The Grower October 2015

CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

OCTOBER 2015

VOLUME 65 NUMBER 10

LABOUR

Six Canadian provinces to raise minimum wage Oct. 1

Rod Wheeler (right) and foreman Artemio Zarate-Garcia, inspect a freshly cut cabbage at Procyk Farms, Wilsonville, Ontario. Behind this hard-working contingent are another 300 Mexican workers who have finished the tomato, zucchini, pepper and sweet corn harvest. As of October 1, their minimum wages rise to $11.25 per hour.

Productivity counts. No wonder they handle two cabbages at a time. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

INSIDE Apple outlook

Page 6

PEI’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program

Page 7

Focus: Greenhouse innovation Page 14

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

KAREN DAVIDSON Wilsonville, Ontario –During peak harvest season, there are 306 offshore workers at Procyk Farms. On October 1, they’ll receive a boost when the Ontario minimum wage moves from $11 to $11.25 per hour. For this farm, that’s $3442 per hour in labour costs to pick the humble cruciferous vegetable: cabbage.

Five other Canadian provinces – British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland -- will raise their respective rates this month, making this country uncompetitive to the U.S. and Mexico. The Procyk Farm owners of Rod Wheeler and the Procyk brothers Paul, Michael and Danny, plan to move forward based on volume of tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, sweet corn and cabbage from their 1150-acre farm. But the future is on ever slimmer margins. None of them begrudge the wages to their

Mexican workers. In fact, they built a new housing facility for 60 workers in 2014.

“We need the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program,” says Paul Procyk. “If we didn’t have this program, our farm would be gone.”

The conundrum is that there is no way to mitigate these labour increases along with higher costs of fertilizer and crop protection products priced in U.S. dollars.

Not only are minimum wage rates rising, but labour legislation has come to the fore as well. In Ontario, for example, the ministry of labour has taken the unprecedented move of opening all pieces of legislation for scrutiny. The Changing Workplace Review looks specifically at the Labour Relations Act 1995 and the Employment Standards Act 2000.

The intent is to examine workplace trends such as temporary jobs, globalization and trade liberalization, accelerating technological change and

“

We need the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.

If we didn’t have this program, our farm would be gone.” ~Paul Procyk

greater workplace diversity. All of those issues are relevant to horticulture.

In addition, the Ontario government is fleshing out details of the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan to be launched in 2017. Employees and employers are to contribute an equal amount, capped at 1.9 per cent each on an employee’s annual earnings up to $90,000. At present, it’s unknown whether this plan will include those who come from Mexico and the Caribbean as part of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP).

The Labour Issues Coordinating Committee, helmed

by Ken Linington, is watching these developments closely. To date, provincial legislation has honoured the reality that all workforces are not the same.

How to implement noise protection, for example, is just as important as the regulation itself.

Continued on page 3

PAGE 2 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERS

AT PRESS TIME… Vote for your fave potato chip

worth of stock to boost shareholder returns.

Lays Do Us a Flavour contest is engaging thousands through social media with its quest for a new flavour of potato chip. The four finalists included Cowboy BBQ Beans, Butter Chicken, Montreal Smoked Meat and PEI Scalloped Potatoes. The contest rules ask for a Canadian regional inspiration for their recipe.

Consumers will have the last word on their favourite. Online balloting ended September 30 and the winner will be announced in late November. That lucky person will win $50,000 and one per cent of their flavour’s future sales.

About 60 per cent of Canada’s potato production goes towards the processing industry.

Reuters news service reported that the Swiss company will divest of the most profitable of its seeds businesses, which has gross profit margins of more than 60 per cent compared with about 45 per cent for all seeds last year.

Syngenta to sell vegetable seeds business Syngenta AG, known widely for its crop protection portfolio, plans to sell its vegetable seeds business.

The September 3 announcement followed the company’s rejection of a takeover bid by Monsanto Co. The plan is to raise funds in order to buy back more than $2 billion

Fresh logo for OFVC

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention has launched a new logo for the February 17-18, 2016 event. The acronym ‘ofvc’ focuses on the main element, joining the letters f and v for fruit and vegetables. The leaves represent growth and the coming together of agriculture and business. The new colour scheme incorporates teal blue which is associated with stability and trust. The new green colour is associated with growth and freshness.

Bursaries available The Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processors Association (OF&VPA) are continuing with a bursary fund to support individuals pursuing a career in any aspect of the processing vegetable industry.

These organizations are working together to ensure that there are new individuals who will have the interest, skills and abilities to further develop and grow this sector of Ontario’s agri-food economy.

Sponsor donations allow the OPVG and the OF&VPA to offer up to five bursaries to students this fall. These include bursaries in memory of former OPVG directors Jim Whitson and Ken Epp. Note that the Jim Whitson bursary is awarded to a student attending Ridgetown College. The award in memory of Ken Epp receives an additional $1,000 from the fund established in his name by the OPVG. Applicants must be a resident of Ontario and registered as a full-time student at any college or university entering the second, third, fourth or post graduate year of study which relates in some aspect to the processing vegetable industry.

If you require further information regarding the bursaries, please contact: Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers at 519-681-1875.

The Bursary Application Form is available at www.opvg.org or on request from the OPVG office (519-681-1875). Applications must be submitted no later than October 15th.

Jamie Slingerland. Photo courtesy of Grape Growers of Ontario.

A toast goes to Jamie Slingerland, director of viticulture at Pillitteri Estates Winery who was announced as the 2015 Grape King in midSeptember. The announcement was made by the Grape Growers of Ontario, Farm Credit Canada and the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival. The Slingerland family has been farming in Niagara-on-theLake since 1783. The grape and wine industry runs deep in the family with father-in-law Gary Pillitteri crowned as Grape King in 1981.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) has appointed Charlie Johnstone as its new CEO. As former president of Honda Indy Toronto since 2005, Johnstone brings a history of spearheading large-scale events that deliver a memorable experience for visitors, participants and sponsors. He previously founded and operated a sports marketing and communications firm. The 93rd annual RAWF takes place from November 6-15, 2015 at Exhibition Place in Toronto.

Patrick Brown, Ontario’s leader of the opposition, has announced critics for a number of portfolios including: Toby Barrett, caucus chair and critic for agriculture, food and rural affairs; Ted Arnott, deputy speaker, committee of the whole and critic for labour; Michael Harris, critic for transportation and critic for research and innovation; Julia Munro, critic for the associate minister of finance (Ontario Retirement Pension Plan); Lisa Thompson, critic for the environment and cap-and-trade.

Doug LaRose was appointed CEO of Agricorp for the duration of Randy Jackiw’s secondment with OMAFRA, effective September 14. He has been CIO with Agricorp for a number of years.

Agricorp is responsible for delivering risk management programs to the agri-food sector in Ontario.

Farm & Food Care has announced that executive director Crystal Mackay will be transitioning from her Ontario role to the new national Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position for Farm & Food Care Canada in January 2016. She will continue to manage her provincial role until a replacement is identified. Farm & Food Care Canada is a national charity with the mandate to build public trust in food and farming in Canada.

Turkish company Yuksel Seeds is entering the Canadian greenhouse market with the hiring of Tyler Clark as director of operations Americas. Based in Kingsville, Ontario, Clark is well-known for his past career with Mastronardi Produce and Koppert Canada.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has announced a new engineer, John Warbick, for the horticulture crop systems position in Vineland. He has extensive background in agricultural and environmental engineering studies with previous experience in the Simcoe OMAFRA office.

The #WineLover Community has named Leeann Froese as their first Canadian ambassador. Founded by Luis Alberto of The Wine Hub in 2012, this well-established community unites wine lovers from across the globe. Her appointment marks the 29th country to join the global network. She co-owns Town Hall Brands, a winefocused marketing and design agency in Vancouver, British Columbia.

John Zandstra, a college professor at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus, has been appointed the new curriculum advisor for the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program, a program offered by the Rural Ontario Institute. He will be providing speaker and field trip recommendations for the class 16 seminars and working directly with participants on their independent group projects.

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER

COVER STORY

Six Canadian provinces to raise minimum wage October 1

A Mexican work crew cuts cabbage.

Continued from page 1 What’s worrisome is that when all these provincial regulations are stacked together, they are at odds with the federal

In this photo, see the immensity of the harvest yet to be cut. government’s push for free-trade agreements abroad. Farmers, and indeed all entrepreneurs, have the duty to uphold the regulations of a wealthy society while competing against jurisdictions with less onerous standards. Their business risk is to

meet provincial standards for labour, water and soil while managing the vagaries of weather.

It’s true that automation is coming quickly to Canadian horticulture, but don’t expect to see robots in fields or orchards

anytime soon. The industry still needs the tender touch and discerning mind to pick a peach at the zenith of its flavour. Or in the case of cabbage, the industry needs strong backs to toss two cabbages at a time.

under SAWP, growers have become accustomed to advertising for local workers and when no applicants appear, applying 12 to 14 weeks in advance for their harvest crews. The strength of this program has proved itself over the years.

“Thanks to supply countries and their workers and the cooperation of Employment and Social Development Canada, the SAWP program has worked very well,” says Ken Forth, president of the Foreign Agricultural Resources Management Services, the administrator for SAWP. “Due to increased security for Canada, we understand that the process takes longer and have adapted.”

SAWP continues to evolve. As of November 20 in Ontario and January 1, 2016 across the remainder of Canada, Canadian employers of Caribbean workers will no longer need to remit 25 per cent of wages to the host country in advance. In the past, the Canadian currency was held by the respective countries on behalf of the workers and paid out upon completion of the work term in local currency. This step is now eliminated. All wages will be paid directly to the worker.

Don’t confuse SAWP with TFWP For the most part, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) runs smoothly. As it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2016, the program administers about 18,000 workers in Ontario alone.

The bulk of seasonal workers in horticulture -- about 95 per cent -- come to Canada under SAWP. This program is one of several administered under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP). During the past year, the umbrella program has received negative press for the fact that restaurant chains were bringing in temporary workers and not hiring local workers. The media lens on this program has spilled over to the

agricultural stream of TFWP. There is a wide range of TFWP including those that require a Labour Market Impact Analysis (LMIA) administered by Employment and Social Development Canada. Agriculture can access TFWP through four programs, each requiring a LMIA. • Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program • Agricultural Stream • Low-Skill (high school or less) • High-Skill (college or higher).

Some growers who use TFWP agricultural stream or low-skill stream may have experienced problems in not getting workers in time for harvest. However,

Editors’ note: For more information, go to: www.retailcouncil.org/quickfacts/ minimum-wage.

INTERNATIONAL UNITED STATES

NORWAY

HONG KONG

UNITED STATES

FRANCE

$5 million for Lake Erie

Pearl potato to be cultivated

Drones to control cranberry moth

Bonduelle excels in North America

An Ohio congresswoman, Marcy Kaptur, has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest an additional $5 million across Ohio, Michigan and Indiana to improve water quality in Lake Erie’s western basin.

“Science tells us that if we want to stop Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms, we need to drastically reduce the amount of harmful nutrients entering Lake Erie’s tributaries, especially dissolved phosphorus from animal livestock,” said Kaptur.

The money is to help farmers employ cover crops, drainage water management systems and nutrient management strategies.

Farmers typically contribute about half of the cost.

Kaptur serves as co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force in the House of Representatives.

Norway’s southfacing peninsula of Frosta is famous for its vegetables, but now also its gourmet potatoes. Three farms are working to produce an alternative to the French Amandine potato, competing on both price and quality.

Seed potatoes from Soloist, Folven and Cerise were planted close together in the soil and placed in slow growth conditions, developing with little fertilizer. When harvested, they look like beads on a string or pearls. These locally produced ‘pearl’ potatoes are taking the Norwegian market by storm.

Funds from Innovation Norway, visits to Fruit Logistica in Berlin and collaboration with Norwegian Agricultural Consulting have led to these potatoes that produce many tubers.

Desire for safe produce remains strong in China

Wisconsin researchers are testing drones to see if they can successfully target cranberry beds with a pheromone-infused wax. The mixture leaves the drone with the consistency of yogurt, eventually hardening into a soft wax.

The objective is that the wax will slowly release sex pheromones that confuse male cranberry moths looking for a real female moth. If the delivery system works, then growers may be able to replace two to five, inseason sprays.

At present, growers must carefully time sprays to control cranberry fruit worm during cranberry bloom.

Bonduelle, the frozen and canned vegetable processor, reported positive results at the end of its fiscal year June 30, despite barely any global consumption growth, European distribution concentration, a factory fire in Tecumseh, Ontario and the Russian embargo. Overall, sales were up 4.1 per cent to 1.981.8 million euro.

The company’s non-European growth – up 12.5 per cent at local exchange rates -- is powering those financial results.

Specifically, North America ventures are doing well. Bonduelle purchased a freezer factory in Lethbridge, Alberta this past fiscal year with capacity for 15,000 tonnes of frozen products.

Bonduelle operates eight processing sites in Canada.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Cool Logistics Asia drew more than 120 people to the conference held concurrently to Asia Fruit Logistica September 2. Hosted in Hong Kong, midst fears of further softening of the Chinese economy, experts said rate volatility is expected to dominate global maritime reefer trades, however perishable cargo volumes overall should remain stable.

The conference covered timely themes such as cold-chain finance, infrastructure investment, reefer shipping prospects and innovative perishable logistics technologies.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Source: FreshPlaza.com

PAGE 4 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

CANADA’S OUTDOOR FARM SHOW

State-of-the-art equipment points to future of precision farming KAREN DAVIDSON

Kubota Canada Ltd. opened its permanent event centre at the site of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in mid-September.

Albert Van Oosten, Specialty Vegetable Equipment, unveiled self-propelled, high-clearance sprayers.

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

Woodstock, Ontario -- Let’s hope that the sunny skies shining on this year’s Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) is a predictor for good economic times ahead.

Kubota Canada Ltd. is betting big on a robust agricultural sector.

The company opened a permanent event centre at the Woodstock, Ontario site and launched new products as well.

“The future is bright,” says Rob Allison, national sales manager. “We were one of the first exhibitors to sign on to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 22 years ago. We want to show our commitment to this market with bricks and mortar.”

The ‘Wow’ factor of the 2,480 square-foot centre is as much a message to farmers as it is to dealers. The permanent centre will be used for dealer training and customer appreciation days throughout the year. Easy to recognize with its iconic Kubota Cube on the building’s upper front corner, the centre also incorporates many of the elements included in the dealer image program as dealerships build new facilities or renovate existing ones.

The Japanese manufacturer showcased its 2015 line of products, including the M7, a high horsepower utility tractor.

The combination of selective catalytic reduction and common rail system provides better fuel economy and less engine noise.

The take-home message is that it’s cleaner for the environment with the power of a V6108 engine.

Also launched was the SSV Skid Steer Loader. Allison points out that the skid steer loader may not be a primary tool for horticulture, but it’s certainly useful for chores around the farm.

The company has dealerships across the country which are serving horticulture well. British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley dealership has become a primary source of equipment as has Ontario’s dealerships in Prince Edward County and the Niagara region. Kubota’s line is well suited to the narrow rows of vineyards and high-density apple orchards.

Kubota acquired the Norwegian firm of Kverneland a year ago, and is now integrating their high-quality tillage tools and spray rigs into the lineup.

Kubota also offers zero per cent financing through their own finance company.

“We still sell a lot of equipment on cash, but this is a convenience for those who want to finance,” says Allison.

Also at the show was newcomer Specialty Vegetable Equipment (SVE) which sells and services Dutch-built, self-propelled sprayers from its

base at Princeton, Ontario. Just entering the North American market, these high-clearance sprayers can handle boom widths up to 180 feet. The smaller Agrifac Condor model offers tank sizes of 900, 1050 and 1,300 gallons (3,400, 4000 and 5,000 litres) while the bigger model holds 2,100 gallons (8,000 litres).

A key feature is the StabiloPlus, a pendulum-mounted chassis that rides on air suspension. It prevents sway of the booms and therefore a more accurate application of crop protection products.

“This also makes it possible for us to go up to 180 foot booms,” says Albert Van Oosten, SVE sales representative. “This way, we can have the same capacity as a 90 foot boom, but by driving half the speed and double the width, we make fewer passes through the field with more accurate application.”

“

The future is bright. We were one of the first exhibitors to sign on to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 22 years ago. We want to show our commitment to this market with bricks and mortar.” ~ Rob Allison

One option is the HighTechAirPlus system which allows for a 50 per cent increase in capacity and can produce the right droplet size without the need to change nozzles. Van Oosten describes the system as a combination of traditional spraying, air injection and mixing in the nozzle holders.

The computer will inject either more or less air to the nozzle holder to create the right droplet size.

“The air speeds up the downward movement of the crop protection product, resulting in less drift and better penetration through the crop canopy,” says Van Oosten.

For more information, go to Facebook’s Agrifac North America page or Facebook’s Specialty Vegetable Equipment page.

Overall, the 22nd anniversary of COFS attracted major crowds.

“We are pleased that 43,200 people attended the show,” reported Carol Carson, COFS communications coordinator.

“Many farmers were in the middle of harvest but still managed to take a day to come and see the latest innovations in agriculture.”

The next show will be held September 13 – 15, 2016.

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 5 THE GROWER

CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST BRITISH COLUMBIA

Blueberry season finishes with record volume After Mother Nature gave British Columbia blueberry growers a hot, dry season and the earliest start in recent history, the blueberry season closed on a high note. 2015 volumes were pegged at 68 million kilograms (150 million pounds), cementing the province’s reputation as a top global producer of highbush blueberries.

“While our 800 growers faced weather challenges this season, we remain confident that British Columbia continues to be a strong producer of highbush blueberries, and we're expecting consistent supply into early September,” said Debbie Etsell, executive director of the British

Columbia Blueberry Council. “The hot weather we've experienced this season has resulted in our late harvest variety, Elliott, producing some of its sweetest berries ever.”

As seen in recent years, an increase in available product has allowed the British Columbia Blueberry Council to continue to expand its marketing efforts overseas, creating new demand for exports from the province. In addition to visits from Chinese and Korean inspectors, a trade agreement for fresh market access for B.C. blueberries with China was signed this season. This comes at a time when the demand for fresh Canadian blueberries in China is very high

due to the health benefits and quality of the product.

Plantings top 11,000 hectares in British Columbia and produce upwards of 68 million kilograms of blueberries annually.

With more than $1 billion in sales in the past five years, Canada is the third largest national producer of sweet and juicy highbush blueberries in the world.

Available fresh in B.C. from July through October, BC blueberries are also frozen, dried, juiced, pureed and powdered, available for year round-distribution throughout Canada and around the world.

Photo courtesy of BC Blueberry Council/ Tracey Kusiewicz

QUEBEC

QPMA highlights e-commerce, rejuvenation The Quebec Produce Marketing Association elected a new board of directors at its recent convention in Quebec City. For 2015-2016, they are: president, Stephan Schmekel, Fresh Del Monte Produce (Canada); 1st vice-president Judith Basque, Provigo/Loblaw; 2nd vicepresident Roland Lafont, Vergers SaintPaul; past-president Sammy Cacciatore, Sun Grape Marketing; chief executive officer Sophie Perreault; acting director Robert Beauregard; acting director Marie Gosselin. Also elected to the board is Pascal Guerin, Les Jardins A. Guerin et fils representing the growers-packers-

processors-shippers sector.

A stimulating conference agenda included Jacques Nantel, head of the marketing education department and director of programs at HEC Montreal. He gave an overview of new trends in e-commerce and their impact on consumer behaviour.

Several awards were bestowed. Alain Pare (Metro) was declared 2015 Pillar of the Industry in Quebec for his distinguished professional career and personal qualities. Stephan Schmekel of Fresh Del Monte Produce (Canada) accepted the role of president with the theme of “Building the Future” for the year

ahead. That theme was put into action with the selection of a new intern who will work for a full year inside the association.

This year’s nominee is Julie Lefort (Serres Lefort), the first woman to take part in the internship program.

Photo right: (Left to right) Bernard Côté, (J. B. Laverdure – President of the Cultivating the Next Generation Committee), Julie Lefort (Serres Lefort – 2015-2016 Next Generation Intern), Sammy Cacciatore (Sun Grape Marketing – QPMA Board President for 2014-2015)

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PAGE 6 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

APPLE OUTLOOK

Growers are optimistic about firming apple prices

Kirk Kemp, Algoma Orchards Ltd, Newcastle, Ontario is predicting half the volume of last year, but with recent sunny days and cooler nights, he anticipates a wellcoloured and sweetly flavoured apple. Their apple bins were photographed in late August, ready for the 2015 harvest.

British Columbia is well into apple harvest, having experienced one of the earliest springs ever. A very hot summer in the Okanagan translated into an early start for apple harvest.

“A switch was flicked on at the end of peaches and we immediately started apples,” says Chris Pollock, marketing manager, BC Tree Fruits, Kelowna, British Columbia which markets 85 per cent of the province’s fruit. He estimates that three

million cartons will be packed this year, down by about five per cent from last year.

Prices are holding steady, a little up from last year.

Ontario’s crop will be half the normal volume -- 3.8 million cartons -- due to a frost at critical bloom time. While the crop is light, quality and sizing will be very good says Kirk Kemp, Algoma Orchards Limited, Newcastle, Ontario. Due to sunny days and cooler nights in late September,

he expects good colour and sweeter flavour. He is also optimistic that the firming up of U.S. apple prices will augur well for the entire apple industry.

Quebec escaped the spring frosts of Ontario, so is in better shape with a crop estimated at 5.8 million cartons. However, hotter than normal September temperatures did not help with colouring of fruit. “Until September 21, the coolest night was 16°C and we really needed 5°C,” says Stephanie Levasseur, Frelighsburg, Quebec. If cooler temperatures prevail, then harvest is expected to finish around Thanksgiving weekend. Prices are holding firm, with premium prices expected for Honeycrisp.

Nova Scotia apple growers are still bearing the brunt of harsh climatic conditions: a brutally snowy winter, dry summer and abnormally hot September.

“It’s a very slow start to the apple harvest in the Annapolis Valley,” says Doug Nichols, Morristown, Nova Scotia. Colour development has been challenging.

While Washington’s big apple crop is news, the Atlantic region growers can usually sidestep the effects of that crop.

“Varieties such as Honeycrisp and club varieties are stabilizing the industry. We wouldn’t be in business without Honeycrisp,” says Nichols.

Competitors In Washington state, the 2015 season is shaping up as the third largest harvest in the state’s history. That translates to 121-125 million cartons according to the

Washington Apple Commission.

Ideal conditions in spring and summer led to harvesting two weeks early, with more typical weather patterns adding colour in recent weeks. Red Delicious, the largest percentage of the crop, is expected to top 31 million cartons. Gala is the second most popular variety with volumes estimated at more than 29 million cartons.

Honeycrisp volumes are expected to reach nine million cartons this year. Strong consumer demand for Honeycrisp is translating into limited volumes for export.

Of note, the popularity of Golden Delicious continues to decline with many growers shifting to newer varieties or pulling out orchards. The estimate for 2015 is the lowest since 1973.

Overseas Don’t underestimate New Zealand. The export-driven country enjoyed a bumper crop as Pipfruit New Zealand predicts records to be broken every year for the next five years.

Statistics New Zealand figures showed fruit exports in May 2015 had the highest-ever value for a month (at $445 million). June and April exports were the second- and third-highest, respectively.

Asia continued to take 35 per cent to 40 per cent of the crop. This trend is expected to continue with China taking a record 20,000 tonnes this year.

Fresh from the Farm program expands in Ontario October 9 is the deadline for selected Ontario schools to register for the fundraising program, Fresh from the Farm.

Participation is expected to double this year from last according to Cathy O’Connor, project coordinator. Total pounds of fruits and vegetables distributed are expected to top 330,000 pounds.

“By 2017, we expect that this program will be available in all 72 school boards across Ontario,” says O’Connor. The message of fundraising for schools with healthy produce is one that resonates with all stakeholders.

Now in its third year, some of

the growing pains have been eliminated with improved online ordering. Parsnips and beets, for example, have been replaced this year with sweet potatoes.

The first bundle, priced at $10 consists of five pounds of potatoes, three pounds of carrots, three pounds of onions and three pounds of sweet potatoes. The second bundle, priced at $15, consists of eight pounds of Empire apples.

Once this year’s orders are tabulated, delivery will be coordinated for early November.

The farmers participating are: Algoma Orchards, Bay Growers,

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.

Carron Farms, Don Poulin Potatoes, Martins Apples, Rutledge Farms, Mulders potatoes and Streef Produce. The procurement process is open to

all farmers who can meet the criteria of volume and packaging.

As of press time, 157 Ontario schools are participating this fall.

For more information:

contact@freshfromfarm.ca or call Alison Robertson, OFVGA, 519-763-6160 ext.

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 7 THE GROWER

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

All eyes on Prince Edward Island’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program KAREN DAVIDSON With three years of demonstration plots under his belt, potato farmer Alvin Keenan is convinced that 4R Nutrient Stewardship is improving yields and quality of his potatoes. That’s in addition to goals of minimizing field nutrient losses and maximizing crop uptake of fertilizers.

Fertilizer Canada’s funding is showing farmers how the right source at the right rate, right time and right place – 4Rs – can improve all aspects of potato production. Prince Edward Island’s farmers are working to reduce nitrate water contamination. Rollo Bay Holdings (Alvin and his brother Ray), Spring Valley Farms and Jeff and Jason Smallman all shared their plots with other growers in early September.

“We’re trying to feed our crops exactly what they need at the right time,” says Keenan, who along with his brother Ray, farms 1000 acres of Russet potatoes destined for the fresh market. “In some cases, I’ve seen a 30 per cent reduction in fertilizer use.”

Because Keenan also sits on the Canadian Horticultural Council, his experiences with the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program are shared nationally. He’s a member of the Canadian Potato Council representing 1,300 potato growers.

Granular fertilizer has been the normal practice, however some growers are working towards evaluating liquid starter fertilizers as well. No prescription can be mass produced. Each grower must consider current soil status via regular soil testing, addition of organic amendments and the type of variety/end use.

Consultant Steve Watts, owner of Genesis Crop Systems and a 4R agronomist, has enjoyed watching demonstration plots increase from an original five sites in 2013 to 14 sites in 2015. He works closely with growers

on pre-planting, mid-season and post-harvest soil testing as well as foliar petiole testing. Samples from each of the 4R and grower standard practice (GSP) test plots are sent to Cavendish Farms for overall evaluation that mimics a commercial grower delivery. Included is a calculation of net return per acre that takes into consideration any changes in the price of the fertilizer program. It’s the real-life metrics that show growers how they can improve.

Most strategies involved splitting the nitrogen component into several applications as compared to the current industry norm. This involves applying most of the product in 2X2 bands at planting time. Appropriate adjustments are made with phosphorus and potassium application as well.

“We have hosted numerous field tours where we ask visiting growers and other industry participants to select from samples of growers’ standard practice and 4Rproduced tubers,” says Watts. “Most often, the 4R samples are favoured as they appear to have more uniform size and in some cases better yields.”

Fall sample grading is indicating better tuber quality with fewer defects and improvements in tuber dry matter, a desirable result for those growing for the processing market. On the environmental side, postharvest soil samples suggest the 4R program results in reduced soil nitrate levels as well – an extremely significant issue in Prince Edward Island where all water comes from ground water.

“Whether you’re growing potatoes in Prince Edward Island or pumpkins in Ontario, tradition dictates your current fertilizer management strategy,” says Watts. “We are not suggesting anyone is doing anything wrong. The objective is to see if we can implement incremental change and help improve the current situation from an economic, environmental and social aspect.”

The PEI 4R initiative involves many public and private agencies including Fertilizer Canada, the government of Prince Edward Island, the PEI Federation of Agriculture,

the PEI Potato Board and the Kensington North Watershed Association. Funding has been committed to continue 4R research and demonstrations on PEI for the next three years.

Steve Watts from Genesis Crop Systems and Alvin Keenan, Rollo Bay Holdings display samples of GoldRush potatoes grown using 4R (left) and Keenan’s traditional fertilizer program (right) at a recent PEI 4R tailgate meeting in Dundas PEI. Photo courtesy Kevin MacIsaac.

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 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

Talking turkey about the Canadian election KAREN DAVIDSON This Thanksgiving, politics will be the main course. In a three-way race too close to call for October 19, Canadians will be sitting down to a feast of debate.

But there’s one number that is immutable: 170 seats for a majority.

The Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) hosted a webinar on September 15th that detailed why the three parties are in a dead heat. Many of the closest races are predicted to be in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

“These provinces happen to be where the Canadian produce industry is concentrated,” said Keith Kuhl, CHC president and a potato farmer from Manitoba.

“There are 121 seats in Ontario alone and many of those are in southern and central Ontario.”

There are 30 new seats across Canada with many boundary changes. Here are some of the ridings to watch. In Prince Edward Island, the riding of Egmont is currently held by Conservative Gail Shea, the minister of national revenue. She’s in a tight race with the Liberals.

To date, the NDP has kept its Orange Crush wave in Quebec with its youthful roster of MPs, especially in rural francophone areas. Conservatives are strong in the Quebec City area while the Liberals are favoured on the island of Montreal.

Ontario’s LakeshoreEtobicoke riding is another classic race between Conservatives and Liberals. Home to the Ontario Food Terminal and its millions of dollars of economic spin-off, this riding was solidly Liberal from 1993 to 2011.

Remember that former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff called this home base from 2006 to 2011. Currently held by the Conservatives, it may fall back into the Liberal fold.

In British Columbia, the new riding of Port Moody-Coquitlam will be closely watched. The NDP and Liberals are neck and neck according to polls, with the Conservatives not far behind.

Traditionally, this area has been a stronghold for the NDP. However, part of the old riding was held by Conservative James Moore, a popular minister of industry who resigned and did not join this election campaign.

Together, CPMA and CHC have analyzed each party’s position on the key issues: payment protection for produce sellers, health and nutrition, food safety modernization, labour, North American perimeter approach and research and innovation.

CHC’s top issue has been securing support for payment protection for producer sellers.

This protection under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) was rescinded by the U.S. government October 1, 2014. CHC’s assessment is that the Conservatives have shown limited willingness to look at a trust. Support for the CHC’s position is not expected.

The NDP has pledged to trust protection similar to PACA. Very positive discussions have been held with the Liberals and at press time, CHC was hopeful for support during the campaign.

“I can’t overstate the importance of outreach to local MPs,” says Kuhl. “Advocacy is not about being angry through bullhorns. It’s not random or militant or done alone. It’s about nurturing connections and having reciprocal relationships. All of that takes time, but over time, the consistency and cohesiveness make a difference.”

“If you provide the passion, we’ll share the plan,” he concludes.

Tools for outreach are available at the respective websites. For CPMA, go to: http://ow.ly/SrOl9. For CHC, go to: http://ow.ly/SrPG1

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OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 9 THE GROWER

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

Board briefs Introduction

Property Report

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) board met on August 19, 2015.

Work continues at both the CHC and the Horticulture Value Chain Roundtable on the Sustainability file. Currently the HVCRT is taking a long look at the United Fresh Sustainability questionnaire as a possible bench-marking tool for the sector.

There have been two meetings this summer facilitated by Farm and Food Care on phosphorus reduction goals for Lake Erie.

The first was on July 14 and another on August 10. There were approximately 75 in attendance, the same people at each meeting.

The meetings were held to discuss the recent recommendations by a joint working group of representatives from the Lake Erie states and Ontario in regards to establishing phosphorus loading targets for the East, Central, and West basins of Lake Erie.

The recommendation so far is in the range of 20 to 40 per cent depending on which basin by 2020.

The bird damage mitigation work continues. An application has been prepared to request funding to extend the project for two more years. Kestrels do not like to nest near woodlots. Some of the box locations may need to be moved to enhance our ability to attract kestrels.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair meetings have started.

Organizers are trying to increase the number of entries to the horticultural competitions. All information is available online.

Canadian Horticultural Council Report (CHC) CHC has adopted a policy of not including the processing vegetable assessment in the provincial fee calculations for Ontario. This is partly in recognition of the fact that Ontario already pays 35 per cent of the CHC’s total membership fees.

Financial Risk Management continues to be active. Minister Ritz has not made this a priority despite ongoing information provided by CHC and Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) on the importance of a PACA-like trust for horticultural producers in Canada. To date, only the NDP party has pledged its support if elected.

CHC has developed an AgriRisk Program application designed to cover losses associated with product recalls. This would include such things as the potato-tampering incident in Prince Edward Island. The CHC board has approved moving forward on this application while still maintaining the right to stop at any point.

The finance committee continues to work with the AAFC and CFA in an attempt to secure up-to-date data on the AgriStability program. We have been able to obtain some information for 2012. We have no update on more recent years.

Horticulture only represents 6.4 per cent of the total participants in AgriStability. There were about 74,000 participants total in 2012. 56 per cent of horticultural producers participated in AgriStability. Those producers represent 82 per cent of the total market value of horticultural crops (for those growers who have sales of $10,000 or more).

Research Report Harold Schooley attended the Twilight Tour at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC) a few weeks ago. The author of the book “The Dorito Effect” spoke at the tour. People seek out flavour and it was suggested that in our attempt to extend shelf life, we have removed some of the flavour of fruits and vegetables.

John Kelly travelled with Arthur Potts (Parliamentary Assistant to Jeff Leal, the Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs) and OMAFRA policy advisor Johanna Wilkes.

The tour was a huge success at engaging and educating government staff on how horticultural crops are grown in Ontario.

Labour Report The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) has many changes taking place. The 25 per cent deduction on Caribbean workers is removed as of November 20. There may also be changes to the way VISA credit card fees are collected.

Currently, producers pay the fee upfront and are reimbursed by the worker later. The Canadian government wants workers to pay their fees upfront. Liaison officers will not be able to apply on the worker’s behalf for SIN number applications. They must see the applicant in person instead.

Safety Nets The SDRM reference committee has met several times recently to prepare for the rollout of the 2015 SDRM program and monitor the wrap up of 2013 and 2014.

There have been ongoing discussions about the overall subject of RMP continuous improvement, which is part of the ministry's process of program justification. All of the six RMP/SDRM programs are undergoing the same discussion.

As of August 4, 2015 2,387

Squash display at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. deposit notices for 2014 SDRM had been sent out and 1,984 deposit requests had been received from producers. A total of $23.21 million had been matched by government, which represents 87.5 per cent of possible matching funds based on the eligible 2014 ANS. This was funded by our initial allotment of $23 million plus an additional $2 million of unused funds by other commodities as per the sharing agreement, minus administration

costs and with under $1 million remaining to cover any changes in ANS as a result of audits etc.

In 2015 it is possible to request Direct Deposit for SDRM funds. So far 300 producers have taken advantage of this and we will be following up with reminders in The Grower to encourage everyone to use this process. 2015 is also the first program year where there is no requirement to be enrolled in Agri-Stability in order to qualify

for SDRM. As mentioned earlier, OFVGA will be looking to canvas member commodities for information on what growers are using their SDRM funds for. This will be generalized when passing on to the government so as not to identify any individual producer, but will help with justifying the continuance of the program.

PAGE 10 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

Grateful for every plate full

JASON VERKAIK CHAIR, OFVGA In November of 1621, the three-day feast after a first successful corn harvest was celebrated by the Pilgrims along with allied Native Americans. It is considered the first Thanksgiving meal for North America. The second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 marked the end of a long drought that threatened the year’s crops.

In addition to a meal celebration,

religious fasting became traditional at harvest time.

Throughout history and crossing many cultures and religions, there are many examples of celebrating the harvest with people giving thanks and fasting. Most of us are aware of the catch phrase “if you ate today, thank a farmer.”

While I think that is a fair statement, I think the original American thanksgiving festival was a celebration of an opportunity realized.

Some of us may have had a good season and others an extremely challenging one. While we are thankful to live in a country and province that has governments allowing freedoms and opportunity, I feel we have moved into a time of fasting when it comes to real investments from government into horticulture. Risk management tools have been reduced. We have lost some of the funding for environmental farm plans. We have infrastructure disparities that

hinder growth. A promised comparable deemed trust has not been implemented. The rise in minimum wage and the future Ontario Registered Pension Plan are some examples of the challenges we face to be competitive.

I also feel that a more abundant sector can be built when industry shares ideas.

Horticultural farmers would be very thankful for government to enact policies that enable farmers to be competitive and profitable while they continue to be environmental stewards of the land. We ask for legislation to be created to protect the business of farming and investments in agricultural infrastructure to allow for an abundance of harvest to continue for future generations.

It is time to break this fast from both the federal and provincial governments. It is time to meet and share at the thanksgiving table of opportunity. We are not a sector in agriculture looking for

handouts; we are a sector of agriculture looking to have tools in place to keep us competitive in a global market, to expand our export opportunities along with the ability to secure local food production.

On a personal note, as I reflect upon this season of harvest, I am

truly thankful for being able to farm both through times of plenty and times of struggle. I am thankful to God and country for the opportunity we all have. Join with me and take a moment to be grateful for every plate full.

supporting further private investment in the sector. The development of access to affordable power through investment in natural gas pipelines and electricity infrastructure will lead to growth in the sector. The efficient use of combined heat and power systems, including solar, will go a long way to enhancing the profitability of horticulture producers. Access to affordable, high-speed internet is a business necessity. That some farms are still using dial-up for this access is unacceptable. The various levels of government must find a way to work together to address this serious, specific challenge to maintaining and growing horticultural businesses.

Dedicated funds for horticultural infrastructure are needed to remain competitive. Growers should determine if infrastructure enhancement is a platform of those seeking election.

Farmers are innovators and are continually investing in their businesses, diversifying, modernizing and being as efficient as they possibly can.

More is needed however, and there are financial tools that could be developed to assist with these developments. For example, enhancing the rate of capital depreciation will spur future

investment by releasing tied-up capital. In the manufacturing sector, eligible machinery and other equipment that would normally qualify for a 30 per cent capital cost allowance (CCA) may have a 50 per cent straight line accelerated CCA. This type of system would be very useful for purchase of new and relatively new equipment by horticulturalists.

While many of the critical policy items affecting growers are administered at the provincial level, it is crucial that the horticultural sector have a strong voice within the federal government. The Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) has identified financial risk management and increasing the consumption of produce by consumers as the key issues for the 2015 federal election. Growers should ask their local prospective Members of Parliament how they will address these key concerns. And the emphasis is on actions.

But in order to really have a voice, growers must also get into action. Get out and vote. It is your right, and in my view, your responsibility.

Voting: a right and a responsibility

JOHN KELLY EXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA The horticulture industry, like many industries, is directly impacted by the policies of all levels of government (municipal, regional, provincial and federal) as well as those from international jurisdictions. Because we are going through a long federal election, there is ample opportunity for candidates from the major political parties to hear the concerns and needs of farmers. And there is ample time for these parties to put forward their agenda on matters that impact growers.

Everyone has a responsibility to get out and voice their opinion through their vote. One vote may not seem consequential in the large scheme of things, but when

blocks of those “single votes” agree, then there is a large potential for changing the face of the government. For example, several ridings across the country in the last federal election were decided by only a few hundred votes, yet the turn-out in the last federal election was only six out of 10 eligible to vote. To have a say, it is really important to register your thoughts through your vote.

The federal and provincial governments must be able to work together to address issues of mutual concern and responsibility. Those who work in horticulture know this only too well through the development of the Growing Forward 2 policy framework. This framework has federal only and federal/ provincial components which must address those key items to move the sector forward. Risk management, research and development, and skills training are examples of three areas jointly supported by the two levels of government. It does take cooperation to make this policy a reality.

The greenhouse sector is particularly impacted by federal policy. The export market is essential to the continued success of greenhouse operators in

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.

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

Ontario, with 70 per cent of production going outside of Canada. Financial risk mitigation is a key issue for Canadian growers who export to the United States. It is precisely a year ago that the United States withdrew Canadian horticultural producers’ preferred status within the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). Jason Verkaik, OFVGA chair of the board, clearly explained the consequences of this action in his July column. The withdrawal of PACA protection has had a negative effect on growers who export, and must be resolved with the new federal government.

Growers need to ask their prospective federal representatives what their position is on PACA. Before a vote is cast, growers should consider each party’s position, and decide which best represents their interests. But in order to have a say, a vote must be cast.

It is no secret that investment in infrastructure across Canada is needed. Right now growers are being challenged to grow the sector, but are being hindered by insufficient or inadequate infrastructure. The way that this is to happen and how it can directly impact horticultural farmers will go a long way to

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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

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 11 THE GROWER

PERSPECTIVE Passion is fuelling new ag women’s network

OWEN ROBERTS U OF GUELPH About one-quarter of all Canadian farmers are women. But the number of Canadian women operators under 35 years old is dwindling – like their male counterparts of all ages, their legion is less than half what it was in 1991, and it needs support.

Young women on their way to becoming operators or participants in the agriculture sector can be found in some of the traditional places – on farms themselves, in 4-H clubs and in university and college agricultural programs, for example. And now, in Ontario, they can also be found in an emerging group called the Ag Women’s Network.

As friends and acquaintances, mainly from their days at the University of Guelph, members of this group had met informally and socially a few times, going back to 2013.

But their resolve to come together more formally intensified at a February meeting earlier this year, at the provincial ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs office in Woodstock.

Maternity issues, and their impact on a career, were the

focus of this meeting. They talked about the challenge of farming with pre-school children, trying to find child care in isolated rural areas, how maternity benefits don’t extend universally and in business, how client relationships can wane when maintaining them is entrusted to a temporary employee.

They also realized they had the power – and the passion – to look for solutions.

They talked about reaching out to other farm families for co-op or shared child care arrangements. They noted how drop-in moms-and-tots programs served farm women better than rigidly scheduled programs that might not gel with food production agendas.

They talked about how agriculture could lead by example and mirror exemplary examples from progressive organizations that offer meaningful maternity benefits, such as in-office child care, top-up support, flexible hours and short weeks in the low-season.

And that's when the new Ag Women’s Network really took off.

This group (www.agwomensnetwork.com) has fantastic promise. From the dozen-ish career-focussed women who joined together initially, the group has grown significantly. It now includes nearly 450 Facebook members across the province. They are starting to meet regularly, and span all ages and professions -- from farmers to government advisors to agribusiness professionals.

Their passion for farming, plus the fact that my daughters Alicia and Kate are active women in

Tips for planting garlic MARK WALES At this time of year, we’re preparing our fields for planting the next crop. Depending on your farm location in Ontario, some of us will be planting before October 1 and others further south will be planting during the month of October or when fall soil conditions permit.

As of early fall, much of the province experienced fairly dry soil conditions, however we all know that can change suddenly and when the heavier soils get wet, preparing them can be a real challenge.

Now is the time to plan ahead and prepare your soil and seedbed. Apply your nutritional program to ensure that the fallplanted crop gets off to a good start. Do your best to ensure a weed-free planting site to help reduce your workload next

spring. Make sure that your seed is of the best and cleanest quality, checking your cloves carefully for defects when cracking and preparing them. Make sure that your planting equipment is clean as an added precaution to prevent any possible disease or nematode carryover. One thing we have learned is that those nasty nematodes can stay dormant for a very long time.

For those who are new to garlic growing, make sure you plant in the most timely manner for your area. Too early and the crop will have too much top growth which will have to die off during winter, and too late and the crop will not establish a good root system to prepare it for our harsh winters.

Mark Wales is president of the Garlic Growers’ Association of Ontario.

agriculture, made it enjoyable for me to discuss how network participants could further develop their communications skills, when I spoke to about 40 members at their September meeting in Cambridge.

I say “further develop” because several members of the group are graduates from the agricultural communications course I taught for more than 20 years at the University of Guelph.

Many now have solid jobs as communications professionals in the agri-food sector. Their writing and speaking abilities are exemplary.

The key now is how this network uses its members’ passion to further its own interests, as well as to promote agriculture.

They’ll have an education role to play as well. For example, women who don’t self-identify as farmers, but instead perhaps call themselves farm wives, participate hugely in farm matters. Besides being mothers, which is an awesome undertaking all by itself, many work on the

farm as labourers. That’s a critical role, given how the agriculture sector constantly struggles to find employees.

Off the farm, the agri-food sector is becoming populated with more and more women professionals – in areas such as communications and education, sales and marketing, finance, animal and plant health and research, to name a few.

Going forward, the new network needs to decide a few fundamental matters. How will it interact with other women’s networks? How will it grow?

How public will it be, especially when it comes to making statements about issues it holds dear?

As a journalist and, like my peers, someone constantly on the look-out for passionate new sources, I hope this network becomes very public. I want to know what the group thinks about hot issues of the day, such as supply management, farm labour, animal welfare and GMOs. Now there’s fodder for a spirited discussion.

Courtney O'Neil participated in a global youth ag summit in Australia in the summer. One of the action items she came away with was to join the new ag women's network.

Regardless of whatever profile they choose, though, support and networking are worthwhile reasons in themselves to come together. Good luck, Ag Women’s Network.

PAGE 12 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

Getting really wet while measuring irrigation system performance BRUCE KELLY

Evaluating the water distribution pattern of an irrigation system

In early September, we headed to Cookstown Greens to do an evaluation of an irrigation system.

I was invited by OMAFRA irrigation engineer Rebecca Shortt and Katie Gibb of EnviroStewards to tag along and shoot some video of the process of how to evaluate the water distribution pattern in an irrigated vegetable field. Fortunately, it was a sunny and hot 30°C because one carries out this evaluation while the system is running and you get very, very wet.

As it was first explained to me, in testing the distribution pattern of an irrigation system, you set out a number of buckets in a measured grid pattern in the field, run the irrigation system for a period of time, then measure and compare the amount of water in each bucket to assess the effectiveness of the distribution pattern.

This all sounded reasonable and I was keen to help gather some data – it’s all for the good of science! They told me that I should wear good boots and I was going to get a bit wet because I would be filming the process.

Only when I was on-site, did they share the detail that to truly get an idea of the components of the system, each sprinkler riser needed to be pressure and flow tested while the system was operating.

What?! Fortunately the new GoPro cameras come with a waterproof case.

The first step in evaluating the water flow was to get a few basics about the system including pipe size, pump pressure, number of risers and number of lines etc.

We then set up buckets in a grid pattern on each side of the test row, such that we could sample, on a ten foot by ten foot grid, the water that fell on the plot we were evaluating.

As the system was running, (this is the wet part) the flow from a sprinkler head was diverted into a pail and the fill time measured (flow rate). Also, a short metal barb attached to a pressure gauge was inserted in each sprinkler stream to measure the pressure at each head and the type and model of each sprinkler were recorded. Each sprinkler head nozzle and head have an inherent flow rate, pattern and

turning speed.

Thanks go to farmer hosts Simon and Mike French for allowing us to plod around in their beet field and refine our measuring system in their irrigated field. They sent us home with sample beets that proved so popular with my family that I have since visited their website to find a local retailer. The engineers will be examining the distribution pattern results and making a full report back to the farmers along with any suggested improvements.

Farm & Food Care Ontario, on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), is undertaking a water efficiency pilot project that will go by the name SMART Water. The project will conduct a number of water use assessments on irrigation systems and processing water sites to help growers better understand their water use needs, efficiencies and

seasonal use patterns.

Interested growers are invited to have a water use assessment done on their farm. Each assessment will include the on-site collection of information pertaining to current water uses, losses and estimated costs as well as identifying opportunities to reduce, reuse and optimize current water use and losses. A final report will be prepared documenting the current situation, identified opportunities, economic assessment and recommendations.

For more information on the project, or if you are interested in taking part in a water assessment, please contact either Bruce Kelly at Farm & Food Care Ontario bruce@farmfoodcare.org or Jodie Mott at the Holland Marsh Growers’ Association. growers@hollandmarshgold.com.

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

COMING EVENTS 2015 October 3

Holland Marsh Growers’ Soupfest, Ansnorveldt Park, Bradford, ON

October 5-6 Advancing Women Life Skills for Leadership – Women in Ag Conference, Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto, ON Oct 5 – 11

Ontario Agriculture Week

Oct 6

Future of Food and Farming Forum, Gambrel Barn, Country Heritage Park, Milton, ON

Oct 7 - 8

Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Scotiabank Centre, Niagara Falls, ON

Oct 16

Oxford Frozen Foods Safety Day, Georgetown, PE

Oct 19

Canada Votes

Oct 23 – 25 Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA October 28 Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council 25th Anniversary, “The Future of Packaging – Challenges and Opportunities” Seminar, Mississauga Convention Centre, Mississauga, ON Nov 6 – 15 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON Nov 13

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

Nov17-19

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 Dec10

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

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Develop relationships beyond the category manager

PETER CHAPMAN This month we will discuss the opportunity to build relationships with different parts of your customer’s organization. The category manager is the key point of contact, however there are many other people in the organization who can contribute to the success of your products.

Store employees work with your products every day When you are visiting stores take the time to discuss your products with employees. They see your items come from the warehouse and they will have a great understanding of how they stand up at store level. The employees also work with your competitor’s products as much as yours. They will often share some great information about their performance.

Visit the store when it is not busy so they have time to talk.

Keep track of your conversations and find opportunities to use them in your discussions with category managers. You can always share the experience and reinforce a point you are trying to make about your products. You can also use the insights to make improvements and then share this with the retailer.

Food safety employees can help your credibility We all know food safety is a priority for retailers. If you are selling a perishable item you need to develop a relationship with your customer’s food safety group. Your food safety people and theirs talk a different language. Make sure the retailer understands your accreditations and processes. This will build credibility with the experts at the retailer.

It is likely that the food safety people at the retailer will mention to the category manager that they are familiar with your business and that they are comfortable with your practices.

Quality assurance can be your ally A call or email from the quality assurance group at a retailer can be a positive if you have the right relationship. In the

past these groups were more of a guard dog at the warehouse. This is changing. They want to establish relationships to address issues before they ever get to the warehouse.

It is the supplier’s responsibility to know product specs and standards. If you establish a relationship with the quality assurance group you can discuss issues before you ship product.

I would encourage you to develop a relationship with these groups and if possible travel to the warehouse with your product to see how it arrives. This will go a long way to build your credibility.

Learn from distribution Retailers invest considerable resources in distribution. Getting quality product to the store in the most efficient manner is a key task for retailers. This is an area of their business where there is constant focus on improvement and change.

You should always take advantage of an invitation to visit the warehouse and see how your product is performing before it gets to the store. Observe how it flows through the warehouse and gets on a truck. There might be opportunities for improved packaging or more boxes on a pallet, which means more dollars to your bottom line.

Often you will see initiatives in the retailer’s distribution network that you can employ in your own business.

Remember to share with the category manager These are all different areas of your customer’s business where you can learn and develop the relationship. Keep in mind your key point of contact is the category manager. You need to keep that person advised when you are interacting with different parts of the organization. They will see it as a positive. You have to remember to negotiate with the category manager and keep the pricing, merchandising and volume discussions with that person.

If you have developed relationships beyond the category manager or if you have any questions you can contact me at pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

WHAT’S IN STORE Packaging that leads to cross merchandising Packaging is such a crucial component of your product offering. It has to protect your product, be cost effective and sell your product. It also has to work on the shelf or the table or the refrigerated case where the

product is merchandised in store.

One other opportunity to consider is where your product could be cross-merchandised. Often products generate considerable incremental sales when they provide the consumer with a meal idea.

Recently, I saw this example of sauerkraut. The product used to be sold in a stand-up carton, which was functional, but it could not be cross merchandised with meat items on the shelf because it was too tall. This new bag protects the product, looks more contemporary and is very easy to cross merchandise beside the meat. My expectation is that sales would increase with this new packaging. Have you looked at how your packaging performs in different parts of the store?

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.

PAGE 14 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

FOCUS: GREENHOUSE INNOVATION

Cooled cucumbers are hot in China

KAREN DAVIDSON Mucci Farms is claiming the title as first Canadian grower to ship greenhouse-grown cucumbers from Canada to China.

The Kingsille, Ontario-based grower made the shipment to a well-known Chinese distributor, Lantao, in April 2015. The family-owned operation has continued to export three times every week.

“It only took a few months since inception of the concept to the actual air freighting of product,” says Stephen Qian, sales and marketing, Mucci Farms. “The president zeroed in on our CuteCumbers. Our graphics and branding worked for the

Chinese market and he thought our variety would withstand the travel and still hold its flavour.”

Lantao is a well-established distribution company operated by Chinese nationals with distribution centres in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenyang and Zhengzhou. These are considered the five key produce markets receiving premium fruit and vegetables from around the world. Produce is then distributed to wholesale markets and the farmers’ markets, street push carts, small street stands, fine fruit stores and supermarkets.

Qian is in charge of exploring new markets in Asia and regularly fields enquiries from Asia. He’s just returned from the September trade show, Asia Fruit

Logistica, hosted in Hong Kong.

The general consensus is that the rising middle class is eating healthier and seeks unique products.

There’s good reason that Mucci Farms’ CuteCumbers are filling that craving. These snacking cucumbers are branded and packaged to satisfy a discerning market in North America, but it turns out that the same product is equally appealing in China. Lantao has partnered with Mucci Farms to develop point-of-sale materials for Chinese consumers. That’s been a favourable learning according to Emily Murracas, director of marketing, Mucci Farms.

The CuteCumbers are packaged using stand-up,

re-sealable bags with a reinforced handle and standup gusset. The packaging also includes a matte varnish finishing, creating a unique look and adding depth to the design. The QR code on the back provides fast access to recipes and nutritional information.

The first four months of shipments have gone well according to Joe Spano, vice-president of sales and marketing, Mucci Farms. “It’s a FOB deal,” he says. “We’re happy with our margin.”

Due to extensive experience in the United States and Canada, he says the export shipment is not much different. The picking and packing line is alerted that the pick-of-the-day is headed to

China. Specifications are met and the product is packaged in modified atmospheric packaging to extend shelf life. Coolguard material is wrapped around the cases on each plastic pallet.

Temperature monitors accompany each shipment for real-time tracking and quality control.

Trucks deliver the shipment from Kingsville to a major airport cargo centre. The shipment arrives the next day in China.

Spano says he is hopeful that the Chinese government will allow more Canadian commodities in the future, but for now is happy to focus on this project.

Mucci Farms is building its reputation on the global stage one air mile at a time.

Shanghai: gateway to China’s 1.357 billion consumers Shanghai’s statistics are staggering. A good chunk of Canada’s population could fit into Shanghai, a metropolis of 24 million that now squats over the famed Yangtze River Delta. It’s China’s most populous city. It’s the world’s busiest container port.

For all those reasons and more, the Ontario government sent a trade mission to Shanghai and other ports of call from April 1624. It was jointly led by Ontario agriculture minister Jeff Leal and citizenship, immigration and international trade minister Michael Chan. Deputy ministers

of both ministries packed their bags as well.

George Gilvesy, most recently general manager of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, was invited to join other agricultural leaders on the trip. It was a timely intersect with the association’s research of the Pacific Rim in the last two years.

Since Asia’s phytosanitary barriers were lifted for cucumbers in July 2013, there was plenty of incentive to explore.

“China is a huge opportunity,” says Gilvesy, pointing out that Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou (L-R, front row) Dr. Deb Stark, deputy minister OMAFRA, George Gilvesy, former general manager Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, Ontario agriculture minister Jeff Leal and Ontario minister of immigration, citizenship and international trade, Michael Chan are pictured on the trade mission to China, April 20, 2015.

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“There’s a mass transformation underway with wealth growing in the middle class and the desire to be food-safe.”

Cucumbers are a summer staple in the Chinese diet, although it’s a prickly variety that they are used to. The seedless greenhouse cucumber is a premium product to them, but nevertheless one that’s very appealing. New supermarkets are every bit as modern as Canada’s.

Beijing Hualian Group (BHG), for example, owns 144 stores in the country. As a result of the Ontario premier’s trade mission more than a year ago, BHG has opened a trade office in Toronto and is talking proactively with the

greenhouse industry.

While the skyscraper lights of Shanghai beckon, what are the risks? As with any business, Gilvesy says that due diligence is required. Chinese buyers have been aggressive trying to access sources of supply around the world. Anecdotal evidence is that the Chinese are prepaying for product to be harvested in California fields, so anxious are they to secure high-grade produce. Despite what looks like a golden opportunity, research the fine print of the deal.

“Payment has not been a barrier to doing business in China,” says Gilvesy. Logistics and phytosanitary barriers for tomatoes and peppers remain

future challenges.

The Asia Fruit Logistica trade show which concluded in Hong Kong in early September, hosted a concurrent conference on cold chain logistics. Gilvesy says that refrigeration infrastructure is changing rapidly throughout the country. Canadian growers must walk before they run in this dynamic marketplace which attracts all the usual greenhouse competitors: the Netherlands, Israel, Australia and New Zealand. But Gilvesy is confident there’s a niche for Canada. He points out that there’s plenty of business in China. Consider the statistic that China is home to 14 cities with populations of five million plus.

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 15 THE GROWER

FOCUS: GREENHOUSE INNOVATION

When biocontrol doesn’t work, how to deal with infiltrators, intruders or invaders KAREN DAVIDSON While virtually all greenhouse vegetable growers use biocontrol in their greenhouses, sometimes the finely tuned eco-environment is upset by infiltrators, intruders or invaders. That’s the topic that Michael Brownbridge will tackle at the Canadian Greenhouse Conference on October 7.

“Some infestations can be dealt with using techniques compatible with your biocontrol program,” says Brownbridge, research director, horticultural production systems, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

“Others are more challenging.”

While he participated in a conference in the United Kingdom, exploring the role of biopesticides in modern agriculture, his Vineland colleague Rose Buitenhuis offered a preview of his presentation. “For any number of reasons, a biocontrol program may fall on its back,” explains Buitenhuis. “One of the most important steps is to make sure the pest is identified properly so that you’re applying the right biocontrol product.”

Infiltrators, for example, arrive on propagative material.

Whiteflies, thrips or leafminers may be hiding in cuttings. Most tomato propagators in Canada are conscientious in using slowrelease sachets which contain predatory mites to eat the infiltrators. However, if any propagative material has been treated repeatedly with a pesticide, then the

resident pests may be pesticideresistant when they arrive at your greenhouse. In addition, residues can adversely affect the beneficial species released to manage the pests.

“It’s a big hurdle to make bios work on propagative material,” says Buitenhuis, “but a clean-start approach can set you up for success through the rest of the growing season.” Ideally, growers work with the propagator in advance on a bio program that is seamless from the originating greenhouse to the commercial growing greenhouse.

Intruders are less predictable in their invasions. Onion thrips, for example, can be managed with bios, but when their numbers increase, it may be more difficult.

There are no good bios for Lygus bugs, so a spray is always necessary.

“Look for compatible sprays,” says Buitenhuis, “and then reestablish the bio program.”

Know as much as possible about the specific insect and research whether any new biologicals are registered in North America. If a hot spot of infestation is identified within the greenhouse, ask workers to enter that location at the end of their shift so the insects won’t be carried on clothes to reinfest another area.

Where possible, choose plant genetics that are tolerant of pests.

Use bios preventatively rather than curatively.

Banker plants can work very well in some settings. For example, pots containing cereals carry-

Rose Buitenhuis, Vineland's research scientist for biological control ing cereal aphid may be interspersed in greenhouse rows; the cereal aphid serves as a host/food for parasitic wasps. Parasitoids are continuously produced on the banker plants and move in to the crop to parasitize pest aphids.

When all else fails, pesticides are employed. Choosing the right pesticide is made easier by consulting a Side Effects Manual.

These manuals outline how toxic a pesticide is to biocontrol agents and the duration (persistence) of effect. With this knowledge, the grower can choose the most compatible approach. Even if there are incompatibility concerns, ways can be found to integrate pesticide with bios. For example, a grower may decide to spot spray areas where the highest infestations exist, re-introducing bios when pest populations have

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been reduced and residues are no longer high enough to affect the biocontrol agent.

In the presentation that Rose Buitenhuis gives at the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, she’ll be talking about the quality assurance of biocontrol agents. Quality checks on biocontrol products are vital but rarely performed. New standardized procedures make this task easier and less timeconsuming.

“Travel and storage are very hard on living organisms,” says Buitenhuis. “Once they arrive, you should check that they are in good condition.”

A quality assurance guide is available from the Vineland website to help communicate with the company. It’s not enough to say, “I think they’re dead.”

Proper pest identification is key to choosing a beneficial predator. There are many aphid species, so the choice of biocontrol must match the aphid. How you introduce beneficials into the greenhouse is also important.

Predatory mites, for example, can’t walk very far so don’t place them where they have to bridge gaps in the rows.

Invaders are a threat that may be sporadic or not here yet.

When first detected in Ontario greenhouses, Duponchelia fovealis was considered a quarantine pest by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. While fond of ornamentals, this moth also has a taste for peppers. Fortunately, it has not been widely found in Canada and is now considered an ‘economic’ rather than a quarantine pest.

But other exotic invaders are out there, including the Mexican pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii which has been found in some vegetable greenhouses and fortunately can be controlled.

Tuta absoluta is a devastating pest of tomatoes that has shown up in greenhouses throughout the world. In Canada, researchers are preparing for its potential arrival.

“We’re thinking about how to ‘future-proof’ the industry for pests such as this,” says Buitenhuis. “Knowing how the insect has been managed elsewhere allows us to identify a range of solutions to any incursions and to develop a strategic series of responses should the pest make it into North America.”

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PAGE 16 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

FOCUS: GREENHOUSE INNOVATION

WaudWare introduces PICS in a Box Analysis of inventory sharpens sales

Duffy Kniaziew (top right) inspects peppers at Orangeline Farms, a boutique grower of specialty greenhouse products marketed under the Zing! Healthy Foods brand. The family-owned business operates year-round in Leamington, Ontario. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

A number of produce clients are currently using WaudWare’s Produce Inventory Control System (PICS) software which handles all the day-to-day inventory and traceability controls of fresh fruit and

vegetable businesses. During July, the company based in Brampton, Ontario introduced PICS in a Box. “PICS in a Box is a preconfigured Windows 2008-32 Bit virtual server image with all of

our software pre-installed,” says F. Charles Waud, president WaudWare Inc. If your hardware is old and needs to be replaced or you need to update your operating system (i.e. Microsoft recently discontinued support for Windows XP and 2003 Server), you are comfortable with virtual server technology, and want a cost-effective alternative, we can help.”

The benefits of the PICS in a Box is that it’s easier and faster to implement since a full install and initial configuration of all the software is not needed. The labour cost of PICS in a Box is less than to install Windows, Windows updates and WaudWare software. This new program can be installed in your office or hosted in the cloud.

Orangeline Farms installed the original PICs at their Leamington, Ontario greenhouse in March 2015. Duffy Kniaziew and his brother Jordan, are now reaping the rewards of this inventory control system after almost one pepper-growing season.

“There’s no question that a new system turns everything upside down and gets you outside of your comfort zone,” says Duffy Kniaziew. “However, we now have comprehensive reports on everything from production to packing, packaging to sales.”

Produce inventory control allows the user to compare bulk product with product that has been enhanced with value-added packaging. Comparisons can be made between different sales to different customers.

“As the greenhouse industry

Duffy Kniaziew matures, we are seeking points of differentiation,” says Kniaziew.

“This program helps to sharpen our focus.”

Orangeline Farms is happy with the PICs solution for their group of companies and support provided for start-up.

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 17 THE GROWER

FOCUS: GREENHOUSE INNOVATION

Growers are racing to automate for efficiency of scale KAREN DAVIDSON

Despite greenhouse cucumber prices drifting 30 per cent lower

than last year, that reality is not dousing the enthusiasm of Louis Chibante. The owner of Golden Acre Farms will be showcasing his 21-acre, highly automated facility at Kingsville, Ontario to

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“As much as price is a problem, it’s a bigger problem if you’re not efficient,” says Chibante. “You will spend more if your greenhouse is not efficient including labour.”

In this highly competitive North American environment, Chibante has bet big on automation and new technology, specifically high-wire growing systems, high-pressure sodium lighting and robotic packers.

The high-wire system reaches 60 to 70 feet high creating a fruiting wall that harvests sunlight more efficiently. Two crops are produced per year rather than four from the 10-foot growing system, saving the costs of turn-around procedures.

“This system is more labourintensive but the quality of the end product is better,” says Chibante. “The fruit is 100 per cent picture perfect compared to the curved cucumbers, size differences and berry ends from the conventional system.”

A very high percentage of perfect fruit is what’s needed for the robotic packers to work efficiently at the end of the line.

Installed in January 2015, the robotic packers are a big step forward in efficiency. Do they really work as well in a cucumber greenhouse as they do for cars?

“They remove the hard labour and back stress for our workers,” explains Chibante. “They are more efficient in that we need five to 10 fewer people on the packing line. That’s not to say we don’t have workers to remove odd sizes and unsuitable cucumbers from the line.”

A robot can pick up 12 cucumbers at a time and load them into a crate which then goes to a trolley and conveyor.

Another robot puts the crate into a box for shipping. The boxes are

Top: Louis Chibante. Golden Acre Farms.

Bottom: Robotic packers at work. automatically wrapped, complete with bar code indicating the originating greenhouse row, picker and date of harvest.

This equipment comes from Holland, but as Chibante explains, businesses are global and are monitored by computer.

“This is no different than me running my farm by phone or communicating through email.

Solving problems is about thinking outside the box, how things can be done more efficiently and working with engineers to make it come true.”

Chibante plans to expand his Kingsville business by 15 acres in 2016. Convincing banks to invest is tricky, he admits, but it takes a vision for the future.

“If you prove yourself over

and over, the banks will back you up,” says Chibante. “The trick is to manage those ideas to make a profit, even in bad markets. When you’re the best of the worst, that gives the bank confidence you will survive the bump.”

What keeps Chibante awake at night is the cost of energy in Ontario. North American hydro prices, on average, are at $.06 per kilowat whereas Ontario’s price is at $0.15. He’s hoping that wage rates will increase in the United States and Mexico so that overall input costs are more competitive.

“As much as Canada is a great country to be in, I just hope we can keep jobs here and grow in Canada before every other business moves to the U.S. or Mexico,” he concludes.

PAGE 18 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

Sourcing seeds internationally – considerations and resources SEAN WESTERVELD Many specialty crop growers rely on importing propagation materials because of a lack of local propagators or seed suppliers. In addition, many cultivars of traditional crops may only be available outside of Canada. Importing seeds and plants for propagation carries a lot of risks. The plant material could carry insects and diseases that are not currently present in Ontario. Importing diseased material could put the entire Ontario industry permanently at risk. These diseases could then

spread to other crops as well. In addition, new plant species could be invasive in Ontario and destroy native habitats once released here.

Canada’s importing rules are in place to protect the importer, the industry and the environment.

It is very important for anyone interested in importing seeds or other plant parts to understand and follow the rules for importing before proceeding.

There are two main federal Acts that often apply to the importing of plant materials: The Seeds Act and the Plant Protection Act. These two Acts are administered by the Canadian

Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Depending on the country of origin, the amount of seeds you are importing, and the history of importing from that country, documentation that may be required includes an Import Permit, a Phytosanitary Certificate from the country of origin, a Declaration Form, and a Certificate of Analysis.

While Import Permits are not required for many commodities originating in the United States (see links at the end of this article for exceptions), CFIA advises that an Import Permit be obtained for shipments originating from anywhere else. The Seeds Act

and Regulations may still apply to commodities originating in the United States. If a Pest Risk Assessment is required, which usually applies to cases where the plant material has never been imported from a certain country before, it can take several months or longer. CFIA will need to determine if there are any diseases or pests that are found in that country that could threaten the industry in Canada before permitting import. Growers should plan ahead if they are facing this situation.

There is often confusion on what rules apply to small seed lots. Small amounts of seed may be exempt from the Seeds Act and Regulations, depending on the commodity. However, the Plant Protection Act still applies in most cases, which includes the need for Import Permits and Phytosanitary Certificates.

Always check with CFIA before importing any seeds or plant materials.

The Invasive Species Act also applies in some situations, and import of potential invasive species will likely not be permitted for commercial production. Additionally, some

plants including ginseng may require a CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) permit to import or export. Other federal Acts and Regulations may also apply to certain commodities.

More information on the importing rules is available in the following articles on the CFIA website: • The ABCs of Seed Importation into Canada • Plant Protection Policy Directives • Propagative plant material and other commodities that require an import permit if originating from the Continental United States To determine the specific requirements of a certain commodity, you can use the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS): Online direct links to these articles can be found at http://wp.me/p1BL3s-Ge. Sean Westerveld is OMAFRA’s ginseng and medicinal herb specialist.

No-till pumpkins: plan now for 2016 ELAINE RODDY There is an increasing level of interest in growing no-till pumpkins in Ontario. There are many benefits to adopting this production system (see sidebar).

However, it does require a little forward planning and adjustments along the way.

The most successful no-till system for pumpkins seems to be planting the pumpkins into a dense rye mulch. The ground is worked level in the fall and then planted to winter rye. According to Anne Verhallen, a soil management specialist with OMAFRA, the planting rates should be increased in order to get a good rye cover. The rate will depend on the method of planting: • drilled: 90 lbs/acre, • broadcast with a shallow incorporation: 99 lbs/acre, • surface broadcast: 108 lbs/acre.

Maintain good control of any fall germinating annuals or perennials, as these weeds may be difficult to manage in-season.

In the spring, prior to planting, the rye mulch is killed and subsequently mowed or rolled, to provide a level seed bed. The

pumpkins can be either direct-seeded with a no-till planter, or transplanted through the rye mulch.

There are several considerations to growing in a no-till system. No-till soils may warm up later in the spring, resulting in a slightly later planting date or slower early growth, depending on the season.

However, as pumpkins are a relatively short season crop, this should not affect overall yields, provided the crop is planted into suitable conditions.

The dense rye mat may tie up soil nitrogen early in the season, resulting in temporary yellowing and slower growth. An additional 15-20 lbs of actual nitrogen applied prior to planting will help to overcome this problem.

As with any production system, it takes a few years and some trial and error to figure out all of the ins and outs and how to make the best use of existing or new equipment. But many growers have been very happy with the results when switching to a no-till system Elaine Roddy is OMAFRA’s vegetable crops specialist.

Advantages to no-till pumpkin production The dense rye mulch provides good weed suppression. It can also be used in combination with preemergence herbicides to improve overall weed control.

The mulch also provides a nice barrier between the fruit and the soil surface, resulting in cleaner, higher quality fruit. In a wet harvest season, the labour savings on washing pumpkins are significant.

The mulch reduces soil moisture loss early in the season while the plants are becoming established in the field. This is helpful when the weather turns dry after planting, especially on coarse, sandy soils.

No-till pumpkins help to improve soil quality by reducing wind and water erosion and adding valuable organic matter back into the soil.

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OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 19 THE GROWER

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PAGE 22 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Global minor use comes into focus in Chicago

CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA By the time you are reading this, the first Global Minor Use priority setting meeting will be history. It is a momentous event in that more than 30 countries will have submitted their pest control needs to an international panel, and will have participated in a cooperative, democratic and selfless manner to achieve a suite of new projects leading to registrations for use around the globe, and corresponding residue limits to facilitate trade in those treated commodities as well.

And ‘they’ said it couldn’t be done!

In fact, when the Canadian Minor Use program began in a very small way back in 1995, ‘they’ thought there would be bloodshed as we met to set priorities. I even remember the hesitant knock on the door of our boardroom in the Lord Simcoe Hotel in Ottawa. “Are you okay in there? How is it going?”

When we responded that the work was virtually complete, there was a palpable sigh of relief. What had been forgotten for the moment was the great propensity of growers to modify, adapt, overcome, and reach a good position. The group, entrusted that day with building a consensus of priorities from almost no input, had managed to set 25 priorities for registration of new uses for currently registered pest control products, and 25 more possibilities for the new ‘User Requested Minor Use Registration’ program of neveryet registered actives in Canada.

There was virtually no financial wherewithal to rely on to initiate the work, but at least we had

determined what we all agreed was needed to be done.

Lists have a life of their own.

In the case of this initial list, every single pest management need eventually got work done, and a registration established. The work was taken up by willing hands in the federal and provincial governments, by university researchers, and by private researchers and those supported by registrants. Once growers had agreed on the list, it became a work in progress.

When the Pest Management Centre of Agriculture and AgriFood Canada became established in 2002, the priority setting meetings took on new life once again. When real financial resources were put into place, there was once again the need for priorities to be front and center to justify what needed to be done first. I still recall the angst of senior managers, who were again worried about bringing growers together for the process. They actually worried about ‘strong disagreements’- so much so that they hired a ‘bouncer’ to lurk around the meeting hall for ‘just in case.’ Of course, that never transpired. The room was all about getting the job done, being fair to all, and ensuring the most important projects got selected.

The term selfless was coined for just such a situation. The bouncer was totally underwhelmed, and never had anything to do to justify his stipend! He was never asked for again.

When the Canadian and the U.S. IR-4 Minor Use Programs got together shortly thereafter and proposed to work on as many joint projects as possible, the stage was set for ultimately taking the show to the international stage. Once we figured out how to cooperate in managing and getting the work done between us, the next step was obvious. What drove us were two distinct but related issues.

Even though our growers were accessing new uses at as fast a pace as our budgets could cope with, new problems and new pests continued to arise- the job was never getting close to being ‘done.’ On top of this, our very

success created new problems that threatened our ability to give growers usable tools.

Canada and the U.S. were ahead of the curve in registering uses for new active ingredients, and new uses on existing registered compounds. However, the rest of the world lagged behind, and in some cases (Europe) was losing more old registrations (and/or old actives) than there were new registrations to fill the voids. As fortunate as we were by having strong effective Minor Use Programs, we created a have/have not situation. On top of this, the discrepancy between countries in terms of maximum residue limits to support all these uses began to grow at an alarming rate. In a nutshell, our programs became victims of their own success.

Growers who have export dependent crops had to either not use pest management products, even after all the work to register them, and risk crop quality or quantity, or use them and not be able to sell beyond the country’s border. The backlog to get a CODEX residue limit is four years to just get a file started, and for many two or more years to get a tolerance ‘done.’ If other countries (who are increasing in number as CODEX continues to lag) begin to set their own independent (differing) tolerances, the maze of regulatory levels hurts trade even more.

Thus, our growers stand to lose much of the advantage we have gained for them, unless a way out of the maze could be found.

Hence, the Global Minor Use Approach.

Now it would appear to have been simpler to just keep pushing the rope called CODEX up hill, but that would have been less than gratifying! Furthermore, it could have easily alienated growers in other countries who have neither the pest management tools to help them, nor a minor use program to facilitate them getting those tools. What could be easier than to lend our expertise, find common and mutually agreed upon problems, and work globally to resolve the problems with solid data, common

registrations and common residue limits?

That looks like a win-win-win to me!

At this point it would appear to be conjecture as to the outcomes.

We have received about 2,800 pest management needs from around the world. This may sound like a huge number but one must put it into context. Canada alone has close to 5,000 identified priorities including potential solutions on the books! What makes the global lists stand out is that more than 30 nations participated!

We intend to start small this first time out. We will benefit from the expertise that is building around the world. Our intent is to commission work on three selected projects- one each from temperate crops, tropical crops, and protected (greenhouse) crops.

We will however, conduct trials on all the ‘representative crops’ in the crop group from which the pest problem is identified. There may even be closely similar yet different pest species worked on for efficacy purposes in different regions, but the pest control product will be the same, as will the rates, timing and minimum days to harvest so that the resultant residues are comparable and useful for setting a global residue limit. Representative crops are those which by their size, texture, growth configurations, and growth habits can be surrogates for all the rest of the crops in that group. Usually there are two or three, but there can be as many as six of them. This means some large sets of field plots arrayed around the globe.

Logistics will be enormous, but we believe based on some past work that they can be achieved.

The final outcomes will be three to four years away.

Nonetheless, we set out on this new and exciting venture knowing that growers around the globe will be better served, the public’s safety will be ensured, higher quality and quantity of food supply will result, and growers will have one less headache to deal with as they strive to produce the best food supply possible.

The actual result of the few projects selected off the floor at this meeting will likely pale in significance as compared to all the new collaborations made possible by bringing together growers, researchers, registrants and regulators from around the world. As has been our experience, many more ‘one-off’ projects will be initiated. Data sharing from those who already enjoy some registrations will be freely shared with others still in need.

The lists will once again take on a life of their own. Registrants with new actives will pore through them to find potential.

Researchers will do the same before they initiate work to ensure maximum benefit. And we can modify and add to the lists throughout the years to ensure currency of what remains on the list.

Global understanding and cooperation such as this will go a long way breaking down other barriers, but that is another story…

OCTOBER 2015 –– PAGE 23 THE GROWER

BITS AND BITES

Donate to Brain Cancer Research Fund by December 31 power.” It’s a stark reminder of the effects of this devastating disease which was diagnosed in almost 3,000 Canadians last year.

His family is promoting the Ginty Jocius Brain Cancer Research Fund. All donations go to the Canadian Cancer Society for impact research on brain

For those who attend Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, the memory of founder Ginty Jocius is close to the surface. After a lifetime dedicated to agricultural marketing, he succumbed to brain cancer in 2008.

While improved records of treatment success are now normal for many cancers, the outcomes

are poor for brain cancer victims.

Only 25 per cent survive. More research is required to understand why the brain blood barrier prevents conventional cancer drugs from entering the brain.

Lorie Jocius and family recently participated in an evocative YouTube video called “Brain cancer needs more brain

Sharpen management skills in this C-TEAM course Register by October 30 over two years. The new CTEAM 2015-2017 module dates and locations are:

Producers wanting to improve management skills for their operation should register for the Canadian Total Excellence in Agricultural Management (CTEAM) course offered by Agri-Food Management Excellence (AME). Registration is open until October 30, 2015.

CTEAM is Canada’s only national farm management training program and the only course in which participants use their own farm data to create a strategy and develop a plan specifically for their operation.

Coaching is provided as participants implement their plan.

“CTEAM has changed me and my farm operation forever. My classmates and the instructors gave me more motivation and drive than I ever thought possible,” says CTEAM alumnus Colin Brown of Dykeview Farms in Nova Scotia. “This is a course that every farm operator, owner or manager should be enrolled in.

Guaranteed success.”

The course is taught by world-renowned instructors in four modules held across Canada

• Module 1 - November 30 – December 4, 2015, Abbotsford, BC • Module 2 – March 14-18, 2016, Calgary, AB • Module 3 – December 5-9, 2016, Niagara Falls, ON • Module 4 – March 6-10, 2017, Ottawa, ON The content CTEAM covers is operation management, understanding finance on the participants’ farm, planning for succession, human resource management and risk management. CTEAM graduates can earn credit towards an MBA at the University of Guelph and continue life-long learning as alumni.

“At CTEAM, we're inspired by empowering people to realize their vision. The CTEAM program provides learning focused on the participants and their farms allowing them to become top managers,” says Larry Martin, principal at Agri-Food Management Excellence.

Participants are encouraged to check with their provincial or territorial Ministry of Agriculture as CTEAM can quality for up to 75 per cent funding under Growing Forward 2. Complete details about the program can be found at www.agrifoodtraining.com.

Source: news release

cancer and every donation before December 31, 2015 will be matched by Brain Canada.

“It is hard to get money out of Ottawa for research so we are pushing hard to raise $125,000 which, when matched, will be $250,000 going towards brain cancer research in our Canadian

medical labs,” says Lorie Jocius.

In conjunction with the Canadian Cancer Society, a website has been set up called www.GintyFund.org to help people get more information and to make online donations.

PAGE 24 –– OCTOBER 2015 THE GROWER

APPLIED GENOMICS

Fall in love with apples NATHALIE DREIFELDS With fall around the corner, the apple season is fast approaching. Combining traditional breeding techniques, genetics and sensory science, a team at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) is developing apple varieties enthusiasts will fall in love with.

As part of the research project, which started in 2011 in partnership with the Ontario Apple Growers, the Vineland team has been sequencing the DNA of 70 varieties of high quality apples from Vineland’s Apple Heritage Orchard and modern commercial lines. “Based on our apple sensory profile of attributes such as taste, texture and flavour, we are able to map the human sensory perception and taste experience for apples and identify genetic markers for specific fruit quality consumers prefer,” said Dr. Daryl Somers, Vineland’s Research Director, Applied Genomics. “These markers are used to accelerate Vineland’s breeding program by focusing on varieties that meet consumers’ preferences.”

There are currently more than 4,000 apple trees planted for evaluation at Vineland’s research farm. These trees are the progeny of crosses based on apple quality and plant adaptation. An additional 9,000 apple seedlings planted earlier, will be budded onto root stock this month.

They were selected, using DNA

fingerprinting, for sugar/acid balance, firmness and better storage potential. The goal of the project is to plant a total of 25,000 trees for evaluation over the next few years.

In a consumer study, Vineland researchers also investigated consumer preference using 20 of the most distinct apple varieties within the original pool of 70. “We determined 89 per cent of consumers prefer fresh red apple flavour while 11 per cent of consumers are more interested in fresh green apple flavour,” said Dr. Amy Bowen, Research Program Leader, Consumer Insights.

Vineland’s Heritage Apple Orchard,

Daryl Somers, (L) Vineland’s research director for applied genomics, explains progress in breeding new apples with sensory characteristics that consumers will love. CEO Jim Brandle (R) has long advocated for agronomic research to be broadened to consumer preference research as a field-to-table strategy for introducing new fruits and vegetables. Photo courtesy of Trevor Eggleton, Canadian Horticultural Council.

established in 1967, offers 100 unique apple varieties from the past (as early as the 1500s) to the present originating from North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

The apple varieties show a strong level of diversity in characteristics, such as astringency, fruit size and flavour, perfect

for incorporating into a robust research breeding program.

Nathalie Dreifelds is communications and public relations advisor, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.