The Grower November 2015

CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

NOVEMBER 2015

VOLUME 65 NUMBER 11

MARKETING ADDS VALUE

Multi-hued potatoes to grace the holiday table

This season, fourth-generation potato grower Trevor Downey is proud of the quality potatoes going into cold storage near Shelburne, Ontario. He’s extra excited about a purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed potato that will debut in Loblaw stores this month. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

INSIDE Lighting up, managing greenhouse energy costs down Page 6 More heat than light on climate change Page 12 Focus: Seed and rootstock

Page 14

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

KAREN DAVIDSON Shelburne, Ontario – Masquerade potatoes are no longer a secret. Trevor Downey is marketing the purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed tubers for the first time this month to Loblaw stores.

The exclusive Canadian agreement includes two other varieties, Strawberry Blonde and Petite Merlot.

While the two-toned skin of Masquerades is intriguing, it’s the nutty flavour that is expected to make converts of consumers. But there’s more that’s unique about their story. Their germplasm was sourced from Peru.

In November 2013, Downey flew to Lima, Peru’s capital and headquarters of the International Potato Centre. He made some key contacts with the leaders of the gene bank that stores 20,000 different varieties of potatoes.

From there, he travelled to Cusco to become immersed in native Inca culture. The local potato

growers proudly showed their ‘papa’ at altitudes that ranged from 9,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level.

“Our family has been in the potato business since 1924 and I was curious to explore the origins in Peru,” says Trevor Downey, a fourth-generation potato grower.

“In North America, our traditional potatoes are quite boring. In South America, the potato is celebrated. There are more potatoes with coloured flesh than not.”

Downey’s quest was for a specialty potato. From his marketing relationship with Loblaw’s Patrick Gilbert, vendor development manager and David McCausland, category manager, he knew there was a desire for new flavours.

Like a miner, it’s one thing to find the mother lode, but it’s quite another to extract the gem.

As part of Downey’s discovery process, he found that Colorado growers had beat him to the “Masquerade” potato. It was

Clockwise, these samples of Masquerade (foreground) Strawberry Blonde (behind) and Petite Merlot (right) are the latest in specialty potatoes to be marketed in Canada, exclusively through Loblaw. logical that the potato would grow well at the high altitudes of the mountainous state.

Fortunately, Downey negotiated licensing fees and marketing rights for Canada.

With that genetic property in hand, Downey approached Loblaw about exploring the new

flavours and textures of these unusual potatoes. Discussions advanced to the stage that in March 2015, Loblaw’s produce category and procurement teams were brought together for a test kitchen trial.

Continued on page 3

PAGE 2 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERS

AT PRESS TIME… Greenbelt Foundation funds tender fruit tree plantings

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and Ontario Tender Fruit Growers are launching a pilot project to plant up to 130,000 tender fruit tree varieties in the Niagara Region. Working with government and industry partners, the $400,000 investment from the Foundation will help the industry introduce both improved and new tender fruit varieties in the protected Greenbelt that will meet consumer demand for high quality local stone fruit and pears.

“This is the largest investment the Greenbelt Foundation has made over the last five years in the economic powerhouse that is Ontario’s agriculture sector,” said Burkhard Mausberg, CEO, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. “The significant support is a signal of our commitment to partnering with Niagara’s Greenbelt farmers and continuing to grow this important industry.”

The Foundation’s support consists of a 25 per cent cost-share

at an expected $3.50 per tender fruit tree. Planting will take place in the spring of 2016, with the tender fruit varieties available to consumers in grocery stores, farmers’ markets, on-farm markets,

and restaurants as soon as summer 2019. After three to four years, the harvest from 500 acres of tender fruit trees will provide an injection of about $4 million into Ontario’s economy.

“This funding provides an opportunity for growers to analyze their current product mix and strategically replant to meet consumer demand,” said Phil Tregunno, chair, Ontario Tender Fruit Growers. “We greatly appreciate the Greenbelt Foundation’s recognition of the tender fruit industry as a key economic driver to this region.”

An orchard revitalization committee has been appointed by the Ontario Tender Fruit Board which will release more details on application guidelines and the process in the weeks to come.

Come to the Royal This year’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs from November 6-15 at the Direct Energy Centre,

Toronto, Ontario. The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association hosts a booth which is staffed by various organizations.

Here is the 2015 schedule: Nov 6 - Ontario Apple Marketers’ Association Nov 7-8 - Ontario Apples Nov 9 - Fresh from the Farm Nov 10 - Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association Nov 11 - Ontario Potato Board Nov 12-13 - Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Nov 14 - Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation Nov 15 - Garlic Growers, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association

Funding for mitigating winter injury The Ontario government is providing funding to farmers to ensure the survival of apples, tender fruit, berries and specialty crops. The province will share up to 35 per cent of the cost of weather mitigation equipment such as portable or fixed wind machines, heating and air movement devices, insulating devices, overhead irrigation systems and crop covers.

Growers are eligible to receive up to a maximum of $31,500 per project. Apply for funding through the program administrator, the Ontario Crop and Soil Improvement Association.

Applications will be accepted several times throughout the year.

The next intakes for 2015 are from October 22 to November 5 and November 16 to December 3.

Sandy Vader and her daughters Kelsey and Kaitlyn Farm and Food Care has launched its 2016 Faces of Farming calendar. Be sure to look to September which features Sandy Vader and her daughters Kelsey and Kaitlyn. The Picton, Ontario-based family grows a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and other crops for a local farmers’ market, raise sheep for wool and meat, and have diversified into seasonal decorative arrangements. The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is a sponsor of the September page.

Alison Robertson is leaving her position as program manager with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) to become the executive director for the Agri-Food Management Institute effective November 2. Since joining OFVGA 11 years ago this month, she has been responsible for the container toll program. She has also shepherded the challenging logistics of the Northern School Snack Program. With expansion in recent months to remote fly-in communities along the James Bay coast, the program now delivers fruit and vegetables for 20 weeks to almost 37,000 students.

Her legacy also includes piloting of the Fresh from the Farm school fundraising project along with Dietitians of Canada. The program will include 142 schools this season. In other OFVGA news, Deanna Hutton has resigned as executive assistant/office manager to pursue other interests.

Shaylea Steeves is the new executive director for the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association. She brings a business, health and nutrition background to the role.

Congratulations to Owen Roberts, one of our columnists for his Gold Award in the press column category of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation annual awards contest. He took the top honours for his 2015 column, Research must work hard to make Canadians ‘science smart.’ We also send kudos to the silver award winner, Michael Raine from the Western Producer and bronze award winner, Laura Rance from the Manitoba Cooperator.

Gambles Produce has become a preferred produce vendor for Distribution Canada, a buying group for Independent Canadian Grocers. As one of the largest produce suppliers to the independent retail trade in Ontario, Gambles Produce is strengthening its position with small retail operators says Tom Kioussis, vice president sales and marketing.

Congratulations to Erich Remler on the 45th anniversary of Underhill’s Farm Supply, Vienna, Ontario. Locally sourced produce and wine were the main fare at a celebration dinner for 800 on October 16.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) welcomes Wendy Bennett to the position of chair of the board after its recent annual general meeting in Saskatoon. Bennett is executive director of British Columbia’s Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Association.

First-time board members are Carolyn Van Den Heuvel, Nova Scotia Farm Association farm safety coordinator and Jeff Shaw, SAFE farm coordinator, Safe Work Manitoba.

Best wishes to Jim Dolmer, general manager of Bay Growers Inc. who is retiring effective November 7. He’s been at the helm of the Clarksburg, Ontario operation for 13 years. Going forward, the management team includes: John Hewgill, president, Richard Ververs, operations manager, Anthony Pitoscia vice-president, Bamford Group, Denise Delaere, controller.

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER

COVER STORY

Multi-hued potatoes to grace the holiday table Continued fron page 1 These three varieties plus a broad range of specialty potatoes were put through their paces -baked, fried, steamed, mashed – and then sampled by the group.

Rankings sorted which were best for different end uses.

Masquerades, for instance, are great for baking. The Strawberry Blonde potato, with a blush-like skin, is ideal for boiling and mashing. As part of the new flavour package for Loblaw, Downey included a potato with Scottish origins – Petite Merlot.

This oval-shaped, red-skinned potato has a smoky flavour when roasted.

With favourable reviews from the President’s Choice test kitchen, the launch process then moved to packaging and design.

Unlike conventional five-pound and 10-pound bags, these three varieties of specialty potatoes will appear in three-pound bags. The Strawberry Blonde potatoes will be featured in the President’s Choice Holiday Insider’s Report.

Further marketing support will be provided with recipes on the www.pc.ca website.

Together, these multi-hued potatoes will enter Loblaw’s national distribution chain by November 5. That’s prior to the busy Christmas season when professional chefs and home chefs alike will be looking for something special. Bassano Growers Ltd has joined the launch from its base in Alberta to supply western Canada.

“We work with growers right from the seed development stage,” says Dan Branson, senior director of produce, Loblaw Inc. from headquarters in Brampton, Ontario. “Trevor Downey is an example of a local strategic vendor whom we work with on innovative projects like this.

We’ve worked with the Downey family for 30 years.”

Until recently, the potato category has not been a hotbed for innovation. But with declining prices for this staple and softening consumption patterns, (see side chart), the need is for a revival strategy.

“Five years ago, the creamer potato took off,” says Downey.

“We want to tap into the craving for taste. For many years, we have marketed a commodity with no value added. With varieties such as Masquerade and Strawberry Blonde, there’s an opportunity to set them apart for flavour and be comfortable that the consumer will come back for more.”

For now, Branson says that contracted volumes are prudent.

“We don’t want to put the grower at risk,” he says, “nor does Loblaw want product sitting in the store. We want to take the cues from customers. It’s a learning curve to see how demand might take off.

“

We work with growers right from the seed development stage. Trevor Downey is an example of a local strategic vendor whom we work with on innovative projects like this. We’ve worked with the Downey family for 30 years.”

In November 2013, Trevor Downey travelled to Lima, Peru to visit the International Potato Centre.

He ventured farther afield to Cusco in the Andes mountains where he spent a week visiting with potato farmers. More than 3,800 varieties of potatoes can be found in Peru, differing in size, shape, colour, skin, pulp, texture and taste.

~ Dan Branson

We want to build momentum for 2016.”

At the ground level, Downey has put a lot of sweat equity into these specialty potatoes. For the 2015 season, the Masquerade potatoes have been grown in Colorado and then shipped to Shelburne, Ontario for grading and packing. Downey must add his costs of transport and the exchange rate on the loonie.

“It’s a marginal margin,” says Downey of the potatoes that will retail for $3.99 for a three-pound bag. However, it’s the beginning of a multi-year process in testing the varieties in Canada. Plans are to double seed for the 2016 season.

What’s evolving in the potato category is similar to apples whose shelf space has expanded

Patrick Gilbert, vendor development manager, Loblaw Inc, inspects the potato trials at the Elora Research Station this past August.

to accommodate new varieties.

The French had it right all along when they called potatoes pommes de terre. Translation?

Apples from the earth.

Consumption pattern of fresh potatoes

Commodity

Potatoes: white fresh 1988

34.54

1992

39.50

1996

40.52

2000

36.99

2004

32.19

2008

25.55

2011

22.17

Source: Statistics Canada. Annual consumption, kilograms per person.

Masquerade potatoes will be featured in Loblaw stores this Christmas season.

PAGE 4 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

PEI Berries honoured for blueberry purée The PEI ADAPT Council has made its first investment in PEI Berries, approving $60,000 to purchase new cleaning equipment.

While the Montague-based company initially plans to use the equipment for its own operation, the Council’s executive director Phil Ferraro says the long-term plan is to branch out and clean berries for other producers. The machinery is also adaptable to cleaning cranberries and black currants. This could be done on a contract basis.

The council has been in the process of re-inventing itself since March of 2013, after the federal government did not renew a five year agreement that saw the council (along with its provincial and

territorial counterparts) administer the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program.

Now, the council has become a non-profit organization, governed by an industry-led board of directors. The mandate is to work with the Island’s agri-entrepreneurs to help expand sustainable production, manufacturing and distribution of Island agricultural products. Ferraro says they are in talks with several other companies about entering into agreements.

“We are talking to companies that are at all stages of development, right from the idea stage to getting ready for commercial development,” he explains.

He noted the ADAPT Council

had funded several projects for PEI Berries in its previous incarnation.

Since its founding in 2007, PEI Berries has been working with more than eight different research partners across the country, researching every aspect of crop production and sharing its knowledge with local growers. Earlier this year, PEI Berries was named the inaugural winner of the New Food Product award for its blueberry puree.

PEI Berries will also be working with Bioenterprise Corporation. That organization, based in Guelph, Ontario, offers a host of services to business in that province that have an agricultural focus. Thanks to funding from the Canadian Accelerator and Incubator

Program (CAIP) delivered by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), Bioenterprise Corporation has taken its efforts national.

Earlier this year, the PEI ADAPT Council entered into a three-year partnership with Bioenterprise, that sees the council's Charlottetown office also double as the headquarters for Bioenterprise Maritimes. Sixteen Island companies have now been referred to Bioenterprise.

Reprinted with permission by Andy Walker, Island Farmer

MANITOBA

Late-blight infected tubers found in storage On October 21, Manitoba Agriculture’s plant pathologist Vikram Bisht warned about late blight spores which came into the province during thunderstorms and rain events about September

4-6. The foliage infections were observed within a few days in the second week of September.

Scattered fields with late blight were reported from Carberry, Portage la Prairie and the

Graysville area.

“Recently in October, I have received tuber samples of Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank with late blight infection,” he wrote.

“The tubers were mostly intact

with hardly any secondary rotting.

This may be time to check the storages for tubers with fluffy white mycelium scattered on the pile. If you find any such tuber(s), get them checked for

Phytopthora infection (late blight or pinkroot). It is probably a bit early for such white mycelium to be Fusarium dry rot, but cannot be completely ruled out.”

QUEBEC

Refreshed website encourages HRI sector to buy local produce The Quebec Produce Marketing Association (QPMA) and Équiterre have joined forces to promote the “new” website fraicheurquebec.com. The website is designed to encourage and facilitate fruit and vegetable procurement from Quebec sources for the hotel, restaurant and institutional sector (HRI).

The website, which first went online in summer of 2013, has had a complete makeover to boost its appeal to growers and producers, as well as to chefs, restaurant owners and buyers for Quebec hospitals, schools and other institutions.

Major streamlining of

navigation on the site makes it easy for users to find which fruits and vegetables are available from each grower or producer at any given time of year. Users can also identify the producer nearest to them via a global positioning system or cross-reference searches (producers and products) by region or season. The range of products available has also been enhanced by adding frozen, dried or dehydrated fruits and vegetables. More than 600 products are currently available at fraicheurquebec.com with more than 300 chefs subscribing.

Among other innovations, a new “Section Bio” featuring

•

Agricultural * Commercial * Industrial

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Quebec-grown organic produce that’s increasingly popular with consumers, should soon be a valued reference. The same goes for the brand-new Distributors section, which will be given much greater exposure to distributors of food products grown or produced in Quebec.

The HRI market across Quebec includes more than 30,000 businesses and institutions, and generates more than $12 billion in economic activity. Fraicheurquebec.com offers an effective way of facilitating access to information and promoting business

relationships between producers, distributors and chefs, as well as for the supply and procurement process for HRI sector buyers.

Source: QPMA news release

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER

INTERNATIONAL RUSSIA

CHINA

ITALY

PERU

NEW ZEALAND

Putin extends ban on imports

China hosts Fruit and Vegetable Fair

Plastic crate wins for wood effect

Blueberries air shipped to Canada

Thumbs up for TPP deal

While other world events have claimed the spotlight, Russia has extended its ban on imports of fruits and vegetables from the European Union until August 5, 2016. In a reciprocal action, the European Union has renewed its black list on 149 Russian individuals and 37 organizations until March 15, 2016.

These actions were taken due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

The EU treasury has put a safety net under fruit and vegetable growers until July 2016. The value of banned produce from the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada and Norway is estimated at $9 billion. What’s harder to tally is the disruption in world trade patterns.

The China Fruit and Vegetable Fair is a platform to show domestic progress, but it’s also an opportunity for international exhibitors and foreign export associations to meet government officials responsible for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Held in early September, these meetings offered major steps in obtaining market access to the Chinese market. Trade delegations from a number of countries including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and South Africa were on hand.

Peruvian company Camposol marked a first in late September with the country’s first shipment of blueberries to Canada.

Organized by marketing partner Oppy (The Oppenheimer Group), the load originated in Chao, Peru. Food safety authorities were on hand to ensure a smooth process. The berries were distributed in western Canada.

Camposol became a direct supplier of blueberries to Walmart in the U.S. last year and has been significantly growing its export business to Europe and Asia. By 2018, Peru expects to have 3,000 acres under cultivation.

New Zealand exports 60 per cent of its horticultural crops, worth NZ$2.7 billion. Of that, NZ$1.19 billion goes to Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries. So it’s no surprise that the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority is happy with the recent deal.

The inclusion of Japan is noteworthy because an estimated NZ$28 million in tariffs will be eliminated. Tariffs in the other 11 countries are relatively low or non-existent, however the lowering of barriers in Japan – New Zealand’s third-largest market – is encouraging for future growth. Currently, Japan buys NZ$446 million of produce from New Zealand.

Source: Hortidaily.com

Macfruit 2015, a fruit and vegetable trade show held in Rimini, Italy, awarded a gold medal in innovation to Polymer Logistics. The provider of retailready packaging was recognized for its Wood Effect crate.

The plastic crate is foldable, stackable and fully recyclable. It has an active lock feature so crates can be folded for more ergonomic transportation and handling. Its wood-like appearance appeals to retailers who want a market-fresh impression in food aisles.

Source: FreshPlaza.com Source: HortiDaily.com

Source: Polymer Logistics

Source: Reuters

Kroger pulls unrefrigerated caramel apples On October 15, U.S.-based retailer Kroger Co. pulled unrefrigerated caramel apples from its store shelves based on new scientific evidence that candied apples pierced with dipping sticks may be at risk for listeriosis. A study has been published online by the American Society of Microbiology that provides an understanding of how 35 people in 12 American states and one Canadian became ill one year ago. Seven people died.

Kathleen Glass, associate

director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Food Research Institute, has concluded that caramel apples most likely became contaminated from the insertion of dipping sticks. When sticks are plunged into the apple, inner juice leaks to the surface.

Between the hardened caramel and the apple, there is a small space where bacteria can grow.

When left unrefrigerated, the bacteria thrives in this microenvironment.

Her findings are important

because experts could not figure out why or how Listeria could grow among hot caramel or raw apples. Listeria usually flourishes in moist, less acidic environments. However, both moisture transfer and microbial growth are accelerated at room temperature compared to refrigeration.

While the outbreak began in October 2014, it wasn’t until January 6, 2015, that Bidart Bros of Bakersfield, California voluntarily recalled Granny Smith

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and Gala apples when testing confirmed Listeria at their applepacking facility.

Food Safety News listed the outbreak as the United States’ most serious foodborne illness of 2014 for two reasons: it was the year’s deadliest incident and because caramel apples were an unexpected source.

For its part, Kroger has

removed the product out of caution, not due to new cases of infection. The decision was spurred when Glass made a presentation at the 2015 International Association for Food Protection in Portland, Oregon in early October.

Source: Kroger Co news release, Food Safety News

PAGE 6 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

CANADIAN GREENHOUSE CONFERENCE

Lighting up, managing energy costs down

One of the differentiating products of Doef’s Greenhouses Ltd. is a mini-heart cucumber that’s made possible with plastic moulds for five days on the developing cucumber. Eric Doef says he ships 100,000 cucumbers from his Lacombe, Alberta facility to western Canada every Valentine’s Day.

KAREN DAVIDSON Alberta greenhouse growers face a specific hazard of light-deficiency for a significant portion of the year, from the fall to spring equinoxes. At Doef’s Greenhouses Ltd. near Lacombe, Alberta, the lessons learned from energy management are applicable everywhere.

Speaking at the recent Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Eric Doef described the evolution of 11 acres of greenhouses, which produce English cucumbers, lettuce, eggplants, bell peppers and tomatoes. In 2011, he added five acres of diffused glass greenhouses.

Doef has “relamped” twice in the last seven years. He has recently installed 5MW 3,360 600W fixtures under double poly and 2,598 1000 W fixtures under diffused glass. By end of August, he must start lighting and then ramps up to a full load during September. By the fourth quarter, he is lighting between 16 and 20 hours per day depending on light and temperatures.

“I’m experimenting with different light spectrums to add colour to lettuce leaves,” Doef says. “We’re still learning a lot because we haven’t been through an entire winter with LED lighting.”

Doef’s Greenhouses is experimenting with different light spectrums to add colour to lettuce leaves.

It’s early days, but Doef says that return on investment looks promising with light-emitting diodes (LED). “We’re digging into the numbers to see if we can cut energy use,” says Doef. “It looks like a smart, long-term move to replace high pressure sodium (HPS) with LEDs.” Doef’s choice of LEDs may not be the right decision for everyone. For the last two years, Doef’s Greenhouses has hired the consulting services of 360 Energy Inc. The Ancaster, Ontario-based company works in three sectors: industrial, municipal and greenhouses. Its Journey to Energy Excellence program underlines the importance of not only conserving energy but procuring energy more judiciously.

“Customers tend not to be energy-literate in this country, because until now, they thought energy was not controllable,” says David Arkell, 360 Energy.

“However, energy -- such as electricity, natural gas, coal, biomass – requires more of a business approach than just a single focus on technology. If you understand the fundamentals, then you can make smarter business decisions about energy.”

For example, Arkell says that many energy saving strategies require no, or limited, capital investment in equipment. For each client, his company analyses how and when energy is used and

In Lacombe, Alberta, Doef’s Greenhouses is investigating the use of LEDs.

“

Customers tend not to be energy-literate in this country, because until now, they thought energy was not controllable.” ~ David Arkell

how energy is charged. In some cases, a greenhouse can negotiate a cheaper rate category. All facets of energy are explored including electricity, natural gas, biofuels, co-generation and lighting technologies.

At Doef’s Greenhouses, energy usage and procurement strategies are reviewed monthly.

Once a strategy is developed with 360 Energy to finalize their energy supply at a fixed price, they put out a request for energy pricing to compare all suppliers’ price options. They have four domestic, tier-one suppliers from which to purchase natural gas and electricity at any time. Managers focus on energy by commodity, transmission/transportation and distribution. Incentive programs are analyzed to capitalize on reducing energy usage.

Growers should be aware that energy prices do change rapidly.

For example, electrical pricing in Ontario and Alberta changes by the hour according to supply and demand. With such fluctuations in an hourly market, 360 Energy has set up a system whereby alerts are texted to Doef’s Greenhouses to warn of price increases. If the price moves from three cents to five cents per kilowatt hour, for

example, a decision can be made to turn off the lights until a better price appears in a few hours.

Such intense scrutiny of energy usage and costs means looking at trends for the same month in the previous year. There may be logical reasons for using more energy this month than a year ago, but it’s worth the analysis. Benchmarking all energy on a per-square-meter basis focuses attention to site efficiency. It could identify if a boiler needs a tune-up or if the current curtain operation is not effective. Perhaps the electric forklifts’ recharging schedule could be changed to run off peak time to save money.

“Energy consultants are as important as crop consultants,” says Doef. “360 Energy Inc gives us a scorecard on our energy management performance. We’re made aware of changing natural gas and electrical market prices

through their Natural Gas Daily and Electrical Generator report. In Alberta, the market can spike with winds and temperatures.”

“Our overall costs are declining year over year due to market conditions as well as our attention to usage and management of our energy inputs,” says Doef.

Sustainability will be a larger factor in greenhouses in the years ahead predicts Arkell.

“In Europe, we’ve seen a requirement for growers to use less gas, less power usage in order for greenhouses to have the social license to continue production. I see this trend coming to North America more quickly than most imagine.”

Is it time for an energy consultant? Arkell testifies that the costs of his company’s consulting fees – a fixed fee per month -- are worth the energy savings which can be as much as three to 10 times greater.

NOTICE of MEETING is hereby given that the 157th 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 12 & 13, 2016 Election of Directors of the Association will take place as well as dealing with resolutions and any other business that may arise.

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER

CANADIAN GREENHOUSE CONFERENCE

What’s new in equipment and products This year’s edition of the Canadian Greenhouse Conference attracted a sold-out trade show and increase in attendance says Carol Pupo, executive coordinator.

The trade show is a strong showcase for what’s new in equipment and products.

Mark your 2016 calendar for October 5 and 6 at Niagara Falls’ ScotiaBank Convention Centre.

Photo by Denis Cahill Electric pruners

Root protector

Electric pruners are the standard in Europe, but are just making their way to North America in recent years. For those looking to trim labour costs, electric pruners are faster.

They are ergonomically engineered to reduce repetitive stress injuries. Powered by a battery, they have enough energy to last a day.

Koppert Canada is introducing Trianum G and Trianum P, to protect against Fusarium and Pythium, two soil-borne diseases. Trianum G is a granular product containing Trichoderma harzianum T-22. It contains Trichoderma spores which work well in wide ranges in temperature, moisture, PH and soil types. The product is applied by mixing into potting compost or dispersing over the soil with a granule spreader. Trianum P is a water dispersible granule which can be applied via spray, sprinkler or drip emitters says Darryl Di Milo, technical consultant/eastern veg coordinator.

“This is not an amateur tool,” says Ian Frensch, C. Frensch Limited, Beamsville, Ontario.

“This tool retails for about $2,000.”

157TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING JANUARY 12 & 13, 2016 CROWNE PLAZA NIAGARA FALLS, ON

AWARD OF MERIT NOMINATIONS

TWO-DAY FORMAT

NEW ONLINE REGISTRATION

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

Is there someone you would like to nominate?

with meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, banquet Tuesday night.

visit www.ofvga.org to find the link to register online.

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2015

Registration information, Agenda and Award of Merit Nomination form available at

www.ofvga.org

PAGE 8 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

A Liberal majority and what it means for Canadian horticulture In the lead-up to the 2015 federal election, Canada’s horticultural sector made payment protection for produce sellers its top priority. Acting on behalf of the industry, the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) jointly lobbied all three main parties to encourage them to make payment protection part of their election platforms.

We were pleased to see the NDP and the Liberals announce their support for the development of a PACA-like trust for implementation in Canada and, in so doing, work to reinstate our preferred access to PACA in the U.S. With the Liberal Party being elected to a majority on October 19, we know that its commitment to this issue is just the beginning and we have to continue to work with the new government and our members to ensure it is carried through.

PACA resolution adopted at Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM Understanding the impact that fruit and vegetable sellers face by not having payment protection, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce cosponsored a resolution with the Guelph Chamber of Commerce at their AGM October 17 and 18 in Ottawa. The recommendation is that the federal government support in the first Session of the new Parliament the creation of a limited statutory deemed trust that provides financial protection for produce sellers in Canada in the event of bankruptcies. The assets available to trust creditors would be limited specifically to produce accounts receivable, and any cash and inventory from the sale of the produce.

Liberals responses to top horticultural issues

On October 10, the Liberal Party responded to questions from CHC President, Keith Kuhl, on seven topics which currently have the greatest impact on Canada’s horticultural sector: PACA, eliminating the dual licensing system, developing a fresh fruit and vegetable policy, the Safe Food for Canadians Act, labour, research, and a North American Perimeter Approach. Below are excerpts from their answers.

Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act “In consultation with industry leaders, including the Canadian Horticultural Council and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), a Liberal government would create a comparable mechanism (to PACA) in Canada and work with the United States to reinstate the access that our fruit and vegetable exporters had under PACA.” Eliminating the Dual Licensing System and establishing a single licensing system through membership of the DRC “A Liberal government will work with industry, consumers and experts to strengthen the regulation of the fresh produce sector in Canada. We believe government should base its policies on facts, not make up facts based on policy. Without evidence, government makes arbitrary decisions that have the potential to negatively affect the daily lives of Canadians.”

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption “Access to sufficient, safe, healthy, adequate food is a fundamental human right. A Liberal government will always prioritize protecting the health and safety of Canadians and we will work consultatively with provincial and territorial governments, Aboriginal organizations, community groups, and producers to ensure that Canadians have access to healthy, affordable food.”

Finalizing the Safe Food for Canadians Act regulations and no exemptions from food safety, traceability and licensing requirements for any food business covered under the Act because of size “A Liberal government will stand for strong, evidence-based scrutiny of our food supply chain . . . We will ensure that Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have the resources they need to ensure Canadians’ food is safe. We will also invest an additional $80

million, over four years, in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for more food safety inspections of domestic and imported foods.”

Supporting access to labour “A new Liberal government will fix the program and ensure it is returned to its original purpose: filling jobs when qualified Canadians simply cannot be found. We need accurate labour market data, clear rules, strong enforcement and a credible pathway to citizenship for foreign workers. The agriculture sector has unique labour needs as a rural, seasonal industry producing perishable products, and our reforms will reflect that reality based on close consultation with farm organizations.”

Supporting research to keep Canada competitive globally “To attract investment and create good jobs in food processing, we will invest $160 million, over four years, in an Agri-Food Value Added Investment Fund. This will provide technical and marketing assistance to help food processors develop new value-added products that reflect changing tastes and market opportunities.

To support innovation in the agricultural sector, we will invest an additional $100 million, over four years, in agricultural research. To better allocate research funding, we will establish a transparent process that involves food producers.”

Establish a North American perimeter approach “A Liberal government would seek to re-energize cooperation on reducing impediments to trade and commerce between Canada and the United States – including improving border infrastructure, streamlining cargo inspection, and making the movement of people easier.”

CHC looks forward to strengthening a positive working relationship with the Liberal Party and all MPs to build a stronger horticulture sector in Canada.

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

Board briefs Introduction The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) board met on October 15, 2015.

Property Section The Agricultural Wildlife Conflict working group meeting took place in September. The bee colony losses weren’t as high as expected.

OFVGA, through Susan Fitzgerald, has submitted its proposal for two more years of funding for the bird mitigation work. The property committee is still waiting for the results on the Michigan trials.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) has withdrawn from participation in the Horticulture Value Chain Round Table (HVCRT). The next HVCRT meeting will take place in late November. Brian Gilroy, OFVGA’s property section chair, has been asked to sit on the innovation and technology subcommittee of the HVCRT. The new water project called Smart Water, focused in the Holland Marsh, has begun and can be expanded to other parts of the province.

Brian Gilroy and Mark Wales both attended the Future of Food and Farming event held October 6, 2015. Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, Jeff Leal spoke, mentioning that “he has confidence in the people that grow our food. Agriculture has a bright future.” Field to Fork is now called Fork to Field because consumers have more influence on the food they choose to buy.

The need to meet the needs of millennials was a focus. The issue of the 21st century is water stewardship.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is quickly approaching.

Deadline for entries is soon. The application process is online. The OFVGA will once again have a booth for the week, which will be sublet to various commodity groups.

The Great Lakes Protection Act (GLPA) passed third reading in October, going forward unchanged. John Kelly and Jason Verkaik attended the Ontario legislature session in Toronto and presented to the GLPA committee prior to the reading.

Safety Nets Section AgriStability has paid out $48 million.

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) details imply that TPP will allow more foreign workers in and make it easier for a foreign company to bring workers to Canada and be exempt from minimum wage.

ORPP – the 500+ employers in 2017 would start. 2018 it would

cover 50-499 employees and 2019 under 50 employers would come into effect. However, the Premier has stated that the Liberals will get rid of the ORPP if elected.

Mark Wales attended the Joint Risk Management Program meeting. Dave Haggarty, chair, advised that letters are requested from commodity groups communicating that they are in agreement with the sharing model.

A new program has been launched by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), in partnership with Ontario Apple Growers, and Tender Fruit Growers of Ontario. It was announced that the province will be providing financial support to farmers over the winter months to reduce the risk of crop damage. A cost-share program delivered by Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) will provide farmers with up to 35 per cent of the cost of weather mitigation equipment to a maximum of $31,500. The first intake of the program is set to roll out on October 22 to November 5, 2015 and will be in effect over the next couple of years. The following list of equipment is eligible under the new program and includes: portable or fixed wind machines, heating and air movement devices, insulating devices, overhead irrigation systems and crop covers.

Research Section It should be advised that we are entering the time of year where calls for research proposals are being sent out.

A condensed version of the 2015 OMAFRA Research Priorities has been circulated to all commodity groups. There are seven themes in the ORAN including: environmental sustainability, food for health, etc. that have money available. Check out the various themes to see if your research could fall under one of the subscribed themes.

A meeting was held in Woodstock that was organized by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs ‘s (OMAFRA)’s Phil Malcolmson.

There were several OMAFRA staff there with many organization representatives meeting on soil conservation. Soil maps in Ontario go from 1920 to 2010 and OMAFRA wants to have a better idea of what is happening with soil and set a framework for soil health.

Crop Protection In September, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) issued a special review on the herbicide Paraquat. This burn-off herbicide is used widely on potatoes and tree fruit crops.

The review was initiated because of accidental ingestion of the pesticide. It is thought that the pesticide was in a Coke bottle.

Three changes to the registration were suggested: changing the classification to restricted, no tank mixing allowed, and reducing the concentration for the end use product. A submission was sent by CPAC to PMRA disputing the changes.

Craig Hunter and Charles Stevens attended the first Global Minor Use workshop held in Chicago this past September.

The IR-4 meeting was also held at this time and was attended by 30 countries, 170 registrants, registers, and growers. The objective of the Global Minor Use meeting was to register an active on a crop problem for each of the following crop groups: Protected (Greenhouse), Temperate, and Tropical that involve all 30 countries. It has been proposed that the second Global Minor Use Priority setting meeting may be held in Vancouver, Canada in 2017 along with the third Global Minor Use Summit.

Data sharing is a key component to these projects as harmonizing data requirements for registering an active between the U.S. and Canada has thus far saved a half a million dollars with more to come. With that in mind, think of the savings that could be made globally.

The data collected will be shared from as many as six global research sites that include North America, South Asia, Africa, European Union, Asia, Australia

and New Zealand.

Charles Stevens met with Jamin Huang of Bayer Crop Science U.S. in Chicago and discussed the import Maximum Residue Level (MRL) for Calypso. The U.S. has dropped the registration of Calypso but will try to keep the import MRL for Canadian growers.

OFVGA’s annual crop protection meeting took place October 29, 2015 at noon.

Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) Report CHC is continuing to work with member concerns related to the use of reusable plastic containers (RPCs). Work has been undertaken by CHC staff with the help of Dr. Tracy Shinners-

Carnelley, Niki Bennett, and Iris Bitterlich on sampling protocols.

Included in the statement of work will be human and plant health elements. John Kelly reports that Norampac received an emergency client request for corrugated boxes because RPCs arrived mouldy and could not be used.

A product recall proposal has been developed through staff with the help of committee chair Mark Wales and the Business Risk Management Working Group. An application is moving through the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada program review process.

It is being recommended for approval.

The CHC Annual General Meeting will take place in Ottawa on March 16, 2016.

PAGE 10 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

Changing on the fly

JASON VERKAIK CHAIR, OFVGA As the growing season comes to a close for farmers, it is time to start planning for next year.

What varieties do we grow for next season? Do we expand?

There is a lot of strategy and planning that goes into that each year. Yet the weather or other factors can change those plans and we need to adapt. We need to be able to tweak our strategy, work with the tools we have and continue to move forward towards meeting our mandate. A hockey team can move from defence to offence by changing on the fly in the midst of a game.

If done correctly, this can help meet the objective of winning a game.

After the longest federal election campaign in decades, we now know the outcome. From 10

years of Conservative rule we now usher in four years of Liberal direction. As new cabinet positions are announced November 4, the government business of Canada is still moving. Roads are being paved, taxes are being collected and programs are still operational.

The statement can be made they are changing on the fly.

As we continue to lobby the provincial government for our horticultural industry, we must take note of its new relationship with the federal government.

What new policies might be around the corner and how will they affect our industry?

Anticipating these changes, we

must develop new relationships.

While we’re not starting from scratch, there are some new players coming into government who will need time to understand our issues and how it relates to their mandate.

Also there are new opportunities with change. We have a new federal government that promised during the election to put a deemed trust into place. We have a federal government more open to understanding provincial issues. Will there be opportunity to establish stronger safety net programs with this new perceived cooperation between the two governments? Time will tell what opportunities will come our

way. We need to continue our work and plan for this new era in government.

We have changes in our office too. We have two staff members moving on who have demonstrated strong contributions to the OFVGA. On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to take the opportunity to extend many thanks to Alison and Deanna for their passion and dedication. It is important to note their commitment not only to their jobs but to our horticultural industry, making a positive difference. We wish them well in their future endeavors.

From seeds to harvest to seeds again

JOHN KELLY EXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA It is highly likely that as this column is being read, most growers are finished the 2015 harvest and are reviewing how they have done in the year. Sometimes as the seasons go by, it is easy to lose track of time. It seems like no time ago that the 2015 season was just beginning, with the starting of planting.

In no time at all however, growers are already considering what is going to happen in 2016.

They have to, because so many other decisions are dependent upon the decision on what to grow. For orchardists, ginseng or greenhouse growers, the decision on what to grow is usually pretty clear. For those that grow annual crops, it is time to look at the new varieties, land allocation and agronomic direction. What goes into these decisions? Will it be the same story as this past year, or will it be different? I know growers that focus on one crop and the decisions come down to variety and cultivar. I also know many growers who are consider-

ing diversifying what they grow or have made that decision in the past.

Growers who can diversify may find it very rewarding.

Whether the decision was to go from corn to lavender, grapes and wine, or from onions to specialty carrots, or adding blueberries to an apple farm, or tobacco to ginseng, each decision comes with opportunity and risk.

One of the exciting new developments this year is the release of the Cold Snap pear. As reported in The Grower, these are a bred-in-Canada, grown-inCanada pear that is resilient to fire blight and will support good winter storage. The hope for this pear is that it will extend the market for its growers and add value to the market for more Canadian pears. The development time for new rootstock like this is long, and requires a lot of dedication and cooperation. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and growers have all had to focus on the same end goal. This is a development to protect and grow the market.

Diversifying can mean entering new markets. There has been a lot of talk about hazelnuts and the opportunity to fuel the large Ferrero plant in Brantford, Ontario with locally sourced hazelnuts. This seems to be an excellent opportunity and potential growers are encouraged to closely evaluate this as an option moving forward. Certainly the University of Guelph has evaluated many cultivars that are suitable for the Ontario environment, and

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.

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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.

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Mid-summer, Graham Thwaites inspects development of Cold Snap pears in the family farm’s highdensity orchard near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Photo by Denis Cahill. also those that meet Ferrero’s needs. Choosing the variety for the right location is one of the important decisions that growers need to make as they look to the future.

Once harvest is complete, it is time to evaluate and consider how the farm has performed. It is also a time for displaying the fruits of harvest. November is the culmination of the fall fair season. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which runs from November 6-15 this year, is a showcase for agricultural diversification in the province of Ontario and across Canada. All of these products started out as a seed and a decision on what to grow at some time.

While more than 125 different horticultural commodities are

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grown, only a portion of those are available at this time of year. This is unfortunate, because although the 330,000+ attendees to the Royal do get some appreciation of what is grown -- such as squash, onions, carrots, potatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, to name but a few -- many other seasonal crops have been harvested, consumed or processed. I’m thinking of berries, tender fruit, asparagus and others. The diversity of what is grown is immense, and the challenge to seed and rootstock propagators is to provide a plethora of options for growers for the coming year.

So growers will adjust from year to year, and all will not be the same from year to year. This is a time of reflection and

decisions for renewal. What will happen in 2016 is likely to be different that what happened this year, and planning for change early is essential.

And this is also the case with the OFVGA. A new season is starting for two of our stalwart employees, Deanna Hutton and Alison Robertson, who are leaving the association. Both have been wonderful contributors to the organization and both have left their marks. But as is the case with growing and planning, new opportunities open up. I thank Deanna and Alison for their significant contributions, and wish them both the best as they plant their own next seasons with their new plans.

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC

Chair Vice-Chair Fruit Director Veg Director Director

Jason Verkaik, Bradford Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Mac James, Leamington John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-Lake

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 Kenny Forth, Lynden John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-Lake Neil Reimer, Vienna Bill George Jr., Beamsville 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 2015 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER

PERSPECTIVE The eternal task of tearing down fences

OWEN ROBERTS U OF GUELPH With Thanksgiving, Ontario Agriculture Week and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement still fresh in our minds, it’s a great time to reflect on one of agriculture’s most pressing imperatives: that is, tearing down fences between – and within -- urban and rural Canada.

It’s a vitally important exercise for everyone, including journalists. In fact, “Fixing Fences: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide” was the theme of the 60th annual Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation meeting in Calgary last month.

When organizers were putting the program together, even towards the very end of it, they couldn’t have known the TPP negotiations would be reaching a critical stage just a week later, in Atlanta.

Otherwise, they might have added an internal element that focussed on how the farm community will fix its own fences – the rural-rural divide, so to speak – once the negotiations are complete.

Ideally, during Ontario Agriculture Week we would have been celebrating the uniqueness, diversification and success of agriculture here. But at some levels, we’re having a hard time getting past finger pointing.

When it comes to communicating, fences divide – in this case, they’re dividing farmers and consumers. Each side is fearful of the other, and digging in. But there’s no mileage in this. There’s nothing to gain with farmers, farm communicators and farm organizations on one side, being smug or feeling superior because they know something consumers don’t. And neither is there mileage in consumers vilifying farmers over agricultural practices

and technologies they don’t understand. Fences need to come down.

The question is, how? One place to start is with the media.

It’s one place where balanced perspectives have traditionally been found. I know this is a controversial perspective -- the media is often accused of bias, when in fact it’s aiming for balance. The media is neither pro nor con, and needs to use its unique role – the one that people turn to when they really need to be informed, such as in times of a crisis, or in times of truly national matters such as the federal election – and deliver balanced perspectives.

One place media will look to for honesty is on Ontario farms, if indeed farmers are open to the idea. Media might be led to them by self-interest groups, or they might find farmers independently, via social media. But even though farmers have a vested interest in seeing whatever status quo they’re involved in being maintained, at least they can offer the truth about what’s going on down the lane.

Openness and transparency won’t stop the critics of modern agriculture from railing against it.

Fences separate the carrot and potato harvest at Gwillimdale Farms, Bradford, Ontario. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

Still, there’s room in this scenario for much more than answering criticism. There’s room too for real education.

Some farmers have embraced this role, using social media in particular to inform and educate people. These farmers need others to join them, to reach out to conventional media and employ new media to help inform those who truly want answers. When it comes to information about agriculture, it’s a free-range world.

And finally, how about those fences being erected, reinforced or torn down with the TransPacific Partnership? The work-up

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to it has resulted in all kinds of strategic partnerships being either created, reinforced or mightily tested, as supply managed and non-supply managed groups lobbied the feds to do what they each considered to be the right thing.

For its part, the public has received mixed messages. They see one group or coalition of groups popping champagne, and the others crying in their beer. In other words, more fences.

As one panelist noted in Calgary, the need to help the public understand farming is eternal. And if Yogi Berra were alive, he’d say that’s just the beginning.

PAGE 12 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

Farmers don’t farm the averages BRUCE KELLY Climate change appears in every article these days about farming and the environment, yet few say much that is useful to growers to either understand or adapt to the impacts of climate change.

As politicians and scientists argue about climate change and who is to blame, get ready for the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris, France. From November 30 – December 11, the goal is to achieve a legally binding agreement between all countries to reduce emissions.

Farmers who live and work outside everyday will note that the 2015 growing season was not

impacted by climate change as simplistically as some would present the topic. The 2015 season will be remembered across Ontario as a wet and overall cool growing season, where heat units for much of the province were below average, and June and July rainfall were above normal.

Climatologists explain that with temperatures increasing at the poles, there is less energy in the jet stream to keep our weather patterns ‘normal.’ As the jet stream gets lazier, it lets temperatures and weather systems go further north or south than usual.

This is why we had the untimely summer temperatures in March 2012 and the icy ‘polar vortex’ of the past two winters.

“Mother Nature was not kind to the apple industry in Ontario this year,” says Ontario Apple Growers chair Charles Stevens, who farms near Newcastle, Ontario. “We lost almost half of our crop due to weather, so there will definitely be fewer locally grown apples available this year.”

A spring frost the nights of May 22-23 affected many of the province’s apple growing regions and is responsible for much of the 50 per cent decline in this year’s apple crop from previous norms.

Apple growing regions in eastern Ontario, the north shore of Lake Erie, and the Niagara peninsula were particularly affected by the spring frost, which was compounded by a very cold winter and a cool, wet month in June. The summer-like temperatures at the end of August and early September were also a challenge as apples need warm days and cool nights to ripen and take on colour.

So climate change for the growing regions of Ontario is manifesting itself as just “weird” and farmers have trouble adapting to weird. Farmers have always had to deal with the heat and cold, wet and dry, but it would seem that climate change is going to make this task even more difficult, as variability seems to be increasing. And along with variability comes an increased risk of more varied and severe

This wasn’t the Christmas card photo that Jerry and Susan Veen had planned to send this year. Their Sunrise Orchards received four inches of snow on October 17 at Arkona, Ontario. storms and more warm-weather diseases and pests.

Climate observers can show that the average temperature of the Great Lakes region has increased by 1.3° Celsius in the last 40 years, but farmers do not farm the averages. What plants we can grow are determined by the annual boundaries set by the severity of the winter, frost-free days, growing season heat units and growing-season rainfall.

Farmers are also challenged by weather events such as hail, drought, wind and early- or lateseason frosts.

Farmers in Ontario are in the paradoxical situation of being asked to adapt to climate change with the bias towards increasing temperatures, while at the same time knowing that you cannot find an Ontario-grown peach because of two cold winters and that if we get one more cold winter some grape growers are going to throw in the towel.

While summer temperature patterns may indeed allow us to expand grain production into northern Ontario, tender fruit and vegetable growers here in the south will still be hoping for a little more warmth and consistency.

Just to be safe, follow the wise words of someone’s Grandpa: “Wait for the frogs to go quiet twice before you plant your garden.”

For information on water and nutrient projects contact Bruce Kelly at bruce@farmfoodcare.org Bruce Kelly is environmental program manager, Farm & Food Care Ontario.

COMING EVENTS 2015 Nov 3

B.C. Agriculture Day, Victoria, BC

Nov 6 – 15 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON Nov 13

Ontario Produce Marketing Association Annual Gala, Liberty Grand, Toronto, ON

Nov 14

Asparagus Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, Hungarian Hall, Delhi, ON 9am-12:15 pm

Nov 17-19

Potato Growers of Alberta Annual General Meeting and Trade Show, Red Deer, AB

Nov 19-21

Futurpera, Ferrara, Italy

Nov 27

Potatoes New Brunswick Annual General Meeting, Florenceville, NB

Dec 1 – 3

GrowCanada Conference, Calgary, AB

Dec 2

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

Dec 8 – 10 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo, Devos Place Convention Centre, Grand Rapids, MI Dec 10

CanadaGAP Annual General Meeting, Canadian Federation of Agriculture Boardroom, Ottawa, ON

2016 Jan 12-13

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza, Niagara Falls, ON’

Jan 19-21

Empire State Producers Expo, Oncenter, Syracuse, NY.

Jan 26-27

Nova Scotia Horticultural Congress, Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, NS

Jan 26-27

Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association Annual Convention, “Replant, Renew, Refocus,” Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, NS

Jan 27

B.C. Tree Fruit Horticultural Symposium, Venue TBA

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NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Understand the roles and develop the relationships

PETER CHAPMAN Developing the right relationship with your retail customers is one of the most important functions in your business. There are not many retailers so you need to put the resources into developing a solid relationship that will serve you well throughout the year. The category managers are key decision makers and they have a support group who do a lot work and have a significant impact on your products.

Make an effort to get to know the entire group Retailers have their own unique structure, which you should understand from top to bottom. Your category manager has a support team to ensure the merchandising plans are created and implemented, data integrity is maintained, items are priced properly and that inventory is flowing through the system efficiently.

Most retailers have category assistants. They are the people who create merchandising plans for regular programs and they have influence over selection of inside ad items. They also work with suppliers and in some cases attend meetings with suppliers.

These are important people to know. They attend fewer meetings than category managers and you are more likely to get them on the phone if you have a time sensitive issue. Help them understand the industry and the category and get to know them like a category manager. You never know, they might be your next category manager!

Other people who influence your items and your business Beyond the category manager and the assistant category manager there are usually people who do pricing, reporting and work more with data integrity.

You should take advantage of every opportunity you have to meet these people. If there is an issue with your item for pricing, data integrity or a plan-o-gram you want them to call you. If they know you, they are more likely to send the email or pick up the phone. These are issues you want to discuss before they impact shelf conditions at the store or

miss the break of an ad. Make sure they know your items and how to contact you.

Produce is one of the most challenging categories to manage data integrity. Items come from different countries and have different pack sizes, different UPC codes and case packs. These all have to be set up correctly in your customer’s system to ensure smooth transition from one growing region to another. Work with the merchandising team to ensure your items are set up correctly.

This will also have a positive impact on your accounts receivable. Most of the retailers use integrated systems so the correct vendor and item set-up will translate into invoices flowing through properly.

Supply chains are key in your success Most retailers separate the category management function from the buying function. The buyers are focused on inventory management and they are told who to buy from at what cost.

They do not negotiate costs and they are buying multiple items and categories so their information is usually coming from the retailer’s system. The buyer’s role is a junior one, but it is very important to the success of suppliers. Develop the relationship with buyers and when it is appropriate, give them some guidance. Each retailer has different expectations for suppliers in this area. Walmart expects suppliers to understand the category as well as they do, and they provide tools for you to do this.

In produce where there is a lot of seasonality, you should really watch purchase orders and if the buyer is inexperienced, provide guidance. This is not about calling to get more cases on an order.

If you try this, your line of communication will be cut short. If you provide guidance that is best for you and the retailer, whether it is adding or subtracting from purchase orders, you will develop a relationship. Try forecasting your sales to the retailer and see how close purchase orders are.

Often with a new buyer you have to help them understand lead times and if you are in a region you need to explain geography.

Buyers do not decide your fate but they can influence it.

Organization charts are good tools I suggest people keep an up-to-date organization chart for their customers. These are complicated organizations and you should track your relationship with each individual. Make notes and challenge the people in your organization to develop relationships with the people in the entire

category management team and the supply chain team. As I said last month, you have to remember to negotiate with the category manager and keep pricing, merchandising and volume discussions with them. With this philosophy you should develop strong relationships with your customers that will benefit you and your business.

If you have developed relationships with the entire merchandising group or if you have any questions you can contact me at pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

RETAIL NEWS Relationships between retailers and suppliers have been in the news a lot recently. The Competition Bureau in Canada has been investigating the practices of Loblaw and other retailers. This is a complex issue that can have a significant impact to both parties in the relationship.

Recently Loblaw sent a letter to suppliers outlining changes to be implemented for 2016.

They are making changes for different reasons. Loblaw wants to make the process more efficient which is encouraging. A lot of time and resources have been spent to negotiate the retroactive pricing demands. This practice also puts a great strain on the relationship. This is a chance for Loblaw and the suppliers to become more efficient. Another reason they are making changes is that there are opportunities for suppliers in the market. Loblaw has a strong position in each region, however suppliers do

have choice. To remain competitive Loblaw must have good relationships with suppliers where they will get the opportunities on new or seasonal items.

Suppliers do have choice and they can influence consumers with great new items or promotions in certain retailers. This is more of a grocery issue however it does impact other departments.

For more information, check out this article from the Globe and Mail’s Marina Strauss where I was quoted on the issue. http://ow.ly/TdeTp WHAT’S IN STORE Walmart turkeys Earlier in the year Walmart advertised turkeys for $0.77/lb, which was an incredibly low price. When I visited the stores there were people struggling to get all the turkeys into their carts

and out the door. Consumers would probably remember the price because they perceived it as a great deal.

One of the challenges when a retailer really goes below the market retail is what to do next time. I found their pricing strategy for Thanksgiving very interesting. They used a fixed price in three different size categories as opposed to a fixed price per pound.

Peter Chapman is a retail consultant, professional speaker and the author of A la cart-A suppliers’ guide to retailers’ priorities. Peter is based in Halifax NS, where he is the principal at GPS Business Solutions. Peter works with producers and processors to help them navigate through the retail environment with the ultimate goal to get more of their items in the shopping cart. pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

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

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

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

The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of ‘small flow’ winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include: 1) treatment & re-use of greenhouse irrigation leach water at greenhouses in Niagara & Haldimand 2) treatment of winery wastewater at Greenlane Estates Winery & numerous other in Niagara 3) treatment of landfill leachate at sites in Pembroke, Niagara and Alabama

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

PAGE 14 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

After two severe winters, Ontario grape growers are replanting

Ryan and Kurt Neumann supervised the GPS planting of two acres of Sauvignon Blanc rootstock last May. Photos by Denis Cahill.

KAREN DAVIDSON Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario – The consumer is always right.

That maxim trickles down from the wine store to Constellation Brands to Neumann Farms. A case in point is the planting of Sauvignon Blanc grapes this past spring to serve a forecasted need for this aromatic white.

“We replant some acreage every year,” says Juan Neumann,

This picture tells a tale of two eras. In the foreground, the new planting is completed with the aid of GPS. Compare that to the Chardonnay vineyard in the background, a block which was hand-planted in the 1970s.

Neumann Farms. “After last year’s severe winter, we replanted 10 acres.”

That is a small percentage of the 225 acres of grapes now under cultivation. As Juan Neumann quips, “We have too many acres in summer and not enough in winter.”

Sons Ryan and Kurt Neumann supervised the rootstock planting against the backdrop of a Chardonnay block which had been hand-planted in the 1970s.

These days, they hire the services of a tractor and GPS system to plant straight lines within a centimeter accuracy. It’s important to establish the block accurately so that a mechanical harvester can easily access the vineyard along with other tillage and weed control equipment.

“First we look at the soil type,” says Neumann. “For example, on lighter, more fertile soils we would use a rootstock that is less vigorous and produces

Sourced from Vine Tech Canada, these grape rootstocks (3309) are waxed on the top to prevent dehydration. The wax also coats the joint where the graft was made between the scion and the clone.

a better balanced grapevine. This ultimately leads to better quality fruit and also greater winter hardiness.”

“For varieties that are expected to crop heavier such as Vidal, we would choose a more vigorous rootstock to help support higher yields and larger canopies. We also choose rootstock that is tolerant or resistant to phylloxera, a disease that feeds on grape roots and can be very debilitating to an ungrafted vineyard.”

The 3309 grape rootstock was sourced from Vine Tech Canada.

The roots arrived waxed on the top to prevent dehydration. The wax also coats the joint where the graft was made between the scion and the clone. The idea is to protect the roots until they establish in two weeks.

Otherwise, the rootstock is susceptible to heat scalding and dehydration.

The latest in vegetable breeding Lettuce for stir fries Rijk Zwaan, the Netherlandsbased vegetable breeding company, recommends certain lettuce varieties for Asian cuisine.

Recognizing that Asians love to stir fry leafy vegetables, the company has developed varieties such as Salanova which remain crunchy when heated. These lettuces lend themselves to use in

stir-fries, soups and traditional Asian ‘hotpots.’

A few weeks ago, Rijk Zwaan

introduced a new trait in its lettuce varieties that ensures the leaves discolour pink less rapidly

after cutting. The innovation was introduced at its Lettuce and Leafy Vegetable Conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

The trait, called KNOX, extends shelf life by about two days. It means that low-oxygen packaging is not needed for lettuce, reducing costs and offering for options for blending.

The company expects this trait to be a boon to the fresh-cut industry, retailers and most of all, consumers.

Zest for zucchini

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Monsanto’s squash breeder Bill Johnson is realistic that zucchini won’t storm the produce world. Its flavour adapts to whatever ingredients are added to it.

Based in Woodland, California, his job is to develop varieties that can be counted upon for yield, quality and disease resistance.

More recently, he’s working on a trait for ease of harvest to reduce labour costs. Zucchini needs to be hand harvested daily.

So the plants that have been selected have an upright, open growth habit as well as high yields. Monsanto expects to launch a dark green hybrid that will suit western states and a lighter-coloured zucchini for customers east of the Mississippi.

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

What’s new at Stokes Seeds for 2016

Exclusive grower of select grafted nut trees and minor fruits.

Cultivars are tested in our own experimental orchards.

Choose from Persian and black walnut, heartnut, butternut, chestnut, hazel, pecan, hickory, gingko, pine nut, mulberry, persimmon, pawpaw, fig & more.

Proprietor Ernie Grimo 979 Lakeshore Rd, RR 3, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Canada L0S 1J0 Tel.: (905) YEH-NUTS (934-6887) E-mail: nuttrees@grimonut.com Fax: (905) YEL-NUTS (935-6887) Catalogue Site: www.grimonut.com

Bristol cucumber

Montclair onion

Prestige XR sweet corn

Colter bean

Stokes Seeds has been a major supplier for vegetable growers in Canada and the northeastern U.S. markets since 1881. The wide selection is made possible through extensive trialing over a wide geographic area by the Stokes sales representatives.

Listed below are some of the new varieties that have been tested in the northeast over the past three to four years and added to the 2016 Stokes Catalog.

SV 1137GF and Colter are the new bean varieties that excelled in all Stokes trials this season. SV 1137 GF is the new variety to use in those soils that have root rot disease problems. It is a 54-day variety with 80% 3-4 sieve sizes and 20% 5 sieve sizes. The pods are 5.3 inches long with a green colour and will set well in the summer heat. It has high resistance to bean common mosaic virus, anthracnose and aerial Pythium.

Colter is the other addition to Stokes lineup for 2016. It is an early maturing 53-day bean with medium dark colour and straight pods. It performs very well in heat stress with very good yield potential. This variety has HR resistance to BCMV, rust and BCTV. Bristol cucumber was chosen this year for the catalog because of its second generation, higher intermediate resistance to downy mildew. It is early maturing and has a vigorous plant with overall great fruit quality, shape and colour with a high number of fancy fruit. With downy mildew problems in the northeast, Bristol is the variety of choice. This variety also has an excellent multi- virus package too.

Montclair is a long-day storage onion introduced on a limited basis in 2015. Montclair had a very good production year and is in high demand for 2016. This

variety is well adapted to long growing season areas in New York and southern Ontario. It produces large, globe-shaped bulbs with heavy, dark-coloured skin and has excellent quality coming out of storage.

Turnpike is the newest X5R in bell peppers for the northeast. It packs a strong punch for key diseases of bacterial leaf spot and “especially strong” against Phytophthora. Turnpike also packs well in the packing shed with excellent quality fruit that are large, four-lobed and dark green in colour. It has a nice continuous set.

Stokes is launching four new pumpkin varieties for 2016. They are Aries, Kratos, Zeus and Blanco. Aries is the tall strong warrior out of the bunch. The fruit of Aries are 22-28 lb in size, with a unique upright shape with excellent yield potential. It has large, dark green handles, medium dark orange exterior colour and is intermediate resistant to powdery mildew.

Kratos is also a large pumpkin at 20-30 lb but with more of a flatround shape. It is earlier than Aries by 10 days and has a very strong vine with large firmly attached handles, and a medium dark orange exterior. It also has intermediate resistance to powdery mildew. Zeus is the medium large Olympic quality 16-20 lb pumpkin. The handles are large dark green and the exterior is medium dark orange.

Zeus has a round shape and medium ribbing with consistent size for shipping. It also has intermediate resistance to powdery mildew. The white pumpkin that did well in Stokes trials was Blanco. It is a bright white pumpkin with excellent yield and slight ribbing. It holds its colour well and has intermediate resistance to

Blanco pumpkin powdery mildew. Blanco is 4-6 lb in size with a medium vine and 105-day maturity. Like other white pumpkins, it should be harvested early and stored inside for the best colour.

Stokes has added a number of new bicolour sweet corn varieties to the Gourmet Sweet Brand for 2016. None are better than Honor XR, Prestige XR, Superb MXR and Cumberland. The Honor XR and Prestige XR are both shipper style ears that pack very well in crates or boxes and have excellent rust resistance. Prestige XR is a new 76-day variety with excellent kernel colour, husk colour, and very nice plants.

Honor XR is a new 79-day variety with excellent tip fill, and better package and rust resistance than competitor varieties. It has moderate resistance to northern corn leaf blight. Superb MXR is a 74-day bicolour and the first Stokes variety with MDM resistance. It has additional new G rust resistance. It has excellent ear size that is extra fancy with 16-20 row count. It has a great husk package and is excellent eating. Superb MXR is a 74-day variety that picks clean without much shank and has an excellent rust package.

Cumberland is a new high yielding variety that has performed well in many locations in the east. It is a 77-day bicolour with very good eating quality with attractive package and ear appearance. In the white Gourmet Sweet Brand is Eden. Eden is a 74-day white Sh2 that picks very easily. The seed is larger than most Sh2 varieties and has nice eight-inch ears with very good cover.

Stokes’ Synergistic bicolour variety is Latte. It is a 67-day variety that has very good cold soil vigour. The excellent ear size is 7.5-7.75 inches in length and has a 14-16 row count. It is a must try for that first early planting. A new early yellow synergistic is Café. Café is similar to Latte in both maturity and ear size; but with exclusively yellow kernels for those preferring yellow corn varieties.

2016 is set to be a very exciting year with many new and exceptional varieties. For more information, contact a Stokes seed sales representative or go to www.stokeseeds.com.

STRAWBERRY PLANTS ***CERTIFIED*** RASPBERRY CANES Producers of Quality stock for 46 years. Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification Program. Shipping across North America.

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Oriental Vegetable Seeds

Bitter Melon

AgroHaitai Ltd. Ph: 519-647-2280 • Fax: 519-647-3188 seed@agrohaitai.com• www.AgroHaitai.com

PAGE 16 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Promising new potato varieties for the Ontario market Variety

Market

Tuber Flesh

Shape

Maturity

Yield

Scab Susceptibility

Comments

Colomba

Fresh

Yellow

Oblong

Mid-season

Very high

2.0 Smooth, bright yellow skin. Big tuber set. Attractive tubers. Has grown well in all locations. 14% dry matter. Agent: HZPC, PEI

Electra

Fresh

Yellow

Oval

Early main crop

Medium

2.8 Smooth, light yellow skin with pale pink eyes. Medium set. Stores well.

Low dry matter, good for salads. Agent: Real Potatoes

August Beauty

Fresh

White

Round

Early

Medium

3.0 White, smooth skin, eyes with slight prominence of eyebrows. Medium tuber set. Medium dry matter. More trials needed in Ontario. Agent: Les Buissons Research Station, Quebec

Alta Cloud French fry and fresh

White

Long

Full season

High

2.5 Attractive russet skin. Medium dormancy. Even set. 20% dry matter. No culls. Hollow heart not detected. Agent: Potato Growers of Alberta

Pomerelle Russett

Fresh

White

Long

Sull season

High

2.5 Very attractive tubers with medium-heavv russet.

Hollow heart not detected. Dry matter: 20.5% No culls. Resistant to bruising. Agent: Laurentian Potatoes, Quebec

Sunrise

Specialty

Light yellow

Round

Early main crop

High to very high

2.8 Smooth skin, pink splash on the eyes. Medium dry matter. Easy to manage.

Agent: Real Potatoes, PEI

** Gabrielle New!!

Specialty

Yellow

Fingerling

Full season

High

2.5 Smooth, yellow skin. For tubers under 45mm, plant at 8 inch spacing. Easy to grow. Medium dry matter. Very tasty. Agent: Laurentian Potatoes, Quebec

EUGENIA BANKS Selecting suitable varieties is an essential first step in any successful potato operation. Varieties must not only suit the intended market but must also be well adapted to local growing conditions. Hundreds of varieties are available to fresh market potato growers, but as few as 10 probably account for 90 per cent of the Ontario acreage.

The goal of potato breeders is to develop new varieties that are attractive, high yielding and pest resistant in the traditional classes: fresh market, processing and/or specialty markets. This is no small task and involves the following strategies: • Use improved potato germplasm to reduce the impact of economically important potato pests.

• Evaluate advance breeding lines for yield, quality, and pest resistance at multiple locations.

• Conduct commercial trials of advanced potato breeding lines to facilitate the adoption of new varieties.

• Provide relevant information on the performance of new potato varieties to potato growers, crop

consultants and extension personnel.

It usually takes plant breeders 12 to 15 years to develop, evaluate and release a new potato variety.

Variety trials in growers’ fields are extremely important for breeders and growers. It is the final test for a variety. New varieties may perform very well in a certain production area but they might not do well in a neighbouring area due to different growing conditions such as microclimate and soil type. This is the case of the variety Shepody that grew very well in the Shelburne area but did poorly in the Alliston area. The distance between these two areas is only 30 km!

The latest new varieties released by several breeding programs were evaluated in trials conducted in growers’ fields in Ontario. Traits of varieties to watch for are presented in the following table.

Scab rating At harvest, the incidence and severity of common scab are rated on the following scale: RATING 0: Resistant. No common scab lesions develop on tuber surface.

RATING 1: Very tolerant. Less than 5% of the tuber surface covered with superficial lesions RATING 2: Good tolerance. Up to 10% of the tuber surface covered with superficial lesions.

RATING 2.5: Some tolerance. Up to 20% of the tuber surface covered mainly with superficial lesions.

RATING 3: Susceptible. Up to 50% of the tuber surface covered with superficial/pitted lesions RATING 4: Very susceptible. 50% to 75% of the tuber surface covered with superficial/pitted lesions RATING 5: Extremely susceptible. 75% or more of the tuber surface covered with lesions. Most of the lesions are pitted.

Colomba

Electra

August Beauty

Alta Cloud

Eugenia Banks has been working with OMAFRA for 25 years as a specialist working with the potato industry.

Pomerelle Russett

Sunrise

Gabrielle

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Thinking of seeds? Try out Seminova’s lineup for 2016 Year after year, Seminova’s goal is to offer a complete portfolio of vegetable varieties adapted to local growing conditions in Canada with the best recommendations on how to grow them. To make the cut, Seminova’s selection of varieties takes into account field standing, uniformity, high yield, ease of harvest and good disease resistance. Here are

El Toro: This is a strong, deeply ribbed and blocky shaped pumpkin. It will set several fruits per plant and offer good yield potential. Average weight 11 kg.

Riverside: This very dark green, spade-shaped spinach leaf variety is ideal for bunching as well as baby leaf production. It has an upright plant habit with moderate growth rate and downy mildew resistance.

Hades: With 100 to 103 days maturity, this onion variety has a strong root system and a good size. The skin quality is good and has a nice copper colour.

Nirvana: This bicolour sweet corn variety has small kernels and augmented Sh2 genetics. It has better vigour, excellent taste and texture. It is a reliable sweet corn with the added advantage of ease in picking and packing. Expect maturity in 74 days.

some new Seminova varieties for the 2016 season.

For more information on these varieties or other varieties for next spring, please contact your local sales representative Alloy Thompson at (705) 434-7292.

Sherrington: This storage-type cabbage matures in 110 days, is easy to grow and weighs 2.5 kg and up. Sherrington is a high yielding variety, with uniform heads, ideal for long term storage. The darker green colour of the leaves is less attractive to thrips.

Sweetness: SeSh2 sweet corn reaches maturity in 63 days. This bicolour variety has medium-sized kernels. The main advantages of this variety are the earliness and good germination in cold soil.

PAGE 18 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Vegetables old and new refresh the produce aisle

Shane Singh, second-generation farmer, grew Merlin beets for the first time this year. Since he sells to a number of local farmers’ markets under the Springh Farms name, he’s always looking for something distinctive. This smooth-skinned variety fits the bill for bunching. It grows uniformly to two to two-and-a-half inches in diameter with a deep red interior colour. It's also a sweet-tasting variety with a high brix content of 14 to 15 per cent. Just as importantly, Singh says the dark green tops grow erectly to 15 to 17 inches. The Stokes Seeds catalogue says this variety matures in 55 days.

KAREN DAVIDSON Bradford, Ontario -- Kalettes are relatively new in Canada, the product of crossbreeding between Brussels sprouts and kale by Tozer Seeds in the United Kingdom. That’s where they were launched in 2010 as flower sprouts. By the time of the North American launch in 2014, they were rebranded as kalettes to ride the wave of popularity of kale.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds has an exclusive agreement with Tozer Seeds to market several varieties in North America. The Maine-based company offers bicolour varieties that mature in different seasons.

Autumn Star is for early-season harvest, requiring a minimum of 110 days to mature.

According to Steve Bellavia, product technician at Johnny’s, “Kalettes grow best in cooler weather, especially when forming florets, but will perform

well in areas with mild summer weather prior to floret formation. In areas with hot summers, the crop can be transplanted in late summer for successful fall, winter and spring harvest.” From seed to edible floret, he recommends the range is 15 to 19 weeks for maturation.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds markets Mistletoe for mid-season harvest and Snowdrop for late-season harvest. The ruffled, purple-green florets are ready to hand harvest from tall stalks when they are about two inches in diameter.

Cristina and John Hambly, Gwillimdale Farms are growing kalettes for the first time on their Bradford, Ontario farm. They grow very well beside cabbage, a relative of the same botanical family.

Their growing popularity is attributed to the fact they taste milder than Brussels sprouts but are sweeter, more tender than kale.

Kalette, a hybrid of Brussels sprouts and kale, is a new vegetable grown at Gwillimdale Farms, Bradford, Ontario. Cristina Hambly inspects the crop in mid-October. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Multiple agronomic factors affect purchasing decisions KAREN DAVIDSON Of numerous rootstocks from all over the world, only a few are relevant to the Canadian tree fruit industry. That’s why Nick Ibuki, operations manager, Summerland Varieties Corporation (SVC) is so excited about Krymsk 5 and 6.

These sweet cherry rootstocks are noted for good root structure and anchorage to take up nutrients.

They are tolerant of drought and have an excellent establishment record.

“The current challenge in North America is getting access to rootstock,” says Ibuki. High demand over the last five years has led to a shortage in availability. Rootstock producers only grow a set amount each year and it is challenging to bulk up further volumes in speculation of the future sales market. The switch to high-density plantings affect decisions on rootstock as well as varietals. Gisela, for example, is another sweet cherry rootstock that’s popular because growers want to develop the architecture of their trees to suit high-density plantings.

With 3,500 acres of sweet cherries in British Columbia, it’s an important sector to support with the best genetics possible. As Ibuki explains, some new rootstocks such as Krymsk 5 and 6 are hyper-sensitive to viruses and if infected, can die within a year.

The role of Summerland Varieties Corporation Summerland Varieties Corp (SVC) is a variety rights management company that licenses new varieties of tree fruits and berries domestically and internationally. SVC has exclusive evaluation, distribution, propagation and commercialization rights from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for plant material developed in the apple, cherry, berry and soft fruits breeding programs of the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) at both Summerland and Agassiz, British Columbia.

SVC represents both government and private plant breeders.

On behalf of variety owners, SVC grants rights to growers and other third parties to propagate new varieties and produce and sell the fruit of such varieties. In return, the licensees pay licensing fees and royalties to SVC which SVC administers on behalf of the owners. SVC also operates Canada’s only virus-free budwood orchard at PARC, Summerland.

This means that the infected trees die before they can further spread the viruses through the orchard, thus leading to healthier orchards.

“The growing challenge of viruses such as Little Cherry Disease in Washington State is a prime example of the need to limit further virus infection in our orchards,” says Ibuki. “This virus has debilitated and caused the pulling out of several large orchards in Washington State already.”

In apples, growers are looking for rootstock that’s fireblight resistant and cold hardy. As

popular as the Cornell-bred, Geneva lines have become, the specific lines of G.41, G.214 and G.935 are not resistant to woolly apple aphid. Replant disease tolerance is also rising on the list of must-haves. That’s because the chemistries to fumigate soil are becoming less available and have much greater government accountability attached to them via Pest Management Regulatory Agency regulations.

The apple industries in British Columbia and Ontario have evolved differently with respect to high-density plantings. In British

Columbia, 10 foot rows are common with 1.5 to 2 foot spacings whereas in Ontario, 12 foot rows are common with threeto four-foot spacings. Identifying the right dwarfing rootstock to suit either super spindle or tall spindle systems is crucial.

“It’s a challenge to find the right rootstock that will offer a balance between a good fruiting wall for the most yield and one that suits the soil,” says Ibuki.

“Many of these apple rootstocks are available in limited quantities so order now for 2017.”

Right: Nick Ibuki

PAGE 20 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Siegers showcases new offerings

Anthem II corn

Green Machine zucchini

Sugar Fresh watermelon

Brandt onion

Turnpike pepper

This year’s offerings can be summed up as an impressive combination of improved quality and yield. Sh2 sweet corn varieties at the highest level of eating quality are Nirvana and SnackPack (bicolours), and Eden and Glacial (white). All feature large ears with attractive husks perfect for the roadside market.

Anthem (bicolour sh2) is replaced

by Anthem XR providing the same superb quality with improved rust resistance, and Anthem II, which adds the Seminis Performance Series package of insect protection and Round-Up Ready field performance. For bicolour sh2 shipping markets, both Honor XR and Prestige XR provide great yield with very packable ears and a leap in quality.

Green Machine is a highquality, classy-looking zucchini with impressive yields, helped by the great resistance package of CMV, WMV, ZYMV, and Px. Bristol cucumber is a multi-virus cucumber with second-generation Downy Mildew resistance. The yield is impressive without compromising on the qualities of size, shape, or dark-green colour.

Still a top performer is Mongoose. This slicing cuke sports a multi-virus package along with target leaf spot. Its

strong vines excel in cool periods yet provide good cover during the warmest seasons across multiple picks. Three triploid crimson-rind watermelons, all with very strong vines, high yield potential, crisp red flesh and wide adaptability are Sugar Fresh, Joy Ride and Road Trip. Sugar Fresh produces very uniform 45 count melons.

Joy Ride has a high percentage of 36 count blocky melons with a striking contrast between the red flesh and the white rind, while Road Trip will yield primarily 45 count oblong fruit with the same striking flesh contrast. Blanco finally brings together all the qualities growers look for in a white pumpkin—handles, 4-6 lb. size, yield, and long-lasting bright white colour. Blaze is a very attractive yellow and deep-orange striped pumpkin coming in at 2-3 pounds. The 3.5 inch tall X 7 inch wide fruit are loaded on the powdery mildew resistant vines and sport strongly-attached handles. A great wholesale-sized Jack-O-Lantern you’ll surely want has been trialed as 625, to be named in 2016 with availability in May. This 20-25 pounder is borne on outstanding powderymildew-resistant plants with great yield, colour, and handles. Seed may be limited so make sure you get advance orders in for a look

this year at the pumpkin you’ll want to order more of next year.

Early King has once again proven to be dependable throughout stressful conditions, bearing early (90 days), heavy crops of large fruit.

Long day Brandt onion has again come out at the top in our storage trials though it is early at 95-100 days maturity. In its second full year of commercial sales it continues to gather momentum with growers increasing their acreage.

Takara is the Shishito pepper growers have been seeking. It is sweet, finger-length, thin-skinned, and ideal for roasting, sautéing, or grilling. Bell peppers to put into your growing program are Turnpike and SV3964PB. Both will produce large, high-quality, firm, dark green fruit with concentrated sets. Turnpike offers a high level of BLS resistance to races 0-5, 7-9 and an intermediate level of Phytophthora resistance while SV3964PB offers high resistance to BLS 0-4, 7-9 along with intermediate resistance to

CMV. Conan roma tomato produces a large, firm, blocky fruit fitting of its name. Great red colour and heavy yields round out its benefits package. With its V, F1-3, TMV, TYLCV, and TSWV resistance package, it has performed exceptionally well in the southeast.

Candy is a great strain of Stevia, the natural leafy sweetener that will be sure to please customers at farm markets.

It has been selected for high yield, bushy habit, good levels of Stevioside and Rabaudioside A-which give its sweetness and no

aftertaste. Eleonora basil is a vigorous plant for outdoor culture with the best Downy Mildew tolerance we have seen in Genovese types. Galatea (red butter) and Ragol (romaine) are both little gem lettuces with outstanding colour, texture, strong resistance to tip burn and market appeal. Their small frames will allow more heads per acre, but their quality will bring the same price or better than larger-framed varieties.

GLADIOLUS BULBS Wide variety selection for retail sales and commercial cut flower production Catalogue available upon request or visit our website at www.lmbolle.com

L.M. Bolle & Sons 813083 Baseline Norwich, ON (519) 468-2090 Fax 468-2099 email: lmbolle@execulink.com

C.O.

KEDDY

• 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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982 North Bishop Road, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7 Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067 Email: keddynursery@xcountry.tv

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 21 THE GROWER

FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Strawberry plugs are taking root KAREN DAVIDSON Techniques in the propagation business have advanced in recent years to suit different production methods and market timing. Nowhere is this more evident than in strawberries.

While Carther Plants started in 2000 with vegetable plugs, it’s been strawberry plugs that have boosted their business in the last five years. As strawberry growers experimented with high tunnels, their needs were for plug transplants rather than bare root plants for a faster start. An initial order for custom propagation to Carther Plants, Thamesville, Ontario has grown into a much larger business. Plants are now shipped to growers as far afield as British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and California.

“We have more biosecurity at all stages,” explains Sandra Carther, Thamesville, Ontario. The 35,000-square foot greenhouse operation uses screens to ward off insect invaders and houses all stages of the nursery crop from start to finish within the greenhouse. Just as important, the original plantlets come from the Ontario Plant Propagation Program in New Liskeard which tests all germplasm for viruses. When they arrive at Carther Plants in the spring, the strawberries are grown in a soilless medium to prevent soil-borne nematodes and anthracnose.

Ontario berry growers start planting bare root strawberries in April and May, then typically plant plugs late August and into

September. Summer-planted plugs enable picking to start earlier the following spring and help to take out the peaks and valleys of the production season. With the greenhousegrown nursery stock, growers can also increase the flexibility in planting dates by using chilled plugs, which are held in cold storage and can be planted at almost any time of the year.

One customer, Bruce Parks, who operates Parks Blueberries near Bothwell, Ontario, has taken advantage of this. He has seen good results in the first year along with the added benefits of clean planting stock. “We planted chilled plugs this past spring and didn’t spray them once for insects or disease all season,” he says.

It’s been a learning process for the Carthers propagating different strawberry varieties. Day-neutral varieties such as Albion and San Andreas react differently to temperature, day-lengths, and even fertilizer levels than June-bearing varieties.

“There’s a lot of interest in day-neutrals,” says Carther. “Growers are looking for season-long productivity.”

A few farmers are investigating how to grow strawberries hydroponically to conserve water resources. The varieties they choose will depend on the production system, lighting levels and market timing. Strawberry plugs are needed for a hydroponic system.

Carther Plants gained organic certification in 2013 for part of the greenhouse. In 2016, they will be offering eight June-bearing strawberry varieties and two day-neutral varieties.

Sandra Carther demonstrates strawberry plugs at the 2015 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. Custom rooting provides a healthy plant free from soilborne diseases such as anthracnose. Photos by Denis Cahill.

PAGE 22 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

Rust diseases on raspberries PAM FISHER There are several rust diseases that attack raspberries. Rust diseases often have complicated life cycles that include alternate hosts, and most produce several types of spores. If you see rust diseases on your raspberry crops, it is important to identify which disease is present, so you can manage it effectively.

Late leaf rust (Pucciniastrum americanum) • Crops attacked: Red and purple raspberries • Alternate hosts: White spruce • Symptoms: Pale orange powdery spores on lower leaf surface, upper surfaces develop small yellow spots that gradually turn brown. Severe infections may result in early leaf drop, reduced plant vigour and yield and increased winter injury to infected canes. On fruit, bright orange powdery spore masses develop on infected drupelets.

• Control: Prune and trellis raspberries to encourage air movement and rapid leaf drying. Prune out and remove old canes. If possible, remove nearby white spruce which are required for the disease to complete its life cycle.

Prebloom applications of Ferbam to raspberries might help reduce infections. Currently there are no

other fungicides registered for control of late leaf rust in Ontario.

• Comments: Late leaf rust is common in Ontario. While summer-bearing cultivars often escape fruit infections, fall-bearing raspberries tend to develop fruit infections if weather conditions are favourable for disease development. The cultivars Heritage, Jaclyn, and Caroline seem especially susceptible.

Orange rust (Arthuriomyces peckianus and Gymnoconia nitens) • Crops attacked: All raspberry species except red raspberry • Alternate hosts: none • Symptoms: Plants develop symptoms the year following infection. New leaves are stunted, pale and spindly. Bright orange waxy pustules develop on the lower leaf surface, later becoming bright orange and powdery.

Infected plants are unproductive.

• Control: This disease is systemic - once a plant is infected it is always infected. Remove infected plants, preferably before orange pustules break open and spores spread to more plants.

Remove wild black raspberries from adjacent woods and hedgerows.

• Comments: Very common on wild black raspberries and blackberries.

Yellow rust (Phragmidium rubi-idaei) • Crops attacked: Red raspberries • Alternate hosts: none • Symptoms: In spring and early summer, yellow pustules appear on the upper leaf surface of young leaves. As summer progresses orange pustules are produced on the lower leaf surface, eventually turning black as the overwintering spores are produced. If infections are early and severe, the disease can cause early leaf drop and reduced winter hardiness.

• Control: Purchase clean plants from a certified plant grower.

Reduce inoculum by pruning out old canes and cultivating to reduce leaf debris. Several group 3 fungicides, such as Nova, Tilt and Bumper, are registered for control of yellow rust. Apply before symptoms appear.

• Comments: This disease is not prevalent in Ontario, although it is common in the Pacific Northwest. Yellow spots on the upper leaf surface can help growers distinguish between yellow rust and late leaf rust, which does not produce symptoms on the upper leaf surface.

Figure 1: Late leaf rust on raspberry leaves

Pam Fisher is OMAFRA’s berry specialist.

Figure 2: Late leaf rust on raspberry fruit

Table 1: Rust diseases of raspberry and black raspberry Common name Crops attacked Alternate (scientific name) host

Symptoms

Control

Late leaf rust (Pucciniastrum americanum)

Red and purple raspberry (common in Ontario)

White spruce

Orange powdery spores on Crop sanitation, trellising lower leaf surface, and on and pruning to assist with fruit. No spots on upper leaf. quick drying. Remove nearby white spruce.

Orange rust (Arthuriomyces peckianus Gymnoconia nitens)

All raspberry species except red raspberry

None

Bright orange waxy pustules Remove infected plants. develop on the lower leaf This disease is systemic surface, later becoming in plants. bright orange and powdery.

Yellow rust (Phragmidium rubi-idaei)

Red raspberry None (not common in Ontario)

Yellow pustules on upper Crop sanitation and use leaf surface of young leaves. of registered group 3 Orange powdery spores on fungicides. lower leaf surface turning black in late summer.

Figure 3: Orange rust on black raspberry

Cold weather mitigation support for growers The government of Ontario recently announced that it will be providing financial support to fruit and specialty crop growers to help them ensure the survival of their apples, tender fruit, berries, and specialty crops.

• Ontario is providing financial support to farmers to better ensure the survival of apples, tender fruit, berries, and specialty crops during the winter.

• The province will share up to 35 per cent of the cost of weather mitigation equipment and growers can be eligible to receive up to a maximum of $31,500 per project.

• This support will help cover the costs of weather mitigation equipment, such as portable or fixed wind machines, heating and air movement devices, insulating devices, overhead irrigation systems, and crop covers.

• Growers may apply for funding through the Ontario Crop and Soil Improvement Association, which administers the program, and will accept applications at several times over the next couple of years. The first intake is from October 22 to November 5, 2015.

• Look for details to be posted shortly to the OSCIA website.

NOVEMBER 2015 –– PAGE 23 THE GROWER

BERRY FOCUS

Developing F1-hybrid seed-propagated dayneutral strawberry cultivars BECKY HUGHES Traditionally, Ontario growers have produced June-bearing strawberries that are harvested for a four- to six-week period.

However, many strawberry growers are including dayneutral strawberries in their production systems. Dayneutral strawberries can be harvested over an extended season resulting in fresh local berries for up to six months depending on the climate and production systems.

At present, Canadian growers are faced with several challenges in their efforts to grow dayneutral strawberries. The cultivars currently grown were bred in California and, therefore, are not well suited to the Canadian climate. Canadian-adapted cultivars are required which are winter-hardy, adapted to our climate, have high yields and can fruit as long as possible. Developing new cultivars is a long-term project. In the short-term, recommendations are required to maximize production and reduce costs using the existing cultivars and new production techniques.

We are addressing these concerns in a project under the Industry-led Research and Development Stream of the Agri-Innovation Program Federal Growing Forward 2 initiative.

Research for this five-year project is being conducted at three University of Guelph sites in Ontario, Cedar Springs Research Station and Simcoe Research Station both located in southwestern Ontario and the New Liskeard Agricultural Research Station located in northeastern Ontario.

Our objectives include: 1. Develop and evaluate dayneutral F1-hybrid cultivars and selections 2. Develop strategies for substrate culture of dayneutral strawberries 3. Develop production recommendations for dayneutral strawberries in high tunnels and outside for a variety of climates In this article we will describe our research to develop F1-hybrid seed-propagated strawberries.

This research is lead by Adam Dale at the Simcoe Research Station.

Hybrid seed-propagated strawberries are a radically new approach, as strawberries are normally vegetatively propagated.

F1-hybrid production involves crossing inbred parents to produce hybrid vigour similar to hybrid corn production. Seed propagation of dayneutral strawberries can be done reliably in Canada overcoming the problems experienced in Canada with dayneutral vegetative propagation.

Seed-propagated strawberry cultivars have many advantages.

First, plants can easily be produced for planting at any time of the year and these plants produce fruit 40 days after planting. As they are from seed not runners, the plants start out free of aphidand nematode-borne viruses. Seed can be germinated and grown without overhead irrigation reducing the chances of anthracnose infection. And last but not least, seed-propagated cultivars can be bred that don’t produce runners reducing labour costs in the field.

To make F1-hybrid seedpropagated strawberries practical

GF2 for fruit and veg producers – Do you have an eligible project?

Growing Forward 2 is accepting another round of applications from November 16 to December 7. You might have a food safety project for your produce operation that could be eligible for funding.

Consider sending in an application if you are looking to improve food safety for your fruit and/or vegetable farm. You may be eligible if you have a project that will contribute to: • Your operation being ready to obtain an audit to a national or international food safety program.

• Laboratory documentation validating your cleaning and sanitation procedures and/or acceptable water quality and/or acceptable pathogen levels in compost.

• Building upgrades that prevent food safety risks from occurring (e.g., shatterproof lighting, cleanable surfaces, air curtain to separate incompatible areas).

• Equipment that will immediately reduce a food safety risk (e.g. bin washer, knife sanitizer, automated sanitation chemical dispenser, water treatment equipment).

Growing Forward 2 has established projects that address food safety through worker practices, pest control, pre and post-harvest water, soil amendments and cleaning and sanitizing as the highest priority.

Do you have a food safety project in mind? Contact Christine Card for more information at (519) 826-3337 or christine.card@ontario.ca

requires an efficient and economic seed production system. Most strawberry cultivars are hermaphrodites where the flowers contain both male and female functions enabling them to flower, self-pollinate and bear fruit. Hermaphrodite inbred lines would have to be hand pollinated to make F1-hybrid seed. As part of this project, genetically female lines are being developed as these can be pollinated by insects/wind making seed production inexpensive.

To make a hybrid you need inbred parent plants. However inbred plants demonstrate severe inbreeding depression, so a carefully designed production system is needed to overcome these challenges. Propagation and handling systems for these inbred parents are being developed.

Becky Hughes, New Liskeard Agricultural Research Station has developed a system to maintain inbred parents in tissue culture.

Toktam Taghavi at the Simcoe Research Station is working with Fafard et Frères Ltée to evaluate the effects of substrate and fertility

AIP project update in Simcoe. Looking at substrate trial with University of Guelph researchers and project sponsors, including: (L-R) Toktam Taghavi, University of Guelph, Simcoe Cale Laver, sales rep. FaFard Adam Dale, University of Guelph, Simcoe Kevin Schooley, Ontario Berry Growers’ Association Becky Hughes, University of Guelph, New Liskeard on pot-grown inbred plants.

This research is funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the AgriInnovation Program Industry-led Research and Development Stream, the Ontario Berry Growers Association, Fafard et Frères Ltée and the Ontario Ministry of

Agriculture and Food/University of Guelph partnership.

Becky Hughes is based at the University of Guelph, New Liskeard Agricultural Research Station.

PAGE 24 –– NOVEMBER 2015 THE GROWER

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MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Remembrance

CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA Remembrance Day is just around the corner, and in addition to remembering those who have fallen, I received a ‘message’ at Thanksgiving that is worth passing along.

During our local Fall Fair I came across a friend staffing a booth as a volunteer. It took me a minute to realize the theme of the booth until we had chatted. The message knocked me back and struck me dumb. Hundreds of small adorned bird images represented the hundreds of aboriginal women who have simply disappeared from Canada over the past 40 years. I was told that Ontario had the highest rate of such disappearances which further struck me. In an age of rapid communication, and vibrant descriptions, this issue was portrayed in a simple yet poignant way that really strikes home. All of these lost people deserve our best efforts, and remembering them is a good start. Those who are responsible for such a travesty should not continue to have this issue cloaked in secrecy. Only when people recognize the enormity of the problem can something be done about it.

I passed along from that booth to another that was equally shocking for me. In short and simple words, the loss of just two of many victims from drunk driving ‘accidents’ (they aren’t really accidents- they should be called deliberates) were portrayed on boards for all to see. Both of these losses were very young children. Their grieving families must bear their memory forever, usually alone, after the initial

outbursts of public outrage at the offender. In one case the offender had only received a five-year sentence, meaning she was out in just over two years with double credit for pre-trial time served. I wonder if she wakes up every day ruing her decision to drive while impaired. At the very least she should have become the most strident advocate for changing the driving habits of her consoeurs.

Later that day I met up with another friend who is a retiree from the local steel plant. Our immediate discussion was about the very recent news release that the parent company had ‘walked away’ from the health benefits owing to retirees. This is the first step of walking away altogether.

Unfortunately, the parent company will strip the assets, take the orders for steel that the plant could fulfill, and replace them with U.S. steel. Meanwhile, the most efficient plant in North America will have to fight for markets anew, with apparently only a handful of sales reps left to canvass all possible buyers. The plant workers will have the mighty sword of closure hanging over their heads until such time as reorganization, recapitalization and a new order book can save them. All this is occurring just at Thanksgiving and before the Christmas season that are normally joyful events. The many hundreds of retirees will just have to figure how to eke out the additional health costs that are unplanned, all the while wondering how solid that pension cheque will be in the future. The sudden woes for these folks come out of the blue, and their plights should be recognized.

We went out to vote this weekend too. There was a long list of candidates running in our riding, and likely the same plays out across Canada. It struck me that candidates are like baseball players. In baseball a .300 hitter makes millions. (In spite of the fact of the other reality that they ‘miss’ 70 per cent of the time!) In elections, only 10-25 per cent of those who run for election actually achieve their aim of getting elected. (And then the real

surprise comes when it dawns on them what they have got themselves into!) Nonetheless, we need to applaud them all, regardless of their platforms, for they have taken that big step to at least run and be heard. Given that there are elections at the federal, provincial and local levels, as well as in service clubs, social clubs, condo boards, and many other venues, the list of ‘volunteers’ is huge. We need to show appreciation to all of them, not just the winners.

To top off this weekend, I heard this morning of a nearby farmer who lost his barn and livestock in a fire last night. I am sure his neighbours will pitch in to help -- farm folk are like that.

It makes me grateful to live and work in such a ‘community.’ It is considered a ‘set-back’ not a tragedy when this happens.

Just like when boys sent off to war came back as changed men, or didn’t come back at all.

Remembrance Day for me is far more than just remembering those who fell during wars. It is also about those who were irretrievably changed by what they saw, what they did, and what it did to them, forever. They fought so we can enjoy the peace in our country today. That in turn makes us obliged to recognize the shortcomings in our society, like those mentioned above. It is OUR duty to change what needs to change. It obliges us to remember and not ignore those who are lost, those who are killed, those who give, and those who volunteer.

My extended family had a lot of luck in both WWI and WWII. Although many served in the armed forces in both conflicts, they all were ‘lucky’ enough to survive the conflicts. However, they were not all so lucky to escape the effects the war had on them. There were two greatuncles who had “shell-shock” in WWI. One died in the ‘20s, never having been able to come to grips with it. The other (who was gassed at Passchendaele) lived into his ‘80s, but was always ‘a little different’ since his return from the war. This was accepted in his local farm community and

Gunners on a duckboard track in Château Wood near Hooge, Passchendaele 1917. Photo by Frank Hurley.

“

Given that there are elections at the federal, provincial and local levels, as well as in service clubs, social clubs, condo boards, and many other venues, the list of ‘volunteers’ is huge. We need to show appreciation to all of them, not just the winners.”

amongst the family, but I am sure it caused ‘issues’ when he chose to live elsewhere. His long suffering wife buffered these effects for most of their lives. My only uncle survived three tours (90 missions) as a bomber pilot, but the war wielded its sword on him nonetheless, as the “live today to the utmost- I may be dead tomorrow” attitude could not be shirked off once the war ended. He ‘lived’ 30 more years, but never achieved what could have been, due to the demons he carried with him. Why did he survive yet all his friends died?

Why did he get to walk away from crashes when others perished? In the end, his body gave out, it just took longer than the others to succumb to war’s ravishes.

My own mother died years after the war as a result of

unintended, unthought-of (then) radiation emissions from radar equipment she operated during the war. Many other thenyoung women later suffered the same awful fate -- victims all. She rarely mentioned the war, but I still recall her saying that every boy from their town (except her brother) was killed in the war.

None of them came back.

There are still a few veterans in hospitals like Sunnybrook in Toronto who await death to finally take them from the things that war did to them. They are often without visitors as their families are gone, and many never had the joys of their own children. If you get the chance, go visit there and learn what war can actually do.

Remember them too, on November 11th.

I will.

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