The Grower November 2014

NOVEMBER 2014

CELEBRATING 135 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

VOLUME 64 NUMBER 11

CROP TRANSITIONS

Market signals persuade long-time potato growers to dig sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a heat-loving crop that are right at home in North Carolina. The state has almost 50,000 acres devoted to the tuber. So it takes patience to find a cultivar that might flourish in Canada’s cool-climate zones. That’s underway as Vineland Research and Innovation Centre works with growers and processors to exploit growing consumer demand. Jack Streef (left) and sons Dylan and Nathan, have staked part of the Princeton, Ontario family business on 60 acres of sweet potatoes for the first time this year. Photos by Glenn Lowson. worth $40 million. That’s to keep Once out of the field, sweet pota(Vineland) has ramped up KAREN DAVIDSON up to Canadian tastes for the toes must head to curing rooms research on sweet potatoes, antioxidant-rich superfood. for 10 to 14 days at 23° to 24°C particularly varieties adapted to Princeton, Ontario – For 37 Promoted by both nutritionists with 95 per cent humidity. When Ontario’s short-growing season U.S. rescinds preferential years, potatoes have been a staple and celebrity chefs, sweet the skins are hardened, the sweet and cooler climate. access to dispute for Streef Produce Ltd., but this potatoes have found a sweet spot potatoes can be stored at 10°C Valerio Primomo, Vineland’s resolution Page 5 year, they grew a new root with consumers who have through to spring. vegetable breeder, is testing 15 vegetable: sweet potatoes. Sixty doubled consumption in the last Rather than build a new pre-commercial lines from his OFVGA launches acres sounds like a big gamble, five years. structure, the Streef’s bought and breeding program that may prove new logo Page 8 but with strong demand signals, Sweet potatoes are truly a retrofitted a nearby veal barn. The more adaptable and yield-worthy president Jack Streef expects that minor use crop in Canada with a curing rooms have been designed than the current commercial genetic research will improve his paltry 1,500 acres. The for the least amount of handling. standard, Covington. The 15 lines FOCUS: Seed and stake. opportunity is for another 6,000 The packing line is custom-made were selected during the past rootstock Page 14 “We’re concerned that we acres to displace imports and to by local manufacturers. A spiral three years from the more than don’t have enough to supply satisfy retailers’ penchant for washer, for example, should aid 1,000 lines initially evaluated at customer demand,” explains local produce – as long as there is in more gentle handling while an Vineland. In the 2014 growing Streef. The well-known family quality and consistent supply. immersible flume should make season, these 15 selections were has a commission house at the That’s where the agronomic for less scratching of the potato tested by three Ontario commerOntario Food Terminal. Reading expertise of the Streef family skins in water. A stainless steel cial growers and one Nova Scotia the pulse of the market, brother comes into play. Without size, grading line requires more grower.

Pete Streef could see that demand smooth skins and year-round workers but in the long run, will Several members of the value is growing for sweet potatoes, supply, local product only goes so ensure a better product. chain are taking part. McCain and while demand for conventional far with retailers. So the Streef’s Make no mistake. Sweet Pride Pak represent the processor potatoes is shrinking. have researched the best ways to potatoes are a totally different side. Growers include Berlo’s Their market intuition is cure, handle and pack sweet crop to manage. They are more Best Sweet Potatoes, S & I www.thegrower.org backed up by statistics from potatoes. closely related to the morning Agricultural Commodities Ltd., Agriculture and Agri-Food The new curing rooms and glory and not to potatoes at all.

Round Plains Plantation and C.O. P.M. 40012319 Canada. In 2012, Canadian packing line are a key investment With clear demand signals Keddy Nursery Inc. retailers imported 60,000 tonnes to enhance quality and from consumers, the Vineland of sweet potatoes from the U.S. consistency of the product.

Research and Innovation Centre CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 $3.00 CDN

INSIDE

PAGE 2 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERS

AT PRESS TIME… communities.

Pre-register by November 20 to save $20 on on-site fees. For more information, go to www.glexpo.com.

Gotta go to the gala

See and savour

The Ontario Produce Marketing Association (OPMA) will mark its annual gala dinner and awards ceremony on Friday, November 14 at Toronto’s Liberty Grand. Canadian comedian Ron James is on tap for an evening of fun designed exclusively for the produce industry. The magical Winter Wonderland theme will include an open bar cocktail reception, maple taffy making, silent auction and a grand prize for a trip for two. For more information contact OPMA’s Dee Klemann at 416-519-9390, ext. 233 or dee@theopma.ca.

Pre-register for Great Lakes Expo The ever-popular horticultural show in eastern North America is scheduled for December 9-11 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Last year’s show attracted more than 4,200 people from 42 states and eight Canadian provinces.

Besides a top-slate speakers’ program, the trade show attracts 400-plus exhibitors.

This year’s keynote speaker is Michele Payne-Knoper, author of “No More Food Fights!” She’ll talk about generating conversations between farm and food

In a few days, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair will launch, bringing city and country together for education and competitions.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is managing a booth that will serve as home base for a number of associated groups. The booth is located in Hall B, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, Ontario.

November 7 Ontario Apple Marketers’ Association November 8-9 Ontario Apple Growers November 10 Friends of the Greenbelt Association November 11 Ontario Lavender Association November 12 Ontario Potato Board November 13 Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association November 14-15 Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers November 16 Garlic Growers’ Association of Ontario

New tax credit for donated produce The Ontario government has approved a tax credit valued at 25 per cent of the fair market value of agricultural products that growers donate to community food programs. This includes

food banks and student nutrition programs.

“This is going to be very valuable,” says Norm Charbonneau, a fruit and vegetable grower near Port Elgin. He’s in the process of donating four tons of onions to the Ontario Association of Food Banks. For 10,000 pounds of onions valued at $15,000, he will receive a tax credit of $3,750.

Bill Laidlaw, executive director, Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) welcomes the legislation, but to date, hasn’t seen an uptick in donations. “I still don’t think a lot of farmers know about the tax credit,” says Laidlaw. “It would mean so much for local food banks to receive root vegetables, greenhouse vegetables or apples.”

The OAFB is a network of 120 food banks across the province, feeding 148,000 children every month.

Laidlaw encourages growers to go to www.oafb.ca for more information and to call regarding logistics for delivery. The tax credit is part of the Local Food Act 2013. Under the proclaimed legislation, farmers can claim the new tax credit for donations dating back to Jan. 1, 2014.

The new Ontario Horticulture Fruit & Veg Growers’ Show has been cancelled for November 1920 in Hamilton, Ontario.

“After speaking with over 600 potential exhibitors, it was clear that we were not going to have a strong exhibit base,” says Stuart Galloway, 20/20 Show Productions. News of the cancellation was made in early October.

T h e Essex The E s s e x County County Associated A ssociated G Growers rowers Prou udly Presents the

64

Judi and Charles Stevens, Ag Minister Jeff Leal, Courtney Stevens.

Dr. Mohyuddin Mirza, a longtime researcher and resource for Alberta greenhouse growers, has been inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame. He is a founding member of the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association (AGGA) and adjunct professor at the University of Alberta. He has been credited with inspiring new entrants into the industry.

John Rasenberg has announced plans to build Dark Horse Estate Winery beside the Huron Country Playhouse east of Grand Bend, Ontario. In an area where peach orchards used to flourish, he plans to develop 20 acres with 15 for vineyards and five acres for the building site. The multi-year plan will start with the planting of vineyards in 2015.

New hort show cancelled

Free F ree A Admission dmission

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Farm & Food Care Ontario’s annual Breakfast on the Farm was hosted at Wilmot Orchards, an apple and blueberry farm near Newcastle, Ontario. More than a thousand consumers enjoyed farm-fresh produce served by Ontario agriculture minister Jeff Leal and 80 volunteers.

South West Hort Expo November N o v e m b e r 1188 tthh & 19 1 9 tthh , 2014 2014 K i n s m e n Recreation Kinsmen Recreation C Complex omplex 249 2 4 9 Sherk S h e r k Street, S t r e e t , Leamington Leamington

For For m more o r e information, i n f o r m a t i o n , ccontact ontact A Angela ngela M McHardy cHardy Att 5519-326-4481 A 1 9 - 3 2 6 - 4 4 8 1 oorr email e m a i l her h e r aatt eecag@bellnet.ca cag@bellnet.ca

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Photo: Back Row (left to right): John Rasenberg, Dark Horse Estate Winery; Craig Horlor, Dark Horse Estate Winery; Mike Pullen, Huron County Economic Development Services; Murray Watson, Project Consultant; Roger Vail, Vailmount Vineyards Ltd.; Bill Krohn, WJK Architect. Front Row (left to right): Scott Rasenberg, Dark Horse Estate Winery; Sue Ann Rasenberg, Dark Horse Estate Winery; Ashley Horlor, Dark Horse Estate Winery; Murray Marshall, Project Consultant; Krista Hulshot, Veld Architect.

Houweling’s Tomatoes has hired long-time produce industry executive Kevin Doran to the newly created role of chief operating officer. He brings more than 20 years of strategic sales and marketing executive management, the last six with The Greenery.

Based in the Camarillo, California operation, he will oversee the 175-acre operations there and in Delta, British Columbia. Another 28 acres of greenhouse tomatoes will come onstream in Mona, Utah in January 2015.

Mike Olscamp, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture minister, was defeated in the recent New Brunswick election. Liberal premier Brian Gallant has appointed Rick Doucet as the new economic development, agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries minister. The multi-tasking minister is part of the province’s smallest cabinet in 50 years.

In Alberta, Verlyn Olson remains minister of agriculture and rural development in the cabinet of Conservative premier Jim Prentice.

Debra Boyle has joined Fresh Direct Produce Ltd as director of business development. As the founder of Pro Organics, she brings a wealth of experience in the organic category and will be developing that business for the Vancouver-based company.

Congratulations to Lilian Schaer who took the silver award in the news release category at the recent Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation meeting in Prince Edward Island. Title of her news release was “Wanted: Ontario farmers to grow hazelnuts.”

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER

COVER STORY

Market signals

A spiral washer, part of the new packing line, gently handles sweet potatoes.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Streef Produce has recently joined this group.

The research community is represented by Perennia in Nova Scotia, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the University of Guelph and Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada.

“These are pre-commercial lines that we’ve selected for adaptability to Canada’s shorter growing season and cooler climate, and if all goes well in the trials, we could have varieties that will be suitable for both fresh market and for processing in the next three years,” says Primomo.

Jack Streef inspects a bin of sweet potatoes that have been cured and are ready for packing.

Nova Scotia-based researcher, Viliam Zvalo, has been working with black plastic mulch in combination with drip irrigation to see

if sweet potatoes can thrive there.

These production practices may increase yield by as much as 30 to 40 per cent compared to over-

head irrigation and bare ground.

As test plots are currently being harvested, it’s too early to divulge results, but yields look promising.

Generational transitions Passing the baton is not easy. Just ask any Olympic team sprinter where a handoff is critical. The Streef family is taking all the precautions so that the original dream of their parents Jan and Johanna will continue to prosper.

Since the conception of the business in 1977, the five brothers --– Martin, Pete, John, Albert and Jack – have worked side by side to continually grow the company and to stay in the forefront of the ever-changing market curve.

With the premature passing of Martin, combined with last year’s retirement of Albert, the family has regrouped.

The three senior partners are Pete, John and Jack, who are all involved in the day-to-day operations, whether it’s at the farm or the Ontario Food Terminal. So far, four sons also have a stake as junior partners. They include Martin’s eldest son, Chris, Pete’s son Jaidin and Jack’s two sons Nathan and Dylan. Only time will tell if John’s offspring

will be interested in joining the company.

These transitions echo retirements in the farming community. Jim and Ruth Clarke who have supplied Streef Produce with sweet potatoes for a number of years have recently retired.

Fortunately, they are mentoring the younger generation as they go through their first crop year.

Agriculture is the art of the long game. If you start at 25, then there’s 40 seasons to get it right.

Counter clockwise from the left: The Streef brothers -- Pete, John, Martin, Albert and Jack.

INTERNATIONAL CHINA

FRANCE

UNITED STATES

PERU

UNITED STATES

Fruit consumption cuts heart disease risk

Bonduelle launches “Salad of the day”

Rave reviews on ready-to-eat radishes

Asparagus exports take a dip

With a takeoff on “soup du jour,” Bonduelle is betting that it’s fresh, raw fruit and vegetable salads will find eager consumers in France. The ingredients will comprise at least three ingredients out of several tender greens: spinach, rocket, red chard, varieties of red and green lettuce, and lamb’s lettuce.

The French-based global company, known for its canned and frozen vegetables, entered the fresh processed business in 1997 with the acquisition of Salade Minute. It currently enjoys a 16 per cent market share on salad sachets in its home country. Industry analysts say that 72 per cent of French households consume salad from sachets.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods is launching a new line of valueadded radishes, based on feedback from sophisticated consumer testing. The products are Ready Radishes, which are cut, trimmed and ready to eat, along with Radish Coins and Radish MiniSticks.

Collaborating with consumer research firm, Affinnova, Duda offered more than 100,000 different prototypes. Consumers can indicate the different elements that pique their interest and senses. The algorithm behind the software identifies the best ideas and starts to hone in on the most appetizing characteristics.

Peru’s asparagus exports will be down five per cent this year to $570 million and are expected to drop another two per cent in 2015.

Logistics are to blame with dependence on two airlines, one of which has reduced services, says Ramón Aparcana, general manager of Peak Quality S.A. The company specializes in growing, harvesting, packing and exporting fresh green asparagus, blueberries and blackberries.

Climatic factors are also convincing growers to switch to more profitable crops such as blueberries or table grapes. More blueberry acreage is expected in the future. Peak Quality has also started to grow table grapes.

Purdue gets $3.7 million to study blueberries

A seven-year study of almost half a million Chinese has provided important nutritional guidance on reducing heart disease.

Oxford, U.K-researcher Huaidong Du says that the more fruit they ate, risk of heart disease declined by as much as 40 per cent.

The study tracked citizens in five rural and five urban areas.

Stroke is more common in China whereas heart attack is more common in western countries. To date, little evidence has been collected in China on the physiological effects of fruit consumption.

These results are noteworthy to Canadian exporters of fruit to China.

Source: FoodNavigator.com

Source: FreshPlaza.com Source: FreshPlaza.com

Source: FreshPlaza.com

A team from Purdue and the Indiana University School of Medicine will be studying whether blueberry compounds -polyphenols and flavonoids -can help fight the loss of bone that often occurs in postmenopausal women. Researchers will receive $3.7 million from the National Institutes of Health.

The five-year study will compare the effects of seven varieties of blueberries as well as cranberries and bilberries which are known to contain these positive compounds. In addition, white blueberries will be studied to see if the compounds that turn fruit purple are critical.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

PAGE 4 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST MANITOBA

Peak of the Market unveils new packaging system in renovated premises Manitoba’s grower-owned, not-for-profit vegetable cooperative has completed a $4 million renovation at its Winnipeg facility, automating and improving handling capacity for its root crops.

“Thanks to the Governments of Canada and Manitoba, thisstate-of-the-art potato and onion packaging equipment has several innovative firsts,” explains Larry McIntosh, president and CEO, Peak of the Market, commenting on the $336,000 contribution from Growing Forward 2.

“Equipment was sourced and customized from several countries including the Netherlands, Germany and the United States but we are proud to say the majority of the equipment was ‘Made in Canada.’”

The rationale for the renovation was to improve quality, says McIntosh. “We can handle product with more ease and less bruising and skinning,” he says. “Yes, there will be more efficiencies, but this was about the highest quality for our

customers.”

The goal is to make sure that Manitoba’s vegetable farmers remain competitive at home and in export markets. About onethird of the company’s production is exported to the United States.

An entire section of Peak of the Market’s processing facility at 1200 King Edward Street was renovated and now includes: • 12-foot high robots with custom-designed robotic hands capable of filling retail bins; • custom-made telescopic, retractable unloading system; • customized automatic rope wrapping pallet system; • metal detectors for all packed products; and • an automatic pallet placement system.

To coincide with the renovations, Peak of the Market also refreshed its packaging with an “Eat Brighter” campaign. By virtue of being a member of the Produce Marketing Association in the U.S., the cooperative paid a one-time fee for rights to the Sesame Street characters. The

Larry McIntosh, president and CEO, Peak of the Market shows off new packaging. appeal of Bert and Ernie, the show’s muppets, and Big Bird is universal. Soon after the TV characters were painted on the walls of the refurbished plant, cars were stopping on the highway to take photos. In turn, those

photos create awareness on social media channels of Twitter and Facebook. No one could have predicted that success in advance.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 24 with federal and provincial representatives capped

an important year. Food in Canada, Canada’s food and beverage processing magazine, ranked Peak of the Market number 60 in the Top 100 Canadian Food and Beverage Companies in 2014.

QUEBEC

Strawberry greenhouse to be built in Saint-Chrysostome Affinor Growers has announced that construction is underway on 45 acres near St-Chrysostome, Quebec for a state-of-the-art strawberry greenhouse. Plans are to supply

eastern Canada and the eastern seaboard of the United States.

“This acquisition is strategically perfect for our distribution plans because it’s located about 30 minutes from Montreal

and only a few kilometers from the New York state border,” said Sebastien Plouffe, president and CEO, in a news release this past July.” We're proud to be able to build the facility in the province

of Quebec renowned for its agriculture experts and knowhow.”

The facility is designed to increase efficiency by a 10 - 12 times per square meter of that of any traditional greenhouse design.

The greenhouse will include a 40m x 40m, four- bay, fully diffused growing area and a 20m x 40m, two- bay auxiliary facility, for the propagation, packaging, storage and shipping of high

quality produce, specifically strawberries.

Affinor Growers is a diversified publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol “AFI.” Affinor is focused on growing crops such as romaine lettuce, spinach, strawberries and high-quality medical marijuana. For a video of chair Nick Brusatore on future plans, go to www.affinorgrowers.com.

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While firm numbers won’t be known until November, Nova Scotia anticipates a record crop of wild blueberries over the previous record of 57 million pounds. Weather conditions were ideal for pollination.

Although growers were prepared for an onslaught from spotted wing drosophila, a damaging fruit fly, economic damage did not materialize.

Peter Burgess, a horticulture specialist with Perennia, reports that growers set traps but were pleasantly surprised that there was little insect pressure. Burgess attributes this finding to the fact that most blueberry patches are north of the Bay of Fundy in more isolated areas, far from other maturing berry crops.

There were early captures last year, so environmental conditions play a significant role.

A similar situation played out in Prince Edward Island with 19.8 million pounds harvested says P.E.I. Wild Blueberry Association president David MacNeary. That’s double the average of the past decade.

He credits the provincial blueberry incentive program for helping growers invest in the potential of the industry. The softening of prices from $0.60 to $0.55 per pound in the last year has been offset by these higher yields.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER

FINANCIAL PROTECTION

U.S. rescinds preferential treatment for Canadian produce suppliers On October 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revoked preferential Canadian access to its dispute resolution system for produce suppliers under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). This action stems from Canada’s lack of progress towards implementing PACA-like trust provisions here.

Canadian exporters will now have to post a surety bond for double the amount of any claim they wish to file with PACA to collect on unpaid or partially paid invoices for produce shipped to America receivers. Previously, Canada had the privilege of not having to post a bond when they wanted to file a complaint.

Canada was the only country in the world that enjoyed this preferential treatment for

at least the last 50 years. All other countries have had to post bonds when filing complaints.

Posting bonds can be burdensome for exporters, especially small producers. A producer owed $50,000 in unpaid or partially paid invoices would have to post $100,000 in cash to obtain a surety bond, effectively removing $150,000 from their cash flow/operating line for up to one year while their complaint is heard. Many cannot afford this, and will simply have to walk away, losing what is rightfully owed to them or they may choose not to ship to the U.S. Situations such as this can devastate not only the producer, but all other businesses connected to them as well.

Rural communities are hit particularly hard

in these kinds of situations.

Canada, like other countries, will still have access to using the U.S. legislation that allows exporters to invoke their rights under PACA Trust Provisions in the event their American buyer declares bankruptcy.

This is the type of legislation that the United States wants Canada to put into place.

Urgent action is needed. The fruit and vegetable industry believes that the most effective way to provide protection to produce sellers is through the establishment of a limited statutory deemed trust, modeled on what currently exists in the U.S. This would provide effective and inclusive protection that takes into account the unique characteristics of trade in

perishable products. Assets available to trust creditors would be limited specifically to produce accounts receivable, inventory and any cash that a bankrupt company would still possess. A trust does not require any government funding or administration. This solution would meet the requirements of Canada implementing a comparable system in order to reinstate our preferential access to PACA dispute resolution.

Both the Canadian Produce Marketing Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council are mounting writing campaigns to Members of Parliament and are arranging meetings with MPs in Ottawa the week of November 17, 2014 to discuss this issue.

Source: OPMA news release

What was said in the House of Commons, September 25, 2014 Ruth Ellen Brosseau, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Mr. Speaker, the American government is threatening to revoke the preferential status granted to Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable producers if we do not implement a payment protection system. Once again, our farmers are paying the price for the minister's inability to work with our most important economic partner. We are talking about a $1.6 billion industry.

How does the minister intend to address this looming crisis?

GREAT LAKES

DEC. 9-11,

2014

Mr. Speaker, of course we cannot control what the Americans are going to do, but having said that, we continue to work with our Horticultural Council. I have had discussions with its American counterparts under the RCC umbrella and under a number of other auspices. We continue to move horticultural products back and forth across the borders. We are talking about some $7 million that have been used under this program over the last number of years. It is not a large number, but we want to make sure that when our horticultural guys deal on the American side, or for the same thing when they reciprocate up here, that everybody has the ability to be paid for that top quality produce.

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PAGE 6 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program announces four biopesticide priorities The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program (PRRP) announces the four biopesticide priorities, which have been determined through the 2014 priority setting process.

The four priorities are listed in the table to the right.

The 5th Biopesticides Priority Setting Workshop was held in a new format this year, with biopesticides sessions integrated into the entomology, pathology and weed discipline days. Growers were able to identify up to three biopesticide products in each discipline as potential priorities, and a total of eight products were identified as priority candidates during the workshop.

Following the meeting these were narrowed down to four final priorities through a merit analysis and consensus based decision making process by a panel of PMC experts, Provincial Minor Use Coordinators and the PRRP Technical Working Group.

The PRRP will now work with registrants and grower representatives to develop a proposed label for inclusion in a pre-submission consultation request to PMRA. Following the pre-submission consultation, the program will begin work to facilitate a successful registration of these products by providing regulatory

Priority Product (Trade name)

Active ingredient(s)

Registrant (Company)

Type of project

Key uses

Api-life VAR

thymol + eucalyptus oil + Chemicals LAIS menthol

New registration

Botector

Aureobasidium pullulans Bio-ferm DSM 14940 and DSM 14941

New Use Site Category Diseases on greenhouse vegetables and (USC#5 & 6)1 ornamentals, including botrytis in cucumbers, botrytis in strawberries

OxiDate

Hydrogen peroxide

New Use Site Category Powdery mildew on strawberry and other (USC#14, 27) berries; Botrytis on berries; Bacterial blight on lettuce. Disease management for outdoor food and non-food crops, including grapes, vegetables, liverwort in ornamentals.

Quassia Extract DM

Extract of Quassia amara Trifolio-M Gmbh New registration

support to the registrants of these products.

The nature of the regulatory support provided depends on the individual situation, and includes cross-checking data requirements against available regulatory data, literature searches and development of scientific rationales to address any data

BioSafe Systems, LLC

gaps (if they can be addressed with a rationale), optimizing the proposed label on the basis of available value information, and assistance with compiling the submission. The PMC will also provide some support for IPM/demonstration trials for select key uses.

Varroa mite in honeybee hives

European Apple Sawfly and other sawflies, aphids, white flies, thrips, mites, psyllids, mealy bugs, Lygus, Colorado potato beetle, caterpillars, and other insects in berries, pome fruit, hops, greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals.

1 for a list of PMRA Use Site Category definitions please see the following website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cpsspc/pest/registrant-titulaire/prod/_dacocodo/definition-eng.php

Mexico and Canada work to strengthen agri-trade alliance

Mexican and Canadian officials have agreed to strengthen their trade relationship by building a dedicated distribution center in the province of Manitoba for produce from the Hispanic country, and by working toward an organic equivalency arrangement. The development is part of the Mexico-Canada Alliance (AMC) that was established in 2004 in a bid to bolster bilateral trade opportunities and promote high-level dialogue between the public and private sectors. At the recent 9th AMC Agribusiness Meeting, officials from Mexico’s National Service for Agricultural Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) agreed to undertake more joint venture projects and increase investment.

SENASICA and CFIA officials also agreed on the need to establish an organic

equivalency deal, whereby organic produce from either country could be labeled as such in the other country without the need for further certification. A meeting is due to be held in Ottawa this November where working groups from both nations will discuss a range of topics including the appropriate use of new technologies, the promotion of strategic alliances for technological exchange, and farm innovations.

Canada and Mexico will also examine a list of non-tariff barriers such as the movement of goods across the U.S., country of origin labeling, and inspection fees from the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). In addition, a joint inventory will be prepared detailing agricultural research projects, and officials will also identify areas for further collaborative research.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

AAFC statistical overview of the Canadian vegetable industry The Horticulture and Cross Sectoral Division of the Sector Development and Analysis Directorate, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada is pleased to present the next report on horticulture: “Statistical Overview of the Canadian Vegetable Industry 2013.” The report provides a comprehensive summary of the vegetable industry (field and greenhouse vegetables and mushrooms) statistics. It contains tables and charts about Canadian vegetable production, revenues, consumption, retail sales, trade statistics as well as world production of vegetables. Some highlights from the report are: • Among the provinces, Ontario is the largest producer of field vegetables. It accounted for 59 per cent of Canada’s total production, followed by Quebec with 32 per cent.

• While Canada’s total production of field vegetables decreased from 2012 (10%), farm gate value grew by roughly $25 million to a five year high of $825 million in 2013 (a growth of 3% from 2012).

• In 2013, Canada’s greenhouse sector, which is comprised of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce, saw a 7 per cent increase in production from 2012. The majority of production is centered in Ontario (70%) and British Columbia (22%).

• Total Canadian vegetable (field vegetables, greenhouse vegetables and mushrooms) exports in 2013 amounted to $1.30 billion of

CanadaJapan organic standards set As of next year, Canada and Japan will be able to trade organic fruits and vegetables with each other under their own national certifications. The two countries recently signed an equivalency agreement which was announced on September 24 by AAFC Minister Gerry Ritz. It is due to come into effect on January 1, 2015.

Under the deal, the organic production and certification systems in each country will be fully recognized. In April 2013 Canada announced it had achieved an organic equivalency agreement with Costa Rica. Work is also underway on establishing an agreement with Mexico following the recent 9th MexicoCanada Alliance (AMC) meeting.

The AMC was established in 2004 in a bid to bolster bilateral trade opportunities and promote high-level dialogue between the public and private sectors.

which 96 per cent ($1.25 billion) was exported to the United States.

• Canada imported $2.65 billion worth of vegetables in 2013, with $1.69 billion worth of product coming from the United States.

Mexico was the second largest source of vegetables with $651 million in imports coming from there.

The key resources used in the preparation of this document are Statistics Canada, Global Trade Atlas, FAOSTAT, Euromonitor International and Mintel.

PAGE 8 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

PROMOTION

New logo part of updated OFVGA corporate identity November 1 marks the official unveiling of the OFVGA’s new logo.

It is part of a general refreshing of the organization’s corporate identity, which will culminate with the launch of a new website at the annual general meeting in January.

“As a lobby organization, the OFVGA needs a corporate identity that is modern, fresh and professional,” says executive vice president John Kelly. “Our new logo has a clean, crisp look that

clearly identifies who we are and who we represent.”

The new logo was designed by MacGregor Marketing and Communications of Burlington to both represent Ontario’s fruit and vegetable farmers, as well as use colour to connect themes important to the sector, such as water and the environment.

New banner stands and marketing materials incorporating the new logo will be introduced at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which runs November 7 to

16 in Toronto. New letterhead, envelope designs and business cards are also part of the new OFVGA corporate identity.

“A strong part of our mandate is to raise awareness amongst all of our target audiences about the OFVGA and the key issues that matter to our growers,” says Kelly. “A strong corporate identity is an important part of our outreach efforts, and will make it easier for us to make lasting impressions with government, industry and other

stakeholders.”

Work is currently underway on the new website, which will be a hub for the organization’s

outreach and lobbying activities on behalf of its membership. The site address will remain unchanged at www.ofvga.org.

CONSUMER EDUCATION

Ginseng growers explain their production practices

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KAREN DAVIDSON Ontario’s best-kept secret is the ginseng industry valued at more than $220 million for the 2013 harvest. Most of the promotion of raw root is conducted in Hong Kong, the gateway to Chinese consumers. However, growers are finding that outreach is just as important at home.

“We’re finding some public misconceptions about production practices,” says Carl Atkinson, chair of Ontario Ginseng Growers’ Association. “Some people believe ginseng is hard on the soil and crops can't be grown on the land after ginseng. The reality is ginseng is the only crop which can not be grown due to replant disease.”

Gardens are planted only once due to the buildup of soil-borne pests. The fungus Cylindrocarpon destructans has been confirmed as a cause of replant disease.

Researcher Deena Errampali is currently studying solutions at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

That the federal government is also dedicating $423,000 to research replant disease is welcome news for ginseng growers who crop about 6,500 acres, mostly in Norfolk County. The project will be conducted by Ontario Ginseng Growers’ Association along with OMAFRA and University of Guelph.

The public needs reassurance about the sustainability of the crop in the long-term. That’s why the association hosted a

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booth at the recent Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show from October 7 to 13. Banners

and brochures were developed with key messages about production practices. This is a start for

an ongoing dialogue about the shaded gardens so often seen from the roadsides.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

Board briefs Following are highlights from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) board meeting held October 16, 2014. The purpose of this brief is to keep you up-to-date on the issues that the OFVGA is working on, as well as projects and initiatives the organization is involved in.

Labour section Gary Cooper, former president of FARMS (Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Service), is being presented with the Government of Jamaica Badge of Honour. The award is in recognition of his long-standing service to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP).

Presented by the Governor General of Jamaica on the advice of the nation’s Prime Minister, the award recognizes people who, by their service and contribution, have had a meaningful and significant impact on national life. It is rarely awarded to non-Jamaicans; growers Ken Forth and Hector Delanghe are previous Ontario recipients of this award.

The Canadian government is making changes to Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs, including SAWP, with respect to non-compliant employers. Under the new regulations, the government intends to levy financial penalties against employers who do not follow the rules of the various foreign worker programs.

Fines will vary and may include temporary or even permanent suspension from being able to employ foreign workers. More information is available at www.cic.gc.ca/english/ department/acts-regulations/ forward-regulatory-plan/ changes-temporary-foreignworker.asp.

Safety nets section Section chair Mark Wales reported that a representative from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce made a presentation on the new Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) being developed by the provincial government to a meeting of agricultural commodity leaders.

Few details have been made available by the province to date on the ORPP; the Chamber is concerned about how the plan will affect business competitiveness in Ontario. More information on their position is available at http://www.occ.ca/policy/chamber-network-concerned-aboutproposed-ontario-pension-plan/.

Mike Vlcek, Senior Director of Program Development with Agricorp and Dave Hagarty, Director, Farm Finance Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), met with the OFVGA Board to discuss the design of Self-Directed Risk

Management (SDRM) and the Risk Management Program (RMP). The linkage to the AgriStability program, which requires farmers to participate in that program in order to be eligible for SDRM/RMP, continues to be discussed, particularly by the commodities that participate in RMP. The RMP commodity groups have asked OMAFRA to investigate the possibilities and implications of removing this requirement. The OFVGA board will evaluate the issue for edible horticulture and determine whether or not to support the removal of the AgriStability linkage from SDRM participation for growers.

Crop protection section The Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) and the OFVGA have both submitted responses to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) with respect to its re-evaluation of Metiram. The OFVGA’s response focused on the toxicological perspective regarding worker exposure. The OFVGA has subsequently been meeting with PMRA on this issue.

The deadline for Codex nominations has passed for this year. Codex addresses Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) and the ability to export produce into international markets. The OFVGA has submitted some products for inclusion in the Codex database, a process that occurs annually through CHC. To date, only three products have been nominated by the edible horticulture sector for the Grower Requested Own Use (GROU) program. All three are from the apple industry. More work needs to be done to encourage more product nominations; the program can work to growers’ advantage if used effectively.

The annual crop protection section meeting will be held October 21 at the OFVGA office in Guelph.

North America’s littlest falcon, the American Kestrel packs a predator’s fierce intensity into its small body. It's one of the most colourful of all raptors: the male’s slate-blue head and wings contrast elegantly with his rusty-red back and tail; the female has the same warm reddish on her wings, back, and tail. Hunting for insects and other small prey in open territory, kestrels perch on wires or poles, or hover facing into the wind, flapping and adjusting their long tails to stay in place.

Lakes Protection Act died on the order paper when the provincial election was called last spring.

However, Environment and Climate Change Minister Glen Murray has received direction from Premier Wynne in his mandate letter to re-introduce a

As Brian Gilroy reports, a three-year study is underway to see if kestrels can deter smaller birds from orchards and vineyards. Next year, some nesting boxes will be relocated to open spaces which is a requirement of this species.

A kestrel nesting box was displayed at the recent research tour organized by the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board.

strengthened Act. Canadian Horticultural Council The United States recently announced that Canada has lost its preferred status as it relates to protection afforded under the

Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). This means that Canadians no longer receive the same payment protection as is available to U.S horticulture businesses. This decision has resulted from Canada’s inaction on establishing a similar system in this country; which both the OFVGA and CHC have been lobbying for.

The next OFVGA board meeting will be held November 13 at the OFVGA office in Guelph.

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Property section Ontario’s 19 Source Water Protection committees are continuing to work on finalizing their regional plans, reports section chair Brian Gilroy, who is a member of the committee covering Saugeen, Grey Sauble and Northern Bruce Peninsula.

The Wildlife Damage Mitigation trials are wrapping up for this year and will run again in 2015. Attracting kestrels was challenging this year, reports Gilroy, but the group is confident that 2015 will be more successful.

Some nesting boxes will be relocated to open space areas, which is a requirement of this particular bird species. The project will run for three years.

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PAGE 10 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

News bulletin: No shortage of beehives to pollinate our crops

RAY DUC CHAIR, OFVGA There is a problem, there isn’t a problem. This is the problem, that is the problem. I have read and heard these words in regards to bee health so many times it leads me to believe one thing: we don’t know what the problem is or if there is one.

Bees have a direct role in more than one third of our diet -- that’s a lot of food. Without bees our diet would be far less nutritious.

The livelihood of thousands of farmers depends on the health of bee populations in Canada. The

importance of bee health cannot be overstated and must be monitored. Millions of bees are moved across Canada every year to pollinate apples, blueberries and more than a hundred different fruits and vegetables. The work of bees is integral to horticulture in Canada.

There have been so many studies and media reports on bee health that it has become impossible to keep up with the latest “facts and figures.” If you have tried, you will have noticed that the majority of these reports is indicating that the bee population is in huge decline and that we are on the verge of a major crisis in our food supply.

The numbers from the pollinator industry are contrary to what is being reported in the media. Canada’s bee population has been growing steadily. There is no shortage of beehives to pollinate our crops and the cost to have hives delivered to our orchards and fields has not risen outside of normal increases. If there was a shortfall in beehives, supply and demand would be

influencing the price and we would be seeing large increases in the cost of pollinators. According to Statistics Canada the honeybee population has increased by 37 per cent since 2003 in Ontario.

The same is true on a national scale. Data from the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists(CAPA) shows an increase of 10.7 per cent between 2009 and 2013 with bee colonies increasing from 611,972 to 677,824. This growth rate is remarkable considering all the threats to the industry: record cold winters, varroa mites, nosema. And now a hive beetle is threatening hives in the eastern part of the country. It’s commendable that the commercial beekeepers have managed to grow the industry nationwide in spite of these challenges.

Canada’s record is one to share with the world. There are 16 million acres of canola grown on the prairies, a vast rich source of nutritional food for bees. Many don’t know that 80 per cent of Canada’s honey production

comes from these canola fields.

What’s telling is that Canadian canola seed has been treated with neonicotinoids since they were introduced, yet Canada’s bee population has been largely unaffected. This is a real world, largescale example -- not a lab test.

Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticide that was welcomed by farmers and environmentalists alike when they came into use in the 1990s. Neonics have become widely used around the world for a good reason; they are less toxic than the organophosphates they replaced. They are much safer for the applicator. In fact, so safe that the insecticide is registered for use in flea collars of our house pets.

This crop protection product is now being portrayed as the number one cause of colony collapse disorder with no evidence that it is the sole or biggest threat to honey bee health. Without question, neonics have had far less impact on the environment than if we continued to use organophosphates.

So why are they being blamed

exclusively for bee deaths in Canada and around the world? It is simple. Some environmental groups need a culprit to point to and they know the media will listen if their message is alarming enough. These groups create a sense of doomsday and the attention follows.

This may sound harsh but remember when GMOs were going to bring about the end of the world. The world is still here and GMOs are a big part of it.

Neonics are now the new GMOs. Colony collapse in beehives was first documented in 1869 with spikes in bee deaths occurring regionally around the world ever since.

British beekeepers warned that rushing to ban neonics -- when the evidence is contradictory -could well do more damage than good, as we will return to pesticides that are known to be harmful to bees. Scientists all over the world are now doing field studies in the real world.

Let them do their work and not base any decisions on emotion caused by alarmists.

removed which essentially changed the rules of trade. So to compare with international growers when there is differential access to seller protection is challenging.

The loss of preferred status with the PACA will impact growers negatively. It is essential that the federal government work diligently to develop an acceptable comparable protection for American growers in Canada to ensure that our exporters again have access to this status. Without it, the costs of using the PACA Trust are so substantial that it is unlikely many will take advantage, essentially freezing some out of the market.

The PACA is only one of many challenges that come the grower’s way. The list keeps growing and growing.

Challenges to risk management programs, requirements from buyers for higher and higher sustainability requirements, impacts on costs of production that negatively impact margins (minimum wage hikes, the proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan – ORPP – which the provincial government is intro-

ducing this month), non-science based regulatory decisions which threaten the use of pest control products, and ever increasing permitting requirements to meet new environmental legislative demands are but a few of the new items for growers to tackle as they produce product for consumers.

The bottom line is that growers need to be very aware how all these factors impact production, and need to benchmark profitability as well as the net impact of all aspects of the horticultural business. Continuing to improve the ability to be competitive is not an option; it is an absolute necessity.

Our governments, markets and buyers are placing more and more demands on growers to meet stringent requirements. For us to sow for success, we together need to get informed and active on the issues, with growers involved with market and government issues through the OFVGA and the Canadian Horticultural Council. These will all influence how we achieve optimal performance from our operations and ultimately the profitability and success growers will enjoy.

Sowing the seeds of performance

JOHN KELLY EXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA Harvest is mostly complete.

Now is the time to take stock of how the growing year went and to evaluate the performance of the farm over 2014, and indeed over several previous years. To see how well a farm performs year over year, it is essential to understand the benchmarks of the operation. This in turn will help with the decisions that happen in the next season, and several seasons to come. Sowing the seeds for the future does not only involve seed selection. It involves many other components like strategic direction, business

planning and farm business evaluation. Benchmarking becomes the basis for improvements in the future.

Achieving superior performance from one year to the next is a common goal amongst horticultural producers. Questions like “How can I get more production out of the crop I have chosen,” “How can I continue to improve the environment we live in?” “How can I increase the profitability of my operation” and “How can I enhance the quality of life I have on the farm?” are all questions that can be addressed by knowing previous performance. In essence, on-farm benchmarking.

Comparisons to how Ontario producers stack up against other Canadian and international producers is also a form of industry benchmarking that needs to be done. Measurements in terms of profitability, costs of production, pricing, environmental tolerance, product availability, domestic and international presence, consumer preferences, impact of innovation and others are all excellent indicators of how the sector does against its competitors. Sector

STAFF Publisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Editor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, kdavidson@ecomente.ca Production: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.org Advertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, advertising@thegrower.org The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Any errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the next issue.

No compensation will be given after the first running of the ad.

Client signature is required before insertion.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is the sole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed in The Grower are those of the newspaper’s editorial staff and/or contributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either whole or in part without the prior written consent of the publisher.

benchmarking.

Future performance is not only measured in terms of yield from those seeds. The net financial return to any operation is a key measure of the success of a farm. Growers have control over many of the variables that lead to the financial wellbeing of their operation. Constant reevaluation of the impact of decisions surrounding these variables is essential for the future success of the farm.

Failure to do this can lead to stagnation, lead to a lack of innovative capacity and put the entire operation at risk.

But sometimes producers run into those challenges that are outside of their control.

Legislation can strongly influence the success or failure of horticultural operations. How do you benchmark selling into one jurisdiction when the rules change and the risks become very large?

Before last month, Canadian growers had a preferred status with the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) in the United States. Because of the inaction of the Canadian government, this status was

OFFICE 355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105 Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADA Tel. 519-763-8728 • Fax 519-763-6604 The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to all members of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year for the paper through their commodity group or container fees.

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P.M. 40012319

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC

Chair Vice-Chair Fruit Director Veg Director Director

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

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

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

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

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER

PERSPECTIVE For business purposes, odds are you’re a “modern” farmer

OWEN ROBERTS U OF GUELPH Some people see farming as a nod to tradition, to simplicity, to steadfastness and unwavering predictability. They see it as a lifestyle first, and then a business.

And indeed this image works well for some fruit and vegetable farmers, such as those capitalizing on the local food movement who think the public identifies with, or yearns for, down home values.

And what’s more down home than growing good food?

But on the flip side, there’s a measure of farmers who are quite

happy leaving behind agriculture’s stereotypical hayseed image. It runs counter to the business-like realities of their farm – technologically advanced, market driven, impeccably managed, traits that are needed to keep most businesses afloat, farming included.

Sure, some homegrown virtues are prevalent on “modern” farms too. After all, odds are it’s a family farm, like the overwhelming majority of farms are in Canada. But they operate in a business environment, and they need policy-makers to remember that and not choke them with legislation.

Their business side came through loud and clear in a poll released last month by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. More than 520 farmers across the country were surveyed about their anticipated business activities, and the results were eye opening.

First, a whopping 44 per cent of farmers in the independent business poll said they were planning to expand their operations in the next three years.

Photo by Glenn Lowson That’s fantastic! Imagine nearly half of any other sector in the Canadian economy saying it plans to expand, rather than saying it’s going to sit tight and see what happens with the dollar, the federal election, interest rates, the Middle East or any of dozens of reasons that could be mentioned by businesses that are satisfied with the status quo. Despite global and financial uncertainty, people still have to eat and clearly farmers see significant opportunities ahead. Agriculture has

momentum.

Another finding from the survey is that despite challenges in attracting qualified help, farmers are twice as likely to hire more employees within the next three years than to pull back. In fact, more than 20 per cent of Canadian farmers are planning to hire more employees in the next three years.

As well, more than half of the survey respondents said they are planning to adopt new and innovative technologies. These

include GPS systems for planting and spraying and renewable power such as wind turbines.

“Canada’s farmers are fostering an agriculture sector Canadians can be proud of,” says the federation. “It’s a highly sophisticated and modern industry that will continue to provide an abundance of jobs and quality food for Canadians…the variety of business management tools used show that agricultural operations are sophisticated, strategic and modern.”

The final bit of good news from the federation survey is that family farms are poised to stay just that – family farms. More than 80 per cent of those who are passing on their farm assets have identified family members as the prime recipients.

So, I guess modern farming will indeed continue to have elements of traditions passed down through families, plus the benefits of technology that young people (and their progressively minded parents) bring to farming.

Sounds like the best of all worlds, for agriculture and for consumers.

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Producers in Ontario can apply for Growing Forward 2 (GF2) funding assistance by following 3 easy steps: Need help? Sign up now for Growing Yoour Farm Profits (GYFP), Environmental Farm Plan (EFP), Biosecurity workshops or Food Safety webinars. Visit www.ontariosoilcrop.org and click on the workshops button to find a workshop or to contact a Regional Program Lead or Workshop Leader in your area.

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PAGE 12 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

Improving sweet potato production at the Simcoe Research Station

Photo by Glenn Lowson

BRUCE KELLY Sweet potatoes have become a significant specialty crop for Ontario in recent years, with approximately 1,500 acres in production. The rising popularity of sweet potato fries at Ontario restaurants has increased demand and interest in this great food.

Traditionally Ontario sweet potato yields have been much lower than those of competitors from the southern United States, largely due to our shorter, cooler growing season. But Cathy Bakker and Melanie Filotas, researchers at the Simcoe Research Station aim to improve the outlook for sweet potato growers here in Ontario with improved agronomic recommendations based on local research.

Funding provided by the Water Adaptation Quality and Management Initiative (WAMQI) is being used to refine water requirements and nitrogen recommendations of the beloved sweet potato.

Sweet potato production in Ontario occurs predominantly on sandy or sandy loam textured soils in counties along the north shore of Lake Erie. Root shape and quality tend to be better on these lighter textured soil types but these soils pose a higher risk for nitrogen leaching making the timing of application critical for both production and environmental reasons.

A better understanding of the impact of irrigation (amount and timing) and nitrogen (sources and amounts) under Ontario growing conditions could help growers increase yields of marketable tubers, thereby increasing profitability and competitiveness for Ontario growers.

Sweet potatoes are commonly considered to be drought tolerant, and most Ontario growers rarely,

if ever, irrigate. However, while sweet potatoes can be produced even under very low moisture conditions, several studies in the southern United States have demonstrated significant reductions in yield when soil moisture falls below 50 per cent of field capacity at critical stages of plant development, and “cracking” of the potato is common if water uptake is uneven.

Even watering applications are critical at the storage root initiation (from 0 to 40 days after transplanting) and the root elongation (40 days after transplanting onwards). This really implies most of the growing season. As natural rains can be inconsistent, the ability to irrigate at critical times could make the difference between poor or quality crop.

If they are moisture stressed for even a short period of time, sweet potatoes, like tomatoes will draw up too much water when it becomes available and grow so fast, they spilt open, seriously reducing the crops’ marketability.

The use of soil moisture probes can help refine the timing of irrigation to reduce incidence of cracking and improve the quality of the root.

Irrigation schedules based on soil moisture holding capacity can ensure that the roots are never under moisture stress and that growth is even and minimizes the risks of root cracking.

The questions to be answered by this WAMQI project are: 1) Can different irrigation timings (and stresses) at different stages of crop development impact sweet potato yield and quality;

of sweet potatoes and potential for nitrate leaching.

Slips of the sweet potato cultivar ‘Covington’ were transplanted into the field in early June into 20 cm high hills. The trial compared five treatments consisting of: a non-irrigated check; irrigation from planting to four weeks before harvest (entire season); irrigation for two weeks after planting only (target storage root initiation); irrigation for five weeks after planting only (target storage root initiation) and irrigation from five weeks after planting to four weeks before harvest (target storage root elongation).

Soil moisture was monitored twice a week using a TDR portable soil moisture meter.

Irrigation was applied when the average soil moisture of the plots was headed below 50 per cent of available field capacity.

The sweet potatoes were harvested on September 23, and are now being dried, awaiting weighing and comparison to find out the results of the trial.

For more information about this project contact: Mary Ruth MacDonald mrmcdona@uoguelph.ca or Cathy Bakker cbakker@uoguelph.ca This project is one of 28 projects funded by the Water Adaptation Quality and Management Initiative (WAMQI) a Growing Forward II program, facilitated by Farm & Food Care Ontario.

For information about WAMQI funded projects, visit the Environment section at www.farmfoodcare.org or contact Bruce Kelly: bruce@farmfoodcare.org

2) Are there crop quality impacts from various sources of nitrogen and application timings on yield

Bruce Kelly is environmental program manager for Farm & Food Care.

COMING EVENTS 2014 Nov 2 – 5

Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association Tour (members only), Simcoe County and Muskoka Region, Ontario

Nov7 – 16

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON

Nov 12

Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council “Paper Facts and Fiction” seminar, Brampton, ON

Nov 14

Ontario Produce Marketing Association Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, Liberty Grand, Toronto, ON

Nov 15 – 22 International Fruit Tree Association Study Tour, Northern Italy Nov 18-19

Essex County Associated Growers’ 64th South West Hort Expo, Kinsmen Recreational Complex, Leamington, ON **NOTE NEW DATE**

Nov 18-20

Alberta Potato Conference & Trade Show, The Sheraton, Red Deer, AB

Nov 22

Asparagus Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, Hungarian Hall, Delhi, ON

Nov 22

Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Producers’ Association Annual General Meeting, Best Western Glengarry, Truro, Nova Scotia

Nov 24-25

Ontario Federation of Agriculture Annual General Meeting, Sheraton on the Falls, Niagara Falls, ON

Nov 26-30

Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer Competition, Quebec City, QC

Nov 29

Garlic Growers of Ontario Fall Meeting, Woodstock, ON

Dec 2-4

CropLife Canada ‘GrowCanada’ 2014 Conference, Westin Ottawa, Ottawa, ON

Dec 3

Ontario Potato Board Annual General Meeting, Cambridge Holiday Inn, Hall C, Cambridge, ON 10 am

Dec 5

CanadaGAP Annual General Meeting, Canadian Federation of Agriculture boardroom, Ottawa, Canada

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER

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RETAIL NAVIGATOR

New Canadians and ‘foodies’ drive specialty store sales Origin of immigration

PETER CHAPMAN There are two reasons specialty stores are growing. The first reason is the demographic composition of our marketplace is changing rapidly, and the second reason is the focus on food in our society.

Immigration in Canada has shifted from Europe to Asia and the Middle East. Consumers new to Canada are looking for specific products they understand and the large national chains have been too slow to learn and keep their listing bases current for today’s consumer. It is very important for suppliers in the food industry to understand where the consumers are coming from and what they are looking for.

Table 1 illustrates the changes to our population since 2008.

In the five years between 2008 and 2012 the Canadian population grew by 1,506,355 and 85 per cent of the growth was through immigration. New Canadians are one source of customers for stores offering global foods, another group are people who are in Canada temporarily. Table 2 illustrates the number of people living in Canada temporarily in 2012.

The average immigration to

Total (2008 - 2012)

Reason for being in Canada

Total 2012

Asia & Pacific

619,584

Foreign workers

338,213

Africa & Middle East

289,539

Foreign students

265, 402

South & Central America

192,860

Humanitarian

92, 318

Europe & UK

135,937

Other

77,797

United States

48,425

Total

773,730

Total immigration

1,286,345

Change in total population

1,505,355

Table 2

Table 1 Canada was 257,269 in the five years ending in 2012, and in 2012 there were also 773,730 people in Canada temporarily. That is a lot of consumers... the reality is more than one million new consumers in Canada are seeking different products. It is obvious that these shifts in the ethnic mix of our population will offer growth for suppliers and retailers who can satisfy the demand.

In the Canadian market there are stores, such as T&T that cater to the Asian consumer, and Arz and Adonis that cater to the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Lebanese consumer. Loblaw purchased T&T; Arz and Adonis are now part of Metro. These chains have been allowed to operate more autonomously to maintain the unique perspective they bring to the market. Make no mistake, the big retailers are learning from them but they have not destroyed the unique position they occupy in the market. There are also independents, such as Oceans Fresh Food Market with five stores in the GTA. There are many other examples in each major urban market of specialty stores catering to the consumer seeking food from around the world.

The other factor impacting the sales at specialty stores is the focus on food and creating interesting food. Recipes on the Internet, chefs in grocery stores, and entire television networks, such as the Food Network, have brought cooking at home to a new level. The ‘foodie’ has become a popular consumer as they are usually willing to spend more and they buy items with traditionally higher shrink. The foodies are looking for gourmet items, and they are looking for the new ingredients that are found easily at the stores specializing in global foods.

The gourmet specialty stores are also regional, such as Pusateri’s and Bruno’s in Toronto, and Pete’s in Halifax.

There are many other examples in each major urban market. The stores focus on fresh departments, prepared foods, and the unique ingredients their customers are looking for. Many of them offer a selection of global foods, as well, because the foodies are looking for these products.

Here are my top 10 considerations for suppliers who want to sell to the specialty stores:

stores are usually very knowledgeable and they have more passion than some employees at the bigger retailers. This is more than a job to them. Respect their knowledge.

2. Most do not have distribution networks so you will need the ability to go with direct store delivery (DSD).

3. If you can produce some of the global foods locally with the same characteristics, you will have an opportunity. Importing food is not as easy as it used to be.

4. Most of the locations are in urban areas, so tough to get to for trucks. Factor in extra costs for this.

5. With the large retailers one category manager will have access to hundreds of stores. In these stores it can be a store by store journey. You need to have a sales resource to make it happen.

1. The people working at these

6. These are great markets to test products during scale up. Volume is lower and you can get great feedback from the store employees.

7. The stores are usually focused more on selling than they are on bureaucracy. Point of sale is often welcome as opposed to a revenue stream.

8. The consumers who shop these stores are different. The buying decision is slightly different than the traditional retailers.

9. The retailer needs to make different margins in these stores.

Volume is lower and they have a different economic model than the bigger retailers. Their customers are more interested in getting products they want as opposed to saving a few cents on a national brand.

10. There are more partnership opportunities. You can do social media programs and other initiatives with them.

Shoppers Drug Mart food pilots are work in progress When I was in Toronto recently I had an opportunity to visit one of the Shoppers Drug Mart pilot stores. The food offering is considerably different, with more fresh foods and more prepared foods. There is also a considerable amount of private label available.

It is an accomplishment that they have got some pilot stores

done. There is a lot of work that has to happen behind the scenes to get stores changed.

I was disappointed in two things: focus on health and wellness in food could be better, and pricing is very high in fresh.

There is an opportunity to change consumer behaviour in these stores and the current model could go further. Pricing for fresh

is very high and I respect it is convenience - but $3 for two potatoes is high. I would hate to see a good idea fail because pricing is not realistic.

It is a work in progress but very important to watch. There could be opportunities for suppliers, especially in fresh.

Plan O Gram schedules are set once or twice a year Retailers are more disciplined about their shelf line-up than ever. It was not that long ago that you could get an item listed and it would be ‘worked in’ to the shelf.

Now there is a set schedule for when the shelf review will be done and when new items will be considered.

You need to understand the schedule in the categories where you compete. In some cases this

is only done one to two times per year. You would not want to sit on the sideline for six months because you did not know the schedule for reviews. Make sure you ask your category manager so you can be prepared to get your opportunities in on time.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Supplies of disease-resistant rootstock are already tight for 2017

Mori Essex Nurseries employ 85 staff, mostly seasonal, to plant cuttings. These workers are preparing cuttings with rooting hormone before placing in pots under mistlines. Once established in six weeks, they will be transferred to the field or greenhouse depending on the season. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

KAREN DAVIDSON Harrow, Ontario –Today’s worldwide shortage of rootstock should be motivating apple and tender fruit growers to review order catalogues for plantings three, if not, four years out.

“Growers have to think about 2017 now,” urges Rob Haynes, general manager, Mori Essex Nurseries, which has farms in Harrow and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Demand is so strong that the propagator is now planting more than a million trees per year.

That’s exponential growth from 200,000 trees just five years ago.

Several trends are driving that demand, not the least of which is transformation of apple orchards to high-density plantings.

This production system requires up to 1,300 trees per acre and higher. Mori Essex Nurseries also supply rootstock for the Prunus genus: peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines and plums.

“The warming climate has helped us,” says Haynes. “A plan has commenced this year to plant up to 3,000 acres of apples in Prince Edward Island by a group of foreign investors. And we’re now seeing agricultural entrepreneurs from around the world looking for tens of thousands of acres of land suitable for apples across Canada.

There are opportunities for apple exports in the future.”

Haynes explains that the rising middle class in India is driving the growth of the apple market. It’s closer – and cheaper -- to ship from eastern Canada through the Mediterranean and Suez canal to India than from the west coast. He’s also excited that a Canadian-Indian trade deal is close that would remove a 50 per cent tariff on

Quality Seed

apples. Honeycrisp apples, for example, may sell for $90 per box here but are currently wholesaling for double that price in India.

Ramping up for these new export opportunities won’t be easy. Capital of $20,000 per acre is required for highdensity apple orchards, and that’s where corporations are taking advantage.

Haynes became attuned to the global market changes when he started travelling four years ago as the new general manager.

With rootstock catalogues weighting down his suitcase, he has scoured the hot spots for apple production: Chile, Spain, Holland, Germany and Italy. He’s also travelled widely in the U.S., from Washington and Oregon states on the west coast to New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts on the eastern seaboard. The U.S. propagators are so focused on their burgeoning domestic market that little rootstock is left over for Canada. Besides, many are not certified to send genetic material to Canada.

All the more important, then, that Haynes has secured the Canadian rights to Geneva apple rootstock with resistance to fireblight, phytophthora, woolly apple aphid and transplant disease. These genetics are well respected from Cornell University. Next he’s introduced two new Prunus rootstocks from Russia: Krymsk 86 and 1. The latter is a dwarf rootstock.

Rootpac – 20, 40 and 70 – has been introduced for peaches. Zaiger cultivars for pluots, apriums and plumcots are on their way. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has to release them from quarantine in Saanich, located near Vancouver Island.

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Despite the ominous storm clouds in this photo, Rob Haynes, right and production manager Markus Weber, see only sunny skies ahead at Mori Essex Nurseries. Here at the 600-acre farm near Harrow, Ontario, they are examining fireblight-resistant, Geneva apple rootstock. Every foot of growth is worth one dollar.

A new dwarf peach rootstock is under development.

This row marker denotes the roll number, type of rootstock, the variety it was budded on, source of rootstock and the block.

Perhaps the most impactful change has been tissue culture. In concert with the University of Guelph and Harster’s greenhouse in Ancaster, Ontario, Haynes is now able to source rootstock faster and from a more reliable source.

“Next year, we’ll do 800,000 tissuecultured apple rootstocks in the spring, bud in the fall and plan for first harvest in two years,” says Haynes.

This expertise in tissue culture is critical for the fledgling hazelnut industry. To flourish, hundreds of thousands of trees will be required to fulfill Ferrero’s need for 20,000 acres of production to supply their confectionary plant in Brantford, Ontario.

In fact, the opportunities for all rootstocks are so enormous that Haynes is challenged to hire enough help. “We’re practically sold out for 2015 and 2016 and a good chunk of 2017,” he says.

The next step? “We’re investing in improved inventory systems for tracking trees from rootstock to budding, digging, grading, storing then shipping,” he says.

For a business that’s rooted in the soil, there’s no dust on Hayne’s heels.

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PAGE 16 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Increased planting densities improve asparagus yields

Millennium asparagus berries. Photo courtesy of Asparagus Farmers of Ontario.

KAREN DAVIDSON Follow the statistics and then follow the money.

Ontario’s asparagus industry is not only increasing acreage but yields per acre, primarily due to the cold-weather variety Millennium and higher planting densities.

Between 2012 and 2013, another 390 acres went into asparagus for a total of 3,082 acres. In the same time frame, yield per acre went up from 4051 pounds per acre to 4,486 pounds per acre. From a longer-term perspective, that’s a doubling of production from 2,211 pounds per acre a decade ago.

Those encouraging statistics have convinced the federal government and the province’s farmers to invest more than $1 million into the University of Guelph’s asparagus breeding program. Led by David Wolyn, the program has been uniquely successful with trial beds in Norfolk County. About half of the funding comes from the coffers of Asparagus Farmers of Ontario. The announcement was made earlier this year through the Growing Forward 2’s AgriInnovation Program.

“This funding is critical to bring our promising experimental hybrids to commercialization and further develop even better cultivars to help the industry in the future,” said Wolyn. “It also allows

us to conduct research projects in tissue culture, seed production and winter hardiness that support and enhance the breeding effort.”

New seed varieties will help keep the industry competitive to service domestic markets as well as those in the eastern United States. The term ‘local’ is relative. When Ontario asparagus is available, it’s deemed to have fewer miles of transportation compared to Mexico or Washington state, so it’s a prized commodity on the eastern seaboard. Even Alberta received shipments of Ontario asparagus this past year.

Many growers have transitioned out of the Jersey varieties and have planted Millennium. Its winter hardiness, longevity and consistently high yields make it tough to beat in the breeding trials.

However, if improvements are to be made, it will be in disease resistance against asparagus rust and purple spot.

Those increased yields are due not only to Millennium’s productivity but increased planting rates. In Ontario, planting rates are about 15,000 to 16,000 plants per acre says Ken Wall, chair of Asparagus Farmers of Ontario. This pales against very aggressive plantings by Washington state growers who are now up to 30,000 and even 35,000 plants per acre in a quest to reduce per unit costs.

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NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

New veg varieties

Asteroid broccoli

Rhea pumpkin

Anthem XR sweet corn

Currier pepper

Stokes Seeds has been testing new vegetable varieties since 1881! This year is no exception.

Listed above are the ones out of thousands that have consistently performed best over many years of Stokes testing.

For green beans, Sybaris, stood out in Stokes trials this year. Sybaris has straight, deep green 5.6inch pods that are set high in the plant and off the soil surface. It is a 56-day bean with 100 per cent 3-4 sieve size and has high resistance to bean common mosaic virus, and IR to Bacterial Brown Spot and rust.

Two outstanding additions to the Gourmet Sweet Brand for 2015 are Anthem XR and Stellar XR. Anthem XR, 73-day variety has a very sturdy plant and it is widely adapted to many areas. It is suitable for shipping and fresh market slots and has a very nice husk appearance. Stellar XR is Stellar with new rust resistance. This 77-day variety has very attractive ears and nice beautiful kernel contrast. It has a larger ear than Awesome with a dark green husk colour.

In the bell peppers, Currier is a green to red bell pepper with glassy colour and uniform blocky shape with excellent quality. It has numerous disease resistances including Bacterial Spot races 1-3.

The pumpkins that stood out in the Stokes trials were Rhea and Warty Goblin. Rhea is about five lb. smaller than Cronus with the same very large dark green stems. Rhea has a large vigorous vine and IR to powdery mildew. Warty Goblin is an eight-18 lb., round, slightly tall heavily warted hard shell pumpkin. Its fruit changes orange early while the green warts maintain colour for weeks after harvest.

There are several new Brassica’s for consideration also. Grepala is a new first early cabbage which shows good green colour and holding ability.

Asteroid broccoli is a new bunching type with excellent uniformity.

These are only a few of the new items listed in the 2015 Commercial Growers catalog. Please see a Stokes representative for more information on other new varieties that have been “Stokes Tested!”

1-800-263-7233 www.stokeseeds.com

PAGE 18 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

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G.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD. Since Monsanto purchased De Ruiter seeds in 2008, the company has continued to invest in research for hybrid seeds in tomato, pepper and cucumber categories. Last summer, a demonstration day in Leamington, Ontario unveiled the development of new products in the pipeline including the release of a new tomato rootstock, the potential of a new ribbed beef tomato and a few specialty tomatoes. All of these products are developed through traditional breeding.

“Our company understands how dynamic the industry is,” says Rafael Lacaz Ruiz, De Ruiter sales in eastern Canada. “We’re always searching for new products in commodities and in the specialty segment.”

Building on the success of rootstock Maxifort, De Ruiter has developed a new tomato rootstock product named DRO141TX. Trials in Holland revealed improved vigour which translates into higher yields. In internal trials, it has shown potential to stand up to hot summer conditions.

A leader in beefsteak varieties, De Ruiter Seeds is focused on launching new products over current leading beefsteak Torero and Foronti. The variety

DR5014TH and DR9544TH will likely be commercialized in one or two years, Ruiz predicts.

At the demonstration day, growers also previewed new beefsteak varieties with a ribbing shape. This combines a Couer de Boeuf and beefsteak variety, with old-fashioned appearance but also very high yields.

Expect genetic improvements in bell pepper varieties, specifically for higher yields and longer shelf life. One of the orange peppers to watch for is DR0719PB which offers consistently large fruit throughout the entire season, even under sweltering summer temperatures – ideal for bulk sales. De Ruiter also offers an orange blocky pepper, DR0713PB with size and quality that makes it ideal for specialty packaging markets.

To date, the leading cucumber variety for De Ruiter in umbrella crops is Camaro, however it lacks tolerance to green mottle mosaic virus. Ruiz says that breeding work is underway to develop a variety that will bring a lot of value to growers with better tolerance to this disease.

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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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74 day, deep red fruit, uniform with high quality and great taste.

78 day, excellent yields, firm flattened globe shape fruit, great taste.

70 day, smooth uniform large size fruit, very high quality.

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NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Wanted: Flavour in vegetables

Butterkin squash

KAREN DAVIDSON When growers select seed varieties, the boxes to tick off are physical characteristics, disease resistance, yield and days-tomaturity. But flavour is quickly moving to the top of that list.

“Flavour, thank goodness, is becoming more important,” says Roy Pearman, northern product development and sales manager for Seedway. “It’s not just about yield.”

Pearman understands that various segments of his clientele want different things. Growers who ship to retailers want produce of uniform size and shape that’s more packable.

Growers who cater to farmers’ markets, roadside stands and community-supported- agriculture boxes insist on flavour. However, with the trend to locally-sourced produce, consumers expect flavour wherever they buy fresh vegetables.

Growers who are partnering with retailers are becoming more savvy marketers, he says, taking new varieties and branding them.

The Butterkin squash is a case in point with its own PLU number.

This sweet, new-type, winter squash has a unique shape and has more attractive interior colour and flavour than butternut, acorn and buttercup squash. It’s available in select stores from select growers.

Seedway is introducing 45 new products for 2015, ranging from Hestia Brussels sprouts to Awesome XR sweet corn to Blanco white pumpkin to Charismatic seedless watermelon.

Two decades ago, sweet corn was typically Su standard genetics.

Today, superior high eatingquality genetics are available in bi-coloured, yellow and white coloured varieties as the norm.

New super high eating-quality varieties available this year include Sweetness 68-day bicolour se, Nirvana 75-day Sh2 bi-colour, and AP 426 78- day Sh2 bi-colour.

Red romaine is an intriguing new entry. Typically this lettuce never makes size, but the Calshot variety grows to full size with a dark red colour. Consider this for something new for the farmers’ market.

Green Machine zucchini is a

Calshot red romaine medium-green variety with resistance to multiple diseases.

Again, this variety is dependable for those serving roadside retail stands.

“Genetics are bringing added value to your business,” says

Green Machine zucchini Pearman. “Our knowledge can take the guesswork out of your choices so that you don’t have to plant trial plots.”

For more information, go to: www.seedway.com.

Sweetness sweet corn

“Flavour, thank goodness, is becoming more important.” ~ Roy Pearman

PAGE 20 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

New distribution service ramps up for clean seed garlic

Roundels, single cloves of clean seed garlic, are developed at the research unit at New Liskeard, Ontario. Photo courtesy of Becky Hughes.

KAREN DAVIDSON Ontario’s garlic industry is thriving, to the point that the distribution of clean seed was overwhelming the propagation unit in New Liskeard.

“We’re not set up as a catalogue business,” say Becky Hughes, head of the Northern Horticultural Research/SPUD unit. “It’s very labour-intensive to fulfill small orders of roundels.”

The Garlic Growers of Ontario accepted

a proposal from Warren Ham, Augusts Harvest, to handle the distribution service on a commercial basis, ensuring stability of the clean seed program.

“Protocols for growing from clean seed ensure consistent yields,” says Ham. “At Augusts Harvest, we are attempting to replicate those protocols and produce foundation seed stock for this crop with such great potential.”

With its focus squarely on research, SPUD is working with Deerfield, a company in Oregon that specializes in rare

Warren Ham says: The largest single complaint received in the grocery stores, and not just the produce section is: “we want to buy local garlic.” garlic varieties. The mandate is to clean up viruses that have crept into the varieties of Blanak, Deerfield Purple, Duganski, German Red and Mounthood.

The task is more difficult than it might appear, says Hughes, because different varieties of garlic respond differently to temperature and daylength. The techniques used to produce clean seed for the common hard-neck variety of Music don’t always work. Garlic that flowers under Ontario conditions may not flower in Oregon. As Hughes unearths the vagaries

of these different varieties, the science can be shared with others in the quest for clean seed.

Clean seed is a best management practice to avoid the buildup of bulb and stem nematode, a pest that resides within the bulb. Most growers will order some clean seed every year to keep ahead of this pest, growing out seed in isolated fields for two or three years. If growers soil test and rotate fields properly, seed can be kept clean.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 21 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Promising potato varieties for the Ontario market FRESH MARKET

FRESH MARKET

FRESH MARKET

WHITNEY: Resistant to scab. White flesh, bright, smooth skin. Maturity similar to Yukon Gold. Not susceptible to hollow heart. Seed distributor: La Patate Lac-St-Jean Quebec

COLOMBA: Yellow flesh, bright, smooth skin. High yield, maturity similar to Yukon Gold. Not susceptible to hollow heart. Susceptible to superficial scab. Seed distributor HZPC Americas Corp. PEI

DAKOTA RUBY: White flesh, round, attractive tubers, smooth red skin. Deep red skin colour does not fade in storage. Seed distributor: North Dakota State University (Dr. Susie Thompson)

FRESH MARKET

PROCESSING

PROCESSING

HUCKLEBERRY GOLD. Purple, smooth skin.

Yellow flesh, very tasty. High yield. Susceptible to superficial scab. Seed distributor: Potato Management Variety Institute (Jeanne Debons)

ALTA CLOUD: Resistant to scab. Processing and fresh market. Heavy russet skin, white flesh. Full season maturity. Medium dormancy. Seed Distributor: Alberta Seed Potato Inc. AB

ALTA STRONG: Long white, very high yield. Full season maturity. Seed distributor: Alberta Seed Potato

These photos and descriptions were provided by Eugenia Banks, potato specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

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WARWICK ORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD 7056 Egremont Rd. R.R. #8 Watford, Ontario N0M 2S0 warwickorchards@brktel.on.ca Tel: (519) 849-6730 Toll free: 877-550-7412 Fax: (519) 849-6731

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PAGE 22 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

State-of-the-art propagation facility supplies

Full density seed tray of tomato rootstock approximately one week old loading into vision grader to be automatically spaced and sorted by size. This is done in preparation for grafting as both scion and rootstock need to be of similar size.

KAREN DAVIDSON Delta, British Columbia --Casey Houweling is a larger-than-life entrepreneur, with more than 203 acres under glass in his hometown of Delta as well as Camarillo, California and Mona, Utah. His propagation facility in Delta is equally

The experienced grafting crew has their rootstock and scion provided to their workstation on conveyors. The entire process is done by hand and each person takes care of the full process to ensure quality. A separate exit conveyor will remove the trays of grafting seedlings as soon as the full tray of seedlings is complete.

large, generating close to 13 million seedlings annually. That number includes both root and scion seedlings for grafted tomatoes as well as cucumbers, peppers and eggplant.

Systematized processes and strict testing procedures result in consistent quality with sales not only to western Canada and

A close up photo of rootstock being handled in the grafting process at 14 – 16 days. The top of the plant has been cut off at 45° angle leaving only the roots and a small stub from the stem. A soft clip is being inserted on each stem. The producing variety (scion) will be cut at a matching angle and the clip will hold them together until they have naturally fused as one.

western United States, but also into northern Mexico. When Houweling planted his first six acres of beefsteak tomatoes in 1985, he didn’t foresee the explosive growth of the greenhouse industry.

“Acceptance for greenhouse tomatoes was slow to build, but quality and consistency made them winners,” says

Houweling. “Unfortunately, somewhere along the way the industry put more focus on yield and shelf-life at the expense of flavour. It has only been the last few years that we have been able to see the pendulum swing back towards taste and that is a good thing.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

New varieties for tender fruit and fresh grapes show promise Nothing like a farm tour galvanizes interest in the practical applications of research. That was the case for the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board (OTFPMB) which previewed several new varieties last August.

This allowed tour participants and growers to taste the fruit and view the health of the trees in a pre-test environment.

Those that demonstrated promise will be sent to the Centre for Plant Health in British

Columbia for clean-up of viruses and test trees will be propagated for on-site grower plantings.

Monitoring and reporting of the performance of the trees and fruit in a commercial setting will occur.

A new nectarine variety.

Sarah Marshall, general manager OTFPMB, reports that in 2014, 19 varieties of nectarine, 15 peach, five apricots, eight Japanese and eight European plums were viewed. Tender fruit growers are also collaborating with Vinetech, University of Guelph, nurseries and OMAFRA staff on these new selections.

For fresh grapes, Vineland

Research and Innovation Centre is actively scouting various breeding programs around the world to seek material that will meet local grower and consumer needs. This season, the first vines from the University of Arkansas’ program were planted, and other varieties are in the pipeline for testing in future years.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 23 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

western North America and northern Mexico

A close up of the stem. The scion and rootstock are well fused by now and growing vigorously as a single plant. The grafting clip will fall off on its own as the stem swells in diameter.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 In the last three years, the team has partnered with seed companies from around the world to conduct trials of more than 100 new varieties. These trials have led to the launch of new products such as Houweling’s

Casey Houweling shows a tomato scion and rootstock fully fused.

Signature Medley Snacking Tomatoes, Signature Heirloom Tomatoes and the decision to move 100 per cent of the grape tomato acreage to a higher flavour, lesser yielding variety.

“In a competitive market with rising cost pressures, it is not easy to make a decision to take 10 per cent

Manual spacing of 4 1/2 week old seedlings. At this stage the plants need to be set out at a lower density for the final propagation stages.

less yield, but I firmly believe delivering a consistent, premiumeating experience will ensure Houweling’s Tomatoes long-term success,” says Houweling.

For a glimpse of the operation, Google YouTube for the latest video: Mastery under Glass from Seed to Harvest.

Spacing machine automatically dispensing tomato plants and finishing density. Growing surfaces are disinfected each time a new batch of seedlings is set out.

NOTICE of MEETING is hereby given that the 156th Annual Members and Directors’ Meeting of the

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association will be held in

Niagara Falls, Ontario at The Crowne Plaza Hotel January 13 & 14, 2015 Election of Directors of the Association will take place as well as dealing with resolutions and any other business that may arise.

PAGE 24 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Standouts in Seminova’s 2014 trials

El Toro

Kelvin

Topma

Lech

Nirvana

With numerous variety trials, Seminova has developed a strong expertise in identifying the best varieties adapted to each grower’s farm conditions and market needs. Here is a brief overview of some varieties that stood out in Seminova’s 2014 trials:

good yield potential with the added PMT tolerance. The dark green handle is sturdy, solid and deeply ribbed: the perfect fit for this pumpkin!

of Kelvin: there are very few suckers to be found in the field compared to most varieties.

Lech: A hybrid kohlrabi for whole season open field use. The leaves are upright and disease tolerant. Lech has great field standability and presents a nice uniform crop.

with the added advantage of ease in picking and packing.

El Toro: Strong 12 to 15 kg pumpkin, deeply ribbed and blocky shaped. El Toro will set several fruits per plant and offer

Kelvin: Celery with long stems and upright growth. This variety is less sensitive to cracked stems and brown cat scratches. It has a good tolerance to hot temperatures. Another important advantage is the easy harvesting

Topma: A great addition to the cabbage fresh market. Nice wrapping leaves and high performance, the head shape is round with waxy green leaves and short core. The weight is approximately 1.5 to 3.5 kg. 72 days to maturity.

Nirvana: A very nice bicolour variety with small kernels.

Maturity around 74 days.

Augmented SH2 genetics with better vigour, excellent taste and texture. It is a reliable sweet corn

Lagrima: A dark green coloured cabbage variety, with good waxing and nice wrapping leaves.

This variety is mainly developed for marketing in bags with four months storage potential. Weight range: 3.0 - 6.0 kg with dense, fine structure.105 days to maturity. (Photo not shown)

Food safety webinars are free The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association is hosting webinars on food safety.

November 13, 2014: Pre and Post-Harvest Water November 27, 2014: Soil Amendments January 2015 (exact date TBD): Worker Practices

During each webinar, on-farm food safety risks are discussed as well as good agricultural practices (GAPs) that can be used to mitigate those risks. Growing Forward 2 funding opportunities are reviewed, including how to assess your operation and work towards a food safety action plan.

All workshops are offered as free webinars online,

taken from the comfort of your home or business. All you need is an Internet connection and phone. To register, please visit: http://registration.wildapricot.org/food_safety?EventView Mode=1&EventListViewMode=1 For more information contact foodsafety@ontariosoilcrop.org or phone 1-800-265-9751.

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

156TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING JANUARY 13 & 14, 2015 CROWNE PLAZA NIAGARA FALLS, ON AWARD OF MERIT NOMINATIONS

REVISED TWO-DAY FORMAT

The award is our way of recognizing the outstanding contribution made by an individual or organization to our fruit and vegetable industry.

with meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, banquet Tuesday night.

Is there someone you would like to nominate?

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2014

REGISTRATION INFORMATION, AGENDA AND AWARD OF MERIT NOMINATION FORM AVAILABLE AT

www.ofvga.org

NEW ONLINE REGISTRATION visit www.ofvga.org to find the link to register online.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 25 THE GROWER

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1-800-361-8515 CLASSIFIED For Sale: garlic planter and harvester the best on the market darrell@bigcreekgarlic.com or call 519-428-4774 Food manufacturing business for sale. Established 20yrs. Products include Sauerkraut and sour cabbage. Includes all processing and packaging equipment, product labels, codes and nutritional info.

Loyal customer list. Can be seen in operation. For more info 519748-8981

LABELLING EQUIPMENT

classified ads call the classified department at 866-898-8488 ext 221

If you have a rural route address, please update subscription with your civic address to ensure delivery. call the circulation department at 866-898-8488 ext 221

FUMIGATION

• Greenhouse and Field Soil Fumigation • Custom made equipment for bedding, fumigation, mulch laying, planting, solid tarp applicators and equipment rentals • Black mulch plastic - Embossed and U.V. treated • Perforated Tunnels - Clear & white • Wire hoops, row cover, mesh cloth field cover& drip irrigation.

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PAGE 26 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011 SEED AND ROOTSTOCK C.O.

WARWICK

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• Certified Strawberry Plants & Raspberry Canes • All popular varieties available • Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification program.

Plants shipped across North America.

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ASPARAGUS ORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD. 7056 Egremont Road, R.R. 8 Watford, Ontario N0M 2S0 Tel: (519) 849-6730 Toll free: 877-550-7412 Fax: (519) 849-6731 Email: warwickorchards@brktel.on.ca

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WATER TREATMENT

The ‘AQUA Wetland System’ “A new breed of constructed wetland”

ORCHARD SUPPLIES

AQUA Treatment Technologies Inc. designs and installs the ‘AQUA Wetland System’ (AWS) for tertiary treatment of many types of waste water including sanitary sewage, landfill leachate, dairy farm & abattoir wastewater, greenhouse irrigation leachate water & mushroom farm leachate water (i.e. manure pile leachate) and high strength winery washwater.

The ‘AQUA Wetland System’ is operated out of doors and can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of wastewater. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetland consists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically from cell to cell. There is no open or standing water.

Treatment occurs through physical filtration & biological degradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells, cycling nutrients while preventing algae growth. There is no production of sludge.

The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of ‘small flow’ winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include: 1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett’s Apple and Cider in Ancaster 2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm Winery in Niagara 3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water

For additional information please Contact Lloyd Rozema at: cell. 905-327-4571 email. lrozema@aqua-tt.com

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 27 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

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

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Supplying Fruit and Vegetable Growers with: • Baskets • Masters • Fertilizer • Vineyard Trellis Supplies

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• Berry Boxes • Waxed Cartons • Crop Protection Material

PAGE 28 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

Monitoring and management of strawberry aphid: what we learned this past summer ERICA PATE, SUMMER ASSISTANT (OMAFRA- USEL PROJECT), PAM FISHER (OMAFRA) & REBECCA HALLETT (UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH) Strawberry viruses have recently been identified as a major problem in Ontario and northeastern America.

Strawberry aphids, Chaetosiphon fragaefolii, are known to be an important vector of several strawberry viruses: strawberry mild yellow edge (SMYEV), strawberry vein banding (SVBV), strawberry mottle (SMoV) and strawberry crinkle virus (SCV).

Strawberry aphid can be distinguished from other aphids found on strawberries by its knobbed hairs, visible with magnification (Figure 1). Information about strawberry aphid, its life cycle, overwintering methods, and the

timing of population build-up and dispersal, is needed to develop pest management plans for aphid and virus control.

The greenhouse whitefly has been recently identified as a vector of strawberry pallidosis virus (SPaV). We have little or no information on this pest in Ontario strawberry fields.

A project to address these information gaps was developed with funding from the Undergraduate Student Experiential Learning Program, a collaborative program between OMAFRA and the University of Guelph.

Summer students collected leaf samples and counted aphids at 15 strawberry farms throughout the summer. In Simcoe, sticky traps and bowl traps were tested to assess the flight period of winged aphids and monitor their dispersal.

What we learned: • At least some strawberry aphids overwinter as eggs. Shiny black eggs (Figure 2) were found on lower leaves of overwintering strawberry plants in late April, and most eggs had hatched by early May. • Strawberry aphids are present throughout the season, from early May to end of August (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Strawberry aphid egg on lower leaf surface in early spring. Photo courtesy D. Moreau, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Figure 5. Yellow bowl traps, filled with a soap and water drowning solution

• Aphids developed wings and the ability to disperse from field to field in early to mid-June. (Figure 4) • Bowl traps (Figure 5) and sticky traps (Figure 6) were effective, but inconvenient tools for monitoring aphid flight in general (Figure 7). It was difficult to identify the aphid species caught in these traps. Monitoring strawberry foliage provided a better indication of when first winged aphids developed, and when dispersal could begin.

• Most aphids (80%+) found on strawberries are THE strawberry aphid, Chaetosiphon fragaefolii.

Two other species of aphids were found in lower numbers, towards the end of the season. These have been sent to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for identification of species.

Figure 1. Strawberry aphid magnified to show knobbed hairs, characteristic of this species.

Figure 4. Winged strawberry aphid. Photo: D. Moreau, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

• New plantings are at high risk for strawberry aphids throughout the season. While we expected to see aphids in May and June, we were surprised to see such high numbers of aphids on new growth in these fields in late summer (Figure 8).

Figure 6. Yellow sticky trap for monitoring winged aphids.

Figure 7. The number of winged aphids found in bowl and sticky traps at one farm.

• Whiteflies were not observed in fields during the spring and summer. However, since late September, whiteflies have been observed in several strawberry fields.

Figure 3. Average strawberry aphid population from 15 farms.

Figure 8. Strawberry aphid populations in fruiting fields compared to newly planted 2014 fields. Using data from nine 2014 fields and 17 fruiting fields.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 29 THE GROWER

BERRY FOCUS

The right-sized sprayer for the job JASON S.T. DEVEAU, APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST In June 2014, I was invited to Durocher Farm in New Hampshire to see their new airblast sprayer. In previous years, spotted-wing drosophila was a significant pest in this two-acre high bush blueberry planting. Since purchasing their new sprayer, they haven’t had any trouble. That’s quite an endorsement!

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this tiny Italianmade Carrarospray (Figure 1).

Designed to be pulled behind vehicles without PTO, this 400 litre airblast featured adjustable air deflectors, and was powered by a Briggs & Stratton fourstroke engine. It even had a trash guard, a “kick-stand” and a clean water tank for hand washing.

The value of such a small

sprayer in blueberries was immediately obvious. It fit beautifully between the bushes, so the potential for physical damage to the berries was nil.

The pull-start motor burned very little fuel and compared to a full-size sprayer, made less noise.

The sprayer was pulled (in this case) by a mower, so the grower not only sprayed, but mowed his alleys at the same time.

However, the best feature was the two-foot diameter fan and deflectors – here’s why: When I participate in sprayer workshops or help operators with coverage and calibration issues, it almost always comes down to matching the air to the crop canopy. In the case of grape, cane and bush crops, we struggle to choke back the air. Gear-up Throttle-down, fan gear and blade pitch are often brought into play.

Exhausting those options, we’ve even had sprayer operators speed up to reduce the blow-through.

Figure 1 – The Carrarospray ATVM (200 L pictured) http://www.carrarospray.com/index-en.php In this case, the air speed and volume were sufficient to displace the air in the blueberry canopy and replace it with spray-laden air with minimal blow-through. Combined with an appropriate spray volume and distribution over the boom, the results were excellent coverage

and high efficiency (Figure 2).

Want to see the sprayer in action? Want to hear from the grower himself? Then go to www.sprayers101.ca to watch our short video: http://sprayers101.ca/calibration/adjust-the-direction-of-theair-stream

Figure 2 – Coverage from the top-centre of the bush. Card is 2x3 inches.

Thanks to George Hamilton (UNH Cooperative Extension), Kitt Plummer (Durocher Farm), Kerry Hoffman-Richards (Penn State Pesticide Education Program) and Chazzbo Media for making this video possible.

North American Strawberry Conference, California 2015 All members of the strawberry community in North America and

around the globe are invited to attend the 8th North American

Strawberry Symposium and North American Strawberry Growers

Association Annual Conference, February 3-6, 2015 in sunny California! This unique event is organized once every four years.

This 2015 Strawberry Conference brings growers, researchers, and the agriculture industry together for 3.5 days of workshops, presentations, poster sessions, a field tour, and other special events. The program committee is committed to making this a world-class symposium for growers, scientists, and industry suppliers.

Feb 3: Workshops and facilitated discussion on Water-Use Efficiency and Nutritional Management; The Science of Day-Neutrals; Alternatives to Soil Fumigation; Pesticide-Resistance Management; Breeders' Workshop and Soil Fumigation

Post-Methyl Bromide.

Feb 4: Presentations for researchers and growers.

Feb 5: Presentations continue: concurrent sessions for researchers and growers.

Feb 6: A bus tour - visits to Univ. of California research facilities; commercial farms with conventional, organic, and tunneled substrate production of berry crops; and an insectary that raises beneficial insects.

See the NASGA website www.nasga.org for information on mail-in and online registrations, additional program details, opportunities for industry, organization and agency sponsorship, and information on many nearby attractions. Or contact Kevin Schooley by email at info@nasga.org or call 613-258-4587

PAGE 30 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER

MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Keeping tables relevant makes decisions valid

CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA In early September we received a notice from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) asking for a review to be done in 45 days on a significant list of standards that have to do with pesticide exposure. The intent of this document was very good: they want to show us that their standards (numbers) were the same as or close to the same as what are used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

On the surface, it would appear that all is well. I suspect that most folks who simply peruse the document will think we are now well-harmonized.

Unfortunately, they may have missed the most important facts that are contained therein, albeit well-hidden.

Exposure to pesticides is a concern for everyone. They are ubiquitous in our lives, our environment and around the world. This matters not if the levels found are insignificant, or while significant, are at a level that does no harm. (The same holds true for medications, caffeine, household cleaners, and industrial products). All of these are the result of our ever more industrialized way of life. We cannot go back, any more than we can live in caves and slaughter food animals and scavenge plants to exist. However, it is extremely important to manage the levels of exposure, and to get those as low as possible.

The document’s numbers are based on many things. Research projects that have been done over a long period were used to help develop some of them. Others are

the result of calculations. The impact of the numbers will be as a result of how and when they are used in future evaluations of new pesticides, or amended use patterns of those already registered.

As an example, if one was to look at the varying levels of exposure possible for the use of a new insecticide on apples, there are a myriad of calculations needed. The occupational exposures include such things as the transportation, storage and handling of the newly purchased product. Residues could be ‘picked up’ from the surface of intact containers or from spills.

The weighing, mixing and loading of ‘pure’ product has its own measure of exposure.

Application of a product implies the possibility of exposure depending on type of equipment, hours of work, number of days per year of use, and the types of products used. Formulation of the product such as wettable powder, wettable dry granular, emulsifiable concentrate, etc. all make a difference.

The post-application exposure is also a factor to reckon with.

The types of activities, their duration, and the complexities of exposure must all be considered.

These may include things such as pruning, thinning, training, scouting, orchard management, weed control, and many more.

For each of these scenarios, research or calculations have been done to characterize the amount of dislodgement of residues that occurs, and the propensities of each pesticide and its formulations are then applied to come up with a ‘number.’ It is the worst case number from all of this that rules the day!

Canada and the U.S. differ in the next steps, and that is where part of my concern arises.

Because the worker protection requirements differ here, Canada uses different ‘safety factors’ than does the U.S. By requiring additional multiplicative safety factors we in fact end up with more restrictive standards. In turn, that means that we could be denied use patterns here that are acceptable in the U.S., while using the same data sources as the

U.S. has used.

What is NOT specifically entailed in the document is how the use of safety practices, the use of personal protection equipment (PPE), and engineered devices such as enclosed tractor/sprayer cabs can mitigate the outcomes from just using the numbers. Just as there are specified exposure numbers, there needs to be parallel numbers for how each of these can be reduced or obviated through the use of PPEs and other safety devices.

The research that went into the preparation of their tables came in part from an industry task force based in the U.S. Only member pesticide companies can use the task force models in their submissions for registration. All others including small independent companies must redo the work. Some of these studies are very expensive to do and in turn this could deny us access to the new products if the uses are only for small acre crops. The basis of the numbers depends of course on the quality of the original work. It should also depend upon the applicability of the work!

This is where my biggest concern arises. Since there are a huge number of possible scenarios for exposure, and since the data set is limited in scope due to cost of data development, bridging from limited models of exposure is done routinely. This is a tenuous task at best, and needs to be done by someone not only familiar with the existing data base, but also by someone familiar with modern crop production practices. Even the original data itself needs to be massaged because it quickly becomes dated as production practices change. If data were only produced on apple trees, when it is used later on cherries, peaches, or apricots, some factors are needed to bridge that data.

Using the apple scenario mentioned earlier, the study used for thinning in their model was done in the 1980s, and I believe in the U.S. northwest (Oregon/Washington). It also involved a pesticide never registered here for use on apples, although that may be of less

significance. However, growers will tell you that tree size, tree density, training practices, integrated pest management practices, spray application practice, grower training in safety, and use of PPE have all changed since then, not only in Oregon but across Canadian apple growing regions as well. It begs the question: how applicable are the numbers from that old study today?

The numbers being presented in the tables may well be ‘the best we have’ but it does not mean they are still ‘correct’ or applicable today! Certainly some may still be okay, but if any one of them is grossly in error, and a worse-case scenario is used, the ultimate decision may still be in error. A ‘blind confidence’ in these numbers should be discouraged! If inappropriate numbers are fed into a computer program, the result will not be what one should rely upon to make significant regulatory decisions.

There are various numbers in the document that I have at least questions about. In fact, I have had several inquiries here about one of them: how much use of irrigation is done on our crops that involves lifting and carrying the pipes? The exposure for the ‘pipe factor’ is very high and one has to ask how it came about.

The answer to the question must be that it depends on the crop, the size of the farm operation, the season, etc. While many crops now utilize trickle irrigation tape, or central pivot, or reels with guns, or solid set with no pipe movement, obviously some growers still use moveable pipe.

With our ever-increasing labour costs, more and more crops will use less labour-intensive means to irrigate. If the worst case scenario always applies, regulators will always default to pipe movement and a huge exposure ‘number’ that comes from I do not know where.

There are some crop-specific questions that have very different answers here than at locations where the data base originates.

Grapes are a good example.

California has different cropping conditions and practices than we do. If the exposure numbers from there are superimposed here, the decision will be suspect. Much of their production is for table grapes, so much more hand handling of the crop is involved.

Over 90 per cent of our crop is machine harvested. Our pruning and tying are done in the dormant season when there is no spray deposit to worry about, yet there are factors for these being applied nonetheless!

I really like that we were asked to comment on the document. I don’t think we have enough time to do justice to all the concerns. (The time will be up before you read this!) I do want to raise red flags about the blind use of ANY of the factors without consultation on current applicability under modern practice used here today. I also want to know where ALL the studies were done, and when they were done to create these tables.

After all, PMRA would want that same assurance of modern studies and relevant scenarios in data they use from companies to register a new product, wouldn’t they?

The best offense is a good defense.

So switch on your crops’ natural defenses and protect them from disease with Regalia Maxx.

engageagro.com

Regalia is a registered trademark of Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. © 2013 Engage Agro Corporation.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 31 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Royal MH-30 Xtra to control sprouting of shallots The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an URMULE registration for Royal MH-30 Xtra (maleic hydrazide) for control of sprouting of shallots in Canada. Royal MH-30 was already labeled for use on potatoes, onions and black tobacco in Canada.

This minor use project was sponsored by the Quebec Horticultural Council (CQH) in March 2013 as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel in Canada.

The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Users should consult the complete label before using Royal MH-30.

Royal MH-30 can be used for control of sprouting on shallots at a rate of 8.36 L per hectare in a minimum of 300 L water per hectare. Royal MH-30 should be applied

when the bulbs are mature and have at least 5 – 8 green leaves. This application is often done when 50 per cent of the tops have fallen, but are still green; green tops are essential for the absorption of Royal MH-30. Use one application per year and do not apply within 10 days of harvest.

Royal MH-30 is toxic to non-target terrestrial plants. Do not contaminate aquatic habitats when spraying or when cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or containers.

Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Royal MH-30 label carefully.

For a copy of the new minor use label contact Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit the PMRA label site http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/ registrant-titulaire/tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php

Chinese market to be key growth engine for Adama Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd. (formerly Makhteshim Agan Industries) and China National Agrochemical Corporation (CNAC), a strategic business unit of China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) and Adama's parent company, is acquiring control of businesses in China with 2013 total sales of approximately $850 million.

Once finalized, the acquisition is expected to raise the company's revenues close to $4 billion and give the company a major foothold in the Chinese market, which is expected, over time, to become one of the company's key growth engines. Adama expects to close the transaction during the first half of 2015.

"This transaction marks the realization of the vision set forth in our acquisition of a majority stake in Adama in

2011, says Yang Xingqiang, chair of Adama. “We believe there is remarkable potential emanating from the combination between Adama and the Chinese businesses it is acquiring.”

"These businesses are key players in the Chinese agrochemical industry, and we believe they will provide Adama with a significant foundation for a leading commercial and operational platform in China. When combined with Adama's industry leading capabilities across the entire value chain, from its global commercial footprint, to R&D and manufacturing, this combination holds great promise, over time, to improve and simplify the lives of farmers in China and worldwide."

"The signing of the agreement with CNAC is a first step towards the creation of the only truly integrated

China-global player in the crop protection industry,” said Chen Lichtenstein, president and CEO of Adam. “Due to China's unique role in our industry, as both one of the largest and fastest growing global markets, and its substantial worldwide leadership in off-patent product development, launch and manufacturing, we view our strategic combination as facilitating our transformation into the most competitive, differentiated, and largest off-patent crop protection provider.”

"Furthermore, we believe that we will be uniquely positioned to become a leading player in the still fragmented domestic Chinese crop protection market."

Source: ADAMA Agricultural Solutions news release

Gett Mov ving

To o find a workshop in your y area or to contact the Wo orrkshop Leader,, visit www..ontariosoilcro op.org and click on workshops.

PAGE 32 –– NOVEMBER 2014 THE GROWER