The Grower May 2014 by The Grower

MAY 2014

CELEBRATING 134 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

VOLUME 64 NUMBER 05

MARKET WINDOWS

Genetics, greenhouses open the way to market niches

Multi-tasking on his cell phone, Tim Horlings is supervising the transplanting of onions on the family farm near Bradford, Ontario. By late July, these onions will be ready for local markets, bridging from last year’s stored crop to new crop. For a few growers who plant about 300 acres of transplanted onions in the Holland Marsh, they can expect higher prices for up to a month. Photo by Glenn Lowson. KAREN DAVIDSON

INSIDE CPMA highlights

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New regs for soil fumigants

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Focus: Containers and packaging

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

Bradford, ON/Delta, BC – Peel the layers to find a market within a market. From yellow cooking onions to hydroponic strawberries and sweet cherries, filling the shoulder season when competitive product is scarce is a growing trend. Just look at onions. With 29 varieties of the staple regularly grown in the Holland Marsh, some earlier-maturing varieties are being selected for greenhouse seeding. Then, weather permitting, the six-week-old transplants are sown during the first week of May. Barring windstorms or hail, come the end of July about 300 acres of transplanted onions will be harvested and appear on market shelves just as overwintered onions are being exhausted. Ideally, in bridging a local produce gap for consumers, these Holland Marsh-grown

onions will receive higher prices than their U.S. competitors. “Full credit goes to the Muck Crops Research Station (MCRS) which has completed onion trials, says Jamie Reaume, executive director, Holland Marsh Growers’ Association. “This resource is vitally important to access the earlier-maturing varieties and to take advantage of the winds of opportunity.” MCRS manager Shawn Janse explains that trial results are very important in selecting varieties for this niche market. Growers look for specific traits: 90-day maturity, high yields (1,000 plus bushels per acre), small necks and “decent” skins. Early-maturing varieties such as Alpine and Highlander have proven reliable cultivars because their small, thin necks allow quicker drydown. And they are a softer onion, ideal for this early market because they lack many characteristics more suitable for longer storage. In yet another example of nothing

wasted on the farm, genetics that have gone unvalued by mainstream growers appear to have found value within a time-sensitive niche market. Not surprisingly, the twin themes of genetics and greenhouses repeat themselves on the other side of the country at Windset Farms and its four acres of hydroponically-grown strawberries in Delta, British Columbia. Building on his success with peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, Windset chief operating officer John Newell has trademarked Soprano strawberries, prominently on display at the recent Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show in Vancouver. Repeated taste tests demonstrate that these strawberries hit the high notes of colour, aroma, texture and most importantly, flavour. Newell maintains he didn’t set out to get into strawberries, but his strong relationship as a

supplier to Costco in the United States led to the opportunity. Market conditions are changing in the U.S., especially in droughtravaged California. In the state that famously produces $1.939 billion of field strawberries, the supply chain is under pressure due to a shortage of water and bans on soil fumigants such as methyl bromide and methyl iodide. Without products to control nematodes, growers are increasingly challenged to grow strawberries in the field. Costco, for its part, just wants reliable year-round supplies. So Newell upped his game, acquiring expertise from the Dutch and Belgians and learning the nuances of hydroponic strawberry farming. As one of the first to experiment in North America, he started with a standby, open-pollinated variety, Albion.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PAGE 2 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERS

AT PRESS TIME… Time to plant! The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is a growing season away – November 7 to 16 – but now is the time to plant for the 2014 vegetable competition. Cash prizes are $500 for top tablestock potato and $200 for heaviest rutabaga. More than 50 other vegetable classes are listed, as well as 20 giant classes. Last year’s premier exhibitor was Joanne Borcsock, winner of the Len Rush Memorial Trophy. Challenge her record! Details are at www.royalfair.org.

Supervisors’ survey due by May 15 What supervisory skills does horticulture need to train for? That’s a starting question for a survey to be conducted by human resources experts this spring. Sara Mann, University of Guelph, Marie-Helene Budworth, York University and Ken Linington, Labour Issues Coordinating Committee (LICC) will be heading the survey. Ontario’s agri-food industry needs will be identified through this confidential survey. By completing the 10-minute survey, growers will have access to the results and the opportunity to participate in the second part of the study. In the second stage of the project, the human resources team will deliver supervisory training at no cost to the participants in various formats: online, on-the-farm, and in the classroom. At the end, they will examine how effective each of the methods are. If you choose to participate, you will be contacted within a month. “The training is for anyone who provides direction to workers, so owner/operators or workers who supervise other

(L-R) Sandra Banks, CEO, RAWF; Pierre Lemieux, MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Paul Larmer, incoming president, RAWF. workers,” explains Linington. “This is for small, medium and large operations.” To access and complete the survey go to the following website by May 15: https://surveys.ccs.uoguelph.ca/limeSurvey/ index.php?sid=53283&lang=en

to: a basic supervisor and worker training program is required at farming operations; awareness training requires only that workers know additional WHMIS training requirements exist, however, farming operations continue to be exempt from formal WHMIS training.

Dollars renewed for snack program

Request for support

The Ontario government has announced $2.2 million over four years to support the Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program. Executed by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, this program will double its reach to serve about 37,000 children. Almost one in five students in the catchment area is of aboriginal descent. The program addresses goals to alleviate obesity. More than 40 per cent of aboriginal children are overweight or obese.

Worker health and safety awareness

Bike enthusiasts are already out training for Ontario’s Ride to Conquer Cancer, the annual fundraiser for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. This year’s June 7, 8 event will feature several scenic routes, with the most popular from Toronto to Niagara Falls. The Wilmot Orchards team will comprise Charles Stevens, farm manager Rob Montgomery and seasonal worker Joseph Hackett. Each must raise $2500 to qualify for the event. To access their fundraising web pages, go to www.conquercancer.ca/ontario.

Regulation 297 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act becomes law July 1, 2014. This change identifies the due diligence clause that employers must adhere

At the recent Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show and convention, several honours were bestowed. The Mary Fitzgerald Award was won by Steve Young from the Oppenheimer Group. The CPMA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to John Sears. The Packer Person of the Year Award was given to Walt Breeden. (Top photo) Rick Wallis presents Lifetime Achievement Award to John Sears. Shannon Shuman (R) presents The Packer Person of the Year Award to Walt Breeden. Congratulations to winners of the 2013 Canada’s Best Managed Companies (Best Managed) award. This prestigious national award is sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Queen’s School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums. They include: JemD Farms, Oppenheimer Group, Mastronardi Produce and Fresh Direct Produce. The Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board recently held its annual meeting, announcing the following board members: Phil Tregunno, chair; John Thwaites, vice-chair; Jim Juras, David Hipple, Dave Enns, Leo DeVries, Rusty Smith, Ken Porteous, Brock Puddicombe. The board has made a formal request to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Board for a name change to: Ontario Tender Fruit Growers. Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. held its annual general meeting recently. Lorie Jocius continues as chair with Keith Currie, vicechair and Bruce Magee, treasurer. Board members include: Peter Hohenadel, Carolyn Hill, Theresa Watt, Jennifer Peart, Laura Kozloski, Kelly Duffy, Lillie Ann Morris, Audrie Bouwmeester, Leanne Cooley. Two advisors from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Rural Affairs, also participate. Colleen Smith is executive director. On April 23, Pierre Paradis was sworn in as Quebec’s new minister of agriculture, food and fisheries. Representing the riding of BromeMissisquoi under the Liberal banner, Paradis is a familiar face. He once held the portfolio 20 years ago.

Canadian Horticultural Council The Canadian Horticultural Council announces its standing committee chairs for the next year. Standing Committees Human Resources Finance and Business Management Trade and Marketing Industry Standards and Food Safety Crop, Plant Protection and the Environment Commodity Committees Potato Canadian Potato Council National Seed Potato Sub-Committee Apple and Fruit Blueberry Co-Chair Tender Fruit Co-Chair Grape Co-Chair Apple Working Group (AWG) Blueberry Working Group (BWG) Vegetable Greenhouse Greenhouse Working Group (GWG)

Chair / Co-Chair Murray Porteous Mark Wales Ken Forth Paul Leblanc Charles Stevens Chair John Bareman John Bareman Bob Watson Brian Gilroy Jack Bates Phil Treganno Bill George Brian Gilroy Jack Bates André Plante Linda Delli Santi Linda Delli Santi

Ken Forth / Denis Hamel Claude Laniel Dave Jeffries

Vice-Chair Brenda Simmons Gord Visser

Congratulations to Jimmy Coppola and Westmoreland/TopLine Farms for the CPMA’s Best Product Award. Individual, flavour-infused olive oil packs are molded into the clamshell. Flavours include sweet, spicy, sweet and spicy or balsamic.

The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre will receive $26.5 million from the Canadian and Ontario governments through the Growing Forward 2 program. The five-year funding will support: • genetic research to create crops that are more resilient to Ontario conditions and more profitable to grow • enhanced horticultural production systems, including natural and automated pest management systems for greenhouse and nursery operations • consumer insights to support new products, including different varieties of vegetables, apples and wine

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER

MARKET WINDOWS

Genetics, greenhouses open the way to market niches CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Propagation takes place in a separate facility and when the strawberries develop a welldeveloped crown with numerous flowers, they are moved to the greenhouse for bearing fruit. Three croppings occur during the year, each with different rootstock and ever-bearing stock fruits best in the fall. While Windset Farms is now producing strawberries yearround, the sweet spot lies in the November-December-January markets. This window captures American Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s when retail prices are in the range of $5.99 US for a two-pound clamshell of large-sized strawberries. The demand for Windset’s product from the U.S. is so strong, few, if any berries ever reach the local Vancouver market. “This is expensive fruit,” says Newell. “It’s a bit of a luxury item. However, the aroma is super strong compared to fieldgrown fruit. The strawberries look flawless and they have a great taste. Consumers easily become repeat buyers.” The product and its ecological story is nothing but a plus for Costco. Soprano strawberries are grown in a soilless medium, biological controls are used

throughout the greenhouse, mildew is being effectively identified and managed on the plant, and finally, water is used judiciously and re-circulated. Yet another example of market windows is how B.C. cherry growers are exploiting their late-maturing varieties developed by the local research station in Summerland. Coddled in the Okanagan Valley, cherry cultivars can grow to a premium size of 32 mm. When chief competitor Washington state has dwindling supplies, British Columbia finishes the world season with its premium fruit. Globally-savvy, B.C. growers regularly export 85 per cent of their crop as far afield as Europe and Asia. Their expertise is bound to deepen with last year’s pilot shipment to China, a market that has the most strict phytosanitary standards anywhere. This year, growers will be sure to have plenty of product in port by the September 8 Moon Festival, a traditional holiday for gift-giving. “Despite the fact that we have higher production costs, we have found a niche in the marketplace,” says David Geen, president of Jealous Fruits, Lake Country. “The timing of our varieties combined with our Canadian reputation for superior fruit is a winning combination.”

John Newell, COO, Windset Farms, has trademarked Soprano strawberries to fill a growing market window in the U.S. Particularly popular during American Thanksgiving and through the holiday season, these greenhouse-grown strawberries are making inroads on field-grown California crop.

INTERNATIONAL CHINA

UNITED STATES

UNITED NATIONS

Constellation Brands plan wine foray

Sweet potatoes to be promoted in Europe

World food price index rises sharply

Constellation Brands has inked a deal with China’s VAT liquor commission to develop the best-selling brand Robert Mondavi in the country. It’s estimated 19 million upper-class drinkers have a thirst for imported wines which now tally about 155,375 nine-liter cases. The China Wine Market Landscape Report 2013 estimates that almost half of this market are males, aged 30 to 39 years. China is now the fifth largest consumer market for wine and is expected to be a key driver of the total global wine industry in the next five years. At the moment, most U.S. wines have little brand awareness in China.

Funding from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service will be targeted to promote U.S. sweet potatoes in western Europe. Netherlands-based Phaff Export Marketing will be conducting the campaign for the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute. Established last year, the institute will be launching the campaign July 1. It’s also applying for another year of market access funding to add Canada and Mexico. American growers are showing more interest in the Canadian market with exhibits at the recent Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show in Vancouver.

The Food Price Index, prepared by the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), rose sharply

Source: Beveragedaily.com

Source: ThePacker.com

in March -- up 4.8 points or 2.3 per cent -- the highest level in a year. “The index was influenced, as expected, by unfavourable weather conditions in the U.S. and Brazil and geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea region,” said Abdolreza Abbassian, FAO senior economist. The index is part of a G-20 Agricultural Market Information System which tracks major food crops. The index, based on the prices of a basket of internationallytraded cereals, rice, vegetable oils, dairy, meat and sugar saw price increases in all groups except dairy, which fell for the first time in four months (-2.5 percent). The greatest gains were seen in sugar (+7.9 per cent) and cereals (+5.2 per cent). Source: U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization news release

PERU

Asparagus hybrid in the pipeline The Peruvian asparagus industry is focusing on production information, research and technical development in efforts to keep globally competitive. Researchers are working on a Peruvian hybrid with two universities, the Nacional Agraria La Molina and the Cayetano Heredia says chief executive, Carlos Zamorano Macchiavello, Peruvian Asparagus and Vegetable Institute. Negotiations are underway to export fresh asparagus to the United States without fumigation. A risk mitigation plan has been presented to APHIS in the U.S. for review. Source: FreshPlaza.com

PAGE 4 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST BRITISH COLUMBIA

Agriculture Centre of Excellence opens to student applause Chilliwack, BC – Students bracketed the photo shoot at the recent opening of the Agriculture Centre of Excellence, sending a clear message that their research will be front and centre in the future. “The hands-on components to studying at the University of Fraser Valley have been a highlight for me and are getting a huge boost today,” said Amir Maan. “We all will treasure the facilities for a long time to come and from an industry perspective, we look forward to have practically trained students for the many jobs in modern agriculture, as well as hope to harvest the benefits of research coming out of

these facilities, in particular the berry, vegetable and greenhouse, nursery and hazelnut industries.” The first phase includes a 600 m2 greenhouse featuring a multi-wall polycarbonate construction that provides a strong thermal rating and high energy efficiency. In addition, a 225 m2 polyethylene greenhouse is on site. “Finally we have a Centre of Excellence in B.C. that will provide solutions for industries throughout the entire agri-food chain, including farming, distribution, logistics and retailing.” says Jozef Hubburmin, Fresh Direct Produce’s CFO, Vancouver, BC. He sits on the

standing committee of the new Centre, serving as an industry liaison. “Industry seeks solutions to assist with food traceability, logistics optimization, indexes of local food sources along with seasonal availability, new environmentally friendly and less costly packaging designs, new farming methods to increase production yields, etc. It’s exciting to see, for example, how ACE is using innovative Israeli technology to establish a test greenhouse, built from a high efficiency material, that allows in more heat and brighter lighting for improved plant growth.”

The University of the Fraser Valley officially opened its Agriculture Centre of Excellence (ACE) in early April, with British Columbia premier Christy Clark leading the ceremonies.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Potato growers publicize stewardship efforts Charlottetown, PE -- “Potato farmers of today have learned a lot from past challenges and are making tangible changes in production practices in order to farm in a more environmentally sustainable fashion,” says Gary Linkletter, chair of the P.E.I. Potato Board. Earlier this winter, the board’s news release countered negative press about the potato industry’s support for the lifting of a moratorium on high-capacity wells for supplemental irrigation. The board also pushed back on heavy-handed enforcement of PEI’s Crop Rotation Act, where-

by some growers were fined for a lack of paperwork, not for actual environmental degradation. Working with the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture, Linkletter says that the island’s potato growers have built 1.1 million feet of terraces, 2.1 million feet of grassed waterways and 270,000 feet of farmable berms since 2008. Other approaches include use of buffer zones and set-asides of sensitive land, nutrient management, strip cropping, crop rotation and residue-tillage equipment, new and lower input potato varieties and integrated pest

management. Another initiative, Farming 4R Island, partners with other industry players to foster management practices that protect soil quality and reduce nitrate levels. “Today’s grower is looking to be more efficient, more effective and more environmentally responsible,” says Linkletter. “That’s why we’re interested in supplemental irrigation. The province’s Department of the Environment has indicated that agricultural irrigation accounts for only one per cent of total water usage. That’s why we continue to lobby for deep-water wells in the

Strip cropping in Prince Edward Island province.” Some preliminary studies performed as part of the nitrate pilot project with the Kensington North Watershed Group in 2013 showed an 11.5 per cent increase in income per acre with supplemental irrigation due to increased marketable yields, while another

test from the same study showed a reduction in average residual nitrate levels by 31.4 per cent. “That’s very encouraging information for people interested in having a viable potato industry while trying to be even more environmentally responsible,” concludes Linkletter.”

QUEBEC

Hops take root in la belle province Dunham, QC -- In the midst of vineyard country, Julie Corry and Deric Hamelin have set their sights high on another trellised crop: hops. They are so enthused about reviving the heritage of hops that they have formed a cooperative, Houblon Quebec, to transfer production and promotion knowledge. Their one-acre plantation is now a satellite site for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Saint-Jean-surRichelieu station. Their farm will give advance experience to researchers who are developing a hop yard at the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu research station. It may be 2016 before the

plants are mature enough for pesticide trials there. The Minor Use Priority Setting Workshop has identified seven pesticide products for testing against powdery mildew and downy mildew, mites (including two-spotted spider mites) and broadleaf weeds. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency requires at least three residue trials on more than one site before approval of a pest control product. Similar research is underway at Vineland, Ontario. Source: Pest Management Centre, Spring 2014 newsletter

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER

EXPORTS

Cherries to China: How growers are building their value chain KAREN DAVIDSON Kelowna, BC -- Efforts to access the Chinese market for cherries are as mountainous as the terrain surrounding the Okanagan Valley. Last year’s pilot project required Chinese inspectors on the ground for a month physically checking every shipment for the larvae of the cherry fruit fly. “In 2013, B.C. shipped 450 tonnes to China,” says David Geen, chair of the market access committee for the B.C Cherry Association. “We expect to double or even quadruple that amount this coming season.” Chinese demand is encouraging aggressive growth in B.C.’s cherry business which totalled 20,000 tonnes last year. While the phytosanitary protocol for the quarantinable insect would discourage most growers, several are investing in the optical, sizing and refrigeration equipment for packinghouses. The payoff? $3.50 to $4 per pound of cherries sized 32 mm or bigger. “Half a dozen packinghouses are qualified already,” says Sukhpaul Bal, president of the B.C. Cherry Association. “I’m currently building a packinghouse with the loading dock and coolers designated for China. I’ve got 50 acres of cherries in the ground and plan to plant another 50 acres in spring 2015.” The infrastructure for cherry exports has not come without considerable investment from cherry breeders, growers and federal and provincial government officials. Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore are already familiar destinations, as 85 per cent of the B.C. crop moves offshore. Those markets and others in Europe also have zero tolerance for the cherry fruit fly, but until last year, China was officially closed. Phytosanitary protocol The Chinese equivalent of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has demanded stricter rules, starting with a pheromone trapping program. If two adult fruit flies are caught in two consecutive weeks, the orchard block is disqualified. In addition, fruit has to pass a brown sugar test whereby samples are mashed up in brown sugar solution and allowed to sit for 15 minutes. If any larvae float to the surface, that’s a thumbs-down on the originating cherry block. “I’ve been growing cherries since 1994 and never had a find,” says Geen. “If you wish to export to China, then the Chinese have lifted the game up one more notch.” CFIA is issuing 10-digit codes to identify each grower’s block for traceability purposes and will be training growers on the

Sentennial

Staccato

On April 8, Mexican workers were planting 50 acres of cherry trees overlooking Kelowna, B.C. David Geen, president of Jealous Fruits and Canada’s largest sweet cherry grower at 530 acres, is confident that when this orchard is mature in 2016/2017, the Chinese market will be primed for greater quantities. He has ordered rootstock for another 75 acres in 2015.

Sweethear t trapping program in May. With orchard monitoring in place, it’s expected that Chinese inspectors will arrive by late July for a two-week, audit-style visit. “We think this will be a good, stable market,” predicts Bal. “Originally, China was not that attractive as a market, but a lot of credit goes to the breeding program at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research station in Summerland. We now have later-maturing varieties – Staccato, Sentennial, Sweetheart - that miss earlier-season rains. After Washington state cherries, we’re the last market in the world for fresh cherries until the shipments start again from the southern hemisphere countries, Chile and New Zealand.” As Geen points out, B.C.’s cherry exports are a rarity in the agricultural world. “We enjoy the confluence of a market window,” he explains. “Canadian cherries, especially the late-maturing varieties, are combined with timing at the tail end of the world’s season. It is the case that cherry prices climb as the season goes on.” In fact, the sweet spot is to ship to China for the Moon Festival in mid-September. From Vancouver to Shanghai, count on two weeks by container ship. That’s an easy calculation to make when 400 million middleclass consumers are in the spirit of gift-giving. Fat cherries fit their favourite colour of red.

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PAGE 6 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

89TH ANNUAL CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

‘Collaboration with growers has helped us improve’: Costco KAREN DAVIDSON Vancouver, BC -- Five major Canadian retailers are experiencing a crunch that’s not as comforting as carrots: the supply side continues to consolidate. While Loblaw, Metro Richelieu, Sobeys, Walmart Canada and Costco are often front-page news for their multi-billion dollar mergers and acquisitions, they don’t talk so much about suppliers. Except, of course, for the need for suppliers to be more efficient. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) convened a noon-time panel of these fiercely competitive grocers. “The business is changing,” said Bernadette Hamel, Metro Richelieu. “We need to get as close as possible to vendors to hear their concerns. We can source all over the world but that doesn’t eliminate the need for variety to propel our business forward.” Mike Venton, Loblaw Companies agreed: “This business is unpredictable. We can’t put all our eggs in one basket. We need confidence in our vendors to provide the volume and quality.” Oleen Smethurst, Costco, said, “Collaboration with growers has helped us improve.” Several con-

versations on the trade show floor echoed this statement, with growers confirming that Costco has changed a lot in the last year, improving their produce aisle significantly. Smethurst said that the company has tight specs for both quality and packaging because of their pallet-high warehouse environment. “We’re looking for clean ingredient labels and more organic,” she said. “Organic is a rapidly growing category but the supply is not growing. We would not list any supplier without a third-party audit.” With 247 supercentres and plans for more, Walmart Canada’s Sam Silvestro, underlined that “organics are a new area for us. We see this as a massive opportunity.” At Sobeys, Frank Bondi exhorted growers to offer meal solutions. “How do we crossmerchandise proteins and vegetables?” he asked. While his example was fresh pineapple salsa with a pork chop, Canadian growers need to suggest appropriate examples with local produce. With this backdrop, CPMA’s executive vice-president Ron Lemaire unveiled the “Half your plate’ campaign. (www.halfyourplate.ca) Leveraging a partnership with Health Canada, CPMA will

A noon-time panel of Canada’s major retailers included: (L-R) Mike Venton, Loblaw; Oleen Smethurst, Costco; Bernadette Hamel, Metro; Frank Bondi, Sobeys and Sam Silvestro, Walmart. be promoting that half the dinner plate consist of fruits and vegetables. “In a changing retail landscape and cultural mosaic, this campaign is the right tactic to increase consumption for population health and industry prosperity.”

Food for thought All retailers kept strategy close to their vests, but key questions remain. • How are retailers responding to the worsening drought in California? Will there be more reliance on greenhouse-grown vs

field-grown? • How realistic is growth in the organic category with fragmented production and distribution systems? • How does the retailers’ quest for fresh, premium produce square against the consumer stampede to discount banners?

A global banker ’s view of global trade risks A truly global citizen, Ananth Krishnan has worked in his homeland of India for HSBC, but also for the international bank in

Ireland and now Canada. As far as global produce trends go, he says that improved supply chains and infrastructure are boosting

global trade in fruits and vegetables. China is by far the largest producer of fruits and vegetables

“

From a conventional banker’s viewpoint, risk analysis would be on the customer, but the bank’s view is now to analyse your supply chain. The bank now does a deep dive on each member of the supply chain, making sure logistics are covered.” ~ Ananth Krishnan

with 20 per cent share in global output. In vegetables alone, China accounts for 50 per cent of global production. Krishnan says that the key will be to manage risks of growing international trade. “How do you secure timely and relevant working capital?” He outlines six major areas of risk: • Currency risks – to hedge or not to hedge • Country risks – global or local partner • Regulatory risks – by laws, specifications • Contract risks – contract frustration insurance • Performance risks – bonding arrangements • Payment risks – credit insurance, confirmed LC “From a conventional banker’s viewpoint, risk analysis would be on the customer, but the bank’s view is now to analyse your supply chain,” said Krishnan. “The bank now does a deep dive on

each member of the supply chain, making sure logistics are covered.” “For individual growers, trade missions can help,” said Krishnan, “but they don’t replace due diligence. Who are the parties buying from you? What new regulations are being imposed in your marketplace?” Search for innovative ways to finance your supplier. In India, for example, interest rates are quite high at 12 per cent. If a Canadian company can get a Canadian bank to finance the Indian supplier at three per cent, the Canadian importer will get extra margins. “If you’re not thinking about it, your competitor is,” said Krishnan. “This is not offered by every Canadian bank, but at HBSC we have some successful examples. It depends on the duration of the supply-chain relationship.”

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER

89TH ANNUAL CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

Best exhibit winners

First prize: Peak of the Market

Second prize: Mexico

Third prize: Fresh Direct Produce Ltd.

Accelerate growth in turbulent times Mark Wardell makes a compelling case for the basics of business. “Whether you have issues managing employees, cash flow or changing demographics, relieve those symptoms by strengthening your core.” If Wardell sounds more like a fitness guru, then the analogy isn’t too far off. In one of his careers, he was a gymnastics coach. He’s the president and founder of Wardell Professional Development and a published author of seven business books. He gave a 101 business course of his principles to CPMA delegates. In every great culture, there should be the thread of continuous improvement, usually spearheaded by the CEO. In an ownerdriven company, the owner can’t leave the business. In a culturedriven company, business is better than when you left on vacation. In an investment-grade company, there is a transparent, growing and independent team that is predictable in its success. “That all comes from clarity of direction and a strategic plan,” said Wardell. “A rock-star team needs to be attracted to something. Values attract the right people.” Wardell suggested that every CEO should think about an organizational chart for the company, pretending that no one is in the current position. “If you could build the company from scratch, what skill sets and structure would you employ? Once that mental picture is in place, look at your current chart and people. Do you still have the best person for the position?” Marketing today is a much more complicated exercise in understanding the demographics and psychographics of the target market and choosing the correct channels for brand marketing. “Do a brand audit,” advised Wardell. “Go through the experience of buying from your company. At each customer contact point, the experience should be on purpose. When you build the consistent experience, then you build trust and loyalty.” 10-second tips that could save/make thousands of dollars • When invoicing, state a specific due date rather than net 30.

Chances are if the manager signs off, the payables department will be more likely to fast track the payment.

• Practise trend analysis by graphing your results. This is an incredibly powerful tool because the numbers spring off the page.

• Define the sales position so that the salesperson is selling a higher percentage of the time. Surround with customer support. Track the

leads generated and percentage of business won.

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PAGE 8 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

STEWARDSHIP

New regulations for applying soil fumigants in Canada MARY RUTH McDONALD

Example Buffer Zone Calculation: bedded application

New soil fumigant label requirements will come into force effective September 14, 2014. This will affect products that contain: chloropicrin, dazomet, metam sodium and metam potassium. These products tend to be used to control nematodes and persistent fungal pathogens such as Fusarium, where there are no other effective management options. The objective of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is to limit user exposure and to increase protection of workers, bystanders and the environment. “No soil fumigant uses or products are being lost as a result of the new label requirements,” says Adam Colley, PMRA. He explained at the recent Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention that the new label requirements are consistent with U.S. standards. The new regulations require that growers have a fumigation management plan on hand before applying the product, following good agricultural practices, certification requirements for those who handle the products or are in the field at the time of application, implementing buffer zones and having an emergency management plan. Some of these new regulations won’t be much of a problem, such as preparing a fumigant management plan, and the good agricultural practices are just common sense. However, the requirements for buffer zones that have to be posted and monitored for 48 hours after fumigating could be a challenge for many growers. Fumigation management plan Growers are expected to document their individual plans for safe and effective fumigation. Management plans are to be filed on-farm for two years but do not need to be submitted to PMRA. While a PMRA template is available online, written notes may suffice as long as they are done before the application begins. Every product label will prompt growers on what to include in the plan. i.e. • what product will be used and how it will be applied • calculation of the required buffer zone • emergency preparedness and planning • who is involved in the application Mandatory good agricultural practices The ‘good agricultural practices’ that a grower is expected to follow are product-specific depending on how the fumigant is

applied. These relate to identifying optimal weather conditions, proper soil preparation, requirements for soil moisture and temperature, soil sealing methodology and proper application depth. These points are not new, and are the normal steps to ensure that the product is applied under conditions where it will work well. Handler restrictions Anyone involved in the use of a soil fumigant product is considered a fumigant handler. This includes seasonal workers who may be trained by growers. All handlers must hold an appropriate pesticide applicator certificate or license recognized by the provincial/territorial pesticide regulatory agency where the application is to occur. Only certified handlers may be on-site during application. The discussion following PMRA’s presentation pointed out that this could be a problem if the equipment breaks down in the field and a mechanic has to come and fix it. The mechanic would have to be certified in order to be in the field. It is not yet clear if the Grower Pesticide Safety Course certificate will be sufficient certification, but this will be sorted out before the new regulations become mandatory in September. Buffer zones The requirement to establish buffer zones is a major change to the regulations. The buffer zone is an area around the outer perimeter of a fumigated field which extends equally in all directions. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER

STEWARDSHIP

New regulations for applying soil fumigants in Canada Example Buffer Zone Calculation: broadcast application

The buffer zone is designed to allow the fumigant to dissipate before it reaches occupied areas or bystanders. These zones are to protect human health. Only people certified as fumigant handlers may be in the buffer zone during the 48 hours following application. Buffer zones cannot include any residential area or building that may be occupied during 48 hours after application. A buffer zone is required for every fumigant application. The size of the buffer zone depends on the application method, rate and field size. Growers should post signs in the field indicating the no-go zone. And if seasonal agricultural workers are in the area, bilingual/Spanish signs make sense. Signage is required where the expectation is that someone may enter unknowingly. Product labels will include look-up tables to determine the required buffer-zone distance and any available options to reduce the size of the buffer zone. The minimum distance is eight meters but may be larger depending on the application. Adam Colley prepared a couple of examples of buffer zones, at the request of the Muck Research Station. The calculation takes into account the rate of fumigant, whether it is broadcast over the whole field or applied in bands, the size of the field, and soil type. There is a 30 per cent reduction if the soil has more than three per cent organic matter content. Using the calculations, a broadcast application of chloropicrin at 108 L/ha, shank injected into a low organic matter mineral soil in a four ha (10 acre) field, would require a buffer zone of 94 meters. If the soil had more than three per cent organic matter, the buffer zone would be 66 m. Remember, this is in all directions from the edges of the fields and cannot include any buildings that will be occupied by people for 48 hours after application. At the other end of the spectrum is a four ha field where the product is shank injected into beds, resulting in a rate of 82 L of product/ha. The buffer zone in this case is 25 m, or 18 m if the

soil has more than three per cent organic matter. These are just examples. Calculations must be done for each individual application.

management plan. Consult the PMRA website for additional information on the new requirements for soil fumigants: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/pmra

Emergency preparedness

Mary Ruth McDonald is professor, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph.

This is required when residences or businesses are located in close proximity to the outer edge of the buffer zone. Two available options: 1. Site monitoring requires identifying sensory irritation in the area between the buffer zone and the residential area during the 48 hours after application. 2. The person who is monitoring must be a certified fumigant handler. If sensory irritation is detected, implement the emergency plan outlined in the fumigation management plan. The monitoring should be done every four hours. The emergency plan would most likely involve alerting the residents so they can leave the area. In the U.S., some groups have created on-line tools to calculate buffer zones. In Washington state for example, Google maps have been employed when fumigating smaller fields. A need exists to develop a Canadian version, a project potentially for CropLife Canada. OFVC meeting attendees had plenty of questions on how fumigant plans would work. Outreach with agricultural dealers is expected in September 2014. The full implications of these new regulations will depend on “location, location, location.” In the Holland Marsh, where houses are strung along the roads at the ends of fields, it could be a challenge to identify a field where the buffer zone did not include a residence. Perhaps fumigants will be applied on Friday evenings when workers have gone home and residents are away for the weekend. On the other hand, the situation could be quite different for a spot treatment in a field on the prairies, where houses are miles apart. In this prairie situation, the new regulations might mean only a bit more paper work, in the form of a fumigant

This is a test run of carrot seeder to apply fumigant in a band under the seed at the Holland Marsh. After September, the buffer zone for this type of application of chloropicrin would require a buffer zone of 18 m in all directions. Photo by Mary Ruth McDonald.

PAGE 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MAY 2014 THE GROWER

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S YOUR STORY?

B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s window on the world of water, energy and food KAREN DAVIDSON Abbotsford, BC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Greenhouse grower Marcus Janzen looks confident in his indoor office with a picture window framing eight hectares of peppers. Symbolically, Janzen also frames a number of provincial, national and global issues affecting the greenhouse vegetable industry. In British Columbia, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little room to expand in the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agricultural Land Reserve, especially with local land fetching $65,000 per acre, however, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s convinced that Calais Farms has a strategic asset: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got water.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;In British Columbia, we spend more money getting rid of water than sourcing it,â&#x20AC;? explains Janzen. Already, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a competitive advantage with retail buyers who are busy shoring up supply relationships. By next August and September, it will be no time to be making friends when the worsening California drought has shorted field crops â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that never got planted at all. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because of our temperate B.C. climate, we seem to have found a fit,â&#x20AC;? says Janzen. Along with Merom Farms, another 37acre operation near Abbotsford, Calais Farms markets 60 per cent of its output to the eastern U.S. seaboard. About 18 per cent of Calais Farmsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; peppers is shipped in Reuseable Plastic Containers (RPCs). From Janzenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, the RPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circuitous route from his British Columbia base to New Jersey retailers and back to Washington state for sanitizing does not make environmental sense. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These containers come back across the continent empty,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For retailers, I understand thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more opportunity to mechanize the movement of RPCs. However, for growers, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the environmental

savings. In addition, the grower has lost the farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s branding opportunity which exists with corrugated cartons. I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re closer to the world of branding on PLU stickers or sleeves than most think.â&#x20AC;? Working in this exportdependent business, Janzen feels some relief with the current position of the Canadian dollar at 91 cents vis-Ă -vis the U.S. dollar. Volatility in the last few years has demanded almost daily management. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more optimistic moving forward, by actively managing our foreign exchange risk on a daily or weekly basis,â&#x20AC;? says Janzen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We price our natural gas in U.S. dollars so that acts as a natural hedge. We also forward price U.S. dollars by using on online tool with our bank.â&#x20AC;? Tied so closely to the U.S. market, Janzen is well aware of the advantages of a legal workforce in Canada, specifically the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). About twothirds of his staff are Mexican males who pick and prune while the remainder are female IndoCanadians who are adept at twisting and tying peppers. When labour makes up so much of the input costs, continued stability of SAWP is critical for long-term business planning. Like other provinces, minimum wage rates have risen. In B.C., $10.25 per hour is the current wage rate. With predictable labour and more favourable currency exchange rates easing some tensions, Janzen is scanning the horizon for new threats. In 2015, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal will be reviewing its ruling of a duty on Dutch peppers. Five years ago, the national pepper industry was successful in its complaint that peppers imported from the Netherlands were being dumped in Canada under the cost of production.

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The days of food representing only 10 per cent of disposable income are coming to an end.â&#x20AC;? ~ Marcus Janzen To keep this duty in place, the lobbying of the Canadian Horticultural Council will be pivotal to the industry. A greenhouse subcommittee, chaired by B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Linda Delli Santi, will be spearheading those discussions. Janzen plays a role on that committee, offering his west-coast growing perspective and knowledge of east-coast retail buying patterns. Looking to the long-term vista, Janzen points out that North

America is catching up to the rest of the world in terms of energy costs. British Columbia, for instance, has a carbon tax of $1.50 per gigajoule of natural gas. When first levied, the carbon tax drove up the overall costs of greenhouse vegetable production almost seven per cent. The B.C. Greenhouse Vegetable Growers was successful in lobbying for an 80 per cent rebate that the $265 million industry still enjoys today

under the Liberal government. While greenhouse growers have a reprieve on the energy file, Janzen is under no illusions of where the overall food production cycle is going. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Food is next,â&#x20AC;? Janzen predicts. The days of food representing only 10 per cent of disposable income are coming to an end.â&#x20AC;?

Quick facts about B.C. greenhouses â&#x20AC;˘ Number of member greenhouses: 42 â&#x20AC;˘ Total annual farm gate sales for B.C. vegetable greenhouses in 2013: More than $257 million â&#x20AC;˘ Estimated value of sector to British Columbiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy: More than $600 million â&#x20AC;˘ Number of people employed: More than 3,500 â&#x20AC;˘ Distribution of vegetables in production are: Tomatoes: 34% Long English cucumbers: 12% Bell Peppers: 47% Specialty crops: 7%

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER

OFVGA

Board briefs Following are highlights from the OFVGA board meeting held March 20, 2014. 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. Property section Property section chair Brian Gilroy reported that the Agricultural Wildlife Conflict Working Group met in March. Trials to look at how bird damage to horticultural crops can be mitigated were approved and will be moving ahead this year. OFVGA had previously received funding for a survey to assess and quantify wildlife damage to horticulture crops. Study results presented by Susan Fitzgerald in 2013 pegged those losses at approximately $25 million. Research OFVGA’s Research section chair Harold Schooley is currently chairing a search committee to find a replacement for Gord Surgeoner, who will be retiring from his position as President of Ontario Agri-Food Technologies (OAFT). Schooley, who is

OFVGA’s representative to OAFT, is currently chair of that organization. Schooley also reported on the announced closure of the University of Guelph’s Kemptville campus. The decision was made by the University and not by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF). OMAF transferred Kemptville and its other agricultural colleges in Ridgetown and Alfred to the University of Guelph in the 1997. Canadian Horticultural Council The annual meeting of the Canadian Horticultural Council was held March 4 – 6 in Kelowna, British Columbia. Ontario apple grower Brian Gilroy was elected Second Vice President of the organization; Keith Kuhl, a potato farmer from Manitoba, was re-elected as President. Other CHC board members include First Vice President Alvin Keenan from PEI and directors Bar Hayre and Fred Steele of BC, Ernie Van Boom representing the Prairie provinces, Adrian Huisman from Ontario, Jacques Demers and Claude Laniel of Quebec and Peter Swetnam representing the Atlantic region. The 2015 annual

The OFVGA has signed a two-year contract with a hotel in Niagara Falls to host its annual general meeting in 2015 and 2016. The meeting has been held at the Crowne Plaza in the border city since 2009; signing a multi-year commitment with the facility has resulted in some cost savings to the OFVGA.

Photo by Denis Cahill meeting will be held March 10 – 12 in Quebec City. Minimum wage increase CEO Art Smith reported that OFVGA representatives met with Premier Kathleen Wynne with respect to the increase in the minimum wage rate that is to take effect June 1. Since fruit and vegetable growers compete in a global market, there is no opportunity to recover increased costs from the marketplace. From 2002-2012, the cost of food in Ontario increased 32 per cent, but prices for fruits and vegetables only increased 9.7 and 8.1 per cent respectively. From 2004 to 2010, the minimum wage rate in the province increased 50 per

cent; this latest increase to $11 will represent a 60 per cent total increase in minimum wage in the decade from 2004 to 2014. Hiring committee A hiring committee has been struck to begin the search for a replacement for CEO Art Smith, who is retiring at the end of June. The position is being advertised in The Grower, as well as through AgCareers starting in April. The chief staff role at OFVGA is being re-named Executive Vice President to better reflect its scope and responsibilities within the organization. OFVGA annual meeting

Alternate funding model for the OFVGA The OFVGA has been informed that the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission has struck a sub-committee to look at a proposal put forth by the OFVGA seeking an alternate funding mechanism. Currently, the organization is funded through container tolls but these fees do not apply equally to all growers or sectors. The OFVGA began work on an alternate mechanism last year as a result of a resolution from the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers that was passed at the OFVGA AGM in 2013. The next OFVGA board meeting will take place on Thursday, April 17 at the OFVGA office, starting at 10 a.m.

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PAGE 12 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

The power of letters and numbers

ART SMITH CEO, OFVGA I would like to thank all those fruit and vegetable farmers who have taken the time to write to the Premier and explain to her what impact the minimum wage increase to $11 an hour will have on your farming operations. Personally I would like to see more farmers send letters to her because they begin to put a human face or faces on the issue. Your letters mean a whole lot more than three or four of us going to speak on your behalf. Unfortunately policies are often made in the absence of discussion with stakeholders especially those who may well become collateral damage. Yes there was an expert panel commissioned to recommend how minimum wage changes should be made in the future. The panel’s role was regarding process, it was not to determine the rate. We were told to fill out the

questionnaire but there was nothing in the questionnaire relating to specific dollar amounts or what would happen if the new minimum wage was $11, $12 or even $13 an hour. We should feel lucky, I was told, as the new minimum wage rate will only go to $11 and not the $13 or $14 that some were suggesting. This comment in my opinion shows a lack of understanding of the sector and its inability to recover these additional costs from the marketplace . . . This is a foreign thought for most . . . The reality is that this represents an additional cost to the sector of $30 plus million; assuming no job loss. Further this figure represents approximately 40 per cent of the sector’s total business margins. This is huge by anybody’s standards. How can farmers survive this? Well the simple truth is that many will not. You might ask that if this is the case then how such an important point can go unnoticed by government officials. The most probable explanation is that they (government officials) do not differentiate between program margins (as would be provided by OMAF) and what we would consider normal business margins. Program margins are the numbers that OMAF has access to and are used to determine reference margins for Agri-Stability. In short the program margin shows the difference

The reality is that the additional cost to the sector of $30 million plus – assuming no job loss – can’t be recovered from the marketplace. This number represents approximately 40 per cent of the sector’s total business margins -- huge by anybody’s standards.

between crop sales and some expenses while business margins show the difference between sales or income and all expenses. There is a very significant difference. Program margins and business or profit margins measure different things and they cannot be used as a proxy for each other. It is important therefore that when a question about margins is asked that the type of margin information being requested is spelled out. As an example I was recently stating that many of our farmers’ margins were so slim that these farmers simply could not absorb any more costs and still stay in business. The response back to me was that a look at fruit and vegetable margins would not substantiate my claim. When I asked what margins this person was referring to there was silence. I suggested he was talking about program margins. According to OMAF stats average margins in our sector are growing but this is a result of how they do the calculation. Let me give you an example; you could have a ten per cent decrease

in total program margins within a sector and a 20 per cent reduction in farmers in that same sector; the results would show that the average program margin is growing. Mathematically correct but very misleading if you do not understand what you are looking at. So you see it is essential that people understand the difference in margins and more importantly that they specify what type of margin information they are requesting. Any request made of OMAF regarding margins will I believe, be given as program margins as this is what they track and keep regular updates on. As I write this column it is my understanding that large tracts of peaches are being abandoned or removed. For many growers there was already very little “business” margin left and this new labour cost will push many over the edge. The Premier has made it clear that her priority is helping the single mother of two trying to make a living working for minimum wages. I do not disagree with helping those who need help in fact it is a laudable goal. But gov-

ernment needs to ensure that it is not placing an unfair and insurmountable burden on any one group of people while implementing its policy. Yet this is what has happened. It is a fact that employers all across the province are being asked to pay more and in that we are not being treated any differently. There are several differences however; the first is that the majority of employers in Ontario will be able to recover the cost of these wage increases from the marketplace while our farmers cannot and as well our disproportionate dependence on minimum wage earners has far greater implications for our sector. These differences are critical! Your letters help put a face (and votes) on the issue that’s why they are so important. I would ask that you keep them coming. Hopefully it will provoke thought around the consequences to our farmers and the production of local food and most importantly create a desire on the part of government to help our sector overcome the cost of their policy. For what it is worth, it is the way I see it.

WEATHER VANE These nectarine blossoms are a timely harbinger of spring. For the first time, the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board is hosting a “Celebrate the Bloom” event at Tregunno Farms on May 8. Invited retail par tners, growers, marketers, local politicians and Foodland Ontario representatives will learn about the crop outlook and promotional plans for the 2014 season. The board’s 2014 Award of Merit will be presented to Premier Kathleen Wynne for her suppor t of the Local Food Act and the Growing Forward 2 program. Photo by Denis Cahill.

STAFF Publisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Editor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, kdavidson@ecomente.ca Production: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.org Advertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, hsherwood@cogeco.ca

OFFICE 355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105 Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADA Tel. 519-763-8728 • Fax 519-763-6604

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The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to all members of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year for the paper through their commodity group or container fees. Others may subscribe as follows by writing to the office:

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

Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Verkaik, Bradford Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Charles Stevens, Newcastle

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

Charles Stevens, Newcastle Mary Shabatura, Windham Centre John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Ryder, Delhi Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Verkaik, Bradford Mac James, Leamington Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Ken Van Torre, Burford Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Don Taylor, Durham

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC

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

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER

PERSPECTIVE Industry, don’t back off: Neonicotinoid issue is far from over

OWEN ROBERTS UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH If you’re a conventional fruit and vegetable farmer, this spring you may again find yourself in the familiar position of having to explain to people – perhaps in unusually defensive tones -- why you use pesticides. Their role in integrated pest management is well documented, and has been for years. But they were villainized like never before last summer and fall, when they were blamed for wiping out bees.

That accusation caught the province’s attention – especially the wildly fluctuating accounts of bee mortality. In response, the province created a hefty 33member working group, representing the apiary sector, research institutions such as the University of Guelph, grain growers, agri-business and government, to try to get to the bottom of it all and identify approaches to better bee health. The group filed its report with the premier in March, citing a broad range of 13 options for going forward. Banning neonicotinoids, the pesticides blamed by some for bee deaths, was not on the list. An outright ban was being sought by some parts of the agri-food sector. But the working group said no single option would fully address the issue. It also noted that although mortality rates climbed as high as 43 per cent in 2011, they fell to 12 per cent in 2012. That’s below the normal 15 per cent average. The 13 options put forward by

the group cover a range of actions. They include improvements to growing practices and communications, environmental enhancements, technology advancements and training as well as regulatory approaches. This will go over poorly with people who wanted neonicotinoids banned. Their efforts to disparage commercial agriculture will once again leave consumers wondering if Ontario fruit and vegetables are safe to eat. The crop protection industry needs to be more proactive on this matter. It’s not over. People need to know pesticide use is highly regulated in Ontario, and that farmers who want to buy or use commercial pesticides on their farm or woodlot, as well as those who sell pesticides, must be certified through the Ontario Pesticide Education Program. The program offers more than 300 face-to-face courses annually; about 22,000 Ontario farmers are certified or trained in pesticide safety, as are another 1,000 who

sell them. Overall, their goal is to effectively control insects with as little impact as possible on the environment. It was hoped the unusually long, harsh winter from which we’re emerging would act as its own pesticide, and take its toll on some of those hibernating insects. Farmers might catch a bit of a break. But that appears unlikely. Provincial field crop entomologist Tracey Baute of Ridgetown, author of Baute’s Bug Blog, says overall a reduction in pest populations probably won’t be significant, and key pests will endure. Over centuries, she notes, some pests have found ways to adapt to harsh conditions. Some make their own anti-freeze, so when temperatures plunge, their cells don’t explode. Others, such as the black cutworm armyworm, migrate south to warmer climes. Ladybugs move indoors. Wireworms and grubs dig deep below the frost line to hibernate. Some, such as bean leaf beetle,

flea beetles and slugs, play roulette with snow cover. They count on it for its insulating value as a defense against extreme temperatures. If snow is scarce, their numbers could be affected. But given the winter we’ve had, that seems unlikely. We’re still learning about other, new insects. Invasive species just keep showing up, such as the brown marmorated stink bug and spotted wing drosophila, to name a couple. Farmers need to keep them under control, and researchers keep looking for ways to help them do so. Some approaches involve pesticides, and some don’t. The best approaches involve several measures integrated together. But as long as insects infest fields, orchards and vineyards – which is likely to be until the end of time -- crop protection will be vital. And in most cases, pesticides will be an important part of a farmer’s crop protection program.

the amount of neonics by 90 per cent or more with no loss in yield. Then, hopefully, we will see honey bees, wild bees and butter-

flies returning to our gardens, orchards, fields and pastures. For information on the science

behind the OBA’s position visit ontariobee.com/neonics. Dan Davidson, President, The Ontario Beekeepers’ Association

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Beekeepers’ reply

As the organization representing Ontario’s beekeeping industry, we wish to respond to Craig Hunter’s article, “Bee all, end all” in your April issue. Pesticides will always be a part of farming. However, our concern is with neonicotinoids, a new class of systemic pesticides that is particularly lethal to bees, other pollinators and beneficial insects. When these pesticides are used in an indiscriminate manner, the damage is unacceptable. Last year, nearly 100 per cent of Ontario's corn and 65 per cent of soy were treated prophylactically with neonicotinoids, even though OMAF field experts have stated, “only 10 to 20 per cent of the corn and soybean acres are actually at risk of most of the soil pests on the product labels.” This is what we mean by indiscriminate, and we do not believe that this is the way pesticides should be used. Unfortunately, farmers have had no choice. Pesticide companies have offered only neonic-treated seed for the most popular hybrids, convincing farmers that their yield and economic well-being are

dependent on these chemicals. When pressured to offer fungicide-only seed this fall, they did so only in limited supply and at little or no price differential. The decimation of our bee population by the widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides on field crops is of grave concern to Ontario’s beekeepers. With over five-million acres of treated corn and soy covering southern Ontario, there are few places to escape, putting many beekeepers some second- and third-generation - in an unsustainable position. Is the answer, as Mr, Hunter suggests, “beekeeping may have to move out of southern Ontario”? We hope not. And fruit and vegetable growers should hope not, too. Those who profit from the status quo would like to pit beekeepers against farmers. But this is not our position. The indiscriminate use of neonicotinoid pesticides on field crops should be as much of a concern to Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers who depend on pollination to maximize the quality and quantity of their product. Last year, over 33 tons of neonicotinoids were applied to corn, soy and wheat seeds in Ontario. By allowing the use of these pesticides only when needed and employing Integrated Pest Management principles, we should easily be able to reduce

PAGE 14 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

More water management projects to be launched in 2014 Applicant

Photo by Glenn Lowson BRUCE KELLY A review committee has selected 28 projects from 43 eligible applications for funding of approximately $1.25 million from the Water Adaptation Management and Quality Initiative (WAMQI) for the coming year. Funding is provided through Growing Forward 2(GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The program is administered by Farm & Food Care Ontario. This research and demonstration program will encourage demonstration and pilot projects that showcase innovative technologies and solutions for

agricultural water conservation/efficiency. The initiative will also support projects that demonstrate efficient use of nutrients and nutrient management related to water quality. Projects have been chosen that support farm water quality and water quantity objectives and that will benefit Ontario agricultural producers and organizations. We’re pleased with the scope and diversity of the applications submitted this year. WAMQI builds on the successful Water Resource Adaptation and Management Initiative last year which provided $900,000 in funding for 17 water projects. WAMQI will further efforts to improve agricultural water use efficiency and better our understanding of managing agricultural nutrients. WAMQI projects of particular interest to the horticulture sector include nine of the 28 projects (see chart). The staff at Farm & Food Care looks forward to working with the research teams and sharing reports, updates and video features with farmers throughout the season. To see the complete list of 28 newly funded WAMQI projects and the results of last summer’s WRAMI-funded projects, follow the links from Farm & Food Care’s Environment page to both years’ research projects. Bruce Kelly is environmental program lead for Farm & Food Care Ontario. He can be contacted at 519-837-1326 ext 292 or bruce@farmfoodcare.org.

University of Guelph

Project Title Improving irrigation scheduling and nitrogen management in sweet potato production

ENPAR Technologies Process water recycle and reuse circuit for Inc. the Ontario greenhouse industry using ENPAR's ESD capacitive deionization technology The Soil Resource Group

Evaluation of denitrification bioreactors and constructed wetlands under Ontario conditions (continuation of 2013 WRAMI project)

University of Windsor Advanced oxidation processes for treatment of organics in recirculated greenhouse nutrient feed water Ontario Tender Fruit Improvement of irrigation efficiency in Producers' Marketing orchards and vineyards in Ontario Board (apples, grapes) University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus

Use of ground covers and remote soil moisture monitoring equipment to maximize water use efficiency in peach orchards (continuation of 2013 WRAMI project)

University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus

Use of ground covers and irrigation to manage soil moisture in Ontario apple orchards, specifically targeting bitterpit in Honeycrisp apples

University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus

Evaluation of land application of greenhouse wastewater in field vegetable production

The Soil Resource Group

Field and edge of field water quality runoff monitoring of BMPs including cover crop, vegetated buffer and reduced tillage

COMING EVENTS 2014 June 10–13 FMI Connect & United Fresh Produce Association, Chicago, IL June 25

Alliance of Ontario Food Processors Annual General Meeting, Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery, Beamsville, ON

June 26

11th Annual Horticulture Nova Scotia Stokes/Veseys Golf Tournament, Berwick Heights Golf Course, Berwick, NS

June 28

Garlic Growers of Ontario Field Day, Farm of Felix Furmanek, Arthur, ON

July 5, 6

Prince Edward County Lavender Festival, Hillier, ON

July 12, 13 Taste of Niagara Lavender, Great Mountain Centre, Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON July 18

University of Saskatchewan Haskap Day, Saskatoon, SK

August 2

Food Day Canada

Aug 9, 10

Perth Garlic Festival, Perth, ON

August 17

Newmarket Garlic Festival, Newmarket, ON

August 23

Sudbury Garlic Festival, Sudbury, ON

August 30

Verona Garlic Festival, Verona, ON

Sept 6, 7

Stratford Garlic Festival, Stratford, ON

Sept 9 – 11 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Woodstock, ON Sept 13, 14 Niagara Garlic Festival, Great Mountain Centre, Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Sept 16 – 20 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo, Simcoe County, Ivy, ON

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING

Label your packaging properly!

There are only 30 commodities for which Canada grade names exist. All other commodities cannot use the Canada grade name on either shipping containers or consumer-size packages.

IAN MACKENZIE

Photos by Glenn Lowson

With this year’s growing season around the corner, now would be a good time for growers to check their packaging for compliance with government regulations. Both federal and provincial governments have made changes to labeling requirements over the last few years, e.g. OMAF revoked all fresh fruit and vegetable grade standards, except for potatoes, two years ago. Now is a good time to check your packages before they go to market. Here are a few things you should know: Shipping and master containers have to be labeled with: • the common name (and variety name for apples) of the produce, unless it is already readily visible and identifiable • the net quantity declared by count, weight or volume in metric, or metric and Canadian (Imperial) units • the Canada grade name but only if the product has a grade (see below) (Ontario grades are no longer valid except for potatoes) • the country of origin with the

words "Product of (name of country)" • the identity and principal place of business of the person by or for whom the product was manufactured or produced for resale (the address should contain city, province and postal code – enough of an address so that a mail delivery would be guaranteed) • for product marketed as organic product, the name of the certification body that has certified the product as organic is required Pre-packaged, consumer-size containers have to be labeled with: • all of the above except all of the labeling must be in English and French (please note, however, that the identity and principal place of business does not have to be bilingual) There are only 30 commodities for which Canada grade names exist. All other commodities cannot use the Canada grade name on either shipping containers or consumer-size packages. The only fresh fruits and vegetables that can be labeled with Canada grade names are the following:apples, apricots, asparagus, beets (not bunched),

blueberries, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupes (optional), carrots (not bunched), cauliflower, celery, cherries, sweet corn, crabapples (optional), cranberries (optional), cucumbers (field and greenhouse), grapes, head lettuce (iceberg), nectarines, onions (excluding green onions), parsnips, peaches, pears, plums and prunes, potatoes, field rhubarb (optional), rutabagas, strawberries (optional), tomatoes (field and greenhouse, but not grape, cherry or TOV) Examples of commodities that should never have a Canada grade name declared on the package include: green onions, peppers, zucchini, leeks, radishes, leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, garlic, Swiss chard For further information, growers can contact CFIA, Adet Thomas in Guelph at 226-217-8324 (ext. 48324) or Adet.Thomas@inspection.gc.ca or OMAF, Richard Kaufman also in Guelph at 519-826-4970 or richard.kaufman@ontario.ca. Ian MacKenzie is president, Ontario Produce Marketing Association with offices at the Ontario Food Terminal.

PAGE 16 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING

Boxing machine increases strength, reduces costs of corrugated

Packaging solutions come from sharing your challenges. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods and Oils is a Winnipeg company shipping to Costco Canada and Costco U.S. Complaints were drifting back that their corrugated cartons weren’t standing up to the wear-and-tear of long-distance travel. While this is a case study of shelled hemp seed, it could

easily be a role model for fruit and vegetable vendors says Andrew Hildebrand, sales representative for Norampac’s Winnipeg office. “Instead of hand-folding boxes, I suggested a new, tray-formed design that would add strength as well as use 40 per cent less corrugate,” says Hildebrand. By partnering with the box machine manufacturer and financing the deal

for two years, Norampac sold the “complete” solution to the hemp client. Boxes are glued and squeezed precisely square. The automated boxing system will save about 35 per cent in costs on a total volume of 100,000 cases per year.

Safety and security throughout the supply chain DAVID ANDREWS Fruit and vegetable growers in Ontario invest too much time and effort nurturing their crops and

focusing on healthy yields to worry unnecessarily about the condition of their produce upon arriving at stores. Our customer, the grower, must be confident that the distribution chain from

farm gate to retail remains safe, secure and economical for their delicate and valuable products. It is the corrugated packaging industry’s goal to assure growers that our products protect their

• Fruit Labeling Equipment and Labels • Clam Shell and Flow Pack Labelers • PTI Compliance Box Labeling Solutions • Labels for all makes and models Ph: (586) 933-3006 Fax: (519) 739-9898

www.labelpac.com sam@labelpac.com

products throughout the supply chain. We continue to look at ways to ensure this is a reality. Listening to comments from growers, shippers and retailers and working to advance the functionality of corrugated containers to enhance ventilation, improve stackability and cushioning and incorporating ease of handling features in the structural design is ongoing. These features of the corrugated container are all areas warranting regular review given ongoing feedback from players throughout the entire supply chain. And in addition to product improvements, the box industry also continues to focus on sustainable packaging for growers, shippers and retailers. • To enhance cooling rates and also improve vertical structural strength, the industry suggests replacing circular vent holes with vertical slots. Vertical slots are an improved feature to help keep your strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and peaches, crisp and cool from your farm, to the store.

Only rinssed containers can be recycled

Helps keep collec ction sites clean

Use all th he chemicals you purchase

Keeps collection sites safe for workers

Maintain you ur farm’s good reputattion

No o exccuse no ott to o! Now, take your empty e fertilizer containeerrs along for the ride! i

• In response to retailer demand, several years ago the industry in North America created the Corrugated Common Footprint (CCF). The CCF standard establishes recommended uniform footprint dimensions and common interlocking tabs for corrugated containers. Although widely accepted now, there do remain some designs that do not comply with this universal design. These “outlier” designs need to be revisited. Adoption of the CCF and standard interlocking tabs will facilitate efficient loading, handling, storage and shipment of produce on standardized 40 x 48 pallets. • Branding is always top-of-mind and we understand the continued importance of resisting commoditizing your products and distin-

guishing yourself from competitors. Graphics highlight the farm and the produce packaged and appeals to consumers’ need to know the source of their food. Side and end walls of corrugated are the ideal place to highlight the Ontario farm produce message and an economical option compared to other media channels. Corrugated containers are a vehicle to promote desirable, safe, hygienic, fresh and locally produced crops. • The North American corrugated industry also aims to clarify total shipping costs. Transparent information on costs of corrugated vs Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) can be found at: www.cccabox.org. We invite you to read two case studies from our American counterparts posted in our In The News section of the CCCA web site. • Corrugated containers also have an exemplary environmental profile. Initially, they are harvested from a raw renewable crop – trees – and their byproducts. After collected back from the retailers, the now used corrugated container is one of the most recycled products on earth. The Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) currently estimates that 85 per cent of corrugated shipped in Canada is recovered from the back of supermarkets, factories and curbside Blue Box Systems. More detailed information on sustainability and environmental aspects of corrugated can be found at www.ppec-paper.com. The time to reassess the structural and graphic design of corrugated containers is now, before the packing season is in full swing. For more information, visit www.cccabox.org. David Andrews is executive director, Canadian Corrugated and Containerboard Association.

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING

What’s in a pallet? It’s all in inventory tracking as sort and recovery stations in western Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg) and eastern Canada (including Toronto, Kitchener, Cornwall, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, and Halifax). As an exhibitor at the recent Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show, the

KAREN DAVIDSON PECO Pallet may not yet be a household name in Canada, but

the North American supplier of pallet rental services is quickly establishing a presence with full-service depots in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, as well

Vented plastic bins cool produce faster

Pamela Bartemus, (L) Macro Plastics and Gary Hind, H & H Wood Products demonstrated the Hybrid 44-FV bin at the 2014 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. This bin can be configured with different wood pallet assemblies to function within the specifications of various processing systems and warehouses. Photo by Denis Cahill. Macro Plastics offers an alternative to wood bins with its offer of a new bulk container for harvesting and storage, the Hybrid 44-FV. This new injection-molded plastic bin, fixed within a lean wood frame for structural support, is designed to stack more securely than wood bins and is cleaner because product only comes in contact with polypropylene plastic. The splinter-resistant plastic portion of the container is manufactured with FDA-approved materials, and the smooth surfaces and rounded corners help reduce abrasions to the produce contents. Load capacity is 1,300

pounds. Growers can choose between vents or without. Fork lift entry can be two-way or fourway. The interlocking design creates secure stacks up to 10 bins high with a bruise buffer in between. The bins will be shipped directly from Macro Plastics with the wood frames supplied by H & H Wood Products Inc. in Wheatley, Ontario. Growers can select from several pre-designed wood configurations and order kits which can be assembled on site to meet specific needs. Ontario growers have the option to order the complete unit directly from H & H Wood Products.

company demonstrated its distinctive red wood block pallets, which are fully recyclable and biodegradable. PECO can provide certified heat-treated pallets that comply with North American phytosanitary standards. PECO Pallet has a web-based pallet management tool that allows users to log in from

anywhere to place orders, check delivery dates, view invoices, enter transactions, or track pallet flows. Many renters set up recurring orders to ensure a regular supply of pallets. PECO’s systems also integrate with EDI to place orders and report transfers.

PAGE 18 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING

Solo packaging stands out in a crowd 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

KAREN DAVIDSON Solo eating. The trend was unmistakeable in the aisles of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association Trade Show, recently held in Vancouver, B.C. Ever smaller units of produce are packaged for singles. Two is a crowd-pleaser. Why so much packaging? Food safety is one driver but so is convenience. The downtown cores of Canada’s major cities now consist of condo cave dwellers. How do they live and eat? If they cook, it must be simple. For a

weekend brunch, here’s a Solo red, orange or yellow pepper to go into your frittata, courtesy of Lakeside Produce. Or for a condo patio party, try an oldfashioned beefsteak tomato for hamburgers on a bun. That’s the idea of Red Hat Co-operative Limited. Produce vendors are studying the demographics and responding. They’re also looking ahead to having shelf space – and life -- in convenience stores. Those days may be closer than previously thought with Loblaw’s acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart, now one of the most competitive purveyors of milk, eggs and butter.

Lakeside Produce, Leamington, Ontario

LABELS & LABEL MACHINERY SALES SERVICE SUPPORT

P: 519-326-8200 F: 1-888-567-1297 www.madleyglobal.com

Lakeside Produce was first to market with the individually wrapped Solo pepper in 2010 says Karen Rai, marketing coordinator. The packaging materials are microperforated using a CO2 laser, which greatly extends the shelf life and eliminates excessive handling directly on the pepper. This innovation was stimulated by a customer who had shrink concerns on bulk peppers. In conjunction with a university from New York State, Lakeside came up with this store-level solution. “Our Solle grape tomato is a high-flavour orange grape tomato that we have been working on since last season,” says Rai. “This is a convenient way to add some colour to any meal with a lowacid product. We have seen growth and acceptance in the market place with the coloured grape tomatoes.”

Red Hat Co-operative, Redcliff, Alberta “This pack evolved from a customer request,” says Mike Meinhardt, key account manager for Red Hat Co-operative Ltd., Redcliff, Alberta. “They were looking for new ideas and ways to merchandise existing produce.” Since Sobeys was planning a spring/summer BBQ section, a hamburger pack made sense. It also made sense to partner with Alberta Beef which shared its most popular hamburger recipe. Another twist to this spring’s promotion campaign is a Grower Card Contest. About 750,000 trading cards will be inserted into packaged produce and distributed from May through August. “Let’s give consumers the opportunity to get to know local growers who produce tomatoes for their families.”

Windset Farms, Delta, British Columbia Situated next door to Canada’s largest Asian population, Windset Farms has launched Box Choy -a clever package of Shanghai bok choy. Their deep well of greenhouse expertise has been tested learning how to select the right varieties for hydroponic-growing conditions. “The perks of growing hydroponically in a controlled, certified greenhouse environment is having clean, soil-free product,” explains Priscilla Ho, marketing assistant.

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING

Sunbites warm up winter-weary palates

•

Agricultural * Commercial * Industrial Lassonde Specialties has launched a new product in Canadian grocery stores: Sunbites corn on the cob. This grown-in-Canada product is available in the refrigerated produce section. The sweet corn is cooked and vacuum-packed on the day it’s picked for maximum freshness all year long. With a booth at the CPMA trade show, the SaintDamase company was touting the groundbreaking process resulting from more than two years of research and development. Their innovation is to seal in the best flavour of sweet corn, acknowledged to be within 24 hours of harvest. Most fresh sweet corn offered in wintertime is already four days’ old after being harvested and shipped from Florida.

“Sunbites is a North American premiere that gives families a way to change up their menu including Canadian corn on the cob on a regular basis, even in winter,” says Stefano Bertolli, vice-president communications, Lassonde Industries Inc. “With its convenient packaging and nutritional value, Sunbites fits right into the lifestyle of people looking for quick, healthy alternatives. We are also very proud to give our support to local corn growers.” Lassonde Specialties’ head office is located in Sainte-Damase on Montreal’s south shore, with two plants in the Greater Montreal region (Saint-Damase and Boisbriand) and more than 150 employees.

RPCs ideal for blueberries

50 Years of Excellent Service Refrigeration (All Types) Heating, Air Conditioning Controlled Atmosphere

905-685-4255 www.pennrefrigeration.com info@pennrefrigeration.com 18 Seapark Drive, St Catharines ON, L2M 6S6

Still using wood bins? Replace them! Buy the Hybrid 44 -FV.

The beneﬁts of plastic and mo ore... but at a lower price. NEW!

Macro Plastics’ Hybrid 44 -FV. A plastic bin ﬁxed within a lean wo o d f ra m e f o r s t r u c t u r al su p p o r t . T h i s alternative t o w o o d b in s is designed to o er all the ot e c t i o n of plastic bins, but at a p r i c e yo u c a n a f f o r d .

InterCrate Container Corporation displayed a range of reusable containers, purpose-built to fit particular grower and shipper requirements. The Vancouver-based company focuses on freshcut salad, blueberries, tomatoes and vegetables says president Justin Elvin-Jensen. The company has had success with its InterCrate 4.5 in blueberries. It offers faster precool, lots of ventilation and smooth

surfaces throughout. It’s strong enough to go 18 trays high in a truck to make long-distance bulk blueberry shipments more profitable. InterCrate also showed its new FreshFold which is a custom designed RPC for freshcut salad operations. Better use of internal volume outward and foldown when empty makes cross-country movement less costly.

Reduced Deliver y Costs The light weight plastic bins are nested w h e n shi p p e d a n d t h e wo o d f ra m e s c a n b e a s s e m b l e d o n c e o n si t e.

www.macroplastics.com

Increased Stack Sttability The interlocking design makes stacking easier and stacks are straighter than those with wood bins. Coontact us for a price quotte today! 707. 4 37.120 0 info@macroplastics.com

PAGE 20 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS AND PACKAGING

Metalized plastic protects premium potatoes from greening KAREN DAVIDSON For EarthFresh, packaging provides more benefits than a programmed weight of potatoes. The Canadian produce company has sourced an innovative, light-blocking bag made from metalized plastic. The new material helps protect the potatoes from greening. In a normal polybag, potatoes will last up to six days before they can start to green. In the new EarthFresh bags, the shelf life is up to 21 days. Currently, the product is available in Metro Ontario stores and Sobeys across Canada, each in their own retailer-specific packaging says Stephanie Cutaia, EarthFresh marketing manager. Demonstrated at last month’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show in Vancouver, the bags also communicate a usage, colour-coded system based on international standards that indicates which potatoes are best for certain cooking methods. EarthFresh handpicks the variety of potato used for each cooking application. By helping con-

Demonstrated at last month’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show, the bags communicate a colour-coded system for boiling, baking, mashing and roasting.

sumers pick the right potato, there is a higher chance of maximizing satisfaction with the cooked product and ensuring repeat business. Baking? Boiling? Mashing? Roasting? EarthFresh has

simplified the choice with their cook-the-right-potato program. Retail clients like the program because of clear, one-word messaging. EarthFresh manages the

process through its complete supply-chain involvement from seed breeding, seed production,

table stock production, packaging and distribution.

IT’S WHAT’S

INSIDE THAT COUNTS The Canadian corrugated industry develops creative packaging solutions that are cost effective, versatile, environmentally sound and food safe. Our boxes are designed with high-impact graphics that communicate your brand. We focus on what matters: what’s inside the box.

Visit us at www.cccabox.org to learn more. Proud supporter of the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC)

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 21 THE GROWER

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Overwaitea: Great presence in some of Canada’s best markets

PETER CHAPMAN Overwaitea Food Group has been operating in British Columbia for close to 100 years. One of the most interesting names in the Canadian food industry does have a story. The stores were originally positioned to deliver great value, which is where the name originates. The stores sold 18 ounces of tea for the price of a pound and they became known as the “over weight tea” stores. The company operates or supplies a number of retail banners which include: Save on Foods Large stores operating in B.C. and Alberta. Originally the B.C. stores were positioned as large discount stores, however the new stores opening in Calgary have a much more upscale look and deliver a market style fresh offering. It is apparent that they are

moving the banner away from direct competition with Walmart, and trying to appeal to consumers with higher incomes. The stores offer a comprehensive ad program with significant reductions from regular price. In February, it was announced that Sobeys would divest 14 locations on Vancouver Island, which would become Save On, and also that the company would convert 11 Price Smart stores to Save On. Clearly this is the banner that Jim Pattison Group has chosen to drive volume in the future in lucrative markets, such as Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary. There are currently 90 Save On Foods stores. Overwaitea Smaller stores operated in 13 rural communities of B.C. These stores offer traditional food store departments and they carry the

private label included in other Jim Pattison Group stores, which is called Western Family. Price Smart This chain was operated as a discount banner for a number of years, however recently many stores have been converted to Save On Foods stores. The five remaining stores appear to be positioned as specialty stores targeting Asian consumers in the market. Urban Fare A relatively new chain with five stores operating in Vancouver and Kelowna. These upscale, urban locations offer many specialty items and more selection of organic produce and smaller sizes. Designed to appeal to the high-end shopper in downtown Vancouver, these stores are a great destination for consumers

looking for unique items and quality prepared foods. Cooper’s Foods Similar to Overwaitea, this is a group of 15 stores operating in rural communities of B.C. These are smaller stores positioned to be friendly and “local.” It is interesting that the Overwaitea Food Group has so many different banners with smaller numbers of stores. They must see equity in the formats to keep them separate. Here are my top considerations when developing relationships with Overwaitea Food Group: 1. Respect that they have to compete with the national chains. 2. Regional chains provide opportunities to test products or programs in a smaller number of stores. 3. Local items are more important

to a regional chain such as Overwaitea. 4. Look for opportunities that are unique to the different banners, no different than with the larger chains. 5. Understand if you compete with items manufactured by other divisions of the Jim Pattison Group. This does not always mean you are at a disadvantage, but understand the position you are in. 6. This company should be able to change faster than larger national chains. 7. Urban Fare stores service some very upscale clientele. If you have specialty items, this could be a good opportunity. 8. Save On Foods operate a high/low program with thousands of specials. If you sell products in these stores, you need to plan for more ads.

Loblaw’s acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart approved After several months, the competition bureau has approved the purchase of Shoppers Drug Mart by Loblaw Companies. It will be very interesting to see what changes will be made in these stores now that Loblaw can start to

have an impact. The locations in the urban markets provide a real opportunity for a health and wellness destination. They can access the Loblaw supply chain to deliver fresh produce

Get on the same page with numbers When I was with Loblaw it was so important to discuss results with suppliers. Retailers will not share everything, but they will let you know how your item is performing. It is very important that you both have the same expectation for your item. These are conversations that must happen. If the retailer perceives good performance to be 500 cases per week, and the supplier believes 300 is the right number, there will be a problem. Expectations need to be similar. Do not assume you are on the same page. Sales to the warehouse are

not the only measurement. You need to be thinking about profit, ads and shrink, as well as sales. Peter Chapman, a retail food consultant and professional speaker, is principal of GPS Business Solutions, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Peter works with producers and processors to help them navigate through the retail environment with the ultimate goal of getting more items into the shopping cart. pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

and other perishable items. There have been reports of Decadent cookies in Shoppers, so look for more President’s Choice in the upcoming months.

PAGE 22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MAY 2014 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

2014 Minor Use Priorities as chosen by growers The 2014 Minor Use Priority-Setting Meeting selected 37 projects over three days. Another six projects were chosen for research where no chemistry was evident as a solution. In addition there was a preliminary selection of eight bio-pesticides from which a final four will be selected to facilitate their initial registration or

a registration in a new use site category. This is a new approach that growers look upon as a good step to encourage the availability of this class of chemistry. The meetings were organized by The Pest Management Centre of AAFC and attracted a total of 550 people over three days.

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 23 THE GROWER

It’s like watching grass grow. Only it won’t. There’s nothing to see here. Nothing at all, except your healthy vineyard. That’s because Alion® is hard at work. This pre-emergent broad spectrum herbicide stops weeds before they start, so you won’t see them all season long. Apply it once for complete residual protection against both broadleaf and grassy weeds including glyphosate-, triazine- and ALS-resistant weeds. When it comes to weed control in your vineyard, there’s simply nothing better. Learn more at BayerCropScience.ca/Alion

BayerCropScience.ca/Alion or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Alion® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

PAGE 24 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

63RD ANNUAL MUCK VEGETABLE GROWERS’ CONFERENCE

Highlights of the 2013 onion cultivar trials Bradford, ON -- The Muck Research Station recently released its scores from the 2013 onion cultivar trials. Station research manager, Shawn Janse reports there were 36 onion cultivars from nine companies seeded on May 6. The plots were pulled on September 16 and 17. All onions were topped September 24, 25 and 27. Evaluations occurred during December. Half of the trials had marketable yields of 90.7 per cent or higher. “These scores, based on qualities such as skin, firmness and neck finish, are comparable with recent har-

vests,” says Janse. “The storage trial is continuing with evaluation expected in June.” The following slides offer a snapshot of the trials for yellow cooking onions and red onions, used for garnishes and salad-making. The red cultivars, 16 in all, were from transplants. The top score ratings are based on 10 being perfect; seven or higher is a desirable score. For in-depth scoring results and yields, go to www.uoguelph.ca/muckcrop/

Yellow cooking onions

Red onions

ADVERTORIAL

Watch out, that looks like a POLAR BERRY A new cold tolerant berry crop, Haskap, has been developed in Canada, this one ripens in early summer, berries are very juicy and have a tasty tangy, sweet flavour and holds promise for an exciting new berry industry. Haskap berries can be orchard grown, yields that appear to be commercially interesting and this berry loves frigid winter weather. In fact it needs cold polar winters to prepare it self for early spring flowering and early summer berry ripening. A temperature drop, of -5° C that would normally destroy apple, peach, strawberry and grape blossoms do little to slow these plants down. Haskap blossoms can tolerate a -4° C spring frost and are able to be pollinated by Bumble Bees, once blossoms are warmed by the morning sun. Known by many names such as Honeyberries, Sweet Berry Honeysuckle and Northern Blue Honeysuckle this crop is one of the most cold tolerant fruit crops grown on Earth. This berry has the possibility to move farming’s Northern frontier 500 miles closer to the North Pole. Not your tender fruit bush, this tough little denizen of the Boreal Forest has been partially tamed by the University of Saskatchewan in the breeding program of Dr. Bob Bors, Canada’s Honeysuckle Berry visionary. Phytocultures Ltd., in cooperation with the North-Eastern Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association and a number of Northern Ontario berry producers have initiated a series of variety plantings and fertility experiments across Northern Ontario to define production parameters of

these POLAR BERRIES. Growing in a warm Plant Hardiness zone 4a production zone,Temiskaming District, and extending North to a challenging 2a James Bay Region, these berry producers are leading a berry innovation movement. Phytocultures Ltd. has developed a 28 acres variety trial site and a new variety evaluation plot in Clyde River PEI, Canada. Here annual technical production information is being recorded and added to our growing body of Honeysuckle knowledge. We are interested in Northern production regions but are aware that cold areas also exist in other parts of Canada and the USA. These berries present an exciting

new berry production opportunity. Almost forgot, these berries are tolerant of a wide range of soil types, they will produce berries within a year or two of planting and have reached commercial potential, under our conditions, in 4-5 years. Work performed on the nutrient content of these berries demonstrates they have 2-3 times the anti-oxidant potential of Wild Low Bush Blue Berries. Phytocultures has a wide selection of commercially available planting stocks and are able to ship Fall, Winter and Spring. Visit our web site: phytocultures .com or if you are visiting PEI, give us a call and see first hand progress being made with our Haskap Berry research.

MR = Haskap mix Russian varieties USK = Haskap from University of Saskatchewan (i.e. variety Indigo Gem) SB = Saskatoon Berry WB = Wild Blueberry Dr. Junzeng Zhang, NRC Institute of Nutrisciences and Health, Charlottetown, PE, final report to Phytocultures Ltd., July 16 2008

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 25 THE GROWER

AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

‘Innovation is not optional but required in today’s economy’: Kevin Martin KAREN DAVIDSON Innovation doesn’t happen like a Eureka! moment. It’s most often the result of a culture of constant renovation. At the recent meeting of the Agriculture Management Institute, several speakers alluded to nurturing this culture of continuous improvement. One example is Kevin Martin, president of Martin’s Family Fruit Farms. Now the leader of a 17,000 square-foot processing plant in Elmira, Ontario, he has stewarded the launch of Martin’s Crispy Apple Chips. It’s a value-added product, with the raw ingredient sourced from 750 acres of orchards owned near Vienna and Harrow. “Innovation is not a new concept,” he says. “In recent years, we hear a lot about innovation. For us, it means developing new products or processes. In reality, innovation is not something that’s optional but required in today’s economy if you plan to be in business for the foreseeable future. For innovation to work, companies need to develop the competencies to execute and the financial support to carry out the plan.” Continuous improvement Martin recalled a decade-long pursuit of continuous improvement. He visited Washington State, observing that monster orchards had little resemblance to Ontario’s context. Yet there were some ideas for some basic automation. Those small ideas created a culture and acceptance that bigger things would come down the road. The company bought a box-making machine that cut corrugated costs by 25 per cent, however the purchase was made too late. A huge contract with a U.K. client made the machinery cost-effective until that contract went by the wayside. “Today that box is used for another customer and makes up 30 to 40 per cent of our business,” Martin says. “Ideally, we are innovative proactively not reactively. The more planning that can be put into an idea, the higher rate of success.” That philosophy served well when a strategy meeting in July 2010 pointed to new product expansion. “We eliminated a number of products because they didn’t meet our criteria of making a positive impact on the Ontario apple industry,” says Martin. “Another apple juice or apple sauce didn’t cut it.” Committed to developing an apple chip, the Martin’s visited trade shows in 2011. Apple chips

are a niche market. The most commonly available apple chips are more like potato chips, made with oil. But to be on trend with a healthy snack, they wanted a pure apple chip. It was a two-year process of research, identifying risks and contingency plans. By 2012, it was time to pull the trigger. A government loan through the AgriInnovation Program was helpful. A mechanical engineer was hired to be project manager

and fortunately, became an apple chip designer/inventor. Building in a green field in Elmira, the new plant produced its first apple chip December 12, 2012. Marketing has been the next big challenge. Currently, Martin’s Crispy Apple Chips are available in all Loblaw Superstores in Ontario, 19 Costco’s and more to come in eastern Canada. By July 2014, more flavours will be introduced. The publicity on this spring’s “The Food Factory”

makes the process look easy, but the apple chip has been several years in incubation including a soft launch at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association

trade show in 2012. That was a strategic move to capture feedback from the major grocers who attend the show. Seek input early and often.

PAGE 26 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER Yields (lb/plant) from potted raspberry plants in a high tunnel, Benton Harbor, MI. Cultivar

2011

2012

2013

Jaclyn

0.8

1.9

2.2

Joan J

1.1

3.1

3.2

A Britten

0.8

1.9

1.7

Polka

1.1

2.5

2.3

Himbo Top

0.9

2.5

2.9

Caroline

1.0

2.9

2.7

Potted raspberries in high tunnels

Josephine

0.9

2.3

3.2

Anne

1.1

2.5

2.7

DIANE BROWN (MSU EXTENSION, BERRIEN COUNTY) MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ERIC HANSON (DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE) MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Nova

3.0

Encore

2.7

We have been working with a potted growing system to quickly screen cultivars for suitability in high tunnels, and also to evaluate commercial potential for potted raspberry culture. Potted culture may have value where soils contain chemical contaminants or are infested with pathogens, or where growers wish to move plants to make efficient use of tunnel space. The work is funded partly by the Michigan State Horticulture Society Trust Fund. Eight primocane-fruiting (fall fruiting) cultivars (Anne, Autumn Britten, Caroline, Himbo Top, Jaclyn, Joan J, Josephine, Polka) were potted in 2011 in three gallon black plastic Gro-bags filled with a mix of 70 per cent composted pine bark and 30 per cent peat. Joan Irene, Nantahala, Crimson Giant and the proprietary cultivar Erika, and two floricane-fruiting types

(Encore, Nova) were added in 2012. Crimson Giant plants were received early and grown in a greenhouse before they were transplanted to Gro-bags and moved to the tunnel in June. Plants of Erika were received late and placed in the tunnel on June 8. Plants have been grown in a 200 x 24 ft high tunnel bay covered with plastic from May to late October. We have utilized shade fabric over the plastic at different times to moderate temperatures and light. Plants were drip irrigated with one 0.5 gph emitter per pot. Schedules varied in 2011 as we determined water demand. Plants were watered six times per day for 30 minutes per time (2012) or 20 minutes (2013). Nutrition was supplied with a small amount of Osmocote early in the season and continuous fertigation through the trickle system thereafter, delivering approximately 100 ppm nitrogen using commercial soluble fertilizer. Plots were harvested every two to five days from 25 Aug to 3 Nov, 2011, 11 July to 20 Oct, 2012, and 15 July to 18 Oct, 2013 (floricane-fruiting types from 1

July to 9 Aug, 2013) to determine yields and average berry weight. Half-pint clamshell samples were collected on several dates and evaluated for appearance and percent mold after 6-24 hr at 2°C and 24-48 hr at 18°C. During the 2011-12 winter, half of the plants were stored in a cooler and half were stored outside. Survival was nearly 100 per cent. During the 2012-2013 winter, all plants were piled about three high on site and covered with a nursery fabric. Again, few plants were lost. All canes of the primocane fruiting varieties were pruned out before stacking. The floricane fruiting varieties were pruned to retain two 5-6 ft tall canes per plant.

Appearance 2012

Rot (%)

2013

2012

0.4

2.6

Joan Irene

0.1

2.3

Cr. Giant

0.5

1.2

Erika

0.1

2.6

Shelf life and fruit quality Half-pint clamshell samples stored for a short time to simulate commercial handling were rated for overall appearance on a scale of one ( non-salable) to five (excellent with no defects), and sorted to determine the percentage with visible mold (Table 1). Appearance was rated lower for irregular shaped or coloured berries, presence of mold, or

Table 1. Appearance (1=unmarketable to 5=excellent, no defects), rot incidence, and comments on potted raspberry varieties grown under a high tunnel. Half pint clamshell samples were collected on six dates in 2012, and evaluated after 6-24 hr at 2°C and 24-48 hr at 18°C. Variety

Nantahala

Comments 2013

Jaclyn

3.7

2.8

1.5

2.7 dark to v dark, slight discolouration, dull, firm to v firm, good to excellent flavour

Joan J

3.7

3.1

1.9

2.3 dark to v dark, discolours some, slight gloss, firm, good to excellent flavour

Autumn Britten

3.3

3.2

5.3

6.7 medium red, discolours some, some gloss, soft to medium firm, good flavour

Polka

4.3

4.4

3.4

2.0 medium red and glossy, little discolouration, firm, excellent flavour

Himbo Top

3.8

4.1

4.0

2.6 medium red, glossy, little discolouration, soft to med firm, average flavour

Caroline

4.2

3.6

1.6

0.6 med red to slightly dark, little discolouration, some gloss, somewhat soft, good flavour

Josephine

3.7

3.3

2.6

0.9 darker red, little discolouration, dull, firm to v firm, good to excellent flavour

Anne

3.5

3.6

4.2

2.3 yellow, discolouration, medium gloss and firmness, good flavour

Nantahala

3.0

6.7 medium red, little discolouration, dull, medium firm, good to excellent flavour

Joan Irene

3.1

0.8 dark to v dark, little discolouration, firm to v firm, excellent flavour

Crimson Giant

2.5

14.1 medium red, irregular colour, glossy, soft (poor adhesion), weak flavour (some off-flavours)

Erika

4.0

3.9 light to medium red, no discolouration, medium firm, good to excellent flavour.

excessively dark colour. Few differences were apparent in appearance, although Polka and Erika fruit were rated high due to a uniform lighter red colour. Jaclyn, Caroline and Josephine appeared to have less incidence of gray mold. Taste is subjective, but we provided some general impressions (Table 1). Some varieties generally rated as very tasty were Jaclyn, Joan J, Polka, Josephine, Nantahala, Joan Irene and Erika. Yields Highest yielding types planted in 2011 have been Joan J, Caroline and Himbo Top. Yields were modest in 2011, partly due to wind and periods of water stress. Production from all varieties was higher in 2012 and 2013 due to improved irrigation scheduling and the use of a 30 per cent shade material placed over the tunnel plastic in the summer to moderate sun and temperatures. Yields of varieties planted in 2012 (Nantahala, Joan Irene, Crimson Giant, Erika) have been relatively low, partly because they are late-fruiting types and we have not attempted to prolong the harvest season by enclosing the tunnel in the late fall. Yields of these types would have been increased by lengthening the picking season The two floricane fruiting types (Nova, Encore) were harvested for the first time in 2013 and yield similar amounts as the better primocane-fruiting varieties. At our plant spacing, an acre would contain about 6,200 plants,

so a yield of 3.0 lb per plant would equate to more than 18,000 lb per acre. Pests, diseases and disorders Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) adults have emerged in July, causing significant damage and some yield losses, and requiring numerous sprays for control. Other pests have included spider mites, potato leafhoppers (most severe on Polka), botrytis mold (worst on Anne, Crimson Giant and Himbo Top) and animals chewing the drip lines. Late leaf rust was observed on Jaclyn, Joan Irene and Josephine, but it never affected the fruit. Powdery mildew was also present on leaves but not fruit. Foliar symptoms were moderate on Nantahala, and light on Encore, Nova and Erika. Doubling of fruit was observed on Autumn Britten and Nantahala. Economics Inputs and potential revenues were summarized based on our experiences. The production system is very labour intensive, but potential revenues are significant as well. On a per acre basis, the initial investment is paid for after the first season. Annual profit for year two and later is $15,000 per acre. For this production system to be attractive commercially, some alterations in irrigation and trellis system design and plant training are needed, in order to reduce seasonal labour needs. For detailed budgets, write to Eric Hanson (hansone@msu.edu).

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 27 THE GROWER

BERRY FOCUS

New health and safety training requirements for farm workers A new regulation will require health and safety awareness training for every worker and supervisor under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The regulation comes into force July 1, 2014. This includes all farms with paid employees. One way to complete the new health and safety awareness training will be for workers and supervisors to take part in a one-hour tutorial either individually or in groups using free, online e-learning tools or hard-copy workbooks. The training is designed to help prevent workplace incidents and injuries by making workers and supervisors

aware of their roles, rights and responsibilities in the workplace. Workplaces that have provided similar training to employees will not need to participate, as long as the previous training met the minimum requirements of the new regulation. New and young workers are three times more likely to be injured in the first month of their employment than more experienced workers. Training materials are available at: www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/training/index.php

Once the e-learning training module is complete, an employee will receive a certificate that is valid for the remainder of his or her career. The printed training materials are available in nine languages. You do not have to report the training to the Ministry, but you must maintain a record of completion for all of your workers and supervisors and be able to present it should a ministry inspector visit your farm or workplace. A record of completion can be as simple as your employee signing and dating their workbook.

The hidden gems in OMAF Publication #360, Guide to Fruit Production

PAM FISHER Most fruit and nut growers use OMAF Publication #360, Guide to Fruit Production, for up-to-date information on pest control product options, rates and

timings. This publication is also the place to find information on nutrients, fertilizer rates and timings for fruit crops. Apple growers know that the section on fruit thinning is unique and comprehensive. Every year we also update important information that you might not realize is included, such as: • Nematodes and nematode management (chapter 8, page 231-232) • Wildlife management (deer, rodents, birds) (chapter 8, page 235-237) • Organic products and biopesticides, including a comprehensive table on what’s available for fruit crops in Ontario, with specialized comments about their use (chapter 9, page 241-256) • Resistance management – find crop-specific strategies for

reducing risks of resistance to insecticides, miticides and fungicides, by family group. Also find tables with each fungicide and insecticide listed by family group (chapter 10, page 257-266) • Efficacy ratings - learn the difference between control, and suppression (chapter 11, page 267) • Bee poisoning prevention-every product in pub #360 has a rating for bee toxicity, to help you minimize risk when bees are nearby (chapter 11, page 269271)

• Contact information- contact information for pest control product companies (page 287), suppliers of pest monitoring equipment and biological control agents (page 296), soil testing labs in Ontario (page 298), the Pest Diagnostic Clinic (page 299), OMAF staff for fruit crops (page 301) and Ministry of the Environment regional contacts (page 302) are included to help find help when you need it. Numerous crop specialists contribute to this publication, and we are very proud of the

Every spring we receive a lot of reports about herbicide damage due to spray drift — in vegetables and other horticultural crops. While most sprayer operators are doing a good job, there are still too many out there who are spraying irresponsibly and causing off-target damage. We all have a part to play in raising awareness about avoiding spray drift. If you have a chance, please share the message to spray responsibly and avoid spray drift. I’ve listed some resources below that could be shared through social media, email, company websites, or even by printing off and handing out (at the coffee shop, the counter, or in the neighbour’s mailbox). • Pesticide Drift from Ground Applications (factsheet) http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/engl ish/crops/facts/11-001.htm • How Weather Conditions Affect Spray Applications (factsheet) http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/engl

ish/crops/facts/09-037w.htm • The Winds of Spring 2013 http://onvegetables.com/2013/05/ 28/the-winds-of-spring-2013/ • Preventing Spray Drift http://onvegetables.com/2012/05/ 15/preventing-spray-drift/ • New Spray Drift Awareness Videos Educate http://onvegetables.com/2012/01/17/new-spraydrift-videos/ • You Suspect Herbicide Drift – Now What? http://onvegetables.com/2011/06/ 27/herbicide-drift-now-what-2/ • New Information on Pesticide Drift and Reducing Buffer Zones http://onvegetables.com/2011/01/ 31/pesticide-buffer-zones/ • Ontario Pesticide Education Program, Chapter 19 – Drift of Pesticides http://www.opep.ca/index.cfm/lea rning-resources/videos/chapter19-drift-of-pesticides/ Spray responsibly. Avoid drift. Spread the word. Janice LeBoeuf is OMAF vegetable crop specialist, Ridgetown.

Pam Fisher is berry specialist with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food, Rural Affairs.

N O I T C A F O E D O NEW M CITED IN APHID DEAT THS.

Join the campaign to reduce spray drift JANICE LEBOEUF

information it contains. Make sure you have the most recent version of OMAF publication #360, Guide to Fruit Production for the 2014 growing season. To order: www.ServiceOntario.ca/ publications or 1-800-668-9938 Use Product Number #109045, or search on “fruit guide.”

www.uap.ca Western Canada: Ontario & Maritimes: Quebec: British Columbia:

1-80 0-561-5444 1-80 0-265-5444 1-80 0-361-9369 1-604-534-8815

PAGE 28 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 SEED AND ROOTSTOCK ASPARAGUS ROOTS Jersey Giant Jersey Supreme Millennium

Wrightland Farm RR 1 • 1000 Ridge Rd. Harrow, ON N0R 1G0 Keith: 519-738-6120 Fax: 519-738-3358

Alpine Nurseries (Niagara) Limited SPECIALIZING IN FRUIT TREES & GRAPE VINES & ELDERBERRIES. VARIETY AND PRICE LIST AVAILABLE ON REQUEST Howard A. Colcuc Nursery Manager

ORCHARD SUPPLIES

R.R. #4 Creek Road Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. L0S 1J0 Tel: (905) 262-4971 Fax: (905) 262-4404 howardcolcuc@rogers.com

Providing quality apple trees for 40 years. • • • • • • •

Bench graft Sleeping budded eye 9 month bench 1 year old whip 1 year old feathered KNIP tree 2 year old tall feathered (instant orchard) Brian Van Brenk 31760 Erin Line Fingal ON, Canada N0L 1K0 519-902-6353 www.vanbrenk.ca brian@vanbrenk.ca

change of address? Call the circulation department at 866-898-8488 ext 221

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 29 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 LABELS & LABELLING EQUIPMENT • Fruit Labeling Equipment and Labels • Clam Shell and Flow Pack Labelers • PTI Compliance Box Labeling Solutions • Labels for all makes and models Ph: (586) 933-3006 Fax: (519) 739-9898

www.labelpac.com sam@labelpac.com

P: 519-326-8200 F: 1-888-567-1297 www.madleyglobal.com

IRRIGATION

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. 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

CLASSIFIED ADS

turn your used farm equipment into cash. Call about classified ad pricing at 866-898-8488 ext 221

For Sale: Stanhay 870 Precision Planter, 8 row, new boxes in 2011, markers and monitor, always stored inside. $9500 Triple K 8 row scuffler with shields. $2000. 519-881-8854 Apple orchard equipment: European Frumaco 110 Orchard platform/ harvest system and bin trailer with built in compressor, 4 cyl diesel, 4wd and campangola pruners as new; Girette pruning towers self propelled, nurse tank, grapple, misc equipment and tools. Clarksburg 705-4439157 Turbo-Mist orchard sprayer for sale. Turbo Steer, 400 gal., 30” fan. Excellent condition. Always stored inside. Call 905-765-2027

Greenhouse Ground Cover Drip Irrigation Frost Protection Plastic Mulch hear tnutgrove.com Email : info@heartnutgrove.com Office : 519-264-2708 Mount Brydges, On Canada, N0L 1W0

Greenhouse and Field Soil Fumigation Custom made equipment for bedding, fumigation, mulch laying, planting, solid tarp applicators and equipment rentals Black mulch plastic . . . Embossed and U.V. treated Perforated Tunnels . . . Clear & white Wire hoops, row cover, mesh cloth field cover & drip irrigation. 1738 Seacliff Drive Kingsville, ON N9Y 2M6 519-919-1738 (cell)

PAGE 30 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 EQUIPMENT • VEGETABLE SEEDERS

ABOUT 20 NEW AND USED SPRAYERS IN STOCK

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** LOW DRIFT SPRAY TOWERS TO FIT ANY TURBO-MIST --- IN STOCK NOW ** Turbo-Mist 500, electric controls, centrifugal pump $8,500 Turbo-Mist 500, hydraulic controls, tower $12,500 Turbo-Mist 500, centrifugal pump, low low hours $13,900 Turbo-Mist 500, centrifugal pump, hydraulic, almost new $16,900 Turbo-Mist 500, centrifugal, low-drift Tall Spray Tower (new) $19,700 Turbo-Mist 500, centrifugal, hydraulic, used 2 years $17,900 Turbo-Mist 600, centrifugal pump, hydraulic, good condition $10,500 Turbo-Mist 600, Myers, hydraulic, used only 3 seasons, A-1 $16,900 Jacto 1500, (400 gal.), piston pump, hydraulic valve controls. Big 34” fan. List over $20,000. Brand New!!! $9,900 Seppi SMO 250, 8ft flail, Grass and prunings, good condition $5,550 Seppi SMO 200 flail mower, 6 1/2 ft, nice cond, new hammers $5,250 Perfect KG-220 Flail mower, (2011) A-1 condition $6,900 Perfect KG-220 Flail, good solid condition, new hammers $5,900 Woods 7ft off-set rotary mower, almost new $3,500 Apple Bin Carriers (5 - Bin) 3 in stock from $2,900 New bin carriers - discount for orders by end of May!

Gaspardo

Cole

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1-800-361-8515 CALL ABE FIRST FOR BETTER PRICES, MORE CHOICES, FAST, AND FRIENDLY SERVICE. BUY A DIESEL ENGINE PUMP UNIT FROM THE DIESEL MECHANIC.

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1-800-811-6238 pfs@reach.net SPRAYING EQUIPMENT OUR SPECIALITY have been to the rest,

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A. KOOLMEES EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Mesh Bagging and Weighing systems

Bag Closing Systems, Sales, Service, Parts

• Case 990 diesel tractor with large tree trimmer. 10' length made by Variety Fabrication. Runs good. Will sell the large tree trimmer separate. $10,900.00 • 2 Little Giant elevators, 40 ft each • 6’ aluminum orchard ladders, $20.00 each • Apple picking baskets, $10 each

Jeremy Browne

KETTLE CREEK SALES

WWW.THEGROWER.ORG

519-644-1320 kettleck@xplornet.ca

R.R. 1, Otterville, ON N0J 1R0 (519) 879-6878 Fax: (519) 879-6319

Three Unit Grader Line - Greefa A3-up sizer - Bartlett - Feeder & Elevator Unit - Bartlett - Apple Bin Dumper All in excellent condition and will be available June 30, 2014. Asking $4,500.00. Contact Paul at (416) 409-8494 if interested.

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 31 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 EQUIPMENT

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AUCTION

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of market gardening equipment & accessories, plus farm machinery, tools & miscellaneous items! Monday, May 19th, 10:00 a.m. The property of

Leslie & Jim Forsythe, Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc 1025 Cragg Road, Greenbank, ON Equipment: DK40SE Kioti 4 x 4 tractor o/s with a KL401 front end loader with 6' material bucket hydrostatic (low hrs, like new, 40 hp), 135 Massey Ferguson (English) diesel, Farmall A with cultivators (gas), 5’ sickle mower fits Farmall Super A Direct Farm Sales Related Equipment: people mover wagons, school tour activities, signage and more Sale Managed & Sold by:

Kevin Barker Auctions Ltd. www.kevinbarkerauctions.com www.forsythefamilyfarms.com

JUNE 2014 GREEN TECHNOLOGY Book by May 15 Herb Sherwood 519-380-0118

PAGE 32 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

BIOPESTICIDES

Biopesticides for conventional and organic agriculture MELANIE FILOTAS Over the past several years, the number of biopesticides registered in Canada has increased, as has growers’ interest in them. These products offer a number of benefits for both organic and conventional producers. However for them to be effective, it is important for growers to have a good understanding of what they are and how they work, as their modes of action differ considerably from that of conventional products. What are biopesticides? Biopesticides are pest control products which are derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria and minerals. Biopesticides may be microbial, which contain a beneficial microorganism as the active ingredient or biochemical, which are based on naturally occurring substances and/or manufactured molecules that resemble naturally occurring substances. Biochemical biopesticides generally control pests by different mechanisms than conventional

pesticides, such as disrupting insect mating or by making crops unsuitable for feeding. Biopesticides are sometimes thought of as being primarily for organic production, however they can also be a useful tool for conventional growers as well. Possible advantages for conventional producers include: (1) a lower potential for the development of pest resistance, (2) providing a rotation option to help manage resistance development in other pest control products, (3) shorter re-entry intervals, (3) shorter preharvest intervals and (4) potentially lower toxicity to non-target organisms. It is also important for organic producers to be aware that not all biopesticides are organically acceptable. In some cases, the active ingredient may be organic, but it may be formulated with other ingredients that are not acceptable for organic production. Similarly, there are organic pest control products that do not meet the definition of a biopesticide (e.g. copper). Effective use of biopesticides Although many biopesticides

are formulated, packaged and applied in a very similar fashion to conventional pest control products, the active ingredients on which they are based are quite different. Handling, storage and expectations around efficacy therefore need to be adjusted accordingly. Considerations include: • Biopesticides are not normally intended to be “silver bullets” and sometimes provide suppression rather than control. They are most effectively used in conjunction with other pest control tactics and products. • Correct timing of applications and thorough coverage are critical to the effective use of biopesticides. Many biopesticides are designed to be preventative and won’t work once pests are present in large numbers. Additionally, because many biopesticides require direct contact with the pest to be effective, all affected plant parts must be thoroughly covered. • Biopesticides can be extremely sensitive to environmental extremes of sunlight, rain, humidity or temperature. For example, the efficacy of some Bt products may be reduced after prolonged

exposure to sunlight. Some products intended for suppression of plant pathogens in soil contain live spores of beneficial microbes which suspend activity at lower soil temperatures, so efficacy will be greatly reduced if they are applied to cool soils. • Because of their environmental sensitivity, many biopesticides have limited residual activity. Biopesticides which work by forming barriers on exposed plant surfaces are often dislodged by wind or rain. Others are quickly degraded and don’t provide longterm control. For these products, repeat applications may be necessary. • Biopesticides can also be impacted by conditions in the spray tank. Factors to consider include temperature, pH and other compounds in the spray water, compatibility with other products and life of the spray mix. For example some biofungicides which contain beneficial fungi should not be tank mixed with fungicides. Other products break down or otherwise change when left in spray tanks for extended periods, so pay careful attention if product labels specify that the product should be sprayed within a certain period of mixing with water. • Because biopesticides often contain live organisms, they may have specialized storage instructions. It is not uncommon for

labels to specify that a product can be stored for several months if refrigerated, but only a few weeks if stored at room temperature. This is in contrast to many conventional products, which can often be stored for much longer periods. For more information A detailed section on biopesticides, including what biopesticides are currently registered on main fruit and vegetable crops in Ontario, will be available in the new editions of OMAF and MRA publications 360, Guide to Fruit Production 2014-2015, available in April and 838, Vegetable Crop Protection Guide 2014-2015, available later this spring. Additionally, a biopesticides session was held at the 2014 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, which featured a number of very informative presentations from experts in the field, including specialists from the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture (MAPAQ), the University of Guelph and the biopesticide industry. Copies of their presentations can be found by going to the OFVC website (http://www.ofvc.ca/sessions.html ) and clicking on “Session Notes.” Melanie Filotas is IPM specialist, specialty crops for OMAF and MRA.

Prowl H2O herbicide JIM CHAPUT, OMAF/MRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an URMULE registration for Prowl H2O herbicide for control of labeled weeds on carrots in Canada. Prowl H2O herbicide was already labeled for management of weeds on corn, soybeans, snap beans, adzuki beans, dry bulb and green onions, leeks and ornamentals in Canada. Crop(s) Pest Rate (kg/ha) No. apps Notes PHI / year Carrots Labeled 3.7 L miner- 1 Apply post-plant 90 days weeds al soil treatment within 6.6 L muck 2 days after soil planting and prior to the emergence of the crop and weeds This minor use project was sponsored in 2012 by FVGO as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel. Additional data supporting these projects was provided by Dr. Darren Robinson, U. of G., Ridgetown; Dr. C. Swanton and K. Chandler, U. of G. main campus; Dr. J. O’Sullivan, R. Grohs, U. of G., Simcoe as well as Dr. B. Zandstra, MSU and colleagues in Quebec. The minor use label expansion for Prowl H2O herbicide is an helpful step towards developing an improved weed and resistance management toolkit for carrots in Canada. The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Users should consult the complete label before using Prowl H2O herbicide. Prowl H2O herbicide should be used in an integrated weed management program and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance. This product is TOXIC to aquatic organisms and non-target terrestrial plants. Do not contaminate aquatic habitats when cleaning or rinsing spray equipment or containers. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Prowl H2O herbicide label carefully. For a copy of the new minor use label contact Marion Paibomesai, OMAF/MRA, Guelph (519) 826-4963 or visit https://agro.basf.ca/

MAY 2014 –– PAGE 33 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Exirel insecticide receives another label expansion The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) in Canada has granted additional label expansion approvals for Exirel insecticide for fruit and vegetable growers. The product is now approved for managing hardto-control black vine weevil and clay coloured weevil in bushberries, as well as flea beetles in tuberous, corm,

brassica and fruiting vegetables. This label expansion comes just months after other recent label expansions that have approved Exirel for the control of spotted wing drosophila in stone fruits and blueberries. When applied early in the crop life, Exirel can increase the opportunity for improved marketable yield by reducing feeding

damage. The result is a stronger crop in the field and a more appealing crop at harvest. For more information contact your local crop protection retailer or DuPont representative, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit www.cropprotection.dupont.ca Source: DuPont news release

Reason now available as a seed-piece treatment Bayer CropScience Canada announces that its foliar potato fungicide, Reason is now registered for use as a seed-piece treatment. When applied as a seed-piece treatment, Reason protects against seed-borne late blight. Now potato growers can count on Reason to not only protect against late blight and early blight through foliar applications but can also trust it for seed-borne late blight protection. “Many potato growers already rely on Reason and have witnessed the benefits of adding it into their foliar disease control program,” explained David Kikkert, portfolio manager, horticulture, Bayer CropScience. “Now, by using Reason as a seed-piece treatment, growers will benefit from late blight protection that starts right at planting.” As a seed-piece treatment Reason can be used alone when late blight is a threat or as a tank mix with Titan and/or Titan Emesto. For more information visit: BayerCropScience.ca

Ginseng label added The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an URMULE registration for Reason fungicide for control of Phytophthora blight and root rot on ginseng and control of cottony leak (Pythium) and suppression of Phytophthora on succulent beans in Canada. Reason fungicide was already labeled for management of several diseases on vegetables in Canada. For a copy of the new minor use label (ginseng) contact Sean Westerveld, OMAF/MRA, Simcoe (519) 426-4323 or the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association; for a copy of the new label (succulent beans) contact Elaine Roddy, OMAF/MRA, Ridgetown (519) 764-1616 or visit the PMRA label site www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cpsspc/pest/registrant-titulaire/toolsoutils/label-etiq-eng.php

Surfactant technology improves pesticide performance Select the right product to maximize input investment Poor spray pattern with too many large droplets as a result of not using a surfactant with LECI-TECH.

Adjuvants are increasingly recognized as a critical component of crop protection strategies. Frequently, producers will choose an adjuvant based on a recommendation from a retailer, custom applicator or crop consultant. Increasingly, however, there is reason to view adjuvants as more than another input or production cost. Selecting the right product can address specific challenges and significantly enhance the performance of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. An important consideration when selecting an adjuvant is the strength of the technology that the product is based on. An innovation in surfactants (one class of adjuvants) is LECI-TECH™ – a patented, lecithin-based technology from Loveland Products. The flagship LECI-TECH product – LI 700® – is the complete surfactant solution for foliar products. It addresses many of the potential problems associated with pesticide performance, including uniform spraying, product retention and uptake among others. “This advancement in surfactant technology does a lot to address many of the challenges producers face,” says Janet Porchak, UAP Canada. “Getting the most out of their crop protection investment is near the top of that list, and selecting the right surfactant can go a long way to help ensure that happens.”

Higher percentage of correct-size droplets using LI 700 with built-in LECI-TECH technology.

cuticles, even when plants are under environmental stress, for quicker pesticide uptake. It also reduces evaporation – another element of ensuring the best pesticide performance. High pH water in the spray solution can be another challenge for producers. Many pesticides undergo a chemical reaction in the spray tank when mixed with water that has a high pH level. The product can quickly break down and lose a significant amount of the active ingredient. LI 700 works as a buffering-acidifying agent that lowers the pH of the water carrier, ensuring pesticide stability and effectiveness.

Maximum performance and crop safety Crop producers want products that are safe on their crop and have a good environmental profile. LI 700 is a great alternative to petroleum-based products because it is a natural derivative of soybeans. The LECI-TECH technology also allows spray droplets to reach the critical micelle concentration (CMC) – the point at which maximum surface spreading is achieved – at a lower rate than conventional surfactants. The result is less disruption on the plant surface, further contributing to improved crop safety.

“

If use of the wrong surfactant increases the risk of poor performance and crop injury, think of the benefits that can be realized by using the right one.

”

Dr. Dan Bergman, Loveland Products Inc.

More uniform spray pattern Pesticides have the potential to drift off target when droplets are too fine. LI 700 reduces the chance of pesticide drift by putting less stress on droplet production and allowing for fewer small droplets and a more uniform spray pattern. Droplet retention is essential to ensure the best performance of a foliar spray product. The spreading and adhesion properties of LI 700 ensure that more spray droplets hit the target and stay there to provide more consistent performance. For a foliar-applied pesticide such as glyphosate to be effective, it must be transferred from the leaf surface into the plant tissue. LI 700 provides better penetration of waxy LECI-TECH™ and LI 700® are trademarks of Loveland Products Inc. Always read and follow label directions.

When choosing a surfactant for a specific crop protection product, first consult the pesticide label to determine if a specific surfactant is prescribed. Beyond that, select a product that delivers maximum performance and crop safety. Speak with your retailer or crop consultant to learn more about the innovative technology behind LI 700.

www.uap.ca Ontario & Maritimes: 1-800-265-5444 Quebec: 1-800-361-9369 Western Canada: 1-800-561-5444 BC: 604-534-8815

PAGE 34 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS

“Twas the best of meetings”

CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA For 12 years now, the Minor Use Priority Setting Meeting has been convened in March, somewhere in the Ottawa area. In what has become a repetition of ‘minor miracles,’ growers from across Canada have been able to (for the most part) choose a few projects to get work done leading to new pesticide use registrations. This selection comes from a total of almost 4,000 entries! They said it couldn’t be done that first year in 2003. There was great angst amongst some federal folks who actually thought there could be fisticuffs and rancor if that many growers came face to face and tried to get their priority selected! In fact, a ‘bouncer’ was hired as part of the meeting management company to keep proper decorum if needed. That was the easiest job anyone ever got! He wandered around for three days, in a bit of a daze, wondering how ‘we’ pulled it off without his help. The trick that he and others didn’t realize, (and many even today underestimate) is growers’ willingness to cooperate, look after one another’s interests, and keep their eye on the big picture. This is a lesson that many still need to learn! The growers’ priorities start out in the previous fall, when Provincial Minor Use Coordinators (PMUCs) begin to gather their growers’ needs. These are collected crop by crop, pest by pest, until a significant list of need is assembled. The provincial needs are then assembled and collated nationally, along with the priority given to each one by each province. This is a massive job, especial-

ly the first time. Over the years, pests get added, but then fall off (or down the ranking) as new registrations resolve the issue. Unfortunately, new pests arise as resistance is selected to currently registered solutions and new ones are needed. Likewise, new pests arrive almost daily and these invasive pests need immediate solutions. We also get new and emerging crops that arrive without any registered means of pest control. They may start out as a few acres and then start to blossom as demand rises. The need for pest control rises even faster! Some pests never seem to fall off the radar as they never seem to attract solution chemistries. This group includes wireworms, root maggots such as cabbage maggot, seed corn maggot and onion maggot. Other perennial problems are nematodes, thrips, and the ‘grub’ families. This leads to another great benefit of the whole exercise. The accumulated lists are pored over by registrants who are developing new pesticides. While they can ‘buy’ certain information on the big-acre crops around the world, it is lists such as ours that give them the possible edge when developing the whole-use spectrum for the world market. Our pests are not unique to Canada. One could suggest that they are just the bellwether for other nations growing these same crops. One can do the math to show that while a use on 50,000 acres of crucifers here may be hard to pencil in, if the use was utile across the globe then the total acres suddenly means the potential is ‘worth it’ to pursue. (This in fact is part of the reason a global approach to minor use needs identification makes so much sense. To capture these needs on ALL the global crops would give a set of marching orders the like of which the crop protection industry has never seen!) But I am getting ahead of myself. During the course of an intense three-day period, all the priority setting reaches a zenith. For many crops that have national connections, the ‘pre-selection’ has been

Hops is an emerging crop which requires pest control. Photo by Glenn Lowson. done with conference calls and negotiation. Other commodities remain one by one, province by province. Notwithstanding the very long lists of stated needs, there are always some that naturally rise to the top. In many ways it is gratifying to see this convergence. At times however, some smallish crops seem to become wallflowers and never achieve their needs. But not always! I can recall a few instances when a small-acreage crop with certain needs sent a champion to the meeting who would not be denied. If that is what it takes, the other groups will accommodate, and it shows the system does work! Perhaps the biggest benefit of the meeting goes under the radar of many. I would hazard a guess that at least as many solutions get developed outside the ‘main event’ as what gets done officially in the room! After all, it is a ‘Minor Use’ meeting! Every major registrant in Canada sends one or more (up to eight!) staff to these meetings. A great many

smaller companies, many who do not even have full-time staff in Canada, also attend. They all see the benefit of knowing what growers’ pest control issues are. In turn, they often have potential solutions to share, and many do so outside the ‘official’ channels of the floor. Many times as we go through the lists to narrow down the choices, a grower will allow a pass on their problem by suggesting that ‘another means’ of registration has occurred. If one were to add up all these to the total achieved through ‘normal’ channels, the value of the meetings soars! None of this happened before the Minor Use Priority Setting Meetings were put into place. There was simply no other venue for this type of high-energy concurrence of need and solution available in Canada. We had seen a similar process at the U.S. IR-4 program. In fact a small group of us had begun to work on joint data development as far back as 1996. Our first joint registration submission was made in 2001.

We adopted some of their procedures, and cobbled together some of our own. Today we routinely do joint work and make about 20 joint submissions a year. This year we had five senior IR-4 staff at our meetings for the whole week. We are working closely on the next stage of development of a Global Minor Use approach. That looks like the way to go to conquer the next barrier of the need for Global Maximum Residue Level (MRL) setting on a timely basis to facilitate trade. (That is another topic all by itself!) At the meetings themselves, the 200 or so that attended each day were able to select 37 priority projects to work on. In addition, eight bio-pesticides were selected from which a ‘final four’ will be chosen to foster through the registration process. These selections appear elsewhere in The Grower this month. This may seem rather small in total, but in fact will lead to hundreds of new uses on labels as the extension of use and residue via ‘Crop Grouping,’ and the lessened need for efficacy data review (As outlined at the meeting by Pat Curry of PMRA) bodes well for growers’ achieving better pest management. There has been a healthy change of attendees over the years. Barely a dozen have attended every meeting. Grower convergence on need continues to rise. Every year they continue to show up and participate. Perhaps AAFC needs to take a bow, and congratulate themselves for first creating this meeting, and then for not tinkering with it too much along the way. It is perhaps the finest and best supported meeting they offer to benefit growers across Canada. Kudos go to the Pest Management Centre team, the PMUCs, and to all participants as it takes everyone working together to achieve the success of this meeting! (And the between-meeting sessions, the in-meeting break huddles, the meal-time discussions, the preludes and postludes, and the year-long discussions that arise because one attended are all gravy that benefits Canadian Agriculture!!)

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MAY 2014 –– PAGE 35 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Pristine to control disease on hops JIM CHAPUT, OMAF/MRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an URMULE registration for Pristine Fungicide for control of downy mildew and powdery mildew on hops in Canada. Pristine Fungicide was already labeled for management of diseases on fruit, vegetables and ornamentals in Canada.

This minor use project was sponsored in 2010 by the minor use office of OMAF as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel. Downy mildew and powdery mildew have been identified as serious disease of hops in Canada. The minor use label expansion for Pristine Fungicide is an helpful step towards developing an improved disease management toolkit for hops in Canada. The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Users

should consult the complete label before using Pristine Fungicide. Pristine Fungicide should be used in an integrated pest management program and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance. This product is TOXIC to aquatic organisms, non-target terrestrial plants and small wild animals. Do not contaminate aquatic habitats when cleaning or rinsing spray equipment or containers. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Pristine Fungicide label carefully.

Crop(s) Hops

Pest Downy mildew, powdery mildew

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No. apps / year

0.105 kg per 3 100 litres of dilute spray with a maximum of 1524 litres of dilute spray per hectare

For a copy of the new minor use label contact Melanie Filotas, OMAF/MRA, Simcoe (519) 4264434 or visit the BASF Canada website at

Herbicide controls yellow nutsedge

Gowan Agro Canada announces the registration of Sandea herbicide. Sandea is a Group 2 herbicide and contains the active ingredient halosulfuron (present as methyl ester). This new herbicide will give growers industry-leading control of nutsedge plus over 40 broadleaf weeds in certain vegetable and fruit crops. “Sandea is a selective herbicide providing unsurpassed control of both yellow and purple nutsedge and many broadleaf weeds in certain fruit and vegetable crops including highbush blueberries, apples, tomatoes, and cucumbers,” said Garth Render, general manager of Gowan Agro Canada. “Fruit and vegetable growers in the U.S. have come to rely on Sandea for nutsedge control plus control of tough broadleaf weeds.” Sandea provides both preemergence and post-emergence weed control, inhibiting cell growth in targeted weeds within 24 hours of treatment. Gowan Agro Canada will begin sales of Sandea immediately in all provinces except Ontario. Sales will begin in Ontario once the classification has been published. Sandea has a residual weed control effect and as such has some cropping restrictions. Please see the label for full details. For more information contact Garth Render, Gowan Agro Canada at (204) 330-4284. Source: Gowen Agro Canada news release

Rate (kg/ha)

Notes

PHI

Begin applications prior to disease development; use a 10-14 day interval

46 days

https://agro.basf.ca/basf/agsolutions/SelectRegion.htm

PAGE 36 –– MAY 2014 THE GROWER

So m any lay er s to love, you said. A nd we believed you. ’ d let u o y e v t belie ’ n a c e par t. w a That’ s why s u r t tea s e us. p e v e o m L so ns. o i n r o u o y e r ’ We

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