The Grower Newspaper April 2012 by The Grower

CELEBRATING 132 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

APRIL 2012

VOLUME 62 NUMBER 04

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

Strategic plan to bolster funding and lobbying KAREN DAVIDSON What’s your story? If you can pare down an issue to a few words and put a face to it, then you’ve got a chance to intrigue investors, stakeholders, policymakers and politicians. On Bay Street, it’s called the pitch. On Parliament Hill, it’s called the ask. Framing that “ask” is a complex task. To that end, the Canadian Horticultural Council tabled a strategic plan at the 90th Annual General Meeting that aims to secure the industry’s economic future over the next 10 years. Newly elected president, Murray Porteous, presented the “Creating a Legacy” plan that will simultaneously fund the CHC and strengthen its government relations capabilities. For the first time, a funding mechanism will reach out to the breadth of the industry’s input and service suppliers from crop protection companies to equipment manufacturers to financial institutions. The rationale is that by properly funding a stronger lobbying effort, the result will be a stronger horticultural industry with ancillary benefits for the entire value chain. The timing of the recent Perimeter Security Agreement between U.S. President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper is, in large part, driving

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A newly planted Spy apple orchard is just one of the long-term projects of Lingwood Farms operated by Murray Porteous, Simcoe, Ontario. Also the newly elected president of the Canadian Horticultural Council, Porteous has championed a plan that will fund the Ottawa-based organization in the decade ahead and deepen its government relations capabilities. Photo by Denis Cahill. the agenda. The thinking is that without more robust lobbying, the window of opportunity may close on achieving many of the objectives promised in the cross-border reforms. Top of the list are: • negotiating timely payment for

farmers in the event of client bankruptcy • securing harmonized rules for crop input registrations within North America • mitigating trade disruptions by reducing risk from invasive

species and diseases • developing common approaches to North American food safety • establishing a National Research and Promotion Agency for fresh fruit and vegetable research and promotion

• securing recognition of the importance of fruit and vegetables in Canadian diets by developing and implementing national food security, sustainability and health promotion policies CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Early spring shatters historical records KAREN DAVIDSON Bud break, heartbreak. That’s the worry of fruit growers across Canada as a mild winter shed its coat and slipped into spring four weeks early. A surprise snowstorm isn’t so much the concern as cold temperatures according to OMAFRA’s apple specialist Leslie Huffman. When fruit trees come out of dormancy, the cells start rehydrating. If there’s any moisture around the pistils of the flowers and temperatures drop too low, the moisture crystallizes and shatters the reproductive organ. A couple degrees below zero Celsius will effectively thin the crop. But expect a 10 per cent loss at temperatures of minus 7.8° Celsius. If temperatures reach minus 12° Celsius,

then it’s a complete crop loss and you can consider yourself a nextyear farmer. In Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, temperatures also broke records on the first official day of spring with a high of 27° Celsius, said Dela Erith, executive director, Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association. “If the temperature remains high, we’ll have an exceptionally early year. If temperatures return to cool or cold, everything will slow down or damage may occur.” The astonishing weather places unexpected pressures on farm managers and the entire value chain. Some Ontario growers had already sprayed fungicides twice by March 25. They are now in the unusual predicament of pruning and spraying at the same time, all the while balancing re-entry

intervals. At the end of every day, the pruned branches must be shredded before contemplating the next fungicide spray.

“

I think I see green tissue in apple buds. That means the scab season is starting.” ~ Leslie Huffman For many growers, offshore labour is just arriving or arrangements are underway to move up arrival dates. Bunkhouses must be prepared. Food safety audits must be completed. Bee hives need to be ordered earlier for pollination. Decisions on storage and cartons won’t be far behind. And buyers must be primed that early crops are on their way. In

other words, the ramifications will be felt right through to harvest. Social media is playing an important role as extension workers alerted growers to signs of disease as early as March 17. “I think I see green tissue in apple buds,” tweeted Huffman, @OntAppleLady on a Saturday. “That means the scab season is starting.” Later, she confirmed similar findings in Ontario’s Norfolk County, Niagara, Georgian Bay and as far east as Durham Region. And yet that balmy weather is prodding others for an early start. “Here we go!!!,” tweeted Trevor Herrle-Braun, @HerrlesMarket. “Working some ground for planting peas.” That was March 16. “We’re into growing season,” Huffman concluded.

PAGE A2 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME… Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP) launched

Farms Limited, one of the three sour cherry members based near Simcoe, Ontario. The other members are Lingwood Farms and Terry Shaw.

A $50-million federal program has just been launched to help accelerate the pace of innovation and support the commercialization of new products, technologies and services in the agricultural and agri-food sectors. The Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP), announced November 10, 2011 by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, is promoting economic growth, productivity and the sectors’ competitiveness. The fund is focused on two streams: 1) The Knowledge Creation and Transfer stream, which has two components, is intended to speed up the transfer of knowledge, technologies and science-based research to the sector and to foster new market opportunities. Both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations can apply for up to $4 million per project of non-repayable funding. 2) The Commercialization stream supports the successful commercialization of agriculture, agrifood and agri-based innovations. Interest-free, repayable funding of up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs to a maximum of $10 million per project is available. For-profit companies, co-operatives and Aboriginal groups can apply. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the application process, the program checklist and to fill out their applications as soon as possible, since all eligible projects must be completed by March 31, 2013. Further details on the Agricultural Innovation Program are available online. Agricultural Innovation Program: www4.agr.gc.ca/ AAFCAAC/display-afficher.do?id= 1320767853009&lang=eng

New cooperative venture for cherry processing Canada's largest sour cherry processor will become a member of Michigan-based Cherry Central Cooperative effective May 1. The deal was announced by Ryan Schuyler, Schuyler

NEWSMAKERS continued market access for Canadian seed potatoes and other potentially affected commodities.

New records set at OFVC The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention surpassed attendance expectations in the new venue at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls. On opening day, 1,500 people including exhibitors attended and almost the same, 1,400 attended the final day. Dates for next year are February 20 and 21, 2013.

"We've had a good working relationship in the past, and this arrangement strengthens that relationship," explains Schuyler. "This will help us better align our grading and packing according to the desired end use of the market, whether it's for dried cherries, juice or pie fill.” From the cooperative’s perspective, the addition of Norfolk Cherry Company broadens the geographic representation of tart (sour) cherry production and offers more flexibility in meeting customer needs, says Cherry Central’s president Richard Bogard. Both companies were formed about the same time – Cherry Central Cooperative in 1973 and Norfolk Cherry Company a year later. From its base in Traverse City, Michigan, Cherry Central is a global marketer of frozen, canned, bottled and dried products.

No potato cyst nematode found in Canada The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has completed all potato cyst nematode(PCN) soil sampling and testing for the 2011 seed potato crop. No pests were detected. More than 44,000 soil samples were collected and analysed as part of Canada’s 2011 national PCN detection survey. Through the continued support of Canadian seed potato growers and other stakeholders, the CFIA tested approximately 78 per cent of the 2011 Canadian seed potato production area. The finding is important news to ensure

Seed of the Year nominations due April 27 Agricultural professionals, commodity boards, researchers and members of the agricultural community are invited to participate in the eighth annual Eastern Canada Seed of the Year competition, a joint initiative developed by SeCan and the University of Guelph. Seed of the Year is a competition designed to recognize a publicly developed Canadian field crop, forage, fruit, vegetable or herb variety that has made a significant contribution to the agri-food industry. Seed of the Year acknowledges the many accomplishments of public plant breeders in Canada. Any publicly developed Canadian seed variety can be nominated for Seed of the Year. Unsuccessful nominations will be automatically be re-entered in the contest for the next three years. A committee from industry, government, academia and media will judge entries. Selection will be based on innovation, impact on the industry, presence throughout the value chain, sustainability and marketability. Finalists will be announced in early fall. A recognition event at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto will take place in November when the Seed of the Year winner will be unveiled. Deadline for applications is April 27, 2012. Submit applications by mail, by fax or electronically to seed@uoguelph.ca or phone 519-824-4120 Ext. 53533

At the 90th Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Horticultural Council, Murray Porteous, Simcoe, Ontario was elected president. Supporting him are Keith Kuhl, Manitoba as vice-president; Claude Laniel, Quebec, second vice-president and Jack Bates, British Columbia, past-president. Others elected to the board are: Brian Gilroy and Adrian Huisman, Ontario; Tony Kirkland, Prairies; Jacques Demers, Quebec; Alvin Keenan and Gailen Allan, Atlantic; Baar Hayre and Jeet Dukhia, British Columbia. In memory of Doug Connery, longstanding chair of CHC’s human resources committee, pastpresident Steve Levasseur and Keith Kuhl, vice-chair Horticultural Value Chain Roundtable, were awarded for leadership excellence. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Stephen Whitney for his leadership at the Dispute Resolution Corporation. Stephen Whitney Congratulations to winners of Ontario’s Second Annual Apple Cider Competition which was held at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. First prize went to Ray Ferri (Al Ferri and Sons), Brampton; second prize to Torrie Warner, Beamsville and third prize to Delhaven Orchards, Blenheim. The 340 members of the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association held their annual meeting and awards banquet in conjunction with the recent Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. Jesse Lauzon, Springridge Farm, returns as president for a second term, supported by Brian Hugli, Hugli’s Blueberry Ranch as vice-president. The Leadership Award was presented to Ernie and Sharon Muzylowsky, Apple Land Station. The Outstanding Farm Market Award was won by the Saunders family, near Ottawa. Lynn Ogryzlo, author of the best-selling “The Ontario Table” received the Ontario Farm Fresh Ambassador Award. Joan McKinlay, a beef producer from Ravenna, is the new president of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association for 2012. She and her husband, James, and son Robert, operate Silver Springs Farms in Grey County. Ontario Berry Growers’Association elected four new board members at their recent annual meeting. They are: John Zekveld, Wyoming; Alex McKay, Port Perry; Larry Shouldice, Richmond; Anna Tigchelaar, Vineland. The award of merit was presented to Becky Hughes, manager of the Superior Plant Upgrading and Distribution (SPUD) lab in New Liskeard. She ensures clean, true-to-type strawberry plants for seven propagators across North America. The 2012 VQA Promoters’ Awards were announced recently. The hospitality award went to John Maxwell and Allen’s on the Danforth, Toronto, for promoting VQA wines for more than 30 years and serving exclusively Ontario VQA wines. Promoter-atlarge is Angela Pavan, vice-president and winemaker at Cave Spring Cellars, Jordan Village. For more than 25 years, she’s been a tireless supporter of industry initiatives including the last two successful Riesling Experience conferences and chair of the Standards Development Committee of the VQAO. The lifetime achievement award was won by Ken Douglas, co-founder of Cuvee, original legal counsel for setting up the VQA, founder of 13th Street Winery in St. Catharines. He was also lauded for his vision and assistance in creating the Canadian Wine Library at Brock University.

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APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A3 THE GROWER

Strategic plan to bolster funding and lobbying further develop and refine details. They also agreed that the executive establish committees for fundraising, lobbying, oversight, communications and strategic development. Part of that mandate includes hiring appropriate staff resources either through contracts or working with other organizations to handle the workload. With appropriate funding soon to be in place, an additional resolution was passed to compensate directors for the first time. At industry rates, per diems would cover meetings, conference calls and any travel over four hours. A heavy workload faces the incoming board. The timelines are ambitious for presenting to the Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC), which reports directly to the Prime Minister’s Office through the Treasury Board, and which is tasked to meet the goals of the Perimeter Security Agreement. “The Council commits both countries to finding ways to reduce and prevent regulatory barriers to cross-border trade,” says Anne Fowlie, CHC’s executive vice-president. “because simplifying rules and reducing red tape lead to lower costs for business and consumers, and ultimately to more jobs. A

number of the action items found with the action plan relate to priorities that horticulture has lobbied for many years.” As broader global context, Fowlie points out that the Canadian government is actively pursuing trade agreements that may affect horticulture. In particular, the Canada European Trade Agreement, Trans Pacific Partership, Mercosur countries and others. With such an ambitious agenda ahead, it was appropriate that keynote speaker Lamar Russell spoke inspiringly through photos and video of the space shuttle program in the U.S. The recently retired NASA engineer who worked on each of the Saturn, Apollo and space shuttle missions, spoke about the benefits of putting people into space, the massive teamwork required and the everyday benefits society enjoys as a result of the program. The CHC faces a similarly daunting task. The road less traveled has already been made a little easier with a key announcement. Manitoba’s Peak of the Market has pledged $100,000 in memory of Doug Connery – a suitable marker honouring a past president from 2003 and longtime chair of the human resources committee.

GREENHOUSE

REGULATION

RESEARCH

BRANDING

Gourmet tomatoes fit snacking trend

Audit fatigue plagues U.S. growers

Chile breeds new GM apple

Houweling’s tomatoes rebrands

U.S. greenhouse marketers confirm that growth is in the small tomato category. NatureSweet Ltd., San Antonio, surveyed its consumers to discover their most important eating occasions. Three of them – salads, snacking and appetizers – account for 75 per cent of tomato sales. Village Farms, New Jersey, also fills that trend with greenhouse-grown snack choices such as grape, cherry and miniature plum-type tomatoes and mini cucumbers. “Vegetables and produce that meet the criteria of being pleasant fresh, healthy and having good flavour are showing signs of significant growth,” says Doug Kling, chief marketing officer for Village Farms.

Members of the tomato value chain, frustrated with audit protocols, are working towards a harmonized standard under the United Fresh Produce Association. It’s not easy for Florida growers, who contend with lizards and alligators as well as birds roosting on electric poles near tomato bins. The industry wants all rules to be sciencebased, not opinion-based. “I’m not exaggerating when I say we had a customer saying there’s too much dirt (in the field),” said Drew McDonald, Danaco Solutions. “We can get a little crazy here but these are common-sense things.” The industry continues to complain about layers of regulations that are crippling business.

Houweling’s is reaching out to consumers by putting its CEO front and centre on marketing efforts. “Our entry into the brand marketing world is very exciting," says CEO Casey

Source FreshPlaza.com

Source: The Packer

Chilean researchers are working on a genetically modified apple that would be resistant to Venturia disease, and meet standards of taste and colour of the international marketplace. For export markets, the apple must also have reduced sensitivity to postharvest disorders. “This variety has many advantages for Chile’s conditons,” says Paul Grau, director of the project. “It's the first time that genetic improvement is done in Chile. Everything that has been grown so far, in any kind of species, are foreign varieties.” If successful in their breeding efforts, Chile plans to sell the license to other countries, and continue funding their scientific projects for new varieties. Hopes are to have a new “made in Chile” apple by 2017. Source: FreshPlaza.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “These complex issues can be best explained by individual growers across Canada who can tell how their families and businesses are impacted everyday,” says Porteous. “In turn, we want to play back those stories to elected officials and bureaucrats to make our business case for reform.” Ensight Canada, a government relations firm with offices in Toronto and Ottawa, will be retained to execute components of the legacy project. Jason Lietaer, with both agricultural roots and experience working inner government circles, will head the team. “There is a disconnect between MPs and farm issues, and it’s only going to get worse,” Lietaer says. “We’re now in a period of austerity with the toughest budget expected since the 1990s. It’s a new day in Ottawa and going to government is very difficult. However, what we propose to sell is what government is looking for. And that’s low-cost solutions. The economy is the prism by which this government sees all issues.” Delegates ratified the legacy plan in principle and delegated authority to the new executive to

Award winners The Doug Connery Award, celebrating leadership excellence, honours exemplary passion, commitment and dedication to advancing the interests of Canada’s horticultural industry. Here are the 2012 honorees. Past-president of CHC (2009), Steve Levasseur is a respected apple grower from Frelighsburg, Quebec. He is the long-time chair of the apple and fruit committee, the Apple Working Group and is once again, current chair of the Quebec Apple Growers Association. Steve Levasseur Currently president and CEO of Southern Manitoba Potato, Keith Kuhl wears many hats in the horticultural industry. He serves as chair of Peak of the Market, chair of the Canadian Potato Council and vice-chair of the (AAFC) Horticulture Value Chain Roundtable.

Keith Kuhl

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Houweling, “but that doesn’t mean we are supplanting our grower culture. It’s simply time we told our story to the consumer, and I’m prepared to put my name on our quality promise.” “To be frank, we are levering our brand’s best asset, says David Bell, chief marketing officer. “In Casey we have the passionate tomato artisan, the leader who inspires all of us at Houweling’s to be the best we can be. The new slogan, Mastery under Glass embodies the craftsman’s care that has been in the Houweling’s soul from the very beginning. This will be our competitive distinction in the eyes of the consumer.” Dossier Creative is behind the new look. It’s a top-tier design firm known for creating the Mike’s Hard Lemonade brand and promoting several premium wines from the Napa Valley. Source: FreshPlaza.com

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PAGE A4 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Action Plan released The official Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Action Plan, released in early March, calls for a more integrated and coordinated approach to food and farming in the area that stretches from the Niagara Peninsula to Durham Region, east of Toronto and as far north as the Holland Marsh. The region that expects to be home to 11 million people by 2021 is a vital economic engine as the second largest food and farming cluster in North America. Food and Farming: An Action Plan 2021, launched by the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee (GTA AAC) and its partners, the City of Hamilton and the Region of Niagara, provides five broad strategies and numerous specific actions to revitalize the area’s food and farming cluster which contributes $12.3 billion to the provincial economy.

Horseshoe so it becomes the leading food and farming cluster in the world, renowned for healthy and safe products. 2. Link Food, Farming and HealthEducate current and future consumers about the importance of locally-sourced food and farming products for enhancing their health and well-being. 3. Foster Innovation- Encourage and support innovation to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the Golden Horseshoe food and farming cluster. 4. Enable the Cluster- Align policy tools and their application to enable food and farming businesses to be increasingly competitive and profitable.

1. Grow the Cluster- Grow the Golden

5. Cultivate New Approaches- Pilot new

approaches to support food and farming in the Golden Horseshoe. The plan addresses serious challenges that are impeding growth in the Golden Horseshoe, including multiple and conflicting government policies and regulations, rising fuel costs, lack of integration, urbanization, competition for land, gaps in infrastructure and traffic congestion. “The Golden Horseshoe feeds millions of people in Ontario, across Canada and around the world and provides hundreds of thousands of jobs for Ontarians,” said Nick Ferri, Chair of the GTA AAC. “Strong industry leadership, progressive and integrated government policies, together with shared action among all stakeholders is fundamental for the successful implementation of the Action Plan.” The Action Plan and supporting background reports were prepared by Planscape Inc. on behalf of the GTA AAC and its

partners. It is a blueprint for supporting and growing a thriving and integrated economic cluster by focusing on enhancing competitiveness, promoting sustainability and removing barriers to growth. It has been officially endorsed by the Regional municipalities of York, Durham, Peel, Niagara, City of Hamilton and Halton. “In this day, when food production is a serious concern around the world, we owe it to future generations to ensure the Golden Horseshoe retains and expands its role as a leading food and farming cluster,” said Peter Lambrick, chair of the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Action Plan Steering Committee. Next steps are to work closely with the ecnomic development officers in each of the regions, and to identify funds for the next decade.

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The Ontario government is reducing prices for solar projects by more than 20 per cent and for wind projects by 15 per cent, in its first review of the Feed-inTariff (FIT) Program. Administrators will also encourage greater community participation through a new priority point system, which will prioritize those with municipal support. Chris Bentley, Ontario minister of energy, has also announced that the province will conduct an annual review of FIT prices, setting and publishing prices each November to be effective January 1 of the following year. He expects to procure a target of 10,700 MW of non-hydro renewable energy generation by 2015. At the end of 2013, the government will review the provincial electricity supply and demand forecast to explore whether a higher renewables capacity target is warranted. Currently, reviewers are looking at applications estimated at 2,900 MW of power. Twenty municipalities currently building FIT projects, including Brockville, Kitchener, Lambton Shores, Markham, Waterloo and Welland, are being showcased as examples if other municipalities are interested in renewable energy. From a management perspective, the new rules will require large FIT projects to have a contract launch meeting with the municipality, proponent, project developer, government, utility and agency to share information and define expectations. The province will also clarify project-siting rules by removing all exemptions and strengthening the protection of prime farmland. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario is expected to work with the energy ministry to revise the municipal consultation form.

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A5 THE GROWER

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 90TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Canadians growing healthy together! Ninety years young, the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) has unveiled a modern, fresh and colourful new logo and a tag line to match. “Our primary objective when working on the new image was to ensure it looked Canadian,” recalls Anne Fowlie, CHC’s executive vice-president. “When you think of Canadian fresh fruit and vegetables, you think trust,

quality, local, fresh. Canadian growers work diligently to deliver the best there is -- quality, safe and healthy products. This is why in addition to the logo, we have adopted the tag line “Canadians growing healthy together!” and created a supporting video montage that will be distributed widely. The CHC worked with Moncton, N.B.-based Clarity Marketing Inc. and founding partner Greg Connell. “When we learned that the Canadian Horticultural Council was celebrating 90 years this year and were interested in updating their brand and logo, we offered to create a new

logo for them,” said Connell. “I guess you could call it their 90th birthday gift! I have been associated with Canadian horticulture in one capacity or another for more than 25 years and it feels good to give back to the industry.” "The logo is fresh, colourful and using imagination one can float across the breadth of Canada's horticulture industry and geographic diversity from the blue Atlantic coast through to the fresh greenery of B.C.,” added Fowlie.

Committee highlights Committees are at the heart of the Canadian Horticultural Council, managing issues for diverse sectors. For 2012, the following committees will be at work. Apple and Fruit Committee – Andrew Bishop, Chair Tender Fruit Section of the Apple and Fruit Committee – Phil Treguno, Co-Chair Blueberry Section of the Apple and Fruit Committee – Bill Parks, Co-Chair Crop, Plant Protection and Environment Committee – Gary Brown, Chair Finance and Marketing Committee – Mark Wales, Chair Food Safety Committee – Paul LeBlanc, Chair Greenhouse Committee – Linda Delli Santi, Chair Human Resources Committee – Ken Forth, Chair Potato Committee – Keith Kuhl, Chair Seed Potato Sub-Committee – Robert Watson, Chair Research and Technology Committee – Bruce Hill, Chair Trade and Industry Standards Committee – Dave Jeffries, Chair Vegetable Committee – André Plante, Chair Here are the meeting highlights of one of those committees: Trade and Industry Standards Committee—While a consultant’s report on financial risk mitigation was presented to the CHC AGM, delegates were unimpressed with the lack of forward movement. The study, conducted by Serecon, was to identify what instruments can be used in a Canadian context to reduce instances of slow payment and non-payment to sellers of fresh produce and to improve sellers’ ability to receive payment when buyers become insolvent or bankrupt. “While legislative initiatives show some potential, they will take time and are not a complete answer,” said Markus Weber, Serecon. “All elements need to be pursued but in short and medium term, best results may come from improving foundations through due diligence and a comprehensive, transparent licensing regime. Insurance and pooling are currently not seen as particularly

palatable to industry, but their ability to cover losses at the time of default make them worthy of further investigation.” The greenhouse sector is one of the most exposed to this issue since 70 per cent of production is

exported to the U.S. “The issue is critical for us,” said George Gilvesy, general manager, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. “People who are exportdependent need reciprocity between the two countries.”

Although statistics are hard to come by, a glimpse was offered by Jamie Reaume, executive director, Holland Marsh Growers’ Association. “In the last 23 years, our growers have suffered the results of 11 bankruptcies with

$17 million lost,” he said. The meeting sentiment was that the federal government is encouraging exports, yet Canadian growers face barriers on financial protection.

PAGE A6 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 90TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Agriculture is sunny side up KAREN DAVIDSON In global terms, to officially reach middle class requires an annual income of $3,000. The Global Bank says millions are meeting that threshold and are immediately purchasing better food. That’s a logical premise, but what goes unsaid is the power of those expenditures in developing countries. In China, for example, 30 cents of the food dollar goes directly to the primary producer. No wonder, the Globe and Mail’s Eric Reguly is writing articles titled: “Agriculture becomes the next big thing.” Given this context, it shouldn’t be difficult to position Canadian agriculture for success, says Faith Matchett, vice-president, Atlantic and Eastern Ontario Operations, Farm Credit Corporation (FCC). Yet, when she spoke to delegates of the Canadian Horticultural Council, she reported on some differences of perception between Canadian farmers and consumers.

A 2011 FCC Vision Panel survey showed that 80 per cent of Canadian farmers who responded are positive about the future of agriculture in the next five years, a barometer that’s at a five-year high. In that survey, 58 per cent of producers plan to expand or diversify their operations in the next five years. Most encouraging, seven out of 10 producers would recommend a

friend or relative to pursue a career in primary production. These findings are in stark contrast to the public’s perception of farming. Only one per cent think that farmers will be better off in the next five years. When probed deeper on what five words would best describe agriculture, the public saw a glass half empty: struggling, essential, underpaid, under-recognized and weather-

dependent. On the flip side, farmers agreed only on the four last words. The huge gap in perception is that farmers regard

themselves as risk-takers. Perhaps the results aren’t so surprising, but they do underline that agriculture has communications work to do. If the public, and by extension, politicians and bureaucrats don’t perceive a healthy and vibrant industry, then it’s harder to persuade them for critical research and infrastructure investments. As an economic driver, Canadian agriculture represents eight per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and $35 billion in exports. “This is a new and true story,” says Matchett. “Never has agriculture mattered more to the world. We need to feel it in our bones and feel it with pride.”

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APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A7 THE GROWER

HORT4HEALTH

Horticulture sows the seeds of healing Horticulture wants to get hitched to the healthcare wagon. There’s so much that fruit and vegetables offer to a nation fighting obesity, diabetes and cancer. And yet from a policy perspective, there’s no coordinated approach between the two sectors. “It’s as if 300 people are running to first base,” says Alison Robertson, chair of the Hort4Health initiative, a working group of the Horticulture Value Chain Round Table. “There’s too much duplicated effort between ministries, between provinces and even within the agricultural sector. We need to set our table and share our vision of plenty with the entire team.” That message was delivered to 25 Members of Parliament, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Larry Miller, Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food at a March 12 networking event. With more than 100 agrifood representatives on hand, Robertson urged all stakeholders to start with an annual national workshop that would bring together industry, NGOs and government staff.

There’s no better example of what horticulture can do than the recent 5th Annual Great Big Crunch. The Norfolk Fruit Growers Association (NFGA) teamed up with FoodShare Toronto on March 8 to stage a synchronized apple crunch at 2:30 in the afternoon. Almost 150,000 Ontario school children crunched and munched. FoodShare is a non-profit organization that helps schools with healthy eating education as well as running a supply network that buys local foods in bulk and distributes them to many individual school nutrition programs, says Adrienne DeFrancesco. NFGA is a big part of that supply chain. Photo by Laura Berman.

Robertson predicts that such an annual gathering would help stakeholders develop an inventory of existing nutrition programs for children and youth, which would allow strategic expansion based on proven models. The idea is to change the eating habits of children who will then influence the purchasing and eating habits of the entire family. If everyone enjoys a more active lifestyle, the benefits accrue to society, government and food producers. “We need to identify gaps and issues in food accessibility in this country and find the solutions,” says Robertson. “ Whether it be school and community gardens, procurement or distribution, our industry lives and breathes this stuff every day. Help us connect with the groups such as the Canadian Child & Youth Nutrition Program Network. We have the answers.”

N IO T C A F O E D O M NEW CITED IN APHID DEATHS.

Keith Kuhl (L), Vice Chair of the Horticulture Value Chain Round Table, Alison Robertson, Chair of Hort4Health and Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food at the March 12 networking event in Ottawa. Photo courtesy Andrew Alexander.

Larry Miller, Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food

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

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PAGE A8 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION APRIL 11 - 13

Simply Asian, very disciplined This Canadian company shares its management model KAREN DAVIDSON To win the title of one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, one would expect years in the trenches. Not so. Fresh Direct Produce is but a preteen, a precocious Vancouver upstart that’s only nine years old. The honour, just announced by Deloitte and CIBC Commercial Banking, is still sinking in for 42year-old president Davis Yung. An entrepreneur in a hurry, he’s barely digested the news because his company is launching a Chinese vegetable kit called “Simply Asian” at the upcoming Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show in Calgary. Like the entertainment business, there is no overnight success. Yung admits to working seven days a week in 2003, when he and partners Albert Lum and Kam Chiu Lee believed there was a market for fresh produce for the fast growing Asian community. Remarkably, the Hong Kong emigré did not grow up with produce

Fresh Direct Produce, just named one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, earned the title through the diligence of its management team. Pictured front row, left to right: Susan Leung, Kam Chiu Lee, Davis Yung, Albert Lum, Jozef Hubburmin. Back row, left to right: Judith Lu, Danny Tsang, Andy Lam, Tracy Kwan, Zan Chow. in his DNA. His story is one of a graft, an introduction to VanWhole Produce where he grew his talents for ten years before striking out on his own, confident

of his insights. “The demographics have really changed in the last five to 10 years,” says Yung. “It used to be that the Chinese moving to

Vancouver were from Hong Kong or Taiwan. Now they’re coming from mainland China. The South Asian population is also growing rapidly, especially in major cities such as Vancouver and Toronto. Different taste profiles are emerging as well as how they shop.” With just 10 employees and two trucks, Fresh Direct Produce started importing more ‘homeland’ vegetables and expanding the number of varieties. At first, they were selling to green grocers but quickly grew the business to the independents, foodservice, wholesalers, and the national chains. They are now importing from 28 countries including Australia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and more recently Korea to serve the burgeoning Korean population. Last year, they opened an office in Calgary and now fly or truck directly to their warehouse there. That’s because more of these so-called exotic vegetables are now grown in the U.S. and Mexico, shortening travel times. Today, their “Best Managed” distribution company employs 135 people, operates a fleet of 24 trucks and turns over five million cases. Put another way, that’s approximately half a billion servings of fruits and vegetables. So what has qualified Fresh Direct Produce for one of the country’s 50 Best Managed Companies? First it’s not an award but an earned distinction under the business experts of Deloitte, CIBC Commercial Banking, Financial Post and Queen’s School of Business. The program is open to privately held companies with revenues of $10 million or more, who must demonstrate prowess in a number of measurable facets of business: use of new technologies, globalization, brand management, leadership, leveraging and developing core competencies, designing

information systems and hiring the right talent to foster growth. For each of the “Best Managed” metrics, here is an example of the company’s culture: New technology and information systems. Uses state-of-theart technology with Cisco telecommunication systems and networks to keep the team accessible whether staff are working from home or travelling in a remote area in Thailand. Globalization. Attends many trade shows worldwide, such as the Fruit Logistica Asia in Hong Kong to keep abreast of new trends and to develop relationships for two-way global trade. Brand management. Provides growers with marketing support as well as house brands for several specialty and tropical items called “Simply Fresh,” “Simply Hot,” “Simply Exotics” and “Simply Ripe.” They are supported with promotional programs, packaging, newsletters, and YouTube videos. Leadership. Extols the company’s F.R.E.S.H. values: focus, relationship, enthusiasm, sincerity, and high standards. All managers contribute to the company’s annual strategic planning retreat, with the expectation that managers will be accountable for those plans and report monthly. Core competencies. Executes strong import, ethnic and tropical programs combined with a passion for growth, innovation, and continuous improvements. Right talent. Provides extensive in-house and external training for all staff. This includes leadership courses, executive forums, lean seminars, negotiation and communications workshops. In addition, staff are provided a multitude of team-building activities such as regular gym nights, soccer, basketball, volleyball tournaments, Sun Run and the Child Run, in support of the BC Children’s Hospital. Fresh Direct has also adopted a “Lean Culture,” thanks to its operations manager Danny Tsang. Call him the Tao of thrift. The Lean approach focuses on only activities that create value for a customer and eliminate wasteful ones. Yung lists the five S’s: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain as an example of how operational efficiencies can be improved with a simple system implemented across the company. The efficiency gains are matched by innovation in the marketplace. While exotic fare – Korean melons, okra and Chinese eggplant – may be trending upwards, Yung emphasizes their reliance on local traditional produce when it’s in season.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

APRIL 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAGE A9 THE GROWER

CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION APRIL 11 - 13

Three new products trace their roots to unique genetics KAREN DAVIDSON Is there more room for segmentation in produce commodities? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Definitely, absolutely, unequivocally, yes!â&#x20AC;? answers Ken Wong, distinguished professor of marketing, Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Business. His personal story bears witness to the need. About two years ago, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and since then, has modified his diet. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so tired of the staple fruits that he warmly welcomes any new tastes.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the cusp of producing specific qualities of foods for dietary reasons,â&#x20AC;? predicts Wong. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Until recently, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about quinoa and its health properties, but now the grain has taken off. In Canada, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re known as a nation that eats to live. Now we need to learn how to live to eat.â&#x20AC;? The trend is being reflected by food processors who are now meeting new nutrient standards such as less sodium. Wong also notes a growing cohort of business-minded farmers who are breaking free of commodity constraints.

They are innovating with new products that waken the taste buds in categories that used to be mundane. Potatoes, tomatoes and peppers are examples that are exploding with originality. Go no further than the new product showcase at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canadian Produce Marketing Association in Calgary, Alberta. Interesting, that in these three made-in-Canada examples, all can be traced back to exclusive rights to seed. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a strategy thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winning converts from growers right through to retailers. For a taste, here are three thumbnail sketches.

W. P. GRIFFIN ANNABELLE POTATO STEAMERS

JEMD FARMS TOMATO SPECIALTIES Labelled the Artisan Series, a new collection of bite-sized tomatoes is whetting chefsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; appetites in the restaurant trade. The package consists of five unique varieties: Sakura Honey, Tomato Berry, Sun Gold, Black Cherry and Yellow Pear. Also introduced this year is the farmhouse heritage tomato (pictured). Other tomatoes include the Rosado, which proclaims the fifth taste profile of â&#x20AC;&#x153;umami.â&#x20AC;? A new cocoa-coloured tomato is on the horizon. JemD Farms supplies tomatoes year-round through its Canadian and Mexican greenhouses. Their two consumer brands are Red Sun, identifying Mexican produce and Golden Sun, identifying Canadian produce.

Picking up on the European chefsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; penchant for Annabelle potatoes, the W.P Griffin company is introducing a microwaveable product. The Annabelle potato variety is known for its flavourful, bright yellow flesh and buttery taste. The steamer pack is portioned for families, contains recipes and consists of 100 per cent compostable packaging. The product is currently available in Atlantic Canada through Sobeys, with anticipated presence in Quebec by fall 2012 and nation-wide by 2013. John and Peter Griffin negotiated exclusive Canadian rights to grow the Annabelle potato from Holland seed company HZPC. They grow about 100 acres of these potatoes in P.E.I. and also contract Grand Bend Produce in Ontario. From a growerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, Annabelle potatoes have a smooth, thin skin, barely visible eyes and are also resistant to greening, a quality which makes them ideal for the retail market.

BC HOTHOUSE TASTE BUDDIES MINI PEPPERS Marketed under the brand of Taste Buddies Mini Pepps, this new product is grown by Ravi Cheema at his Langley, B.C. greenhouse. The mini-peppers come in red, yellow and orange colours with juicy walls and a crunchy skin. The tiny seed cap makes them easy to slice into sweet rings, adding a visual twist to the presentation. The peppers are packaged in a one-pound stand-up ziplock bag for retail.

Simply Asian, very disciplined CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 To encourage more local producers, procurement manager Zan Chow recently spoke as a panelist to B.C. growers at the Pacific Agriculture Show, explaining produce wholesalers needs. Table stakes include: adherence to CFIA label requirements, quality assurance, product liability insurance, preference for BC Good Agricultural Practices certification, food safety and traceability, and any certifications such as organic. After meeting those minimum standards, growers need to communicate what types of produce will be available, vol-

umes and harvestable timelines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to think outside the box,â&#x20AC;? says Chow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the change in demographics, we see more interest in ethnic items in mainstream markets. Here in Vancouver, you can find long beans served at a fine dining restaurant. Romaine or asparagus arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough anymore. Everyone is looking to differentiate themselves and cater to the changing demands of the consumers.â&#x20AC;? This is a wise strategy for wholesalers and growers explains Chow. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re selling a commodity, then it usually ends up just a price war. If you can sell something different than your

competition, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a more profitable marketplace for everyone in the value chain. As an importer/wholesaler, Fresh Direct Produce has sharpened the business model. Not content with their current success, their next move is to more global sourcing. They see opportunities to export B.C cherries and blueberries to Asia and to broker South American produce to Russia. No doubt, Fresh Direct Produce will become a case study for students as one of two agribusiness companies in Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2011 list of Best Managed Companies. One of the judges took a particular interest because he, too, is of Asian descent. Ken Wong, distinLeft: This innovative Chinese vegetable kit, Simply Asian, contains trimmed baby bok choy, cooking oil, garlic cloves, oyster sauce and a recipe so that everyone will know how to cook the ingredients and fully enjoy the dish. It will debut at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show April 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13.

guished professor of marketing, Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Business, was quick to recognize their achievements. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no magic in their formula,â&#x20AC;? says Wong, who explains that the judges look at the means to produce results, not the num-

bers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about how much technology you bring to the party. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m impressed with how they work as a team, how welldisciplined they are and how they do tasks consistently well. It all revolves around an Asian model of trust.â&#x20AC;?

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Sunshine on the horizon

ART SMITH CEO, OFVGA Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has come out with the long-term forecast for Canadian farming. They are predicting that farmers across Canada will return to profitability and will experience the best returns in decades and that this will last over the next ten years. This is a long time and trying to predict that far out is tricky business but I do in this case believe they are correct. I hope we are both right! Much has changed over the last ten or so years, through the first half of the past decade the grain sector received dismal prices but all that changed starting around 2007. The turmoil in

the beef sector started in 2003 with BSE and then that was compounded later in the decade by high feed prices and only now

increasing in per capita income there will be a greater demand for protein rich foods (statistics show that when a country surpasses

will collapse. This however is a long-term process. Perhaps more important, at least in the short term, are the

It is highly unlikely that the returns in the fruit and vegetable sector will stay low while prices of all other commodities go up.

is improving as it took years to get supply in line with demand. The pork sector also experienced its problems as they lost slaughter capacity creating an over-supply situation and that, coupled with the beef issue and high feed prices wreaked havoc. There was simply no way of getting ever increasing costs out of the market place. That all seems to be changing and I hope it continues. Now I recognize that when AAFC talks about farming they are usually talking about grain, meat and dairy and seldom does horticulture come into the equation. I believe however, that the horticulture sector is also in for better times in the near future. There are a number of reasons for my optimism. First off there are two babies born every second on this planet and of course that means an expanding market for food. We need to increase food production by 70 per cent by 2050 just to keep up with the demand. Also with the world’s two most populous countries

$2000 per year in per capita income then as a country its citizens switch to a diet high in protein and it takes up to eight pounds of carbohydrate to produce one pound of protein). It is also projected by 2050, that 75 per cent of the global population will be middle income earners. Another of the factors is the increase in bio-fuels or the diverting of grain from the food to the energy market. Clearly all these factors coming together will create a long term growing demand for food products. Now I know that I have not talked about fruit and vegetables yet but these ,too, will benefit I believe. There is growing awareness and concern about obesity and related diseases and because of that government and a significant number of other organizations are trying to find ways to change the diets of many of us. Our diets need to be higher in fruit and vegetable consumption. If we don’t change our diets our health system as we know it

options that many farmers will exercise. This is most significant and pertains to most farmers with open fields. No one likes to lose money so why would one grow a crop at which they have had trouble returning their investment if they can grow something else where the prospects of making money is that much better? It is this shift in what will be grown that I believe will help push returns for fruit and vegetables higher. This of course only works when you have open fields, so what about tree fruit and vine crop production or greenhouse production for that matter. Well even here no one likes to lose money and history will show that there has always been pricing cycles, when prices stay low for an extended period of time then production gets reduced and prices return to where they need to be. The apple sector has suffered for too long but seems to be rebounding -- let’s hope it continues.

These of course are general trends only and there will always be instances of depressed pricing usually caused by market over-saturation or price cutting to capture the market. Now regarding government predictions, I must admit that I have always been skeptical and quite frankly still am; but let’s just hope that they are correct this time. Good luck during the planting and growing season ahead and may Jack Frost not raise his ugly head. For what it’s worth, it’s the way I see it.

leadership in our industry over my 47 years at the Tender Fruit Board. I acknowledged the strong renewal in those leadership positions. In almost all instances there was renewal from within – from father to son and/or daughter. The strength of our industry stems from this renewal and with it, new ideas, innovation, new products and new business structures and allegiances. I believe history has shown that the industry is much better off by working together, through

their organizations, for the common good while not stifling innovation or individualism. I also acknowledged how pleased I was with the succession planning at the staff level. Here again, renewal came from within as existing staff members moved in and accepted the challenges of leadership. They did so eagerly and anxious to try new things to move the industry forward. Finally, I express my thanks to the Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association for their Award of Merit. I am

proud to be listed amongst so many worthy past recipients. I thank Art Smith, Frank Ingratta, Brad Huisman, Larry Hipple and Len Troup for their kind words and to Joe Pilliterri for serving as the emcee -- great job Joe. Special thanks to the NPF&VGA, Tender Fruit & Fresh Grape directors and staff for their efforts in arranging the dinner. It was truly a rewarding and humbling evening for Shirley and me; one which we will always remember. Thanks for the memories!

Thanks for the memories

ADRIAN HUISMAN ONTARIO TENDER FRUIT PRODUCERS I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all

those who attended the March 8th Retirement Dinner and Award Ceremony and to all those who sent cards and letters expressing their best wishes. Shirley and I were extremely pleased to see so many friends and colleagues. It was also humbling to hear so many positive comments from the speakers. If only half of those comments were true I would still be very proud. At the end of the evening I was given the opportunity to provide a few comments. I commented on the positive

STAFF Publisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Editor: Karen Davidson, 416-252-7337, kdavidson@ecomente.ca Production: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.org Advertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, hsherwood@cogeco.ca

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

The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Any errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the next issue. No compensation will be given after the first running of the ad. Client signature is required before insertion. The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is the sole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed in The Grower are those of the newspaper’s editorial staff and/or contributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either whole or in part without the prior written consent of the publisher. P.M. 40012319

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

$30.00 (+ G.S.T.) / year in Canada $40.00/year International Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues within four months. If the issue is claimed within four months, but not available, The Grower will extend the subscription by one month. No refunds on subscriptions.

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Chair Vice-Chair Fruit Director Veg Director Director

Mac James, Leamington Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Jason Ryder, Delhi Jason Verkaik, Bradford

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

Brian Gilroy, Meaford Mary Shabatura, Windham Centre Fred Meyers, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Ryder, Delhi Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake Jason Verkaik, Bradford Mac James, Leamington Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin Ken Van Torre, Burford Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown Don Taylor, Durham

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS Crop Protection Research Property Labour Safety Nets CHC

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

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A11 THE GROWER

PERSPECTIVE No production naturally limits food choices at markets

OWEN ROBERTS UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH A fascinating debate is percolating over food choices and farmers’ markets. In the wake of a dramatic and well-publicized remark recently by Canadian grocery magnate Galen Weston questioning the food safety of farmers’ markets, a new school of thought is emerging now that wonders also about the kind of food chosen for farmers’ markets. This school questions whether farmers’ markets are inclusionary or exclusionary – not whether the food sold at markets is safe, as Weston wondered, but rather, whether markets broadly represent the tastes and consumption traits of a breadth of Canadians. Some may wonder how this can be. After all, farmers’ markets have always been a sort of vox populi, the voice of the people. They mirror consumers’ zeal to know more about their food. They’re a destination, a place where consumers go to make a social and perhaps agricultural statement. Farmers’ markets reflect their patrons’ lifestyles. Consumers are zealous in their

patronage, visiting these markets to develop relationships with vendors, to have some fun, to connect with producers and to get unique products. But are the products being offered to market patrons “old school” – apples, maple syrup, root vegetables and the like -- or reflective of the new face of Canada? That’s a big question according to a University of Guelph research team looking into all facets of what’s called ethnocultural vegetables – their production, consumption, marketing and distribution. With support from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Knowledge Translation and Transfer program, the team, led by rural extension specialist Prof. Glen Filson, broke ground last year when it discovered Ontario farmers were missing out on a $61-million a day market by not growing the kind of vegetables certain new Canadian cultures crave – bitter melon and okra, among them. Now, they’re looking at a Catch-22 situation. Despite the amazing opportunity to cash in on the ethnocultural market, Ontario farmers are only planting a smidgeon of what could be sold to those vegetable consumers. It appears farmers don’t understand it and don’t realize its potential. Not surprisingly then, they’ve had little interest in connecting with it. And that means the availability of these vegetables – at least as supplied by Ontario farmers -will be limited everywhere. To me, that’s neither exclusionary nor elitist, nor a situation restricted to farmers’ markets (at

Photo courtesy Vineland Research and Innovation Centre least not intentionally). Rather, that’s an opportunity for the ethnocultural sector to get together

with the ministry on initiatives such as offering short courses on ethnocultural vegetable develop-

ment and production, and on supporting further research to determine how to best get farmers onside. Filson and the Guelph-based research team have made great strides. Their findings have been widely quoted, and they’ve made headway understanding the retail sector’s response to ethnocultural vegetables. Indeed, the latter led them to farmers’ markets. Their studies have shown that the retail sector is complex, relational and at times prices are arbitrary. Of the ethnic stories, Chinese markets have the best selection of fresh ethnocultural vegetables. For price, there’s no standard – it depends on seasonality and availability. But for freshness, Filson says there’s no question Ontario farmers could blow away the competition if they set their minds to it. Imported ethnocultural vegetables, even given our modern transportation systems, are generally not up to par. But even if they were, there are still issues with transportation and food security. So if you want to look at it that way, until there’s domestic production, ethnocultural vegetables will be exclusionary at a lot more places than farmers’ markets. But to me, that’s not the fault of farmers’ markets. Meanwhile, check out the discussion on www.evcontario2011.blogspot.com

Strength. Str enngth.. Concentrated. Conncentrated d.

LETTER TO EDITOR Not so new after all Re: Hydro cultivation promising for leafy plants I was really amazed when I read your January 2012 edition of The Grower re Technology. We in Nova Scotia, introduced Oxidation Reduction Production (ORP) in 1992, whereby, produce harvested, regardless of irrigation “splash” is washed under electronically controlled hardware, thus eliminating bacteria that causes deterioration of the product, and at the same time, under controlled temperatures, extends

shelf life of the product, i.e. spinach, leeks, apples, carrots, etc. The ORP system has been widely used throughout North America, and has an accepted use of wash water disinfection for produce to combat the deterioration of produce, both vegetable and fruit. David Taylor Waterville, NS

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PAGE A12 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

How you can build better bridges to consumers, retailers and restaurants

LILIAN SCHAER

and Stacy Hadrick will be the key note speakers, sharing their tips on how they’ve used social media and other communications activities to effect change. They’re passionate about combating negativity towards agriculture and believe the best way to do so is for farmers to stand up and tell their food and farming story. Troy himself shot to fame in 2010 when he helped lead a social media campaign against Australian winery Yellow Tail after he learned they had donated $100,000 to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a powerful animal rights activist group. His now famous home-

markets for our products. But it can be hard to know where to start. The Farm & Food Care annual meeting and speaker program on April 17 may be able to give you some tips on how to reach out and connect with your customers about modern food and farming.

Retailers and restaurant chains are increasing their demands for sustainable food production. Consumers want to know where their food comes from and how it’s produced – but many have out-dated perceptions of farming. As a farmer, your challenge is to be able to respond to those many different needs. After all, knowing what our customers want is critical to building solid

Taking control of the food and farming story South Dakota ranchers Troy

made video “Yellow Tail is now Yellow Fail” went viral and the ensuing social media furor caused the winery to stop all subsequent donations to HSUS.

what their customers are demanding and how it’s changing their practices from packaging to procurement. Meeting details

Insights into corporate demands for sustainable food production The meeting will also feature speakers Tim Faveri, director of sustainability and responsibility with Tim Hortons, and David Smith, vice president of sustainability at Sobey’s. They'll be looking at the changing challenges of sustainable food from a corporate perspective, including

The Farm & Food Care annual meeting will take place April 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. George’s Banquet Hall, 665 King Street North in Waterloo. Tickets are $100 each and available at www.farmfoodcare.org or by calling 519-837-1326.

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Retailers’ websites are a gold mine of information sumer communications with new websites. Essentially, these websites became living libraries. What a gold mine for producers! While the home page is usually targeted at the consumer with information about different programs, events, items and the weekly flyer, you can get a great sense of where retailers are focused and what they are trying to communicate to their customers. It is worth spending a few minutes each week to see what the focus is and if there are opportunities for your items. If you navigate around the sites you will see the retailers are working hard to provide food solutions to the consumer. Recipes, cooking tips and meal

PETER CHAPMAN In the 19 years I worked for Loblaw Companies in Atlantic Canada, I was amazed at how grocers transformed their con-

planning are all available. Are there different ideas you could bring to the retailer in this area? You might not get credit but it is one more method of delivering value. Many of the sites have comprehensive lists of control label products. If you want to review the offering in a specific category it is easy to find what is being offered in the marketplace. Every retailer has a link to the weekly flyer on their site. You should be reviewing the flyers to see what is happening in your category. You can enter a postal code in any market to get a look at the corresponding flyer. At times it is useful to understand if retailers are different in different

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markets. In a few minutes you can get a snap shot of what is happening. One of the hidden gems in the website is a section usually called 'investor info.’ Look for this in small type at the bottom. The large retailers are publicly traded companies and as such, are required to share a certain amount of information. They will post all of their financial results, annual reports, and presentations done by senior management. You can uncover a ton of information here, including business priorities and areas of focus. For each of the major retailers here is a link to their site: www.Loblaw.ca www.Sobeys.com www.Metro.ca www.Safeway.ca www.Costco.ca www.WalMart.ca Bring me opportunities! Every time you have a chance to meet with a category manager or other merchandising employee, make sure to bring new opportunities to the table. Yes, this can be a challenge, however it is imperative. If you have nothing new to offer, then you are better off to postpone the meeting. Sitting down to review history and 'blue sky' about the future is the wrong thing to do with today’s retailers. They are all looking for sales, reduced shrink, reduced labour and innovation. If you are not including these in your presentation, then you need to go back to the drawing board. One of the biggest challenges for suppliers is to know when it is the right time to take an opportunity to the retailer. You want to be far enough down the road that you have true costs, samples and a comprehensive plan. However, you do not want to be so far down the road that you cannot change or else you’re wasting time if the retailer does not buy in. A good relationship is key so

you can get in at the right time and agree on the final plan. Remember to put yourself in the category manager’s shoes. If someone was coming in to see you, would it be a good use of your time? More Changes at Sobeys Recently, Bill McEwen, president of Sobeys announced he would be stepping down for health reasons. He will remain with Sobeys until the end of the current fiscal year, which concludes at the end of April. This will be a considerable change for Sobeys given that he has been leading the business since 2000. Sobeys implemented a new structure prior to Christmas and now the grocer will be faced with new leadership. It will be very interesting to see how Sobeys manages this critical change. Bill McEwen has been very clear in his direction for Sobeys; they would be a food store first. That is a challenging strategy to implement in today’s retail environment where discount stores are gaining share and large format stores such as Walmart Supercentres are being added to the market. Sobeys will either hire from within, where you would expect the strategy to remain relatively consistent, or they will go outside. If they do go outside, there is a possibility the new person could take the business in a different direction. Expect an announcement within the next month in order for the transition to be smooth. Peter Chapman, a retail food consultant and professional speaker, is principal of GPS Business Solutions, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Peter works with producers and processors to help them navigate through the retail environment with the ultimate goal of getting more items into the shopping cart. pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A13 THE GROWER

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As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™ The miracles of science™, Coragen® and Rynaxypyr® are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada. © Copyright 2012 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.

PAGE A14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

ONTARIO POTATO CONFERENCE

Beware herbicide resistance in potato country Glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed has been confirmed in three Ontario counties (Chatham-Kent, Essex and Lambton). Glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane has been confirmed in Essex county. Growers should be aware that these weeds are in horticulture production regions across the province and in the event of control failures herbicide programs will have to be altered. You likely have a resistant weed population if you have a weed species that should have been controlled but is healthy while other susceptible species have been controlled or a weed control failure even when the correct herbicide rate was used and it was applied at the appropriate weed stage and under favourable environmental conditions. You can report suspected resistant weeds by contacting the Agriculture Information Contact Centre 1-877-424-1300. By taking advantage of this toll-free number, suspicious weed species will be tested for resistance by the University of Guelph. Any information obtained from this service will allow weed researchers to develop control options for resistant weed populations.

You can also send samples directly to the University of Guelph, which will test free of charge, suspected resistant weeds. Visit the link below for complete submission instructions. www.plant.uoguelph.ca/resistant-weeds/ services/ In order to prevent the development of herbicide resistant weeds, OMAFRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kristen Callow advises the following practices: 1. Rotate herbicides with different modes of action. For example, do not use simazine (Princep Nine-T) continuously. Consider other pre-emergence broadleaf herbicide options. Avoid making more than two applications of the same herbicide in the same year. 2. Scout orchards and fields to identify weeds. Respond quickly to changes in weed population by controlling weeds before they spread throughout the entire orchard or field. 3. Use non-selective post-emergence herbicides Glyphosate (Group 9) resistant giant ragweed sites are identified in Essex (Round-up, Ignite, Gramoxone) in your weed management program. County, Chatham-Kent and Lambton County, ON. Map courtesy of Joe 4. Use herbicides only as needed. Vink, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus.

Know your RMP

Start planning for 2012 SDRM now! Watch your mailbox for an information package from Agricorp that will help you start planning for participating in the 2012 self-directed risk management (SDRM) plan. Inside the package you will find: t 3FRVJSFNFOUT BOE QBSUJDJQBUJPO TUFQT t )PX UP FTUJNBUF ZPVS HPWFSONFOU DPOUSJCVUJPO t *NQPSUBOU EBUFT GPS UIF QSPHSBN ZFBS 3FWJFX UIJT JOGPSNBUJPO OPX UP FOTVSF ZPV EPO U miss any deadlines and are ready to complete the QBSUJDJQBUJPO GPSNT ZPV XJMM SFDFJWF JO 4FQUFNCFS

Attention edible horticulture producers: get a head start on 2012 SDRM 5P CF FMJHJCMF GPS 4%3. &EJCMF )PSUJDVMUVSF JO 2012 you must: Sign up for AgriStability â&#x20AC;&#x201C; contact Agricorp or download the New participant form at agricorp.com. You must enrol and pay the participation fee by April 30, 2012. Provide Agricorp with your premises ID â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you EPO U IBWF B QSFNJTFT *% DPOUBDU UIF 1SPWJODJBM 1SFNJTFT 3FHJTUSZ BU .: 113 *%

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Contact Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999 PS WJTJU agricorp.com.

A pitch for Pic Plus Fumigating potato ground is not standard practice, at least in Canada. That said, the manufacturers of chloropicrin (Pic Plus) made a pitch to the Ontario Potato Conference that production efficiencies can be gained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an excellent fungicide and a fair nematicide,â&#x20AC;? says Chad Hutchinson, formerly a potato specialist with the University of Florida, now with TriEst Ag Group. He recommends fumigating soil in the fall when soil temperatures are warm, pests are still active and easier to kill. Plant a cover crop, then the following spring, work the cover crop into the ground and then plant potatoes. The recommended rate is 70 to 125 lb/acre in-row. In cooler production areas, the 125 lb. rate is suggested for control of common and pitted scab. A lower rate of 70 lb/acre will control verticillium wilt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The product really cleans up the tuber,â&#x20AC;? says Hutchinson, showing picture of smooth-skinned potatoes. He mentioned yield increases of 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 26 per cent with the Vivaldi variety and 36 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 42 per cent with the Atlantic variety after fumigation with Pic Plus. According to Hutchison, Pic Plus should be used in Canada. This product will move 10 inches from the point of injection whereas metam sodium products will move only about three inches. Root lesion nematodes are easier to control with this product than root knot. Company representatives indicated that there is a shortage of Telone, one of their key competitors, in the U.S. With Telone no longer available in the Canadian market, all growers are looking to alternative soil fumigants for the 2012 season.

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A15 THE GROWER

ONTARIO POTATO CONFERENCE

China sets the table with potatoes KAREN DAVIDSON To the Chinese, Peter VanderZaag is the Norman Borlaug of potatoes. In the last century Borlaug was dubbed the father of the green revolution when his semidwarf, disease-resistant wheat varieties doubled yields in India and Pakistan. It would be fair to say that Ontarioborn VanderZaag has led a similar food revolution,

governors attend the world’s largest potato conference in Yinchuan last year. VanderZaag, chair of the Peru-based International Potato Centre since 2009, was there to give the keynote address. Recently, VanderZaag shared photos and his observations with the Ontario Potato Conference, describing how the Chinese government has handsomely financed potato research. Something close to half a billion dollars have been invested in seed production. Chinese growers have solved the problem of virus-infected seed by using seed potatoes only three generations removed from their tissue-cultured parents. “The payoff has been amazing,” says VanderZaag. “Two hundred million people are no longer living in poverty due to their ability to eat or sell potatoes at market prices. Capitalism is thriving in China under a centrally

An extension worker demonstrates aeroponics for seed potato production.

Peter VanderZaag, chair of the International Potato Centre (CIP) inspects a crop of potatoes with CIP’s liaison scientist (L) and a farm manager (R).

controlled government. In southwest China, farmers are selling their potatoes right out of the field at prices Canadians would envy.” Breeding efforts have resulted in made-in-China varieties, most notably Cooperation 88 which is now grown on a million acres. In the north, concrete storage facilities have been built to protect the harvest. In southwestern China, farmers are able to doublecrop, aggressively starting potatoes under plastic in order to get better returns in early markets. With harvests that reach up to 87 tons per hectare, some farmers are even exporting potatoes to

Trucks line up to unload potatoes in Inner Mongolia. Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Of late, research scientists are pushing production ceilings for seed potato production through aeroponics and growing potatoes in the controlled environments of massive greenhouses. With concerted agronomic efforts and a population that now consumes 40 kg/per capita/year, the processing industry is booming. The appetite for potatoes has been whetted with a Chinese cookbook entirely devoted to potato recipes that resonates with local culture. “China is so rewarding,” says VanderZaag. “People are hungry for knowledge and are keen to improve their lot.” Is China close to exporting their potatoes to North America, like garlic and apples? VanderZaag says, “Not yet.”

In China’s Yunnan province, farmers hand-harvest potatoes as part of a double-cropping system.

Chinese farmers in Inner Mongolia bag potatoes for storage. surprisingly not in rice but in potatoes for the arid northern and western regions of China. The statistics prove the point. Since 1985, the Chinese have made startling strides in potato production to the point they are now the world’s biggest producer at annual production of 75 million metric tons. This figure eclipses Russia, the nearest competitor with 37 million metric tons and puts Canada into the shadows at merely five million metric tons. Potatoes are the fourth most important foodstuff in China, following rice, wheat and maize. These achievements are the result of genetics and cultural practices first recommended by VanderZaag and a cohort of his graduate students. Qu Dongyu, vice governor of Ningxia autonomous region for example, and others now occupy influential political positions of agricultural provinces where potatoes are deemed the ticket out of poverty. The humble tuber has been responsible, in part, for helping China reach millennium development goals, the first country to do so. With new targets set, China’s premier suggested that seven provincial and vice-

You do whatever it takes to get the job done. And you should be rewarded for it. With the Hot Potatoes® Rewards Program, every qualified purchase you make in 2012 and 2013 will earn you Hot Potatoes reward points. At the end of the season, those points can be redeemed for great rewards like cash rebates, a group trip to Hawaii or maybe even both. Visit Hot-Potatoes.ca to sign up or call 1 877-661-6665.

Always read and follow label directions. Hot Potatoes® is a registered trademark of Bayer.

H-12-03/12-BCS-12103-E

PAGE A16 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

REGULATION

Wat’er your options? GEORGE SHEARER Recently, several of our member growers have been contacted by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) requesting Abatement Plans (compliance strategy) related to their operations and specifically to their water. One thing that has been consistent in this regard is the lack of options being put forth to the grower when it comes to compliance with ministry regulations. The “Big Three: compliance items are: Permit To Take Water, Stormwater Management (i.e. rainwater management) and Waste Water Disposal. Permit To Take Water is straight forward. Either you take

more than 50,000 l/day or you do not. If you do and it is from a source that is not a municipal supply then you need a Permit To Take Water. Give me a call and I can help with that. Stormwater Management (rainwater management) is about the conveyance of rainwater from rooftops and applies more to the greenhouse sector. The secret here is that if you allow your rooftop rainwater to run off your roof like any other home in Ontario then you do not need an approval to do so from the MOE. However if you collect this water and direct it anywhere you now have what constitutes a sewage works of which requires an approval from the Ministry of the Environment. If you don’t want to

go through this process, don’t collect your rainwater. The last and probably the biggest is the waste water issue. The MOE calls all waste water “sewage” regardless of what is in it and requires approvals to discharge this water off site. The key here is “discharge.” No direction is being provided in regards to options for compliance related to waste water and growers are being told that they need an Environmental Compliance Approval. However, this is not the only option. You do have at least four options available depending on your operation. Option 1: Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) for a sewage works through the

MOE. This is probably the most expensive option with the application fee alone starting at $6500 not including any consulting or engineering cost and is not the easiest to acquire. I have heard many stories from farmers who have submitted applications for approvals only to have the process drag out for many months with increased costs and onerous monitoring requirements. Option 2: Discharge or irrigation. When you water your greenhouse crop do not collect the excess water and simply allow it to absorb into the ground below your plants -- then you are essentially irrigating and not discharging. If you convey this water you now have a sewage works and require an approval. While it

Growers have some unusual traditions — things they do every year to ensure a successful growing season. From the hula girl one grower pulls out at planting, to the barn dance another grower throws after every harvest, you go with what works. Just like the products that come through for you year after year, why mess with a good thing?

Thanks for putting your trust in our products. For more information, visit www.gowithwhatworks.ca or call 1-866-761-9397 toll free.

makes sense to capture this water and reuse it to conserve more water, it will however cost a significant amount of money to secure an approval. Option 3: Closed loop recirculation. If you do have a collection system which can include both your rainwater and your discharge water, instead of discharging this water clean it up and reuse it. Therefore it is no longer waste water/sewage and constitutes a plumbing works. The secret here is don’t let any water discharge. So for example if you use a pond to collect your water from one or both sources then you have to ensure the pond is lined which essentially turns it into a holding tank/reservoir for your recirculation system. You then send the water back into the greenhouse for use, reducing your dependence on municipal or well water and nutrients. If you do have some water that you just cannot use once in a while due to volume or contamination, simply get a waste hauler’s license and approved discharge site under the waste management act to haul the water offsite and discharge on an approved location. This is a cheaper option than ECA for disposing of unwanted water. Option 4: Class Four septic system and leaching bed. This applies to all operations that are discharging less than 10,000 l/day and is approved under the building code. This option requires that you have the land to install a septic system and leaching bed. This option has some significant cost associated with it as well but at least the Ministry of the Environment will not be involved. One last thing to consider is the Nutrient Management Act through OMAFRA. Currently there are discussions taking place between ministries and between the ministry and the growers’ associations to cover a lot of these situations under the Nutrient Management Act. It may be in your best interest to await the conclusion of these talks. There is no point in investing time and money into altering your operations only to have the requirements change down the road. If you have been notified by the Ministry regarding an abatement plan you may want to request an extension until negotiations are concluded. In the meantime if you have any questions the OF&VGA Water Program is here to provide information and solutions, so feel free to contact me @ 519763-6160 ext 219 or water@ofvga.org George Shearer is surface water specialist, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association.

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A17 THE GROWER

POLLINATION

Separating perceived and real risks to bee pollinators KAREN DAVIDSON The state of the bee nation is not as healthy as apiculturists would like. “In the northern hemisphere, bees are suffering overwintering losses at a rate twice that of normal,” says David Drexler, agrology consultant, Researchman Inc. In a recent talk to delegates of the Canadian Horticultural Council annual general meeting, he put mainstream headlines into context and explained what growers can do to protect pollinators. First, some recent history. Colony collapse disorder or “CCD” has been coined in the U.S. to describe the hive situation of no worker bees, but queen, brood and food stores present.

Under this definition, no CCD has been identified in Canada, but similar levels of colony losses exist. In the last overwintering season of 2010/2011, Canadian bee researchers and extension workers cited several reasons including: higher numbers of weak colonies heading into winter, ineffective Varroa mite control and resistance to existing control measures, inadequate Nosema detection and control, higher than normal rates of queen loss, harsh weather conditions and impacts to foraging capabilities. The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists conducted a survey of 418 beekeeping operations across the country in 2009/2010. The sample, representing 14 per cent of Canada’s managed colonies, recorded what beekeepers thought the problems were. Twenty-one per cent fingered weak colonies in the fall, while 20 per cent cited poor queen quality. Ineffective Varroa mite control was identified by 16 per cent while only nine per cent thought Nosema was a culprit. While the survey is useful, Drexler points to the need for research to untangle the confounding effects of several factors. “It’s easy to blame widespread pesticide use and acute poisoning episodes, industrial agriculture and genetically altered crops. But to put things in context, look at the history of hives, honey and beekeepers since World War II.” There have been previous precipitous declines for explainable

reasons. In the 1940s, there was a sugar embargo. In the late 1980s, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency closed the border to the import of U.S. bees, fearing tracheal and Varroa mites. The vast majority of Canadian researchers agree that problems with bees are complex and varied, with pests and diseases at the forefront. With that historical overview, growers should be aware of circumstances which have potential to expose bees to risk. “Risk is a function of toxicity and exposure,” says Drexler, whose science perspective was the backbone of his former career as director of development and licensing for Bayer CropScience. “Pesticide exposure to bees is something which varies with use pattern, and that can be altered

via label directions and use pattern. No exposure, no toxicity.” Perceived risk: pollen grains and nectar. These don’t accumulate sufficient systemic insecticides to kill bees. While residues have been found, they are below a toxic level. Perceived risk: guttation droplets. Not to be confused with dew, these droplets are natural release of moisture from tips of plant leaves. Although dangerous, bees don’t normally consume them. Real risk: abraded dust during seeding which needs stewardship Seed treatment quality, wind, seeder exhaust Real risk: direct spray Be aware that this activity is a real risk for bees, but rarely for colonies Real risk: spray drift on windy days or inversions This is the same risk as other non-targets. In Drexler’s experience, various groups need to understand the difference between perceived and real risks to protect bee pollinators. Several research initiatives are underway through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Syngenta’s Operation Pollinator and Bayer CropScience’s Bee Care Centers, and the development and launch of Bayer’s new products to control Varroa mite. “I’m convinced that proper stewardship of crop protection products and communication can reduce the already low number of bee poisoning incidents to virtually zero,” Drexler concludes.

BEES FOR POLLINATION

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BEES We help to bring you fruit and sweeten your day with honey. The following Ontario Beekeepers offer Honey Bee Pollination Services:

Glen Ackroyd Ackroyd’s Honey Tara 519-934-0006

Dan Davidson Supersweet Honey Ltd. Watford 519-849-5959

Zenon Kohut Zenon -Bee Inc. Lynden 519-647-9796

Michael Sounak Sunny Honey Brantford 519-317-4140

Guy Anderson Anderkin Foods Inc. Kincardine 519-396-3529

Joe DeVillers Bonnie Bee Honey Penetang 705-533-3655

Reg Lumley Honey Do Honey Sarnia 519-355-0119

John VanAlten Dutchman’s Gold Carlisle 905-689-6371

Davis/John Bryans Munro Honey Alvinston 519-847-5333

Jerry Dietrich Beehaven Apiaries Alma 519-846-5839

Bill Minnick Minnick Appiaries Smithville 905-957-3667

Henry Van Lingen Lingenview Farm Belmont 519-269-3923

Jim Coneybeare Coneybeare Honey Fergus 519-843-7328

Chris Frere Bee Baron Honey Wellandport 905-386-1130

Mike Parker Parker Bee Apiaries Ltd. Beamsville 905-563-7285

Roger/Tom Congdon Sun Parlor Honey Ltd. Cottam 519-839-4000

Tim Greer LilleyBee Apiaries St Catharines 905-934-5904

Brian Rowaan B & E Honey Fields Niagara-on-the-Lake 905-262-1864

Please contact the beekeeper nearest you. Sponsored by Ontario Beekeepers’ Association Phone 905-636-0661, fax 905-636-0662 www.ontariobee.com

PAGE A18 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

ONTARIO MUCK CONFERENCE

Strategies to control resistant pigweed in muck soils Growers of root crops are struggling with resistant pigweed in Ontario fields, a problem that was studied extensively in 2011. Four different pigweed species are showing resistance to herbicides says Kristen Callow, OMAFRA’s weed management lead. They are: • Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus, L.) • Green pigweed (Amaranthus powellii, S. Watson) • Smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus, L.) • Common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus, syn, rudis) • Prostrate pigweed (Amaranthus bllitoides, S. Watson) *** currently being tested As far back as 1977, resistance to group 5 herbicides was noted. Then in 1998, resistance to group 2 herbicides was noted. Resistance to group 7 herbicides appeared in 1999. Populations with multiple resistance exist. Weed specialists suspect resistance to group 14 herbicdes and are watching for resistance to group 9. Without effective herbicides, growers are using alternate methods to manage pigweed species in their fields. This includes

says Callow. “The cost of the treated area was, on average, comparable to the producer’s control. This means that Ontario producers can economically control herbicideresistant pigweed with herbicide banding and inter-row cultivation. For 2012, Callow recommends incorporating New Prowl H20 into a herbicide program in carrots. Review test results and determine your best herbicide options. Then rotate carrot fields to onions or other crops where herbicides can be used to control pigweed with different modes of action. Finally, vary weed control practices to destabilize evolution to survival. Here is Callow’s example of what herbicides are available to use in onions and beets.

Removing pigweed from field. wicking with glyphosate, hoeing and removing pigweed from the field so the plants don’t germinate. These practices may not be economical in some crops. In the summer of 2011, funding from the Agricultural Adaptation Program allowed on-farm demonstration plots to show alternate methods of weed control. These included:

New techniques (Treatment): herbicide banding applications of Lorox combined with inter-row cultivation. Herbicide standard treatments (Control): common PRE and POST herbicide applications used by growers (Lorox and Gesagard in combination with adjuvants). “In general, we found fewer weeds in the treated area throughout the season,”

ONIONS: Chateau, Goal, Aim (Group 14) Prowl (Group 3) Pardner (Group 6) Frontier (Group 15) BEETS: Nortron (Group 16) – soil type restrictions Upbeet (Group 2)

The 2011 IPM program of the muck crops research station MICHAEL T. TESFAENDRIAS & MARY RUTH MCDONALD The 2011 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program’s

objectives are to scout growers’ fields, provide growers with disease and insect forecasting information, identify and diagnose diseases, insect pests and weeds, provide growers with

timely, accurate and convenient access to insect and disease pest information, and to update and improve the IPM program. One example of this is to implement rotorod spore traps to trap spores

SUPERIOR SEEDS, SUPERIOR SUPPORT Michel Gratton Montreal Area, Quebec Tel: 514-332-2275 Fax: 450-682-4959

Gilliane Bisson, t.h. Montreal Area, Quebec Tel: 514-332-2275 Fax: 450-682-4959

Yves Thibault, agr. Central and Eastern Quebec and Atlantic Provinces Tel: 418-660-1498 Fax: 418-666-8947

Warren Peacock Ontario Tel: 519-426-1131 Fax: 519-426-6156

2914, Cure-Labelle Blvd, Laval (Quebec) Canada H7P 5R9 Tel: 514-332-2275 Toll free: 800-561-9693 Fax: 450-682-4959 Toll free: 800-567-4594

of various vegetable crop pathogens. In 2011, 70 commercial vegetable fields, totaling 808 acres (carrot 361, onion 329, celery 98, and lettuce 20), were scouted for 30 growers. Compared to the 2010 growing season, fields scouted increased by 76 acres and one more grower participated in the IPM program in 2011. The information gathered from the scouted fields was used to manage the insect and disease problems of all the cultivated fields in the Holland/Bradford Marsh. From January 8 to November 30, 2011, the MCRS diagnostic laboratory received 273 samples. Of these, 88 per cent were for disease diagnosis (239 in total). These samples were associated with the following crops: onion (38.5%), carrot (27.6%), celery (4.6%), lettuce (2.5%), and other

CFFO Core Values

dŚĞ ŚƌŝƐƟĂŶ &ĂƌŵĞƌƐ &ĞĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ KŶƚĂƌŝŽ ; &&KͿ ŝƐ ůĞĚ ďǇ ĨĂŝƚŚ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞƐ͘ ƚ Ă ƌĞĐĞŶƚ WƌŽǀŝŶĐŝĂů ŽƵŶĐŝů ŵĞĞƟŶŐ͕ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ ĮŶĞͲƚƵŶĞĚ ƚŚŽƐĞ ǀĂůƵĞƐ ƚŽ ĂĐĐƵƌĂƚĞůǇ ƌĞŇĞĐƚ ƚŚŽƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶ͛Ɛ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͘ EŽƚ ƐƵƌƉƌŝƐŝŶŐůǇ͕ ĨĂŵŝůǇͲďĂƐĞĚ ĨĂƌŵŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĨĂƌŵůĂŶĚ ƉƌĞƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƚǁŽ ŝƚĞŵƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝƐƚ͖ ƚŚĞ ŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶ ŚĂƐ ůŽŶŐ ďĞĞŶ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĨŽƌ ŝƚƐ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ĨĂƌŵ ƉŽůŝĐǇ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŽŶ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ďĂƐĞĚ ĨĂƌŵŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ ůĂŶĚ ƵƐĞ ƉůĂŶŶŝŶŐ ƉŽůŝĐŝĞƐ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟǀĞ ĨĂƌŵůĂŶĚ͘ >ŝƐƚĞĚ ŶĞǆƚ ĂƌĞ ƉŽƐƐŝďůǇ ůĞƐƐ ǁĞůů ŬŶŽǁŶ ǀĂůƵĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ &&K ƌĂƚĞƐ ŚŝŐŚ ŝŶ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶĐĞ͕ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƉŽůŝĐŝĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞ ƚŚĞ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ĂŶĂĚŝĂŶ ŐƌŽǁŶ ĨŽŽĚ ŽǀĞƌ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĞĚ ĨŽŽĚ͖ ĨĂƌŵŝŶŐ ĂƐ Ă ǀŽĐĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ĐĂƌĞĞƌ͖ ĂŶĚ ͞ŽƉĞŶŝŶŐ ƵƉ͟ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƚĞŶƟĂů ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƌĞĂƟŽŶ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐǇ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ŐƌĞĂƚĞƌ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ͕ ƚĞŵƉĞƌĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞ ƐĞŶƐŝƟǀŝƚǇ ƚŽ Ă ǁŝĚĞ ǀĂƌŝĞƚǇ ŽĨ ƉŽƚĞŶƟĂů ŝŵƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘ dŚĞ ŽƌĞ WŽůŝĐǇ sĂůƵĞƐ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚ ĐŽŶƚĂŝŶƐ Ă ůŝƐƚ ŽĨ ϭϲ ǀĂůƵĞƐ͕ ĨŽůůŽǁĞĚ ďǇ Ă ƐĞĐƟŽŶ ŽŶ ǁŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶ ƐĞĞƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ŐŽǀĞƌŶͲ ŵĞŶƚ͛Ɛ ƉƌŝŵĂƌǇ ƌŽůĞ ŝŶ ĂŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĞ͘ dŚĞ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ĨŽƵŶĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ &&K ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ Ăƚ ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ĐŚƌŝƐƟĂŶĨĂƌŵĞƌƐ͘ŽƌŐͬ ŝŵĂŐĞƐͬWŽůŝĐǇͬĐŽƌĞǀĂůƵĞƐ͘ƉĚĨ ͞dŚĞ ĂƌƟĐƵůĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞƐĞ ǀĂůƵĞƐ ŝƐ ĞǆƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ŝŶ ŵĂŶǇ ĨŽƌŵƐ ŝŶ ĂŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĞ͘ dŚĞ ŵĂŶŶĞƌ ŝŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĞĂĐŚ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂů ĨĂƌŵĞƌ ĞŵďƌĂĐĞƐ ƚŚĞŵ ŵĂǇ ďĞ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ͕ ďƵƚ ƚŚĞǇ Ăůů ĐŽŵĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ͘͟ Ͳ EĂƚŚĂŶ ^ƚĞǀĞŶƐ͕ /ŶƚĞƌŝŵ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ͕ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ŽĨ WŽůŝĐǇ ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ FAMILY FARMERS WORKING FOR FARMING FAMILIES

crops (26.8%). A total of 26 samples of insects or insect damage were assessed and there were also eight weed identifications. Other samples were diagnosed in field during scouting and not brought in for analysis, thus the numbers mentioned above do not include these samples. For extension services, data collected from growers’ fields and the MCRS research plots were compiled twice per week, analyzed and summarized. The results (IPM report) were updated twice per week and circulated to participating growers, academia, industry, OMAFRA experts and posted at the MCRS web site (www.uoguelph.ca/muckcrop). The IPM report also contained additional important data related to pest monitoring and modeling, forecasting and control, relevant weather data, OMAFRA and government notices, and meetings. During the 2011 growing season, more than 100 phone inquiries and email requests for information concerning plant problems and recommendations were addressed. Funding for the IPM service was provided by members of the Holland Marsh Growers’ Association, the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC), Bradford Co-operative Storage Ltd., Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, Bayer Crop Science, DuPont Canada, BASF, Engage Agro, UAP, Dow AgroScience and Syngenta Crop Protection. Michael Tesfaendrias is University of Guelph research associate, Muck Crops Research Station.

Choose the CFFO to represent your values, your family and your farm. Please contact us for more information about the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario 7660 Mill Rd., RR4 Guelph, ON N1H 6J1 T: 519-837-1620 www.christianfarmers.org

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

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A19 THE GROWER

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PAGE A20 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

CONSUMER RESEARCH

Why is vegetable consumption stagnant? PROFESSOR SUNGHWAN YI, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH It is natural for vegetable growers to worry about the cost of growing vegetables and the channels through which vegetables are distributed. We would all agree with the bottom line that we want to grow vegetables in larger quantities and sell them at higher prices. But what if consumers’ demand for vegetables were not rising or, even worse, falling? The problem is that this seems to be happening in Canada. According to 2009 data from Statistics Canada, consumption of vegetables has largely been stagnant, and it has even slightly declined over the past several

years in this country. And it is ironic that vegetable consumption is not rising in spite of substantial efforts to promote the consumption of vegetables by the federal, provincial and local governments. Canada’s Food Guide promotes 7 to 10 servings daily for adults. However, it appears that government spending on promoting the importance of vegetable consumption was not a complete waste of money. Thanks to repeated exposure to public service announcements and brochures about vegetables, most consumers are now aware of the health benefits of eating vegetables, and express the intention to include more veggies in their daily diet. Why then are consumers not eating more vegetables despite positive intentions?

This was the research question I decided to pursue two years ago. Funded by the OMAFRAUniversity of Guelph partnership program, I organized a research team that consisted of researchers from consumer psychology, marketing and human nutrition to

tackle this problem. Since very little research has explored vegetable consumption in depth, we started with an exploratory approach. We conducted a series of in-depth interviews with main food preparers in southern Ontario in fall 2010 and winter 2011, focusing on current consumption, methods of preparation and barriers to consumption of specific vegetables in their households. Our participants were women in their 30s and 40s living with at least one child. Consistent with our expectations, every participant was highly aware of the health benefits of vegetables and expressed at least a moderate intention to serve more vegetables at the dinner table. However, the quantity and diversity of vegetables eaten var-

ied substantially across households. Many participants with low vegetable intake reported taste as the number one barrier. Even worse, most vegetables require some preparation and cooking to be served in meals, and unfortunately, many participants perceived preparation of vegetables as a big challenge. First of all, participants with low vegetable intake felt that preparing vegetable-rich meals would take a lot more time than they can normally fit into their busy daily schedule. This perception was partly because they were not very confident about their culinary skills when it came to vegetables, especially less mainstream ones, such as brussels sprouts, broccoli and asparagus. Pressed for time and feeling unsure about their cooking skills, they reported preparing familiar meals that could be fixed quickly (which often included few vegetables) and microwaved foods. Furthermore, another often reported barrier was the feeling of demoralization experienced when the vegetable-rich meals they prepared with a lot of time and effort were rejected by family members. In contrast, a small number of participants with high vegetable intake were confident about their culinary skills and efficient in preparing vegetable-rich meals. They reported collecting recipes from several sources and experimenting with new recipes, and kept them readily available for future use. Some of them practiced weekly meal plans and thus knew what they would prepare well ahead of time. Our findings from the in-depth interviews revealed the well known barriers of taste, cost and time are still prominent, but that confidence in culinary skills is also important and varies among food preparers and by vegetable. We are currently analyzing the results of an online survey of a consumer panel, where we have further explored attitudes toward cooking and enjoyment of cooking in relation to vegetable consumption. Our goal is to identify segments of consumers with unique patterns of vegetable consumption and different food preparation habits. One of the insights we gleaned from the interview study is that a solution to the problem is instant access to easy-to-follow recipes for vegetable-rich meals at the time consumers wonder what they will put on the dinner table. Given that more and more Ontarians are using smartphones, we are in the process of doing groundwork to develop an app that provides instant access to recipes for in-season Ontario vegetables. We hope that vegetable grower associations will provide feedback and support our app project.

APRIL 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAGE A21 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Another tool to manage downy mildew and Phytophthora JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for Acrobat 50 WP fungicide for control of downy mildew and suppression of Phytophthora blight on cucurbit vegetables, crop group 9 in Canada. Crop group 9 includes crops such as cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins and gourds. Acrobat fungicide was already labeled for

management of diseases on potatoes and ornamentals in Canada. Acrobat 50 WP must be applied in a tank-mix with another fungicide active against downy mildew and Phytophthora blight at a rate of 450 g product per ha in at least 200 L water per ha. For downy mildew and Phytophthora, begin applications prior to onset of disease infection. For downy mildew, continue on a five-to-10 day interval. For Phytophthora blight, use a five-to-seven day interval under high disease pressure and a seven to 10 day interval under lower disease pressure. A maximum of five

applications per season is permitted. Do not apply within two days of harvest of cucurbit vegetables. Acrobat 50 WP fungicide should be used in an integrated pest management program and in rotation with other management strategies. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Acrobat fungicide label. For copies of the new supplemental label contact Elaine Roddy, OMAFRA, Ridgetown (519) 674-1616, Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit the BASF Canada website https://agro.basf.ca/basf/agsolutions/SelectRegion.htm

Managing weeds on green onions PMRA recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for Frontier Max herbicide for the reduced competition of redroot pigweed and suppression of yellow nutsedge on green onions grown in muck soils and for control of pigweed and black nightshade on green onions grown in mineral soils in Canada. Frontier Max was already labeled for management of weeds on corn, soybeans, dry beans, peanuts, dry bulb onions, cabbage and grapes in Canada. This minor use project sponsored by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) was submitted in 2007 (muck soil) and 2009 (mineral soil) in response to minor use priorities identified by producers and extension personnel in Canada. Users should consult the complete label before using Frontier Max herbicide. Frontier Max herbicide can be applied as a

single application to green onions at the loop stage and before weed emergence. Apply at a rate of 963 mL product per ha on mineral soil and at a rate of 1.29 L product per ha on muck soil. Applications made prior to the loop stage of green onion may result in significant injury. Do not apply within 30 days of harvest of green onions. Frontier Max herbicide should be used in an integrated weed management program and in rotation with other management strategies. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Frontier Max herbicide label. For copies of the new supplemental label contact Kristen Callow, OMAFRA, Ridgetown (519) 674-1335, Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit the BASF Canada website https://agro.basf.ca/basf/agsolutions/Select Region.htm

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PAGE A22 –– MARCH 2012 THE GROWER

Determining the nutrient contribution from a soil nutrient amendment DEANNA NÉMETH Last autumn’s wet soil conditions may have postponed farm operator’s plans for fall application of a soil organic amendment such as manure, anaerobic digestate, or a composted material, but these early spring conditions are a great time to start planning for the nutrient requirements for this year’s crop. Farmers know that maintaining a balance of nutrients within their cropping system is a strategy to utilize valuable nutrient material and to reduce nutrient loading on the environment. Two steps you can use to calculate your nutrient requirements are: 1. In a plastic pail, collect ten to 15 soil samples 15 cm (6 inch) deep that are from representative areas of your field. Mix these together and submit a composite sample to a local accredited lab to identify your current soil nutrient levels. This will cost approximately $15 to $30 for a basic test including phosphate (P2O5), potassium (K2O), magnesium and pH results. A 30 cm (12 inch) soil sample is recommended for nitrogen (N).

2. If you are planning to land apply solid manure, anaerobic digestate or compost material, collect a 1 kg sample for nutrient analysis, and send to an accredited lab. The cost for a nutrient analysis is approximately $60 per composite sample. Although the nutrient content varies from type of material you are applying, once you have done a baseline nutrient analysis of that material, you may decide to test every three years after to monitor variations in the nutrient profile. From the lab test results, you can calculate the rate of the organic amendment to apply based on the fertilizer replacement value in kg nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potassium

(K2O). The combination of both your soil test and nutrient analysis results will help you determine if you will meet the upcoming crop nutrients required for this year, or what rates of additional fertilizer are recommended to apply. Recommended fertility rates for Ontario vegetable crops are described in detail in OMAFRA Publication 363. An initial investment of approximately $100 for both a soil and organic amendment sample over three years (< $35 per year) is an analysis that provides useful information that may result in commercial fertilizer rates which can be reduced

accordingly. A recent study done by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) indicated variation in plant available nutrients dependent upon the type of material applied, for example, solid versus liquid manure, or different sources of digestate or compost. Two new OMAFRA studies to evaluate land application rates and characteristics of compost and anaerobic digestate on horticulture crops are being initiated this spring. Adding organic amendments to soil is an important management strategy considered to improve long term soil health. Soil health can be indicated by factors such as: the soil’s nutrient holding capacity, its resistance to water or wind erosion, and the diversity of the biological life that it maintains. Biological organisms

within the soil promote nutrient cycling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, making these elements more available for future crop uptake. To conclude, if you are planning to apply soil amendments this spring, take advantage of this time to test both your soil and nutrient amendments. Getting an early start, will allow you to plan ahead to match your nutrient application needs with your up coming crop needs. For more information about finding a local accredited lab, soil testing or organic amendment sampling methods, contact Deanna Németh, Nutrient Management Horticulture Crops Program Lead, Ontario Ministry of Agricutlure Food and Rural Affairs. Deanna.nemeth@ontario.ca, Phone: (905) 562-1170.

Photo source: Christine Brown, OMAFRA

Spring approaches for fall messes ANNE VERHALLEN Wet soil conditions last year, especially during harvest and late into the fall mean that there are lots of fields with compaction, ruts and no fall tillage. Now we are on to spring and the start of a new growing season. The key word for the spring of 2012 is patience. Yes patience – it is going to be a tough call but waiting for soils to drain and warm; and “to be fit,” is going to be critical for this year. Wet conditions through much of last year mean the soil has been pounded by rain, in places where water lay

repeatedly, possibly been harvested wet and may have seen tillage under less than ideal conditions. Our soils have suffered structurally, whether it is shallow compaction or crusting, compaction in the root zone or deeper subsoil compaction due to heavy harvest loads. The structure created by freeze/thaw over winter is very fragile and will disappear with any heavy rains. Soils need to be managed to create the best seedbed or transplant bed possible and to allow crop root systems to take full advantage of the soil profile. The goals for tillage this spring: 1. keep it shallow – use shallow tillage to fill in any remaining ruts. Shallow/light tillage can be used to “open” up the soil

and to create a good seedbed. Keep tillage shallow to prevent dragging up the wet soil. The goal is to avoid creating chunks and lumps. 2. avoid compaction – comes back to being patient. Stay off the fields as much as possible – make every pass count. 3. manage soil moisture – timing is important. Avoid creating soil lumps and chunks – try to achieve uniform soil moisture conditions across the seed or transplant zone to support early crop establishment. We do not know what the spring and summer will bring for rain, and irrigation can only do so much. It is important to cre-

ate the best possible root zone for early crop growth. If subsoil compaction from last year is your biggest concern – this spring is not the time to do any deep tillage. Soils tend to be wet at depth and the act of deep tillage will just drive compaction deeper or in heavier soil types smear and potentially create another barrier to root expansion. Look at all your options – adding organic matter, rotating into deep rooted crops or cover crops and deep tillage. Any of these strategies have to be worked into your production system and that takes time. Anne Verhallen is Soil Management Specialist – Horticulture OMAFRA, Ridgetown

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APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A23 THE GROWER

Introducing a product that’s as exciting as dirt.

Yes, you read that right. Alion™, the new Group 29 pre-emergent herbicide is anything but exciting to watch. Why? Because you’ll never actually see it do anything – and that’s the point. Spray it in your orchard for season-long control of annual grassy and broadleaf weeds. Not to mention glyphosate, triazine and ALS-resistant weeds, too. It’s literally as exciting as dirt. Until you see the results. Learn more at BayerCropScience.ca/Alion

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

PAGE A24 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Orchard growers to get new herbicide option Growers now have a residual herbicide option with Alion. The new herbicide, by Bayer CropScience, provides long-term residual control of annual grassy and broadleaf weeds, including glyphosate, triazine and ALS-resistant weeds, on pome fruit, stone fruit and tree nuts. “Alion features a completely new mode of action that provides longer-lasting weed control compared to competitive products,” says David Kikkert, portfolio manager, Horticulture, Bayer CropScience. “By choosing Alion, growers will benefit from its outstanding performance, and weed con-

trol they can depend on for the entire season.” “Alion herbicide is what growers have been waiting for; it offers an extremely low use rate, excellent environmental safety, and it stays where you put it,” says Allan Kaastra, Field Development Rep, Eastern Canada, Bayer CropScience. “Alion enables growers to more effectively rotate modes of action and preserve the utility of weed management technologies. Alion can be applied to established orchards of at least three full growing seasons, and if weeds are present at the time of applica-

tion, growers can simply tank-mix Alion with a contact herbicide such as Ignite.” Alion: • Is a group 29 herbicide • Provides excellent long-term residual control • Provides pre-emergent control for a broad spectrum of weeds • Controls annual grassy and broadleaf weeds, including glyphosate, triazine and ALS-resistant weeds • Can be applied anytime during the season as long as the ground is not frozen/snow covered

• Is an effective resistance management tool • Provides flexibility because it can be tank-mixed • Has a low dose rate Alion is available in a 1L jug from Bayer CropScience horticulture retails in orchard growing regions of Canada. For more information regarding Alion, visit: BayerCropScience.ca Source: BayerCropScience news release

Label expansion granted for Assail 70 WP insecticide for control of swede midge on rutabagas JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for ASSAIL 70 WP insecticide (acetamiprid) for control of swede midge on rutabagas in Canada. ASSAIL 70 WP (acetamiprid) was already labeled for management of a variety of insect pests on a range of crops in Canada. This minor use submission was sponsored in 2006 by the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFCPMC) in response to minor use priorities identified by rutabaga producers and extension personnel in Canada. Swede midge has been a devastating new pest of Brassica crops in Canada in recent years. Management of this insect pest

has been a high priority for Brassica vegetable producers and the registration of Assail insecticide will provide rutabaga producers with an effective and useful insect management and resistance management tool. The following is provided as a general outline only. Users should consult the complete label before using Assail 70 WP insecticide. For control of swede midge on rutabaga, apply 86 g per hectare of Assail in a minimum finished spray volume of 200 L water per ha. Begin applications when insect populations reach economic threshold levels and apply at seven day intervals. Do not use more than five applications per season and do not apply less than seven days before harvest of rutabagas. Assail insecticide should be used in an integrated pest management program and in rotation with other management strategies. Follow all other precautions and

directions for use on the Assail insecticide label.

We wish to acknowledge the personnel of Nippon Soda Co.

Ltd. and DuPont Canada Inc. for their support of this registration and the personnel of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for evaluating and approving this important pest management tool. For copies of the new supplemental label contact Marion Paibomesai, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-4963, Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 8263539 or visit the DuPont Canada website at www2.dupont.com/ Prod_Agriculture/en-ca/ content/crop-protection.html

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PAGE A26 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

MINOR USE CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Minor use on a global scale

CRAIG HUNTER OFVGA Last month, I was fortunate to be able to attend the second Global Minor Use Summit. It had been agreed after the first summit four years ago that a second meeting would only occur if significant and positive changes had occurred with Minor Use registrations on a global basis. Indeed much progress has occurred, including many significant developments here and in the U.S. Other parts of the globe have made improvements too, but still lag behind in some areas of endeavour. I will explain. The meetings attracted more than 250 delegates from over 50 countries. Thanks go out to the FAO (Foreign Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) for hosting the meeting, and to the USDA FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) for bringing in many delegates who could not otherwise have attended. Thanks also must be extended to the IR-4 Program for the leadership role in working with an organizing committee to develop the program. The meeting started where the last one ended, so there was no duplication. Very quickly we got down to four main themes, and developed summaries of needs and paths forward for each of these. In many ways this meeting reminded me of our own annual Minor Use Priority Setting meeting held at the end of March. Much important work occurs during the sessions, but at least of equal value are the networking opportunities before and after the sessions, and during breaks. We met with different people at every meal, and at every break there

were important issues to discuss. The breadth of knowledge assembled was staggering, and one HAD to take advantage. I know that I have a much better appreciation of the state of affairs regarding minor use in most other areas of the globe. Having said that, Canada and the U.S. must be justifiably proud of where we are and what we have accomplished in the past few years, both individually and jointly. We will be able to extend what we have to many other areas, for mutual benefit. Let me explain. When Canada gets a new registration, be it a new active or a new use of an existing active,

try. Their residue limit for that pesticide on that crop may be lower, the same or higher than ours. There is an international system called CODEX to set internationally accepted tolerances. However, it has been slow to act, so when the U.S. or Canada registers a new use, they set their own tolerances rather than wait years for the CODEX one to be set. Unfortunately, the GAP varies between countries as well, so the final CODEX tolerance may be different than needed for a particular country’s needs. Meanwhile, the differing tolerances lead to trade barriers. Other nations set tolerances on

placed to help. We can show the processes we have adopted to get the registrations done. These include: how to solicit grower priorities to ensure the most important work is done first, how to conduct trials and collect samples for residue analysis, how to do efficacy and crop tolerance work if needed, how to gain company support to register products, and much more. One first step is to share the data that exists here already. This reduces needless duplication of effort. Another is to invite delegates to observe ‘how we do it.’ They can then build their own system. Another would be to share

Manjeet Sethi (L) executive director, Pest Management Centre and Charles Stevens (R), OFVGA crop protection chair, attended the Global Minor Use Summit in Rome. Photos courtesy Anne Fowlie, CHC. there will be a residue tolerance established for that crop/pesticide combination. It is to be able to ensure that if a product is used at labeled rates, that residue level will be the highest residue that might be found. It reflects the “GAP” (Good Agricultural Practice) associated with that use, ie. rate, timing, frequency of use, pre-harvest interval. As long as the produce meets that standard, it can sell in Canada. However, when we trade it beyond our borders, that residue must meet the standards of the importing coun-

their own too, often leading to trade barriers. If we could arrange for future registrations for minor uses to be better coordinated, a single tolerance that met all the GAPs could be set, once, and allow trade to flourish. If the CODEX system could/would accept the work of Canada or the U.S. -- or any other participant in modern joint reviews of new actives -- then CODEX could catch up in its work, and all countries could be better served. Canada and the U.S. are best

work. Since both AAFC and IR-4 create priority work a year ahead, and we already do many joint projects when the needs and the solutions coincide, it is only a small further step to encourage other nations who share the same needs to participate. In early years they may only observe and participate at the end in a common submission document. Later, shared trials, data compilation and trial management may occur. It makes perfect sense that common residue limits become the standard of the future, and then trade

is unimpeded. There are further benefits. Some uses that are needed in a single country are indeed too small for a company to support. However, if 10 or 20 countries about the globe all spoke up for the need, the market potential and the common work sharing could reverse their negative response into a ‘yes.’ If each nation had its own needs lists, it could translate into easier decision-making of each registrant when future market potentials on new actives are being developed. Amongst the other discussion points, the concept of incentives to participate in minor use was raised. Canada has up to five extra years of data protection. It is three years in the U.S., and other countries are asking for something like this. New Zealand for instance would be happy to get three years if it meant greater registrant support. Right now they are just casting about for ideas on how to set up a program, and just as importantly, how to fund it. I really understand their position -we were there just 10 years ago. Our growers were (and are) passionate about their needs for pest control. The impact on quality and quantity of our produce is unassailable. The role that agricultural exports play in Canada’s balance of trade is undeniable. Anything that could adversely affect that position must be important to government. All of these points add to the whole environment argument about better pesticide use, reduced risk, food safety, and worker protection. All of these good things can be improved globally if we can get the Minor Use Program to go global as well. This conference will start a new flood of activity to make this happen. I know that I have already begun sharing abroad, in ways I would not have considered in the past. It is good for our growers, and growers around the world. If I live long enough there may well be a third conference, once again promised only if significant progress is made. I firmly believe it will!

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE A27 THE GROWER

MINOR USE

More aids to manage diseases on greenhouse vegetables, herbs JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA, MINOR USE COORDINATOR, GUELPH The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for Rhapsody ASO biofungicide (Bacillus subtilis) for suppression of gray mold on greenhouse fruiting vegetables, crop group 8-10 and suppression of gray mold and white mold on greenhouse herbs, crop group 19 in Canada. Crop group 8-10 includes crops such as eggplant, okra, peppers and tomato and crop group 19 includes crops such as basil, coriander, dill, fennel, lavender, rosemary, thyme, etc. Rhapsody ASO biofungicide was already labeled for management of several diseases on a range of greenhouse food and non-food crops, ornamentals and turf in Canada. The minor use project for greenhouse fruiting vegetables was sponsored by BC Greenhouse Growers Association and the minor use project for herbs was sponsored by OMAFRA, and was submitted in 2010 in

Basil response to minor use priorities identified by producers and extension personnel in Canada. Users should consult the complete label before using Rhapsody ASO biofungicide. GH fruiting vegetables:

For suppression of Botrytis gray mold, apply Rhapsody ASO at a rate of 1.0 – 2.0 L product per 100 L water. Begin application when conditions in the greenhouse are conducive to disease development and repeat at a seven- to 10-day interval. GH herbs: For suppression of Botrytis gray mold and Sclerotinia white mold, apply Rhapsody ASO at a rate of 1.0 – 2.0 L product per 100 L water. Begin application when conditions in the greenhouse are conducive to disease development and repeat at a seven-to 10-day interval. Rhapsody ASO biofungicide should be used in an integrated pest management program and in rotation with other management strategies. Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Rhapsody biofungicide label. For copies of the new supplemental label contact Gillian Ferguson, OMAFRA, Harrow [GH vegetables], (519) 738-1258, Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA, Simcoe [herbs], (519) 426-4434 or Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit the UAP Canada website www.uap.ca

Know your water ’s pH? Depending on the source, pH levels can change in spring and affect quality KAREN DAVIDSON Your equipment is greased and ready to go, but is your water ready to go? At the recent Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, experts were advising that the pH of water has a lot to do with nutrient availability through drip irrigation and even efficacy of

some sprays. Growers should be testing the pH of their water to know whether it’s acid or alkaline says Christoph Kessel, OMAFRA’s nutrition horticulture program lead. A pH of less than 7 is acid. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH greater than 7 is alkaline. Alkalinity refers to levels of carbonates and bicarbonates.

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Hardness of water refers to levels of calcium, magnesium and calcium carbonates. “Water is more alkaline above a reading of 7,” says Kessel, who reminds growers that the pH scale is a way of describing the hydrogen ion concentration. “The more alkaline the water, the harder it is. A combination of a highly alkaline pH (7.5 or greater) plus high alkalinity (bicarbonate levels greater than 120 ppm) increases the potential for clogging of drip irrigation.

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Kessel. In a separate OFVC discussion, MANA Canada’s development manager Philip Somerville pointed out another reason to check on water pH. “It’s also wise to know your water pH when using certain spray products such as Apollo miticide or Captan fungicide. For example, the half-life of Apollo miticide was demonstrated to be 58 times as long at a pH of 5 as it was at a pH of 9 (248.8 hours vs. 4.3 hours). if placed in a water tank with a pH of 9 and allowed to sit, half of the product would be degraded in four hours. An optimum pH would be 5.5 to 6.5 for optimum product efficacy.” For Captan, at pH 4.0 the product is efficacious for 32.4 hours. At pH 7.0 - 8.3 hours and at pH 10 for only two minutes. For maximum effectiveness of a crop protection product, check the optimal pH range for the product you are spraying in order to maximize your spraying efficiency. Buffering agents and acidifiers are available to adjust the pH level. A pH meter, costing about $100 to $300, is a good insurance policy to protect the value of spray products. In spring time, the pH of water can change. And there are also differences between wellwater, lakewater and pondwater. Ground water is fairly consistent over the season, but surface water can change. Simply, know your water pH.

PAGE A28 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

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APRIL 2012 –– PAGE B1 THE GROWER

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APRIL 2012

SECTION B

FOCUS: CONTAINERS

Estimating the true value of old corrugated containers Recycled, these containers net $50 million to retailers JERRY SCOTT MILLS Old Corrugated Containers, known as OCCs in the recycling trade, are the starter fibre for new boxes. In Canada, the vast majority of old corrugated containers are recovered and recycled into rolls of new liner-board and medium paper stock which is then converted into fresh, new corrugated boxes for Canadian customers and for export. “The agricultural community, which ships huge volumes of produce in corrugated containers, is a major contributor to the 'feed stock' of old corrugated board needed by Canada's network of paper recycling mills, says David Andrews, executive director of Paper Packaging Canada. “Those operations not only employ locally, but are sources of tax revenue for the communities where they operate, for the provinces and the nation as a whole. Each mill requires a constant stream of high-quality OCC fibre that's required to make paper suitable for converting into new corrugated board.” The recovery rate of old corrugated containers – an estimated 85 per cent -- is exceptionally high in Canada. John Mullinder who heads the paper packaging industry’s environmental council, PPEC, cautions: “Although it’s difficult

INSIDE THIS SECTION Container tolls 101 Page B2 Loblaw rolls out RPCs in Canada

Page B3

www.thegrower.org

This packing line shot at the farm of peach grower Fred Meyers, St. Catharines, Ontario, underlines the importance of corrugated packaging in protecting tender fruit from farm to retailer. Photo by Denis Cahill. to extract accurate numbers from industrial and commercial sources (as OCC is not collected in any co-ordinated fashion), there is good, solid information. For example, the 2009 recovery rate via Ontario’s blue box system was an amazing 92 per cent.” Whether returned from supermarkets or collected from households, corrugated produce shippers are used again and again to make new boxes. This is why the average recycled content of Canadian-made boxes is so high, an impressive 82 per cent. “In fact,” says Mullinder, “corrugated container manufacturers are in commodity markets, just as growers are. Except our commodity is used boxes rather than fresh produce. The price of OCC fluctuates both internationally and regionally based on supply and demand, freight distance, quality, and the weather. So we share a lot in common with produce growers.”

Growers’ customers, the retailers, also benefit from the long-established trade in used corrugated containers. As described by David Andrews, the burgeoning need for OCC fibre has resulted in “explosive growth both in size and sophistication” of the paper recycling industry in Canada. He notes an ancillary retail bonus from the trend. “As a consequence of that increased demand, emptied produce shippers are providing incremental revenue for retailers with baling operations at store level who play an important role in the collection and preparation of OCCs for recycling,” says Andrews. PPEC estimates that Canada’s major grocery retailers receive about $50 million annually from the sale of old corrugated boxes. “And that’s a conservative number,” notes Mullinder. “That’s why we state that retailers

need to include their supplemental OCC revenue in any analysis comparing the respective economics of boxes and crates. They’ve got to look at the full picture.” Here’s an emerging consideration. “As retailers move toward introducing broader-based integrated waste management systems at the back of their stores for all materials that end up there including organics, they are increasingly relying on old corrugated boxes as the mainstay of their diversion efforts,” says Mullinder. Andrews lauds the importance of produce growers and packers to the country's corrugated recycling system: “Growers and packers may be unaware that their used corrugated shippers are a source of revenue for retailers, as bales of collected OCCs are returned to provide high quality 'feed stock' for the paper

recycling mills. This entire process, a significant source of employment, is a unique system developed first in Canada for the North American converting industry, and the retailers in turn.” Looking ahead, Paper Packaging Canada has just commissioned leading environmental research firm Sustainable Path to develop a study that will help retailers and their suppliers better understand the complete picture of economic benefits from this country's recycling system, when comparing corrugated with alternative materials and handling methods. Jerry Scott Mills is a freelance photojournalist who has covered the corrugated industry for more than a decade.

PAGE B2 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS

How container tolls work

Photos by Denis Cahill Troll or toll? Either way, it’s a means to collect money to move forward. And that’s what the Farm Products Containers Act does in Ontario. It allows the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) to appoint an inspector to examine records that relate to the purchase or sale of containers. With a license fee set at 1.5 per cent of the net invoice price of all containers used in marketing fruit and vegetables, the proceeds partially underwrite the lobbying activities of OFVGA. “Our goal is to create a level playing field, both with manufacturers and growers,” says Alison Robertson, OFVGA coordinator special projects. “To be fair to everyone we continuously educate all involved of their obligations under the Farm Products Containers Act.” In the fine print, the Act requires:

(i) every person who sells containers either directly or indirectly to producers to collect the license fees from the producers and to pay them to the association on or before the 20th day of the month following the month in which license fees were collected, complete and file with the association at its head office, a statement in a form satisfactory to the association; and pay the amount collected to the association at its head office. Every person who sells containers to a producer shall account to the association for license fees payable to the association Under Section (7) of the Act, it clearly states that a person who contravenes any provision of the Act or the regulations is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not more than $5,000 for a first offence

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and to a fine of not more than $10,000 for a subsequent offence, 1988, c.68, s.7. Not only is there a wide variety of packaging, but a huge selection of manufacturers and distributors competing for growers’ purchases. In the last few years, packaging has diversified, with manufacturing both in and outside Ontario. When a grower purchases packaging outside of the province, it is the grower’s responsibility to self-assess and remit to the OFVGA. One of the means of enforcing the Act is to conduct audits of both manufacturers and growers. This gives the OFVGA the opportunity to ensure that the Act is being adhered to correctly. For more information contact Alison Robertson at 519-763-6160 ext. 121 or email arobertson@ofvga.org

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE B3 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS

Reusable Plastic Containers present growing pains KAREN DAVIDSON Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) are a trend that’s migrating quickly from the U.S. Since Loblaw started pilot trials last year with 39 SKUs that included celery, artichokes, leeks and radishes, the roster has grown to 172 SKUs this year says Eric Biddiscombe, senior director planning, produce business unit, Loblaw. This requirement now encompasses the greenhouse sector with tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, one of the largest users of packaging. He expects all commodities to be converted to the packaging and transport system in Canada in the next two years. “We’ve had a very methodical approach on the pilot tests which have taken growers into consideration,” says Biddiscombe. “Vineland Growers Cooperative had a successful pilot with peaches last summer that resulted in less damage to the fruit.” Those pilot tests consider four criteria for success. Any produce transported in RPCs must have equal or better quality than in conventional corrugated boxes. The cost of freight should be equal or less if more product can be packed on a load. With a higher level of quality, there should be less incidence of load rejections which cause a lot of headaches if a nine-pack strawberry RPC, for example, must be replaced with an eight-pack strawberry corrugated box. Packaging costs for RPCs must be comparable to corrugated boxes. “With change comes feedback,” says Biddiscombe. “We are already dealing with a high percentage of growers in the U.S. who are using RPCs. It’s not unusual to have some anxiety as local growers adjust to the new system.” Loblaw’s RPC team of four is currently conducting pilot tests on strawberries, apples, cantaloupes, leafy greens, herbs and potatoes. Some commodities such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower have not fared so well in initial pilots due to large heads not fitting the containers, so these vegetables have been set aside for testing in the long-term. Already slated for RPCs in 2012 are sweet corn, baby and bunched carrots, field cucumbers and grapes. Loblaw’s suppliers have a choice of buying RPCs from IFCO, Georgia Pacific or Polymer Logistics, all U.S.-based companies. Once the produce is transported to Loblaw’s distribution centres, the RPCs are collected and consolidated for shipping to either Chicago, Illinois or southern California for sanitizing. Why are RPCs so popular among retailers? First, Biddiscombe says that the American experience since 1998 has shown cost savings versus

waxed and unwaxed corrugated boxes. Anecdotal evidence is that vendors seem to pick the first crop of the day into these containers, perhaps to avoid midday heat on the plastic. The RPC containers come in different sizes with more vents that provide a better chance for rapid cooling of produce. “We do see quality improvement in the produce,” says Biddiscombe. “There’s less produce damage and these containers are easier to handle at the store level. We’re on the leading edge in Canada in terms of a sustainable solution in packaging.” U.S. retailers such as Walmart,

Safeway and Kroger have had more than a decade of experience, with some claiming a life span of eight years with RPCs. Some containers can even be repaired. Given that track record, it’s surprising that other Canadian retailers have been tardy to join the trend. “We continue to consider the use of RPCs, however given Walmart Canada’s current operations, we have determined it is not feasible at this time,” says Susan Schutta, director, corporate affairs. “The environmental impact is under review.” CONTINUED ON PAGE B4

PAGE B4 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS

Reusable Plastic Containers present growing pains CONTINUED FROM PAGE B3 That’s a significant stance given that Walmart has made its sustainability positioning well-known. Sobeys does not have any imminent plans for RPCs, according to their corporate affairs department. The only other Canadian grocer implementing RPCs is Safeway. The vegetable committee of the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) expressed its concerns about RPCs in its annual report in mid-March.

“

We do see quality improvement in the produce. There’s less produce damage and these containers are easier to handle at the store level.” ~ Eric Biddiscombe

“In 2011, the RPC pilot project affected containers for vegetables such as celery, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms,” wrote vegetable committee chair André Plante. “Loblaw considered the experiment a success, but the results were less convincing for producers who encountered several problems.” For celery, the containers were too small for the product. For Brussels sprouts, the containers were too large. From the growers’ perspective, the containers were poorly washed for all products begging the question of who is

liable in case of a product recall. The growers bear the expense of food safety programs and audits, yet are required by the major retailer to ship in RPCs. After debate, CHC delegates passed a resolution that CHC work with the Canadian Produce Marketing Association to provide RPCs that have been cleaned and sanitized in a manner consistent with the requirements of the CanadaGAP program.

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APRIL 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAGE B5 THE GROWER

FOCUS: CONTAINERS

Repair, reuse plastic bins Food safety requirements have driven the trend towards macro-plastic bins, due to their ease of sanitation. However durable they may seem, forklifts can damage them. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why bin distributor Dubois Agrinovation introduced a repair

service in the last year. Based in Waterford, Ontario, the company is equipped to send a welder to Ontario farms to replace runners and repair cracks. It takes some expertise to identify the different materials so that the precise welding rods are used.

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PAGE B6 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

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Since the 50s, many efforts have been made to improve the above products, but we have come to accept that we can’t reduce the quantity of water / acre. It takes no less than 12,000 litres of water to protect an acre with irrigation. And while the noise produced by wind machines has been reduced by 30%, no increase in the effectiveness on area has been made since. It’s now been almost 63 years since the last big development in frost protection. Many new machines have been developed during all these years but most have since disappeared because they were less effective than the original technologies at protecting crops.

If the FrostGuard is placed in an orchard, it is recommended you remove a few trees and put the machine in the row itself. In this case, the farmer can still pass through the rows with a tractor, sprayer etc.

FrostGuard GC20

are galvanised and the whole system is in a closed box. It takes about 2 minutes to start up one machine. Auto start systems can be added to the GC20 and GC30. Above all it is a silent solution : At 300 ft you get 44 db : in open space it would be the same as ambient noise at this distance. During all these years of experience, growers have also found one additional benefit during the use of these machines.

Better fructification and better fruit quality. (better pollination) This will be addressed in a future article. There are however a few limits on the use of the FrostGuard : It is not designed to protect vegetables, and in protection of fruit (after flowering) the FrostGuard is ineffective at temperatures below -4.5°C. This is not as effective as irrigation but in those conditions Wind Machines are also limited to a max of -2°C. All the results have been published during the last 10 years and you can find them on internet.

Tom Deckers, PCF Research Centre, Gorsem, Belgium. C. Tests have shown that the FrostGuard can protect at even lower temperatures, but the area of protection is reduced. The FrostGuard is made to protect both small and larger plots. Machines can be spaced out in groups in relation to the shape and area to be protected. If you put more machines together in one orchard, the coverage of each machine will increase. To give you an idea Agrofrost Inc. is now working on a deal to protect 3750 acres with about 1000 machines in one plot. Calculated on a per acre basis, the investment in a FrostGuard is less costly than either Wind Machines or irrigation systems. The success and effectiveness of the FrostGuard are a result of the temperature fluctuations that are created by the machine, combined with the lowering of the humidity, which reduces the possibility of the formation of ice crystals. The big advantage of creating fluctuations instead of a constant heat is the reduction in energy required versus raising the temperature above the critical values constantly. As a result, the input of energy is up to 7 times less than with other systems. Or you can say that the energy is used 7 times more efficiently.

AFCOtec inc. is a specialized company that doing consultancy for frost protection and irrigation. Last year they started with the import and sales from the Agrofrost FrostGuards and Wind Machines in Canada and the US. Interested in knowing more, check out the results and see testimonials from growers at www.afcotec.com and www.agrofrost.eu or call AFCOtec inc. : Marc (647) 990-6463. Craig (905) 658-9525. Find your dealer : www.afcotec.com, www.westlandgreenhousesupplies.com www.turbomist.com During the research done for the FrostGuard, knowledge of how and why crops are damaged during certain weather conditions was greatly improved. This knowledge made it also possible to develop a more effective kind of frost alarm that gives a more accurate indication of when to start protecting from frost, regardless of the technology used to do so. Starting too early is an expensive use of resources, but starting too late can cause damage to the crop. By using a wet temperature alarm, an accurate frost prediction is made, reducing false alarms and making sure the protection method begins in adequate time to protect the crop.

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE B7 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

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

Alpine Nurseries

(Niagara) Limited

The best producing orchards start with exceptional trees. Apples Apricots Cherries Nectarines Peaches Plums

SPECIALIZING IN FRUIT TREES & GRAPE VINES & ELDERBERRIES. VARIETY AND PRICE LIST AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

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

Quality Fruit Trees for 60 years. Mori Nurseries

1695 Niagara Stone Rd., RR#2 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S1J0 T: 905-468-3217 F: 905-468-7271 Email: fruittrees@morinurseries.com

C.O.

KEDDY

• Certified Strawberry Plants & Raspberry Canes • All popular varieties available • Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification program. Plants shipped across North America. Contact us for a FREE brochure! 982 North Bishop Road, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7 Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067 Email: keddynursery@xcountry.tv

STRAWBERRY PLANTS ***CERTIFIED*** RASPBERRY CANES

ASPARAGUS ROOTS Jersey Giant

Producers of Quality stock for 46 years. Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification Program. Shipping across North America. Contact us for more information and a free brochure

Wrightland Farm

G.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD.

RR 1 • 1000 Ridge Rd. Harrow, ON N0R 1G0

7295 Hwy 221 Centreville, N.S. B0P 1J0 ph. 902-678-7519 fax: 902-678-5924

Keith: 519-738-6120 Fax: 519-738-3358

Email: sales@gwallennursery.com

www.gwallennursery.com

www.morinurseries.com

QUALITY FRUIT TREES • APPLE on M9 and M26 • PEAR on Quince

Order NOW for best selection

]

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

CLASSIFIEDS Orchard Equipment for sale: • 1-FMC 250 series speed dprayer, 500 Gal, Asking price $6,000 • 1830 John Deere tractor w/forklift, 2377 hours. Asking $4,500 Contact Ibrahim after 7pm at 905304-1406 or email ibrahim_elahmed@hotmail.com

Looking to sell your used farm equipment? Classifieds 1-866-898-8488 extension 221

PAGE B8 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

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

EQUIPMENT

Pipe & Fittings for Water Systems • PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper • Stainless, Brass, Steel Product Lines • Drip & Micro Irrigation • Septic & Sewer • Drainage & Culverts • Berkeley Water Pumps

Winona Concrete & Pipe Products Ltd. 489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4

Phone (905) 945-8515 Fax: (905) 945-1149 or call toll-free

1-800-361-8515

REAL ESTATE Gerry Loeters for Royal LePage, RCR Realty. PH. 519-765-4217 Cell. 519-773-6460

ORCHARD FOR SALE. Outstanding orchard Farm in full production with very good varieties including strawberries and younger trees. List of varieties available with age and quantity of trees, crops not included in asking price, but available. Also list of equipment available but not included. The orchard is recognized as the best or one of the best orchards in Ontario. Very good home and storage buildings on property. Great opportunity to get into the business with increased production in the coming years. Asking $1,300,000.00. Address: 5893 Sawmill Road and 5894 Sawmill Road, RR2 Aylmer, Malahide TWP, Elgin County

SPRAYERS FOR SALE 3 John Bean Modulars Coming Soon • NEW Hardi 3pt. Air Cannon, $4500.00 • NEW 100gal 3pt JB Air, $7500.00 • New Durand Vineyard Sprayer, $25,900.00 list $35,000.00. • Barely used Hardi Mercury, $8,900.00 only used 1.5 seasons • 1 Hardi 800 gal sprayer , Tandem, 50 ft. Hyd. $8800.00 • 1 Used Hardi 950, 80ft. Hyd., Raven, Amazing Shape. $18,000.00 GOOD TRADES WELCOME

RR 3, PO Box 3613 Guelph, ON Phone: (519) 763-2400 Fax: (519) 763-3930

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE B9 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

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

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

Orchard Equipment & Supplies Munckhof Orchard Sprayers Votex Shredders Votex Mowers Tree Stakes & Tie Material

Gaspardo

Cole

• CASH CROP PLANTERS Conventional – Pneumatic (Air)

• FERTILIZER ATTACHMENTS (SideDressers)

• ROW CROP WEEDERS, ETC. • DISC HILLERS • SPECIALIZED ROW CROP EQUIPMENT Cultivator Steels, Sweeps, Hoes, Furrowers, Hillers, Etc.

JOHN C. GRAHAM CO. LTD. DISTRIBUTORS 88 Erie Street North • P.O. Box 13 Leamington, Ontario • N8H 3W1

Tel:(519) 326-5051 Fax: (519) 326-0480

ORCHARD SUPPLIES

IN STOCK NOW!!! 400, 500, 600 GAL.

ALL STAINLESS STEEL Made in Canada

NEW Turbo-Mist SPRAYERS - CLEAN TRADES NEEDED - ALL MAKES LOW DRIFT SPRAY TOWERS to fit any TURBO-MIST - IN STOCK NOW

AVAILABLE NOW NEW IRRIGATION PUMP UNITS ON TRAILER • Cummin 4 cyl, 80 HP, $11,900 • Cummin 4 cyl turbo, 105 HP $13,850 • John Deere, 4 cly, 80 HP, $13,175 • Cummin 6 cyl, 165 HP-5.9L, $15,750 • Iveco/Cummins 130 HP (134-H), $12,950

• VEGETABLE SEEDERS Planet Jr.

CALL ABE FIRST FOR BETTER PRICES, MORE CHOICES, FAST, AND FRIENDLY SERVICE. BUY A DIESEL ENGINE FROM THE DIESEL MECHANIC.

All with Rovatti Pumps, etc. And many more new or used up to 550 HP. We build them all big or small. Also couplers, hoses, clamps, for suction, camlock, ringlock, etc.

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

IRRIGATION PIPES FOR SALE! Located in Eastern Ontario

100 $50 100 $15

- 6” x 30ʼ ft pipes, each - 2” x 30 ft pipes, each

613-821-1230 or 613-858-1935

FOR SALE: Greefa model MSE 2000, Fruit Sizer, new in 2004, 4 lane, 5 cups/second/lane, 4 drops and an all out, camera sizing. Light usage, only 7 weeks/year. $40,000. NIAGARA ORCHARD & VINEYARD CORP 905-646-5777 or alepp@niagaraorchard.com

Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Myers Centrifugal Pump, Almost New . . . . . $16,750 Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Narrow, Hydraulic Controls, Like New . . . . . $15,900 Turbo-Mist 400 gal, 30” Fan, All New Elec. Ball Valves . . . . . . . $10,900 Turbo-Mist 400 gal, 24” Fan, Electric Controls, Exc. Cond. . . . . . $8,900 Turbo-Mist 300 gal, 24” Fan, EL Controls, Very Clean . . .. . . . . . $8,500 Rittenhouse 300 gal, Low Hours, No Rust, Very Clean . . . . . . . . $3,500 Durand Wayland 500 gal, Stainless Steel, Centrifugal Pump . . . $5,500 Apple Bin Carrier - 5 Bin Wood/Plastic - Very Low Use . . . . . . $3,800 Perfect DR365, Variable 7ft to 12 ft Rotary Mower . . . . . . . . .COMING Perfect ZA380, 13ft Rotary Mower, New Blades . . . . . . . . . . .$5,500 John Deere 1140 Orchard Tractor (1981) Good Tires, New Paint . $6,500

New Perfect H.D. Flail Mulchers in Stock New Myers Centrifugal Sprayer Pumps in Stock **Turbo-Mist Parts & Service Available - 7 Days a Week (In Season)** ** Instant photos to you by e-mail - all advertised items ** TRADES, CONSIGNMENTS, LEASING, DELIVERY ANYWHERE

D O N A RT H U R O R C H A R D E Q U I P M E N T (519) 599-3058 donarthur@georgian.net Clarksburg, ON

STRAWBERRY EQUIPMENT FOR SALE JOHN DEERE 670 offset disk, KENNCO bed shaper (4 beds) KENNCO mulch, drip, fumigant, layer, 4’ beds, 4 rows per bed KENNCO drip nozzle sprayer, covers 4 beds 3000 waxed 6 X 1 strawberry flats, 55,440 paper Qts 10,000 1LB plastic clamshells MAKE OFFER ON CONTAINERS PHONE 941-916-8007

PAGE B10 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

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

HELP WANTED

The 'AQUA Wetland System' “A new breed of constructed wetland” AQUA Treatment Technologies Inc. designs and installs the 'AQUA Wetland System' (AWS) for tertiary treatment of many types of waste water including sanitary sewage, landfill leachate, dairy farm & abattoir wastewater, greenhouse irrigation leachate water & mushroom farm leachate water (i.e. manure pile leachate) and high strength winery washwater. The 'AQUA Wetland System' is operated out of doors and can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of wastewater. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetland consists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically from cell to cell. There is no open or standing water. Treatment occurs through physical filtration & biological degradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells, cycling nutrients while preventing algae growth. There is no production of sludge. The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of 'small flow' winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include: 1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett's Apple and Cider in Ancaster 2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm Winery in Niagara 3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water

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

program designed to help Ontario farmers with water taking permit needs

S G

urface Water Services

CONSULTING SERVICES

round Water Services

G S

eorge Shearer urface Water Specialist

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association 105-355 Elmira Road North Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 ph: 519-763-6160 ext. 219 cell: 519-222-3272 fax: 519-763-6604 email: water@ofvga.org

Soil Beneficial Fungi Trichoderma spp. colonize soil around the roots, making nutrients available to the plants, taking space from the pathogenic fungi and results in bigger healthier plants. Customly designed for your soil and crop. Order yours today. Phone: 519-822-6743 Cell: 519-546-2867 Email: kan57@hotmail.com

APRIL 2012 –– PAGE B11 THE GROWER

MARKETPLACE

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

CROP TUNNELS

Change of address? www.thegrower.org

BIOPROTECTION

ORIENTAL VEGETABLE

ANATIS BIOPROTECTION

Oriental Vegetable Seeds

Efficient bio-products against insect pests in strawberry, sweet corn and vegetable fields, orchards, ornamentals, etc. Visit www.anatisbioprotection.com to order,

1-800-305-7714 or email us; agent opportunity available

Korea Green - F1 Black Pearl

REFRIGERATION

KOOL JET

® One-Piece and Portable Skid-Mount Systems, HydroCoolers, Medical and Process Chillers, Blast Freezers, Vacuum Coolers, Refrigerated Dehumidiﬁers.

Reliable Refrigeration Systems

1-866-748-7786 www.kooljet.com Visit our website to view our complete line

Custom Built Designs • Domestic and International Markets

Szechuan Red

Dan Fong

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

PAGE B16 –– APRIL 2012 THE GROWER