The Grower November 2014

KAREN DAVIDSON

Princeton, Ontario – For 37years, potatoes have been a staplefor Streef Produce Ltd., but thisyear, they grew a new root vegetable: sweet potatoes. Sixtyacres sounds like a big gamble,but with strong demand signals,president Jack Streef expects thatgenetic research will improve hisstake.

“We’re concerned that wedon’t have enough to supply customer demand,” explainsStreef. The well-known familyhas a commission house at theOntario Food Terminal. Readingthe pulse of the market, brotherPete Streef could see that demandis growing for sweet potatoes,while demand for conventionalpotatoes is shrinking.

Their market intuition isbacked up by statistics fromAgriculture and Agri-FoodCanada. In 2012, Canadian retailers imported 60,000 tonnesof sweet potatoes from the U.S.

worth $40 million. That’s to keepup to Canadian tastes for theantioxidant-rich superfood.Promoted by both nutritionistsand celebrity chefs, sweet potatoes have found a sweet spotwith consumers who have doubled consumption in the lastfive years.

Sweet potatoes are truly aminor use crop in Canada with apaltry 1,500 acres. The opportunity is for another 6,000acres to displace imports and tosatisfy retailers’ penchant forlocal produce – as long as there isquality and consistent supply.

That’s where the agronomicexpertise of the Streef familycomes into play. Without size,smooth skins and year-round supply, local product only goes sofar with retailers. So the Streef’shave researched the best ways tocure, handle and pack sweet potatoes.

The new curing rooms andpacking line are a key investmentto enhance quality and consistency of the product.

Once out of the field, sweet pota-toes must head to curing roomsfor 10 to 14 days at 23° to 24°Cwith 95 per cent humidity. Whenthe skins are hardened, the sweetpotatoes can be stored at 10°Cthrough to spring.

Rather than build a new structure, the Streef’s bought andretrofitted a nearby veal barn. Thecuring rooms have been designedfor the least amount of handling.The packing line is custom-madeby local manufacturers. A spiralwasher, for example, should aidin more gentle handling while animmersible flume should makefor less scratching of the potatoskins in water. A stainless steelgrading line requires more workers but in the long run, willensure a better product.

Make no mistake. Sweet potatoes are a totally differentcrop to manage. They are moreclosely related to the morningglory and not to potatoes at all.

With clear demand signalsfrom consumers, the VinelandResearch and Innovation Centre

(Vineland) has ramped upresearch on sweet potatoes, particularly varieties adapted toOntario’s short-growing seasonand cooler climate.

Valerio Primomo, Vineland’svegetable breeder, is testing 15pre-commercial lines from hisbreeding program that may provemore adaptable and yield-worthythan the current commercial standard, Covington. The 15 lineswere selected during the pastthree years from the more than1,000 lines initially evaluated atVineland. In the 2014 growingseason, these 15 selections weretested by three Ontario commer-cial growers and one Nova Scotiagrower.

Several members of the valuechain are taking part. McCain andPride Pak represent the processorside. Growers include Berlo’sBest Sweet Potatoes, S & IAgricultural Commodities Ltd.,Round Plains Plantation and C.O.Keddy Nursery Inc.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

NOVEMBER 2014 CELEBRATING 135 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 64 NUMBER 11

CROP TRANSITIONS

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

INSIDEU.S. rescinds preferentialaccess to dispute resolution Page 5

OFVGA launches new logo Page 8

FOCUS: Seed and rootstock 4

www.thegrower.org

P.M. 40012319

$3.00 CDN

Sweet potatoes are a heat-loving crop that are right at home in North Carolina. The state has almost 50,000 acres devoted to the tuber. So it takes patience to find a cultivar that might flourish in Canada’s cool-climate zones. That’s underway as Vineland Research and Innovation Centre works with growers and processors to exploitgrowing consumer demand. Jack Streef (left) and sons Dylan and Nathan, have staked part of the Princeton, Ontario family business on 60 acres of sweet potatoes for thefirst time this year. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

Gotta go to the gala

The Ontario ProduceMarketing Association (OPMA)will mark its annual gala dinnerand awards ceremony on Friday,November 14 at Toronto’sLiberty Grand. Canadian comedian Ron James is on tap foran evening of fun designed exclusively for the produceindustry. The magical Winter

Wonderland theme will includean open bar cocktail reception,maple taffy making, silent auctionand a grand prize for a trip fortwo. For more information contact OPMA’s Dee Klemann at 416-519-9390, ext. 233 [email protected].

Pre-register forGreat Lakes Expo

The ever-popular horticulturalshow in eastern North America isscheduled for December 9-11 inGrand Rapids, Michigan. Lastyear’s show attracted more than4,200 people from 42 states andeight Canadian provinces.Besides a top-slate speakers’ program, the trade show attracts400-plus exhibitors.

This year’s keynote speaker isMichele Payne-Knoper, author of“No More Food Fights!” She’lltalk about generating conversa-tions between farm and food

communities. Pre-register by November 20

to save $20 on on-site fees. Formore information, go towww.glexpo.com.

See and savour In a few days, the Royal

Agricultural Winter Fair willlaunch, bringing city and countrytogether for education and com-petitions.

The Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers’ Associationis managing a booth that willserve as home base for a numberof associated groups. The boothis located in Hall B, DirectEnergy Centre, Toronto, Ontario. November 7 Ontario Apple Marketers’AssociationNovember 8-9Ontario Apple Growers November 10 Friends of the GreenbeltAssociation November 11Ontario Lavender Association November 12Ontario Potato Board November 13Ontario Farm Fresh MarketingAssociationNovember 14-15Ontario Greenhouse VegetableGrowers November 16 Garlic Growers’ Association ofOntario

New tax credit fordonated produce

The Ontario government hasapproved a tax credit valued at 25per cent of the fair market valueof agricultural products thatgrowers donate to communityfood programs. This includes

food banks and student nutritionprograms.

“This is going to be very valu-able,” says Norm Charbonneau, afruit and vegetable grower nearPort Elgin. He’s in the process ofdonating four tons of onions tothe Ontario Association of FoodBanks. For 10,000 pounds ofonions valued at $15,000, he willreceive a tax credit of $3,750.

Bill Laidlaw, executive director, Ontario Association ofFood Banks (OAFB) welcomesthe legislation, but to date, hasn’tseen an uptick in donations. “Istill don’t think a lot of farmersknow about the tax credit,” saysLaidlaw. “It would mean so muchfor local food banks to receiveroot vegetables, greenhouse vegetables or apples.”

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

Laidlaw encourages growers togo to www.oafb.ca for moreinformation and to call regardinglogistics for delivery. The taxcredit is part of the Local FoodAct 2013. Under the proclaimedlegislation, farmers can claim thenew tax credit for donations dating back to Jan. 1, 2014.

New hort show cancelled

The new Ontario HorticultureFruit & Veg Growers’ Show hasbeen cancelled for November 19-20 in Hamilton, Ontario.

“After speaking with over 600potential exhibitors, it was clearthat we were not going to have astrong exhibit base,” says StuartGalloway, 20/20 ShowProductions. News of the cancel-lation was made in early October.

NEWSMAKERS

THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME…

PAGE 2 –– NOVEMBER 2014

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

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

Dr. Mohyuddin Mirza, a longtime researcher and resource forAlberta greenhouse growers, has been inducted into the AlbertaAgriculture Hall of Fame. He is a founding member of the AlbertaGreenhouse Growers Association (AGGA) and adjunct professor atthe University of Alberta. He has been credited with inspiring newentrants into the industry.

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

Photo: Back Row (left to right): John Rasenberg, Dark HorseEstate Winery; Craig Horlor, Dark Horse Estate Winery; MikePullen, Huron County Economic Development Services; MurrayWatson, Project Consultant; Roger Vail, Vailmount VineyardsLtd.; Bill Krohn, WJK Architect. Front Row (left to right): ScottRasenberg, Dark Horse Estate Winery; Sue Ann Rasenberg,Dark Horse Estate Winery; Ashley Horlor, Dark Horse EstateWinery; Murray Marshall, Project Consultant; Krista Hulshot,Veld Architect.

Houweling’s Tomatoes has hired long-time produce industry executive Kevin Doran to the newly created role of chief operatingofficer. He brings more than 20 years of strategic sales and marketing executive management, the last six with The Greenery.Based in the Camarillo, California operation, he will oversee the175-acre operations there and in Delta, British Columbia. Another 28acres of greenhouse tomatoes will come onstream in Mona, Utah inJanuary 2015.

Mike Olscamp, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture minister, wasdefeated in the recent New Brunswick election. Liberal premierBrian Gallant has appointed Rick Doucet as the new economicdevelopment, agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries minister. Themulti-tasking minister is part of the province’s smallest cabinet in 50years.

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

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

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

Free Admission

The Essex County Associated Growers

November 18th & 19th, 2014 Kinsmen Recreation Complex 249 Sherk Street, Leamington

For more information, contact Angela McHardy

At 519-326-4481 or email her at [email protected]

View the latest agricultural technology and equipment and attend informative speaker programs.

��

sEehTi

��

erF

Cxessd G

��

simdAee

ytnuoC

��

noiss

ysr

xpo

��

aicossAProu

64th South

��

deta reworGudly Presents the

West Hort E

��

ebmevoNnemsniK

krehS942

��

1r 8 ht & 1noitaerceReL,teertSk

��

9 ht , 102 4xelpmoCnotgnima

��

ydac.

tnempiu.s

��

oF5tA

ehtweiVna

��

amrofnieromro915 - 623 - o1844

cirgatsetaleofnidnettadn

��

tcatnoc,noitaro tarehliame

onhcetlarutluaepsevitamro

��

draHcMalegnAtenlleb@gace

uqednaygolosmargorpreka

��

��

��

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Streef Produce has recentlyjoined this group.The research community is repre-sented by Perennia in NovaScotia, the Ontario Ministry ofAgriculture, Food and RuralAffairs, the University of Guelphand Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada. “These are pre-commercial

lines that we’ve selected foradaptability to Canada’s shortergrowing season and cooler cli-mate, and if all goes well in thetrials, we could have varieties thatwill be suitable for both freshmarket and for processing in thenext three years,” says Primomo.

Nova Scotia-based researcher,Viliam Zvalo, has been workingwith black plastic mulch in com-bination with drip irrigation to see

if sweet potatoes can thrive there.These production practices mayincrease yield by as much as 30to 40 per cent compared to over-

head irrigation and bare ground.As test plots are currently beingharvested, it’s too early to divulgeresults, but yields look promising.

NOVEMBER 2014 –– PAGE 3

THE GROWER

COVER STORY

Market signals

Passing the baton is not easy. Just ask any Olympicteam sprinter where a handoff is critical. The Streef familyis taking all the precautions so that the original dream oftheir parents Jan and Johanna will continue to prosper.Since the conception of the business in 1977, the fivebrothers --– Martin, Pete, John, Albert and Jack – haveworked side by side to continually grow the company andto stay in the forefront of the ever-changing market curve.

With the premature passing of Martin, combined withlast year’s retirement of Albert, the family has regrouped.The three senior partners are Pete, John and Jack, who areall involved in the day-to-day operations, whether it’s atthe farm or the Ontario Food Terminal. So far, four sonsalso have a stake as junior partners. They include Martin’seldest son, Chris, Pete’s son Jaidin and Jack’s two sonsNathan and Dylan. Only time will tell if John’s offspring

will be interested in joining the company. These transitions echo retirements in the farming

community. Jim and Ruth Clarke who have supplied Streef Produce with sweet potatoes for anumber of years have recently retired.Fortunately, they are mentoring the youngergeneration as they go through their first cropyear.

Agriculture is the art of the long game. Ifyou start at 25, then there’s 40 seasons to get itright.

Generational transitions

CHINA

Fruit consumptioncuts heart diseaserisk

A seven-year study of almosthalf a million Chinese has pro-vided important nutritional guid-ance on reducing heart disease.Oxford, U.K-researcherHuaidong Du says that the morefruit they ate, risk of heart dis-ease declined by as much as 40per cent.

The study tracked citizens infive rural and five urban areas.Stroke is more common in Chinawhereas heart attack is morecommon in western countries. Todate, little evidence has been col-lected in China on the physiolog-ical effects of fruit consumption.These results are noteworthy toCanadian exporters of fruit toChina.

Source: FoodNavigator.com

INTERNATIONAL

UNITED STATES

Rave reviews onready-to-eat radishes

Duda Farm Fresh Foods islaunching a new line of value-added radishes, based on feed-back from sophisticated con-sumer testing. The products areReady Radishes, which are cut,trimmed and ready to eat, alongwith Radish Coins and RadishMiniSticks.

Collaborating with consumerresearch firm, Affinnova, Dudaoffered more than 100,000 dif-ferent prototypes. Consumerscan indicate the different ele-ments that pique their interestand senses. The algorithmbehind the software identifies thebest ideas and starts to hone inon the most appetizing character-istics.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

FRANCE

Bonduelle launches“Salad of the day”

With a takeoff on “soup dujour,” Bonduelle is betting thatit’s fresh, raw fruit and vegetablesalads will find eager consumersin France. The ingredients willcomprise at least three ingredi-ents out of several tender greens:spinach, rocket, red chard, vari-eties of red and green lettuce,and lamb’s lettuce.

The French-based globalcompany, known for its cannedand frozen vegetables, enteredthe fresh processed business in1997 with the acquisition ofSalade Minute. It currentlyenjoys a 16 per cent marketshare on salad sachets in itshome country. Industry analystssay that 72 per cent of Frenchhouseholds consume salad fromsachets.


UNITED STATES

Purdue gets $3.7 million to studyblueberries

A team from Purdue and theIndiana University School ofMedicine will be studyingwhether blueberry compounds --polyphenols and flavonoids --can help fight the loss of bonethat often occurs in post-menopausal women. Researcherswill receive $3.7 million from theNational Institutes of Health.

The five-year study will com-pare the effects of seven varietiesof blueberries as well as cranber-ries and bilberries which areknown to contain these positivecompounds. In addition, whiteblueberries will be studied to seeif the compounds that turn fruitpurple are critical.


PERU

Asparagus exportstake a dip

Peru’s asparagus exports willbe down five per cent this year to$570 million and are expected todrop another two per cent in2015.

Logistics are to blame withdependence on two airlines, oneof which has reduced services,says Ramón Aparcana, generalmanager of Peak Quality S.A.The company specializes ingrowing, harvesting, packing andexporting fresh green asparagus,blueberries and blackberries.

Climatic factors are also con-vincing growers to switch tomore profitable crops such asblueberries or table grapes. Moreblueberry acreage is expected inthe future. Peak Quality has alsostarted to grow table grapes.


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

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

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

– NOVEMBER 2014THE GROWER

CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST

While firm numbers won’t beknown until November, NovaScotia anticipates a record cropof wild blueberries over the previous record of 57 millionpounds. Weather conditions wereideal for pollination.

Although growers were prepared for an onslaught fromspotted wing drosophila, a damaging fruit fly, economicdamage did not materialize.Peter Burgess, a horticulture specialist with Perennia, reportsthat growers set traps but werepleasantly surprised that therewas little insect pressure. Burgessattributes this finding to the factthat most blueberry patches arenorth of the Bay of Fundy inmore isolated areas, far fromother maturing berry crops.There were early captures lastyear, so environmental conditionsplay a significant role.

A similar situation played outin Prince Edward Island with19.8 million pounds harvestedsays P.E.I. Wild BlueberryAssociation president DavidMacNeary. That’s double theaverage of the past decade.

He credits the provincialblueberry incentive program for

helping growers invest in thepotential of the industry. Thesoftening of prices from $0.60 to$0.55 per pound in the last yearhas been offset by these higheryields.

MARITIMES

Blueberry record harvest

Affinor Growers hasannounced that construction isunderway on 45 acres near St-Chrysostome, Quebec for astate-of-the-art strawberry greenhouse. Plans are to supply

eastern Canada and the easternseaboard of the United States.

“This acquisition is strategically perfect for our distri-bution plans because it’s locatedabout 30 minutes from Montreal

and only a few kilometers fromthe New York state border,” saidSebastien Plouffe, president andCEO, in a news release this pastJuly.” We're proud to be able tobuild the facility in the province

of Quebec renowned for its agriculture experts and know-how.”

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

The greenhouse will include a40m x 40m, four- bay, fully diffused growing area and a 20mx 40m, two- bay auxiliary facility,for the propagation, packaging,storage and shipping of high

quality produce, specificallystrawberries.

Affinor Growers is a diversi-fied publicly traded company onthe Canadian Securities Exchangeunder the symbol “AFI.” Affinoris focused on growing crops suchas romaine lettuce, spinach,strawberries and high-qualitymedical marijuana. For a video ofchair Nick Brusatore on futureplans, go to www.affinorgrowers.com.

QUEBEC

Strawberry greenhouse to be built in Saint-Chrysostome

Manitoba’s grower-owned,not-for-profit vegetable cooperative has completed a $4million renovation at itsWinnipeg facility, automating andimproving handling capacity forits root crops.

“Thanks to the Governmentsof Canada and Manitoba, this-state-of-the-art potato and onionpackaging equipment has severalinnovative firsts,” explains LarryMcIntosh, president and CEO,Peak of the Market, commentingon the $336,000 contributionfrom Growing Forward 2.“Equipment was sourced and customized from several countriesincluding the Netherlands,Germany and the United Statesbut we are proud to say themajority of the equipment was‘Made in Canada.’”

The rationale for the renovation was to improve quality, says McIntosh. “We canhandle product with more easeand less bruising and skinning,”he says. “Yes, there will be moreefficiencies, but this was aboutthe highest quality for our

customers.” The goal is to make sure that

Manitoba’s vegetable farmersremain competitive at home andin export markets. About one-third of the company’s productionis exported to the United States.An entire section of Peak of theMarket’s processing facility at1200 King Edward Street wasrenovated and now includes:• 12-foot high robots with custom-designed robotic handscapable of filling retail bins;• custom-made telescopic,retractable unloading system;• customized automatic ropewrapping pallet system;• metal detectors for all packedproducts; and• an automatic pallet placementsystem.

To coincide with the renovations, Peak of the Marketalso refreshed its packaging withan “Eat Brighter” campaign. Byvirtue of being a member of theProduce Marketing Association inthe U.S., the cooperative paid aone-time fee for rights to theSesame Street characters. The

appeal of Bert and Ernie, theshow’s muppets, and Big Bird isuniversal. Soon after the TVcharacters were painted on thewalls of the refurbished plant,cars were stopping on the high-way to take photos. In turn, those

photos create awareness on socialmedia channels of Twitter andFacebook. No one could havepredicted that success in advance.

The ribbon-cutting ceremonyon October 24 with federal andprovincial representatives capped

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

MANITOBA

Peak of the Market unveils new packaging system in renovated premises

ure FroM

rs Fset. Liu

bas Lseltiu

.rr.uob

sksat tnatropmr iehtr ouoyn, oitacilppa-en rosaes-ni

saeo my tsas et i. Isessargof ml oortnog cnol-nosaesorosae. Cdicibrer halunarghcrd one anir vuot ycetoPr

o cdee wnoas sellA

Distributed in

. sr aoe fmie troe mval hliu woo ysos neriuqed rn, aylppd ane arusdns adeet wnerfefi0 dn 3ahe tro

l audises redivor4 p-G® noesu-ot-ysae enh otis wtiurd frah

noiatcilpp aen O.lrotno

Canada by UAP

l lao d

e

n.

osolutions.com.chemturaagrwww

G-4® CasoronGain more time next spring

® Casoron G-4 is a registered trade

.uap.wwwDistributed in

West: 1-800-561-5444 Ont

/

Member of CropLife Canadaw label directions.ways read and folloAlemark of Chemtura Co./Cie.

on.ca/casorCanada by UAP

tario & Maritimes: 1-800-265-5444 BC: 1-604-534-8815 Quebec: 1

13013 09.13a.

-800-361-9369

Larry McIntosh, president and CEO, Peak of the Market shows off new packaging.

THE GROWER


FINANCIAL PROTECTION

On October 1, the U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) revoked preferentialCanadian access to its dispute resolutionsystem for produce suppliers under thePerishable Agricultural Commodities Act(PACA). This action stems from Canada’slack of progress towards implementingPACA-like trust provisions here.

Canadian exporters will now have topost a surety bond for double the amountof any claim they wish to file with PACAto collect on unpaid or partially paidinvoices for produce shipped to Americareceivers. Previously, Canada had theprivilege of not having to post a bondwhen they wanted to file a complaint.Canada was the only country in the worldthat enjoyed this preferential treatment for

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

Posting bonds can be burdensome forexporters, especially small producers. Aproducer owed $50,000 in unpaid or partially paid invoices would have to post$100,000 in cash to obtain a surety bond,effectively removing $150,000 from theircash flow/operating line for up to one yearwhile their complaint is heard. Many cannot afford this, and will simply have towalk away, losing what is rightfully owedto them or they may choose not to ship tothe U.S. Situations such as this can devastate not only the producer, but allother businesses connected to them as well.Rural communities are hit particularly hard

in these kinds of situations.Canada, like other countries, will still

have access to using the U.S. legislationthat allows exporters to invoke their rightsunder PACA Trust Provisions in the eventtheir American buyer declares bankruptcy.This is the type of legislation that theUnited States wants Canada to put intoplace.

Urgent action is needed. The fruit andvegetable industry believes that the mosteffective way to provide protection to produce sellers is through the establish-ment of a limited statutory deemed trust,modeled on what currently exists in theU.S. This would provide effective andinclusive protection that takes into accountthe unique characteristics of trade in

perishable products. Assets available totrust creditors would be limited specificallyto produce accounts receivable, inventoryand any cash that a bankrupt companywould still possess. A trust does notrequire any government funding or administration. This solution would meetthe requirements of Canada implementinga comparable system in order to reinstateour preferential access to PACA disputeresolution.

Both the Canadian Produce MarketingAssociation and the Canadian HorticulturalCouncil are mounting writing campaigns toMembers of Parliament and are arrangingmeetings with MPs in Ottawa the week ofNovember 17, 2014 to discuss this issue. Source: OPMA news release

U.S. rescinds preferential treatment for Canadian produce suppliers

Ruth Ellen Brosseau, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

Mr. Speaker, the American government is threatening to revokethe preferential status granted to Canadian fresh fruit and veg-etable producers if we do not implement a payment protectionsystem. Once again, our farmers are paying the price for theminister's inability to work with our most important economicpartner. We are talking about a $1.6 billion industry.How does the minister intend to address this looming crisis?

Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Mr. Speaker, of course we cannot control what the Americansare going to do, but having said that, we continue to work withour Horticultural Council. I have had discussions with itsAmerican counterparts under the RCC umbrella and under anumber of other auspices. We continue to move horticulturalproducts back and forth across the borders. We are talkingabout some $7 million that have been used under this program

over the last number of years. It is not a large number, but we want to make sure thatwhen our horticultural guys deal on the American side, or for the same thing when they reciprocate up here, that everybody has the ability to be paid for that top qualityproduce.

What was said in the House of Commons, September 25, 2014

MICHIGANGREENHOUSEGROWERS EXPO

GREAT LAKES

FRUIT , VEGETABLE & FARM MARKET

THE PREMIER SHOW FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS, GREENHOUSE GROWERS AND FARM MARKETERS!

• 4,200 people from 42 states and 8 Canadian provinces attended in 2013• 65 education sessions and workshops over three days• 400-plus exhibitors in the trade show covering four acres of exhibit space• Pre-conference bus tour for farm marketers on Monday, December 8• Bus tour for greenhouse growers on Thursday, December 11

WWW.GLEXPO.COM

FOLLOW US ONLINE

DEC. 9-11, 2014

ONLINE REGISTRATION

SEPT. 22-NOV. 20 ONE REGISTRATION FEE COVERS BOTH CONFERENCES AND THE TRADE SHOW! REGISTER BY NOV. 20 TO SAVE.

734-677-0503 for registration questions or to receive registration and program information by mail.

616-794-0492 for information on exhibiting in the trade show.

DEVOS PLACE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE AMWAY GRAND PLAZA HOTEL | GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

for registration, program and other information

The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program(PRRP) announces the four biopesticidepriorities, which have been determinedthrough the 2014 priority setting process.The four priorities are listed in the table tothe right.

The 5th Biopesticides Priority SettingWorkshop was held in a new format thisyear, with biopesticides sessions integratedinto the entomology, pathology and weeddiscipline days. Growers were able to identify up to three biopesticide products ineach discipline as potential priorities, and atotal of eight products were identified as priority candidates during the workshop.Following the meeting these were narrowed down to four final prioritiesthrough a merit analysis and consensusbased decision making process by a panelof PMC experts, Provincial Minor UseCoordinators and the PRRP TechnicalWorking Group.

The PRRP will now work with registrants and grower representatives todevelop a proposed label for inclusion in apre-submission consultation request toPMRA. Following the pre-submission consultation, the program will begin workto facilitate a successful registration ofthese products by providing regulatory

support to the registrants of these products.The nature of the regulatory support provided depends on the individual situation, and includes cross-checking datarequirements against available regulatorydata, literature searches and developmentof scientific rationales to address any data

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

1 for a list of PMRA Use Site Categorydefinitions please see the following website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/registrant-titulaire/prod/_daco-codo/definition-eng.php

The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program announces four biopesticide priorities

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCILTHE GROWER


Mexican and Canadian officials have agreed to strength-en their trade relationship bybuilding a dedicated distributioncenter in the province ofManitoba for produce from theHispanic country, and by workingtoward an organic equivalencyarrangement. The development ispart of the Mexico-CanadaAlliance (AMC) that was established in 2004 in a bid tobolster bilateral trade opportunities and promote high-level dialogue between thepublic and private sectors. At therecent 9th AMC AgribusinessMeeting, officials from Mexico’sNational Service for AgriculturalHealth, Safety and Quality(SENASICA) and the CanadianFood Inspection Agency (CFIA)agreed to undertake more jointventure projects and increaseinvestment.

SENASICA and CFIA officials also agreed on the needto establish an organic

equivalency deal, whereby organic produce from eithercountry could be labeled as suchin the other country without theneed for further certification. Ameeting is due to be held inOttawa this November whereworking groups from both nationswill discuss a range of topicsincluding the appropriate use ofnew technologies, the promotionof strategic alliances for technological exchange, and farminnovations.

Canada and Mexico will alsoexamine a list of non-tariff barriers such as the movement ofgoods across the U.S., country oforigin labeling, and inspectionfees from the U.S. Animal andPlant Health Inspection Service(APHIS). In addition, a jointinventory will be prepared detail-ing agricultural research projects,and officials will also identifyareas for further collaborativeresearch.

Mexico and Canadawork to strengthen agri-trade alliance

Priority Product(Trade name)

Active ingredient(s) Registrant(Company)

Type of project Key uses

Api-life VAR thymol + eucalyptus oil +menthol

Chemicals LAIS New registration Varroa mite in honeybee hives

Botector Aureobasidium pullulansDSM 14940 and DSM14941

Bio-ferm New Use Site Category(USC#5 & 6)1

Diseases on greenhouse vegetables andornamentals, including botrytis incucumbers, botrytis in strawberries

OxiDate Hydrogen peroxide BioSafe Systems,LLC

New Use Site Category(USC#14, 27)

Powdery mildew on strawberry and otherberries; Botrytis on berries; Bacterialblight on lettuce. Disease managementfor outdoor food and non-food crops,including grapes, vegetables, liverwort inornamentals.

Quassia ExtractDM

Extract of Quassia amara Trifolio-M Gmbh New registration European Apple Sawfly and othersawflies, aphids, white flies, thrips,mites, psyllids, mealy bugs, Lygus,Colorado potato beetle, caterpillars, andother insects in berries, pome fruit, hops,greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals.

THE GROWER


CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

The Horticulture and CrossSectoral Division of the SectorDevelopment and AnalysisDirectorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is pleased to presentthe next report on horticulture:“Statistical Overview of theCanadian Vegetable Industry -2013.” The report provides acomprehensive summary of thevegetable industry (field andgreenhouse vegetables and mush-rooms) statistics. It containstables and charts about Canadianvegetable production, revenues,consumption, retail sales, tradestatistics as well as world produc-tion of vegetables. Some high-lights from the report are: • Among the provinces, Ontario isthe largest producer of field veg-etables. It accounted for 59 percent of Canada’s total production, followed by Quebec with 32 percent. • While Canada’s total productionof field vegetables decreasedfrom 2012 (10%), farm gate valuegrew by roughly $25 million to afive year high of $825 million in2013 (a growth of 3% from2012).• In 2013, Canada’s greenhousesector, which is comprised oftomatoes, cucumbers, peppers andlettuce, saw a 7 per cent increasein production from 2012. Themajority of production is centeredin Ontario (70%) and BritishColumbia (22%). • Total Canadian vegetable (fieldvegetables, greenhouse vegetablesand mushrooms) exports in 2013amounted to $1.30 billion of

which 96 per cent ($1.25 billion)was exported to the United States.• Canada imported $2.65 billionworth of vegetables in 2013, with$1.69 billion worth of productcoming from the United States.Mexico was the second largestsource of vegetables with $651million in imports coming fromthere.

The key resources used in thepreparation of this document areStatistics Canada, Global TradeAtlas, FAOSTAT, EuromonitorInternational and Mintel.

AAFC statistical overview of the Canadian vegetable industry

As of next year, Canada andJapan will be able to trade organ-ic fruits and vegetables with eachother under their own nationalcertifications. The two countriesrecently signed an equivalencyagreement which was announcedon September 24 by AAFCMinister Gerry Ritz. It is due tocome into effect on January 1,2015.

Under the deal, the organicproduction and certification sys-tems in each country will be fullyrecognized. In April 2013 Canadaannounced it had achieved anorganic equivalency agreementwith Costa Rica. Work is alsounderway on establishing anagreement with Mexico following the recent 9th Mexico-Canada Alliance (AMC) meeting.The AMC was established in2004 in a bid to bolster bilateraltrade opportunities and promotehigh-level dialogue between thepublic and private sectors.

Canada-Japanorganicstandardsset

KAREN DAVIDSON

Ontario’s best-kept secret isthe ginseng industry valued atmore than $220 million for the2013 harvest. Most of the promo-tion of raw root is conducted inHong Kong, the gateway toChinese consumers. However,growers are finding that outreachis just as important at home.

“We’re finding somepublic misconceptions aboutproduction practices,” saysCarl Atkinson, chair ofOntario Ginseng Growers’Association. “Some peoplebelieve ginseng is hard onthe soil and crops can't begrown on the land after gin-seng. The reality is ginsengis the only crop which cannot be grown due to replantdisease.”

Gardens are planted onlyonce due to the buildup ofsoil-borne pests. The fungusCylindrocarpon destructanshas been confirmed as acause of replant disease.Researcher Deena Errampaliis currently studying solu-tions at Vineland Researchand Innovation Centre.

That the federal govern-ment is also dedicating$423,000 to research replant

disease is welcome news for gin-seng growers who crop about6,500 acres, mostly in NorfolkCounty. The project will be con-ducted by Ontario GinsengGrowers’ Association along withOMAFRA and University ofGuelph.

The public needs reassuranceabout the sustainability of thecrop in the long-term. That’swhy the association hosted a

booth at the recent NorfolkCounty Fair and Horse Showfrom October 7 to 13. Banners

and brochures were developedwith key messages about produc-tion practices. This is a start for

an ongoing dialogue about theshaded gardens so often seenfrom the roadsides.

Ginseng growers explain their production practices

November 1 marks the officialunveiling of the OFVGA’s newlogo.

It is part of a general refreshing of the organization’scorporate identity, which will culminate with the launch of anew website at the annual generalmeeting in January.

“As a lobby organization, theOFVGA needs a corporate identity that is modern, fresh andprofessional,” says executive vicepresident John Kelly. “Our newlogo has a clean, crisp look that

clearly identifies who we are andwho we represent.”

The new logo was designed byMacGregor Marketing andCommunications of Burlington toboth represent Ontario’s fruit andvegetable farmers, as well as usecolour to connect themes important to the sector, such aswater and the environment.

New banner stands and marketing materials incorporatingthe new logo will be introduced atthe Royal Agricultural WinterFair, which runs November 7 to

16 in Toronto. New letterhead,envelope designs and businesscards are also part of the newOFVGA corporate identity.

“A strong part of our mandateis to raise awareness amongst allof our target audiences about theOFVGA and the key issues thatmatter to our growers,” saysKelly. “A strong corporate identity is an important part ofour outreach efforts, and willmake it easier for us to make lasting impressions with government, industry and other

stakeholders.”Work is currently underway on

the new website, which will be ahub for the organization’s

outreach and lobbying activitieson behalf of its membership. Thesite address will remainunchanged at www.ofvga.org.

New logo part of updated OFVGA corporate identityPROMOTION

CONSUMER EDUCATION

THE GROWER


•

Agricultural * Commercial * Industrial

50 Years of Excellent Service

Refrigeration (All Types)

Heating, Air Conditioning

Controlled Atmosphere

18 Seapark Drive, St Catharines ON, L2M 6S6

905-685-4255

www.pennrefrigeration.com

[email protected]

omomfro ROOROORO TTOO

Fto DOODF D . . .

erP emium ariOnt io Ginssengsseng

WW SGIN.WW SENGON ARIO.NT COM.

THE GROWER


Following are highlights from theOntario Fruit and VegetableGrowers’ Association (OFVGA)board meeting held October 16,2014. The purpose of this brief isto keep you up-to-date on theissues that the OFVGA is working on, as well as projectsand initiatives the organization isinvolved in.

Labour section

Gary Cooper, former presidentof FARMS (Foreign AgriculturalResource Management Service),is being presented with theGovernment of Jamaica Badge ofHonour. The award is in recogni-tion of his long-standing serviceto the Seasonal AgriculturalWorker Program (SAWP).Presented by the GovernorGeneral of Jamaica on the adviceof the nation’s Prime Minister,the award recognizes people who,by their service and contribution,have had a meaningful and signif-icant impact on national life. It israrely awarded to non-Jamaicans;growers Ken Forth and HectorDelanghe are previous Ontariorecipients of this award.

The Canadian government ismaking changes to Canada’s tem-porary foreign worker programs,including SAWP, with respect tonon-compliant employers. Underthe new regulations, the govern-ment intends to levy financialpenalties against employers whodo not follow the rules of the various foreign worker programs.Fines will vary and may includetemporary or even permanent suspension from being able toemploy foreign workers. Moreinformation is available atwww.cic.gc.ca/english/department/acts-regulations/forward-regulatory-plan/changes-temporary-foreign-worker.asp.

Safety nets section

Section chair Mark Walesreported that a representativefrom the Ontario Chamber ofCommerce made a presentationon the new Ontario RetirementPension Plan (ORPP) beingdeveloped by the provincial government to a meeting of agricultural commodity leaders.Few details have been madeavailable by the province to dateon the ORPP; the Chamber isconcerned about how the planwill affect business competitive-ness in Ontario. More informationon their position is available athttp://www.occ.ca/policy/cham-ber-network-concerned-about-proposed-ontario-pension-plan/.

Mike Vlcek, Senior Director ofProgram Development withAgricorp and Dave Hagarty,Director, Farm Finance Branch ofthe Ontario Ministry ofAgriculture, Food and RuralAffairs (OMAFRA), met with theOFVGA Board to discuss thedesign of Self-Directed Risk

Management (SDRM) and theRisk Management Program(RMP). The linkage to theAgriStability program, whichrequires farmers to participate inthat program in order to be eligible for SDRM/RMP, continues to be discussed, particularly by the commoditiesthat participate in RMP. TheRMP commodity groups haveasked OMAFRA to investigatethe possibilities and implicationsof removing this requirement. TheOFVGA board will evaluate theissue for edible horticulture anddetermine whether or not to support the removal of theAgriStability linkage from SDRMparticipation for growers.

Crop protection section

The Canadian HorticulturalCouncil (CHC) and the OFVGAhave both submitted responses tothe Pest Management RegulatoryAgency (PMRA) with respect toits re-evaluation of Metiram. TheOFVGA’s response focused onthe toxicological perspectiveregarding worker exposure. TheOFVGA has subsequently beenmeeting with PMRA on thisissue.

The deadline for Codex nominations has passed for thisyear. Codex addresses MaximumResidue Levels (MRLs) and theability to export produce intointernational markets. TheOFVGA has submitted someproducts for inclusion in theCodex database, a process thatoccurs annually through CHC.

To date, only three productshave been nominated by the edible horticulture sector for theGrower Requested Own Use(GROU) program. All three arefrom the apple industry. Morework needs to be done to encourage more product nominations; the program canwork to growers’ advantage ifused effectively.

The annual crop protectionsection meeting will be heldOctober 21 at the OFVGA officein Guelph.

Property section

Ontario’s 19 Source WaterProtection committees are continuing to work on finalizingtheir regional plans, reports section chair Brian Gilroy, who isa member of the committee covering Saugeen, Grey Saubleand Northern Bruce Peninsula.

The Wildlife DamageMitigation trials are wrapping upfor this year and will run again in2015. Attracting kestrels waschallenging this year, reportsGilroy, but the group is confidentthat 2015 will be more successful.Some nesting boxes will be relocated to open space areas,which is a requirement of thisparticular bird species. The project will run for three years.

The draft provincial Great

Lakes Protection Act died on theorder paper when the provincialelection was called last spring.However, Environment andClimate Change Minister GlenMurray has received directionfrom Premier Wynne in his mandate letter to re-introduce a

strengthened Act.

Canadian Horticultural Council

The United States recentlyannounced that Canada has lostits preferred status as it relates toprotection afforded under the

Perishable AgriculturalCommodities Act (PACA). Thismeans that Canadians no longerreceive the same payment protection as is available to U.Shorticulture businesses. This decision has resulted fromCanada’s inaction on establishinga similar system in this country;which both the OFVGA and CHChave been lobbying for.

The next OFVGA board meet-ing will be held November 13 atthe OFVGA office in Guelph.

Board briefsONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

TRAVEL?CANADA

CUBAFARMERTOURS!

Seventeenth season!Jan 26th to Feb 9th

Two weeks:- 3 nights Melia Varadero - 7 days, 6 night farm tour- 2 nights Melia Santiago

de Cuba - 3 nights Hotel Nacional

Havana * Maximum 25* Farmers/farm families only* $3,200/prsn 2 sharing + air* All inclusive* Deductible

Escorted by award-winningFarm Columnist and Canadian AgrologistWendy Holm, P.Ag.

This is the year to go!

Book early - this will sell out!

604-947-2893www.wendyholm.com

[email protected]

As Brian Gilroy reports, a three-year study isunderway to see if kestrels can deter smallerbirds from orchards and vineyards. Next year,some nesting boxes will be relocated to openspaces which is a requirement of this species.A kestrel nesting box was displayed at therecent research tour organized by the OntarioTender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board.

North America’s littlest falcon, the AmericanKestrel packs a predator’s fierce intensity into itssmall body. It's one of the most colourful of all rap-tors: the male’s slate-blue head and wings contrastelegantly with his rusty-red back and tail; thefemale has the same warm reddish on her wings,back, and tail. Hunting for insects and other smallprey in open territory, kestrels perch on wires orpoles, or hover facing into the wind, flapping andadjusting their long tails to stay in place.

THE GROWER


STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, [email protected]: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, [email protected]: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, [email protected] Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Anyerrors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compen-sated 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 soleowner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed inThe Grower are those of the newspaper’s editorial staff and/orcontributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the associa-tion.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication maynot be reproduced either whole or in part without the priorwritten consent of the publisher.

OFFICE355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADATel. 519-763-8728 • Fax 519-763-6604The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to allmembers of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year forthe 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 withinfour months. If the issue is claimed within four months, butnot available, The Grower will extend the subscription byone month. No refunds on subscriptions.

P.M. 40012319

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEChair Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeVice-Chair Jason Verkaik, BradfordFruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginVeg Director Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownDirector Charles Stevens, Newcastle

BOARD OF DIRECTORSApples Charles Stevens, NewcastleFresh Vegetable - Other Mary Shabatura, Windham CentreTender Fruit John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-LakeON Asparagus Grws’. Mkg. Brd. Jason Ryder, DelhiGGO/Fresh Grape Growers Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeFresh Vegetable - Muck Jason Verkaik, BradfordON. Potato Board Mac James, LeamingtonSmall Fruit/Berries Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginON. Ginseng Growers’ Ken Van Torre, BurfordGreenhouse Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownGreenhouse Don Taylor, Durham

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

Crop Protection Charles Stevens, NewcastleResearch Harold Schooley, SimcoeProperty Brian Gilroy, MeafordLabour Ken Forth, LyndenSafety Nets Mark Wales, AlymerCHC Murray Porteous, Simcoe

Harvest is mostly complete.Now is the time to take stock ofhow the growing year went and toevaluate the performance of thefarm over 2014, and indeed overseveral previous years. To seehow well a farm performs yearover year, it is essential to understand the benchmarks of theoperation. This in turn will helpwith the decisions that happen inthe next season, and several sea-sons to come. Sowing the seedsfor the future does not onlyinvolve seed selection. It involvesmany other components likestrategic direction, business

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

Achieving superior performance from one year to thenext is a common goal amongsthorticultural producers. Questionslike “How can I get more production out of the crop I havechosen,” “How can I continue toimprove the environment we livein?” “How can I increase theprofitability of my operation” and“How can I enhance the qualityof life I have on the farm?” are allquestions that can be addressedby knowing previous perfor-mance. In essence, on-farmbenchmarking.

Comparisons to how Ontarioproducers stack up against otherCanadian and international pro-ducers is also a form of industrybenchmarking that needs to bedone. Measurements in terms ofprofitability, costs of production,pricing, environmental tolerance,product availability, domestic andinternational presence, consumerpreferences, impact of innovationand others are all excellent indicators of how the sector doesagainst its competitors. Sector

benchmarking.Future performance is not

only measured in terms of yieldfrom those seeds. The net financial return to any operationis a key measure of the success ofa farm. Growers have controlover many of the variables thatlead to the financial wellbeing oftheir operation. Constant re-evaluation of the impact of decisions surrounding these variables is essential for thefuture success of the farm.Failure to do this can lead to stagnation, lead to a lack of innovative capacity and put theentire operation at risk.

But sometimes producers runinto those challenges that are outside of their control.Legislation can strongly influencethe success or failure of horticultural operations. How doyou benchmark selling into onejurisdiction when the rules changeand the risks become very large?Before last month, Canadiangrowers had a preferred statuswith the Perishable AgriculturalCommodities Act (PACA) in theUnited States. Because of theinaction of the Canadian government, this status was

removed which essentiallychanged the rules of trade. So tocompare with international growers when there is differentialaccess to seller protection is challenging.

The loss of preferred statuswith the PACA will impact growers negatively. It is essentialthat the federal government workdiligently to develop an acceptable comparable protectionfor American growers in Canadato ensure that our exporters againhave access to this status. Withoutit, the costs of using the PACATrust are so substantial that it isunlikely many will take advan-tage, essentially freezing someout of the market.

The PACA is only one ofmany challenges that come thegrower’s way. The list keepsgrowing and growing.Challenges to risk managementprograms, requirements from buyers for higher and higher sustainability requirements,impacts on costs of productionthat negatively impact margins(minimum wage hikes, the proposed Ontario RetirementPension Plan – ORPP – which theprovincial government is intro-

ducing this month), non-sciencebased regulatory decisions whichthreaten the use of pest controlproducts, and ever increasing permitting requirements to meetnew environmental legislativedemands are but a few of the newitems for growers to tackle asthey produce product for consumers.

The bottom line is that growersneed to be very aware how allthese factors impact production,and need to benchmark profitabil-ity as well as the net impact of allaspects of the horticultural busi-ness. Continuing to improve theability to be competitive is not anoption; it is an absolute necessity.Our governments, markets andbuyers are placing more and moredemands on growers to meetstringent requirements. For us tosow for success, we together needto get informed and active on theissues, with growers involvedwith market and governmentissues through the OFVGA andthe Canadian HorticulturalCouncil. These will all influencehow we achieve optimal perfor-mance from our operations andultimately the profitability andsuccess growers will enjoy.

Sowing the seeds of performance

JOHN KELLYEXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA

There is a problem, there isn’ta problem. This is the problem,that is the problem. I have readand heard these words in regardsto bee health so many times itleads me to believe one thing: wedon’t know what the problem isor if there is one.

Bees have a direct role in morethan one third of our diet -- that’sa lot of food. Without bees ourdiet would be far less nutritious.The livelihood of thousands offarmers depends on the health ofbee populations in Canada. The

importance of bee health cannotbe overstated and must be monitored. Millions of bees aremoved across Canada every yearto pollinate apples, blueberriesand more than a hundred differentfruits and vegetables. The workof bees is integral to horticulturein Canada.

There have been so many studies and media reports on beehealth that it has become impossible to keep up with thelatest “facts and figures.” If youhave tried, you will have noticedthat the majority of these reportsis indicating that the bee population is in huge decline andthat we are on the verge of amajor crisis in our food supply.

The numbers from the pollinator industry are contrary towhat is being reported in themedia. Canada’s bee populationhas been growing steadily. Thereis no shortage of beehives to pollinate our crops and the cost tohave hives delivered to ourorchards and fields has not risenoutside of normal increases. Ifthere was a shortfall in beehives,supply and demand would be

influencing the price and wewould be seeing large increases inthe cost of pollinators. Accordingto Statistics Canada the honeybeepopulation has increased by 37per cent since 2003 in Ontario.

The same is true on a nationalscale. Data from the CanadianAssociation of ProfessionalApiculturists(CAPA) shows anincrease of 10.7 per cent between2009 and 2013 with bee coloniesincreasing from 611,972 to677,824. This growth rate isremarkable considering all thethreats to the industry: recordcold winters, varroa mites, nosema. And now a hive beetleis threatening hives in the easternpart of the country. It’s commendable that the commercial beekeepers havemanaged to grow the industrynationwide in spite of these challenges.

Canada’s record is one to sharewith the world. There are 16 million acres of canola grown onthe prairies, a vast rich source ofnutritional food for bees. Manydon’t know that 80 per cent ofCanada’s honey production

comes from these canola fields.What’s telling is that Canadiancanola seed has been treated withneonicotinoids since they wereintroduced, yet Canada’s bee pop-ulation has been largely unaffect-ed. This is a real world, large-scale example -- not a lab test.

Neonicotinoids are a class ofinsecticide that was welcomed byfarmers and environmentalistsalike when they came into use inthe 1990s. Neonics have becomewidely used around the world fora good reason; they are less toxicthan the organophosphates theyreplaced. They are much safer forthe applicator. In fact, so safethat the insecticide is registeredfor use in flea collars of ourhouse pets.

This crop protection product isnow being portrayed as the num-ber one cause of colony collapsedisorder with no evidence that itis the sole or biggest threat tohoney bee health. Without question, neonics have had farless impact on the environmentthan if we continued to useorganophosphates.

So why are they being blamed

exclusively for bee deaths inCanada and around the world? Itis simple. Some environmentalgroups need a culprit to point toand they know the media will listen if their message is alarmingenough. These groups create asense of doomsday and the attention follows.

This may sound harsh butremember when GMOs weregoing to bring about the end ofthe world. The world is still hereand GMOs are a big part of it.Neonics are now the new GMOs.Colony collapse in beehives wasfirst documented in 1869 withspikes in bee deaths occurringregionally around the world eversince.

British beekeepers warned thatrushing to ban neonics -- whenthe evidence is contradictory --could well do more damage thangood, as we will return to pesticides that are known to beharmful to bees. Scientists allover the world are now doingfield studies in the real world.Let them do their work and notbase any decisions on emotioncaused by alarmists.

News bulletin: No shortage of beehives to pollinate our crops

RAY DUCCHAIR, OFVGA

THE GROWER


Some people see farming as anod to tradition, to simplicity, tosteadfastness and unwaveringpredictability. They see it as alifestyle first, and then a business.

And indeed this image workswell for some fruit and vegetablefarmers, such as those capitaliz-ing on the local food movementwho think the public identifieswith, or yearns for, down homevalues.

And what’s more down homethan growing good food?

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

happy leaving behind agricul-ture’s stereotypical hayseedimage. It runs counter to the busi-ness-like realities of their farm –technologically advanced, marketdriven, impeccably managed,traits that are needed to keep mostbusinesses afloat, farmingincluded.

Sure, some homegrown virtuesare prevalent on “modern” farmstoo. After all, odds are it’s a family farm, like the overwhelm-ing majority of farms are inCanada. But they operate in abusiness environment, and theyneed policy-makers to rememberthat and not choke them withlegislation.

Their business side camethrough loud and clear in a pollreleased last month by theCanadian Federation ofIndependent Business. More than520 farmers across the countrywere surveyed about their anticipated business activities,and the results were eye opening.

First, a whopping 44 per centof farmers in the independentbusiness poll said they were planning to expand their opera-tions in the next three years.

That’s fantastic! Imagine near-ly half of any other sector in theCanadian economy saying it plansto expand, rather than saying it’sgoing to sit tight and see whathappens with the dollar, the fed-eral election, interest rates, theMiddle East or any of dozens ofreasons that could be mentionedby businesses that are satisfiedwith the status quo. Despiteglobal and financial uncertainty,people still have to eat and clearlyfarmers see significant opportuni-ties ahead. Agriculture has

momentum. Another finding from the

survey is that despite challengesin attracting qualified help, farmers are twice as likely to hiremore employees within the nextthree years than to pull back. Infact, more than 20 per cent ofCanadian farmers are planning tohire more employees in the nextthree years.

As well, more than half of thesurvey respondents said they areplanning to adopt new and innovative technologies. These

include GPS systems for plantingand spraying and renewablepower such as wind turbines.

“Canada’s farmers are fostering an agriculture sectorCanadians can be proud of,” saysthe federation. “It’s a highlysophisticated and modern industrythat will continue to provide anabundance of jobs and qualityfood for Canadians…the varietyof business management toolsused show that agricultural operations are sophisticated, strategic and modern.”

The final bit of good newsfrom the federation survey is thatfamily farms are poised to stayjust that – family farms. Morethan 80 per cent of those who arepassing on their farm assets haveidentified family members as theprime recipients.

So, I guess modern farmingwill indeed continue to have elements of traditions passeddown through families, plus thebenefits of technology that youngpeople (and their progressivelyminded parents) bring to farming.Sounds like the best of all worlds,for agriculture and for consumers.

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

OWEN ROBERTSU OF GUELPH

PERSPECTIVE

for CapaNOWW Apply Get Starte

or Implementacity Buildinged

Assistance.tation Funding

READ

ENROL

YAPPLYCapacity Building funding assistance can be submitted at any time.Applications fornext intake of Implementation funding assistance.

2014 to submit an application for theou have until December 11th,YYo

orkshop Leader in your area.WRegional Program Lead or on the workshops button to find a workshop or to contact a

and clickg.or.ontariosoilcropwww Visit webinars.Safety Biosecurity workshops or FoodEnvironmental Farm Plan (EFP),

our Farm Profits (GYFP),YYoNeed help? Sign up now for Growing

:3 easy stepsfunding assistance by following Producers in Ontario can apply for Growing Forward 2 (GF2)

apCo

En

andto lGo

plication formsomplete and submit

rol in the GF2 program

d access resourceslearn about program requirements

g.or.ontariosoilcropwwwo to

Photo by Glenn Lowson

– NOVEMBER 2014

THE GROWER

BRUCE KELLY

Sweet potatoes have become asignificant specialty crop forOntario in recent years, withapproximately 1,500 acres in production. The rising popularityof sweet potato fries at Ontariorestaurants has increased demandand interest in this great food.

Traditionally Ontario sweetpotato yields have been muchlower than those of competitorsfrom the southern United States,largely due to our shorter, coolergrowing season. But CathyBakker and Melanie Filotas,researchers at the SimcoeResearch Station aim to improvethe outlook for sweet potatogrowers here in Ontario withimproved agronomic recommen-dations based on local research.

Funding provided by theWater Adaptation Quality andManagement Initiative (WAMQI)is being used to refine waterrequirements and nitrogen recommendations of the belovedsweet potato.

Sweet potato production inOntario occurs predominantly onsandy or sandy loam texturedsoils in counties along the northshore of Lake Erie. Root shapeand quality tend to be better onthese lighter textured soil typesbut these soils pose a higher riskfor nitrogen leaching making thetiming of application critical forboth production and environmen-tal reasons.

A better understanding of theimpact of irrigation (amount andtiming) and nitrogen (sources andamounts) under Ontario growingconditions could help growersincrease yields of marketabletubers, thereby increasing prof-itability and competitiveness forOntario growers.

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

if ever, irrigate. However, whilesweet potatoes can be producedeven under very low moistureconditions, several studies in thesouthern United States havedemonstrated significant reductions in yield when soilmoisture falls below 50 per centof field capacity at critical stagesof plant development, and “cracking” of the potato is com-mon if water uptake is uneven.

Even watering applications arecritical at the storage root initiation (from 0 to 40 days aftertransplanting) and the root elongation (40 days after transplanting onwards). This really implies most of the growing season. As natural rainscan be inconsistent, the ability toirrigate at critical times couldmake the difference between pooror quality crop.

If they are moisture stressedfor even a short period of time,sweet potatoes, like tomatoes willdraw up too much water when itbecomes available and grow sofast, they spilt open, seriouslyreducing the crops’ marketability.

The use of soil moistureprobes can help refine the timingof irrigation to reduce incidenceof cracking and improve the quality of the root.

Irrigation schedules based onsoil moisture holding capacitycan ensure that the roots arenever under moisture stress andthat growth is even and minimizes the risks of root cracking.

The questions to be answeredby this WAMQI project are:

1) Can different irrigation timings(and stresses) at different stagesof crop development impactsweet potato yield and quality;

2) Are there crop quality impactsfrom various sources of nitrogenand application timings on yield

of sweet potatoes and potentialfor nitrate leaching.

Slips of the sweet potato cultivar ‘Covington’ were transplanted into the field in earlyJune into 20 cm high hills. Thetrial compared five treatmentsconsisting of: a non-irrigatedcheck; irrigation from planting tofour weeks before harvest (entireseason); irrigation for two weeksafter planting only (target storageroot initiation); irrigation for fiveweeks after planting only (targetstorage root initiation) and irrigation from five weeks afterplanting to four weeks before harvest (target storage root elongation).

Soil moisture was monitoredtwice a week using a TDRportable soil moisture meter.Irrigation was applied when theaverage soil moisture of the plotswas headed below 50 per cent ofavailable field capacity.

The sweet potatoes were harvested on September 23, andare now being dried, awaitingweighing and comparison to findout the results of the trial.

For more information aboutthis project contact:Mary Ruth MacDonald [email protected] orCathy [email protected]

This project is one of 28 projects funded by the WaterAdaptation Quality andManagement Initiative (WAMQI)a Growing Forward II program,facilitated by Farm & Food CareOntario.

For information aboutWAMQI funded projects, visitthe Environment section atwww.farmfoodcare.org or contactBruce Kelly: [email protected]

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

Improving sweet potato production atthe Simcoe Research Station

Nov 2 – 5 Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association Tour (members only), Simcoe County and Muskoka Region, Ontario

Nov7 – 16 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON

Nov 12 Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council “Paper Facts and Fiction” seminar, Brampton, ON

Nov 14 Ontario Produce Marketing Association Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, Liberty Grand, Toronto, ON

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

Nov 18-19 Essex County Associated Growers’ 64th South West Hort Expo, Kinsmen Recreational Complex, Leamington, ON **NOTE NEW DATE**

Nov 18-20 Alberta Potato Conference & Trade Show, The Sheraton, Red Deer, AB

Nov 22 Asparagus Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, Hungarian Hall, Delhi, ON

Nov 22 Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Producers’ Association Annual General Meeting, Best Western Glengarry, Truro, Nova Scotia

Nov 24-25 Ontario Federation of Agriculture Annual General Meeting, Sheraton on the Falls, Niagara Falls, ON

Nov 26-30 Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer Competition, Quebec City, QC

Nov 29 Garlic Growers of Ontario Fall Meeting, Woodstock, ON

Dec 2-4 CropLife Canada ‘GrowCanada’ 2014 Conference, Westin Ottawa, Ottawa, ON

Dec 3 Ontario Potato Board Annual General Meeting, Cambridge Holiday Inn, Hall C, Cambridge, ON 10 am

Dec 5 CanadaGAP Annual General Meeting, Canadian Federation of Agriculture boardroom, Ottawa, Canada

COMING EVENTS 2014

Photo by Glenn Lowson

THE GROWER


A Bartlett Company

Receive 5% off Van Wamel, Orsi, and Fruit-tec equipment ordered beforeDecember 15, 2014

A Bartlett Company

[email protected] | 905.563.8261 | 1.800.263.1287

www.provideag.ca Provide Agro

GREEFA PERFECT ORSI GROUP FRUIT TEC PULSE INSTRUMENTS BARTLETT SINCLAIR H.S.S.

� Low noise

� Low volume

� Low Hp requirements

� Consistent air flow

� Clean water flush tank

� Hand wash tank

� Less compaction

THE GROWER


When I was in Toronto recent-ly I had an opportunity to visitone of the Shoppers Drug Martpilot stores. The food offering isconsiderably different, with morefresh foods and more preparedfoods. There is also a consider-able amount of private labelavailable.

It is an accomplishment thatthey have got some pilot stores

done. There is a lot of work thathas to happen behind the scenesto get stores changed.

I was disappointed in twothings: focus on health and well-ness in food could be better, andpricing is very high in fresh.There is an opportunity to changeconsumer behaviour in thesestores and the current modelcould go further. Pricing for fresh

is very high and I respect it isconvenience - but $3 for twopotatoes is high. I would hate tosee a good idea fail because pricing is not realistic.

It is a work in progress butvery important to watch. Therecould be opportunities for suppliers, especially in fresh.

There are two reasons specialty stores are growing. Thefirst reason is the demographic composition of our marketplace ischanging rapidly, and the secondreason is the focus on food in oursociety.

Immigration in Canada hasshifted from Europe to Asia andthe Middle East. Consumers newto Canada are looking for specificproducts they understand and thelarge national chains have beentoo slow to learn and keep theirlisting bases current for today’sconsumer. It is very important forsuppliers in the food industry tounderstand where the consumersare coming from and what theyare looking for.

Table 1 illustrates the changesto our population since 2008.

In the five years between 2008and 2012 the Canadian populationgrew by 1,506,355 and 85 percent of the growth was throughimmigration. New Canadians areone source of customers for storesoffering global foods, anothergroup are people who are inCanada temporarily. Table 2 illustrates the number of peopleliving in Canada temporarily in2012.

The average immigration to

Canada was 257,269 in the fiveyears ending in 2012, and in 2012there were also 773,730 people inCanada temporarily. That is a lotof consumers... the reality is morethan one million new consumersin Canada are seeking differentproducts. It is obvious that theseshifts in the ethnic mix of ourpopulation will offer growth forsuppliers and retailers who cansatisfy the demand.

In the Canadian market thereare stores, such as T&T that caterto the Asian consumer, and Arzand Adonis that cater to theMediterranean, Middle Easternand Lebanese consumer. Loblawpurchased T&T; Arz and Adonisare now part of Metro. Thesechains have been allowed to operate more autonomously tomaintain the unique perspectivethey bring to the market. Make nomistake, the big retailers arelearning from them but they havenot destroyed the unique positionthey occupy in the market. Thereare also independents, such asOceans Fresh Food Market withfive stores in the GTA. There aremany other examples in eachmajor urban market of specialtystores catering to the consumerseeking food from around theworld.

The other factor impacting thesales at specialty stores is thefocus on food and creating inter-esting food. Recipes on theInternet, chefs in grocery stores,and entire television networks,such as the Food Network, havebrought cooking at home to a newlevel. The ‘foodie’ has become apopular consumer as they are usually willing to spend more andthey buy items with traditionallyhigher shrink. The foodies arelooking for gourmet items, andthey are looking for the newingredients that are found easilyat the stores specializing in globalfoods.

The gourmet specialty storesare also regional, such asPusateri’s and Bruno’s inToronto, and Pete’s in Halifax.There are many other examples ineach major urban market. Thestores focus on fresh departments,prepared foods, and the uniqueingredients their customers arelooking for. Many of them offer aselection of global foods, as well,because the foodies are lookingfor these products.

Here are my top 10 considera-tions for suppliers who want tosell to the specialty stores:

1. The people working at these

stores are usually very knowl-edgeable and they have more passion than some employees atthe bigger retailers. This is morethan a job to them. Respect theirknowledge.

2. Most do not have distributionnetworks so you will need theability to go with direct storedelivery (DSD).

3. If you can produce some of theglobal foods locally with thesame characteristics, you willhave an opportunity. Importingfood is not as easy as it used tobe.

4. Most of the locations are inurban areas, so tough to get to fortrucks. Factor in extra costs forthis.

5. With the large retailers one category manager will haveaccess to hundreds of stores. Inthese stores it can be a store bystore journey. You need to have asales resource to make it happen.

6. These are great markets to testproducts during scale up. Volumeis lower and you can get greatfeedback from the store employees.

7. The stores are usually focusedmore on selling than they are onbureaucracy. Point of sale is oftenwelcome as opposed to a revenuestream.

8. The consumers who shop thesestores are different. The buyingdecision is slightly different thanthe traditional retailers.

9. The retailer needs to make different margins in these stores.Volume is lower and they have adifferent economic model thanthe bigger retailers. Their customers are more interested ingetting products they want asopposed to saving a few cents ona national brand.

10. There are more partnershipopportunities. You can do socialmedia programs and other initiatives with them.

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

New Canadians and ‘foodies’ drive specialty store sales

Shoppers Drug Mart food pilots are work in progress

Retailers are more disciplinedabout their shelf line-up thanever. It was not that long ago thatyou could get an item listed and itwould be ‘worked in’ to the shelf.Now there is a set schedule forwhen the shelf review will bedone and when new items will beconsidered.

You need to understand theschedule in the categories whereyou compete. In some cases this

is only done one to two times peryear. You would not want to siton the sideline for six monthsbecause you did not know theschedule for reviews. Make sureyou ask your category manager soyou can be prepared to get youropportunities in on time.

Plan O Gram schedules are set once or twice a year

PETER CHAPMAN

Origin of immigration Total (2008 - 2012)

Asia & Pacific 619,584

Africa & Middle East 289,539

South & Central America 192,860

Europe & UK 135,937

United States 48,425

Total immigration 1,286,345

Change in total population 1,505,355

Reason for being in Canada Total 2012

Foreign workers 338,213

Foreign students 265, 402

Humanitarian 92, 318

Other 77,797

Total 773,730

Table 1

Table 2

THE GROWER


KAREN DAVIDSON

Harrow, Ontario –Today’s worldwideshortage of rootstock should be motivatingapple and tender fruit growers to revieworder catalogues for plantings three, if not,four years out.

“Growers have to think about 2017now,” urges Rob Haynes, general manager,Mori Essex Nurseries, which has farms inHarrow and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Demandis so strong that the propagator is nowplanting more than a million trees per year.That’s exponential growth from 200,000trees just five years ago.

Several trends are driving that demand,not the least of which is transformation ofapple orchards to high-density plantings.This production system requires up to1,300 trees per acre and higher. Mori EssexNurseries also supply rootstock for thePrunus genus: peaches, cherries, apricots,nectarines and plums.

“The warming climate has helped us,”says Haynes. “A plan has commenced thisyear to plant up to 3,000 acres of apples inPrince Edward Island by a group of foreigninvestors. And we’re now seeing agricul-tural entrepreneurs from around the worldlooking for tens of thousands of acres ofland suitable for apples across Canada.There are opportunities for apple exports inthe future.”

Haynes explains that the rising middleclass in India is driving the growth of theapple market. It’s closer – and cheaper -- toship from eastern Canada through theMediterranean and Suez canal to India thanfrom the west coast. He’s also excited thata Canadian-Indian trade deal is close thatwould remove a 50 per cent tariff on

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

Ramping up for these new exportopportunities won’t be easy. Capital of$20,000 per acre is required for high-density apple orchards, and that’s wherecorporations are taking advantage.

Haynes became attuned to the globalmarket changes when he started travellingfour years ago as the new general manager.With rootstock catalogues weighting downhis suitcase, he has scoured the hot spotsfor apple production: Chile, Spain,Holland, Germany and Italy. He’s alsotravelled widely in the U.S., fromWashington and Oregon states on the westcoast to New York, Pennsylvania andMassachusetts on the eastern seaboard. TheU.S. propagators are so focused on theirburgeoning domestic market that little rootstock is left over for Canada. Besides,many are not certified to send geneticmaterial to Canada.

All the more important, then, thatHaynes has secured the Canadian rights toGeneva apple rootstock with resistance tofireblight, phytophthora, woolly appleaphid and transplant disease. These genetics are well respected from CornellUniversity. Next he’s introduced two newPrunus rootstocks from Russia: Krymsk 86and 1. The latter is a dwarf rootstock.Rootpac – 20, 40 and 70 – has been introduced for peaches. Zaiger cultivars forpluots, apriums and plumcots are on theirway. The Canadian Food InspectionAgency has to release them from quarantine in Saanich, located nearVancouver Island.

Perhaps the most impactful change hasbeen tissue culture. In concert with theUniversity of Guelph and Harster’s greenhouse in Ancaster, Ontario, Haynes isnow able to source rootstock faster andfrom a more reliable source.

“Next year, we’ll do 800,000 tissue-cultured apple rootstocks in the spring, budin the fall and plan for first harvest in twoyears,” says Haynes.

This expertise in tissue culture is criticalfor the fledgling hazelnut industry. Toflourish, hundreds of thousands of treeswill be required to fulfill Ferrero’s need for20,000 acres of production to supply theirconfectionary plant in Brantford, Ontario.

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

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

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

Supplies of disease-resistant rootstock are already tight for 2017FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Leah Erickson (BC/AB)604-957-2359

Marc AndréLaberge (QC)514-984-4589

Jim Robinson (ON/MB)905-715-8595

Paul Banks (ON/NS)905-688-4300

Henry Zomer (ON/MB/SK)905-308-4396

Rob Hovius (ON/PEI/NB)519-580-3231

Laura Caralampides (QC)514-984-0662

~ Quality Seed Since 1881 ~

Quality Seed Quality Service Quality Information

www.StokeSeeds.com

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

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

A new dwarf peach rootstock is underdevelopment.

This row marker denotes the roll num-ber, type of rootstock, the variety it wasbudded on, source of rootstock and theblock.

THE GROWER


FOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

KAREN DAVIDSON

Follow the statistics and then follow the money.Ontario’s asparagus industry is not only increasingacreage but yields per acre, primarily due to thecold-weather variety Millennium and higher planting densities.

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

Those encouraging statistics have convinced thefederal government and the province’s farmers toinvest more than $1 million into the University ofGuelph’s asparagus breeding program. Led byDavid Wolyn, the program has been uniquely successful with trial beds in Norfolk County. Abouthalf of the funding comes from the coffers ofAsparagus Farmers of Ontario. The announcementwas made earlier this year through the GrowingForward 2’s AgriInnovation Program.

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

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

New seed varieties will help keep the industrycompetitive to service domestic markets as well asthose in the eastern United States. The term ‘local’is relative. When Ontario asparagus is available, it’sdeemed to have fewer miles of transportation compared to Mexico or Washington state, so it’s aprized commodity on the eastern seaboard. EvenAlberta received shipments of Ontario asparagusthis past year.

Many growers have transitioned out of the Jerseyvarieties and have planted Millennium. Its winterhardiness, longevity and consistently high yieldsmake it tough to beat in the breeding trials.However, if improvements are to be made, it will bein disease resistance against asparagus rust andpurple spot.

Those increased yields are due not only toMillennium’s productivity but increased plantingrates. In Ontario, planting rates are about 15,000 to16,000 plants per acre says Ken Wall, chair ofAsparagus Farmers of Ontario. This pales againstvery aggressive plantings by Washington stategrowers who are now up to 30,000 and even 35,000plants per acre in a quest to reduce per unit costs.

Increased planting densities improve asparagus yields

THINKINTHINKIN

G OF SEMINO,G OF SEED

AVO

ABLE VEGETATED DEDICA

GRABOUT ATEAM IOUR

THINKIN

O WT

IS PA

G OF SEMINO

AVAO

70TEL.:

OLT05-434-7292

CCA,Alloy Thompson

1-877-337-8LL FREE:

esentativeOntario ReprA,

8423

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

THE GROWER


Stokes Seeds has been testing new vegetablevarieties since 1881! This year is no exception.Listed above are the ones out of thousands that haveconsistently performed best over many years ofStokes testing.

For green beans, Sybaris, stood out in Stokes trials this year. Sybaris has straight, deep green 5.6-inch pods that are set high in the plant and off thesoil surface. It is a 56-day bean with 100 per cent3-4 sieve size and has high resistance to bean

common mosaic virus, and IR to Bacterial BrownSpot and rust.

Two outstanding additions to the Gourmet SweetBrand for 2015 are Anthem XR and Stellar XR.Anthem XR, 73-day variety has a very sturdy plantand it is widely adapted to many areas. It is suitablefor shipping and fresh market slots and has a verynice husk appearance. Stellar XR is Stellar with newrust resistance. This 77-day variety has very attractive ears and nice beautiful kernel contrast. Ithas a larger ear than Awesome with a dark greenhusk colour.

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

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

There are several new Brassica’s for considera-tion also. Grepala is a new first early cabbage whichshows good green colour and holding ability.Asteroid broccoli is a new bunching type withexcellent uniformity.

These are only a few of the new items listed inthe 2015 Commercial Growers catalog. Please see aStokes representative for more information on othernew varieties that have been “Stokes Tested!” 1-800-263-7233 www.stokeseeds.com

New veg varietiesFOCUS: SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

Asteroid broccoli Rhea pumpkin

Anthem XR sweet corn Currier pepper

THE GROWER



What’s new in glasshouse genetics?

Since Monsanto purchased De Ruiter seeds in2008, the company has continued to invest inresearch for hybrid seeds in tomato, pepper andcucumber categories. Last summer, a demonstrationday in Leamington, Ontario unveiled the develop-ment of new products in the pipeline including therelease of a new tomato rootstock, the potential of anew ribbed beef tomato and a few specialty tomatoes. All of these products are developedthrough traditional breeding.

“Our company understands how dynamic theindustry is,” says Rafael Lacaz Ruiz, De Ruitersales in eastern Canada. “We’re always searchingfor new products in commodities and in the specialty segment.”

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

A leader in beefsteak varieties, De Ruiter Seedsis focused on launching new products over currentleading beefsteak Torero and Foronti. The variety

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

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

Expect genetic improvements in bell pepper varieties, specifically for higher yields and longershelf life. One of the orange peppers to watch for isDR0719PB which offers consistently large fruitthroughout the entire season, even under swelteringsummer temperatures – ideal for bulk sales. DeRuiter also offers an orange blocky pepper,DR0713PB with size and quality that makes it idealfor specialty packaging markets.

To date, the leading cucumber variety for DeRuiter in umbrella crops is Camaro, however itlacks tolerance to green mottle mosaic virus. Ruizsays that breeding work is underway to develop avariety that will bring a lot of value to growers withbetter tolerance to this disease.

— Quality Seed Since 1881 —T: 1-800-263-7233 F: 1-800-272-5560 www.StokeSeeds.com Box 10 Thorold ON L2V 5E9

Currier 74 day, extra large, blocky green to red high quality fruit. Strong tolerances.

Red Mountain 74 day, deep red fruit,

uniform with high quality and great taste.

Mountain Majesty 78 day, excellent yields,

firm flattened globe shape fruit, great taste.

Red Morning 70 day, smooth uniform

large size fruit, very high quality.

Henry Zomer ON, MB, SK

905-308-4396

Leah Erickson AB, BC

604-957-2359

Jim Robinson ON, MB

905-715-8595

Laura Caralampides QC

514-984-0662

Rob Hovius ON, PEI, NB

519-580-3231

Paul Banks ON, NS

905-688-4300

Marc André Laberge ON, MB, SK

905-308-4396

Stokes Seeds Trial Evaluation Researching the best for our customers since 1881.

NEWNEW

NEWNEW

GLADIOLUS BULBSWide variety selection for retail sales and

commercial cut flower productionCatalogue available upon request or visit our website at www.lmbolle.com

L.M. Bolle & Sons813083 Baseline Norwich, ON(519) 468-2090 Fax 468-2099email: [email protected]

STRAWBERRY PLANTS***CERTIFIED***

RASPBERRY CANESProducers 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

G.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD.7295 Hwy 221

Centreville, N.S. B0P 1J0ph. 902-678-7519 fax: 902-678-5924

Email: [email protected] www.gwallennursery.com

Exclusive grower of select grafted nut trees and minor fruits.Cultivars are tested in our own experimental orchards.

Choose from Persian and black walnut, heartnut, butternut,chestnut, hazel, pecan, hickory, gingko, pine nut, mulberry,

persimmon, pawpaw, fig & more.

Proprietor Ernie Grimo

979 Lakeshore Rd, RR 3, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Canada L0S 1J0Tel.: (905) YEH-NUTS (934-6887) E-mail: [email protected]

Fax: (905) YEL-NUTS (935-6887) Catalogue Site: www.grimonut.com

DR0719PB orange pepper DR9544TH beefsteak tomato

THE GROWER


KAREN DAVIDSON

When growers select seedvarieties, the boxes to tick off arephysical characteristics, diseaseresistance, yield and days-to-maturity. But flavour is quicklymoving to the top of that list.

“Flavour, thank goodness, isbecoming more important,” saysRoy Pearman, northern productdevelopment and sales managerfor Seedway. “It’s not just aboutyield.”

Pearman understands that various segments of his clientelewant different things. Growerswho ship to retailers want produce of uniform size andshape that’s more packable.Growers who cater to farmers’markets, roadside stands andcommunity-supported- agricultureboxes insist on flavour. However,with the trend to locally-sourcedproduce, consumers expectflavour wherever they buy freshvegetables.

Growers who are partneringwith retailers are becoming moresavvy marketers, he says, takingnew varieties and branding them.The Butterkin squash is a case inpoint with its own PLU number.This sweet, new-type, wintersquash has a unique shape andhas more attractive interior colourand flavour than butternut, acornand buttercup squash. It’s available in select stores fromselect growers.

Seedway is introducing 45new products for 2015, rangingfrom Hestia Brussels sprouts toAwesome XR sweet corn toBlanco white pumpkin toCharismatic seedless watermelon.Two decades ago, sweet corn wastypically Su standard genetics.Today, superior high eating-quality genetics are available inbi-coloured, yellow and whitecoloured varieties as the norm.New super high eating-qualityvarieties available this yearinclude Sweetness 68-day bi-colour se, Nirvana 75-day Sh2 bi-colour, and AP 426 78- daySh2 bi-colour.

Red romaine is an intriguingnew entry. Typically this lettucenever makes size, but the Calshotvariety grows to full size with adark red colour. Consider this forsomething new for the farmers’market.

Green Machine zucchini is a

medium-green variety with resistance to multiple diseases.Again, this variety is dependablefor those serving roadside retailstands.

“Genetics are bringing addedvalue to your business,” says

Pearman. “Our knowledge cantake the guesswork out of yourchoices so that you don’t have toplant trial plots.”

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

Wanted: Flavour in vegetables


Butterkin squash Calshot red romaine Green Machine zucchini Sweetness sweet corn

“Flavour, thank goodness, is becomingmore important.”

~ Roy Pearman

THE GROWER



KAREN DAVIDSON

Ontario’s garlic industry is thriving, tothe point that the distribution of clean seedwas overwhelming the propagation unit inNew Liskeard.

“We’re not set up as a catalogue business,” say Becky Hughes, head of theNorthern Horticultural Research/SPUDunit. “It’s very labour-intensive to fulfillsmall orders of roundels.”

The Garlic Growers of Ontario accepted

a proposal from Warren Ham, AugustsHarvest, to handle the distribution serviceon a commercial basis, ensuring stability ofthe clean seed program.

“Protocols for growing from clean seedensure consistent yields,” says Ham. “AtAugusts Harvest, we are attempting toreplicate those protocols and produce foundation seed stock for this crop withsuch great potential.”

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

garlic varieties. The mandate is to clean upviruses that have crept into the varieties ofBlanak, Deerfield Purple, Duganski,German Red and Mounthood.

The task is more difficult than it mightappear, says Hughes, because differentvarieties of garlic respond differently totemperature and daylength. The tech-niques used to produce clean seed for thecommon hard-neck variety of Music don’talways work. Garlic that flowers underOntario conditions may not flower inOregon. As Hughes unearths the vagaries

of these different varieties, the science canbe shared with others in the quest for cleanseed.

Clean seed is a best management practice to avoid the buildup of bulb andstem nematode, a pest that resides withinthe bulb. Most growers will order someclean seed every year to keep ahead of thispest, growing out seed in isolated fields fortwo or three years. If growers soil test androtate fields properly, seed can be keptclean.

New distribution service ramps up for clean seed garlic

Warren Ham says: The largest single complaint received in the grocery stores, andnot just the produce section is: “we want to buy local garlic.”

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

THE GROWER


Promising potato varieties for the Ontario market


— Quality Seed Since 1881 —T: 1-800-263-7233 F: 1-800-272-5560 www.StokeSeeds.com Box 10 Thorold ON L2V 5E9

Stokes Seeds Trial Evaluation Researching the best for our customers since 1881.

Sybaris 56 day, straight medium size deep green pods,

uniform high quality bean.

SC1102 74 day, synergystic, good

husk cover and tip fill, good taste.

Archimedes 76 day, blocky green to red bell, improved

phytophthora protection.

SV4643NT 110 day, large round bulb, medium to dark red color,

medium-term storage.

Henry Zomer ON, MB, SK

905-308-4396

Leah Erickson AB, BC

604-957-2359

Jim Robinson ON, MB

905-715-8595

Laura Caralampides QC

514-984-0662

Rob Hovius ON, PEI, NB

519-580-3231

Paul Banks ON, NS

905-688-4300

Marc André Laberge ON, MB, SK

905-308-4396

NEW Providing quality

apple trees for 40 years.

• Bench graft• Sleeping budded eye• 9 month bench• 1 year old whip• 1 year old feathered• KNIP tree• 2 year old tall feathered

(instant orchard)

Brian Van Brenk31760 Erin Line

Fingal ON, Canada N0L 1K0519-902-6353

[email protected]

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

DAKOTA RUBY: White flesh, round, attractivetubers, smooth red skin. Deep red skin colour does notfade in storage. Seed distributor: North Dakota StateUniversity (Dr. Susie Thompson)

COLOMBA: Yellow flesh, bright, smooth skin. Highyield, maturity similar to Yukon Gold. Not susceptibleto hollow heart. Susceptible to superficial scab. Seeddistributor HZPC Americas Corp. PEI

HUCKLEBERRY GOLD. Purple, smooth skin.Yellow flesh, very tasty. High yield. Susceptible tosuperficial scab. Seed distributor: Potato ManagementVariety Institute (Jeanne Debons)

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

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

FRESH MARKET FRESH MARKET FRESH MARKET

FRESH MARKET PROCESSING PROCESSING

QUALITY FRUIT TREES

• APPLE on M9, B9 and M26

• Peach on Bailey

• PEAR on Quince

ORDER NOW FOR BEST SELECTION

WARWICKORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD

7056 Egremont Rd. R.R. #8Watford, Ontario

N0M [email protected]

Tel: (519) 849-6730Toll free: 877-550-7412

Fax: (519) 849-6731

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

Rural Affairs.

Nothing like a farm tour galvanizes interest in the practicalapplications of research. That wasthe case for the Ontario TenderFruit Producers’ Marketing Board(OTFPMB) which previewed several new varieties last August.

This allowed tour participants andgrowers to taste the fruit and viewthe health of the trees in a pre-testenvironment.

Those that demonstratedpromise will be sent to the Centrefor Plant Health in British

Columbia for clean-up of virusesand test trees will be propagatedfor on-site grower plantings.Monitoring and reporting of theperformance of the trees and fruitin a commercial setting willoccur.

Sarah Marshall, general manager OTFPMB, reports thatin 2014, 19 varieties of nectarine,15 peach, five apricots, eightJapanese and eight Europeanplums were viewed. Tender fruitgrowers are also collaboratingwith Vinetech, University ofGuelph, nurseries and OMAFRAstaff on these new selections.

For fresh grapes, Vineland

Research and Innovation Centreis actively scouting various breed-ing programs around the world toseek material that will meet localgrower and consumer needs. Thisseason, the first vines from theUniversity of Arkansas’ programwere planted, and other varietiesare in the pipeline for testing infuture years.

THE GROWER



State-of-the-art propagation facility supplies

New varieties for tender fruit and fresh grapes show promise

Full density seed tray of tomato rootstock approxi-mately one week old loading into vision grader to beautomatically spaced and sorted by size. This is donein preparation for grafting as both scion and rootstockneed to be of similar size.

A new nectarine variety.

A close up photo of rootstock being handled in thegrafting process at 14 – 16 days. The top of the planthas been cut off at 45° angle leaving only the roots anda small stub from the stem. A soft clip is being insert-ed on each stem. The producing variety (scion) will becut at a matching angle and the clip will hold themtogether until they have naturally fused as one.

The experienced grafting crew has their rootstock andscion provided to their workstation on conveyors. Theentire process is done by hand and each person takescare of the full process to ensure quality. A separateexit conveyor will remove the trays of grafting seedlingsas soon as the full tray of seedlings is complete.

KAREN DAVIDSON

Delta, British Columbia --CaseyHouweling is a larger-than-life entrepre-neur, with more than 203 acres under glassin his hometown of Delta as well asCamarillo, California and Mona, Utah. Hispropagation facility in Delta is equally

large, generating close to 13 millionseedlings annually. That number includesboth root and scion seedlings for graftedtomatoes as well as cucumbers, peppersand eggplant.

Systematized processes and strict testingprocedures result in consistent quality withsales not only to western Canada and

western United States, but also into northern Mexico. When Houweling plantedhis first six acres of beefsteak tomatoes in1985, he didn’t foresee the explosivegrowth of the greenhouse industry.

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

Houweling. “Unfortunately, somewherealong the way the industry put more focuson yield and shelf-life at the expense offlavour. It has only been the last few yearsthat we have been able to see the pendulumswing back towards taste and that is a goodthing.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

THE GROWER


western North America and northern Mexico


NOTICE of MEETINGis hereby given that the

156th Annual Members and Directors’ Meeting

of the

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable

Growers’ Associationwill be held in

Niagara Falls, Ontario at

The Crowne Plaza HotelJanuary 13 & 14, 2015

Election of Directors of the Association will

take place as well as dealing with resolutions

and any other business that may arise.

Casey Houweling shows a tomato scion and rootstockfully fused.

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

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

Spacing machine automatically dispensing tomatoplants and finishing density. Growing surfaces are dis-infected each time a new batch of seedlings is set out.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

In the last three years, the team haspartnered with seed companies fromaround the world to conduct trials ofmore than 100 new varieties. Thesetrials have led to the launch of newproducts such as Houweling’s

Signature Medley SnackingTomatoes, Signature HeirloomTomatoes and the decision to move100 per cent of the grape tomatoacreage to a higher flavour, lesseryielding variety.

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

less yield, but I firmly believe delivering a consistent, premium-eating experience will ensureHouweling’s Tomatoes long-termsuccess,” says Houweling.

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

THE GROWER


ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

156TH ANNUALGENERAL MEETING

AWARD OF

MERIT

NOMINATIONSThe award is our way of

recognizing the outstanding

contribution made by an

individual or organization to

our fruit and vegetable

industry.

Is there someone you

would like to nominate?

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2014

REVISED

TWO-DAY

FORMATwith meetings Tuesday and

Wednesday, banquet Tuesday

night.

NEW ONLINE

REGISTRATION visit www.ofvga.org to find

the link to register online.

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

www.ofvga.org

JANUARY 13 & 14, 2015 CROWNE PLAZA NIAGARA FALLS, ON


The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association ishosting webinars on food safety.

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

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

All workshops are offered as free webinars online,

taken from the comfort of your home orbusiness. All you need is an Internet connection andphone. To register, please visit:http://registration.wildapricot.org/food_safety?EventViewMode=1&EventListViewMode=1

For more information contact [email protected] or phone 1-800-265-9751.

Food safety webinars are free

With numerous variety trials,Seminova has developed a strongexpertise in identifying the bestvarieties adapted to each grower’sfarm conditions and marketneeds. Here is a brief overview ofsome varieties that stood out inSeminova’s 2014 trials:

El Toro: Strong 12 to 15 kgpumpkin, deeply ribbed andblocky shaped. El Toro will setseveral fruits per plant and offer

good yield potential with theadded PMT tolerance. The darkgreen handle is sturdy, solid anddeeply ribbed: the perfect fit forthis pumpkin!

Kelvin: Celery with long stemsand upright growth. This varietyis less sensitive to cracked stemsand brown cat scratches. It has agood tolerance to hot temperatures. Another importantadvantage is the easy harvesting

of Kelvin: there are very fewsuckers to be found in the fieldcompared to most varieties.

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

Lech: A hybrid kohlrabi forwhole season open field use. Theleaves are upright and disease tolerant. Lech has great fieldstandability and presents a niceuniform crop.

Nirvana: A very nice bicolourvariety with small kernels.Maturity around 74 days.Augmented SH2 genetics withbetter vigour, excellent taste andtexture. It is a reliable sweet corn

with the added advantage of easein picking and packing.

Lagrima: A dark green colouredcabbage variety, with good wax-ing and nice wrapping leaves.This variety is mainly developedfor marketing in bags with fourmonths storage potential. Weightrange: 3.0 - 6.0 kg with dense,fine structure.105 days to maturity. (Photo not shown)

Standouts in Seminova’s 2014 trials

El Toro TopmaKelvin Lech Nirvana

THE GROWER


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

EQUIPMENT

DON ARTHUR ORCHARD EQUIPMENT(519) 599-3058 [email protected] Clarksburg, ON

FALL IS THE BEST TIME TO BUY, LEASE OR TRADE FOR BEST PRE-SEASON PRICING AND MORE TIME TO RECONDITION,

ADVERTISE AND SELL YOUR TRADE

TURBO-MIST 400 gal, 30” fan, only 8 acres/year $12,700TURBO-MIST 500 gal, Myers pump, hydraulic, (2102) $17,500TURBO-MIST 500 gal, Myers, hydr., 2013 full warranty $18,800Add a stainless steel low drift spray tower to any of these sprayers - price ranges $1,900 - $2,500GB 500 litre 3-ph, nice clean condition $4,500PERFECT KG220 H.D. flail chopper, nice clean condition $6,500

** PERFECT ROTARY MOWERS & HEAVY DUTY FLAIL MOWERS - DECEMBER IS DISCOUNT MONTH

** TRADES, CONSIGNMENTS, LEASING, DELIVERY ANYWHERE **

IRRIAGTION

[email protected] EQUIPMENT

OUR SPECIALITY

NEW . . USED . . SERVICE

YOUR SOURCE FORJOHN BEAN AND

DURAND-WAYLAND

YOUNOW

have beento the rest,

call theBEST!!P

HIL

LIP

SFA

RM

SU

PPLIE

S

Pipe& Fittings

for Water Systems• PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper

• Stainless, Brass, SteelProduct Lines

• Drip & Micro Irrigation• Septic & Sewer• Drainage & Culverts• Berkeley Water Pumps

Winona Concrete & Pipe Products Ltd.

489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4

[email protected] (905) 945-8515 Fax: (905) 945-1149

or call toll-free

1-800-361-8515

CLASSIFIED

For Sale: garlic planter and har-vester the best on the [email protected] orcall 519-428-4774

Food manufacturing business forsale. Established 20yrs. Productsinclude Sauerkraut and sour cab-bage. Includes all processing andpackaging equipment, productlabels, codes and nutritional info.Loyal customer list. Can be seenin operation. For more info 519-748-8981

LABELLING EQUIPMENT

NEW TURBO-MIST SPRAYERS JUST IN!!!

classified ads

call the classified department at

866-898-8488 ext 221

If you have arural route

address,please update subscriptionwith your

civic addressto ensuredelivery.

call the circulation department at

866-898-8488 ext 221

• Greenhouse and Field Soil Fumigation• Custom made equipment for bedding, fumigation,

mulch laying, planting, solid tarp applicators and equipment rentals

• Black mulch plastic - Embossed and U.V. treated

• Perforated Tunnels - Clear & white

• Wire hoops, row cover, mesh cloth field cover& drip irrigation.

1738 Seacliff Drive Kingsville, ON N9Y 2M6(cell) 519-919-1738

FUMIGATION

THE GROWER



ORCHARD SUPPLIES

WATER TREATMENT

ASPARAGUS

GARLIC

ASPARAGUS CROWNS

MillenniumMary Washington

Sandy Shore Farms Ltd.(519) 8753382

[email protected]

REFRIGERATION

SEED AND ROOTSTOCK

One-Piece and Portable Skid-Mount Systems, Hydro-Coolers, Medical and Process Chillers, Blast Freezers,

Vacuum Coolers, Refrigerated Dehumidifi ers.KOOL JET ®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

REAL ESTATE

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 & abattoirwastewater, greenhouse irrigation leachate water &mushroom farm leachate water (i.e. manure pileleachate) and high strength winery washwater.

The ‘AQUA Wetland System’ is operated out of doorsand can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of waste-water. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetlandconsists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically fromcell to cell. There is no open or standing water.Treatment occurs through physical filtration & biologicaldegradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells, cyclingnutrients while preventing algae growth. There is noproduction of sludge.

The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 EnvironmentalCompliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of ‘smallflow’ winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals includeHealth Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include:1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett’s Apple and Cider in Ancaster2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm

Winery in Niagara3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water

For additional information please Contact LloydRozema at: cell. 905-327-4571email. [email protected]

KEDDYC.O.

• 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 3V7Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067

Email: [email protected]

WARWICKORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD.7056 Egremont Road, R.R. 8 Watford, Ontario N0M 2S0

Tel: (519) 849-6730 Toll free: 877-550-7412Fax: (519) 849-6731

Email: [email protected]

• BIN TRAILERS• BIN TIPPERS• Picking LADDERS• Picking BUCKETS

• Tree STAKES• TIE MATERIAL• TREE GUARDS

GARLIC

NATURALLY GROWN

IN ONTARIO

Seed & Culinary

Various sizes

Available now

Limited quantities

www.idiggarlic.com

THE GROWER



CONTAINERS MULCH

NEW!NEW!EW!

g

osefiten behTbut

nisl ulitS!em thecapleR

l

n

ecirr pewo mond acstial pfo

at a l

id

iod bog w4 4dir Hybeh tyBu

bi

?

d

.e...ero

00217.3te today!ontact us

esaerc

.

sn

sni boodnah trtehg

nd areisaen giseg dnytilibat

.

.VF-4

V

NcaM

c itslaptcetolr aeogises diooo wtanretlaroppusurtr sof

d foowtslaA p

alo Prc

t u, bsnibfn ooit

ehl tod tengsnid b

ve itsih. Ttl arutcu

emarexn fiic bi

VF-4id 4rby’ Hscits

t a

n aen a lihtid we

e cira p

.etin se ocnd oelbmesse an bacard fooe whd tnd aeppihn sehw

e nrs anic bitslat phgiewthgie lhTst Cosyrevile DdecudeR

n aau coy

347.07for a price quot

Co

cIn

wthi wesothgiart ser asackts engkicat ssekamnikcolretne ihT

StkcaSt

semad etsen

. droffa

[email protected]

.comoplastics.macrwww

LOUTH & NIAGARA ORCHARDSP.O. Box 43 • Virgil, Ontario • L0S 1T0 • 905-468-3297

4000 Jordan Road • Jordan Station, ON • 905-562-8825

Supplying Fruit and Vegetable Growers with:

• Baskets • Berry Boxes• Masters • Waxed Cartons• Fertilizer • Crop Protection Material• Vineyard Trellis Supplies

THE GROWER


ERICA PATE, SUMMERASSISTANT (OMAFRA- USELPROJECT), PAM FISHER(OMAFRA) & REBECCAHALLETT (UNIVERSITY OFGUELPH)

Strawberry viruses haverecently been identified as amajor problem in Ontario andnortheastern America. Strawberry aphids, Chaetosiphonfragaefolii, are known to be animportant vector of several strawberry viruses: strawberrymild yellow edge (SMYEV),strawberry vein banding (SVBV),strawberry mottle (SMoV) andstrawberry crinkle virus (SCV).Strawberry aphid can be distin-guished from other aphids foundon strawberries by its knobbedhairs, visible with magnification(Figure 1). Information aboutstrawberry aphid, its life cycle,overwintering methods, and the

timing of population build-up anddispersal, is needed to developpest management plans for aphidand virus control.

The greenhouse whitefly hasbeen recently identified as a vector of strawberry pallidosisvirus (SPaV). We have little or no information on this pest inOntario strawberry fields.

A project to address theseinformation gaps was developedwith funding from theUndergraduate StudentExperiential Learning Program, acollaborative program betweenOMAFRA and the University ofGuelph.

Summer students collected leafsamples and counted aphids at 15strawberry farms throughout thesummer. In Simcoe, sticky trapsand bowl traps were tested toassess the flight period of wingedaphids and monitor their dispersal.

What we learned:

• At least some strawberry aphidsoverwinter as eggs. Shiny blackeggs (Figure 2) were found onlower leaves of overwinteringstrawberry plants in late April,and most eggs had hatched byearly May.

• Strawberry aphids are presentthroughout the season, from earlyMay to end of August (Figure 3).

• Aphids developed wings and theability to disperse from field tofield in early to mid-June. (Figure4)

• Bowl traps (Figure 5) andsticky traps (Figure 6) were effec-tive, but inconvenient tools formonitoring aphid flight in general(Figure 7). It was difficult toidentify the aphid species caughtin these traps. Monitoring straw-berry foliage provided a betterindication of when first wingedaphids developed, and when dis-persal could begin.

• Most aphids (80%+) found onstrawberries are THE strawberryaphid, Chaetosiphon fragaefolii.Two other species of aphids werefound in lower numbers, towardsthe end of the season. These havebeen sent to Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada for identifica-tion of species.

• New plantings are at high riskfor strawberry aphids throughoutthe season. While we expected tosee aphids in May and June, wewere surprised to see such highnumbers of aphids on new growthin these fields in late summer(Figure 8).

• Whiteflies were not observed infields during the spring and summer. However, since lateSeptember, whiteflies have beenobserved in several strawberryfields.

Monitoring and management ofstrawberry aphid: what we learnedthis past summer

Figure 1. Strawberry aphidmagnified to show knobbedhairs, characteristic of thisspecies.

Figure 2: Strawberry aphid eggon lower leaf surface in earlyspring. Photo courtesy D. Moreau, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Figure 3. Average strawberry aphid population from 15 farms. Figure 8. Strawberry aphid populations in fruiting fields com-pared to newly planted 2014 fields. Using data from nine 2014fields and 17 fruiting fields.

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

Figure 6. Yellow sticky trap for monitoring winged aphids.

Figure 5. Yellow bowl traps, filled with a soap and water drown-ing solution

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

THE GROWER


JASON S.T. DEVEAU,APPLICATION TECHNOLOGYSPECIALIST

In June 2014, I was invited toDurocher Farm in NewHampshire to see their new airblast sprayer. In previousyears, spotted-wing drosophilawas a significant pest in this two-acre high bush blueberryplanting. Since purchasing theirnew sprayer, they haven’t hadany trouble. That’s quite anendorsement!

I’m not sure what I expected,but it wasn’t this tiny Italian-made Carrarospray (Figure 1).Designed to be pulled behindvehicles without PTO, this 400litre airblast featured adjustableair deflectors, and was poweredby a Briggs & Stratton four-stroke engine. It even had a trashguard, a “kick-stand” and a cleanwater tank for hand washing.

The value of such a small

sprayer in blueberries was immediately obvious. It fit beautifully between the bushes,so the potential for physical damage to the berries was nil.The pull-start motor burned verylittle fuel and compared to a full-size sprayer, made less noise.The sprayer was pulled (in thiscase) by a mower, so the growernot only sprayed, but mowed hisalleys at the same time.

However, the best feature wasthe two-foot diameter fan anddeflectors – here’s why:

When I participate in sprayerworkshops or help operators withcoverage and calibration issues, italmost always comes down tomatching the air to the cropcanopy. In the case of grape, caneand bush crops, we struggle tochoke back the air. Gear-upThrottle-down, fan gear and bladepitch are often brought into play.Exhausting those options, we’veeven had sprayer operators speedup to reduce the blow-through.

In this case, the air speed andvolume were sufficient to displace the air in the blueberrycanopy and replace it with spray-laden air with minimalblow-through. Combined with anappropriate spray volume and distribution over the boom, theresults were excellent coverage

and high efficiency (Figure 2).Want to see the sprayer in

action? Want to hear from thegrower himself? Then go towww.sprayers101.ca to watch ourshort video:

http://sprayers101.ca/calibra-tion/adjust-the-direction-of-the-air-stream

Thanks to George Hamilton(UNH Cooperative Extension),Kitt Plummer (Durocher Farm),Kerry Hoffman-Richards (PennState Pesticide EducationProgram) and Chazzbo Media formaking this video possible.

The right-sized sprayer for the job

All members of the strawberrycommunity in North America and

around the globe are invited toattend the 8th North American

Strawberry Symposium and NorthAmerican Strawberry Growers

Association Annual Conference,February 3-6, 2015 in sunnyCalifornia! This unique event isorganized once every four years.

This 2015 StrawberryConference brings growers,researchers, and the agricultureindustry together for 3.5 days ofworkshops, presentations, postersessions, a field tour, and otherspecial events. The program committee is committed to making this a world-class symposium for growers, scientists, and industry suppliers.

Feb 3: Workshops and facilitateddiscussion on Water-UseEfficiency and NutritionalManagement; The Science ofDay-Neutrals; Alternatives to SoilFumigation; Pesticide-ResistanceManagement; Breeders'Workshop and Soil Fumigation

Post-Methyl Bromide. Feb 4: Presentations forresearchers and growers. Feb 5: Presentations continue:concurrent sessions forresearchers and growers. Feb 6: A bus tour - visits to Univ.of California research facilities;commercial farms with conventional, organic, and tunneled substrate production ofberry crops; and an insectary thatraises beneficial insects.

See the NASGA websitewww.nasga.org for informationon mail-in and online registra-tions, additional program details,opportunities for industry, organization and agency sponsor-ship, and information on manynearby attractions. Or contactKevin Schooley by email [email protected] or call 613-258-4587

North American Strawberry Conference, California 2015

BERRY FOCUS

Figure 2 – Coverage from thetop-centre of the bush. Card is2x3 inches.

Figure 1 – The Carrarospray ATVM (200 L pictured) -http://www.carrarospray.com/index-en.php

THE GROWER


In early September wereceived a notice from the PestManagement Regulatory Agency(PMRA) asking for a review to bedone in 45 days on a significantlist of standards that have to dowith pesticide exposure. Theintent of this document was verygood: they want to show us thattheir standards (numbers) werethe same as or close to the sameas what are used by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency(EPA).

On the surface, it wouldappear that all is well. I suspectthat most folks who simplyperuse the document will thinkwe are now well-harmonized.Unfortunately, they may havemissed the most important factsthat are contained therein, albeitwell-hidden.

Exposure to pesticides is aconcern for everyone. They areubiquitous in our lives, our environment and around theworld. This matters not if the levels found are insignificant, orwhile significant, are at a levelthat does no harm. (The sameholds true for medications, caffeine, household cleaners, andindustrial products). All of theseare the result of our ever moreindustrialized way of life. Wecannot go back, any more than wecan live in caves and slaughterfood animals and scavenge plantsto exist. However, it is extremelyimportant to manage the levels ofexposure, and to get those as lowas possible.

The document’s numbers arebased on many things. Researchprojects that have been done overa long period were used to helpdevelop some of them. Others are

the result of calculations. Theimpact of the numbers will be asa result of how and when they areused in future evaluations of newpesticides, or amended use pat-terns of those already registered.

As an example, if one was tolook at the varying levels ofexposure possible for the use of anew insecticide on apples, thereare a myriad of calculations needed. The occupational exposures include such things asthe transportation, storage andhandling of the newly purchasedproduct. Residues could be‘picked up’ from the surface ofintact containers or from spills.The weighing, mixing and loading of ‘pure’ product has itsown measure of exposure.Application of a product impliesthe possibility of exposuredepending on type of equipment,hours of work, number of daysper year of use, and the types ofproducts used. Formulation of theproduct such as wettable powder,wettable dry granular, emulsifi-able concentrate, etc. all make adifference.

The post-application exposureis also a factor to reckon with.The types of activities, their duration, and the complexities ofexposure must all be considered.These may include things such aspruning, thinning, training, scouting, orchard management,weed control, and many more.

For each of these scenarios,research or calculations have beendone to characterize the amountof dislodgement of residues thatoccurs, and the propensities ofeach pesticide and its formula-tions are then applied to come upwith a ‘number.’ It is the worstcase number from all of this thatrules the day!

Canada and the U.S. differ inthe next steps, and that is wherepart of my concern arises.Because the worker protectionrequirements differ here, Canadauses different ‘safety factors’ thandoes the U.S. By requiring additional multiplicative safetyfactors we in fact end up withmore restrictive standards. Inturn, that means that we could bedenied use patterns here that areacceptable in the U.S., whileusing the same data sources as the

U.S. has used.What is NOT specifically

entailed in the document is howthe use of safety practices, the useof personal protection equipment(PPE), and engineered devicessuch as enclosed tractor/sprayercabs can mitigate the outcomesfrom just using the numbers. Justas there are specified exposurenumbers, there needs to be parallel numbers for how each ofthese can be reduced or obviatedthrough the use of PPEs and othersafety devices.

The research that went into thepreparation of their tables came inpart from an industry task forcebased in the U.S. Only memberpesticide companies can use thetask force models in their submissions for registration. Allothers including small indepen-dent companies must redo thework. Some of these studies arevery expensive to do and in turnthis could deny us access to thenew products if the uses are onlyfor small acre crops. The basis ofthe numbers depends of course onthe quality of the original work. Itshould also depend upon theapplicability of the work!

This is where my biggest concern arises. Since there are ahuge number of possible scenarios for exposure, and sincethe data set is limited in scopedue to cost of data development,bridging from limited models ofexposure is done routinely. Thisis a tenuous task at best, andneeds to be done by someone notonly familiar with the existingdata base, but also by someonefamiliar with modern crop production practices. Even theoriginal data itself needs to bemassaged because it quicklybecomes dated as productionpractices change. If data wereonly produced on apple trees,when it is used later on cherries,peaches, or apricots, some factorsare needed to bridge that data.

Using the apple scenario mentioned earlier, the study usedfor thinning in their model wasdone in the 1980s, and I believein the U.S. northwest(Oregon/Washington). It alsoinvolved a pesticide never regis-tered here for use on apples,although that may be of less

significance. However, growerswill tell you that tree size, treedensity, training practices, integrated pest management practices, spray application practice, grower training in safety, and use of PPE have allchanged since then, not only inOregon but across Canadian applegrowing regions as well. It begsthe question: how applicable arethe numbers from that old studytoday?

The numbers being presentedin the tables may well be ‘the bestwe have’ but it does not meanthey are still ‘correct’ or applica-ble today! Certainly some maystill be okay, but if any one ofthem is grossly in error, and aworse-case scenario is used, theultimate decision may still be inerror. A ‘blind confidence’ inthese numbers should be discouraged! If inappropriatenumbers are fed into a computerprogram, the result will not bewhat one should rely upon tomake significant regulatory decisions.

There are various numbers inthe document that I have at leastquestions about. In fact, I havehad several inquiries here aboutone of them: how much use ofirrigation is done on our cropsthat involves lifting and carryingthe pipes? The exposure for the‘pipe factor’ is very high and onehas to ask how it came about. The answer to the question mustbe that it depends on the crop, thesize of the farm operation, theseason, etc. While many cropsnow utilize trickle irrigation tape,or central pivot, or reels withguns, or solid set with no pipemovement, obviously some growers still use moveable pipe.

With our ever-increasing labourcosts, more and more crops willuse less labour-intensive means toirrigate. If the worst case scenarioalways applies, regulators willalways default to pipe movementand a huge exposure ‘number’that comes from I do not knowwhere.

There are some crop-specificquestions that have very differentanswers here than at locationswhere the data base originates.Grapes are a good example.California has different croppingconditions and practices than wedo. If the exposure numbers fromthere are superimposed here, thedecision will be suspect. Much oftheir production is for tablegrapes, so much more hand handling of the crop is involved.Over 90 per cent of our crop ismachine harvested. Our pruningand tying are done in the dormantseason when there is no spraydeposit to worry about, yet thereare factors for these being appliednonetheless!

I really like that we wereasked to comment on the document. I don’t think we haveenough time to do justice to allthe concerns. (The time will be upbefore you read this!) I do wantto raise red flags about the blinduse of ANY of the factors withoutconsultation on current applicabil-ity under modern practice usedhere today. I also want to knowwhere ALL the studies weredone, and when they were done tocreate these tables.

After all, PMRA would wantthat same assurance of modernstudies and relevant scenarios indata they use from companies toregister a new product, wouldn’tthey?

CRAIG HUNTEROFVGA

MINOR USE

CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Keeping tables relevant makes decisions valid

The best offense is a good defense.So switch on your crops’ natural defenses andprotect them from disease with Regalia Maxx.

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

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approval of an URMULE registra-tion for Royal MH-30 Xtra (maleic hydrazide) for controlof sprouting of shallots in Canada. Royal MH-30 wasalready labeled for use on potatoes, onions and blacktobacco in Canada.

This minor use project was sponsored by the QuebecHorticultural Council (CQH) in March 2013 as a result ofminor use priorities established by growers and extensionpersonnel in Canada.

The following is provided as an abbreviated, generaloutline only. Users should consult the complete labelbefore using Royal MH-30.

Royal MH-30 can be used for control of sprouting onshallots at a rate of 8.36 L per hectare in a minimum of300 L water per hectare. Royal MH-30 should be applied

when the bulbs are mature and have at least 5 – 8 greenleaves. This application is often done when 50 per cent ofthe tops have fallen, but are still green; green tops areessential for the absorption of Royal MH-30. Use oneapplication per year and do not apply within 10 days ofharvest.Royal MH-30 is toxic to non-target terrestrial plants. Donot contaminate aquatic habitats when spraying or whencleaning and rinsing spray equipment or containers.Follow all other precautions and directions for use on theRoyal MH-30 label carefully.

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

THE GROWER


MINOR USE

Royal MH-30 Xtra to control sprouting of shallots

Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd. (formerlyMakhteshim Agan Industries) and China NationalAgrochemical Corporation (CNAC), a strategic businessunit of China National Chemical Corporation(ChemChina) and Adama's parent company, is acquiringcontrol of businesses in China with 2013 total sales ofapproximately $850 million.

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

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

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

"These businesses are key players in the Chinese agrochemical industry, and we believe they will provideAdama with a significant foundation for a leading commercial and operational platform in China. Whencombined with Adama's industry leading capabilitiesacross the entire value chain, from its global commercialfootprint, to R&D and manufacturing, this combinationholds great promise, over time, to improve and simplifythe lives of farmers in China and worldwide."

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

China-global player in the crop protection industry,” saidChen Lichtenstein, president and CEO of Adam. “Due toChina's unique role in our industry, as both one of thelargest and fastest growing global markets, and its substantial worldwide leadership in off-patent productdevelopment, launch and manufacturing, we view ourstrategic combination as facilitating our transformationinto the most competitive, differentiated, and largest off-patent crop protection provider.”

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

Source: ADAMA Agricultural Solutions news release

Chinese market to be key growth engine for Adama

Get

t Mov

ving

op..ontariosoilcrowww.o find a workshop in yTo

and click on workshops.orgoryour area or to contact the Wo

, visitrkshop Leader,

THE GROWER


The Grower November 2014

Documents

Transcript of The Grower November 2014