NOVEMBER 2011
CELEBRATING 131 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION
VOLUME 61 NUMBER 11
Rethink, restructure, rebrand How a grape vine propagator is standing on the shoulders of tradition KAREN DAVIDSON It takes more than a can of paint to rebrand a business. Wes and Briar Wiens, relative newcomers to propagating grape vines, have rethought and restructured the Gemmrich W. Nursery that they bought in 2004. They offer innovative services, scour the world for new vines and employ information technology. That’s why they’re so confident in announcing VineTech Canada this month, because the new entity already delivers on the promise of the name. Born into a grape-growing family, Wes Wiens didn’t plan to be so involved in the legacy of his forebears. He was operating an on-farm fabrication and repair shop when the opportunity arose to acquire the nursery. The uniqueness of this niche made a compelling business case for a change in career. “For me, it was one thing to manage a vineyard,” says Wiens, “ but quite another to propagate vines,” as he surveys their 70 acres with 37 varieties of clones and rootstock. Since then, they have almost doubled sales from their Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario nursery to British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Quebec. The exacting work requires as many as 40 labourers for budwood collection, rootstock processing and grafting at peak season.
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How did they build the business so fast, for a rebranding in seven years? First, innovation. Custom grafting, for instance, is growing in demand to the extent that it now represents 10 per cent of their business. Customers may want to clone a specific block to continue traits that are winning awards. To maintain the integrity of those grapevines, custom grafting can replicate those traits. Also innovative is overgrafting which takes a mature Chardonnay vineyard, for example, and transforms it into Pinot Gris. “It hasn’t been done to any great success here in Canada but we’re experimenting with local wineries to develop a Canadian protocol,” says Wiens. All of these techniques play to Wiens’ desire for an internationally recognized certification system for grape vines in Canada. Working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and growers’ organizations across Canada, he is lobbying with the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network for a higher level of assurance that grape stock is free of disease. These phytosanitary standards would stand them in good stead for exporting to the United States and beyond. Roots and wings The second major thrust to reinventing the business is ongoing research. “The industry has a lot to learn from other grapegrowing areas, so as a team we have traveled to places such as France, Germany, Australia and South Africa,” says Wiens. “From these experiences our management team has brought new ideas, products, practices and technology to our operation, which has allowed us to be leaders in providing consistent quality both in our products and services.” Wes and his wife Briar also travel together to trade shows to research the market and cement relationships with customers. It’s not easy with four small children under the age of eight, but these working travels serve as sounding boards for the business. Briar can assess potential prospects and connect the dots with the home enterprise. Closer to home, they also manage trials in collaboration with Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Brock
Wes and Briar Wiens toast a number of accomplishments in their Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyard. Since 2004, they have nearly doubled their grapevine propagation business. Thanks to a nomination by the Grape Growers of Ontario, they earned Ontario’s honour as Outstanding Young Farmers in 2011. In mid-November, they compete nationally in Brandon, Manitoba. Photos by Denis Cahill.
University and Niagara College. The latest project, with Brock, involved carbohydrate analysis of vine material throughout various stages of the propagation process. They hope to better understand and assess vineyard quality as it relates to grafting material. Tech tools Thirdly, they attribute their achievements to the innovative use of technology. “In agriculture, success can be unique, in that you have to be resilient, work with
Mother Nature and respond to government regulatory changes,” says Wiens. “Today, we have more technology tools to elevate our business financially and to react more nimbly.” For instance, what used to be a major hiccup in the day – even something simple, such as a flat tire in the field – is now solved quickly with a cell phone call rather than a stranded employee walking back to base. But it’s GPS-guided equipment that has revolutionized this labour-intensive business. Three jobs can be
done at once with cultivating, spraying and hedging. Multiply that efficiency by doing three rows at once. This saves time, fuel and maintenance while also allowing more timely application in narrow weather windows. This narrative made Wes and Briar Wiens winners of the provincial Outstanding Young Farmer competition in 2011, a well-known program open to farm operators aged 18 to 39 who derive at least two-thirds of their income from the farm. Continued on page 3
PAGE 2 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
AT PRESS TIME… Ontario names 22-member cabinet
Ag Minister Ted McMeekin There are no first-time ministers in Dalton McGuinty’s riskaverse minority cabinet that’s slimmed down to 22, six fewer posts than before. With a dearth of rural MPPs after the October 6 provincial election, the Ontario premier gave the nod to Ted McMeekin, Liberal MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-FlamboroughWestdale, as the new agriculture minister. Before entering provincial politics in 2000, he served as mayor of Flamborough, as a Hamilton city councilor and as leader of several community organizations. In other ministries that impact agriculture, Jim Bradley was named minister of the environment. Horticulture will be anxious to lobby him on regulatory burdens generally and wastewater specifically. Michael Gravelle was posted to natural resources, a ministry that oversees a controversial application for a mega-quarry on prime potato land. Chris Bentley moves to the energy portfolio, a sensitive file championing green initiatives such as wind, solar and biofuel alternatives. The health promotion ministry has been folded into one mega-ministry of health under Deb Matthews. This move may affect efforts to expand school nutrition programs. Dwight Duncan remains in the finance portfolio.
See you at the Royal This year’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, November 4 – 13, has upped the flavour with sweet, spicy, salty and sour in the Harvest Market situated in Hall C, Direct Energy Centre. Expect lavender products, apples and apple chips, pears, jams and
jellies. In addition, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association hosts an umbrella booth in the Journey to your Good Health pavilion. Here’s the schedule of rotating groups: November 4 - Apple Marketers November 5, 6 - Ontario Apple Growers November 7, 8 - Erie Innovation and Commercialization (Ontario Southwest Coast Wineries and Grape Growers’ Association/ Ontario Lavender Association) November 9 - Ontario Potato Growers November 10 - Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association November 11, 12 - Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers November 13 - Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
Watch for the results of the Seed of the Year competition to be announced at a recognition event, November 9. And the fairest of them all? The National Apple Competition will showcase new and traditional varieties alike.
Sobeys to supply Target Sobeys, Canada’s second largest grocer with 23 distribution centres across the nation, plans to supply Target with dry grocery products, frozen foods, dairy products and national as well as private-label brands when the U.S. retailer comes to Canada. Target plans to open 100 to 150 stores by 2013 and 2014. In this strategic move, Sobeys also announced it would explore additional supply chain opportunities. Sobeys is second to Loblaw in national grocery sales. Loblaw has about 43 per cent market share, Sobeys 21 per cent and Metro about 16 per cent. Wal-Mart, as of 2009, had less than 10 per cent, but since then has opened more stores.
NEWSMAKERS CanadaGAP gains enrollees It’s been three years since its official launch, and to date, nearly 2,000 producers are enrolled in the CanadaGAP program (39 per cent of those producers are enrolled in a group certification option). This number is on par with the number of enrollees projected for 2011. New enrollees this year included a substantial number of apple growers in Quebec, as well as tree fruit and small fruit growers in B.C.
Early bird registration at Great Lakes Expo With about 4,000 attendees going through the gate, Great Lakes Expo is one of the biggest horticultural shows in the northeast from December 6 to 8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year’s educational program hits the hot spots including brown marmorated stink bug, sustainable pollination in apple orchards and reaching farm market customers with new techniques. For agenda details on programs for fruit and berry growers, vegetable growers, farm marketers and greenhouse growers, go to www.glexpo.com. Also mark November 11 as the early bird registration deadline for a reduced price of $70. After that date, it’s $90 online or at the door.
New hire at OGVG The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers have hired Glen Snoek in the capacity of marketing and economic policy analyst. Snoek will move to Leamington, Ontario to take up his post effective December 1. He will be analyzing market conditions and providing counsel on growth opportunities for the Ontario greenhouse vegetable industry. In addition, he’ll be advising the board of directors on economic and farm financial policy options. Since 2007, Snoek has served the Canadian Federation of Agriculture as farm policy analyst, advocating on issues such as business risk management, taxation, market and credit issues, and innovation.
PEI Potatoes will be supporting Heather Moyse, Olympic gold medalist in women’s bobsleigh and a native of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, in her quest for a medal in track cycling in the summer games of 2012. Moyse will be promoting awareness of the value of potatoes as part of a nutritious and balanced diet.
Kendra Mills, marketing director (left) and Greg Donald (right), general manager, of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, pose with Olympic gold medalist, Heather Moyse at the CTV Studios in Toronto. A changing of the guard is in process in Ontario farm politics, as rural ridings turned Conservative blue in the provincial election. Carol Mitchell lost her Huron-Bruce riding and the agriculture minister’s post. Another well-known politician Maria Van Bommel, parliamentary secretary to the agriculture minister, also lost her seat in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex as did minister of the environment, John Wilkinson, Perth-Wellington. As well, Bette Jean Crews, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, has announced she will not seek a fourth term. Elections will be held at the annual general meeting November 21, 22. Both Don McCabe and Mark Wales, currently vice-presidents, are running for the office as well as board director Wayne Black. Alberta’s new premier Alison Redford has announced a new cabinet including farmer and rancher Evan Berger, MLA for Livingstone-Macleod, as agriculture minister. She has also rebranded one ministry, Environment and Water, indicating a focus not only on the oil sands but the intertwined relationship with water resources. John Scott assumes the chair of the board, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, having sat as a member since 2007. He is currently president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers Association. Founding chair Donald Ziraldo remains active as past-chair and with the The New Vineland fundraising campaign. In related news, Hon. Lyle Vanclief has joined the board of directors. The Canadian Horticultural Council announces a new commodity coordinator Craig Anderson. This position was previously held by Amy Argentino, who now oversees the Science Cluster, while maintaining responsibility for the apple files. The U.S.-based Produce Marketing Association has announced its next slate of officers including Canadian Larry McIntosh, president and CEO, Peak of the Market, Winnipeg. After 15 years at the helm, conference manager, Bob Cobbledick, is retiring from the Canadian Greenhouse Conference. With a new venue in Niagara Falls, he’s going out on a high with a sold-out trade show and 2,325 in attendance, the largest number in six years. The United Potato Growers of Canada has hired a new general manager, Kevin MacIsaac, from Bear Island, Prince Edward Island. He replaced Mark Drouin who has gone back to the federal government after an industry assignment leave of absence.
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER
Rethink, restructure, rebrand Continued from page 1 Briar, who works part time as a registered nurse but is a fulltime mom, helps to bind the operation with her role in employee care and customer relations. “I appreciate the industry we’re in,” says Briar Wiens. “ We know our customers and I love that our family can be a part of it. Our kids come to trade shows and on business trips with us. It is a family business and I’m very thankful for that.” The Wiens will be in the news again this month as they compete for national honours November 15 to 20 in Brandon, Manitoba. During their interviews there, they will be announcing the rebranding of VineTech Canada, explaining how the name marries the heritage and tradition of grapevine propagation with research-based technology and technical expertise in the Canadian grape and wine industry. With business cards in hand, they’ll be explaining how the website – www.vinetech.ca -- has juiced-up content to support their claim as experts. Their vines on offer will be matched with photos of each variety and clone, with a close-up of the leaf and grape bunch to highlight how they express themselves differently in the Canadian climate. Their new website will also employ best-practice videos and instruction related to vine care, a brief slide show outlining the vine propagation process as well as links to industry-related resource sites and support information.
Pictured here in part of their nursery, Wes and Briar Wiens employ GPS technology to not only plant, but to take meticulous care of 37 varieties of grapevines grafted onto various rootstock. Through an affiliated family business, they also add custom planting, trellising and harvesting to their basket of services, with the intention of adding soil sampling, GPS mapping, overgrafting and missing vine counting to the list. Whatever happens in the national competition, Wes and Briar Wiens are clearly winners at home. “You can’t be content
with the status quo,” says Wes. “In this day and age it isn’t possible to stay where you are. Unless you’re making efforts to
improve and progress, you have already begun to move backwards.”
INTERNATIONAL BANKING
LOBBYING
NARROWCASTING
LAUNCHING
Rabobank expects lean years
U.S. needs more legal farm workers
McDonald’s launches in-store TV
Season and steam in the microwave
Rabobank, the high-profile Netherlands bank, is 'moderately optimistic' that European leaders will agree on how to solve the euro crisis. But chair Piet Moerland said: “We do not buy a solution, but only a period of rest to build for recovery.” He expects moderate economic growth in Holland during a period of three to five years, which will only be just above zero. The lean growth expectations are diagonally opposed by the quick-growing economies of China, India and Brazil. Moerland expects that, as a result, the dominance of world markets will move from the West and North to the East and South. Source: FreshPlaza.com
Washington state is in dire need of apple pickers, despite radio ads offering up to $150 per day. The state’s governor, Chris Gregoire, criticized anti-illegalimmigration rhetoric in Washington, D.C. and a Republican bill that would force employers to declare that their employees are eligible to work in the U.S. Gregoire is lobbying for the U.S. Congress to streamline procedures to allow more foreign workers to be hired as farm labourers. Other states – Alabama, Georgia, Texas and California – are in similar straits. About 66,000 of the 92,000 workers who are needed for seasonal harvests – nearly 72 percent – are in the U.S. illegally, according to farm groups. Source: FreshPlaza.com
McDonald's customers in southern and central California will soon have local school sports, movie previews and human interest stories to go with their fries and apples — McTV in high definition. The global fast-food chain is launching the McDonald's Channel, a digital network of exclusive original content targeted at dine-in customers. The programming will be customized to specific communities around the individual restaurants, and will include local news and entertainment features, such as spotlights on upcoming films, albums and TV shows. Already tested in Los Angeles and San Diego, McTV is expected to reach 18 to 20 million people a month in California alone. Source: PotatoPro
After positive testing with retail stores in northern California, Ocean Mist Farms unveiled a “season and steam” microwavable artichoke bag at the PMA Fresh Summit, Atlanta, Georgia. The bag features two, fresh Globe artichokes that are cleaned, trimmed and ready to cook. The innovative packaging gives users the option to open the
bag, pre-season the artichokes to their preference, reseal the package and steam by microwave all within the same bag. It is a finalist in the PMA’s annual innovation in packaging awards competition. “Consumer research told us that many shoppers view prepping of artichokes as the major barrier to purchase,” says Kori Tuggle, director of marketing and business development. “By doing the prep work, we make eating fresh artichokes easy and convenient.” Source: Freshplaza.com
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PAGE 4 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
CANADIAN GREENHOUSE CONFERENCE
Lessons from The Enjoy Centre A new greenhouse retailing experience is state-of-the art Stories by KAREN DAVIDSON It doesn’t matter if you don’t operate a garden centre, there’s lessons galore in what Jim Hole has built in a town of 60,000 outside Edmonton, Alberta. The entrepreneur and son of Ted and Lois Hole, former lieutenant-governor of the province, has just completed a facility that’s broken the mold.
Note these decorated pumpkins for a modern take on a front-porch greeting.
Conference, Hole recounted the family business history and how they started with vegetables and a greenhouse for bedding plants. The fork in the road came in 1979, phasing out the vegetables and focusing on greenhouse. “But people are looking for more than bedding plants,” says Hole, who taps into the lifestyle penchant of today’s consumer. “People are looking for a place to relax, to reflect and our complex does that by combining restaurants, artisanal bakery, wine store and spa.” The 242,000 square-foot complex is built into a hill so that the actual greenhouse rests on top of a warehouse to reduce the footprint. Part of his engaging story is how 500,000 litres of rainwater are collected and pumped over flood floors to water the plants.
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The botanic arts, according to Jim Hole, can be enjoyed in a multitude of sensory settings at The Enjoy Centre from greenhouse to grocer to spa. The complex just opened this fall in St. Albert, a 35-minute drive from the Edmonton International Airport.
“We need to use our greenhouse space to grow higher-value items such as potted tomatoes and peppers in fruit,” says Hole. That’s an idea that on-farm retail outlets
might borrow, broadening their spring vegetable offerings to include potted vegetable plants. What is astonishing about the complex as a destination is that some of the space is converted for rent July 1, to cater to weddings, events and municipal functions. Some of the space is leased to local entrepreneurs like Prairie Baker, Hillaby’s (tools for cooks) and Amaranth Whole Foods Market. The marketing acumen doesn’t stop there. Twice a year, Enjoy Gardening magazine will be published with a balance
People are looking for a place to relax, to reflect and our complex does that by combining restaurants, artisanal bakery, wine store and spa. - Jim Hole
Part garden centre, part entertainment and service complex, The Enjoy Centre is built to titillate the senses. As the keynote speaker at the recent Canadian Greenhouse
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of gardening insights and tips to keep customers coming back. “We have shifted the demographic to the 30-year-olds,” says Hole. “That’s important because that generation doesn’t tend to think of a garden centre as destination.” A year ago, retail marketing expert John Stanley forecasted that The Enjoy Centre would be one of the most leading-edge facilities in North America. Now that it’s reality, farm marketers should track its evolution for ideas that can be borrowed or modified.
New predatory mites offer better whitefly and thrips control Koppert Biological Systems will be launching a new predatory mite for control of whitefly and thrips in January 2012. Amblydromalus limonicus has been known for years, but until recently, researchers had difficulty understanding how to rear them commercially. A higher level of control can be expected with A. limonicus in cucumbers. “Because it feeds on thrips, whitefly, spider mite and pollen, and because its own population grows at the same pace as any infestation, it is able to gain – and retain – the upper hand over both thrips and whitefly faster and at a lower level,” says Hans Hoogerbrugge, Koppert. “The good results in thrips are partly thanks to the fact that Amblydromalus limonicus also tackles thrips in the second larval phase. Neither Amblyseius swirskii nor Amblyseius cucumeris do this.” Koppert reports that this mite
can thrive in a wide temperature range, but is most active at 13 to 14 degrees Celsius. For reliable, in-depth knowledge, the Bible of the greenhouse industry remains a Koppertproduced publication: Knowing and Recognizing the Biology of Glasshouse Pests and their
Amblydromalus limonicus Natural Enemies. Written by M. H. Malais and W. J Ravensburg and translated from the Dutch version, the book was published in 2003. There’s no word yet on when this publication might be updated.
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER
CANADIAN GREENHOUSE CONFERENCE
Light savings shine for savvy operators How often have you heard that NASA’s bleeding edge research ends up as practical solutions for industry? That’s just the case with greenhouses now being lit up with energy-saving plasma, a technology that was used on the mobile light tower for the last shuttle launch. “The spectrum is as close to sunlight as you can get,” says John Garcia, marketing and sales director, Plasmalyte Canada, who is working on a 30-acre project with Kapital Produce, Ruthven, Ontario. Knowing that the technology is currently implemented in European greenhouses, Kapital Produce was well-motivated to pioneer the project. “We see this as the future of lighting,” says Mark Mastronardi, vice-president, Kapital Produce. Last winter, a pilot with 2.5 acres of pepper plants was launched using Luxim’s light emitting plasma (LEP) technology. The fixture recorded a 38 per cent energy savings over using 400W high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps and more than 70 per cent energy savings compared to using 1000W HPS fixtures. The goal was to supplement light to newly transplanted crops in the first quarter of 2011 – the most light-deficient season -- using only plasma lighting. Mounted directly to the existing trusses, the plasma fixture provided directional light to the existing plants
Dayne Haight, director of business development, Plasmalyte (left) shares growing results using the Plasmalyte’s light-emitting plasma technology to members of Kapital Produce: Mark Mastronardi, Ollie Mastronardi, Lou Harris and Richard Morris.
without the stray light common with conventional HPS fixtures. The need for curtains is eliminated due its high efficiency and full spectrum of colour. Given the early test results, Ollie Mastronardi has partnered directly with the plasma source provider Luxim and fixture
manufacturer Straylight Optical Technologies, to roll out this
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technology to 30 new acres of production in 2012.
Luxim, the manufacturer of Light Emitting Plasma (LEP), states that plasma fixtures can provide more than 30,000 hours life without changing emitters, have dimmable and controllable capabilities, provide full cut-off directional light output, and provide full spectrum high 95 CRI colour. Dayne Haight, director of business development for Plasmalyte, plans to set up a Leamington, Ontario office to expedite sales and provide onsite installation support. “My goal is to find the balance of plasma technology and Ontario’s existing sunlight conditions so that we can provide an energy-efficient solution that is flexible with changes in weather,” says Haight. “We’re conducting that testing right now.” The plasma lights, CSAcertified, range in price from $800 to $850 per fixture and can easily be adapted to most greenhouse structures. Researchers have found that the best results using plasma lights come from growing cucumbers, followed by tomatoes, and then peppers.
We see this as the future of lighting. - Mark Mastronardi
NOTICE OF MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the FRESH VEGETABLE GROWERS OF ONTARIO will be held in the Town of Woodstock, Ontario at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs Boardroom Thursday November 24, 2011 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m Election of directors of the Association will take place plus discussion of financial reports and any other business that may arise. Pre-registration is re quired, registration forms and additional meeting details can be located on FVGO website www.freshvegetablesontario.com/
PAGE 6 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
Soup: straight from the vine, not from the can Mastronardi Produce is putting tomato soup in a box! They are launching the Sunset Fresh Tomato Soup Kit in November, betting that consumers will choose convenience and healthy eating straight from the vine, not from the can. “The overall response and enthusiasm surrounding the Sunset Fresh Tomato Soup Kit has been tremendous,” says Paul Mastronardi, president, commenting on the launch at the Produce Marketing Association show in Georgia, Atlanta. The package consists of 2.5 lbs of freshly picked Sunset tomatoes on the vine, a spice pack that contains sea salt, basil and garlic and a crouton pack. The croutons, made with calabrese bread, remain crunchy and don’t get soggy when added to the soup. The tomatoes, spice and
Vineland opens business incubator Horticultural innovation in Niagara Region is getting another boost with re-opening of The Lodge at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC). A historical building on campus, The Lodge offered on-site living for students and visiting researchers between 1950 and the 1970s. Thanks to more than $1 million of funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) The Lodge has been renovated to welcome start-up companies and related horticultural business. The Lodge is part of a larger Vineland strategy to create a world-class horticultural centre with regional business impact. New partners have already taken space at The Lodge including the Wine Council of Ontario, Twenty Valley Tourism Association, and Friends of Lincoln’s History historical archives. These organizations join stakeholders Hoogendoorn, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, and Flowers Canada (Ontario) who are already located at the Vineland campus. Together, their presence will focus on innovation in the Niagara region, particularly in the areas of food processing, produce storage and food marketing.
crouton packs come in a recyclable box that is flow wrapped to protect the tomatoes and contain all ingredients in one box. The recipe contains six steps for a fresh, homemade tomato soup that’s ready in less than 20 minutes. Mastronardi Produce will be showcasing the new kit on November 8 at the New York Produce Show and Conference in New York City.
COMING EVENTS 2011 November 2 Ontario Produce Marketing Association Quality Control Seminar, OPMA office, Toronto, ON Nov 4 – 13 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON Nov 6 – 8
Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association 2011 Annual Bus Tour, Niagara Region, ON
November 9 Ontario Produce Marketing Association Quality Control Seminar, OPMA office, Toronto, ON Nov 15 – 20 Outstanding Young Farmers National Recognition Event, Royal Oak Inn, Brandon, MB Nov 22, 23 Essex County Associated Growers Bounty of the County, Kinsmen Recreation Complex, Leamington, ON Nov 24
Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, OMAFRA office, Woodstock, ON, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Nov 28
Garlic Bulb & Stem Nematode Workshop, Arboretum Centre, Guelph, ON (Register by November 21)
Nov 29 – Dec 1 Grow Canada Conference, Winnipeg, MB Dec 6 – 8
Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Market Expo, DeVos Plaza Convention Centre and Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI
2012 January 4, 5 Southwest Agricultural Conference, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, Ridgetown, ON Jan 8 – 11
International Fruit Tree Association 55th annual conference, “High-Density – High Profit: Competitiveness in the Southern Hemisphere,” Santiago, Chile; www.ifruittree.org
Jan 9 – 11
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza, Niagara Falls, ON
January 21
OSCIA FarmSmart Conference, Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER
B.C. berry growers support concept of national councils Levies on domestic and imported product would fund marketing In British Columbia, growers of raspberries and blueberries are voting for change. Specifically, they want a national council that would have the powers to levy fees on both domestic and imported product, providing new revenues for research and market development. A vote of B.C. growers, which was taken at the Raspberry Industry Development Council (RIDC) in late September, resulted in 70 per cent voting in favour of a Canadian National Red Raspberry Council. “While turnout was poor, the growers that attended the meeting represented the majority of the producing raspberry acreage,” says Karen Fenske, StratPoint Solutions. An information session
with more details may be held January 26, 2012 at the Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford. At that time, eligible raspberry
producers – those growing more than 10,000 pounds per year – may be able to vote. Blueberry growers are also
organizing for their own National Highbush Blueberry Council. At the Pacific Agriculture Show, on January 28, they will hear more about program details and a vote may be held for those growing more than 10,000 pounds per year. Other growers across the country will have the opportunity to show support as presentations are being planned for early 2012 in Ontario and Quebec. Proposals for both National Councils will be submitted to the federal government in the spring of 2012. Why is the National Raspberry Council needed? According to Fenske, the global raspberry market is growing and establishing a National Red Raspberry Council (CRRC) could help keep Canadi-
an raspberries as a viable crop. As of December 2010, Statistics Canada reports the Canadian raspberry market included approximately 79 million pounds of fresh and processed raspberries compared to 44 million pounds in 2006. However, domestic product market share was only 31 per cent in 2010 compared to 63 per cent in 2006. At the same time, imported fresh raspberries have doubled since 2008 to more than 37.7 million pounds while exports to the U.S. have decreased due, in part, to competition. What’s the rationale for a National Highbush Blueberry organization? Fenske’s analysis shows that the industry is at a critical point with two equally significant opportunities. First, B.C. needs to find new markets for production that’s expected to reach 120 million pounds by 2013. Secondly, the import market share, which represents over 40 per cent of the market, has increased almost 400 per cent since 2007. Both issues could result in industry growth if a levy is collected. Estimated revenue is more than $500,000 for domestic product and more than $400,000 from imports for a total of $900,000 which could be available for research, promotion, and marketing. More details will be published in industry newsletters. Or call the Raspberry Industry Development Council at 604-854-8010 or the B.C. Blueberry Council at 604-864-2117.
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PAGE 8 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
The fruits of recent elections are not clear
BRIAN GILROY CHAIR, OFVGA
The end of the fall harvest is in sight and it will soon be time to reflect on the year gone past. It has been a year in which we have had a federal and provincial election, just four months apart. Engaging politicians to try and have influence on policy is one of the primary goals of the OFVGA. The results of the elections and the effects they will have on agriculture and farming have left me uncertain about where we are going. The leaders of both governments have remained unchanged but we have lost one of our strongest supporters in Carol
Mitchell, the past Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs here in Ontario. To Carol Mitchell for listening to the farmers, working with us and helping to implement the business risk management programs, thank you! Your efforts on our behalf are greatly appreciated. I am saddened by the loss of Minister Mitchell but also by the almost total urban/rural split in the Ontario Legislature. I am hopeful that Premier McGuinty and his staff will spend considerable time reviewing why well liked, respected MPPs in rural ridings lost on October 6.
With rural Ontario sitting in opposition and a record-low voter turnout in this past election, the need to be involved in policy development affecting farmers is essential. Our provincial government envisions Ontario as a world leader in environmental stewardship, clean water and green energy. Farmers have and continue to be excellent stewards of most of the land in southern Ontario. As this provincial government implements policy to protect the environment, it is essential that science be used whenever possible and that they
encourage and support conformity not enforce new and unclear regulations. All politicians that I talked to spoke about how they feel that agriculture is an important contributor to the economy. In Ontario, the food sector is the second largest economic driver after the auto sector and farming is an integral component. The cost of compliance to all of the new and evolving rules on top of dramatic cost of production increases are two of the factors threatening the viability of fruit and vegetable farming. We seem to be stuck in a contradiction!
ing a heavy rainstorm? Let’s remember that the soil in this rinse water originated in the same place and is the same as the soil in the field. I struggle to believe that this soil is somehow an environmental contaminant. Why should one require a certificate of approval to simply store wash water in a pond and then irrigate it back onto the farmland at a later date? For years, soil erosion has been considered a serious problem in agriculture. Irrigating this wash water back onto the farmland helps reduce erosion as it is returning the soil in the water back to the land. Now through this certificateof-approval process, the government wants to charge you to reduce erosion. If you discharge less than 10,000 litres a day back to the land then you do not need a permit; this suggests to me that the wash water is not considered an
environmental problem yet at 10,001 litres it must be or why would you require a certificate of approval? Of course it is not, these numbers are arbitrarily picked by someone or some group to meet its purpose. What has happened is that the act of washing soil off produce is considered an industrial process by the ministry of environment and therefore the wash water is considered industrial waste. There is no differentiation between the source and type of waste. As I understand, wash water is being treated similarly to glow-in-thedark waste, which is of course absurd. A minimum cost to get a certificate of approval to dispose of wash water in excess of 10,000 litres a day would be about $7000 and that is before any work is done to comply. This is a lot of money. In fact it is about the same amount as the minimum sales to be classified as
a farmer here in Ontario. The government tells us we need to be competitive yet turns around and slaps this additional cost on the farmers. Talk about agriculture sustainability! This is one example of an illconceived regulation that impacts the sustainability of the farming sector, created in absence of consultation with the affected parties. This speaks to the need to reduce unnecessary regulations, to ensure they are based on sound science and that the regulations are consistently implemented across the province. The OFVGA is working on this issue and will ask the ministry of environment for a moratorium to be placed on the call for these certificates of approval as it pertains to the disposing of wash water on Ontario fruit and vegetable farms. For what it’s worth, it’s the way I see it.
Mired in regulations
ART SMITH CEO, OFVGA Earlier in the season, I wrote about some good things that were happening with regards to the reduction and modernization of provincial regulations. The premier had initiated the Open For Business Policy and meetings between several ministries and farm groups had taken place. Since then we have had the election and the process around “open
for business” has stalled. It is time to get back to the process of eliminating ridiculous regulations. One such regulation that has been brewing is the requirement for farmers to apply for and receive a wastewater certificate of approval before wash water can be disposed of. By wash water I am referring to water that is used to rinse the soil off such products as potatoes, carrots or some other root crop before they go to market. I am not talking about water that is high in organic matter. There is a huge difference. Typically, farmers dip the whole potato or carrot in water and brush or rinse off the unwanted soil. No problem . . . until you try to dispose of the rinse water. This, in my opinion, is where the regulations get silly and extremely expensive in time, money and frustration. How is this water materially different from soil run-off follow-
Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) -- a great model
ADRIAN HUISMAN ONTARIO TENDER FRUIT PRODUCERS The AAC has and continues to be a great model of how govern-
ments can provide resources to the agricultural sector which in turn uses the seed money for projects targeted at addressing the needs of producers. This allows producers to develop and deliver innovative projects which, likely, otherwise would not have been undertaken. Yes, growers must also contribute towards the cost of the project and that in itself provides assurance that the projects are worth undertaking in the first place. The Council was established many years ago to provide funding for projects that met the objectives of both the government as well as producers. The AAC Board is made up of a wide spec-
trum of industry representatives from producer groups to processors to retailers. It also includes non-voting government liaison representatives who provide guidance and oversight. The AAC delivers a number of programs ranging from strictly research, to innovation, to marketing programs. Unfortunately, in recent years, the government has discontinued providing support for marketing and promotion efforts which the Tender Fruit Board and certainly many other grower organizations had found very useful, not only for export market development but also to some degree domestic market expansion and retention. This
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funding provided us with at least some support to help offset the massive dollars provided to our U.S. counterparts under their Market Access Program (MAP) which have been used successfully to make inroads into the Canadian market. The AAC staff continues to provide guidance to the applicants as to how to best design their projects and applications so that they meet the program guidelines. They also review pre-submissions and advise on whether a project has a chance of being successful based on previous experience. I believe the AAC has been an excellent example of how limited resources can be used to best
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Chair Vice-Chair Fruit Director Veg Director Director
Brian Gilroy, Meaford Mac James, Leamington Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Ryder, Delhi Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Apples Fresh Vegetable - Other Tender Fruit ON Asparagus Grws’. Mkg. Brd. GGO/Fresh Grape Growers Fresh Vegetable - Muck ON. Potato Board Small Fruit/Berries ON. Ginseng Growers’ Greenhouse Greenhouse
Brian Gilroy, Meaford Mary Shabatura, Windham Centre Fred Meyers, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Ryder, Delhi Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Verkaik, Bradford Mac James, Leamington Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Doug Bradley, Tillsonburg Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Don Taylor, Durham
serve the interests of producers as well as governments. The AAC Board and their very competent staff are to be congratulated for their efforts and support and we certainly wish them success in the future. The governments are also to be congratulated for supporting the AAC delivery system and for providing the resources to help the industry target research and innovation projects. I encourage them to continue to use this important vehicle and to bring back programs that provide promotion and marketing initiatives. We need a level playing field.
OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC AGCare/Nutrient Man.
Charles Stevens, Newcastle Harold Schooley, Simcoe David Lambert, Niagara-on-the-Lake Ken Forth, Lynden Mark Wales, Alymer Murray Porteous, Simcoe Charles Stevens, Newcastle
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER
PERSPECTIVE Farmers: Don’t let self-interest groups speak for you
OWEN ROBERTS UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Long-time farm advocate Jack Wilkinson issued a warning to the 260-plus delegates at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists congress in Guelph and Niagara in the late summer. Speaking at a welcome-to-Canada event, he told them to beware of non-government organizations "who don’t know what they’re talking about, dictating agricultural policy." Said Wilkinson: "Don’t let them get away with it.” He was talking about global agricultural policy, and how it's getting wrestled away by selfinterest groups. But it turns out he could have been speaking about something happening right in our own backyard. The Woodstock-like antidevelopment festival near Shelburne in mid-October, called Foodstock, showed how agriculture can indeed be controlled by non-farming interests. Farmers were portrayed as helpless poor cousins who needed a hand from stylish downtown Toronto chefs to protect their land.
It's exactly what Wilkinson warned against. And seeing it on our own doorstep, anyone can relate to what he meant. On the surface, Foodstock seemed harmless, imaginative and democratic. It was positioned by its organizers as a chance for as many as 20,000 citizens to rail against landowners determined to dig a huge 2,300-acre limestone quarry on prime Niagara Escarpment farmland, currently planted mostly in potatoes. For their part, the developers said they too had democracy -- let alone progress -- on their side. They said rock from the quarry is needed for road development. And they maintain their initiative is consistent with the province’s mandate to make sure economic growth isn’t stifled by a shortage of raw commodities such as stone for transportation infrastructure. It's important to note the developers also say they’ll return the land to agriculture once they’re done with it, which might be as long as a century from now. That's hard to believe, but that's what they say. We know profit drives developers. But what was driving Foodstock organizers? Altruism? Agriculture? I don't think so. I think one of Foodstock's main ingredients was NIMBYism. It's arguable, I suppose. Buses were scheduled to run to Foodstock from Hamilton, Toronto and Guelph, none of which are exactly in Shelburne’s backyard. But the drawing card was not support for farmland preservation. Rather,
it was the 100-plus chefs (mainly from Toronto) that famed chef and area restaurateur Michael Stadtlander rallied to prepare dishes for this pay-what-you-can event. Each dish was to comprise produce from Melancthon Township, site of the proposed quarry. Organizers say celebrating local bounty encourages Ontarians "to
stand up and have their voice heard by the government.” But that was taken care of by the provincial election. Rural Ontario -- not necessarily farmers, though -- showed its voice can easily be heard in Toronto. So what, then, did Foodstock and its supporters want? Maybe they thought the government should step in and stop develop-
ment. Or, maybe they thought it should back off, and stop creating legislation that promotes industrial development in rural areas. They said they wanted to preserve farmland. But scratch the surface of Foodstock, and farming quickly gave way to cuisine. That’s too bad. I’m sure farmers in the area care about what’s happening to the land. Agriculture should have been incorporated as a partner in Foodstock -- in fact, it would have been a natural fit for the Farmers Feed Cities campaign, which is all about agricultural awareness. It was brought to the attention of at least one of the event’s promoters. Nothing happened. But here's the real rub. Organizers say funds raised for Foodstock “will be used in the fight against the proposed destruction of thousands of acres of Ontario farmland.” But I think they really mean funds will be used to keep a quarry out of someone’s backyard. Foodstock would have had much more credibility if the farmland defense angle was clearly based on the threat to agriculture, rather than on transplanted Torontonians’ distaste for gravel trucks clogging highways leading to weekend getaways. These same Ontarians don’t want sluggish farm machinery on “their” roads and smelly livestock barns next door...even though that's part of farming, and farming is what they're being asked to support at Foodstock. In fact, Foodstock wouldn't even exist without farming. Organizers plowed it under. And agriculture let them.
Festivals, markets and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
MARK WALES GARLIC GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO As I write this, the Garlic Festival season has finished up, growers are in the midst of trying to plant despite the weather and it is time to gear up for the Farmer's Market at the Royal. The weather was great for this season's festivals especially the new Toronto Garlic Festival which was held at the Brick-
Works on Sunday September 25. I would like to congratulate Peter McClusky on organizing a great site and doing lots of promotion. We had a perfect weather day and lots of excited lovers of garlic. Vendors all had a good day and we look forward to next year’s event. As always I attended the Perth, Newmarket, Stratford and Toronto Festivals. All were well attended and had great weather as did the other festivals that I could not attend. Garlic Festivals are a chance for lovers of garlic to meet the people who grow the best garlic there is, and make it into many unique products. It is a chance to learn about growing and storing garlic. Also a chance to learn how to make many types of garlic braids. There is always plenty of fresh garlic and garlic products, enough to please any lover of garlic. Braids, and bulbs, choppers and keepers, BBQ sauce, garlic ice cream, fudge, lemonade and
Photo courtesy of Tracy Lamb, Mopani Communications garlic starter kits are all to be found. Along with Farmers Markets, garlic festivals are a chance for people to reconnect with those that grow their food and help
them to appreciate how much work, and cost, goes into growing the safest food in the world. As growers, this is our opportunity to sell our product direct to
the person who will eat it, or in the case of garlic ,possibly plant it as well. Some growers do a few of the festivals and some do them all, which keeps us very busy through the months of August and September. Now that planting is underway for next season’s crop our last big event is the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair running from November 4 to 13. This year the Farmer's Market will be located on the main floor, where all the people are! The Garlic Growers’ Association will have a booth for the entire session and members will be given the opportunity to come and sell their product at no charge except for their time. We will be sending out a notice to members shortly so be sure to sign up. This is our best chance to be seen by 300,000 potential customers. In the meantime, good luck planting and as always take pride in growing the best garlic there is.
PAGE 10 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
Board briefs Following are highlights from the OFVGA board meeting held October 13, 2011. The purpose of this brief is to keep you up-todate on the issues that the OFVGA is working on, as well as projects and initiatives the organization is involved in. Crop protection Annual section meeting – Section chair Charles Stevens reported that the Crop Protection section will meet October 25 at the OFVGA office in Guelph. GROU program – OFVGA has submitted new products for inclusion on the Grower Requested Own Use (GROU) program. The program allows Canadian farmers to import crop protection products approved for GROU from the U.S. for use on Canadian farms. Price surveys conducted by University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus show that the difference in price between crop protection products sold in Canada compared to those sold in the U.S. is still more than 60 per cent. This is calculated using the same unit of active ingredient in products in both countries based on a range of crop protection products. Only three products are cheaper in Canada than in the United States. Many new products are still in data protection and are not yet eligible for inclusion in the GROU program. IR-4 meetings – At the recent IR4 (Interregional Research Project No.4) program meetings, 23 of 45 projects were selected for joint registrations between Canada and the U.S. This means farmers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border will receive the same minor uses at the same time for the same maximum residue limits. The IR-4 program is focused on ensuring that pesticides are registered for use on minor crops. Minor use pesticides are those that produce relatively little revenue for their manufacturers, for a variety of reasons. They may be
registered for a seldom-seen pest or for a crop that is not grown by a large number of farmers. However, minor crops include some high-value fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops. IR-4 helps by conducting research on minor use pesticides, pesticides that would not otherwise be profitable to manufacture. Product updates – Thimet, a product used for wireworm control, has been renewed for another two years. Wireworms cause extensive damage in vegetable crops, including carrots, cucurbits, rutabagas, onions, sweet corn, potatoes, sugarbeets, beans and peas. Farmers who grow root crops, muck crops and ginseng depend on Telone to keep their crops free of pathogens and nematodes. Property It was reported that Ministry of Environment officials are requiring fruit and vegetable farmers in some parts of Ontario to obtain a Certificate of Approval to dispose of wash water. This is water used to rinse soil off crops such as carrots and potatoes – required by retailers buying the produce – and then reapplied to the land through irrigation. The application to obtain a permit is lengthy and expensive, so OFVGA is currently working to seek a moratorium on the requirement of these Certificates for farmers who are washing produce. CEO report Research and promotion fund CEO Art Smith reported that just under two thirds of the research and promotion fund had been paid out to OFVGA members. Some groups have not yet claimed their allocations; reminder letters have been sent. In 2010, Board members passed a motion to establish a pilot program that would set aside $300,000 to be allocated to OFVGA member sector groups for research and promotion. The distribution of these funds in
2011 was based on the percentage of container and association membership fees collected during 2010. Year two of the pilot program is contingent upon a decision by the Board and the OFVGA being in a similar financial position again this year. Farm Innovation Program (FIP) - Applications are now officially closed and funding for FIP projects has been fully allocated. Projects must be completed by October 1, 2012. A total of 73 projects was funded in the edible horticulture sector under this program. Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech XChange – OFVGA was involved as a supporter of this event during its inaugural year. The show was held over the Labour Day weekend near St. Williams in Norfolk County. OFVGA provided advertising space in The Grower, coverage of the event in the paper and assisted in developing the show’s program book. World Crops – Three twilight meetings showcasing test plots of Asian vegetables grown in Ontario on a trial basis were held in late August and early September. There was a significant
amount of interest from the sector as the crops are showing early potential for good marketability. The meetings were held at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC), the research station at Simcoe and at a farm location in the Copetown area. The trials are part of a joint initiative between VRIC and OFVGA to investigate the feasibility of growing and marketing these new crops in Ontario. Research Two additional projects have been funded through the national horticulture agri-science cluster. One will focus on identifying genetic markers in apples and the other on addressing wireworm problems in potatoes. Projects funded through this program must be completed by March 31, 2013. Self-directed risk management Information packages for the new Self-Directed Risk Management (SDRM) program are being distributed by Agricorp. For 2011, participants are not required to make a deposit, but must complete and return a deposit request. Ontario producers of edible horticulture who filed a T1163 with the Canada Revenue Agency or a Statement A with Agricorp for 2010 should have received a par-
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ticipant package in the mail. To begin withdrawing funds this year, farmers need to submit the necessary forms by October 31. Cheques will be sent out in mid to late November to farmers who have requested a withdrawal. A second round will take place in early 2012 for farmers who have missed the first deadline or who wish to delay their withdrawal until the new year. Visit www.agricorp.com for more information. Federal MP working group MP Bev Shipley and three other Ontario rural MPs met with representatives from OFVGA, Ontario Pork, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association, Ontario Veal Association and Grain Farmers of Ontario in Guelph on October 13. This is a small working group that was formed after a larger meeting of Ontario rural MPs and leaders of Ontario's non-supply managed commodities earlier this year. Its task is to work collaboratively to find solutions to issues facing Ontario farmers with respect to national business risk management programming. Update from the Ontario Agricultural College Rob Gordon, Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph, presented an update to the Board on activities at OAC. The college consists of six academic units and four campuses with four key areas of emphasis: agriculture, environment, food and rural communities. Approximately 40 per cent of all of the university’s research occurs through OAC. The provincial Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) provides funding to Guelph for diploma, undergraduate and graduate level education. Approximately 25 per cent of OAC’s funding comes through a research partnership agreement between Guelph and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). In 2007, the college was hit with reductions of approximately $14.5 million in its base budget, which it is working to absorb over a sixyear period through anticipated faculty retirements, budget cuts, increased revenues and better leveraging of external funding. Key strategic goals: • Improve/grow diploma programs – 30 per cent increase across Guelph’s three regional campuses from 2008-09 to 201011 school years. • Establish undergraduate teaching efficiencies – OAC has increased the number of students taught by faculty member per academic year by 66.6 per cent in the last five years through increased enrollments and reductions in faculty numbers. OAC previously had teaching efficiencies of less than half of other science –based colleges at Guelph. Continued on next page
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER
Apple grower glows in 2012 Faces of Farming calendar LILIAN SCHAER She was the winner of the Golden Apple Award for industry service and leadership at the 2011 OFVGA annual meeting. Now, in 2012, Cathy McKay will also be a calendar model. She is the first-ever apple grower to be featured in the popular Faces of Farming calendar, produced annually to promote awareness of food and farming in Ontario. Thirteen Ontario farmers or farm families are featured in the calendar every year, nominated by the project’s sponsoring organizations. The ultimate selection of models rests with project manager Kelly Daynard, who looks for diversity in geography and commodities, as well as fascinating stories that will resonate with Ontario’s consumers. That’s where McKay was a natural fit. “Cathy’s is an inspiring story of an innovative farmer who started off with a part-time job that turned into a life-long passion,” says Daynard, communications manager with AGCare and the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC). McKay, along with her husband, manages a 35-acre apple orchard near Port Perry, Ontario. A summer job working in apple orchards after completing her undergraduate degree in environ-
mental biology set McKay on her way in the apple industry. Thirtytwo years later, her orchard business includes both wholesale and retail markets, and she also offers an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) scouting service to farmers in Durham and Northumberland counties. McKay’s also actively involved in many industry organizations. This includes serving on the Ontario Apple Growers board, the Ontario Pesticide Advisory Committee, the Ontario Horticultural Council Food Safety Management Committee and the Okanagan Plant Improvement Board. She also writes a newsletter for apple growers in her area, which is published weekly during the growing season. The Faces of Farming calendar was originally launched in 2002 by Ontario Pork and then expanded to include other livestock, crop and horticultural commodities when OFAC assumed the project several years later. This year’s calendar is produced by the Farm Care Foundation, a newly launched charitable organization affiliated with OFAC and AGCare that is focused on building public trust and confidence in food and farming. “The calendar keeps expanding to include new commodities and new sectors every year and we’re excited to have the OFVGA participate in the calendar this year for the first time,” says Daynard. “Horticulture is such a large part
Cathy McKay of Port Perry is the first-ever apple grower to be featured in the Faces of Farming calendar. She’s the face of February 2012. of Ontario agriculture that it is great to see it be part of this project.” The hallmark of the awardwinning calendar is its striking black and white photography, inspired by popular calendars featuring firefighters. The goal of the project is to tell the story of Ontario’s farmers and to shatter
common misconceptions Ontarians may have about food and farming. Every year, the calendar garners widespread media coverage across the province, including radio, television and in newspapers such as the Toronto Star, the London Free Press and others. Seven thousand calendars will be printed this year, with copies
being distributed to politicians at all three Ontario levels of government as well as to thousands of media, grocery stores, restaurants and butcher shops. They’ll also be for sale at most TSC store locations across Ontario, through the AGCare/OFAC office in Guelph, and online at www.ofac.org.
in February. Michael Kauzlaric from Vineland is taking the lead on this initiative. This is the first time this type of session is being offered and is part of OFVGA’s ongoing commitment to betterment of the industry, including supporting continuing education and learning opportunities for
growers. For more information on the fruit and vegetable convention, visit www.ofvc.ca.
ries and business spaces. Wellknown gardening personality Mark Cullen is the fundraising chair for the New Vineland. The campaign’s goal is to raise $12.5 million to match funds committed by government. The next OFVGA board meeting will take place on November 17 at the OFVGA office in Guelph, starting at 10:00 a.m.
Board briefs Continued from page 10 • Enhance graduate programs – OAC’s graduate programs have seen an 11 per cent increase since 2006-07. The foundation is research-based programs but OAC is moving towards having complementary course-based graduate program offerings as well. • Maintain research capacity – OAC’s external research funding has increased by 19.5 per cent between 2005-06 and 2009-10. About half of this is sourced through the OMAFRA research partnership with the balance coming from industry, other levels of government and research funding councils. During the same time the overall level of external research funding at Guelph decreased by 1.6 per cent. Other recent highlights at OAC include higher enrolment, a new Loblaw Chair in Sustainable Food Production, a new Canada Research Chair in Food and Health, the largest ever graduating class at the Ridgetown Campus this past spring and a new student resource centre being established at the Ridgetown Campus that is slated to open next fall.
Technology Day at Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention OFVGA and OMAFRA are working together with VRIC to organize a session focused on new technologies in the fruit and vegetable sector at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention
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PAGE 12 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Ground work on lavender rootstock is paying off The Ontario Lavender Association just received a bouquet of good news. More than $40,000 has been provided through the Sand Plains Community Development Fund to expand research trials and evaluate 25 lavender varieties at four sites. Three of these sites are in Norfolk County and one is in Elgin County. The trials will be managed by University of Guelph researchers Alan McKeown and Gopi Paliyath as well as OMAFRA specialists Sean Westerveld and Jim Todd. Grower funding is also supporting research in Essex County and in Durham Region. The nascent industry is looking to expand acreage, but needs to focus on desired characteristics for different end uses such as agritourism, fresh and dried bundles, dried buds, culinary, personal care products. “For this, we are looking at a wide range of characteristics, such as flower height, flower colour, flower yield, bloom period, essential oil quality, essential oil components,” says Westerveld. The most daunting
hurdle is to identify varieties that will consistently overwinter under different growing conditions. In preliminary research to date, several varieties such as Alba and Provence have exhibited very poor survival rates at all sites. More encouraging is that several varieties with favourable characteristics such as Folgate and Hidcote are surviving the harsh winters. “We were able to track the bloom period of all varieties which would allow growers to maximize the length of their agritourism season,” says Westerveld. “Melissa is the earliest blooming cultivar, which reaches peak bloom in the end of June or early July in most locations. The hybrid lavenders, known as lavandins, are the latest blooming, reaching peak bloom in the end of July or early August.” Data from the 2011 season has yet to be analysed for oil distillation, oil quantity and quality. Westerveld expects full details to be available by March, 2012 on the website: www.ontariolavenderassociation.com.
In research trials across Ontario, Folgate and Hidcote cultivars have overwintered well.
Seed companies serve need to grow global crops locally Have you noticed how much the vegetable aisle of the grocery chains is changing? Sure, potatoes, carrots and turnips are standards but new Canadians are shunning those for their comfort foods of kaddu, yardlong beans and okra. Given the quickly rising immigrant populations in urban cities, this is a major opportunity for vegetable growers. Imports of okra, alone, total $8 million. “Agriculture is shifting from a production to demand-driven model,” says Jim Brandle, CEO, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC). Speaking at a recent meeting of Ontario Agri-Food Technologies, Brandle chronicled how the shift from cost-price leadership is moving towards customer leadership in a more sustainable industry. That’s what happening in the vegetable business in Ontario, as innovative growers seek to satisfy the burgeoning appetite of newcomers, especially in the Greater Toronto Area.
VRIC is championing those changes in growing global crops locally. Trials were underway this past summer with J. Collins and Sons, Gore Farms, Wagner Farms and Tigchelaar Farms. They were trying okra (A. B. Peri), yardlong bean (Long Noodle), oriental eggplant (Farmers Long) with up to 0.5 acres in each crop. All of the output found a ready home at either the Ontario Food Terminal, pick-your-own fields, direct sale to GTA ethnic stores, FoodShare Toronto or The Stop
Community Food Centre’s farmers’ market. Working with VRIC are seed companies such as AgroHaitai Seeds, Norseco, William Dam Seeds and Stokes. Just this year, for example, AgroHaitai carried seeds of new varieties including Chinese cabbage, white pak choy, bottle gourd and hot peppers. They also supply seeds for yardlong beans, edible amaranth and basil. Other seed companies are noting similar trends. Ernie
What’s really taking off, Szucs says, is Bt sweet corn in Ontario and Quebec where growers can produce higher yields due to less pressure from European corn borer.
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Szucs, Canadian seed representative for Siegers, says that certain geographies such as Ontario’s Holland Marsh and British Columbia’s Lower Mainland are requesting seed for napa cabbage to serve oriental markets. Specialty crops such as Jamaican pumpkin are another example.
Gilliane Bisson, t.h. Montreal Area, Quebec Tel: 514-332-2275 Fax: 450-682-4959
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NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Rootstock choices for Ontario apple growers largest tree size; Jonagold has been the most productive cultivar while Empire the weakest in vigour • Cumulative yields after 9 years of fruiting indicated that V.7, V.1, and V.3 ranked as the most productive. Cumulative yields of M.9 T337 and O.3 have been the least of those tested. • Suckering has been significantly greater for V.4, particularly for the Northern Spy and Empire scion cultivars • V.3 has been the most yield efficient rootstock followed by M.9 T337, V.2 and V.1 There was no significant rootstocks effect on mean fruit size.
JOHN CLINE When establishing new apple orchards, producers must not only consider the cultivar to grow when purchasing trees, but also the rootstock onto which the scion has been grafted. The decision is important as it has economic and orchard management consequences, and there are currently a great number of rootstocks available. However, many are not suitable for our climate, cultivars, or orchard systems. The Tree Fruit Research program at the University of Guelph, Vineland and Simcoe campuses has been actively involved in rootstock research for apple, peach, nectarine, plum, and cherry production in Ontario. This long term research is to assess size controlling characteristics of a number of rootstocks from around the world. The information gathered from these experiments is extremely useful in determining the environmentgenetic interactions rootstocks have on yield, precocity, tree performance, longevity, resistance to disease and winter injury, and tendency to sucker. This article will provide an update on some of our most recent results from studies conducted in Simcoe on apples. Experiment 1 : Performance of Northern Spy, Jonagold and Empire on Commercial and New (Vineland Series) Size Controlling Apple Rootstocks Eight trees each of Northern Spy, Jonagold (DeCoster), and Empire on eight rootstocks (V.1, V.2, V.3, V.4, V.7, M.26, M.9 T337, O.3) were planted in a siltloam soil in 1997 at the Horticultural Experiment Station, Simcoe, Ontario, at a spacing of 3.0 m within and 4.5 m between rows (741 trees/hectare;300 trees/acre). Trees were trained to a slender spindle with a 2.5 m support post and were trickle irrigated. Results after nine years of production indicate the following (Figure 1): • Two rootstocks (O.3 and V.3) were significantly smaller, and two rootstocks (V.4, and V.7) were significantly larger than M.26 EMLA. • Tree size (trunk cross-sectional area) ranged from 74 to 205% relative to M.26E with V.3 being the smallest and V.4 the largest.
V.1, V.2, and M.9 T337 were statistical similar in size to M.26EMLA.
• Significant interactions in performance (yield and tree size) exist between the cultivars and
rootstocks • Trees of Northern Spy have had the lowest cumulative yield and
Continued on page 14
PAGE 14 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Rootstock choices for Ontario apple growers Continued from page 13
were statistically different among rootstocks. V.1, CG.16, Pajam 2, and V.3 had the highest cumulative yields. The following rootstocks had statistically lower yield efficiencies over five years of production: M.9 EMLA, M.26 EMLA, Pl.80, MM.106 M.9 T337 had 30% tree mortality over the life of the experiment. This was higher than any other rootstock.
Experiment 2 : Performance of Honeycrisp and Royal Gala on the Commercial and New (Vineland Series) Size Controlling Apple Rootstocks Ten trees each of Royal Gala and Honeycrisp on eight rootstocks (PI.80, M.26 EMLA, V.1, V.3, M.9 Nic. 29, Pajam 2, CG.16, M.9 T337, M.9 EMLA, Bud.9) were planted in a sandy silt-loam soil in 2002 at the Horticultural Experiment Station, Simcoe, Ontario. Trees were spaced 2.5 m within and 5.0 m between rows (800 trees/hectare; 323 trees/acre). Trees were trained to a vertical axe central leader system and were trickle irrigated. Results after seven years of production indicate the following: Honeycrisp (Figure 2) • Eight rootstocks (Bud.9, M.9 EMLA, M.9 T337, CG.16, V.3, Pajam 2, and M.9 Nic29) were significantly smaller than M.26 EMLA. PI.80, also known as Supporter 4, and V.1 were statistically similar in size to M.26 EMLA. • Tree size (trunk cross-sectional area) ranged from 62 to 110% relative to M.26E with Bud.9 being the smallest • Cumulative yields after 7 years were not statistically different among rootstocks. However, Bud.9, M.9 EMLA, and CG.16 were among the most yield efficient while PI.80 significantly less yield efficient. • Cumulative yield efficiency has been significantly lower on PI.80
Photo by John Cline Concluding Remarks
and M.26 EMLA in comparison with the other rootstocks • In other Honeycrisp research conducted at the Horticultural Experiment Station, Simcoe, trees on M.26 or equivalent vigour have been preferred over M.9 because Honeycrisp is a very weak grown cultivar. However,
when grafted on M.26, Honeycrisp grafted unions have had a tendency to break. Royal Gala (Figure 3): • Eight rootstocks (Bud.9, M.9 EMLA, M.9 T337, M.9 Nic.29, V.3) were significantly smaller
than M.26 EMLA. PI.80, CG.16, V.1 Pajam 2, and MM.106 were all statistically similar in size to M.26 EMLA. • Tree size (trunk cross-sectional area) ranged from 64 to 104% relative to M.26E with Bud.9 being the smallest • Cumulative yields after 7 years
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Apple producers have a wide selection of rootstocks to choose from. The decision of rootstock selection should be based on a number of factors including growing region (hardiness zone), soil fertility, orchard system, cultivar, tree spacing, and prevalence of disease. Our results indicate that M.9 and M.26 remain very productive size-controlling stocks with many positive attributes. Their primary weakness however is their high susceptibility to fire blight and lack of cold hardiness. Furthermore, M.9 T337, a common Dutch M.9 rootstock clone sold in North America over the past decade appears to be inferior to other M.9 clones based on the three studies above. The Vineland series rootstocks and Bud. 9, in particular, may help to address these concerns. When more vigour is required for weak growing cultivars such as Honeycrisp, consider a more vigorous rootstock that M.9, particularly in less fertile or sandy soils. More Information on the Vineland rootstocks can be obtained at www.plant.uoguelph.ca/treefruit. Acknowledgements The research was supported, in part, by the University of Guelph and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Sustainable Production Systems and the Ontario Apple Growers' Association. The mission of the Sustainable Production Systems Program is to enhance the longterm global competitiveness and sustainability of Ontario's agriculture and food system through excellence in research For more information call 1-877-424-1300 or 519-826-4047, E-mail ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca John Cline is associate professor, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph.
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Seed company offers taste demonstration It’s not enough to pack a beautiful greenhouse tomato anymore. It must pass the taste test. That’s exactly what greenhouse growers were treated to in the 2011 demonstration day hosted by Syngenta Seeds this past summer. MGS Horticultural, the North American dealer, invited Eastern Canadian marketers to view current commercial varieties as well as trial varieties currently under review in the Leamington, Ontario area. Included in the demonstration were taste tests of the individual fruits as well as sampling of appetizers prepared with some of Syngenta’s varieties of tomatoes, pepper and cucumbers that were on display. Everyone could give
immediate feedback on the potential of specific varieties based on flavour. Highlights were new offerings of: Beef, TOV (Tomato on the Vine), Grape and Cocktail tomato, red, yellow and orange bell peppers as well as early offerings of sweet conical peppers. Attendees were also offered a look at Syngenta’s new English cucumber variety “Monroe” (formerly LC9595) which was launched commercially in July 2011. This variety is noted for its high production of quality fruits and reduced labour input. Often marketers will travel overseas to view trial varieties in Europe and it is difficult to determine if the success of produce
Tomato segment display at Chaberton Estate Winery in Langley, British Columbia. grown in Europe can be translated to growing regions in Canada. It was also beneficial to have the fruit already picked and displayed
in contrast to assessing it still on the plant in the greenhouse where viewing different varieties side by side is difficult.
A similar event was held in Langley, British Columbia for western Canadian marketers.
Side-by-side trials offer living proof Not unlike grains and oilseeds, the vegetable industry is taking a leaf from the breeding books and running side-by-side trials. For
cluster, beefsteak and specialty tomatoes, all the new varieties, regardless of origin, go head to head in De Ruiter Seeds’ demon-
GLADIOLUS BULBS Wide variety selection for retail sales and commercial cut flower production Catalogue available upon request or visit our website at www.lmbolle.com
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stration greenhouse in Leamington, Ontario. The objective is high yield and large size in 150 gram cluster tomatoes and 250 gram beefsteak tomatoes. Good shelf life is considered two weeks. To date, none are diseaseresistant. They are all conventionally bred. It takes at least four years to advance from the breeder’s bench to commercial varieties. Good taste is the Holy Grail of tomato breeding with specialty tomatoes needing to rate eight brix and beefsteaks and clusters need to meet four brix. Consumer and retail demand is now driving research on a greattasting grape tomato. In pepper breeding, the newest addition is the mini-blocky – a miniature pepper in red, yellow and orange colours. In cucumbers, the latest arrivals are snacking varieties, even smaller than the minis. They have been on the market for just a year and again are grown under an exclusive arrangement. De Ruiter Seeds, acquired by Monsanto in 2008, recently opened a new office and warehouse facility in Leamington. Seed inventories will be imported from the Netherlands and stocked to supply orders in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
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PAGE 16 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
What’s new in traditional fruits and vegetables? Seed test trials were especially helpful in 2011 with the extremes of a cold, wet spring in British Columbia and Ontario. Central Canada experienced a summer of hot droughty conditions. Here are gleanings from two seed companies. Stokes Seeds In green beans, Inspiration and Wyatt had exceptional years in Stokes trials. Inspiration is a classy high quality 5.7- inch bean with an upright plant that set well in the heat in 2011 and also holds well in the field. It has demonstrated some tolerance to season Midwest virus complex and whitefly. Wyatt had a very consistent yield in the spring and fall of 2011, of nice dark green pods, 4-sieve in diameter and is 5.7 inches long on an upright plant. It has excellent bacterial disease and virus resistance. Archimedes pepper was introduced last year and performed very well in both trials and production fields this year. Archimedes is a 76-day green to red blocky bell pepper. It has resistance to BLS 1,2,3 and intermediate resistance to Phytopthora. Emerald Jewell broccoli is a new variety, the first with a demonstrated ability to perform well where club root has been a production problem. Sugar cube cantaloupe was the preferred variety for taste for roadside markets in 2011. Suitable for farm markets looking for a smaller, high-quality personal size two-pound 2 melon, it has high sugars (14 per cent brix), deep orange flesh, tight interior, amazing taste and excellent disease tolerance. Gourmet Sweet variety 1673 corn, one of the new yellow varieties, has many of the great eating and production characteristics of the variety Fantastic. Growers will see good soil emergence, a strong plant and consumers will love the taste. For those growers that raise onions for storage, Hendrix is a
new onion to consider. It is a 106-day long onion with a medium gold colour, long storage, and an appealing globe shape. This variety performed very well over a wide geographic area in 2011. In new varieties of pumpkins, Apollo was launched in 2011. It is an 18-32 lb medium ribbed pumpkin with improved handle and attachment. Apollo has an attractive, dark orange colour with a round-to-upright fruit shape. It is an addition for those growers who plant Magic Wand and Gladiator pumpkins, and all have tolerance to powdery mildew. For new varieties of fresh market tomatoes, Red Deuce and Red Bounty are two varieties to try in 2012 and did well in Stokes trials from New Jersey, Indiana and Canada. Red Deuce is two to four days later than the standard early Primo Red. It has a medium-sized plant with extra large fruit with very good quality and high yields. Red Bounty is a vigorous strong plant that is medium in maturity, good heat set and high yield. The fruit are extra large and smooth, with very good quality. Seedway In watermelon, Debra Deis reports renewed interest in seeded varieties after years of decline. In seedless watermelon there are two new extra-early varieties, Citation, which is 12 - 14 lb with a dark crimson rind and Bold Ruler which is larger at 16 - 18 pounds with a normal crimson rind. They can be eight to 124 days earlier than any other commercial triploid watermelon. In Fusarium resistance, Fascination and Distinction have gone to the head of the pack. They are also, in Seedway’s experience, free from internal defects. The interest in melons is focusing on the Tuscan types, also known as Harper and LSL types. They are very sweet with very firm flesh.
Green Gold
In tomatoes, the past two years have seen some nice quality paired with the Fusarium race 3 resistance and TY. Earlier TY resistant tomatoes were small and/or flavourless and now there are a few large and flavourful alternatives, such as Charger. The crop for Seedway that is growing fastest in seed sales is broccoli, thanks to several new heat tolerant varieties. Deis says Seedway is slowly getting more interest in lettuce, which like broccoli, is now far more heat and humidity forgiving then it was in the past. Baby spinach has been good for several years. One interesting trend is that Asian and Latin consumers are becoming more open to buying from whomever the local grower is ethnically. Previously they supplied their produce markets from within their own communities. In Seedway’s cabbage trials Tiara worked well. This is a small, round cabbage that looks like an iceberg lettuce. Its leaves are so thin and the flavour so mild that it can be used just like lettuce. Unlike lettuce, it won't wilt without refrigeration. Another standout is Green Gold Broccoli. In the eastern half of the U.S. and Ontario, it has really caught a lot of attention for
its combination of heat tolerance with a fancy, solid domed heat. The best tomato in the Hershey trial was Volante, a
fancy yet productive and uniform variety that is on the early side. It is TSWV resistant. In peppers there are now two bells with very good Phytophthora resistance combined with BLS (Xcv), Archimedes and Intruder. The latter is fancier and the former has huge, heavy fruit. The corn everyone will be discussing is the Performance Series which are genetically modified to add Roundup resistance along with the "Bt" trait to protect against fall army worm, earworm, various corn borers and corn rootworm larvae. These traits were added to the very popular Obsession, Passion and Temptation varieties and are designated with a "II" (roman numeral 2) behind their names.
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NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Choose seed potato varieties early and target to end markets EUGENIA BANKS The foundation of a good quality potato crop is the use of healthy seed. Vegetative propagation of potatoes and cutting the seed tubers prior to planting increases the chances of transmission for many yield-limiting diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Total control of many of these diseases is often impossible, and a combination of control strategies is necessary.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) certification system verifies varietal purity and also minimizes disease in seed potatoes by establishing disease tolerances. Planting certified seed does not guarantee freedom from disease. Some pathogens like potato virus PVX can often be present in seed tubers but in a latent condition without showing disease symptoms. When purchasing certified or tagged seed potato, growers have the choice to buy high generation seed (Elite I,
Healthy seed is the backbone of producing a high quality crop. II, III, or IV) or Foundation and Certified seed, which are the lower levels in the certification system. The higher the seed generation, the stricter the control measures to ensure low levels of disease. Left: These new varieties of purple/blue potatoes were displayed at the Ontario Potato Day organized by Eugenia Banks, OMAFRA potato specialist, last summer.
Once a potato producer has obtained seed, the handling and sanitation procedures have a strong impact on the performance of the seed lot, and the resultant quality and yield. Seed availability of new and/or specialty varieties could be a challenging task. Once a new variety is released, it can take three to four years to increase the volume of seed potatoes to satisfy high demands. Although purple potatoes were
practically unknown 10 years ago, they are now in high demand. For instance, Purple Majesty is requested by restaurant chefs because of its attractive purple skin and flesh. The potato market keeps changing to satisfy consumers’ demands. Growers should follow these changes closely to make the necessary adjustments to remain competitive. Eugenia Banks is OMAFRA’s potato specialist.
PAGE 18 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Ancient grains earn a place in the sun Amaranth and quinoa may prove to be transitional crops KAREN DAVIDSON Just as the ancient Greeks called amaranth the unfading flower, Canadians are hoping for a modern-day market renaissance by planting the pseudo-cereal in a Sand Plains trial at St. Williams, Ontario. Not a true grain, its seeds are prized for their glutenfree nutritional properties, which are in demand for flours in baked goods, breads and cereals. What makes amaranth particularly interesting to growers is its drought-tolerance and its adaptability to most environmental conditions and soil types. The annual, broadleaf plants vary in height from two to eight feet with four to 12-inch grain heads.
Requiring little fertilizer, amaranth does need attentive weed control in early growth stages, especially for lamb’s quarters. Planting is encouraged after dangers of spring frost have passed with harvest anticipated in 90 to 120 days. Hand harvesting is usually the case to catch the thousands of small seeds within the grain head, but growers will no doubt investigate combine harvesting. Yields can vary from 1210 to 4840 pounds per hectare depending on the variety, field and weather factors. Globally, conventionally grown amaranth is listed at approximately $0.40 per pound while organically grown amaranth is sold for $0.65 per
A. hypochondriacus, Prince’s Feather
A. cruentus, Golden Giant
A. caudatus, Love Lies Bleeding Three varieties of amaranth were planted by summer student Braeden Cowbrough at the field plots of Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change, St. Williams, ON. pound. These values translate into $485 to $1935 per hectare of conventional production and $790 to $3150 per hectare of organic production. Input costs include field cultivation, soil fertilization, mechanical weed management and harvesting. These are the facts established to date through a SuperFoods for Health project between the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), Katan Kitchens and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The first trial plots are testing the viability of superfood grain alternatives, amaranth and quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WA), with the intent of finding more producers in the 2012-2014 growing seasons for one to four-acre plots. Trial organizers are looking to identify the varieties of choice through agronomic, nutritional and antioxidant analyses when the two crops are harvested this October. In the years ahead, they will be assessing soil variability, crop management and harvesting field trials as well as developing producer/processor/retailer value chains. Interest from Ontario food processors is real. “We’re meeting with Maple Leaf Foods, for example, which is looking for locally-produced amaranth for its Dempster’s brand,” says Jamie Draves, president Katan Kitchens. In terms of building the value chain, Draves is busy answering agronomic questions from producers such as Paul Leeds, Elora, Ontario who is considering the niche market as a way to diversify his berry farm. For early adopters, the project will expand to other regions in Ontario. If you are interested in participating in the field crop research, please contact Katan Kitchens at service@katan.ca or call 647-932-6930.
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER
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PAGE 20 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD): Update for Ontario growers PAM FISHER, HANNAH FRASER, DENISE BEATON, OMAFRA In recent weeks, spotted wing drosophila (SWD) populations have increased throughout Ontario. In late September, SWD was found at eight new locations, including the first detections east of Toronto. As of October 12, 2011, SWD has been found at 22 agricultural sites in total, representing approximately 50 per cent of currently monitored sites (Figure 1). SWD has been found in traps near peaches, apricots, raspberries, day-neutral strawberries, blueberries, grapes and blackberries. At a few sites where SWD has been present since early August, trap catches have increased dramatically in late September. (Figure 2). We have collected fruit from some unsprayed sites and reared SWD flies from this fruit, indicating that this pest does indeed
infest fruit in Ontario. Fortunately, there have been no reports of problems with infested fruit on a commercial scale. Harvesting is now complete in most fruit crops in Ontario; however, growers with fall fruiting raspberries, especially raspberries in high tunnels, should be on the lookout for a late season build-up of this pest. Why is SWD a problem? SWD are like other vinegar flies; they lay eggs in fruit, where larvae develop and pupate. The difference is that normal vinegar flies, like the annoying ones you find in your fruit basket in late summer, are attracted to OVERRIPE or DAMAGED fruit, that is about to spoil anyway. By the time the larvae develop, the fruit is usually spoiled or mouldy. SWD is different in that it lays eggs in fruit that is RIPENING, or NEARLY MATURE. This means that SWD larvae may be present in fruit when it is harvested. Infested fruit breaks down very quickly, and is especially leaky, reducing the expected shelf life substantially. Consumers are likely to notice infested fruit because the larvae will try to escape from the fruit as it is cooked or frozen.
wild hosts. We don’t know how quickly populations will build up each year. Also, we have more to learn about alternate and wild hosts for SWD in the spring and early summer. We expect that
how you can manage field culls and unharvested fruit to reduce build-up during harvest. Investigate options for custom spray application during harvest. Plan to attend some meetings where you can learn about experience in other regions. For example, Dr. Rufus Isaacs from Michigan State University will be speaking about this pest at the Ontario Berry Growers Association Annual Meeting in February. Is there any good news? We are learning a lot about SWD from our colleagues in British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest, Michigan and Florida. The Ontario Berry Growers Association has secured some funding for us to expand our monitoring project next year. We will continue to
More information: Do you have questions about SWD? More information is posted at the following sites: Identification of SWD: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cr ops/facts/pest-alert-swd.htm#id Monitoring program and weekly trap catches for Ontario: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cr ops/facts/swd-catches.htm Management of SWD in Ontario: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cr ops/facts/swd-management.htm Registered products for SWD in Ontario 2011: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cr ops/facts/swd-registrations.htm Links to more information about SWD: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cr
Figure 1: # sites with SWD flies in traps in 2011
What crops are most affected? Information from other regions suggests blackberries and raspberries are preferred hosts, followed by blueberries, strawberries and other soft-skinned fruit. Tender fruit, such as apricots, peaches, plums, and possibly tomatoes and some types of grapes are also potential hosts for this invasive pest.
Figure 2: Number of SWD flies trapped per week in 2011
Will SWD overwinter in Ontario? We expect a small percentage of SWD adults will overwinter in southern Ontario in most years. We expect they will overwinter in sheltered locations, such as around building foundations and
wild raspberries, wild blackberries and possibly other wild fruit such as elderberries will provide reservoirs for this pest. What can you do to prepare for next year? Learn as much as you can about the pest. Think about
monitor for this pest and provide the latest news and information in 2012. The other good news is that SWD is manageable. An effective IPM program will include monitoring, sanitation and pesticides applied when necessary.
ops/facts/swd-links.htm Still didn’t find the info you are looking for? Send us your question and OMAFRA’s SWD team will do their best to address it. Pam.fisher@ontario.ca, or hannah.fraser@ontario.ca
Dirty money! DON BLAKELY, ON-FARM FOOD SAFETY SPECIALIST, OMAFRA When we think of dirty money we conjure up thoughts of ill-begotten dollars through illegal activities such as the drug trade. When it comes to food safety, dirty money is pathogen, fecal-covered coins and bills. Just think of the number of hands money comes in contact with, which may or may not be clean. Plus money never gets washed so that contamination stays around for a long time. It is
refreshing to go into a sub shop and watch your order prepared by staff with gloves on which are then removed when they take your cash payment. The same cannot be said about stopping at a farmer’s roadside produce stand and watching an attendant handle your purchase with dirty hands, collect your cash then proceed to service the next customer without any attention to washing their hands. If you have a roadside stand or sell at a farmers’ market you can increase your customer’s confidence in food safety by keeping your hands
clean by washing them if running water and soap are readily available, using plastic gloves to handle produce then removing to handle cash or keeping a ready supply of disinfectant wipes and hand gel available which are used after handling cash. The Canadian Government will soon be introducing new plastic bills, which in addition to being difficult to counterfeit could be laundered to clean them. Maybe then we can look forward to cleaner money but for now we are stuck with dirty money!
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 21 THE GROWER
Efficacy ratings for pesticides used on berry crops PAM FISHER, BERRY CROP SPECIALIST There are many recent pesticide registrations in berry crops, however, growers should take note of some important phrases used to describe the efficacy of these products: control, suppression, and reduction in damage. What exactly do these terms mean? Explanations can be found in the PMRA directive 2003-04, “Efficacy Guidelines for Plant Protection Products.” The terms “control” and “suppression” for insecticides have a somewhat different meaning than the same terms applied to fungicides, or to herbicides. Traditionally, growers could expect control of labelled pests when products were used at the correct rate and optimum timing. Insecticides provide “control” if they consistently reduce pest numbers or pest damage to a commercially acceptable level. Fungicides that provide “control” consistently reduce disease incidence and severity to a commercially acceptable level, when used according to the label. More recently, pesticides
Events North American Raspberry & Blackberry Conference January 16-18, 2012, Sandusky, Ohio at the Kalahari Resort, in association with the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association Congress. Full information will soon be available at www.raspberryblackberry.com
which do not provide this level of control have been registered for use. For example, insecticides registered for pest “suppression” when used as directed, do not consistently reduce pest populations or damage to a level providing commercially acceptable control. Even though these products do not provide commercially PRODUCT
or no effect on beneficial insects that might assist in control of the pest. A fungicide labelled for “suppression” is expected to provide consistent control at a level which is not optimal but is still of commercial benefit. The term “suppression” is not used for products which show highly variable per-
ACTIVE INGREDIENT
CROP
product labelled for suppression, rather than full control of a certain pest? If the pest is an indirect pest, and does not affect fruit directly, then perhaps suppression is all you need. Together with natural enemies or biological control, products used for suppression might be enough to prevent significant crop damage. Products
decision to use products for suppression or reduction in damage. Sometimes there are no other options for organic pest management. However, when using a new product for pest suppression, growers should try to leave an untreated check and carefully evaluate the benefits of using these products compared to the
REGISTERED FOR
Actinovate SP
Streptomyces lydicus strain WYEC 108
Strawberries
Suppression of powdery mildew and Botrytis fruit rot Reduction in symptoms of anthracnose fruit rot
Aliette WDG
phosetyl-al
Blueberries
Suppression of phomopsis canker
Altacor
chlorantraniliprole
Bushberries crop group Suppression of Japanese beetle. (includes blueberries, currants)
Delegate WDG
spinetoram
Strawberries
Suppression of flower thrips
Examples of recent registrations for berry crops for pest suppression or reduction in damage rather than control of certain pests acceptable control, they are registered for “suppression” if there is some value in using the product in pest management programs. For example, an insecticide might be registered for suppression if it has a different mode of action against certain pests and could help with resistance management. The term “suppression” could also apply to products with little
formance. Some products are registered for “reduction in damage” or “partial suppression” of certain pests, which means that growers can expect even lower efficacy when these products are used. These claims are most likely to be used for non-conventional pesticides. Why would you choose a
labelled for suppression may also play a role in resistance management. By alternating with products from different families, the chances of pest resistance to important products can be reduced. Sometimes products labelled for suppression are the only ones available. Of course, price, and intended markets, all play a big part of the
cost of application. The terms “control”, “suppression” and “reduction in damage” are stated on the product label. Make a note of these terms when you are choosing a product for pest management.
and at www.opgma.org. Room reservations can be made by calling 877-525-2427 (mention the OPGMA Congress). For information about the hotel, visit www.kalahariresorts.com/oh/.
ing committee is planning for some great sessions which will include the latest in strawberry research, a focus on feature farms and interactive discussions on marketing and the use of social media. We have negotiated a great rate of $39.00 for a Classic Room and $69.00 for a deluxe room. Visit our website for more information: http:// www.nasga.org/
North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association 27th Annual Convention February 10-16, 2012, Williamsburg, Virginia at the Williamsburg Marriot. Visit farms such as Carter Mountain Orchards, Virginia Farm Market, Belvedere Plantation, Great Country Farms and Cox Farms. Join hands-on workshops at locations in the Historic Triangle of Williams-
burg, Jamestown and Yorktown. Learn strategies from diversity marketing expert Kelly McDonald, retail guru John Stanley, agricultural financial educator Alex White, family business advisor Ann Dugan, agritourism consultant Jane Eckert and many NAFDMA farm business operators. www.nafdma.com/VA2012
North American Strawberry Growers Association Annual Meeting and Conference February 6th - 8th, 2012, Las Vegas, at Harrah’s. The organiz-
PAGE 22 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
New York State to conduct crucial hort research Great Lakes growers, on both sides of the border, stand to benefit from $1 million in research dollars to the New York fruit and vegetable sector. Some of the USDA monies are going to ‘buy local’ initiatives, but Canadians would be well advised to track the research of the following projects: • $71,503 to Cornell University to improve management and profitability of sweet corn through enhanced insect control. This project will examine the resistance of European corn borer, corn earworm, and fall armyworm to pyrethroids and will also test insecticides against the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. • $69,122 to Cornell University for diagnostic services for monitoring and managing the recent outbreak of bloat nematode on garlic. This project will offer New York's garlic growers a nematode analysis service, which will be critical to controlling, managing and documenting the
spread of this costly pathogen.
agricultural commodities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, resulting in $37 million in losses to tree fruit alone. This project will employ GIS-based mapping architecture to effectively coordinate and display information important for pest management decision making.
• $79,998 to Cornell for managing Japanese beetle in eastern vineyards by reducing grub populations in sod row middles with persistent entomopathogenic nematodes. Japanese beetles cause significant defoliation of grapevines resulting in multiple applications of insecticides. This project develops the use of persistent insect-attacking nematodes to manage foliar feeding damage by adult Japanese beetles in vineyards, thereby increasing profits and minimizing potential environmental impacts. Plum curculio • $77,200 to Cornell for biological control of plum curculio in organic apple production systems. Plum curculio is the single greatest insect pest challenge for organic apples. This project will evaluate the potential of New York cold adapted insectattacking nematodes to reduce the impact of plum curculio on organic production, which could provide a higher degree of marketable fruit and a higher profit for the
organic apple producer. • $78,897 to Cornell for developing a monitoring, scouting and damage assessment tool to assess the spread and impact of the Invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. The Stink Bug has been confirmed in 33 states, including New York. Its dramatic population explosions in 2010 devastated
• $80,000 to Cornell for predicting chemical thinning of apples to maximize crop value. This project will help growers predict chemical thinning responses by using a carbohydrate supply/demand model. If half of the apple growers in the state consistently achieve the optimum fruit size on 25,000 acres of apples, it will have a potential annual economic impact of $100 million to $175 million. • $49,932 to Cornell for testing budwood for latent fire blight bacteria threatening nursery trees and new plantings. This project will investigate the phenomenon of bud-transmitted fire blight, and then establish protocols for preventing it.
Learn more about garlic bulb and stem nematode in Ontario
The results of a province-wide survey of garlic for the presence of bulb and stem nematode will be presented and discussed at the Garlic Bulb & Stem Nematode Workshop in Guelph on November 28.. Garlic growers are invited to attend to learn all about this seed and soil-borne pest, and how to manage it. The workshop will take place at the University of Guelph’s Arboretum Centre and features: • A look at the life of garlic bulb and stem nematode • What we know about managing bulb and stem nematode in garlic • A panel on control measures Featured speaker will be Dr. Fred Crowe, Emeritus Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University and a garlic grower, who will share his 36 years of experience with this pest. This workshop is part of a project funded by the Garlic Growers Association of Ontario and the Agricultural Biosecurity Program. It’s scheduled to run from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. For more information visit www.garlicgrowers.on.ca. Registration is required by Nov 21. To register contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or email ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 23 THE GROWER
OFVGA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND CONVENTION POLICY
NOTICE of MEETING is hereby given that the
153rd Annual Members and Directors’ Meeting of the
Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers’ Association will be held in
Niagara Falls, Ontario at The Crowne Plaza Hotel
January 9, 10 and 11, 2012 Election of Directors of the Association will take place as well as dealing with resolutions and any other business that may arise.
As the OFVGA prepares for its 153rd annual meeting, the association would like to remind its member organizations of the following policy – put in place in 2004-05 – in order to ensure proper delegate preparation and resolutions submission. • All member organizations are entitled to one (1) delegate per 50 members within their respective organizations, maximum of five. • All member organizations are to provide to the OFVGA the number of its active membership. • All resolutions should be brought forward, in writing, by December 15 of each year. • Any of the member organizations who are required to submit their director’s name in advance (currently seven of the 10 board affiliates) should do so by December 15 of each year.
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association 153rd Annual General Meeting and Convention January 9, 10 and 11, 2012 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Niagara Falls 5685 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 6W7
Registrant Information Name
Member Organization
Mailing Address
City/Town
Province
Postal Code
Telephone
Fax Please return completed form to The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association 355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105 Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 Tel. (519) 763-6160 x 116 Fax (519) 763-6604
Registration Fees Full Registration - 2 days + Monday Banquet
$135.00
(includes: two breakfast tickets, two lunch tickets & a Monday evening banquet ticket, convention package, attendance to meetings, and Chair’s reception)
On-site Registration
$150.00
(includes: two breakfast tickets, two lunch tickets & a Monday evening banquet ticket, convention package, attendance to meetings, and Chair’s reception)
Daily Registration
$100.00
Please indicate day of attendance.
(includes: one breakfast and one lunch ticket, convention package, and attendance to meetings. (Chair’s reception - Banquet ticket not included) Tuesday, January 10, 2012 or Wednesday, January 11, 2012
OFVGA Banquet ONLY
$50.00
Monday, January 19, 2012
Grand Total
$
(On-site registration will be charged an additional processing fee.) 13% HST (Business #10779-7821 R.T.) included in all prices.
Method of Payment
Payment to be made by cheque or credit card. Print or type clearly.
Cheque Visa
Please make cheque payable to the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association MasterCard
Cardholder’s Name Expiry Date
Card Number Signature Note: Credit card information provided here is for registration fee payments only.
Instructions • • • • • •
Complete this form and mail or fax to the OFVGA. Faxed forms MUST contain credit card information. Invoices will not be issued. If you are faxing your form, do NOT mail a duplicate. Only one person per form. This form may be photocopied. Your name and organization will appear on your badge exactly as you indicate above. Print or type all information. Please make a copy for your records. A room block is in place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. A special overnight accommodation rate of $69.95 traditional room or $99.95 fallsview room (plus taxes) single/double occupancy until December 16, 2011. This price includes self-parking. Request special convention rate for OFVGA. After this date, room rate not guaranteed. Please make your reservations directly with the hotel by calling 1-800-519-9911. Check in time is 3:00 p.m., check out time is 11:00 a.m. • No AGM registration refunds after 4:30 p.m. on December 15, 2011.
PAGE 24 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
OFVGA 153rd Annual Meeting and Convention Silent auction contributors Below is a list of the generous contributors who have donated items to the association on behalf of the 153rd annual general meeting. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their generosity. Via Rail
Micro 50
Strewn Winery
Turtle Jack, Guelph ON
Ayr Farmers Mutual
Kubota Canada
Sarjeant Co. Ltd.
Lailey Vineyard Winery
Boston Pizza, Chatham ON
Rumble Homes, Chatham
Pioneer Equipment
Sherwood Marketing
Burning Kiln Winery
Plasponics
Cardinal Golf Club
Parks Blueberries
Delhaven Orchards Ltd.
Embassy Suites, Niagara Falls
Diamond Detailing, Guelph ON
Ricter Web Printing
Chatham Mazda
Best Western, Simcoe ON
Borealis Grille & Bar, Guelph
Data Media
Blenheim Chrysler
Simcoe Comfort Inn
Shoeless Joe’s, Guelph
Premier Equipment
Van Kesteren Hyundai, Chatham
Casa Bella, Chatham ON
Swiss Chalet, Guelph
Union Gas
Mamma Maria’s, Chatham
T-Bones, Chatham ON
City of Niagara Falls
DeKalb
Reif Estate Winery
Romero's Restaurant Guelph ON
Crown Plaza/Sheridan, Niagara
Award of Merit 2012 Nomination Form The OFVGA Award of Merit is our way of recognizing the outstanding contribution made by an individual or organization to our fruit and vegetable industry. This recognition may include the strategic leadership, technical input, and/ or the dedication shown by this person or organization to our fruit and vegetable sector. The winner will be announced at the OFVGA’s 153rd Annual General Meeting and Convention that will take place in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 9, 10 and 11, 2012.
Nominee Information: For the 2012 Award of Merit, I nominate: (please print) Name: Address: Phone:
Email:
My reasons for making this nomination are:
Nominator Information Name: Address: Phone:
Email: Please return completed form to Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association 105-355 Elmira Road N., Guelph, ON N1K 1S5. Fax: 519-763-6604 or email dhutton@ofvga.org
Objective The objective of the OFVGA’s Award of Merit is: • to recognize and encourage innovators at the grassroots level in the fruit and vegetable industry, whether it be in production, technology, or improved farm gate value • to recognize a long-time advocate of the fruit and vegetable industry, who has continually reflected the values and integrity of the OFVGA • to recognize the exemplary performance of an individual in the fruit and vegetable industry, who went above and beyond the call of duty • to recognize an individual’s demonstrated unwavering commitment to the fruit and vegetable industry, who is not directly involved within the industry. Innovation Categories Examples of innovation include, but are not limited to the following: • improved farm practices (eg. technology, business practices, processes, etc.) • response to consumer demands (eg. value-added, marketing, strategic alliances, etc.) • environmental stewardship • health and safety on the farm • energy innovations • education and marketing of agriculture to society. Selection Process • Nominations will be received at the OFVGA • Nominations will be acknowledged • Nominations will be reviewed for eligibility and prepared for review by the board
of directors. Eligibility Criteria • must be a member farmer/producer, group of farmers, combination of agri-food businesses, or an agri-food related organization within the fruit and vegetable industry • must be a resident of Ontario • must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. Special Consideration will be given to: •an individual involved in government or government department. Nomination Process • Nominations must be completed and submitted either electronically or in hard copy by 5 p.m. on November 30, 2011 • Nominations must be submitted by e-mail or hard copy to: Email: dhutton@ofvga.org Fax: 519-763-6604 OR Mail: Deanna Hutton OFVGA 105-355 Elmira Rd., N Guelph, ON N1K 1S5 Winner Announcement • The Award of Merit nominator will be notified by December 20, 2011 • The Award of Merit winner will be presented at the banquet on January 9, 2012 •The Award of Merit winner will also be announced in the February 2012 edition of The Grower and will be included in a feature article.
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 25 THE GROWER
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ORCHARD FOR SALE. Outstanding orchard Farm in full production with very good varieties including strawberries and younger trees. List of varieties available with age and quantity of trees, crops not included in asking price, but available. Also list of equipment available but not included. The orchard is recognized as the best or one of the best orchards in Ontario. Very good home and storage buildings on property. Great opportunity to get into the business with increased production in the coming years. Asking $1,300,000.00. Address: 5893 Sawmill Road and 5894 Sawmill Road, RR2 Aylmer, Malahide TWP, Elgin County
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Landini Advantage 85F, 4x4 w/cab, AC, 3870hrs, $15,000. Allis Chalmers AC5040, 2WD, 5584hrs. Askiing $5,000. Agrimetal square bail straw chopper for 3 PTH, asking $500. Forklift mast for 3 PTH, Delhi. 43” forks. Lifts 8ft high, $2,500. 519-901-2375. 100’s of 40’L X 32"W X 29"H wood crates available. Must sell! Below market pricing. We deliver or you pick up. Call Phil: 519-835-0295
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PAGE 26 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
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NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 27 THE GROWER
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NOTICE of MEETING is hereby given that the 153rd Annual Members and Directors’ Meeting of the Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers’ Association will be held in Niagara Falls, Ontario at The Crowne Plaza Hotel January 9, 10 and 11, 2012 Election of Directors of the Association will take place as well as dealing with resolutions and any other business that may arise.
PAGE 28 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
NEW TECHNOLOGY
BEST launches two free-fall sorters This fall, BEST opened its second sorting solution center at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium., following one in Denver, Colorado and one in Hanghzou, China. Located near international airports, these innovation centers allow prospects to test their own products in a simulated setting before investing. BEST has more than 20 machines available in the different locations. Many configurations of the different models are available for testing and demonstrations, allowing a multitude of applications to be tested. A new product is Nimbus, a laser / camera sorting solution that combines the efficiency of the laser detection on foreign material, together with the accuracy of the camera detecting discolourations and shape differences in free-fall. The sorter detects all colour, structure, size and shape defects from a stream of good products. Besides these conventional sorting methods, the Nimbus is also able to sort based on biological characteristics, such as chlorophyll (Fluo™), mycotoxins (Detox™), and water (SWIR). To sort on shape characteristics, the machine is equipped with an additional module with a general shape sorting toolbox that adds complementary sorting capabilities by applying object oriented features such as length, width, diameter, area and broken piece recognition. The sorter also features three-way sorting, designed for the removal of unwanted products with high accuracy, very low false reject and an optimal yield. Three-way
sorting capabilities on the BEST sorters feature two ejector modules, allowing processors to separate different reject streams that before ended up in the same stream. This sorter has a new and more powerful hardware processing platform, allowing the implementation of new modules, like the BEST Smart Sort and BEST Flex Sort. By analyzing intelligently the incoming
products, the Smart Sort module helps the operator in setting parameters. This new feature ensures a faster and easy configuration of the machine. Also the operator has the possibility to adjust the sensitivity set by the Smart Sort module, according to the changing sorting circumstances. The digital Flex Sort module eliminates the need to select and change the optimal reference drum for each specific product. It
is a revolutionary technology that ensures an improved contrast between good products and defects. By using this module, customers can maximize the ease of operation and uptime, optimize the sorting performance and minimize the investments. The Opus is a unique, state-of-the art free-fall modular camera and laser sorter with a small footprint and the ideal inspection width (1 meter) to integrate in an IQF fruit or vegetable packing line. It is a modular system, with single or double sided camera and laser combinations. The sorter features the new high resolution BEST camera that can be combined with SWIR technology. The camera, exclusively developed for BEST, is provided with an adapted spectrum, ideal for optical sorting. It also features our new industrial high quality lenses with an advanced focusing system. The laser configuration is the optimal solution to detect foreign material among good products. Thanks to the SWIR technology, water-based products such as frozen fruit and vegetables absorbing the light, and difficult defects such as wood and plastic reflecting it, are detected. Contaminations (glass, cardboard, metal, …) are detected and rejected from the good product, providing optimum sorting efficiency, with an extremely low false reject. This new generation of the Opus sorter also features three-way sorting, for an optimal removal of defects and improved yield. For more information please contact Björn Weyts at bjorn.weyts@bestsorting.com or +32 16 741 906.
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NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 29 THE GROWER
CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL
Science cluster expanded The Canadian Agri-science Cluster in horticulture has been recently expanded to include two additional projects:
techniques, ii) chemical control, and iii) biological control. Project participants/researchers: Bob Vernon (AAFC), Todd Kabaluk (AAFC), Christine Noronha (AAFC); and various industry participants.
Wireworms in Potatoes and Root Crops Objective: To advance wireworm management strategies so that potato farmers who have wireworm problems can access a range of techniques that will provide sustainable mitigation to economic losses caused by wireworms. The strategies proposed are comprehensive and span approaches that are fundamental in any integrated management plan: i) cultural
Identifying genetic markers to enhance apple breeding in Canada
vars. Project participants/researchers: Sean Myles from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and Daryl Somers, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. These projects are a welcome addition to the suite of initiatives already underway. For additional information, please contact Amy Argentino at aargentino@hortcouncil.ca.
Objective: To lay the foundation for the development of improved apple cultivars through the employment of modern genomics tools and collection of genomic data from over 1000 diverse apple culti-
Minister approves Plant Pest Response Plan initiative Minister Ritz has confirmed a contribution of up to $198,900 to the CHC under the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), noting “the project is consistent with objective of facilitating the agriculture, agrifood and agri-based products sector’s ability to seize opportunities, to respond to new and emerging issues, and to find and pilot solutions to new and
ongoing issues to help it adapt and remain competitive.” The project will be led by the Canadian Potato Council and the Greenhouse Committee. The intended benefits are to enable the potato and greenhouse industries to fully understand how emergency plant pest response plans operate in other countries and ensure the industry is positioned to:
• prepare for consultation with industry and governments, • conduct national consultations, • attain consensus on a national plant pest response plan, • implement a national plant pest response plan, and • improve competitiveness. A biosecurity system that focuses on identifying potential phytosanitary concerns will be established to prepare and address
phytosanitary issues early, and implement certification systems to maintain farm level biosecurity. These actions will enable Canadian growers to demonstrate the maintenance of sound phytosanitary systems thus enabling undisrupted market access with current trading partners and facilitate market access with potential trading partners. The primary beneficiaries to the
project are horticulture producers, provincial and federal governments. The development and implementation of a national plant pest response plan has been the subject of a number of AGM resolutions and is a CHC Standing Policy.
Industry raises concerns over reusable plastic containers Industry representatives are noting concerns over the unsanitary state of reusable plastic containers (RPCs). In a recent visit to greenhouse facilities in the Lower
Mainland area, CHC President Jack Bates and Executive VicePresident, Anne Fowlie, were presented with examples of containers being delivered for use which
were embedded with plant debris and/or bore multiple product and country of origin PLUs. The issue is becoming a growing phystosanity and food safety concern and
GREA ATT L A K E S
has been raised with CFIA, the retail sector and other appropriate stakeholders. The situation is reminiscent of early day discussions related to pallets and
other reusable packaging as a potential pathway for unwanted pests and disease.
DEC. DEC C. 6-8, 2011
F R U I T, T , V E G E TA T A B L E & FA FARM MARKET
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PAGE 30 –– NOVEMBER 2011 THE GROWER
MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS
The human cost must be counted
CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA In order to virtually assure the correct choice between two options, many people will pick for their client the best (the “right” choice) and an extremely poor alternate (the “wrong” choice) so the client will ultimately choose the one desired. This does not always work, due to extremely poor judgment and the quirks of human nature where what appears bad to one is a shining example for another. Likewise, what would appear to be a ‘no-brainer’ to most can never be counted on to be a slam dunk certainty. All of this is a prelude to an example of the above that is near and dear to me. I must admit a bias here, but those who read this column regularly will understand that when it comes to our Minor Use Program, I am unashamedly a big booster and advocate. The current Minor Use Program in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has taken a lot of effort to get established. It was worth it! The program has progressed a huge and unprecedented distance in just nine years- further and faster than even the US IR-4 program did in its first decade. It is without doubt a program that all Canada needs to be proud of and to be willing to defend in the face of the ‘Long Knives’ of the budget chiefs. These days it seems that success in and of itself is never enough. Self-evident truth is NOT always evident (like the good and bad examples above). It seems that even the old adage, ‘What have you done for me lately?”
does not go far enough in satisfying the unseen and unknown minders of the treasury. No doubt there will be documents created and made available to show how the program has saved Canadian Growers umpteen millions of dollars over the years past and future in otherwise possible (probable) lost production and crop value from pest damage, as a result of new registrations from data developed under Minor Use. Just a few examples will be made of the hundreds that they represent. Recent registrations for insecticides to control the Spotted Wing Drosophila have helped B.C. and now Ontario growers to deal with this devastating Invasive Pest. Losses in B.C. alone in 2010 were in the $$millions. Three years ago the cucurbit industry faced the onslaught of Downy Mildew, a newly invigorated strain that caused epidemic-like damage throughout the Northern U.S., Ontario and Quebec. Quick action by the program allowed several new registrations that have held the problem in check for both the field and the Greenhouse cucurbit industries. Another example is the registration of herbicides for the up and coming small-acre crops like herbs. The impossible job of hand weeding was their only option, and many of you realize the back-breaking nature of that chore, as well as the high cost of labour these days. The Emergency Registration process in Canada is complex and difficult at a time when even hours could make a difference to a grower’s crop survival. In spite of this, we have averaged over 60 requests per year for the past ten years! One of the new conditions for emergency use is that the corresponding registration for full use must also be prepared. (This is almost always a Minor Use.) It may take two to three years, but eventually almost all of these become labeled uses, and do not incur more emergency requests. Nonetheless, new pests, new crops, and failure or loss of existing controls means that the emergency use provisions continue to be hugely important. What has
become hidden in plain sight is that the Minor Use Program has dealt with most of these, leading to the ongoing protection of Canada’s many crops that needed an emergency use, in addition to all the ‘normal’ reasons for Minor Use requests.
not only NOT cut the program budget, but to in fact INCREASE the budget as value for money is clear and unequivocal. However I fear this is not at all compelling to the unfeeling hard hearts who wield the budget knives. Maybe they need to think
Another key activity that has been openly fostered is the close relationship with the US IR-4 Program. They held the light that guided our way in the beginning, and now we are often partners in projects -- to the mutual benefit of growers both sides of the border. Amongst the benefits of these joint projects is a common use pattern and above all else, a common Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) that facilitates cross border trade of the treated crops. These joint projects are occasionally led by the AAFC team, and we do our share of the work and share in the outcomes for all of them. This is the very best use of budget funds as it means more (registrations) for less (budget cost), and by often working on new active ingredients (AIs) the use is likely good for 20-plus years. All of the above should of itself be a compelling argument to
about the human cost. In 1979 when Blue Mould hit the tobacco industry, a valiant effort was made to save the crop with an unprecedented registration of a then-new fungicide. The “minor use” program of that time was but two years old and could not react fast enough to help. Due to hard-hearted tobacco companies, the use was not approved, growers lost their crops and Crop Insurance paid out almost $100 million. There were many growers without insurance coverage, and what was quietly hushed up were the six to eight suicides in the region. I knew one of them personally, and it was a direct result of his pride. It was unacceptable that he, a top grower, would not have a crop to sell that winter. He knew it was not ‘his fault’ but that didn’t matter. There should have been SOMETHING he could have done. (I never had a chance to tell him about the reg-
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istration fiasco and have since wondered if it would have made a difference.) In fact, something could have been done, but the ‘suits’ in Toronto, Montreal and Raleigh decided to play it tough to pressure the government and the Tobacco Board. It would not and did not hurt them -- they could buy enough tobacco elsewhere in the world anyway. Crop Insurance would help many growers, and too bad for the rest. The real hurt was to those growers who lost their crops, some who lost their farms, and some who lost their lives. Growers take great pride in what they accomplish, and when their pride is shaken, often as a result of an uncontrollable element, catastrophic things may follow. In the case of pest control where there COULD be answers developed as a result of the Minor Use Program, it would be and should be on someone’s conscience if the program was reduced and the unthinkable happens, again. That folks, is the human cost when pest control is lost. That is why I am unashamedly advocating that this program be continued at an even greater level. The work is not yet done. It is not even close to being able to coast into the twilight. We may be at a crossroads, and may even be at the end of the beginning. We cannot take the foot off the gas yet! We must be ever mindful of the FULL value of such a program. The possible loss of a family farm that I witnessed in the U.S. this summer from the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug must never be countenanced here. Farmers must never have to tell their children they must pack up a few things because they have to move off the farm. No farmer’s wife must grieve because her husband couldn’t face the future. That is what the program is ultimately about. The tears are running down my face as I pen this -- Don’t let those unfeeling knives cut out this program! I won’t forget the human cost, even if they do.
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NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 31 THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Carrot growers get emergency use registration for white mold JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently granted the approval of an emergency use registration for Scholar 230SC (fludioxonil) for control of white mold (Sclerotinia) on stored carrots in the provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. Scholar 230SC was already labeled in Canada for control of post-harvest diseases on pome fruit and stone fruit. Furthermore a complete minor use submission is underway with the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFC–PMC) minor use program to seek eventual, full registration of Scholar
for white mold control on stored carrots in Canada. White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) is a serious disease of carrots and many other crops around the world. In Canada, white mold is considered to be one of the major limiting factors to the successful long-term storage of carrots. Losses of 50100 per cent have been reported by growers in Canada in recent years. Since the loss of the fungicide Benlate several years ago, carrot growers have had no postharvest fungicide treatments to reduce losses to this disease. Scholar fungicide was identified as a viable solution to help manage while mold of stored carrots. There have been no new products registered in Canada for white mold management on stored carrots in
many years and control failures continue to increase. The emergency use registration of Scholar 230SC fungicide will help in the interim to manage white mold on stored carrots, however management of white mold still requires a comprehensive IPM and resistance management program with access to all available tools and strategies. The following is provided as general information only. Users should consult the complete label before using Scholar 230SC. Scholar 230SC fungicide can be used for control of white mold on stored carrots in Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island until December 31st, 2011 only. Scholar 230SC can be applied once as a post-harvest dip or
drench immediately before storage. Mix 496 mL of product in 378 L water. This amount can treat up to 90,000 kg of carrots. IMPORTANT: FOR DOMESTIC USE ONLY, NOT FOR USE ON CARROTS INTENDED FOR EXPORT. Follow all other directions for use on the Scholar 230SC fungicide label carefully. Scholar 230SC fungicide should be used in an IPM program and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance. For copies of the emergency use label contact Marion Paibomesai, OMAFRA Vegetable Crops specialist at Guelph (519) 826-4963, Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit Syngenta Crop Protection Canada at www.syngenta.ca
Scholar 230SC fungicide controls Rhizopus rot on sweet potatoes The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently approved a minor use label expansion for Scholar 230SC (fludioxonil) fungicide for control of rhizopus rot (Rhizopus stolonifer) on sweet potatoes in Canada. Scholar 230SC was already labeled in Canada for control of post-harvest diseases on pome fruit, stone fruit and carrots. Rhizopus rot is a serious postharvest disease of sweet potatoes and many other crops around the world. This minor use submission was sponsored by the minor use office of OMAFRA in response to minor use priorities identified by sweet potato producers. The minor use registration of Scholar 230SC fungicide will help to manage rhizopus rot on stored sweet potatoes, however management of rhizopus rot still requires a comprehensive IPM and resistance management program with access to all available tools and strategies. Users should consult the complete label before using Scholar 230SC. Scholar 230SC Fungicide can be used for control of rhizopus rot on sweet potatoes post-harvest using one of two methods.
carefully. Scholar 230SC fungicide should be used in an IPM pro-
gram and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance.
For copies of the new minor use label contact Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA Specialty Crops IPM
specialist at Simcoe (519) 4264434, Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539
Know your RMP
Post-harvest drench/dip: Mix 473 mL of Scholar 230SC in 378 L water, wax/emulsion or aqueous dilution of wax/oil emulsion. Dip sweet potatoes for approximately 30 seconds and allow to drain. After each 18,750 kg (750 bushels of cured sweet potatoes) are treated, drain and flush the tank. Refill with fresh dip suspension. Maximum one application. In-line aqueous or tuber coating spray: Mix 473 mL of Scholar 230SC in 378 L water, wax/emulsion or aqueous dilution of wax/oil emulsion (300 ppm). Use T-jet, CDA or similar application. Maximum one application. Treated sweet potatoes should not be stored in direct sunlight. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Scholar 230SC fungicide label
Edible horticulture producers now benefit from RMP Eligible producers in Ontario have been sent participant packages for the self-directed risk management (SDRM) plan, which is part of the new Risk Management Program (RMP). Producers who submitted deposit and withdrawal requests by October 31, 2011 will receive funds in 2011. February 1, 2012 is both the deadline to request a deposit and the next opportunity to withdraw funds. If you did not receive a participant package, please contact Agricorp.
Under the new RMP for edible horticulture, producers establish a selfdirected risk management (SDRM) account with Agricorp to help mitigate farm risk. Producers can ask for a government contribution of a percentage of their allowable net sales.
For more information visit agricorp.com or call 1-888-247-4999
NOVEMBER 2011 –– PAGE 32 THE GROWER