: www.embassysuiteshotelfallsview.com/ Condensed version of the berry program below:
Selection, Adam Dale, Univ. of Guelph • Grower Profile – Avonmore Berry Farm, David and Pam Phillips • Virus Diseases in Strawberry and Raspberry, Pam Fisher, OMAFRA • Innovation and Project Results for Raspberries in California, Mark Bolda, Univ. of California • How To Get Day-Neutrals Ready For Winter and Other Research Results, B. Hughes, Univ. of Guelph
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 – Embassy Suites, Niagara Falls • Introducing Summer Evening – A New June Bearing Strawberry
OBGA Annual Meeting & Lunch • New Regulation 119/11 - Implications for Labeling and Packag-
ing Berry Crops, Suzete Moniz, OMAFRA • Employee Recruiting and Management, Michelle Herrle, Herrle’s Country Farm Market The Do’s and Don’ts with Herbicides in Plasticulture, Kristen Callow, OMAFRA Round Table Discussions 1. Food Safety Audits and Traceability – What you need to know, Colleen Haskins, OMAFRA, 2. Labeling and Packaging Regulations, Suzete Moniz, OMAFRA 3. Wildlife Management, Mike Gatt, MNR 4. Employee Recruiting and Management, Michelle Herrle 5. Dealing with Charitable
Growing strawberries organically “Growing Strawberries Organically” is the newest handbook published by Canadian Organic Growers (COG) in its Practical Skills series of technical manuals for organic agriculture. The book and the series continue COG’s commitment and success in educating organic and transitioning growers. A highlight of COG’s handbooks are success stories from organic growers across Canada. The strawberry growers profiled here share their experiences with tarnished plant bugs, weeder geese, cover crops, marketing and more. To order this publication, visit the Canadian Organic Growers Website at www.cog.ca and look under Publications.
Fundamentals of raspberry and blackberry production workshop At the NARBGA Annual Conference, Sandusky Ohio Tuesday, January 17, 2012: 8 AM – 12 PM For new growers, prospective growers, or more experienced growers who want a refresher in the basics. Learn bramble botany and physiology, planning and variety choices, planting, basic care and nutrition, trellising and pruning, and more. All participants will receive a copy of the Raspberry &
Blackberry Production Guide for the Northeast, Midwest, and Eastern Canada (158 pages, spiral bound, NRAES, Ithaca, NY, list price $37). The early registration price for NARBA and OPGMA members is $40; the non-member price is $50. The workshop is limited to 40 participants. Advance registration is required. For more information: http://www.raspberryblackberry.com
Donations: Paul Ralph, Cedar Hill Farm and Alf Krause, Krause Berry Farms Wednesday, February 22, 2011 – Scotiabank Convention Center, Niagara Falls • Why Raspberries Like Tunnels, Dr. Adam Dale, University of Guelph • Marketing and Promotion Opportunities for Berries, Jenn VanDeVelde, Wholesome Pickins, Delhi • Managing Wildlife on the Farm, Mike Gatt, Ministry of Natural Resources • Management of Nematodes in Berry Crops (with or without fumigants), Dr. George Bird,
Michigan State University • Farm Profile – Krause Berry Farms, Alf Krause, Krause Berry Farms, Langley, BC • National Berry Marketing Initiative Update, Karen Fenske, StratPoint Solutions, B.C. • California Strawberry Production and Innovations, Mark Bolda, University of California • Biology and Management of Spotted Wing Drosophila in Berry Crops, Rufus Isaacs, Michigan State University • Managing Black Root Rot in Strawberries, Michael Celetti, OMAFRA
PAGE 18 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
DISTRIBUTION
New cold warehouse near LAX expands capacity for perishables A new refrigerated warehouse near Los Angeles International Airport is poised to capture a bigger slice of perishable produce from South America. By bigger, the Mercury Air Group says its 16,000-square-foot warehouse can handle up to 100 tons a day. This new facility increases cold chain capacity in the Los Angeles area by 35 per cent, according to the Los Angeles Times. For Argentine blueberries that normally fly through Miami’s airport and then get trucked three days to California, distribution patterns are likely to change. The flight to LAX from South America is longer than the flight to Miami, but it eliminates the long truck drive by land. Time is crucial to preserve the freshness and nutrition of perishable fruits and vegetables. When the facility opened last October, it was holding watermelons, dates, blueberries, cauliflower, tomatoes and several crates of roses. The area outside the freezers, leading from the loading docks, is kept at a crisp 47 degrees Fahrenheit. Southern California dominates
maritime freight, with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handling 40 per cent of the country’s Asian imports, writes Ron White, Los Angeles Times. The neighboring ports make up the largest cargo container complex in the U.S. But Miami International, by virtue of being the shortest major air route between the U.S. and South America, is top of the heap in receiving perishable products. Miami International handled 73 per cent of the more than 181,000 tons of fruit and vegetables imported to the U.S. by air last year, according to Los Angeles World Airports, the city department that operates LAX. In flower imports - mostly roses -- the Miami airfield was even more dominant, receiving 89 per cent of all U.S. imports last year. By contrast, LAX came in third in fruit and vegetables, behind Miami and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, with a 5.02 per cent share. LAX was second in flower imports, with a 4.91 per cent share. Other airports have been
Roma tomatoes from Mexico move into an X-ray machine for a TSA security check at the new Apollo Freight cold storage warehouse near Los Angeles International Airport. expanding cold-chain facilities -New Orleans, Atlanta and Phoenix – providing even more lures to handle perishables. Overall, LAX ranked third in total air freight value last year, at
$77.4 billion, behind JFK ($159.6 billion) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport ($110.8 billion). The new refrigeration facility was built inside an existing 37,000-square-foot warehouse
COMPETITION
Calling cider producers All Ontario cider producers are invited to submit their best sweet cider to the 2nd Annual Ontario Sweet Cider Competition. lt will be held at the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention in Niagara Falls on February 22, 2012. Please bring two (2) L jugs of your cider to the Convention on February 22. Winning entries will be available for tasting before the Apple Session on February 23. PLEASE NOTE - This competition is open to all Ontario cider makers, including those who use a custom presser. Cider entries can be freshly made or can be frozen until February. Be sure to fill only to the shoulder of the jug to allow for expansion. Also, practise thawing frozen cider to ensure the jug is thawed for competition time. ln Michigan, where cider makers have been competing for 15 years, some cider makers freeze samples from several batches, and select the best entry later.
Over 60,000 buyers came through the doors during the last 3 editions! See anything and EVERYTHING to do with farming in Ontario!
Show Open Daily from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Avoid the line-ups, pre-register at www.CanadianFarmShow.ca
AWARDS WILL BE GIVEN OUT ONCE AGAIN IN 2012! •
Agricultural * Commercial * Industrial
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905-685-4255 www.pennrefrigeration.com info@pennrefrigeration.com 18 Seapark Drive, St Catharines ON, L2M 6S6
Congratulations to our 2011 Canadian International Farm Show Youth in Agriculture Bursary winners Rachel Jebson and Alan Nanne.
over three months at a cost of about $900,000. Source: FreshPlaza.com
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 CONTAINERS
LOUTH & NIAGARA ORCHARDS P.O. Box 43 • Virgil, Ontario • L0S 1T0 • 905-468-3297 4000 Jordan Road • Jordan Station, ON • 905-562-8825
Supplying Fruit and Vegetable Growers with: • Baskets • Masters • Fertilizer • Vineyard Trellis Supplies
• Berry Boxes • Waxed Cartons • Crop Protection Material
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POLLINATION
CONFERENCE
31st ANNUAL GUELPH ORGANIC CONFERENCE & EXPO Jan. 26-29, Guelph University Centre
Seeds of Co-operation - multiple themes & educational streams, including organic seed production + organic co-op development (2012: U.N. International Year of Co-operatives) A highly diverse 34 workshop program for growers, gardeners, processors & livestock researchers - by paid admission. Free Expo/Tasting Fair, 154 booths (Jan. 28-29 only) + an Organic Food & Wine Dinner (Jan. 27) EXPO: meet ag. suppliers, certifiers, organic vendors. Leading organic names: Field Gate, Organic Meadow, Homestead Organics, SunOpta, Willsie, Harmony Dairy, Pfenning, Global Repair/Compost + dozens more.
Brochure, info & prices: (519) 824-4120 X56205 Full details & exhibitor list: www.guelphorganicconf.ca
PAGE 20 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 IRRIGATION
CROP TUNNELS
Win a Ha H Haygrove aygr y rove Gothic G tunne tunnel! el! $6 500 value $6,500 l
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REFRIGERATION
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Custom Built Designs • Domestic and International Markets
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JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 21 THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 NURSERY AND ROOTSTOCK
EQUIPMENT
Pipe & Fittings for Water Systems
The best producing orchards start with exceptional trees. Apples Apricots Cherries Nectarines Peaches Plums
Quality Fruit Trees for 60 years. Mori Nurseries
1695 Niagara Stone Rd., RR#2 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S1J0 T: 905-468-3217 F: 905-468-7271 Email: fruittrees@morinurseries.com
• PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper • Stainless, Brass, Steel Product Lines • Drip & Micro Irrigation • Septic & Sewer • Drainage & Culverts • Berkeley Water Pumps
Winona Concrete & Pipe Products Ltd. 489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4
Phone (905) 945-8515 Fax: (905) 945-1149 or call toll-free
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SEE OUR BIG DISPLAY AT FRUIT & VEG CONVENTION NIAGARA, FEB. 22, 23.
ALL STAINLESS STEEL Made in Canada
Now is the best time of year to buy, lease, or trade for best pre-season pricing and more time to recondition, advertise, and sell your trade. NEW 2012 models with tall spray towers are here! Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Narrow, (High Output) Almost New . . . . . . . $16,500 Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Narrow, Hydraulic Controls, Like New . . . . . $15,900 SPECIAL: 2012 Turbo-Mist 400 gal, (Only one at this price). . . $16,750 * Tall Spray Towers in Stock Fit New and Used Turbo-Mists * FMC 252 500 gal, (Complete or for parts) Good Piston Pump, Gearbox, 14.5L Tires, New C.V. PTO - Outlets Rusted Perfect KG220, H.D. Flail Shredder - New Hammers. . . . . . . . .$6,500 Seppi 200 H.D. Flail Shredder - Almost New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,500 Seppi 250 (8ft) H.D. Flail Mower/Shredder, Nice Condition. . . . COMING Perfect DR365, Variable 7ft to 12 ft Rotary Mower . . . . . . . . .COMING Perfect ZA380, 13ft Rotary Mower, New Blades . . . . . . . . . . .$5,500 GOOD CLEAN TRADE-INS NEEDED
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D O N A RT H U R O R C H A R D E Q U I P M E N T (519) 599-3058 donarthur@georgian.net Clarksburg, ON
www.morinurseries.com EQUIPMENT
SPRAYERS FOR SALE 3 John Bean Modulars Coming Soon • NEW Hardi 3pt. Air Cannon, $4500.00 • NEW 100gal 3pt JB Air, $7500.00 • New Durand Vineyard Sprayer, $25,900.00 list $35,000.00. • Barely used Hardi Mercury, $8,900.00 only used 1.5 seasons • 1 Hardi 800 gal sprayer , Tandem, 50 ft. Hyd. $8800.00 • 1 Used Hardi 950, 80ft. Hyd., Raven, Amazing Shape. $18,000.00 GOOD TRADES WELCOME
RR 3, PO Box 3613 Guelph, ON Phone: (519) 763-2400 Fax: (519) 763-3930
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PAGE 22 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 NURSERY AND ROOTSTOCK
GLADIOLUS BULBS Wide variety selection for retail sales and commercial cut flower production Catalogue available upon request or visit our website at www.lmbolle.com
L.M.Bolle & Sons 813083 Baseline Norwich, ON (519) 468-2090 Fax 468-2099 email: lmbolle@execulink.com
STRAWBERRY PLANTS ***CERTIFIED*** RASPBERRY CANES Producers of Quality stock for 46 years. Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification Program. Shipping across North America. Contact us for more information and a free brochure
G.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD. 7295 Hwy 221 Centreville, N.S. B0P 1J0 ph. 902-678-7519 fax: 902-678-5924
Email: sales@gwallennursery.com
www.gwallennursery.com
Exclusive grower of select grafted nut trees and minor fruits. Cultivars are tested in our own experimental orchards.
Alpine Nurseries
Choose from Persian and black walnut, heartnut, butternut, chestnut, hazel, pecan, hickory, gingko, pine nut, mulberry, persimmon, pawpaw, fig & more.
(Niagara) Limited
SPECIALIZING IN FRUIT TREES & GRAPE VINES & ELDERBERRIES. VARIETY AND PRICE LIST AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
979 Lakeshore Rd, RR 3, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Canada L0S 1J0
Howard A. Colcuc Nursery Manager
Tel.: (905) YEH-NUTS (934-6887) E-mail: nuttrees@grimonut.com Fax: (905) YEL-NUTS (935-6887) Catalogue Site: www.grimonut.com
R.R. #4 Creek Road Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. L0S 1J0 Tel: (905) 262-4971 Fax: (905) 262-4404 howardcolcuc@rogers.com
ASPARAGUS ROOTS Jersey Giant
Wrightland Farm RR 1 • 1000 Ridge Rd. Harrow, ON N0R 1G0 Keith: 519-738-6120 Fax: 519-738-3358
PRUNING Good Reasons to Contract Your Pruning: • Experienced crew • Exact costing • Free estimates • Job completion on time • No additional costs associated with general labour • Improved quality • reduced harvesting and maintenance costs
Available anywhere in Ontario! Simply the best approach to this important factor of fruit production Call Dave (519) 372-0604
CLASSIFIED WANTED: Used apple orchard sprayer. Boom or wand type. 75 - 100 gal tank for smaller orchard. Halton Hills area. Contact spiers@rogers.com or call Dan at 416-297-5665 100’s of 40’L X 32"W X 29"H wood crates available. Must sell! Below market pricing. We deliver or you pick up. Call Phil: 519-835-0295
Turn your used farm equipment into cash. For classified information call 866-898-8488 ext 221.
Proprietor Ernie Grimo
C.O.
KEDDY
• Certified Strawberry Plants & Raspberry Canes • All popular varieties available • Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification program. Plants shipped across North America. Contact us for a FREE brochure! 982 North Bishop Road, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7 Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067 Email: keddynursery@xcountry.tv
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 23 THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 REAL ESTATE Gerry Loeters for Royal LePage, RCR Realty. PH. 519-765-4217 Cell. 519-773-6460
ORCHARD FOR SALE. Outstanding orchard Farm in full production with very good varieties including strawberries and younger trees. List of varieties available with age and quantity of trees, crops not included in asking price, but available. Also list of equipment available but not included. The orchard is recognized as the best or one of the best orchards in Ontario. Very good home and storage buildings on property. Great opportunity to get into the business with increased production in the coming years. Asking $1,300,000.00. Address: 5893 Sawmill Road and 5894 Sawmill Road, RR2 Aylmer, Malahide TWP, Elgin County NEW! GREAT RETAIL BUSINESS LOCATED CLOSE TO GTA! 130 ac fruit farm with 86 ac workable. Year round irrigation, water supply via river fed pond. Large cold storage facility with excellent rental income, CA storage and 3 phase electrical, large office, shop and implement sheds. 3 houses: 1-3 bedroom bungalow beautifully updated fronting pond, 1- 4 bedroom cape cod style with many recent upgrades, and 1- 4 bedroom duplex which could house employees. Additional 4 acre parcel with 6 bedroom home for additional $795,000. By Appointment Only! $3,690,000 C148
Advertise your business in Canada’s most popular agriculture newspaper! Call Herb Sherwood 519-380-0118
Change of address? www.thegrower.org or 866-898-8488 ext. 221
WATER TREATMENT
The 'AQUA Wetland System' “A new breed of constructed wetland” AQUA Treatment Technologies Inc. designs and installs the 'AQUA Wetland System' (AWS) for tertiary treatment of many types of waste water including sanitary sewage, landfill leachate, dairy farm & abattoir wastewater, greenhouse irrigation leachate water & mushroom farm leachate water (i.e. manure pile leachate) and high strength winery washwater.
BLUEBERRIES
The 'AQUA Wetland System' is operated out of doors and can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of wastewater. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetland consists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically from cell to cell. There is no open or standing water. Treatment occurs through physical filtration & biological degradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells, cycling nutrients while preventing algae growth. There is no production of sludge. The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of 'small flow' winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include: 1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett's Apple and Cider in Ancaster 2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm Winery in Niagara 3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water
For additional information please Contact Lloyd Rozema at: cell. 905-327-4571 email. lrozema@aqua-tt.com
PAGE 24 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
OFVGA 153rd Annual Meeting and Convention Silent auction contributors Below is a list of the generous contributors who have donated items to the association on behalf of the 153rd annual general meeting. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their generosity. Via Rail Kubota Canada Pioneer Equipment Parks Blueberries Ricter Web Printing Data Media Premier Equipment Union Gas DeKalb Micro 50 Sarjeant Co. Ltd. Sherwood Marketing Delhaven Orchards Ltd.
Chatham Mazda Blenheim Chrysler Van Kesteren Hyundai, Chatham Mamma Maria’s, Chatham Reif Estate Winery Strewn Winery Lailey Vineyard Winery Burning Kiln Winery Embassy Suites, Niagara Falls Best Western, Simcoe Simcoe Comfort Inn Casa Bella, Chatham T-Bones, Chatham
Romero's Restaurant, Guelph Turtle Jack, Guelph Boston Pizza, Chatham Plasponics Diamond Detailing, Guelph Borealis Grille & Bar, Guelph Shoeless Joe’s, Guelph Swiss Chalet, Guelph City of Niagara Falls Crown Plaza/Sheridan, Niagara Ayr Farmers Mutual Rumble Homes, Chatham Cardinal Golf Club
Farm Credit Canada Essex County Growers Links of Kent, Chatham Travel Lodge, Chatham Ridgetown Golf Club, Ridgetown Deer Run Golf Course, Blenheim Blenheim Golf Club, Blenheim Landini Canada DuPont Canada Licks, Guelph Ontario Bee Keepers Kent Farm Equipment, Blenheim RJ Equipment, Blenheim
McGrail Farm Equipment Elm Hurst Inn Aberfoyle Mill Restaurant Victoria Park Golf Club West, Guelph Supreme Full Service Carwash, Guelph Andrews Scenic Orchards TD Bank, Ag Services Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech XChange Richmond VW Motors, Chatham DuPont
THE ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION
agenda
153rd Annual General Meeting January 9, 10, & 11, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration Office Opens- Brock Room 5:00 p.m. Reception & Banquet Cocktails- 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Opening Remarks Dinner - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Niagara Room Chair address Award of Merit Guest Speaker- Dr. Joe Schwarcz, McGill University Silent Auction - 3:00 - 9:30 p.m.
7:00 a.m. Registration Office Opens- Brock Room
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 7:00 a.m. - Registration Office Opens- Brock Room 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Breakfast Buffet 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Ontario Apple Growers Board AGM - Elizabeth Room Unregulated Veg - Canadian A/B Unregulated Fruit - King George Room 10:00 a.m. Annual General Meeting Welcome -Niagara Room Opening Remarks -Minister Ted McMeekin, OMAFRA 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 p.m. • Chair’s report • CEO’s report • Bylaws • Election of Directors • Financial report 11:45 p.m. - 12:00 p.m. Election of Chair Person- Lobby Board Room (Board members only) 11:45 p.m. - 12:00 p.m. Guest Speaker -Sandra Jones, Foodland Ontario 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. - Foodland Sponsored Luncheon 12:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Safety Nets Section Business Meeting • Chair report • Committee Business Safety Nets Guest- Kevin Ferraro, OMAFRA
7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast- Brock Room 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Research Section Business Meeting - Niagara Room • Chair report • Committee Business Research Guest Tania Humphrey, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre 10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break 10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Labour Section Business Meeting • Chair report • Committee Business Labour Guest- Jeremy Shorthouse, Vincor Canada 11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Chemtura Sponsored Golden Apple Award 12:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Lunch 12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Guest Speaker –Kristen Callow, OMAFRA – Russel Hurst, CropLife Canada – Jason Deveau, OMAFRA 1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Annual General Meeting continues. • Resolutions • Adjournment **** 3:15 p.m. - Lobby Boardroom Inaugural Meeting of the new Board of Directors
2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Property Section Business Meeting • Chair report • Committee Business Property Guest -George Shearer, OFVGA Water Specialist - John Kelly, Erie Innovation3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Break 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Crop Protection Section Business Meeting • Chair report • Committee Business Crop Protection Guest Greg Northey, CFA - Hannah Fraser, OMAFRA
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION 105-355 Elmira Road, North Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 Ph: 519-763-6160 Fax: 519-763-6604
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 25 THE GROWER
Getting to the root of organic fruit crops in B.C. ANDREA MUEHLCHEN For any crop plant, healthy roots are the foundation for sustainable, high quality yield. Healthy roots are dependent on healthy soils that are biologically active, have a porous, stable structure, and high water-holding capacity. In organic perennial fruit crops, soil health can be manipulated through irrigation and the application of organic materials and organisms. At Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Summerland and Agassiz, B.C., researchers Gerry Neilsen, Denise Neilsen, and Tom Forge are examining the use of these strategies to improve soil and root health of four important fruit crops: apples, grapes, blueberries and raspberries. Mulches serve many purposes in organic production systems: controlling weeds, altering soil properties and influencing soil biology. The team of B.C. researchers explored the use of mulches of shredded paper, composts, alfalfa hay, and polyethylene fabric under apple trees and compared them to conventional, weed-free bare soil. Their findings suggest that the abundance of protozoa and beneficial nematodes, and the consequent cycling of nutrients, were greater under organic mulches when compared to bare soil or plastic mulch. Additionally, root growth was increased under mulches, and populations of the damaging root lesion nematode appeared to decrease under some organic mulches and increase under plastic mulch. In a study on apples led by Denise Neilsen, the effects of reduced irrigation and crop load on root growth and parasitic nematode populations are being examined. Root growth is being studied with minirhizotrons: clear acrylic tubes inserted in the ground through which a special camera photographs root growth. With climate change expected to reduce water availability, using less water is important for both organic and conventional fruit growers. Reducing irrigation may also result in healthier root systems and more resilient crops. Replant disorders can result in poor establishment of new orchard plantings and subsequent yield reductions, and are a particular problem for organic growers, who are unable to fumigate the soil and apply chemical fertilizers at planting. Louise Nelson and Molly Thurston of UBC Okanagan, in collaboration with Gerry Neilsen, are exploring the use of composts in the planting holes of trees and the application of bacteria to the roots to improve orchard establishment. Some bacteria can improve plant growth by increasing nutrient availability, producing plant hormones, or reducing the effects of plant pathogens. The current focus is on phosphate-solubilizing
bacteria. Replant disorder is also a concern for raspberry growers in the Fraser Valley, where pathogen buildup necessitates frequent replanting. Current practices of fumigation and leaving the soil bare over the winter may be contributing to nitrate leaching into groundwater. Forge is looking at organic alternatives to fumigation, with the goal of improving overall soil health. Trials compare the use of a fall cover crop and spring applications of manure and compost to fumigation. He is evaluating crop growth and the buildup of plant pathogens, particularly root lesion nematode, and monitoring nitrate leaching. Preliminary results indicate that the cover crop reduces leaching. The fumigated plots have the best growth and fewest nematodes, indicating that pathogens
A research plot at AAFC's Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre near Penticton BC. Photo by Andy Hammermeister. are truly a problem, but compost and manure also reduced nematodes and increased growth. Forge says the next step is to look at a combination of a fall cover crop, spring application of compost at planting, and immediate
seeding of a between-row cover crop to take up any extra nitrogen. The AAFC team is also comparing different rates of fertilization and irrigation, manure applications, and the use of annual and perennial between-row cover crops in an established raspberry crop. They are looking at nitrate leaching and soil health factors including fungal and nematode pathogens, earthworm numbers, and soil structure. Although little data is yet available, the cover crops do not appear to reduce yield, a concern that has kept them from being widely adopted. Nematode pests of blueberry and grape are of increasing concern in B.C. Forge has discovered a new nematode pest, Paratrichodorus renifer, on blueberries in the Fraser Valley. In microplot studies, populations of the nema-
tode increased rapidly and caused a 30 per cent drop in growth and yield. Forge and the Neilsens are also looking at the effects of irrigation and nitrogen inputs on ring nematode, a nematode they have demonstrated to be damaging to grapes. Higher nitrogen and greater irrigation tend to increase populations. While agricultural practices are usually aimed at optimizing short-term yield, research is needed to determine if these techniques are conducive to maintaining long-term crop health and productivity. Sustainable soil and root health continues to be a goal of the research conducted on perennial fruit crops at AAFC. Andrea Muehlchen authored this article for the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada with funding provided by Canada’s Organic Science Cluster.
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PAGE 26 –– JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS
Kudos for a job well done
CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA The start of any year is an opportunity to give plaudits for achievements and to recognize those who may feel they labour in isolation. I hope they take the opportunity from being mentioned here to let their hierarchy know that someone (me and probably many others) feels they deserve honour and recognition. I know there are many recognition programs out there, but for some strange reason they do not seek out my help…. Firstly, I would like to recognize the contributions of three young scientists at the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Firstly, Michael Haber. He has had the difficult task of organizing the Canadian Growers’ Minor Use Priority Database since its inception. Michael has been able to gather the relevant data by soliciting help from a diverse set of grower and industry reps. He also managed to collate and prepare a document on the database that brought together at least three versions that met everyone’s approval. This document will appear in the Global Minor Use Summit in 2012. Michael is moving on to advance his career in Health Canada, and I wish him the best. The next to earn kudos has been Haley Fredrick (McKinnon). She was on ‘loan’ from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to the PMRA last year, and she handled the often delicate negotiations with growers on the fate of Phorate (Thimet) insecticide. Never an easy task, she was able to gain the confidence of the
group. This was a new area of work for her, but she was able to do it well. Our loss is that she is headed off back to CFIA. I wish her well back there, but hope that an opening arises back at PMRA! The efforts of Martine Mainguy on the diazinon transition group also deserve recognition. This is a long-used active with many key uses, and it has been arduous to deal with a widely varied set of users and their needs. Perhaps it is her ability to stay calm and find a path forward and to reach consensus that has made this difficult task seem (relatively) easy. She (as far as I know) plans to stay with PMRA and I hope her path ahead is swift as she has the ability to deal with stakeholders! I think that everyone can agree that the Team at the Minor Use Centre should get recognition for the work they accomplished over the past two years. From the depths of a serious backlog, a lack of focus on grower needs, and a static growth curve in new projects, they have managed to whittle the backlog down to a low level, they have hugely increased data and submission output, relations with IR-4 are at an all-time high with 25 new joint projects on the line for next year, and more good stuff happens every day. It takes strong leadership, but it also takes the good efforts of every team player there- they have that covered! The Pest Management Centre (PMC) seems to be the place to go at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to get things done, the way the old research branch was 35 years ago. Just one example is the effort on dislodgeable foliar residues which have been a roadblock to greenhouse registrations. Their efforts along with PMRA should resolve that issue- when it looked like we would always be without some uses. I would nominate the whole group at PMC to the Minister’s “A” Team if one exists! Peter MacLeod of CropLife Canada is leaving (he actually departs today while I am writing this) and heading to Australia. Their gain is definitely our loss.
Peter has been at CropLife for over 10 years. In his calm, quiet and professional way he has made huge strides in advancing CropLife goals at every venue he has attended. He has the complete support of all their members- a very hard thing to achieve in any organization. His peer respect is outstanding. I believe it has been his “Ron McLean” role that has allowed others to be the “Don
health in those days. We had plenty of discussions (I lost almost- [probably all!] my arguments but respected him for the way he convinced me!) Chris left government and spent the second half of his career with Bayer CropScience as head of their regulatory group. He was willing to go to great lengths to support Minor Use inclusions on new submissions. He was the one who
Cherry” on contentious issues. Peter was always willing to take on tough tasks- like golfing with stakeholders when he really didn’t feel up to it! He is a truly Good Sport, and it shows in all the other things he does. CropLife will miss him, growers will miss him, and I believe that PMRA will miss him and his approach to these issues. Good luck with your future Peter, and keep up with the marathon running! I would like to also recognize an industry member who is retiring this year. I first met Dr. (he will hate that because he never traded on his Ph.D status) Chris Warfield when he was at Health Canada (in the years before PMRA existed when AAFC was in charge of pesticide registration). He was deeply involved in pesticide residues and human
decided to push for total harmonization within their company on all U.S. and Canadian products. He led a charge at NAFTA to rally similar action in other companies. (Successfully- and thanks to all the other companies who are doing it as the norm today!) I always thought that Chris was successful because he has much more in his life than just work. He is a ‘regular guy’ with a great family group, a cottage, boats, old cars, and even a backhoe and a dump truck! It may be the balance all those bring that allow him his perspective. I am not sure what his future plans will be, but I hope he is available to others in the future to bring the balanced perspective to bear on problems that may elude solution in the hands of others. On a personal level I need to
thank my curling team-mates for putting up with the frequent absences on Monday nights! It seems that even the best-made plans can fall awry, and it seems I have missed an increasing number of games this year. Curling is the ultimate team sport, where the actions and results of each member impinge on all the others. To miss any team member makes the job of all the others that much tougher. Dan, Al and Larry- I owe you big time for your willingness to accept my schedule! For the spares who filled in for me- my thanks as well! The last kudos I want to give is for the efforts of Mark Goodwin from Pulse Canada. He has stood up and been a leader in the Grower Requested Own Use (Pesticide Import Program) for all Canadian growers. It was Mark who set up the website to explain the program, and to collect the container fees. It was Mark who so often made contact with companies to get their cooperation. This was on top of a busy ‘Day Job’ as a consultant with Pulse Canada on pesticide issues. (On top of that he juggles the needs of a large family while carrying a full travel schedule). Mark is one of those people who has successfully segued from government to the pesticide industry and then on to the grower community. All along he was concerned about what was right for the grower. Our paths often cross in the year, and I know there are some key solutions that he and other members of the Pulse Canada Executive fought and won this year that mean $$millions for their members. It is the above and beyond efforts that I think makes Mark stand out among his peers. I know there are many others worthy of mention. I could fill the paper with more examples. These are the ones I felt needed to come to the forefront this year. I wish everyone a joyous and Happy New Year. May all your projects come to fruition, may all your problems diminish, and may all those near and dear to you seek you out to thank you too!
JANUARY 2012 –– PAGE 27 THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Expansions granted for weed control on Brussels sprouts JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for Poast Ultra herbicide (sethoxydim) for control of labeled weeds on Brussels sprouts in Canada. Poast Ultra herbicide was already labeled for use on a wide range of Canadian specialty and minor crops including most Brassica vegetables, spinach, carrots, dry bulb onions, beets, potatoes, lettuce, chicory and many other fruit crops and field crops. This minor use submission was originally sponsored by OMAFRA in 2000 in response to minor use priorities identified by Brussels sprouts producers and extension personnel. After significant data requirements were issued by PMRA, the project was taken on by the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) in 2003. Weed management has been a priority
for producers of Brussels sprouts and the registration of Poast Ultra herbicide will provide Brussels sprouts producers with an effective and useful weed management tool.
Poast Ultra herbicide can be applied at a rate of 1.1 L product per ha in one post emergent application in a water volume that ensures thorough coverage as per the current label directions. For Brussels
sprouts use only one application per year and apply between the one to six leaf stage of grasses. Do not exceed the maximum rate of 1.1 L per ha per season. The preharvest interval for Brussels sprouts is 70 days. Poast Ultra herbicide should be used in an integrated weed management program and in rotation with other management strategies. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Poast Ultra herbicide label. We also wish to acknowledge the assistance of the personnel of BASF Canada Inc. for their support of this registration and the personnel of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for evaluating and approving this important pest management tool. For copies of the new minor use label contact Marion Paibomesai, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-4963, Kristen Callow, OMAFRA, Ridgetown (519) 674-1335 or visit www.agro.basf.ca/basf/agsolutions/ SelectRegion.htm
FMC acquires two fungicides from Bayer CropScience Bayer CropScience has announced the divestment of two fungicides to FMC Corporation headquartered in Philadelphia. The transaction includes Rovral (active ingredient: iprodi-
one) and Sportak (active ingredient: prochloraz) brand families for worldwide agricultural uses outside Europe. “We are pleased to add these established fungicides to FMC’s
broad portfolio of herbicides and insecticides,” said Milton Steele, president, FMC Agricultural Products Group. “These are highly effective, resistance management technologies that are
used worldwide, primarily in the tree, fruit and vegetable markets, as well as in a wide range of crops, including cereals, canola, and soybeans. Financial terms of the transac-
tion were not disclosed. Source: Bayer CropScience news release, FMC news release
PAGE 28 -- JANUARY 2012 THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Fresh vegetable growers push back pests with new armour KAREN DAVIDSON Invasive species, onion thrips, cutworms, nematodes. Vegetable growers saw it all in 2011 as they fought predators through rain and then drought. “Minor use is our number one priority,” says Tom Miedema, re-elected as chair of Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario. Access to crop protection products for minor use and specialty crops is improving says Jim Chaput, OMAFRA’s minor use coordinator. Speaking at the recent Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario annual general meeting, Chaput says that 10 years ago, growers had access to 30 per cent of the reduced risk products that American competitors did. Today, that number is closer to 66 per cent. “Occupational exposure assessments are stricter in Canada,” says Chaput. “These different assessments between the U.S. and Canada lead to non-harmonized labels with differing re-entry intervals, differing pre-harvest intervals, different rates and differing number of permitted applications.” In terms of new products in the pipeline, Chaput is excited about several new nematicides that are currently under review by the
Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) or being developed by registrants. Furthermore, several registrants are seeking global registrations of new products so that the label will be the same in all jurisdictions.
“
It’s a revolutionary and progressive concept to have global residue zones established around the world.” Jim Chaput, OMAFRA
At the international level, the concept of determining global residue data zones is being seriously considered. “I never thought I would see this in my lifetime,” says Chaput. “It’s a revolutionary and progressive concept to have global residue zones established around the world.” The concept of global residue
zones will be further discussed at a meeting in Rome in February (www.gmup.org), hosted by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization. “Any scheme to eventually use global residue zones, if it ever comes to fruition, would require the agreement of all regulatory bodies which establish maximum residue limits in individual countries and via Codex. In the meantime, changes are underway locally in terms of how Ontario’s ag ministry publishes its crop protection recommendations. In February 2012, a new Vegetable Crop Protection Guide will be available as publication 838. This guide is expected to be updated every other year with a supplement in odd years. The Field Vegetable Guide, to be known as publication 839, will contain detailed agronomics and is destined for a longer shelf life. Expect this publication in 2013. For some problematic fungi such as downy mildew on cucurbits, growers have pointed out that some products don’t work. Efficacy tables will be included to help growers make informed decisions on whether products will offer control or suppression. “The pest has to be listed on the product label in order to be in the guidebook,” says Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA vegetable specialist.
Growers were pleasantly surprised to learn that funds remain available for applied or adaptive projects through the Agricultural Adaptation Council's (AAC) Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). Funding must be distributed by October 31,
2013. Eligible applicants include organizations and associations, non and for-profit companies and individuals. According to Daryl Vermey, an AAC program coordinator, another round of applications will be reviewed January 26, 2012.
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