1. business and industrial
2. agriculture and forestry
3. crops and seed

CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION
APRIL 2015
VOLUME 65 NUMBER 04
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN 2015
The biotech road leads to a horticultural horizon
At this time of year, getting onto the land is a primal urge of farmers. Here, this coulter-disc machine prepares the soil for potato planting. “This process is vertical tillage
whereby we can cut the straw finer to make a better seed bed without covering all the straw,” says potato grower, Stan Wiebe, MacGregor, Manitoba. “We are making the
field less susceptible to wind erosion.” Modern equipment plus ever-evolving seed cultivars put spring into a farmer’s step. In the next couple years, the non-bruising,
late-blight resistant Innate potato may add yet another choice. Photo by Stan Wiebe.
INSIDE
Lack of financial protection
worries Canadian
exporters
Page 6
Retailers want
more stone fruit
Page 10
Focus: Water management
and irrigation
B section
www.thegrower.org
P.M. 40012319
$3.00 CDN
KAREN DAVIDSON
Two horticultural crops -- the
Arctic apple and the Innate potato
-- are arriving at a milestone
together. Both are products of
biotechnology, the result of
genome editing that silences the
enzyme responsible for bruising.
Both have been recently approved
for sale in the United States.
The Canadian Food Inspection
Agency and Health Canada
approved the Arctic apple on
March 20. Conclusions to the
review of the Innate potato are
expected soon.
“It will be interesting to see
what the Canadian government
does,” says Keith Kuhl, a
Manitoba potato grower and
president of the Canadian
Horticultural Council (CHC).
“The USDA has approved these
products and we have an open
border policy. Does the government have a desire not to allow
them into Canada or will the
government allow advances using
this technology?”
Kuhl notes that all genetically
modified research is moving
towards cisgenesis – the science
of manipulating the plant’s own
genes. That’s what distinguishes
the Arctic apple and the Innate
potato from other biotech crops.
There is no genetic material from
other species. Transgenics are a
thing of the past, says Kuhl.
Today’s technology offers the
same results as natural breeding,
just faster. Bringing consumers
up to speed on that science may
prove more problematic.
“We also want to ensure that
we don’t go against public
opinion,” says Kuhl. “Consumers
must be on side as we move
forward. We’re trying to find
methods to educate the public in
all farming practices.”
To answer growing requests
for a position on genetically
modified organisms (GMOs), the
CHC approved a standing policy
statement at its recent March 12
annual general meeting in Quebec
City. Remaining neutral on the
issue, the Canadian Horticultural
Council “supports all approved
production practices which will
enable the future viability and
sustainability of horticulture
production.”
Hugh Reynolds, a potato
grower from Delta, British
Columbia, picks up on the
sustainability theme. “I think that
Innate potatoes will be an
amazing thing,” he says. “I want
a potato that’s not susceptible to
late blight. If we can cut down on
the fungicide applications, then
I’m excited. It’s good for the
environment, it’s good for people
to eat.”
Having watched the GMO
debate of the last decade, he’s
hopeful that consumers will see
that fear-mongering has denied
new products to emerging
countries where there’s
insufficient food. “I will always
speak for science so that these
people can have food,” says
Reynolds.
Looking back 20 years
It’s been a long and winding
road for biotechnology since the
first products were commercialized almost 20 years ago. At that
time, consumers were prepared to
pay for NatureMark potatoes in
test pilots in the Maritimes.
Potatoes that were resistant to
Colorado potato beetle and thus
required less pesticide were a
benefit that Maritime consumers
could comprehend. But McCain
Foods refused to contract the
potatoes fearing a backlash from
environmental groups. Monsanto
ceased its insect-resistant potato
research in 2001. By 2004, the
biotech pioneer also pulled out of
glyphosate-tolerant wheat and
diverted its research resources
into crops such as corn, soybeans
and canola.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
PAGE 2 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
NEWSMAKERS
AT PRESS TIME…
Non-browning apple
approved
bolstered by the convenience factor
and upward trend in consumption
of healthier foods.”
Carter estimates that Arctic
apples, available as Granny Smith
or Golden Delicious varieties, will
first be sold in small, test-market
quantities in late 2016, with
increasing amounts of fruit becoming available in each successive
year.
CPMA ramps up for
Montreal show
Neal Carter
On March 20, Okanagan
Specialty Fruits (OSF) announced
that non-browning Arctic apples
have been approved for commercial
sale in Canada. The Canadian Food
Inspection Agency and Health
Canada have concluded these
apples “are as safe and nutritious as
traditional apple varieties.”
The announcement comes after
three years of Canadian government review and a USDA approval
on February 13, 2015. The apple is
the result of genome editing that
silences the enzyme responsible for
bruising.
“Arctic apples’ non-browning
trait creates a wide array of benefits
that offer value to the entire supply
chain, especially consumers,” said
Neal Carter, OSF, Summerland,
B.C. “Arctic apples do not brown
when bitten, sliced or bruised,
which helps reduce food waste and
improves their fresh-cut suitability.
One of the fastest-growing categories of the fruit and vegetable
industry is the fresh-cut segment,
This year’s Canadian Produce
Marketing Association (CPMA) is
slated for April 15-17 in Montreal.
The Passion for Produce
Program has attracted 19 participants this year, the largest number
to date. Five women are part of the
group. A range of companies are
sending candidates such as MetroRichelieu, Red Sun Farms, Loblaw,
Vineland Growers’ Cooperative,
Exeter Produce and Ontario
Greenhouse Vegetable Growers.
“We are thrilled to have so
many rising stars from some of the
leading companies within our
industry,” said Ron Lemaire, president, CPMA. “The program provides mentoring and education in a
fast-paced but fun setting where
participants learn through targeted
mentoring sessions and networking
events. This program also gives
participants the opportunity to
increase their knowledge beyond
the scope of their current role within the industry.”
Candidates develop lasting relationships with mentors, fellow candidates, and other industry leaders
who will guide them through their
careers. Sixty-five candidates have
been mentored to date.
Reward extended in
potato tampering
The police investigation is
ongoing into tampering incidents at
potato packaging facilities in Prince
Edward Island. The provincial
potato board and other Canadian
entities have pledged a $100,000
reward for the culprit. The reward
has been extended to April 30.
“Losses are now in the seven
figures,” says Gary Linkletter,
whose Summerside-based
Linkletter Farms has been victim of
sewing needles found in potatoes.
“The farm has business interruption
insurance, but I recommend a risk
analysis of your farm. We’ve
installed $40,000 worth of metal
detection equipment to prevent further operational disturbances and
losses.”
Premier’s award for
innovation:
Deadline April 10
The Ontario Premier’s Award
for Agri-Food Innovation recognizes up to 45 innovations across
the province. Award recipients will
receive $5,000, a plaque, gate sign
and various promotional materials.
In addition, there will be a
Premier’s Award valued at
$75,000, a Minister’s Award valued at $50,000 and three Leaders in
Innovation Awards valued at
$25,000 each.
Submit an application by the
deadline of 5 p.m. on April 10,
2015. Questions can be directed to
1-877-424-1300 or
[email protected].
At the March 10-12
Canadian
Horticultural Council
annual general
meeting, Marcus
Janzen was honoured with the Doug
Connery Award for
passion and
excellence in
horticulture. The
Abbotsford-B.C.
greenhouse pepper
grower is a pastL to R: Marcus Janzen and Keith Kuhl
president of the
council (2006) and an unstinting contributor to provincial and
national groups.
Congratulations to Keith Kuhl, a Winkler, Manitoba potato farmer,
who was elected to a third term as president of the Canadian
Horticultural Council (CHC). For more details on the CHC annual
general meeting and board of directors, see page 6.
Former Toronto mayor David Crombie will lead a review panel on
the decade-old Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Plan, the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Greater
Golden Horseshoe growth plan. The plans are coordinated to protect
farmland and protect ecologically sensitive areas. Joining him are
Ontario Federation of Agriculture vice-president Keith Currie, former Credit Valley Conservation Authority official Rae Horst,
Vaughan city planning commissioner John MacKenzie, Urban
Fieldgate Homes executive Leith Moore and Debbie Zimmerman,
chief executive officer of Grape Growers of Ontario.
Neal Carter, president of Okanagan Specialty Fruits, along with 45
investors, has sold the company for $41 million to Intrexon
Corporation. The Germantown, Maryland company is expected to
bring its commercialization expertise to the table now that the USDA
and CFIA have approved the non-browning Arctic apple.
George Gilvesy, general manager of the Ontario Greenhouse
Vegetable Growers, has announced he will be leaving the
organization in the fall of 2015 to pursue other business interests.
He’s managed the group since April 2009, during a period of healthy
growth for the sector.
Several horticultural companies have been honoured as one of
Canada’s Best Managed Companies. President and co-founder Davis
Yung of Fresh Direct Produce, Vancouver, B.C., says the program
learnings have inspired the company to continuous growth, including
a full line of organic produce and a new packing facility. Other
honorees include Mastronardi Produce, The Oppenheimer Group
and Red Sun Farms.
The British Columbia Fruit Grower’s Association has re-elected
Fred Steele as president. Joining him are vice-president Bhupinder
Dhaliwal and directors Niel Dendy, Surjeet Nagra, Tony Nijjar,
Ravinder Bains, Sukhdeep Brar and Denise MacDonald. The
association represents 520 commercial tree fruit growers.
The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association gave several awards
at its annual general meeting. The Leadership Award went to Dianne
and Bill Parks, Parks Blueberries, Bothwell; The Outstanding Farm
Marketer Award went to Karen and Doug Whitty, St. Catharines;
The Ambassador Award went to Chef Lynn Crawford of Food
Network TV fame.
The Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
recognized Larry Hipple with its Award of Merit on March 10.
While Wade MacLauchlan became the new Liberal premier for
Prince Edward Island in late February, his minister for agriculture
and forestry remains the same: George Webster is also the deputy
premier.
The Federation des producteurs de pommes du Québec has officially
changed its name to Les Producteurs de pommes du Québec (Apple
Producers of Quebec). Stéphanie Levasseur has been elected chair
for a second consecutive year. She is joined by Eric
Rochon, Alexandre Simard, Mario Bourdeau, Gérald Lussier,
Yvan Duchesne, François Turcotte and François Blouin.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 3
THE GROWER
COVER STORY
The biotech road leads to a horticultural horizon
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The last decade has marked
production advances in these
grains and oilseeds to the point
that Canadian canola now
exceeds wheat in terms of
farmgate value, generating
one-quarter of all farm cash
receipts.
Soybeans are no laggard
either, posting a record of five
million acres in 2014. Biotech
seed with glyphosate-tolerance
and insect-resistance along with
reduced tillage practices have
revolutionized these crops. New
soybean varieties are expected in
2016 to contain resistance to
nematodes as well as
phythopthora root rot, pests
familiar to horticultural
producers.
Wheat farmers have watched
those gains from the sidelines and
have rethought their original
notions about biotech. In 2014,
Canadian, American and
Australian wheat groups reversed
their negative stance and urged
renewed biotech research to find
better varieties, particularly those
which might be rust-resistant or
drought-tolerant.
Meanwhile, advances in
cisgenesis have allowed scientists
to become even more precise. Out
of the ashes of the NatureMark
potato failure, the J.R. Simplot
company invested millions in a
potato with a consumer benefit –
the non-browning potato. Equally
important, Simplot turned to a
different technique – gene
silencing -- using the potato’s
own genes.
Going forward, 2015 is a
pivotal year
“2015 is the year of the 1.0
potato, the low-bruising,
non-browning, low-acrylamide
potato,” explains Joe Guenthner,
professor emeritus of University
of Idaho. “By 2017, expect 2.0
Innate potato with late blight
resistance and cold storage
properties.”
On March 5, Guenthner told
the Ontario Potato Conference
that Simplot plans a closed-loop
system for its Innate potato. The
stewardship program will manage
highly controlled nuclear seed
and field seed, and will license
commercial growers to sell to
licensed processors and packers.
Any off-grades go to licensed end
users. The top grades will be sold
through agreed-upon channels.
About 2,000 to 3,000 acres of
Innate Russet potatoes will be
grown by contract growers in
multiple states in 2015, with
harvests channelled to fresh and
fresh-cut markets. Small runs will
also be handled for chips. No
Innate potatoes will enter the
frozen or dehydrated channels.
“Operators see freshly-diced
potatoes as a value-add in the
foodservice area,” says
Guenthner. “Imagine the possibilities with a shelf life of 14 days
or more in the refrigerated aisle.”
If fresh-cut diced potatoes are
exciting, then look to the 3.0
generation of Innate. Guenthner
anticipates global late-blight
resistance and potato-virus
resistance. Other Innate traits
could include vitamins, colour,
antioxidants, water-use efficiency
and nitrogen-use efficiency.
Guenthner predicts the tide is
shifting on consumer acceptance
of biotech foods. He points out
the February 27 announcement
that Okanagan Specialty Fruits,
Summerland, British Columbia
has sold the company for $41
million to Intrexon Corporation.
The Germantown, Maryland
company is expected to bring its
commercialization expertise to
the table, especially as it pertains
to the fresh-cut segment in apples.
It’s estimated that Arctic
apples will first be sold in small,
test-market quantities in late
2016, with increasing amounts of
fruit becoming available each
successive year, according to
Neal Carter, Okanagan Specialty
Fruits, Summerland, British
Columbia.
So far, Quebec and British
Columbia apple growers aren’t
biting. “Our members would like
the apple market to remain free of
genetically modified apples,” says
Fred Steele, president of the B.C.
Fruit Growers’ Association.
Representing 520 commercial
growers, Steele is calling on the
Canadian government for a
moratorium on the Arctic apple
until results are known for the
market launch in the U.S.
All eyes are now turned to
Canadian regulatory bodies. And
farmers will be watching closely
as the commercial launches are
rolled out in the U.S. in the next
two years. The business model for
Innate potatoes could well provide a template for Arctic apples
since both are headed to fresh-cut
channels. As wheat farmers have
learned, never say never.
CALIFORNIA
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
ARGENTINA
UNITED STATES
Strawberry lawsuits
settled
New trade show for
Mazatlán
New potato variety
released
Trade in apples,
pears drops
A dispute over intellectual
property that dated back to
October 2013 has been settled
between the California
Strawberry Commission and the
University of California-Davis.
The California Strawberry
Commission has channeled millions of dollars to the university
for strawberry research. The
university breeding program
supplies more than half of the
world’s strawberry varieties.
UC-Davis has hired plant
geneticist Steven Knapp to lead
the strawberry breeding program.
During the next five years,
UC-Davis will release new
varieties to all farmers and start
identifying new ones. As part of
the legal settlement, a new
strawberry advisory committee
will be formed, comprising
university representatives,
strawberry farmers and
commission representatives.
The first edition of Veggie &
Fruit México is planned for June
17, 18 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.
Organizers are gathering fresh
produce leaders, top retail executives and industry experts under
one roof. The program will provide insights into trends affecting
the marketplace, best practices
and new strategies to incorporate
into marketing plans.
The first-time show expects
30 exhibitors and more than 300
attendees from Mexico, the U.S.
and Central America.
Caribou Russet, a new potato
variety resulting from a cross
between Silverton Russet and
Reeves Kingspin, has been
released by the University of
Maine and the Maine Potato
Board. It is a dual-purpose,
russet-skinned variety with high
yields, mid-season maturity and
moderate common scab
resistance. It is also resistant to
golden nematode race Ro1 and is
moderately resistant to
Verticillium wilt.
The new variety has good
baked and mashed quality for
fresh market consumption and is
also expected to be useful for
processing markets.
A limited amount of early
generation seed is available from
the Maine Seed Potato Board and
from growers in Maine.
Hail storms as well as devaluated world currencies are dampening exports from this South
American country. In the first 45
days of 2015, exports of apples
and pears have dropped by 92
per cent and 52 per cent respectively, compared to the same
period a year ago.
With markets in Europe and
Russia drying up, the industry is
looking for government help to
weather the crisis.
American importer Viva
Tierra, based in Washington
state, is reporting good volume
of organic pears from Argentina
with lower prices. Addie Pobst
reports that over the last five
years, prices for organic pears
have been converging with conventional fruit.
Record low snowpack in Cascades,
Sierra Nevada
Slide courtesy of Joe Guenthner
INTERNATIONAL
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
The snowpack at the
Continental Divide is considered
normal, however the Sacramento
Bee is reporting that levels drop
off to the south and west.
Snowpack declines have been
recorded in the Cascades and
Sierra Nevada according to the
United States Department of
Agriculture’s Natural Resources
Conservation Service. Almost a
third of the recording sites are
reporting the lowest snowpack
ever measured. Some sites had
no snow on March 1 which
means reduced summer
streamflow.
Western states such as Oregon
and Washington have received
plenty of rain, however they
depend on the gradual release of
water during the summer for
irrigation.
Source: FreshPlaza.com
PAGE 4 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST
QUEBEC
Quebec greenhouse grower in receivership
Les Serres du St-Laurent Inc., the
largest greenhouse tomato producer in la
belle province, is in receivership. In late
February, the company of Raymont Chabot
was appointed under the Bankruptcy and
Insolvency Act to initiate an assets sales
process. The secured creditors are the
Banque Nationale and Banque Royale.
The main assets are the Savoura trademark, current inventory and 27 acres of
greenhouses located in Portneuf, Danville
and Saint-Étienne-des-Grès. While a buyer
is being sought, 200 employees continue to
manage production.
The Savoura brand was launched 27
years ago by the Gosselin and Gauvin
families. The company ran into tough
times in the last two fiscal years after an
unsuccessful expansion in Mexico. The
company owes $20 million to their
creditors including $10 million to the
Banque Nationale, $6 million to the
Banque Royale, $1.4 million to
Investissement Quebec and another $1
million in share capital. The remainder is
to suppliers.
Together, the three greenhouses
represent 40 per cent of the greenhouse
tomato production in Quebec. There are
235 greenhouse vegetable growers in
Quebec with $90 million in farmgate value
says Marie Bouillé, executive director,
Quebec Greenhouse Growers’ Association.
She says many groups have expressed
interest in bidding on the greenhouses with
20 having signed confidentiality
agreements to do due diligence.
Salaries and energy are two key reasons
for high costs of production in Quebec,
says Bouillé. Hydro Quebec announced
another price increase in March.
Photo by Glenn Lowson
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Okanagan program wins international award
Pest Management (IPM)
Achievement Award. General
manager of OKSIR Cara Nelson
says the program has operated
from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos
and into the Similkameen for
more than 20 years.
“Our whole valley can be
proud of the OKSIR program –
not just for the amount of
pesticides kept out of the
environment because the program
is in place, but also for the
A program that helps control
codling moths in apple and pear
growing areas of the Okanagan
and Similkameen has won an
international award. The
Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect
Release (OKSIR) Program has
been honoured for an Integrated
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Fighting tomato blight
Rick Peters, an Agriculture Canada research scientist, is
spearheading an unusual campaign: plant only blight-resistant
tomatoes and prevent late blight in potatoes too. His message has
particular resonance in Prince Edward Island where an aggressive
strain of late blight devastated tomatoes in home gardens last year.
While the new strain – US 23 – is hard on tomatoes, it’s also the
source of spores that can hurt the province’s $1 billion potato crop.
This spring, Peters is speaking to garden clubs and industry groups,
encouraging the planting of blight-resistant tomatoes. His packets of
free seeds are one way to kickstart the campaign.
Mesh Bagging
and Weighing
systems
Bag Closing
Systems, Sales,
Service, Parts
support it provides for our fruit
growers who are important to our
local economy and our Okanagan
way of life,” says Nelson.
Nelson says the program has
reduced the amount of pesticides
used against codling moth by 96
percent since its inception. That
means many orchardists in the
valley have not had to spray their
trees for codling moth for the last
15 years.
“If a chemical spray is
required, most growers need only
use a single well-timed application, instead of the three or more
they needed prior to the
program’s implementation,” she
says.
The award was announced
during the eighth International
IPM Symposium in Salt Lake
City, Utah.
Source: OKSIR news release
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 5
THE GROWER
PAGE 6 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 93RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Memo to Canadian government:
Give us financial protection against insolvency in Canada
and restore preferred status under PACA in the U.S.
The 2015 board of directors is L –R: Fred Steele (British Columbia), Ernie van Boom (Prairies), Adrian Huisman (Ontario), Alvin Keenan (Atlantic), Keith Kuhl, President
(Prairies), Claude Laniel (Québec), Peter Swetnam (Atlantic), Bar Hayre (British Columbia), Brian Gilroy (Ontario), Louis Gauthier (Québec). Photo by Trevor Eggleton.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Quebec City, QC -- Financial
protection for Canada’s fruit and
vegetable sector has never been
more important. Produce trade to
the U.S. is worth $4 billion
annually, according to a recent
Conference Board of Canada
report, and is likely to grow with
the Canadian dollar worth just
north of 78 cents. The greenhouse
vegetable industry alone, worth
more than $1 billion, sends 70 per
cent of its product to the United
States.
But there’s more risk to selling
to the U.S. this year if the U.S.
buyer is slow to pay or worse,
defaults. Last fall, the U.S. government removed its longstanding
preferential access to Canadian
produce sellers to be protected
under the Perishable Agricultural
Commodities Act (PACA). If a
U.S. buyer fails to pay, Canadian
exporters are now required to post
a bond valued at double the value
of their claim to access the PACA
formal complaint process. This
causes significant financial
burden in addition to lack of
payment by the U.S buyer.
“It’s an insurmountable burden
for small to medium-sized
businesses,” says Ken Forth, chair
of the trade and marketing
committee, Canadian
Horticultural Council (CHC).
“What our government doesn’t
understand is that a relatively
small non-payment could
devastate the Holland Marsh
muck growers, for example, or
the Georgian Bay apple growers.
In horticulture, we are specialty
growers in concentrated regions.”
As Forth explains, a
bankruptcy can disrupt a few
specific growers in a region who
are all shipping at the same time.
This is devastating to not only the
growers but ancillary suppliers.
Since the U.S. rescinded its
protection last October, statistics
show little change in number of
disputes. However, winter is a
quiet time for movement of fresh
produce to the U.S. With spring,
deliveries will ramp up. The risk
of non-payment will now increase
disproportionately for Canadian
sellers into the U.S. In business
terms, U.S. buyers could coldly
calculate that the additional costs
of accessing the PACA process
will deter Canadian sellers from
pursuing claims.
Small- and medium-sized
farmers simply won’t be able to
qualify for a surety bond. They
will have to post cash or a letter
of credit – liquidity they don’t
have when farm loans and lines
of credit are also due.
No surprise, then, that delegates to the CHC annual general
meeting voted unanimously that it
“aggressively advocate for the
creation of a limited statutory
deemed trust to provide financial
protection for produce sellers in
Canada in a manner that is
equivalent to the U.S. PACA
protections for produce sales to
U.S. buyers.”
This is a different solution than
what has been put forward by the
Canadian government.
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada which leads the file has
suggested some form of credit
insurance. Interestingly enough,
the grain industry has discarded
this option and it’s no better for
horticulture. The department’s
own study found insurance to be
feasible only if the government
was willing to make significant
investment and industry accepts
that upwards of 20 per cent of
farmers won’t be insurable for
any appreciable amount. Other
traditional tools – pooling,
factoring and bonding – were
found not workable for the
horticultural sector.
With unanimous consent, the
horticultural industry stands
behind a statutory deemed trust.
Ronald Cuming, a law professor
with the University of
Saskatchewan and a sought-after
international consultant, has
drafted the verbiage for what he
calls the Fresh Fruit and
Vegetable Products Protection
Act. At its core, he suggests that
farmers be put ahead of bankers
as priority creditors on specific
limited assets.
Cuming writes: “The legal
effect of the trust is to give to the
seller who is the beneficiary
under the trust a first priority
status with respect to trust
property.” He explains that the
limited nature of the trust would
apply only to those liquid assets
generated by the sale of produce,
and not to other assets such as
real estate, vehicles, equipment
and other liquid assets not derived
from the sale of produce.
To date, this plan has had no
traction with agriculture minister
Gerry Ritz.
It’s true that the Safe Food for
Canadians Act will help in terms
of requiring licenses of fresh
produce buyers and sellers. But
most Canadian buyers are already
voluntary members of the Dispute
Resolution Corporation (DRC).
Membership in the DRC satisfies
the requirement for licensing in
Canada. Fewer than 80 Canadian
firms have a CFIA federal licence
which is expected to be phased
out in favour of DRC membership. Licensing will help,
however, this piece of paper will
do nothing in the face of a U.S.
firm becoming insolvent.
On a parallel track, Industry
Canada is completing its
mandated, five-year review of
bankruptcy law. Until now, no
dates have been set for the
parliamentary committee to meet
and review its report. Horticulture
is left in a twilight zone with no
process to move forward while
risk mounts with more volume of
shipments to the U.S.
“It’s not hard to solve this
unnecessary trade irritant,”
suggests Forth. Agriculture
minister Ritz, MP for BattlefordsLloydminster, could stop in
Saskatoon for a coffee with
Ronald Cuming.
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APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 7
THE GROWER
PAGE 8 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 93RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Sustainability, a recurring theme of conference
L-R: Gervais Laprise, general manager, Quebec Wild
Blueberry Association; Pierre Paradis, Quebec
minister of agriculture and Keith Kuhl, president,
Canadian Horticultural Council.
Quebec City, QC -- Still in the
grip of winter, la belle province
played a warm host to the 93rd
annual general meeting of the
Canadian Horticultural Council.
Some of the meeting’s themes are
reflected in the following quotes.
L-R: Manjeet Sethi, executive director, Pest
Management Centre; and Anne Fowlie, executive
vice-president, Canadian Horticultural Council.
“Over the past years, discussion
on sustainability has continued to
escalate. Many of the retail
customers are in the process of
developing or implementing their
sustainability programs. I believe
that we again have the choice of
either developing a program that
will be accepted or to accept a
program that will be developed.
The three pillars of
sustainability are Social,
Economic and Environment; or
more clearly stated as people,
profit and planet. At the core of
sustainability lies profit, no one
can claim to be sustainable if they
cannot demonstrate that they are
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regulations in support of the Safe
Food for Canadians Act and
mandatory statutory reviews of
key federal Acts of particular
interest to horticulture will be
closely monitored. In particular,
reviews of the Bankruptcy and
Insolvency Act and the Pest
Control Products Act each have
the potential to impact how we do
business.”
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profitable. Sustainability
includes a commitment to ensure
your suppliers and customers can
be profitable; it includes a
commitment that the people you
employ will be offered fair
compensation and a safe working
environment. It further includes a
commitment to care for the
environment. As with Food
Safety, most farms are already
doing most of the things needed
within a sustainability program
but have not taken the steps to
formalize their plan and do not
have a plan that can be audited.
I believe we need to set up a
working group to design a
sustainability model which our
member farms could use to
implement a sustainability
program on their farms. I would
further suggest that the program
needs to be auditable and I would
hope that we could design the
program to allow the audit to be
part of the food safety audit thus
avoiding multiple audits.”
~ Keith Kuhl, president,
Canadian Horticultural Council
Echo fungicide delivers a high
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Mark Wales, chair, finance and business committee,
Canadian Horticultural Council. Photos by Trevor
Eggleton.
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~ Anne Fowlie, executive
vice-president, Canadian
Horticultural Council
•••
www.uap.ca
AgriStability enrollment is
declining mainly as a result of the
decreased margin cut-offs.
Contributions to AgriInvest have
diminished, the result of a
one-third reduction in matching
contributions from government
AgriInsurance appears to be the
single program area where
funding has increased gradually
for agriculture. However, even
there, it is too early to determine
with more detail the actual results
for horticulture. What is clear,
though, that there is resolve from
government to move away from
direct producer support where
often times this is the only
recourse that a grower may have
in uncontrollable and potentially
catastrophic situations.
Recognizing these issues and
with the coming federal election
in 2015, the Business Risk
Management Working Group,
supported by CHC staff, has
initiated preparation of the
background information required
to develop policy and advocacy
platforms in an effort to support
advocacy initiatives to return to
pre-GF2 support levels. Initial
meetings with the AAFC
Programs Branch representatives
have been moderately fruitful to
date and these efforts will c
ontinue, with enhanced attention
during the spring and summer of
2015.
~ Mark Wales, chair, CHC
finance and business management
committee
Merci beaucoup to Quebec
directors Claude Laniel and
Louis Gauthier and their
members for a warm welcome.
A picture of the St. Lawrence
with open water is a reminder
that spring will arrive! Can
strawberries from Île d'Orléans
be far behind?
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 9
THE GROWER
CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 93RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Safety of reusable plastic containers questioned
KAREN DAVIDSON
Quebec City, QC -- Canada’s
horticulture industry is complaining about ongoing sanitary issues
with reusable plastic containers
(RPCs), citing a 2014 study from
the University of Guelph that
showed post-cleaning contamination in a high percentage of 160
crates. While about 30 million
RPCs are used in Canada each
year, this small sampling raises
troubling questions.
University of Guelph food
safety professor Keith Warriner
concluded there is a high
prevalence of food safety
indicators especially E coli which
highlights the potential for the
presence of enteric pathogens that
could encompass viruses,
protozoa and bacteria.
In addition to inadequate
sanitation, he reported that 10 per
cent of his sample contained plant
material. Thirty per cent of his
sample was observed to carry
labels such as “Product of
Mexico” from previous users. He
has established that 1000 colony
forming units (CFU) per swab is
the threshold above which there is
cause for concern. A 2015 study
from University of CaliforniaDavis sampled RPCs that were
visibly soiled and also found high
bacterial counts.
“We never had that problem
with corrugated,” said Peter
Cummings, president of the
British Columbia Greenhouse
Growers’ Association. “This is a
completely unacceptable risk. It
only takes a nasty outbreak on
peppers or tomatoes, and then
consumers will blame the retailers
and growers. But RPCs will get
off the hook and it will be hard to
find the smoking gun.”
Linda Delli Santi, chair of the
CHC’s greenhouse committee
echoed his concerns, saying that a
RPC technical working group
under the auspices of the
Canadian Produce Marketing
Association is moving at “glacial
speed.” This technical working
group resulted from a resolution
at the 2012 CHC annual general
meeting that RPCs be cleaned and
sanitized in a manner consistent
with CanadaGAP requirements.
“To date, there has been
nothing concrete from this
committee,” said Delli Santi.
“And other horticultural groups
share our concerns.”
CHC’s greenhouse committee
was disappointed that a Canadian
representative of IFCO, the
primary supplier of RPCs did not
appear for a planned presentation.
George Gilvesy, general manager of the Ontario Greenhouse
Vegetable Growers, is a member
of that technical working group.
He reported that one of the
undertakings by IFCO was to
present to growers and to report
corrective actions. “It would have
been a good opportunity for them
to have taken advantage of the
CHC annual meeting to have
done so,” said Gilvesy.
Farmers are complaining that
RPCs are not visibly clean when
they are returned from the U.S.
sanitization plant. “When growers
see visible signs of stickers, soil
or plant material, how can they be
assured that the RPC has been
cleaned properly?” said Gilvesy.
RPCs are a retail reality said
Cummings. The issue is not about
the expense of RPCs but the risk
of receiving a container that will
bring disease into greenhouses.
“We are as concerned about phytosanitary standards as food safety,” said Don Taylor, chair,
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable
Growers. “This is not just a
greenhouse issue. This is
important to all of horticulture.”
A best management guide was
released in March through the
Reusable Packaging Association
in the U.S. However, this is not
assuaging industry worries.
Warriner says the guide lacks
detail on sanitary standards and
assurance that RPCs are actually
returned to the U.S.
“Yes, there’s a food safety
issue,” Warriner told The
Grower, “but my biggest concern
is the introduction of plant
pathogens that could be spread to
production areas.”
On the floor of the CHC
Photo by Glenn Lowson
annual general meeting, a
resolution was passed to petition
RPC manufacturers as well as
retailers to address these food
safety and biosecurity concerns.
The resolution also included the
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recommend best practices on
RPC management.
PAGE 10 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
RETAIL NEWS
What do consumers want in stone fruit?
“Of the local stone fruit received last year, 0.02 per cent was organic. There’s a huge demand for organics but it’s going
to take five years to gear up. We need the product. Cost depends on volume and that will be a challenge for the first few
years.”
~ Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw
KAREN DAVIDSON
Niagara Falls, ON -- The
Ontario Tender Fruit Producer’s
Marketing Board organized a
retailer panel at the recent Ontario
Fruit and Vegetable Convention.
Participants were: Oleen
Smethurst, Costco; Gabriela
Yung, Walmart; Crystal Cottrill,
Loblaw; Rob Pereira, Sobeys.
Emcee for the event was Mike
Ecker, president, Vineland
Growers’ Cooperative Ltd. who
asked the following questions:
1) What potential do you see for
locally grown organics in the
next five to 10 years? Is a price
differential sustainable over the
long term?
Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw: Of the
local stone fruit received last
year, 0.02 per cent was organic.
There’s a huge demand for
organics but it’s going to take
five years to gear up. We need
the product.
Cost depends on volume and that
will be a challenge for the first
few years.
Oleen Smethurst, Costco: We
just started dabbling in organics. I
didn’t know you have organic
stone fruit! Yes, there’s an interest. The premium is important,
but there can’t be too large of a
gap between conventionally
grown and organic. I think we’ll
see organic and conventional
pricing coming in line over the
years.
Rob Pereira, Sobeys: The
potential is hard to measure. The
claim most impactful for
customers in recent studies shows
the “local” is the most relevant in
making their purchase. Organics
fall below this in customer
rankings but continues to grow in
demand. Is the pricing
sustainable? Yes I think it is, but
ultimately growth will come with
added volume and reduced cost of
goods.
Gabriela Yung, Walmart: We
are very interested in growing
organics and providing our
customers that option. The price
gap needs to shrink in order for
people to accept organics.
Walmart is about saving
Canadians money so they can live
better. In U.S. stores, organics
are in smaller packages with the
same pricing as conventional.
Mike Ecker, Vineland Growers:
Our growers have dabbled in
organics on grapes. Last year, we
did a few peaches with real
consumer acceptance. It’s much
more difficult to grow organic
stone fruit.
2) Are private label brands
important to your growth in the
fresh produce department?
And where do you see this
trend five to 10 years from
now?
Gabriela Yung, Walmart:
Private label is part of our
strategy. In terms of fresh stone
fruit, we are always open to
review this possibility.
Oleen Smethurst, Costco:
Private label brands have no
impact on us for fresh produce.
We like to have the grower brand
on the label so that consumers
know where the product is from.
Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw:
Twenty-five per cent of our
produce is under private label
brands. This is a hugely important
initiative for us. We try to clean
up the labels. We don’t want
multiple grower labels. We want
private label in mature categories.
So we’re targeting specific
growers to supply us with private
label. We try not to lose the
grower connection by providing
bio and photo of the grower.
That way, there’s a sense of pride
on every container. We’ll be
converting to this strategy in
peaches in the next 12 months.
3) What is the market
opportunity for new varieties
for plumcots and pluots?
Rob Pereira, Sobeys: The
opportunity is about relevancy
and innovation in the stone fruit
category. It’s about telling a story
about what these new varieties
are to maintain excitement for
consumers.
Oleen Smethurst, Costco:
Plumcots and pluots are a huge
opportunity. We’ve had huge
success out of California. We
can’t keep product on the floor.
The flavour profiles are amazing.
I’m extremely frustrated that
we’re so far behind in growing
these varieties in Canada.
Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw: We
are not cannibalizing but growing
the stone fruit category. We just
brought out pluots from Chile and
they’re doing well. We need to
educate consumers about them.
4) What innovations in technology and practices have you seen
in other areas of the world that
you feel Ontario fruit growers
could adopt to improve quality
of their product?
Oleen Smethurst, Costco: Go to
the U.K. for packaging advancements. What they’re doing is
beneficial to product visibility
and quality. They’re trying to
reduce plastic for environmental
sustainability.
5) Variety improvement?
Please continue and drive it!
Drive costs out through
technology.
Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw:
Packaging for sure, and the U.K.
is more advanced than in North
America. For tree-ripened fruit,
precool as soon as possible and as
long as you can through temperature-controlled loading docks. Put
in stainless steel lines to reduce
bacteria. Use infrared sorting
technologies from New Zealand
to detect blemishes. But the
easiest one is temperature control
for your product.
Rob Pereira, Sobeys: There’s a
lot of technology available. Use
what fits your business model.
The cherry industry in the United
States has developed equipment
that has been put in place to
maintain a consistent cold chain
from field to customer.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 11
THE GROWER
RETAIL NEWS
What do consumers want in stone fruit?
Gabriela Yung, Walmart:
Adopt any technology that results
in less labour and less handling.
In support of our global
sustainability goal to produce less
waste across our global
operations, we work with our
suppliers to develop packaging
solutions that protects the product
and reduces waste, and are made
from materials that are environmentally preferable and easy to
recycle. Cut unnecessary waste
and save our customers money.
preferences.
Gabriela Yung, Walmart: Stone
fruits are mainstream and are
popular with ethnic customers.
Photo right: Oleen Smethurst,
(L), Costco general
merchandise manager, buying
and operations, inspects
peaches on the packing line at
the Niagara-on-the-Lake farm
of John Thwaites. Photo by
Glenn Lowson.
6) Do you see an opportunity
for fresh-cut, sliced stone fruit
in the future?
Rob Pereira, Sobeys: Yes I do.
It’s the convenience aspect for
consumers. Stone fruit is more
difficult for in-store preparation
than melons, but we want to
explore this.
Gabriela Yung, Walmart:
Definitely. We believe there is
demand for fresh-cut, sliced stone
fruit, at the right price. We are
open to providing innovation
options to make healthy eating
more convenient for our
consumers.
Oleen Smethurst, Costco: Cut
fruit is boring. Mangoes are a
challenge. To do it properly
would be hugely important.
Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw: Yes!
We met with Titan Farms to look
at technology to reduce shrink in
pre-cut peaches. Our team would
be all over that.
Mike Ecker, Vineland Growers’
Cooperative: We did some testing last year and will continue.
Browning on stone fruit is the
holdback. Technology is getting
us closer. There’s no problem
with 10 days but retailers want 14
days. We believe there’s a
demand but we’re not where
apples are.
7) How has the increase in
immigration influenced your
stone fruit offering and are
there opportunities that you see
for local growers?
Crystal Cottrill, Loblaw:
Ethnic has been a huge play for
Loblaw. Yes, we’ve carried
white-fleshed peaches and
nectarines for the last two years.
We think they will become more
mainstream. Even yellow plums
have an ethnic play.
Oleen Smethurst, Costco: We
don’t play to these markets. We
believe that if the fruit eats well,
then people will buy it.
Rob Pereira, Sobeys: Yes,
we’re bringing in fruit relevant to
changing palates generally.
Mangoes, for instance, have
different origins and profiles.
Consumers have different
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PAGE 12 –– APRIL 2015
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 9
THE GROWER
RETAIL NEWS
Loblaw launches No Name Naturally Imperfect line
PETER CHAPMAN
Feeding the world will be a
challenge as population continues
to rise. There are different strategies that can be employed to
accomplish this daunting task:
1. Produce more
2. Eat less
3. Consume a higher percentage of existing food produced
4. Change diets
5. Develop food that delivers
better nutrition value per acre of
production
6. Increase yields in existing
production.
Some of these solutions will
only be effective in certain
regions. Consuming a greater percentage of the food consumed is
possible in North America however it will not have a direct
impact on the amount of food
available to feed a growing population in India.
Food retailers in Europe have
been focused on increasing the
consumption of food produced.
Tesco, in the U.K., published
their findings to say that close to
one-third of food produced is
never consumed. This is a staggering number. Consider the cost
this adds to our food, as everyone
in the value chain has to increase
costs to allow for the waste at
every transfer point.
In response to this issue,
Loblaw has introduced No Name
Naturally Imperfect fruits and
vegetables. Similar to programs
in Europe, the products are odd
shapes and sizes that do not meet
current grades. The eating quality
is the same -- they just look
different. Any time something
like this is introduced there are
pros and cons.
Pros
• A program that sells fresh produce for 30 per cent less makes
eating produce more affordable.
This should increase consumption
for people who might have found
produce to be too expensive.
• More tonnage (lbs) of apples
should be sold.
• Currently this produce would go
for processing in regions where
there are processing facilities. It
is a bigger win for producers in
regions such as Atlantic Canada
where processing is not a viable
option.
• Overall marketable yield should
increase.
Cons
• The store is not getting any
bigger. It will be interesting to
see how the product is merchandised and if some SKUs will
come out to make room.
• The warehouse is not getting
any bigger. It will be interesting
to see if some SKUs will come
out to make room in the warehouse.
• If the tonnage (lbs) does not
increase then we will see deflation in the category and perhaps
higher shrink on the products that
meet the previous product specs.
• We have put considerable effort
into producing the current grades
and now we will see product
available that does not meet the
specs. There is pride in producing
product that meets the demands
of the customer. Will this lead to
‘accepting less’ on the farm? I
realize we can’t control nature but
we have many farms that produce
great quality and they should be
applauded for this. They have
increased costs to do what they
do. They should not lose volume
because another farm produces to
a lower grade.
This is only a win if…
• Canadians put more fresh
produce in their shopping cart.
• Canadians consume more fresh
produce.
• Growers, packers and retailers
sell more produce.
• Growers, packers and retailers
all increase their rate of return in
these categories.
Peter Chapman is the Retail
Navigator columnist for The
Grower and operates a retail
consultancy in Nova Scotia.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 13
THE GROWER
PAGE 14 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
A changing climate, shift of perspective
JASON VERKAIK
CHAIR, OFVGA
If you take time to visit the
web pages of companies such as
Walmart – the world’s largest
grocer – and other major
corporations, their first page now
always has a link to sustainability.
In these links, they break down to
subcategories from water and
sustainable sourcing of food to
greenhouse gases and others.
They all have targets to improve
and they celebrate how they have
changed for the better, by moving
to more renewable energy
sources, conserving water and
even empowering their
agricultural suppliers to improve
their soils. I believe these
companies have a vested interest
in their conscience and the
sustainability of our world.
One of the reasons this is
obviously done is to market their
brand to an ever-discerning
consumer who is shifting
perspective on how we as humans
interact with nature. We can see
Hollywood lending its talents to
short video clips "Nature is
Speaking," the Act On Climate
March in Quebec City on April
11th, the billion-dollar Honest
company founded by Jessica
Alba, Earth Day and waste-free
lunches in our schools. These are
all strong influences on our
consumers and our governments.
These events and media messages
influence the choice in the
products that consumers purchase.
The Ontario Ministry of
Environment and Climate Change
(MOECC) has a serious focus on
a greener province. As horticultural producers we must take note
as this greatly influences policy
towards what we do. I recently
saw a graph in a MOECC
presentation in relation to
Ontario's Climate Change
discussion paper. It shows the
greatest carbon emitters.
Agriculture was second from the
bottom with six per cent. What is
of more importance is that of the
three sectors which have shown
reduction in carbon emissions
over the last number of years,
only agriculture has done so
while increasing productivity.
As we support the
government's desire to enhance
our environment and move to a
reduced carbon economy, we
must also recognize that our competitiveness and ability to feed
ourselves must not be
compromised. Let us also hope
the government and our consumers recognize that Ontario
horticulture has always been an
early adopter, continues to
embrace efficiencies and improve
our environmental footprint. One
only has to look at our adoption
of precision agriculture, integrated pest management, and cover
crops, to name a few examples.
Let us always remember in the
ebbs and flows of the climate
conversation, a key pillar to farm
sustainability is not only taking
care of our agricultural resources,
it is taking care of the profitability of the farm.
Water, water, everywhere
JOHN KELLY
EXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA
We are certainly blessed in
Ontario to have an abundance of
natural water sources, but we
must not take it for granted.
Beyond human consumption,
water is an essential resource for
many sectors, including fisheries,
tourism, food processing, agriculture, forestry, mining . . . You
get the point. We all have some
sort of stake in how water is used,
so its use must not be taken
lightly.
As a key competitor of the
Canadian fruit and vegetable
grower, Californian growers are
keenly aware of the challenges of
water restrictions and moratoriums. This has forced these
growers to rethink about how
they use water, the efficiencies
and costs of water, the reuse and
recirculation of water and the
quality of water. But these
thoughts are not unique to the
Californian grower. Our growers
must take the issue of water
conservation and water supply
very seriously, and they do!
The Ontario Fruit & Vegetable
Growers’ Association (OFVGA)
has been involved with the Permit
to Take Water (PTTW) program
for the past six years. George
Shearer, working with
hydrogeologists and agricultural
engineers, has coordinated the
program since inception. The
OFVGA developed this program
because it recognized the
importance of this resource to
members. It is essential that
members be aware of and
compliant to the Ontario Water
Resources Act and the water
taking regulations set under the
Ministry of the Environment and
Climate Change (MOECC).
If you plan to take more than
50,000 litres of water per day
from the environment then you
must have a permit to take water
issued through the MOECC. This
includes taking water from lakes,
streams, ponds, rivers and also
ground water (for example, from
a well). There is a process that
one has to go through to acquire
this permit to take water which is
complicated and should not be
taken lightly. All documentation
must be clearly and originally
completed and, in some cases,
signed by a qualified person.
Permits will not be issued by the
MOECC if there is a a potential
for negative impacts on existing
users, there is a negative effect on
the environment, or there is
removal of water from a watershed that already has a high level
of use.
For horticultural producers,
this means that anyone who is
using irrigation is likely in need
of the PTTW. Exceptions to the
need for a permit include those
STAFF
Publisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
Editor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, [email protected]
Production: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, [email protected]
Advertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118,
[email protected]
The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Any
errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the next issue.
No compensation will be given after the first running of the ad.
Client signature is required before insertion.
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is the sole
owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed in
The Grower are those of the newspaper’s editorial staff and/or
contributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.
All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may
not be reproduced either whole or in part without the prior
written consent of the publisher.
using water for livestock and
poultry, home gardens and lawns
(although there may be local
restrictions), firefighting, or if
you receive water from someone
who has a valid PTTW.
As is the case with most
government permits, there are
fees involved. Category 1 (low
risk and includes renewals where
there is no history of complaints)
and Category 2 (water takings
with a greater potential to cause
adverse environmental impact)
permits have a fee of $750, while
Category 3 (high risk) permits
will cost $3,000. There is an
exemption from the fees for
agricultural irrigation and frost
protection for vegetable crops,
fruit orchards, flowers, nurseries,
tree and sod farms or tender fruit
under which you won’t have to
pay the application fee. Note that
this is NOT the case for
processing of fruits and
vegetables, however. If you use
water to wash your produce, and
you exceed 49,999 liters allowed,
then you must have the appropriate permits and you will have to
pay the permit fee.
Your job is not done once you
have acquired the permit
however. You do have to
monitor and record daily taking
volumes, and then submit the
results to the MOECC online
through their Water Taking and
Reporting System.
And note that once you have a
permit, it does not mean that you
can use the same permit forever
as permits do need to be renewed.
Note your expiry date and reapply
prior to this date. You also need
to inform the ministry if you have
OFFICE
355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105
Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADA
Tel. 519-763-8728 • Fax 519-763-6604
The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to all
members of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’
Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year for
the paper through their commodity group or container fees.
Others may subscribe as follows by writing to the office:
$30.00 (+ G.S.T.) /year in Canada
$40.00/year International
Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues within
four months. If the issue is claimed within four months, but
not available, The Grower will extend the subscription by
one month. No refunds on subscriptions.
P.M. 40012319
An irrigation pond is located close to the vineyard of Flat Rock
Cellars, Lincoln, Ontario.
a change in address or other
administrative changes (these are
free of charge) If you require any
assistance or simply have
questions related to your permit
or the permit program, the
OFVGA program is here to help.
Contact George Shearer at
519-222-3272 or
[email protected].
Recently, the province of
Ontario approved the new
Canada-Ontario Agreement on
Great Lakes Water Quality. In
that agreement, both Canada and
Ontario committed to creating
action plans to reduce the impact
of excess nutrients on the water
quality of Lake Erie. In February
of this year, the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs (OMAFRA) announced
the formation of the Great Lakes
Agricultural Stewardship, where
the government is investing $4M
per year over four years to help
Ontario farmers improve soil
health and promote environmental
stewardship. The Ontario Soil
and Crop Improvement
Association (OSCIA) will deliver
the Great Lakes Agricultural
Stewardship Initiative on behalf
of the federal and provincial
governments.
In February of this year, the
MOECC released its document
“Ontario’s Climate Change
Discussion Paper 2015.” There is
some focus on protecting water
resources and the implication of
climate change on water supply.
A key driver in this platform is to
protect ecosystems, including air,
land and water. Conserving and
efficiently using our resources is
also the goal of the OFVGA.
The OFVGA strongly
encourages you to become
familiar with these regulations as
they do directly impact your
ability to produce great product.
By acquiring the correct permits,
you will not only contribute to the
sustainability of your operation,
you will also support
environmental sustainability.
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’
ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015
OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Crop Protection
Research
Property
Labour
Safety Nets
CHC
Chair
Vice-Chair
Fruit Director
Veg Director
Director
Jason Verkaik, Bradford
Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown
Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin
Mac James, Leamington
John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-Lake
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Apples
Fresh Vegetable - Other
Tender Fruit
ON Asparagus Grws’. Mkg. Brd.
GGO/Fresh Grape Growers
Fresh Vegetable - Muck
ON. Potato Board
Small Fruit/Berries
ON. Ginseng Growers’
Greenhouse
Greenhouse
Charles Stevens, Newcastle
Kenny Forth, Lynden
John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Neil Reimer, Vienna
Bill George Jr., Beamsville
Jason Verkaik, Bradford
Mac James, Leamington
Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin
Ken Van Torre, Burford
Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown
Don Taylor, Durham
Charles Stevens, Newcastle
Harold Schooley, Simcoe
Brian Gilroy, Meaford
Ken Forth, Lynden
Mark Wales, Alymer
Murray Porteous, Simcoe
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 15
THE GROWER
PERSPECTIVE
Without land, it’s hard to compete against imports
OWEN ROBERTS
U OF GUELPH
The part of the world popularly called America’s winter salad
bowl – southwest Arizona,
around Yuma -- is as desolate as
the moon. At least, that’s the way
it seemed to me when I visited it
earlier this winter. Yet farmers in
this vast and sparse region have
figured out how to turn it into an
agricultural oasis, using massive
flood irrigation drawn from the
Colorado River.
As a topic, water is a powder
keg around the southwest, with
every state eyeing how much the
one before it on the aquifer or
river system is taking.
But for now, water and
near-perfect “winter”
temperatures are offering up ideal
growing conditions. As a result,
Yuma is a highly productive
region for commodities such as
lettuce, spinach, kale, peppers,
cantaloupe and tomatoes (they
even grow irrigated wheat there).
Farmers here have another
thing going for them, too: that is,
land. Arizona, as well as neighbouring Mexico, has it in spades.
And despite the snowbird influx,
they’re preserving parts of it for
farming.
That left a big impression on
me. We, and they, have water.
We, and they, have superb produce. We, and they, struggle for
labour (which I was surprised to
find, given that Canada counts on
Mexico for so much temporary
labour).
But they have space. We
don’t. Technology will help us
overcome that obstacle to some
extent, but Canada has very
limited prime agricultural land.
Just one per cent of all farmland
is prime Class 1 land here. And
farmland is said to be disappearing in Ontario to the tune of 350
acres per day.
Just recently, the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
and the Christian Farmers’
Federation of Ontario have issued
independent pleas asking for
farmland to be preserved in the
face of development. OFA
vice-president Keith Currie has
been appointed one of six people
on the provincial land use review
committee. That puts a lot of
weight on his shoulders. But it’s
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Publish or perish?
I read your article
“Onion prices
barely cover
cost of
production” in the
March issue of
The Grower and
was disgusted to
see that many
restaurants in Canada, with U.S.
parents preferentially purchase
from America, rather than buying
locally. It would seem likely that
many people will be properly
annoyed at this practice. So I
have one request: name names.
Publish a list of restaurant
chains that have a policy of
1. Buying locally whenever
possible
OR
2. Buying from elsewhere even
when good, local, Canadian
produce is available at a
competitive price.
I ain't saying boycott (yet) but
you would do us a great service
by helping us vote with our
dollars.
Keep up the Good Work!
Peter R. Sibbald
Lyndhurst, ON
Workers near Yuma, Arizona harvest irrigated broccoli. Photo by Mike Wilson.
also great news that farmers will
have direct representation, and a
voice to explain agriculture’s
impact on the economy, and why
farmers need some flexibility to
be competitive.
I’m sure committee members
will look at models elsewhere, in
places like Arizona that is knocking on Ontario’s door with its
produce. And when it does,
they’ll see the value of -- and
need for -- farmland preservation.
Jeff Leal, Ontario Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs, told me farmland
preservation is a priority for his
government. Ontario took an
interesting step last year,
instituting measures to open up
the North, to capitalize on the
natural advantages there for
livestock production.
The next step is a program
called Farms Forever, which the
premier asked the minister to
create, in her mandate letter to
him in September.
This program will “help
preserve the productive capacity
of agricultural land close to major
urban centres, support the local
sourcing of food and strengthen
Ontario’s agri-food sector,” says
the minister.
Such a program is desperately
needed, maybe more so than any
other program in agriculture.
Farmland must be preserved.
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PAGE 16 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
2015 could be another interesting year
for North American water issues
BRUCE KELLY
2015 is shaping up to be
another interesting year for issues
surrounding water and nutrient
use across North America.
Hundreds of farmers in portions
of California’s Central Valley
were told recently that they can
expect zero water allocation this
growing season as the droughtstricken state tries to deal with
ever-tightening water supplies.
California’s newest agricultural
crop, 900,000 acres of sweet
almonds is sucking the Central
Valley dry. Each almond requires
3.7 liters of irrigation water to be
produced; all told almond production uses 10 per cent of
California’s agricultural water
supply. This crop is not sustainable, nor is much of the agriculture from California’s heavily
irrigated Central Valley that has,
for a generation, supplied North
America with a bounty of fresh
produce. Irrigation from nonrenewable sources is unsustainable at the scale that has been
practised in parts of California
and Texas.
On the water quality front,
Vermont has just passed new legislation that will require all farms
to comply with the state’s water
quality laws to reduce nutrient
loading into Lake Champlain and
in Des Moines Iowa, the city is
suing the three upstream water
districts in northwest Iowa after
water testing showed record high
nitrate levels in streams feeding a
river supplying much of central
Iowa’s drinking water. In August
of 2014, the four million people
that live in Toledo, Ohio were
directly affected when for more
than a week the water was so polluted by algae and associated toxins that it could not be consumed.
When four million people in a
North American city cannot drink
or bathe for a week, the issue is
not going to “just fade away” and
serves as a wakeup call to the
dangers posed by nutrient pollution and the resulting toxins from
harmful algal blooms.
In February, the U.S.-Canada
International Joint Commission
(IJC) issued a report entitled A
Balanced Diet for Lake Erie:
Reducing Phosphorus Loadings
and Harmful Algal Blooms. The
report comes to the unremarkable
conclusion that the cause of the
toxic algae problem is “excessive
and uncontrolled drainage of
nutrients, especially phosphorus,
into our waterways.”
According to the IJC, the
Maumee River in northwest Ohio
supplies only three per cent of all
the water that drains to Lake Erie,
but nearly half (43 per cent) of
the phosphorous pollution.
There is strong support for
Ohio lawmakers to take swift
action to curb loading by:
• Ensuring that all farmers and
livestock producers implement a
variety of best management practices (BMPs) such as the 4R
nutrient stewardship framework
for crop production
• Ensure all manure is spread
under the direction of an
approved plan to ensure its appropriate use.
• Ending the practice of
spreading manure on frozen or
snow-covered ground.
• Moving away from fall
broadcast fertilizer applications
on non-growing crops.
The Maumee and Sandusky
Rivers are recognized as major
sources of phosphorus loading
into Lake Erie. The IJC calculations show that Ontario is credited with only an eight per cent
share of phosphorous contributions to Lake Erie. But farmers in
Ontario must recognize that our
practices are now under the
microscope and we must all strive
to reduce nutrient runoff into the
Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Agricultural
Stewardship Initiative (GLASI)
provides funding for specific
environmental improvements that
are aimed at reducing non-point
source phosphorous and reducing
environmental risk to the Great
Lakes. Examples include:
• For manure applicators:
Manure and Biosolids
Management Program cost-share
funding to fine-tune nutrient
application equipment
• For farmers: Farmland
Health Check-Up. The Farmland
Health Check-Up offers the
unique opportunity to assess the
health of your farm by working
one-on-one with a certified crop
advisor.
For more information on these
funding programs, contact the
Ontario Soil and Crop
Improvement Association.
The agricultural water use
issue has many complex subissues including water source
security, permits and regulations,
source quality, cost, public vs private use, nutrient loading, and
sustainability. California’s massive agricultural production is
being humbled by the realization
that their practices are not sustainable. Here in Ontario, an area
that seems rich in water
resources, we are presented with
some new opportunities as most
of agriculture is fully supplied by
rainfall with irrigation used on
only a few sensitive high value
crops, but the Texas and
California examples offer a stark
warning to irrigate responsibly.
Looking forward to the 2015
growing season, the major water
issues impacting all farmers in
Ontario will be driven by Great
Lakes Water Quality policies
(GLWQA) and will focus on the
“off-farm” water quality (phos-
Photo by Glenn Lowson.
phorus) issues. Public scrutiny
and the water debate will move
from just a few farms that irrigate
to a larger discussion with all
farm types to control off-farm
nutrient movement.
Bruce Kelly is Farm & Food
Care environmental program
manager.
COMING EVENTS 2015
April 1
Export Cherry Grower Meeting, PARC, Summerland,
BC
April 1
Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board
Annual General Meeting for Haldimand-Norfolk, The
Blue Elephant, Simcoe, ON 11 am
April 2
Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board
Annual General Meeting for Niagara, Hernder Estate
Winery, St. Catharines, ON 4:30 pm
April 8
Grape Growers of Ontario 67th Annual General
Meeting, Club Roma, St. Catharines, ON 7 pm
April 8-9
64th Annual Muck Vegetable Growers’ Conference
and Trade Show, Bradford Community Centre,
Bradford, ON
April 9
OMAFRA-University of Guelph Food for Health
Research Forum, Conference Centre, 1 Stone Road,
Guelph, ON
April 9
PEI Blueberry Information Day, Red Shores
Raceway and Casino, Charlottetown, PE
April 10 - 11 New Brunswick Blueberries Annual General Meeting,
Carrefour de la Mer, Caraquet, NB
April 11
Garlic Growers of Ontario Annual General Meeting,
Quality Inn, Woodstock, ON
April 14-15 Farm & Food Care Annual General Meeting, Teatro
Conference and Event Centre, Milton, ON
Apr 15 – 17 Canadian Produce Marketing Association Annual
Convention & Trade Show, Palais des congres de
Montreal, Montreal, QC
April 29
Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. Annual General
Meeting, Country Heritage Park, Milton, ON
June 1-7
Ontario Local Food Week
June 8-10
United Fresh Trade Show, Chicago, IL
June 14
Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Induction
Ceremony, Country Heritage Park, Milton, ON
June 27
Ontario Garlic Growers’ Workshop, Ridgetown
Agricultural College, Ridgetown, ON
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 17
THE GROWER
RETAIL NAVIGATOR
An effective presentation format
Keep it simple and focus on where you add value
PETER CHAPMAN
A great meeting with a
category manager can make the
difference between getting your
product in the shopping cart or
not. You need a simple and
effective format to follow. You
also need a unique presentation
for each retailer. Do not make the
mistake of just changing the logo
on the front. They know!
When you are developing your
presentation, keep the purpose in
mind. The purpose is to enlighten
them about how your company
and specifically your products
will grow their sales and profits.
They need to see you as supporting their position in the market,
driving traffic into the store and
selling products. The purpose is
not to do a commercial for your
business and educate them on all
the great things you are doing. I
can tell you from experience it is
very frustrating for a category
manager to sit through a 30minute infomercial.
Cover page
Your presentation should start
with a cover page. The cover
page should include your brand or
a photo of your product, your
name, contact information and the
date. This might sit on their desk
so it should be a billboard for
you. Retailers always like to see
their own logo. Make sure it is
correct and good quality!
Agenda
Start the meeting off with a
very quick summary of what you
will review. It also helps keep
the questions focused on the topic
as opposed to an item you have
covered later in the presentation.
Include page numbers on the
agenda.
Introduction
Develop a very brief introduction to your business. What you
do, where you sell your products
and most importantly why you do
it. You should include your
unique selling proposition. What
makes you different than the last
five people trying to sell products.
Remember that they are most
interested in why the item will
sell at their store, not that you had
to work 20 hours a day for eight
weeks to get your line up and
running.
prepared to answer with a
suggested retail. You should also
know what your product is selling
for in other stores.
Point of differentiation
Credibility
Your point of differentiation
must be tangible and if possible,
quantifiable. You can do this
with ingredients, format, ease of
preparation, health benefits,
production techniques or process,
packaging or best of all, its
uniqueness. They do not have
anything like it in the store.
Illustrate to the category
manager how your point of
differentiation is reinforced on
your product and your
advertising. How will the
consumer learn about this so that
it leads to a sale?
You must be objective about
your point of differentiation, The
category manager will be. They
will have to decide that another
item will be delisted or lose some
shelf space to make room for
your product. The place where the
product is manufactured is not a
point of differentiation. It is only
a point of differentiation if the
customer will come to the store
for it in that market.
You must build credibility with
category managers in your ability
to execute. The previous
segments of your presentation
have built a foundation. Now you
must bring this together in a plan
that outlines what you will be
doing to ensure that you will
produce, deliver and sell the
product.
Your plan needs to include a
reference to production, packaging, distribution, marketing and
finance. One of the biggest challenges for retailers working with
different suppliers is credibility.
You must prove to them that you
and your organization will meet
or exceed their expectations. Only
include commitments in this section you are prepared to make. If
you do not follow through it is
worse than leaving them out.
Sales expectations
Sales are the number one
priority for retailers; you must
explain how your item will
perform. Forecast monthly sales
as baseline sales, seasonal sales,
promotion sales etc. There should
be one line for each type of sales.
It is important to forecast slight
declines as well as increases. If
your item is slower in the winter
months, drop your baseline down.
Be realistic in your sales forecasting. Category managers are
familiar with sales in their
category. They will not see a
decline in the winter as a
negative, if it is a reality.
Costing
Category managers spend considerable time on product costing.
They have an advantage here in
that they know what your competition costs and they will expect
you to be reasonably close.
Present a cost per case and a cost
per unit. This should be a delivered cost to their warehouse or
the store if your item is direct
store delivery.
Leave some room, as category
managers like to negotiate. You
must find the right cost because if
it is too high it will be dismissed
and if it is too low you will not be
in business. If you are prepared to
offer any special costing for promotions this is where you must
include it.
You should have a retail price
for your product in mind. Do not
tell them what it should be, but be
Conclusion
The final page of your presentation should be one line from
each of your key points.
A. Your point of differentiation;
B. Your annual sales;
C. Cost;
D. One line summary of your
plan;
E. Reinforce your credibility.
This is the last chance you have
to make an impression. This page
should leave them with no doubt
that this is right for their stores.
Make every minute count and follow a simple format that works
for you. If you have ideas or a
format that is effective it would
be great to learn more. You can
send them to me at
[email protected].
Retail news
Walmart and Loblaw announce
aggressive expansion plans
2015 will see more Walmart
Supercentres and more stores
within the Loblaw portfolio. Both
companies have recently
announced their plan to continue
investing in the Canadian market.
Walmart will convert 27 stores
to Supercentres which will bring
the total to 309 across Canada.
The company has been vocal
about improving the offering in
fresh food.
Loblaw will be spending $1.2
billion to open and renovate
“dozens” of stores. I would
expect we will see new Shoppers
Drug Marts with a more refined
fresh food offering.
It is interesting to note both
companies mentioned that capital
spending will be going to
e-commerce initiatives. This is an
indication they see growth
opportunities in this segment.
Peter Chapman is a retail
consultant, professional speaker
and the author of A la cart-A
suppliers’ guide to retailers’
priorities. Peter is based in
Halifax NS, where he is the
principal at GPS Business
Solutions. Peter works with
producers and processors to help
them navigate through the retail
environment with the ultimate
goal to get more of their items in
the shopping cart.
[email protected].
PAGE 18 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION
Board briefs
Affairs - OMAFRA). The
OFVGA has established working
groups to discuss and respond to
these materials within the next
few months. OFVGA responses
can be found on the website at
www.ofvga.org when they have
been released.
Canadian Horticultural Council
(CHC)
Ontario vegetable grower, John Jacques, at the CHC convention.
Photo by Trevor Eggleton.
Introduction
The Ontario Fruit and
Vegetable Growers’ Association
(OFVGA) board met on March
19, 2015. Topics included ongoing government consultations,
recent annual meetings, crop
insurance premiums and
minimum wage announcements.
Current Government
Discussion Papers and
Consultations
There are currently three
discussion papers/acts on the
table that could directly affect
Ontario fruit and vegetable
growers. They are the Climate
Change Discussion Paper
(released by the Ministry of the
Environment and Climate Change
- MOECC), Bill 66: An Act to
Protect the Great Lakes/St.
Lawrence Basin (MOECC) and
Permitted Uses in Prime
Agricultural Areas (released by
the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural
The CHC annual general
meeting was held March 10-12 in
Quebec City, Quebec and was
considered a huge success. Two
new committees have been
established: the Sustainability
Working Group and the
Greenhouse Industry Working
Group. Keith Kuhl was re-elected
president for the third time. Brian
Gilroy, an apple grower from
Ontario, is the second vicepresident. The 2016 annual
meeting is slated for March 8-10
in Ottawa.
Safety Nets Section
Crop insurance premiums are
expected to go down by approximately 15 per cent.
Labour
A minimum wage increase was
announced March 19, 2015 going
from $11.00 to $11.25 per hour
starting October 1, 2015. This is
in accordance with the Consumer
Price Index (CPI) and changes to
the Employment Standards Act
(ESA) made in 2014.
Property
Property section chair, Brian
Gilroy, reported that a
Sustainability Committee was
struck at CHC to look at sustainability issues and the types of
requirements for farmer’s
products.
Also in Ontario along the same
vein, a sustainability group has
been formed to consider adapting
the Environmental Farm Plan
(EFP) to the Sustainable Farm
Plan, adding chapters to give
farmers a sustainable audit
program. A draft will be available
by the end of May.
Farm and Food Care’s annual
meeting takes place April 14,
2015 with a communications
workshop planned for the first
day on how to prepare and talk
with media about agriculture.
Farm and Food Care is
currently lacking crop representatives on its board. Potential candidates can be nominated but must
be a silver member to do so.
The Real Dirt on Farming has
a planned circulation of 125,000
in the Globe and Mail set for
March 28, 2015.
Research
Harold Schooley, OFVGA’s
research section chair, had previously informed OMAFRA that
commodity groups wish to select
their own top research priorities
instead of an expert panel. All
groups involved in the
Woodstock meeting were subsequently invited to submit their top
choice. The OMAFRA research
priority list now includes pest
management and top research
priority issues by commodity,
which is considered an
improvement from previous
compilations.
Crop Protection
Charles Stevens, OFVGA’s
crop protection chair, reported on
the re-evaluation of products that
is currently underway. There are a
number of products that could be
removed from use.
Craig Hunter is currently
working on a subscription
through Pulse Canada that would
give OFVGA information on
MRLs. The government has currently dropped their subscription
to information on MRLs. The end
goal is for OFVGA to have a
subscription that commodity
groups can receive.
Ministry of environment releases proposed neonic amendments
Comment period ends May 7
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Ontario is taking action to
strengthen pollinator health to
ensure a sustainable food supply,
healthy ecosystems and a strong
economy. Without pollinators,
much of the food we eat and the
natural habitats we enjoy would
not exist.
The Government of Ontario
aims to protect pollinators by
addressing the four main stressors
that pollinators face: pesticide
exposure; loss of habitat and
nutrition; climate change and
weather; disease, pests and genetics.
As a part of a broad long-term
plan, the Province is proposing a
change in the pesticides regulation to address the impact that
pesticide exposure is having on
pollinator health.
The Ministry of the
Environment and Climate
Change, in consultation with the
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs, has prepared proposed new regulatory requirements for the sale and use of
neonicotinoid-treated seeds in
Ontario.
The draft regulatory amendments are intended to reduce the
number of acres planted with
neonicotinoid insecticide treated
corn and soybean seed by 80 per
cent by 2017. The amendments to
Ontario Regulation 63/09 would
establish:
• a new class of pesticides consisting of corn and soybean seeds
treated with the neonicotinoids,
imidacloprid, clothianidin or thiamethoxam
• rules for the sale and use of
treated seeds
• timing and implementation of
the regulatory requirements.
If approved, new rules on the
sale and use of corn and soybean
seeds treated with the neonicotinoids, imidacloprid, clothianidin
or thiamethoxam will be in place
by July 1, 2015, in time for the
2016 agricultural planting season.
The proposed regulatory
amendments, along with supporting material, were recently posted
on the province’s Regulatory
Registry and on the
Environmental Registry (EBR
Registry number 012-3733) and
will remain open for comment
until May 7, 2015.
You are encouraged to review
the proposal and submit comments via the registries.
Feedback received will be used to
inform the development of the
final regulatory amendments.
Source: Ministry of Environment
and Climate Change
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 19
THE GROWER
PAGE 20 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
SOIL HEALTH
Cover crop tool narrows choices for specific end results
KAREN DAVIDSON
The reality is that a cover crop can only
do so many things. Fix nitrogen? Establish
reliably? Escape winterkill? Maybe.
These questions are now answered in a
specific way for Eastern Canadian farmers
looking to integrate cover crops into their
crop rotations.
According to a recent webinar
sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(OMAFRA), an online Cover Crop
Decision Tool is now available at decisiontool.incovercrops.ca. It was developed with
the real-life experience of farmers. The
advisory committee that validated the data
for Ontario comprised farmers, industry
representatives, extensionists and
researchers.
“This is a powerful tool that allows
growers to choose their home county and a
number of variables to pick the best cover
crop,” says Laura van Eerd, University of
Guelph Ridgetown Campus soil fertility
and cover crops associate professor. “To be
successful, the planting window is
important.”
She offers the example of cucurbits. If
you plant squash, pumpkins or zucchini
around June 1 and plan to harvest August
1, then some cover crops may not be
available. And then the farmer must
identify what is to be accomplished with
that cover crop. Weed suppression?
Building organic matter? The choices
become fewer as each criteria is applied.
The tool will rate the cover crop options
from poor to excellent, depending on your
criteria.
If you want your cover crop to act as a
potential biofumigant, then the list
becomes even shorter. Oriental mustard
might work, says van Eerd, if you don’t
have cole crops in your rotation.
All of the information is available in
one place. The cover crops are hyperlinked
to an information sheet which offers seeding rates and depths, benefits and cautions.
Is this cover crop a host for root knot
nematode? That’s important to know for a
carrot grower.
What’s useful about this tool is that it is
designed for the growing conditions in
your area. What’s applicable for Kent
County is likely not appropriate for the
Ottawa Valley.
In her own research, Van Eerd has
compared economic yields with different
crops and cover crops. For the best snap
bean yields, for example, oats were shown
to be the best cover crop. Cereal rye, on
the other hand, showed insect feeding damage, but no difference in economic yield.
Sweet corn is another common
vegetable crop where growing a cover crop
before gave higher yields than without a
cover crop. Don’t choose a cover crop
that’s known to attract common rust.
“To be honest, it’s a long-term process
to build organic matter,” says van Eerd. “It
may take 20 years to add one per cent
organic matter with a cover crop. However,
we are seeing slight yield boosts with
growing a cover crop.”
Phacelia may take root as new cover crop
While phacelia is a coveted cover crop in Europe, it is now
finding a home in southwestern Ontario. Friedhelm Hoffmann,
general operations manager for Exeter Produce, was familiar
with it in his homeland of Germany. He sowed phacelia on 60
acres after cabbage harvest last year. With early harvested
cabbage, that means planting as early as mid-July.
“I’m quite impressed with how it died down over the winter,”
Hoffmann says. “It’s brittle and there’s not much residue to
cultivate in the spring unlike a thick crop of oats.”
OMAFRA extensionists will be testing the soil this spring to
see how much nitrogen is left in the soil. Preventing soil erosion
and suppressing weeds are enough benefit in themselves,
however Hoffmann points out that phacelia provides forage for
bees in the fall. This is particularly valuable when most other
flowering plants have ceased to produce much nectar.
“The bees were feeding like crazy last September and
October,” Hoffmann says.
Phacelia seed may be hard to find and then, it’s expensive.
However, as word spreads about its multiple benefits, more
input suppliers are likely to stock it.
Potato research continues in New Brunswick
The Canadian government is
investing $1.83 million in a
Canadian-led international
research effort to give potato
farmers a technological edge in
predicting and preventing yield
losses in their fields and in
storage.
The collaborative research
effort with several industry
partners will be led by scientists
at Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada's (AAFC) Potato
Research Centre in Fredericton.
Researchers from Canada, France
and New Zealand will use new
discoveries about potato DNA,
microbial life in the soil and
insect behaviour to find better
ways to measure the health and
quality of potato plants and
tubers.
This investment under
Growing Forward 2 has helped
leverage $821,800 in industry
contributions. Project partners
include BioNB, Comité Nord
Plants des Pommes de Terre,
Quebec-based potato operations
Ferme Daniel Bolduc Inc. and
Maxi-Sol Inc., Plant and Food
Research New Zealand, Potatoes
New Brunswick and France-based
company CCL.
Researchers will use a new
generation of powerful
computer-based gene sequencers
to identify genes in potato DNA
that indicates when the plant
experiences stress, with the goal
of using these genes as markers
for diagnostic tools on the farm.
DNA sequencing will also be
used to identify the billions of
species of microbial life in the
soil and to study their impact on
potato common scab.
The AAFC investment in the
project is made through the
Industry-led Research and
Development stream of
Agriculture Canada's
AgriInnovation Program, a fiveyear, up to $698-million initiative
under Growing Forward 2.
Source: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada news release
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 21
THE GROWER
BEE HEALTH
One million acres of pollinator habitat promised by 2018
The Grain Farmers of Ontario
have published their Ontario
Pollinator Health Blueprint. The
document pledges to establish one
million acres of self-sustaining
pollinator habitat that will provide
a sequence of blooms throughout
the season. The eight farmers,
beekeepers and industry personnel who authored the plan suggest
repurposing farm land, private
land and public land for pollinator
friendly habitat. The second key
component is to reduce risk of
bee exposure to neonicotinoids
and reduce the volume of
neonicotinoid seed treatment in
Ontario.
Together, these go a long way
to supporting five pillars to
enhance pollinator health. They
are:
1. Habitat and nutrition – to
ensure adequate and appropriate
forage for pollinators
2. Pesticide exposure – in-hive
and outside the hive
3. Diseases and parasites –
affecting managed bees
4. Communication – between
beekeepers, farmers, the public
and other stakeholders
5. Measurement, verification and
collection protocols – for benchmark data to determine the health
of pollinators and managed bees
in Ontario, as well as farm pest
threshold data
mitigate climate change and to
help keep Ontario’s air, land, and
water clean. No-till and cover
crops are one way farmers can
help, and seed treatments are an
important tool to support no-till
practices. In Ontario, the adoption
of conservation and no-till
practices has increased from 22
per cent conservation or no-till in
1991 to 63 per cent in 2011.
These tillage practices are
possible in part because of the
soil pest control offered by
neonicotinoid seed treatments.
No-till farming provides many
environmental benefits including
reduced soil erosion, lower fuel
and labour requirements, and
reduced greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. Soils can be a source
or sink for CO2 emissions
depending on the soil management practices that are used.
Tillage is one of the primary
agronomic activities believed to
reduce soil organic carbon (SOC).
Estimates show 28 per cent more
GHG emissions under conventional tillage than under no-till.
Planting cover crops is another
important environmental
contribution that farmers make.
Cover crops help reduce soil
erosion, increase soil fertility, and
assist in water management.
Cover crops include clover,
barley, and rye and provide
habitat for bees and beneficial
organisms. Predatory mites, l
adybug beetles, and other
beneficial insects benefit from the
shelter and protection that cover
crops provide.
Our collective objective must
be to protect our environmental
protection progress and continue
on this trajectory. We must work
together on the next generation of
production and pest-management
tools that further support
pollinator health and other
important environmental
outcomes.
The Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in
conjunction with Grain Farmers
of Ontario, produced the Guide to
Early Season Field Crop Pests
which explains that Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) for field
crops is a decision method that
uses all available technologies to
efficiently and economically
reduce the pest population, while
respecting health and the environment. The components of IPM
are included in the chart in the
blueprint at www.gfo.ca.
No bundles.
No rebates.
No waiting.
Verbatim from the blueprint
To achieve enhancements in
health for pollinators and honey
bees, a complex matrix of
activities is needed. Collaboration
at the local, national, and
international levels is required to
enhance pollinator health – there
is not a “single-solution” to
pollinator health enhancement.
The proposals under the
proposed seed treatment regulations need to address practical
issues to have the desired impact.
Moreover the regulations must
contemplate and address both the
complexity of pollinator health to
ensure long-lasting positive
impacts but must also
contemplate the environmental
impacts that neonicotinoids were
designed to address – namely soil
health, reduction of carbon
footprint, and the environmental
management of other inputs.
It is imperative that we
develop a regulatory system that
protects and promotes pollinator
health, while not unintentionally
undermining other important
environmental outcomes. We are
concerned that farmers could be
unintentionally incented to move
away from environmental
practices that actually provide
habitat for bees, such as
reduced/no-till and cover crops,
reduce soil degradation, and help
to sequester carbon in the soil.
Climate change is creating
stressors for both farms and
pollinators. Farms provide
Ontario with ways to help
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PAGE 22 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
MUCK VEGETABLE GROWERS CONFERENCE APRIL 8-9
Celery leaf curl emerges as new disease
The annual Muck Vegetable Growers’ Conference is
always highly anticipated, this year on April 8 and 9 in
Bradford, Ontario. Here is a preview of what one speaker
will be presenting.
DENNIS VAN DYK
In 2014, 79 commercial vegetable fields, totalling 843
acres (onion 378 A., carrot 405 A., and celery 60 A.), were
intensively scouted for 27 growers. Fields were scouted
twice per week during the growing season and growers
received scouting reports after each field survey.
Any grower, whether in the Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) program or not, may bring in samples
(plant and/or insect) for diagnosis. The on-site tools
available for diagnosis were visual inspection and
laboratory inspection using a microscope and culturing.
Diagnoses were made by comparison to known symptoms,
published descriptions of pathogens, insect pests and
weeds, and personal experience. Following assessment, the
extension advice given was based on Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food, and Ministry of Rural Affairs
(OMAFRA and MRA) recommendations for pesticides.
From 8 April to 1 December, 2014, the diagnostic
laboratory of the Muck Crops Research Station received
229 samples for diagnosis. Of these, 80 per cent were
infectious diseases (183 in total) and 20 per cent
physiological disorders (46 in total). These samples were
associated with the following crops: onion (48.7%), carrot
(27.6%), celery (9.5%), lettuce (2.6%), brassicas (2.1%)
and other crops (9.5%). Along with plant disease samples,
a total of 17 samples of insects or insect damage were
assessed and eight weed samples were identified.
Celery diseases
Twisted stalks of celery plants develop reddish to light
brown lesions that contain spores of the leaf curl
pathogen.
Leaf curl on infected celery plants appear stunted with
small malformed cupped leaves. Older leaves on infected plants often appear fan-like and curl downward.
Celery leaf curl or celery anthracnose (Colletotrichum
acutatum), is a relatively new disease of celery and was
first seen around the Marsh in the 2013 growing season.
Celery leaf curl was found in almost all celery fields this
past season. Incidence was still relatively low but higher
than the 2013 growing season. It will be important to
monitor the spread of this disease since there are no
registered fungicides in Ontario as of yet.
Celery leaf blights in Ontario are caused by the fungi
Cercospora apii (early blight) and Septoria apiicola (late
blight) and the bacteria Pseudomanas syringae pv. apii
(bacterial blight). Bacterial leaf blight and bacterial rot
was found in most celery fields and incidence was higher
than 2013.
Incidence of early blight and late blight was observed
in most scouted fields but remained low throughout the
season compared to previous years. Pink rot (Sclerotinia
sclerotiorum) was found in a number of celery fields and
incidence was higher than previous years due to milder
wet weather.
Dennis Van Dyk is the integrated pest management
coordinator, University of Guelph, Muck Crops Research
Station.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
receives international honour
Growers in Ontario’s Holland
Marsh are congratulating
University of Guelph plant
science professor, Mary Ruth
McDonald. In late March, she
received an International IPM
Award of Excellence for the
Muck Crops IPM program that
she leads. The award was given at
the 8th International IPM
Symposium held in Salt Lake
City, Utah.
It’s awarded to individuals or
teams who are ranked highest for
achieving exceptional accomplishments relating to economic
benefits of IPM adoption,
reducing potential human health
risks, and demonstrating minimal
adverse environmental effects.
Canada is a leader in integrated
pest management. A second
award was given to the
Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect
Release Program (see page A4).
According to the symposium
website, the Muck Crops IPM
program is a true IPM program
contributing to economically and
environmentally sustainable
vegetable production. The
program incorporates regular
scheduled scouting and
forecasting, different cultural and
biological controls, reduced-risk
pesticides, host resistance and
most recently, aerial surveillance
to manage pests.
“The Muck Crops IPM
Program is awarded the IPM
Award for Excellence for its
excellence in delivery and
development of pest management
tools/strategies that contributes to
the sustainability and success of
vegetable production in the
Holland Marsh, and for innovation in IPM methods. The pioneer
of this outstanding program, Prof.
Mary Ruth McDonald from the
University of Guelph, is especially recognized by the nominators
for her sustained commitment and
support of the program.”
“The program has been in
operation for the last 11 years, in
the Holland Marsh region of
Ontario, Canada, a region of
intensive vegetable production of
about 7000 acres. Prof.
McDonald has been instrumental
in developing and implementing
the program, with cooperation
from the provincial extension
service, the local growers’
cooperative and the local growers’ association. The program
receives funding from individual
growers, industry sponsors and
various granting agencies. A
regional picture of pest pressure
and risk is posted on the program
web site
(www.uoguelph.ca/muckcrop)
twice a week and is available to
the public. This information is
This scientific unit is a Roto-Rod Spore Trap in an onion plot at
the Muck Crops Research Station in Bradford, Ontario. It’s used
to collect air-borne fungal spores from June through September,
mostly in onion and carrot fields. As part of the Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) program for disease forecasting, it collects
spores in the air and allows researchers to predict risk of disease
development. As Shawn Janse, research station manager explains,
the researchers are then able to counsel growers when to apply
pesticides at optimal times. Photo by Glenn Lowson.
also used to allow the work group
to update research priorities, and
research results, such as new
monitoring methods, or
thresholds which are quickly
incorporated into the IPM
program.”
For those not familiar with
muck crops, McDonald’s research
program focuses on root, bulb,
leafy vegetables and crucifer
crops, including onions, carrots,
lettuce, celery, cabbage, Asian
crucifer crops and some minor
crops such as artichokes, chives
and vegetable amaranth.
Current projects include biology
and management of clubroot of
crucifer crops, biological control
of sclerotia-forming plant
pathogens, disease forecasting
and management of Stemphyllium
blight of onion and asparagus,
management of nematodes on
vegetable crops, Fusarium on
]carrots and spinach, and
management of onion maggot,
carrot rust fly and carrot weevil.
Plant nutrition trials include
determining the optimum rates of
phosphorous on onions and
carrots and evaluating the effects
of biochar on crop growth.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 23
THE GROWER
PAGE 24 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
GREENHOUSE NEWS
Can Asian eggplant be grown hydroponically?
Eggplant blooming in the greenhouses of Vineland
Research and Innovation Centre is a new harbinger of
spring. The project will identify varieties of Chinese long
and Indian round eggplant that are suitable for hydroponic
cultivation. It’s the first step in a larger project to evaluate
the potential for greenhouse production of these
vegetables.
“We have several different varieties which produce
eggplants with the right ‘consumer’ characteristics,”
explains Viliam Zvalo, research scientist for vegetable
production. “What we don’t know is if they have the right
traits for hydroponic systems. We have also grafted some
onto tomato rootstock which should promote performance
in a greenhouse environment enabling higher yields and
better fruit quality, combined with disease tolerance. You
have to remember that, in a hydroponic greenhouse, the
roots have to support plants that are robust enough to
reach up to five meters in height.”
Ten varieties of Chinese long and three varieties of
Indian round eggplant are included in the study. Seeds
were sourced from seed companies around the world
including the Asian Vegetable Research and Development
Centre in Taiwan. The first fruit is expected by the end of
April.
Zvalo is also supervising field plantings of world crops.
In 2015, he will be evaluating a number of short-season
okra, Chinese long and Indian round eggplant hybrids
under Ontario growing conditions with a focus on fertility
management, spacing and season extension. The goal is to
provide cost-effective ways of extending the growing
season in the spring and in the fall while maximizing
productivity.
In his new role at Vineland, Zvalo will investigate field
and greenhouse production of world crops and other new
crop opportunities for Ontario growers. He holds a PhD in
plant physiology/soil ecology from the Slovak University
of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia and an executive MBA
from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
Creating disease resistance and valuable traits
in greenhouse vegetables
TRAVIS BANKS
Researchers are continually improving
the performance of crops by breeding
plants to create new lines with superior
traits. But what happens when a trait is
needed and there isn’t a source for that
characteristic in known material? And what
happens when the breeder needs variation
that doesn’t exist? Simple, you follow
Mother Nature’s lead and have the plants
create the variation.
Each time a plant creates a seed, it has
small changes to its DNA which can result
in a plant with brand new characteristics.
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
(Vineland) is looking to nature’s method of
creating new traits and accelerating it using
modern technologies. In a process of
‘induced variation,’ Vineland grows a population of plants that have created thousands of small changes to their DNA
instead of just dozens. Using high throughput DNA sequencing, Vineland identifies
the plants with changes likely to have a
new trait of interest.
Working with researchers at the
University of Toronto and Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada, Vineland scientists are
identifying greenhouse tomato and pepper
lines that have increased disease tolerance.
University of Toronto researchers recently
identified a gene that when turned off,
primes the plant’s natural immune system
to enhance resistance to a broad range of
pathogens. Vineland scientists are searching through their variant tomato and pepper
populations to identify plants that have
turned off their copy of that gene in order
to create new resistance.
In a similar research project, Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada scientists identified
botrytis resistance in a variant population
of a model research plant. The scientists
found which change occurred to create this
resistance and now Vineland is using that
gene information to look in their tomato
and pepper variant populations to find
botrytis resistance. In addition to developing new disease tolerance for greenhouse
vegetables, Vineland is also working
towards developing tomatoes with an
extended harvest season and identifying
vegetables with attributes desired by consumers.
Relying on induced variation to create
new crops has been used since the 1920s
with thousands of crop varieties created.
Vineland is working to improve the
process by making it easier to use DNA
information to identify plants with desired
traits. As the genomes of more crops are
sequenced, Vineland’s induced traits can
be put to use in other crop plants to benefit
growers.
Work at Vineland on creating disease
resistance and valuable traits in greenhouse
vegetables is funded through the Growing
Forward 2 AgriInnovation Program, with
contributions from Genome Canada,
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
and the Ministry of Research and
Innovation.
Travis Banks is research scientist, bioinformatics at Vineland Research and
Innovation Centre.
U of W wins Celebrating Ontario Agriculture Competition
The University of Waterloo
Food Services (UWFS) has won
the first Celebrating Ontario
Agriculture promotion and
display competition held the week
of October 16 ,2014. This is an
award sponsored by the Ontario
Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
(OGVG). The UWFS operates 24
outlets providing a range of
products and services to students,
faculty, staff, and the broader
community.
OGVG engaged a number of
university and college locations
across Ontario, providing tool kits
consisting of promotional ideas,
recipes and merchandising
material. These resources were
created to support launching cafeteria initiatives, promotions and
displays during Celebrating
Ontario Agriculture Week from
October 16 to 20. Working with
OGVG resources, Micaela
Buchnea-Chew, UWFS marketing
and communications coordinator,
led her team and spearheaded
multiple promotions, menu
specials and displays throughout
their operations on campus.
UWFS is a self-operated
ancillary service which is not a
common format for today’s
institutions. As a key stakeholder
in student services, UWFS strives
to create and cultivate a
comprehensive service that
promotes a healthy, sustainable
university environment.
Purchasing fresh local food is a
priority for UW Food Services to
promote nutrition awareness,
availability and selection for their
customers.
“OGVG has been pleased to
be part of this promotion with
Ontario University and College
cafeterias and we look forward to
working with other foodservice
partners in the future,” said Don
Taylor, chair of OGVG. “In a
competitive market, these new
partnerships that expand and
support our produce in the
foodservice marketplace will help
sustain Ontario greenhouse
vegetable farmers.”
Funding was provided by the
Greenbelt Fund to support the
launch of an OGVG Celebrating
Ontario Agriculture Week
promotion.
Source: Ontario Greenhouse
Vegetable Growers’ news release
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 25
THE GROWER
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONVENTION
New equipment spotted for upcoming season
KAREN DAVIDSON
Brett Schuyler is a soil mapper
and water manager. The Simcoe,
Ontario fruit grower and cash
cropper is “ecstatic” about what
he’s learned by mapping 3,000
acres that range from sandy soils
to silt on clay.
“I can make much better decisions based on yield analysis by
soil type,” he says. “Some soils
that have better moisture retention
would be better planted to cherry
trees than corn. Cherries thrive on
droughty soil.”
He’s fortunate in that his
father Marshall started serious
soil mapping 20 years ago.
Those old-fashioned core soil
samples still have their use, but
now they’re combined with
sophisticated precision mapping
to the inch. RTK-GPS technology
generates one set of yield data.
About five years ago, they invested in a Veris Mobile Sensing
Platform, an electro-conductivity
(EC) machine that measures the
moisture-holding capacity of the
soil.
When these layers of information are analyzed, Schuyler can
make decisions such as:
• what apple rootstocks are best to
match to specific soils
• how much lime to add to adjust
pH values
Doug Aspinall, OMAFRA’s
senior soil scientist, has worked
with Schuyler on refining the
gathering and interpretation of
soil data. “The science is now at
the stage of delineating and characterizing management zones,”
says Aspinall. “By combining the
results from the Veris EC
machine and yield data, we will
be able to manage individual
trees. I think that’s where the
technology is going.”
Schuyler is particularly fortunate because he can mine many
years of data and make yield
comparisons. With detailed maps,
he is able to look at the soil profile, literally what’s happening in
the root zone to a depth of one to
two metres. By pinpointing how
much water the soil can store, he
can make better water management decisions in real time.
Soil sampling and analysis is
not an agricultural practice that’s
easily seen, says Schuyler. Yet so
much depends on the health and
water-storing capacity of the soil.
Spray
nozzle
calibrator
When held under a nozzle
during sprayer calibration, it
takes multiple readings to determine the flow rate, explains
Jason Deveau, OMAFRA’s
application technology specialist.
This replaces the old method of
holding using a graduated cylinder and timing the output for a
minute, or collecting in a jug and
weighing the output after a
minute (1 millilitre of clean
water weighs 1 gram).
Other systems, such as the
Innoquest Spot-On also perform
this function, but the Applimax
system records the results to be
uploaded to the user’s computer
later on for a permanent record.
These were spotted at the
booth of Northern Equipment
Solutions.
www.northernequipment.ca
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PAGE 26 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
Nitrogen fertility of edamame beans
ELAINE RODDY AND LAURA
L. VAN EERD
Edamame beans are a growing
industry in Ontario. They are a
vegetable soybean; special varieties are grown and harvested at
the R6 stage while the beans are
still green (Figure 1). Edamame
are sold in both the fresh market
and as frozen beans. They can be
either shelled or sold in the pod.
Because this is a new crop to
Ontario, little information is
known about how soil fertility
can affect the yield and quality of
the crop. At the present time there
are no OMAFRA fertility recommendations for edamame.
Research trials were conducted
across southwestern Ontario in
2014 to gain a better understanding of nitrogen fertility in
edamame beans. Trials were
located in Simcoe, Ridgetown
and Rodney. The soil textures at
all three locations are coarse,
sandy loam soils, typical of
vegetable production farms in
Ontario.
Five different rates of nitrogen
were applied pre-plant to 8m long
plots. The rates were: 0, 40, 60,
80 and 120 lb/ac. Plots were
assessed in-season for nodulation
and at harvest for yield and
quality.
Results
At Rodney, there were
significantly more nodules in the
zero N fertilizer treatment than
the fertilized treatments. This
trend was similar at the other two
sites. The trend of lower
nodulation with N fertilizer was
expected. The relationship
between rhizobium bacteria and
nodulation in beans typically
decreases with increasing N
fertility.
The site at Rodney was not
harvested due to high nematode
pressure that resulted in soybean
sudden death syndrome (Figure
2). The edamame variety
Harronomai is not tolerant to soybean nematodes. The trials were
located in a field of commercial
soybeans which were not affected
by sudden death syndrome.
At Simcoe, there was no marketable yield response to N fertilizer (Figure 3). There were also
no differences found in any of the
yield measurements, including
total yield, harvest index and pod
weight.
At Ridgetown, marketable and
total yield had a positive linear
response to N fertilizer (Figure
3). However, the difference in
yield among all N rates were
relatively small. For example, the
0, 60, and 120 N rate yields were
5.2, 6.4 and 6.8 tonne/ha.
There was no influence of N
treatment on the following:
individual plant weight,
marketable yield per plant
(g/plant), unmarketable yield per
plant (g/plant), total yield per
plant (g/plant), or harvest index.
At Ridgetown, N fertilizer did
not impact the weight of 100
pods, or the number, per cent and
weight of pods with three or more
beans.
At Simcoe, N rate did impact
the number, per cent, and weight
of pods with three or more beans
in a 100 pod sample. It is highest
at 55 lb N/ac however, the
strength of the relationship was
quite weak (r=0.45). Further
research would be needed to
confirm if this relationship holds
true. No other quality parameters
were impacted by N fertility at
Simcoe, or the variability in the
data was too high to detect a
difference.
Based on these two sites in
2014, there is little evidence to
suggest that N fertilizer greatly
influences edamame quality.
For more information on
edamame beans or other new
crops, visit OMAFRA’s specialty
crop website, Specialty
Cropportunties:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/
CropOp/en/index.html
Elaine Roddy is vegetable crops
specialist, OMAFRA and Dr.
Laura L. Van Eerd is associate
professor, University of Guelph –
Ridgetown Campus
Figure 1. Edamame at harvest
Figure 2. Sudden death syndrome in edamame
Fig. 3. Marketable yield response of edamame to pre-plant nitrogen fertilizer at two locations in
2014.
New on-line training materials for asparagus growers
ELAINE RODDY
The new Ontario Crop IPM asparagus modules were
unveiled at a recent meeting of the asparagus industry.
The development of these modules was a partnership
between OMAFRA and the Asparagus Farmers of Ontario
and was funded by Growing Forward 2 and the Ag
Adaptation Council.
With the addition of asparagus, there are now more
than 11 crops and crop groups included on the Ontario
CropIPM website. Each crop boasts a full suite of information including:
• a calendar of pest activity
• insect, disease and disorder information sheets at both a
beginner and an advanced level
• high quality photos of the various stages or symptoms of
each pest
• herbicide injury symptoms
• soil diagnostics
• pest identification keys
• test your knowledge quizzes
Key issues of importance to the asparagus industry,
worth exploring on CropIPM include the diseases purple
spot (stemphylium) and rust, as well as asparagus beetles,
cutworm and miners.
Visit ontario.ca/cropipm
Elaine Roddy is OMAFRA’s vegetable crops specialist.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 27
THE GROWER
VEG FOCUS
OMAFRA’s IPM scout
training workshops 2015
Photo by Glenn Lowson
Each spring, OMAFRA field
staff conduct a series of IPM
workshops. The timing of the sessions may seem inconvenient to
growers and farmers who are
busy with field work in May.
However, to the many university
and college students who are
employed each summer as crop
scouts or research assistants, the
timing is ideal.
Participants are given a good
overview of the many insects,
diseases, crop stresses and physiological disorders they may
encounter during their time working in fruit and vegetable fields.
The workshops are free to attend.
Growers, agribusinesses and their
employees are also welcome to
Workshop
Date & Time
Location
Introduction to IPM
Apr 29 - 8:30 am to 4:00pm
OMAFRA Guelph
Tomatoes & Peppers
May 1 - 8:30 am to 1:00 pm.
Ridgetown Campus.
Lettuce, Celery, Onions, Carrots
May 5
Brassica Crops
TBA
Tender Fruit
May 8 - 9:00 am to noon
Vineland, Rittenhouse Hall
Grapes
May 8 - 1:00 pm to 3:30pm
Vineland, Rittenhouse Hall
Apples
May 11 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Following with orchard visit
OMAFRA Simcoe
Strawberries and Raspberries
(blueberry training upon request)
May 13 - 9:00 am sharp to 3:00
p.m.
OMAFRA Simcoe
Sweet Corn, Peas and Beans
May 14 - 9:30 to noon
Ridgetown Campus
Cucurbit Crops
May 14 - 1pm to 3:30
Ridgetown Campus
Asparagus
May 21 - 9:30 to noon
Webinar
Potatoes
May 29 - 9:30 to 12:30
OMAFRA Guelph
Ginseng in field workshop
June 4 - 1:30 pm to 4pm
TBA
attend.
To register contact:
Agricultural Information Contact
Centre at 1-877-424-1300.
OMAFRA Guelph
TBA
For more information contact:
Margaret Appleby
IPM Systems Specialist
OMAFRA Brighton,
613-475-5850
Email:
[email protected]
Pest of the month – Fusarium of watermelon
Scientific name: Fusarium
oxysporum, f. sp. niveum
(watermelon).
F. oxysporum also infects
other cucurbit crops including
cantaloupe (f. sp. melonis) and
cucumber (f. sp. cucumerinum).
F. oxysporum is host specific.
The different formae speciales
rarely cross infect in the field.
field conditions, it is very difficult to tell the difference between
the two diseases. Laboratory tests
may be required to properly diagnose which disease is causing the
wilt symptoms.
Fusarium wilt is most severe
in light, sandy, slightly-acidic
soils, or in areas where infections
occurred in previous crops.
Fusarium infections may be
exacerbated by damage to the
roots from soil insects.
Identification: Early symptoms
of infection include wilting, often
on one side of the plant. The
leaves become dull green,
progressing to yellow. This is
usually followed by necrosis and
the eventual death of the plant.
The vascular tissue of infected
plants is yellowish-brown and
discoloured. Infected plants may
have a long, brownish streak at
the base of the stem.
Plants that do not die become
stunted. They produce fewer,
smaller, poorly formed fruit with
a reduced sugar content. Plants
infected, but not killed, early in
the season, may collapse later in
the season under a heavy fruit
load or stressful growing
conditions.
Fusarium wilt is easily
confused with verticillium wilt. In
Biology: Currently, there are four
identified races of F. oxysporum
niveum. Seedless (triploid)
varieties are commonly more
susceptible to the most common
races of this pathogen. When
selecting seed varieties it is
important to consider race resistance for both the commercial
variety and the pollenizer.
The pathogen is most active
between the temperatures of 2527 C. It survives for long periods
of time in the soil as
chlamydospores.
With fusarium, there is no
plant-to-plant spread and minimal
(if any) seed contamination.
Infections may be spread from
field-to-field through: the erosion
and deposition of soil or plant
debris; infected transplants; the
spreading of culls; and on farm
ELAINE RODDY
Quality Seed
Quality Service
equipment.
Don’t bring problems in to the
field! Inspect trays for
symptoms. Discard any plants
that have symptoms or appear
unhealthy. Properly disinfect
re-used trays after each crop of
transplants.
Management: Crop rotation will
have the single biggest impact on
the reduction of fusarium wilt.
All other methods of control are
incremental. Maintain a three-tofour-year rotation away from all
cucurbit crops.
Fumigants are seldom successful at controlling this disease.
Chlamydospores are essentially
survival structures that can outlive even the hostile conditions
created by fumigants. Also,
infested soil from below (or
between) the fumigated zone acts
as a fresh reservoir of spores for
infection.
In many regions, grafting has
been successfully used to manage
fusarium in melon crops.
Commercial varieties are grafted
on to resistant root stocks.
However, the cost, labour and
difficulties associated with
grafting have made it
uneconomical for most North
American melon growers.
Nevertheless the Ohio State
Race
Characteristics
Commercial Resistance
0 Little importance
Excellent
1 Predominant
Excellent for diploid
Limited for triploid
2 Highly aggressive
Occurs in 8 US states and 12
countries
Limited
3 Unknown
Overcomes resistance to
Race 2
University has an excellent
resource on grafting:
http://www.vegetablegrafting.org/
which may be useful for small
acreage or specialty melon
growers.
Proline 480 SC (prothioconazole) is registered for fusarium in
cucurbit crops as an at-planting
treatment, followed by foliar
applications. Research has shown
that Proline can reduce the severity of the disease; however the
level of control was not consistent
between years or locations studied.
Several researchers have
looked at the potential for
suppressing fusarium with cover
crops. It appears that hairy vetch
and crimson clover both have the
potential to reduce fusarium wilt
the following season. Depending
on the study, the decreases ranged
from 21 to 48 per cent. However,
suppression was inconsistent
under low disease levels or where
there was a low amount of cover
crop biomass produced. Once
again, the results were variable
depending on the year and the
location.
Other good agricultural
practices, such as maintaining the
target pH range, reducing soil
erosion, building soil quality and
managing soil insects will also
help to reduce the influence of
fusarium in watermelon crops.
Crop rotation will have the
single biggest impact on the
reduction of fusarium wilt. All
other methods of control are
incremental.
Quality Information
~ Quality Seed Since 1881 ~
Henry Zomer
(ON/MB/SK)
905-308-4396
Jim Robinson
(ON/MB)
905-715-8595
Rob Hovius
(ON/PEI/NB)
519-580-3231
Paul Banks
(ON/NS)
905-688-4300
Leah Erickson
(BC/AB)
604-957-2359
Marc André
Laberge (QC)
514-984-4589
Laura
Caralampides (QC)
514-984-0662
www.StokeSeeds.com
s&AX
3TOKES3EEDS,TD0/"OX4HOROLD/.,6%
PAGE 28 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
BITS AND BITES
CHC nuggets
The Canadian Horticultural
Council (CHC) annual general
meeting provides a wealth of
nuggets in its binder. Here are a
few.
The Canadian blueberry
industry is clearly composed of
two sub-sectors: high bush and
low bush, with the former being
principally located in British
Columbia and the latter in
Eastern Canada. The combined
farmgate values for the whole
sector amounted to just under
$246 million in 2014, representing a combined increase of more
than 31 per cent over 2013.
Both sub-sectors have
achieved significant improvements in farmgate values during
2014, with the low bush subsector seeing vast improvements,
principally in Quebec. Marketed
production has generally followed the same trend. Production
improvements at the farm appear
to be taking hold as, despite the
significant improvements in
values and marketed production,
bearing and cultivated areas have
not experienced significant
changes.
Phorate (Thimet 15-G) is a critical management tool to
control wireworms. It protects the
potato tuber from damage and is
lethal to wireworms. Over the
past year, the Canadian Potato
Council has been working to
continue the use of phorate in
potatoes for the control of
wireworm. Sale of phorate by
the registrant ended December
31, 2014 with the last use by
growers scheduled for August
2015.
A grower value and benefits
document was submitted to the
PMRA in May 2014 to outline
the changes in potato production
that have occurred since the 2004
PMRA decision was published.
Meetings with PMRA reviewers
and senior managers have bee
ongoing. The registrant submitted
new applications for registration
of phorate in October 2014, and
the CPC will continue to work
closely with both the registrant
and the PMRA to secure
continued use of phorate for the
2016 season and beyond.
Field vegetables held their own
and then some, according to
Statistics Canada. Canadian farm
cash receipts for field vegetables
came in at $1.17 billion in 2013,
representing an improvement of
3.3 per cent over 2012. All
provinces showed a gain except
Manitoba where receipts
decreased by 2.5 per cent. The
most significant change in 2013
occurred in Nova Scotia where
receipts improved by almost 23
per cent, the largest jump in the
province over the last six years.
The overall Canadian
distribution of vegetable farm
cash receipts did not change in
2013 as compared to 2012.
Ontario leads the way with 49 per
cent of the marketplace, followed
by Quebec.
Greenhouse vegetable trade
exports are amongst the highest
of all fresh produce (fruits,
vegetables and potatoes) in
Canada, accounting for 45 per
cent of all fresh product exports.
According to reports released in
January 2015, which provides
information up to the 2013
period, the Canadian trade
balance demonstrated a
significant movement upwards
for 2013 compared to the
previous two periods. Exports of
greenhouse vegetables totalled
$724.1 million while imports
were $259.1 million producing a
trade surplus of $465 million.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 29
THE GROWER
PAGE 30 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Agri-mek insecticide/miticide for control of spider mites on
hops in Canada
Crop
Target
Rate (mL/ha)
Applications
Hops
spider mites
including 2-spotted
mites
550 – 1,100 (1/2 trellis growth)
Maximum of 2
Interval (days)
PHI (days)
JIM CHAPUT
The Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of an URMULE registration for
Agri-mek insecticide/miticide for control
of spider mites on hops in Canada. Agrimek was already labeled for use on some
tree fruits, berries, celery, onions and
potatoes in Canada.
This minor use project was submitted
by Ontario in 2011 as a result of minor use
priorities established by growers and extension personnel.
The following is provided as an abbre-
21
28
At least 1,000 beyond ½ trellis growth
viated, general outline only. Make first
application when mites first appear but
before the economic threshold is exceeded.
Make a second application if monitoring
indicates that it is necessary. Users should
consult the complete label before using
Agri-mek.
This product is highly toxic to bees
exposed to direct treatment or residues on
blooming crops or weeds. Do not apply
this product or allow drift to blooming
crops or weeds if bees are visiting the
treatment area. Agri-mek is also toxic to
aquatic organisms, fish and wildlife. Do
not contaminate off-target areas or aquatic
habitats when spraying or when cleaning
and rinsing spray equipment or containers.
Follow all other precautions and directions
for use on the Agri-mek label carefully.
For a copy of the new minor use label
contact your local crop specialist, regional
supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Jim Chaput is minor use coordinator,
OMAFRA, Guelph
Sencor 75DF herbicide label for weed control in carrots
The Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of an URMULE registration for
Sencor 75DF herbicide for weed control on
carrots grown on mineral soil in Canada.
Sencor was already labeled for weed control on numerous crops in Canada.
Previously, Sencor was only approved for
use on processing carrots in Atlantic
Canada.
This minor use project was submitted
by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest
Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) in 2008
as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel
in Canada.
Crop
Target
Rate (g/ha)
Applications
Interval (days)
Carrots
Annual broadleaf
weeds
190
Apply when the 4th leaf is partially
expanded on carrots, followed by a 2nd
application when the 5th leaf is partially
expanded
Approx. 6 days
The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Do not apply
Sencor to carrots grown on muck soils.
Users should consult the complete label
before using Sencor.
Sencor herbicide should be used in an
integrated weed management program and
in rotation with other management
strategies to adequately manage resistance.
Do not contaminate off-target areas or
aquatic habitats when spraying or when
cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or
containers. The use of this chemical may
result in the contamination of groundwater
particularly in areas where soils are
permeable (i.e. sandy soil) and/or the depth
PHI (days)
60
to the water table is shallow.
Follow all other precautions and
directions for use on the Sencor label
carefully.
For a copy of the new minor use label
contact your local crop specialist, regional
supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 31
THE GROWER
PAGE 32 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Apogee plant growth regulator for runner suppression
in strawberries
JIM CHAPUT
The Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of an URMULE registration for
Apogee plant growth regulator for runner
suppression in strawberries in Canada.
Apogee was already labeled for use on
apples and cherries in Canada.
This minor use project was jointly
submitted by Agriculture & Agri-Food
Canada, Pest Management Centre
(AAFC-PMC) and US IR-4 in 2010 as a
result of minor use priorities established
by growers and extension personnel in
both countries.
The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Apply prior to
the beginning of runner initiation. Users
should consult the complete label before
using Apogee.
Do not contaminate off-target areas or
aquatic habitats when spraying or when
Crop
Target
Rate (g/ha)
Applications
Interval (days)
Strawberries
Runner suppression
135
Maximum of 3
PHI (days)
14 - 21
21
cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or
containers.
Follow all other precautions and
directions for use on the Apogee label
carefully.
We also wish to acknowledge the
personnel of the Pest Management
Regulatory Agency for evaluating this pest
management tool and BASF Canada Inc.
for supporting the label expansion in
Canada.
For a copy of the new minor use label
contact your local crop specialist, regional
supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/registranttitulaire/tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php
Jim Chaput is minor use coordinator,
OMAFRA, Guelph
Lontrel 360 herbicide for control of weeds on stone fruit
The Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of an URMULE registration for
Lontrel herbicide for control of weeds on
stone fruit (peaches, cherries, apricots,
plums, nectarines, etc.) in Canada. Lontrel
herbicide was already labeled for use on a
number of crops in Canada for control of
weeds.
This minor use project was submitted
by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest
Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) in 2013
as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel.
Crop
Target
Rate (L/ha)
Applications
Stone fruit, crop group 12-09
Weeds including vetch
0.42 – 0.83
1 (One)
The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Apply in the
spring for best results. Note also that a spot
treatment for vetch is also permitted. Users
should consult the complete label before
using Lontrel herbicide.
Lontrel herbicide is toxic to non-target
terrestrial plants. Do not apply this product
or allow drift to other crops or non-target
areas. The use of this chemical may result
in contamination of groundwater particularly in areas where soils are permeable
and/or the depth to the water table is shallow. Do not contaminate off-target areas or
aquatic habitats when spraying or when
cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or
PHI (days)
30
containers.
Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Lontrel label carefully.
For a copy of the new minor use label
contact your local crop specialist, regional
supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/registranttitulaire/tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php
Gowan adds Spotted
Wing Drosophila to
Canadian Imidan label
Gowan Agro Canada had
added Spotted Wing Drosophila
(SWD) to the Imidan 70WP
Instapak Canadian label. This
new registration allows apple,
blueberry, tart cherry, grape,
peach, pear and plum growers to
maintain fruit quality by protecting against SWD damage.
Damage is caused when SWD
females lay their eggs inside
intact fruit before it can be harvested. SWD larvae hatch, begin
to feed and the affected fruit
becomes soft and unmarketable.
Gowan Company has had
SWD on its U.S. Imidan label for
the past few seasons and it’s
proven to be a valuable tool in
the fight against SWD. “Spotted
Wing Drosophila is a new pest in
Canada and even though Imidan
is a mature product, fruit growers
asked us to add SWD to the label
because they needed help to control this insect,” said Garth
Render, general manager of
Gowan Agro Canada. “Staying
true to its roots, the Gowan
Company responded to customer
needs, investing resources to add
SWD to the Canadian label for
this relatively small market.
Gowan is a small, family-owned
company and we think of growers
as extended family. That’s the
Gowan culture.”
Imidan 70WP is a broad-spectrum organophosphate and contains a Group 1B insecticide. It
controls a number of different
insects in many fruit crops.
Source: Gowan news release
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 33
THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Fontelis fungicide for management of diseases of celery, celeriac
and greenhouse eggplant in Canada
The Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of URMULE registrations for
Fontelis fungicide for control of late blight
on celery and celeriac, control of gray
mold and suppression of early blight on
greenhouse eggplant in Canada. Fontelis
fungicide was already labeled for use on a
number of crops in Canada for several diseases.
The minor use project for celery and
celeriac was sponsored by the Quebec
Horticultural Council (CQH) in 2014 and
the project for greenhouse eggplant was
sponsored by the Ontario Greenhouse
Crop
Target
Rate (L/ha)
Applications
Celery, celeriac
Late blight caused by Septoria apiicola
1.0 – 1.75
Maximum of 3
7 - 14
3
GH eggplant
Botrytis gray mold (control), early
blight (suppression)
1.25 – 1.75
Maximum of 3
7 - 10
0
Vegetable Growers (OGVG) in 2013 as a
result of minor use priorities established by
growers and extension personnel.
The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Users should
consult the complete label before using
Fontelis fungicide.
Do not apply this product or allow drift
to other crops or non-target areas. Fontelis
fungicide is toxic to aquatic organisms. Do
not contaminate off-target areas or aquatic
habitats when spraying or when cleaning
and rinsing spray equipment or containers.
Follow all other precautions and direc-
Interval (days)
PHI (days)
tions for use on the Fontelis label carefully.
For a copy of the new minor use label
contact your local crop specialist, regional
supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/registranttitulaire/tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php
Venture L herbicide for control of grassy weeds on peanuts
The Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of an URMULE registration for
Venture L herbicide for control of grassy
weeds on peanuts in Canada. Venture
herbicide was already labeled for use on
many field crops, horticultural food and
non-food crops in Canada.
This minor use project was submitted
by Ontario in 2014 as a result of minor use
priorities established by growers and
extension personnel.
Crop
Target
Rate (L/ha)
Applications
Peanuts
Grassy weeds
up to 2.0 L
Maximum of 1
The following is provided as an
abbreviated, general outline only. Apply as
a post-emergent application. Users should
consult the complete label before using
Venture herbicide.
Do not apply this product or allow drift
to other crops or non-target areas. Venture
herbicide is also toxic to aquatic organisms. Do not contaminate off-target areas
or aquatic habitats when spraying or when
cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or
containers.
Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Venture label carefully.
PHI (days)
REI (days)
40
5
For a copy of the new minor use label
contact your local crop specialist, regional
supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/registranttitulaire/tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php
BIOTECHNOLOGY
GMO potato variety receives FDA approval
Comparison of an Innate potato (L) and a traditional potato 10
hours after being cut. Source: Dr. Joe Guenthner.
The J.R. Simplot Company has
completed the food and feed
safety consultation with the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA)
for its first generation of Innate
potato varieties. The FDA
concluded the Innate potato is as
safe and nutritious as
conventional potatoes.
Simplot is working with
growers and retailers to bring to
the U.S. market several popular
potato varieties with improved
traits that benefit consumers, food
producers, and growers.
Innate potatoes have fewer
black spots from bruising, stay
whiter longer when cut or peeled,
and have lower levels of naturally-occurring asparagine, resulting
in less acrylamide when cooked
at high temperatures. Innate
potatoes are also less prone to
pressure bruising during storage,
resulting in less potato waste and
potentially millions of dollars in
savings to growers every year.
Because the Innate potato
provides significant benefits
consumers want, including less
bruising, less waste and more
convenience, Simplot will
recommend to growers and retail
partners that they accurately
promote and market these
exclusive features on relevant
packaging.
The FDA statement, on March
23, comes after the recent U. S.
Department of Agriculture
deregulation of Innate potatoes.
The FDA’s safety consultation on
Innate potatoes was voluntarily
requested by Simplot as a further
evaluation of the Innate
technology which has been in
development for more than a
decade.
These federal clearances
involved years of technical
review and a thorough public
comment period that drew the
support of 14 leading potato
research universities in the U.S.
and Europe.
“The Innate potato is the most
promising advancement in the
potato industry I've seen in my 30
years studying agriculture,” said
David S. Douches, Ph.D. at the
Department of Crop and Soil
Sciences at Michigan State
University who has implemented
field trials of Innate. “This potato
delivers significant health and
sustainability benefits, all by
using the potato’s own DNA.
Such advancements haven't been
possible using traditional
breeding.”
Simplot used the techniques of
modern biotechnology to
accelerate the traditional breeding
process and introduce new traits
by triggering the potato’s own
RNA interference (RNAi)
pathway.
RNAi is a natural cellular
process commonly used by plants
and animals to modulate
expression of certain genes, and
has been used effectively in
multiple commercial crops sold
over the last decade. “Unlike
traditional methods of breeding
which introduce random
mutations associated with dozens
of genes, the method used to
develop Innate potatoes is
precise,” said Douches.
The three Innate varieties are
expected to be available in
limited quantities beginning in
2015 in the fresh and fresh-cut
markets where the sustainability,
higher quality and health benefits
have significant value to growers
and consumers.
A second generation of Innate
potatoes, currently under review
by the USDA and the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency, will offer two additional
improvements to the potato,
including increased resistance to
late blight disease and better
storability. These advantages will
create significant sustainability
advances, such as reduced
reliance on fungicides and fewer
rejected potatoes.
“The potato is an important
and nutritious food staple, but
susceptible to damage when
grown and stored,” said Haven
Baker, vice president and general
manager of Simplot Plant
Sciences. “Innate has the
potential to reduce post-harvest
food waste and help meet the
demand for better, more sustainable crops in the years ahead.”
Source: J. R. Simplot news
release
PAGE 34 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
MINOR USE
CRAIG’S COMMENTS
Family first
CRAIG HUNTER
OFVGA
Back in 1983 when our son
was born, The Grower inserted a
small announcement to that
effect. I was honoured and
humbled because I had no idea
who or how that was done- long
before I ever joined the OFVGA.
We regularly (too often these
days) acknowledge the passing of
those individuals in the industry
that have made a lasting contribution. Just last month it was Art
Kemp who passed at 100 years of
age. He was the longest surviving
past-president of OFVGA, and
now that mantle falls to Dr. John
Brown, also a past executive
director of OFVGA, with whom I
have worked in the past on Minor
Use facilitation projects. All this
is to say that we should not forget
who created the past successes of
OFVGA so the current successes
of our growers can even be
contemplated.
In early February I sat and had
lunch at the latest Ontario Fruit
and Vegetable Convention in
Niagara Falls with three past
chairs: Hector Delange, Gary
Cooper, and Ken Porteous. We
played that game about “Do you
remember –him, her, that, when,
how, etc.” Their collective
experience was later augmented
when another past president
joined us: Peter Lindley. Peter
will be inducted into the Ontario
Agricultural Hall of Fame this
summer. In spite of the honour
that will be bestowed on him, he
questioned whether anyone in
government will ask or heed his
opinion on current issues. (They
should and they had better, in my
opinion) In a sense, the past
presidents collectively represent
for us the original intended role
of our Senate -- unbiased
knowledge and advice. Their
knowledge and steadfastness
should be not only sought out, but
cherished by those making tough
policy decisions.
Later on that day I met up with
Earl Muir, a tender fruit producer
in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He was
there with his daughter Anne with
whom he operates their fifthgeneration family farm. He
chatted to me about his granddaughter who is now a student at
Guelph. (Time flies) Earl was a
long-time member of the Ontario
Pesticides Advisory Committee
and our terms almost overlapped.
I have been on it for over 18
years and he was there for about
that time too. Our input gave a
horticultural perspective that is
needed to understand the impact
of some pesticide use decisions.
This is just another example of
the ways that our members have
contributed over the years. Earl
had also been an Extension
Specialist early in his career
before going back to take over the
family farm. The experiences
gained in that early job I am sure
had a bearing on some farm
practices he uses today. He still
keeps an active role on his farm,
and I would expect that to
continue (forever).
I had a chance to catch up with
several former colleagues from
OMAFRA, and to find out who
was retiring. (I almost wished I
had not asked, because the answer
is scary) It seems that there is a
plethora of retirements this late
winter and spring. They include
Margaret Appleby who took on
the IPM Systems role after that
last big shuffle of staff responsibilities. Her background included
managing an apple orchard so she
brought that farm production
knowledge to her role. It is hard
to find these days, and almost
impossible to replace. Leslie
Huffman was the Apple Specialist
in her latest role at OMAFRA,
but she had been the Hort. Weeds
Specialist as well as also being a
regional Horticultural Specialist.
She too has an orchard production
background, and with her family
continues to make advances in
fruit production. The greenhouse
sectors, both vegetables and
ornamentals, have lost their IPM
specialists. Gillian Ferguson and
Graham Murphy were hired when
Food Systems 2002 was being
created. They were able to invent
their roles, and both became
well-respected specialists here in
Ontario and abroad as well for the
knowledge base they accumulated. They both took very active
roles at the annual Minor Use
meetings, representing the needs
of their sectors. Once again, this
knowledge on which our growers
have come to depend upon is
gone in a flash. It will take just as
long for their successors to build
up that knowledge and credibility.
One day at a time!
OMAFRA is losing staff in
other areas as well. I understand
that many of the engineering staff
(who all started at about the same
time) are now leaving together. In
the Field Crops area, a couple
more significant departures have
been announced. Greg Stewart
has been the incumbent corn
specialist since the position was
created with coercion from the
former Ontario Corn Producers.
Once again, his collective experience in that job and formerly at
the U of Guelph will be missed
by growers. He is joined by Peter
Johnson. Peter was one of those
staff that managers loved and
hated at the same time. He had
opinions on most agricultural
subjects and was never afraid to
express them, regardless of ministry policy or direction. He also
locked horns with co-workers and
consultants on occasion. His duels
with Pat Lynch are legendary!
In the end, all of these staff
members were on the farmers’
side, and that will be their legacy.
The need for independent,
unbiased knowledge will always
remain as farmers sort out the
truth from the rhetoric.
I was at the annual meeting of
the Pest Management Regulatory
Agency’s advisory committee in
late February. They too are seeing
retirements, and another was
announced there. Each one makes
me do a flip back in the memory
bank to recall what they did, and
assess the impact of their leaving.
It was no surprise to me to
remember a long discussion with
one staff member on ‘why things
were like they were’ and what
growers could (should) do to
mitigate or to change them. It was
Peter Lindley, a past-president of OFVGA, will be inducted into
the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame in June.
Margaret Appleby, OMAFRA IPM specialist, will retire in June.
Photo by Denis Cahill.
good advice that I can look back
upon as being almost a ‘Cri de
Coeur’ from someone who too
did not like some of the current
realities of those days but was
unable to get a fix done internally. A two-hour discussion
between insomniacs at a meeting
far away had untold benefit for
years afterward.
Things have changed, and
mostly for the better. It just
always takes too much time, and
rarely meets all our needs!
This year, those meetings were
held with a new board that
never-the-less had many familiar
faces. That experience at the table
certainly allowed a faster uptake,
assimilation, and then recommendations. There are many fires
burning, many plates twirling on
sticks, and much juggling going
on simultaneously at PMRA. Its
next five-year plan must deal with
these, and I believe it received
good advice from the committee.
Time will tell, and above all else,
I hope that Health Canada recognizes the strides that have been
taken over the past five years.
In spite of the many retirements, it is also a time for
renewal. In my own family, I
would like to announce the safe
arrival for my daughter Rebecca
and her partner Leigh of my first
grand-daughter: Hayden Hazel
Eady entered this world Feb. 4th.
This is cause for celebration in
our family and a good omen for
our collective futures. Someone
will need to be around to re-fill
the jobs at hand today, right about
the time when she will be
finishing her education!
One just can’t plan too far into
the future!
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE 35
THE GROWER
PAGE 36 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
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THE GROWER
APRIL 2015
CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION
SECTION B
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
Alternative water treatments that don’t cost the earth
The canals of Ontario’s Holland Marsh are the lifeblood for 7,000 acres of intensely farmed muck soils. The Holland Marsh Growers’ Association is active in stewardship
initiatives to treat not only washwater, but settling ponds. In the future, floating rafts may be employed to remove unwanted nutrients from canal water.
Photo by Glenn Lowson.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Bond Head, ON -- The Holland
Marsh Growers’ Association
(HMGA) is half way through a
three-year, $2.1 million water
management project. Lessons
were shared at a recent seminar
that heartened the spirits of growers under increased environmental
regulations.
One speaker, Riley Milligan,
Ontario Ministry of Northern
Development and Mines, talked
about the geology of the Marsh,
describing different soil layers
and the 50-foot shallow aquifer
and another deeper one at the
southern end. Water moves
laterally and vertically, so a 3-D
understanding of the area is
important. Growers have the
bounty of not only Lake Simcoe
but an additional water source
supplying their crops. With that
abundant water resource comes
responsibility of stewardship,
especially as so much water is
used to wash produce before it
goes to market.
“We’re looking for holistic
solutions to manage water in the
Marsh,” says Charles Lalonde,
HMGA water project manager.
“Let’s clean up the dirt before it
gets to settling ponds.”
To meet standards of the
Ontario Ministry of the
Environment and Climate Change
(MOECC), the focus is to
decrease phosphorus emissions
and turbidity of the water -- the
suspended materials in the water
which have a large impact on fish
in streams. These include soil
particles -- clay, silt, sand and
muck – as well as phosphorus and
nitrogen.
Lalonde explains that potential
solutions for improving water
clarity are flocculants, agents that
“
We’re looking for
holistic solutions to
manage water in the
Marsh. Let’s clean up
the dirt before it gets
to settling ponds.”
~ Charles Lalonde
will clean wash water before
being released to settling ponds.
Alum is one example of a
flocculent that can cause fine
particulates to clump together.
The “floc” then sinks to the
bottom of the liquid, similar to
the milk layer below the cream of
unpasteurized milk.
Add to that a promising
technology called Geotube
dewatering containers. These
units are constructed of a
specially-engineered, dualfilament polypropylene textile
that are formed with a high
strength patented seaming process
that can withstand a high flow of
sludge or contaminated water
being pumped through them.
Solid materials accumulate within
the tube that also trap much of the
nitrogen and phosphorus. Once
the Geotube is filled with solids,
it continues to dewater and go
through aerobic digestion over
time so the captured nutrients can
be reused by the grower for crops
instead of being released into the
water environment.
The objective is not to pay for
removing water, but to remove
only the dewatered beneficial
solids. The water could be reused
for irrigation or treated and
reused within processing facilities
says Don Bishop, president and
chief technology officer for
Bishop Water Technologies.
The Geotube dewatering
system has been around for more
than 50 years but only within the
last decade has it been recognized
and used in Canada. Numerous
municipalities are now using it to
dewater the waste sludge from
their waste water or water treatment plants as well as to clean
out their sludge lagoons. The
Perth Water Treatment Plant is
the most recent. Where a traditional solution would have cost
$7 million, the Geotube solution
cost the municipality just $1.25
million. Costs would be
considerably lower for on-farm
treatment as flow rates and
volume will be less.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
PAGE B2 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
Water-abundant Ontario can learn from other regions
REBECCA SHORTT
Ontario is blessed with lots of
water, particularly when compared to other regions in North
America with significant horticultural production. However, no
supply is endless. Of all the water
in the Great Lakes, only one per
cent is renewable. But of that one
per cent (663 BL/d), the USGS
estimates that only one per cent is
currently being consumed (used
and not returned to the Great
Lakes Basin)1. This is good
news; the Great Lakes Basin is
not currently in a water supply
crisis. In some regions, however,
water supplies can become
strained in dry years, even in this
province of plentiful water.
What can the horticultural sector do to address these challenged
regions and also look at growing
the economic activity of the
horticultural sector through
increased water use and increased
production?
All Ontarians are concerned
about water supplies and seeing
them be sustained into the future.
The agricultural sector in Ontario
pays for the full cost of water
supply and treatment of their
water. Bearing the full cost
naturally encourages
conservation. All farm water
users and irrigators in particular,
have an opportunity to
proactively describe and promote
the activities on their operations
that lead to efficient use of water.
Demonstration of stewardship
practices is important as news
stories from drought stricken
regions can lead to questions
about how much and how
carefully agricultural producers
manage water. There are many
positive messages about irrigation
in Ontario. All Ontario irrigation
is mechanised which is accepted
as more efficient than low
technology surface irrigation
(flooding, border strip or furrow).
More than 95 per cent of Ontario
irrigators develop a water supply
on their farm property avoiding
any potential water losses through
long distribution systems. Living
near to their water supply also
naturally encourages vested
interest in the sustainable use of
that supply. Note that modern
distribution systems, such as the
irrigation pipeline near
Leamington, have little to no
losses as compared to open canal
systems from other countries
which are often pictured when
describing irrigation infrastructure. In fact, investment in
Ontario in modern irrigation
water distribution systems is an
opportunity to increase the level
of water use measurement,
monitoring, and would allow
growers to access more robust
and sustainable water supplies.
Ontario has a relatively long
history of robust water
management. Both surface water
(streams and ponds) and ground
water (wells) have been regulated
through the Permit To Take
Water program under the Ontario
Water Resources Act (OWRA)
since 1963. Ontario water taking
regulation is intended to protect
all water users from encroaching
water use. It is also intended to
protect water supplies from being
over pumped such as we see in
California today2. In California
the recent extreme drought has
Photo by Glenn Lowson
led to the mining of ground water
supplies. In 2014 growers spent
$5M more in pumping costs over
2013 and 1,500 to 2,000 new
wells were drilled2. Over the
years ground water pumping has
led to some farms experiencing
land subsidence of 10m (land
dropping into the empty space left
after water is removed from the
aquifer). In 2014 large areas in
the San Joaquin Valley dropped
by 25cm in six months leading to
damage of roads and canals2.
Increased irrigation pumping of
ground water also leads to salt
water from the oceans intruding
into the coastal aquifers. Sea
intrusion is increasing in coastal
zones such as the Salinas and
Pajaro Valleys which produce 70
per cent of the U.S. lettuce
supply3. Until recently there was
limited legislated control on
ground water pumping in
California. Voluntary ground
water management was introduced in 1992. The California
Sustainable Groundwater Act was
implemented in 2014. Growers in
The ‘AQUA Wetland System’
“A new breed of constructed wetland”
AQUA Treatment Technologies Inc. designs and installs the ‘AQUA Wetland System’ (AWS) for tertiary
treatment of many types of waste water including sanitary sewage, landfill leachate, dairy farm & abattoir
wastewater, greenhouse irrigation leachate water &
mushroom farm leachate water (i.e. manure pile
leachate) and high strength winery washwater.
The ‘AQUA Wetland System’ is operated out of doors
and can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of wastewater. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetland
consists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture
tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically from
cell to cell. There is no open or standing water.
Treatment occurs through physical filtration & biological
degradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells, cycling
nutrients while preventing algae growth. There is no
production of sludge.
The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental
Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of ‘small
flow’ winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include
Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include:
1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett’s Apple and Cider in Ancaster
2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm
Winery in Niagara
3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water
For additional information please Contact Lloyd
Rozema at: cell. 905-327-4571
email. [email protected]
Ontario can look to the OWRA as
part of the scheme which drives
the sustainability of water use
growth in Ontario. Ontario
applicants for new or increased
Permits to Take Water must
demonstrate the new water taking
will not impact other existing
water users or the natural
environment. Detailed information on ground water supplies has
been developed in some regions
of Ontario through the source
water protection studies and
recent work by the Ontario
Geological Society. This information can be requested from the
local Conservation Authority, can
be helpful in supporting PTTW
applications and may help defray
some costs associated with a
PTTW water taking study.
Working with the Ministry of the
Environment and Climate Change
(MOECC) we can see that robust
and fair regulation is a benefit to
all water users in Ontario.
Improving irrigation efficiency
has three main areas of activity:
Right time and amount, right
place and taking advantage of
potential productivity gains (such
as fertigation or other practices
which increased the productivity,
thereby increasing the water use
productivity). Irrigation
Scheduling is the practice of
determining the right time and
amount to irrigate. Determining
the right time to irrigate and the
right amount to apply can be a
challenge particularly with
Ontario’s changeable summer
temperatures and significant but
unpredictable rainfalls. Both
weather data and soil moisture
data can refine irrigation
decisions. One thing that
California does well is their
extensive weather monitoring
system which can be used for
irrigation scheduling. The
California Irrigation Management
Information System (CIMIS), is a
state funded initiative with many
partners covering >145 automated
weather stations. British
Columbia also has a
network of weather monitoring
which is linked to an on-line
irrigation scheduling software.
This web software will work in
Ontario and it is able to
automatically ingest Environment
Canada weather station data
(http://agricultural-calculator.
irrigationbc.com). Growers in
southern Ontario can access
excellent Evapotranspiration (ET)
data and other weather information from Weather Innovations
(www.vineinnovations.com,
www.onpotatoes.ca,
www.turfmonitor.com). In
2013/14 the development of these
websites was funded by Farm and
Food Care under a special
Growing Forward 2, a federalprovincial-territorial initiative.
Weather Innovations is a private
company and growers have an
opportunity to come together to
support ongoing service.
We can’t manage what we
don’t measure. Irrigators in
Ontario need to increase the use
of technology in measuring water
use. Time vs pumping rates are
helpful ways to record water use
but metering leads to a superior
understanding of where and when
water is being used. The results
may be surprising. Similarly, soil
moisture monitoring is another
tool which is getting easier and
less costly to use (www.omafra.
gov.on.ca/english/engineer/
irrigation.htm). OMAFRA experience suggests that these tools help
farmers demonstrate their
efficient use of water and often
result in increased frequency of
irrigation leading to better quality
production and resulting in higher
water use efficiency (more
economic value per drop of
water).
Water means opportunities.
Let Ontario horticulture master
the flow.
1. Howard W. Reeves, 2010,
Water Availability and Use Pilot:
A Multi Scale Assessment in the
US Great Lakes Basin. US
Geological Survey Professional
Paper 1778.
2. Dr. Thomas Harter, UC Davis.
The Future of Ground Water
Management in California.
University of Waterloo, The
Water Institute lecture series.
Jan 29, 2015. Waterloo Ontario,
Canada.
3. Michael Cahn, UC cooperative
extension. ASA CSSA SSSA
International Annual Meeting.
Nov 5, 2014. Long Beach
California, USA.
Rebecca Shortt is OMAFRA’s
water quantity engineer.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE B3
THE GROWER
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
Alternative water treatments that don’t cost the earth
Geotube dewatering system
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
It can be operated as a batch or flow
process and with the data on what the
processor’s waste stream is, the company
can calculate very accurately the process
need and costing says Bishop.
Another alternative technology, BioCord
reactors, have been around for 30 years yet
still are almost unknown in Canada. They
have been tested and enhanced by Bishop
Water Technologies to remove unwanted
nutrients from agricultural settling ponds or
streams.
The reactors are basically a floating raft
with multiple strands of braided, looped
BioCord rope hung below. They act as a
substrate to attract different types of
beneficial bacteria that will remove the
nutrients from the water. There are 10
different types of BioCord that use
different types of fibers and a selection of
surface area to attract the most beneficial
bacteria. It’s a low-tech system that can
deal with algae blooms because it’s
removing phosphorus and nitrogen from
the water.
“Think of it as an apartment building for
the bacteria to live in,” says Bishop.
BioCord can be installed on stainless
steel racks or fixed to a surface frame.
Coarse air diffusers slough off the
excessive biofilm growth during high
loading periods. Fine bubble diffusers are
used to feed the bacteria in closed intensive
systems, as in waste water treatment for
food processing, or existing lagoons that
are not meeting discharge criteria. In the
natural environment, the available
dissolved oxygen is efficient in most cases.
It’s not inconceivable that the Holland
Marsh canals could be “seeded” with
floating BioCord islands however the
original source has to be dealt with first.
Lalonde says that assessments are required
as to placement and how many are needed
for best results. If the concept works, it
would be a highly visual project that could
communicate to the broader public how
growers are proactively looking after the
water resource.
New BioCords in the water column before bacterial seeding
BioCord raft working with aquatic plants to greatly increase nutrient uptake
Improving irrigation efficiency in orchards and vineyards
KATHRYN CARTER AND
REBECCA SHORTT
In 2013 funding from WRAMI
allowed the tender fruit, apple
and grape growers to conduct a
research project aimed at evaluating the accuracy, user friendliness
and cost of three different moisture probes in seven orchards and
vineyards across Ontario. The
results of this project showed that
Decagon EC-5 probes were preferred over the other probes due
to their cost, reliability and ease
of use. Additionally, results
showed considerable differences
in soil moisture levels in different
soil types. Despite the above
average rainfall in 2013, we
determined that irrigation efficiency (timing and amount of
water applied) in both orchards
and vineyards can be improved.
This year’s project focuses on
automating and adapting existing
soil moisture monitoring
systems, as well as installing
automated stations in new sites,
to allow growers to view real
time soil moisture measurements
The nearby irrigation pond is insurance for when extra water is
needed at the Flat Rock Cellars vineyard, Lincoln, Ontario.
on FruitTracker. The information
presented (ideal irrigation
trigger, permanent wilting point
and field capacity) will assist
growers in determining the
timing and need for irrigation
application. Growers who are set
up to do so will also be able to
view their soil moisture measurements (12” and 24”) online and
use this information to
determine if they have over or
under irrigated.
Objectives of the project:
1. Allow growers to use soil
moisture sensors and FruitTracker
to determine if adequate moisture
has been applied to the fields and
when to irrigate. To provide
growers with information to
determine if they have over or
under irrigated fields.
2. Assist growers in recording
irrigation events and preparing
reports on water use for
permit to take water applications.
Status of project
Soil moisture probes have
been set up across the province at
all sites. We are working
out some issues with the automation equipment. We are in the
process of finalizing the
presentation of the data on
FruitTracker and WIN site.
Weekly conference calls on
Thursdays are being hosted to
disseminate information to growers involved in the project.
Kathryn Carter is tender fruit and
grape specialist, OMAFRA and
Rebecca Shortt is irrigation
specialist, OMAFRA
PAGE B4 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
Results from the Water Adaptation Management and Quality
Initiative
MICAH SHEARER-KUDEL
Over the last year, the Water
Adaptation Management and
Quality Initiative (WAMQI) project has provided $1.26 million in
funding for 28 water and nutrient
use efficiency projects carried out
by academic institutions, conservation authorities, universities,
and commodity organizations.
Many projects had a focus of
water use efficiency and developing and improving irrigation technologies. Three of these projects
are highlighted below.
1. Removing salt from greenhouse circulation water
Greenhouses provide a unique
opportunity to reuse water,
though after water is used, it must
be treated in order to be reused.
This is where Enpar
Technologies’ innovative electrostatic deionization technology
comes into use.
The goal of this project and its
technology was to achieve greater
than 85 per cent water recovery,
significantly reducing the cost
associated with waste management and disposal. The technology was optimized for an 88 per
cent recovery and was cost-effective to be used for greenhouse
water treatment and recirculation
purposes.
But how does it work? The
capacitive deionization (CDI)
process is a low-pressure, nonmembrane process that removes
dissolved ions from a water
stream in the presence of an
electrical field. In general, water
from the greenhouse sump is
pumped through cells that contain
the charged electrode plates. The
electrodes attract and retain ions
on the electrode surfaces. As the
ions build up on the surface of
the electrodes the cells lose
efficiency so that treated water
produced at the start of the cycle
has lowest conductivity, and conductivity gradually increases until
a pre-set maximum is reached.
The treated water exits the
system as a high volume with low
The ESD system was used at a greenhouse in Leamington, Ontario
to ensure it could achieve greater than 85 per cent water recovery.
total dissolved solids (TDS) content. For every 10 liters into the
cells, 8.5 liters can return to the
system for reuse and 1.5 liters of
water-salt concentrate requiring
disposal is produced. From its
findings, Enpar concludes: “The
ESD system has been shown as a
viable option for recycle and
reuse of greenhouse leach water.”
2. Adding air is a new twist on
subsurface irrigation
Subsurface drip irrigation
(SDI) is becoming a popular type
of technology for farmers in
southern Ontario given that the
impacts of drought are still fresh
in many farmers’ minds following the dry 2012 growing season.
University of Guelph Simcoe
Research Station has been at the
forefront of this technology along
with several local farms located
on the sandy Norfolk Sand Plains.
Peter White at the Simcoe
Research Station received funding from WAMQI to research the
effectiveness of SDI for field
corn in 2014 and 2015, and
expanded the project under
WAMQI to include a study of
aeration of field vegetables using
SDI.
Researchers in Egypt and
Israel have found that when vegetables are drip irrigated using
sub surface technology, the root
zone can become saturated and
that crop yields are improved by
adding air to the buried drip tape
water. Air was added using a
simple Venturi nozzle at the
beginning of the row. The trial
compared regular subsurface
(buried) drip line against air
added and air plus a surfactant to
keep the bubbles longer.
Due to the wet year, the
research did not indicate a benefit
from the aeration in the trial on
tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers or
sweet corn, but 2014 was not a
good summer to be testing any
irrigation technology as rain provided plenty of water for crops.
As such, the studies will likely
continue next summer.
3. Using ground covers to maximize water use efficiency
Currently, in Ontario there are
more than 7,419 acres of tender
fruit orchards with peaches making up the majority at 4,469.
Many of these orchards are not
irrigated but with the changing
climate, warmer temperatures and
prolonged dry conditions, irrigation may become a requirement
in this sector. Taking this information into account, University
of Guelph researcher John
Zandstra conducted experiments
at the Cedar Springs Research
Station using ground covers to
determine their ability to retain
moisture in the soil and reduce
the need for supplemental irrigation or installation of irrigation
equipment for peach trees.
Treatment combinations compared bare soil, drip irrigation and
mushroom or wood chip mulch
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE B5
THE GROWER
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
Results from the Water Adaptation Management and Quality
Initiative
Researcher Peter White demonstrates how subsurface drip irrigation can be used to
deliver oxygen to crops to boost yields.
Cumulative crop yields over a
three-year period were increased
by 71 per cent and 44 per cent in
plots where spent mushroom
compost was applied as a ground
cover when compared to nonirrigated and irrigated bare soil
plots respectively. Wood chips
were not as effective, but yields
were increased by 36 per cent and
John Zandstra stands next to a peach tree where he hoped to gain some insight
into the efficacy of ground covers to improve soil moisture retention.
15 per cent when compared to
non- irrigated and irrigated bare
soil respectively. During a
drought year, the advantages of
this cover system will be most
quantifiable.
To learn more about all 28
WAMQI projects, including
videos and a project results
booklet visit
www.farmfoodcare.org/
environment.
Micah Shearer-Kudel is with
Farm & Food Care.
MAY 2015 - Book by April 15
A program designed to help
Ontario farmers with
water taking permit needs
CALL ABE FIRST
FOR BETTER PRICES, MORE
CHOICES, FAST, AND FRIENDLY
SERVICE. BUY A DIESEL ENGINE
PUMP UNIT FROM THE
DIESEL MECHANIC.
Mr. Shearer’s mandate is to provide surface water taking permit
and impact study services to agricultural water takers throughout
the Province of Ontario. The purpose for the development of this
position at the OFVGA was to lessen the confusion and costs to
farmers of the required water taking permit process and
subsequent studies.
Mr. Shearer will assess clients’ needs in terms of support
required in order to successfully complete their PTTW
application as well as to assist clients to assess best options
for water taking given cost and regulatory constraints.
G
W
eorge Shearer
ater Specialist
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
105-355 Elmira Road North Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5
p: 519-763-6160 ext. 219 c: 519-222-3272
[email protected]
f: 519-763-6604
NEW IRRIGATION PUMP
UNITS ON TRAILER
• Cummin 4 cyl & 6 cyl
• John Deere, 4 cyl & 6 cyl
• Iveco/Cummins, 4 cyl & 6 cyl
• Kubota & Deutz etc, etc.
• Perkins-Cat
Rovatti Pumps
Berkeley Pumps, etc.
And many more new or
used up to 550 HP.
We build them all big or small.
Also couplers, hoses, clamps, for
suction, camlock, ringlock, bauer
etc.
A. KOOLMEES
R.R. 1, Otterville, ON N0J 1R0
(519) 879-6878
Fax: (519) 879-6319
Special focus: Grapes,
berries, vineyards and
wineries
Call Herb Sherwood
to book advertising space
519-380-0118
Pipe
& Fittings
for Water Systems
• PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper
• Stainless, Brass, Steel
Product Lines
• Drip & Micro Irrigation
• Septic & Sewer
• Drainage & Culverts
• Berkeley Water Pumps
Winona Concrete
& Pipe Products Ltd.
489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4
[email protected]
Phone (905) 945-8515
Fax: (905) 945-1149
or call toll-free
1-800-361-8515
PAGE B6 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
Improve water uniformity and crop quality
with two new technologies
What could be improved about
drip tape? It doesn’t always work
efficiently in undulating fields,
says Christian Houle, irrigation
manager for Dubois
Agrinovation. With differences in
elevation, the water flow may not
be consistent.
The company offers a PBX FC
which controls the flow under
various pressures. The PBX
creates more turbulence to move
sediments through the system and
resists clogging. The resins in the
tape are more supple allowing a
higher water pressure without
increasing the flow. Houle says
this tape offers 25 per cent more
efficiency over standard tape.
“What you’re buying is more
uniformity,” says Houle.
The company is also offering a
new retractable low tunnel
(Tunnel Flex), after three years of
research under Canadian
conditions. It‘s three times less
expensive than high tunnels, but
provides more protection than
row covers. The structure can be
moved which is ideal for growers
who are on rented land.
Originally manufactured and
distributed in Europe, it’s now
available in Canada. The hoops
A miniature model of the new Tunnel Flex retractable low tunnel was on display at the Dubois
Agrinovation booth at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. Photo by Denis Cahill.
are durable, with clear thermal
film perforated on both sides and
bungee elastics. These elastics
keep the structure in place. The
microclimate can be adjusted by
raising or dropping the plastic
film for rain and wind protection.
Strawberries, for instance,
don’t like to be wet. There is less
disease caused by water with
protection against hail, wind and
heavy rain. This production
system can extend the season and
be used for day-neutral
production.
As Houle points out, this
system can be used with
ProtekNet insect netting against
Spotted Wing Drosophila. The kit
allows producers to cover four
beds of 28” – 30’’ by 410’ long.
The kit can be modified to suit
specifications.
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE B7
THE GROWER
FOCUS: WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION
PHILLIPS FARM
SUPPLIES
Source protection plans underway
1-800-811-6238
[email protected]
SPRAYING EQUIPMENT
OUR SPECIALITY
have been
YOU to the rest,
call the
NOW BEST!!
NEW . . USED . . SERVICE
YOUR SOURCE FOR
JOHN BEAN AND
DURAND-WAYLAND
WARWICK
ORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD.
R.R. #8 Watford, Ontario N0M 2S0
Tel: (519) 849-6730 Toll free: 877-550-7412
Fax: (519) 849-6731
Email: [email protected]
Munckhof Orchard Sprayers
Votex Shredders and Mowers
Orchard Equipment and Supplies
Pruning Tools
Over the next several years,
the Ontario Ministry of the
Environment and Climate Change
(MOECC) will implement Source
Protection Plans under the Clean
Water Act, 2006, to help ensure
that Ontarians have access to safe
drinking water. Source Protection
Plans address activities - including agricultural practices - that
could have an impact on
municipal drinking water sources.
Each plan contains a number
of policies to reduce existing, and
future, threats to drinking water.
Plans are unique to the source
protection area or region they
cover. The Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs (OMAFRA) is working
with MOECC, source protection
committees, local municipalities,
conservation authorities and farm
organizations to ensure that
source protection plan policies
are effective and implementable.
If your farm is in a source
protection area or region, you are
required by law to comply with
the local Source Protection Plan.
Source Protection Plans may
affect your farm's nutrient
management strategy (NMS) or
plan (NMP), or non-agricultural
Watersheds such as Dry Creek in Ontario's Haldimand County
can be identified through the Ministry of Natural Resource’s
Ontario Flow Assessment Tool.
source material (NASM) plan.
OMAFRA staff will contact
farmers in Source Protection
Areas or Regions who have a
registered operation, or an
approved NMS, NMP or NASM
plan. By law, these documents
must be reviewed and amended to
be in compliance with the Source
Protection Plan.
The Ontario Farm
Environmental Coalition has
prepared the Farm Source Water
Protection Planframework and
workbook, found at
www.ofa.on.ca/issues/overview/
source-water-protectionframework, to help you prepare.
PAGE B8 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
EQUIPMENT
CLASSIFIED
For Sale: Mechanical
Transplanters Model 1000 for
planting through plastic mulch.
3 units, excellent. $1000 each.
Call 519-259-3242
NEW TURBO-MIST SPRAYERS JUST IN!!!
NEEDED: GOOD USED TRADES
Start new business. Grow a
hectare or 2 of raspberries Bareroot Nova and Heritage
Canes available in April/May at
$1 each. Large quantity discount
applies. Call 519-287-3013
Sled-bedder with markers and
plastic lining, $1250. Vegetable
wash line 24” , receiving belt,
brushes,sponges, $1600. Decloet
high clearance sprayer, $3750.
Jacobs greenhouse walkway.
519-768-1590 or 521-8455.
** LOW DRIFT SPRAY TOWERS TO FIT ANY TURBO-MIST - IN STOCK **
TURBO-MIST 400 GAL, 24” FAN, DIAPHRAGM PUMP
TURBO-MIST 400 GAL, 30” FAN, ONLY 8 ACRES/YEAR, LIKE NEW
TURBO-MIST 500 GAL, DIAPHRAGM PUMP , HYDRAULIC CONTROLS
TURBO-MIST 500 GAL, CENTRFUGAL PUMP, MINT CONDITION
TURBO-MIST 500 GAL, MYERS PUMP, HYDRAULIC, USED ONLY 2 YEARS
TURBO-MIST 600 GAL, DIAPHRAGM PUMP, HYDRAULIC, LOW HOURS
TURBO-MIST 600 GAL, HIGH OUTPUT FAN, TALL TOWER
HARDI 600 GAL, HYDRAULIC CONTROLS, 36” FAN
PERFECT KG220 H.D. FLAIL CHOPPER (2012) NEW FLAILS
COMING
$12,700
$11,900
$14,500
$17,500
$14,500
$16,950
$4,000
$6,900
POSITION AVAILABLE: We
are looking for a mature person
who is able to work as a team.
Duties will include the harvesting
of cabbage broccoli and kale and
row crop cultivation. The right
person must have several years
of tractor driving experience and
be willing to learn new
responsibilities. A current
pesticide license will be an asset.
Send resume to
[email protected] or
call 519-619-6873
** All Turbo-Mist parts in stock - 7 days/week in season
** Seppi flail mulchers for grass and prunings
** Perfect rotary mowers & heavy duty flail mowers
PHILLIPS FARM
SUPPLIES
D O N A RT H U R O R C H A R D E Q U I P M E N T
(519) 599-3058 [email protected] Clarksburg, ON
1-800-811-6238
[email protected]
For Sale: 33 x 25 lb boxes
Winmore cauliflower bands, 4
colours, $1.85 per lb.
Universal hoeing machines,
1-2 row 3 P.T.H. PTO belt drive.
1-4 row 3 P.T.H. hyd. drive.
Each machine has 2 sets of teeth.
289-439-0711
SPRAYING EQUIPMENT
OUR SPECIALITY
NEW . . USED . . SERVICE
have been
YOU to the rest,
call the
NOW BEST!!
YOUR SOURCE FOR
JOHN BEAN AND
DURAND-WAYLAND
• VEGETABLE SEEDERS
Planet Jr.
Gaspardo
Cole
• CASH CROP PLANTERS
Conventional – Pneumatic (Air)
• FERTILIZER ATTACHMENTS
REFRIGERATION
(SideDressers)
• ROW CROP WEEDERS, ETC.
Sell your
farm
equipment
here.
• DISC HILLERS
classified ads
• SPECIALIZED ROW CROP EQUIPMENT
Cultivator Steels, Sweeps, Hoes, Furrowers,
Hillers, Etc.
call the classified
department at
866-898-8488 ext 221
JOHN C. GRAHAM CO. LTD.
DISTRIBUTORS
88 Erie Street North • P.O. Box 13
Leamington, Ontario • N8H 3W1
Tel:(519) 326-5051
Fax: (519) 326-0480
"V" spreaders
[email protected]
519 599 2299
KOOL JET
®
Reliable Refrigeration Systems
1-866-748-7786 www.kooljet.com
Visit our website to view our complete line
One-Piece and Portable Skid-Mount Systems, HydroCoolers, Medical and Process Chillers, Blast Freezers,
Vacuum Coolers, Refrigerated Dehumidifiers.
Custom Built Designs • Domestic and International Markets
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE B9
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
IRRIAGTION
Pipe
& Fittings
for Water Systems
• PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper
• Stainless, Brass, Steel
Product Lines
• Drip & Micro Irrigation
• Septic & Sewer
• Drainage & Culverts
• Berkeley Water Pumps
Winona Concrete
& Pipe Products Ltd.
489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4
[email protected]
ORCHARD SUPPLIES
Phone (905) 945-8515
Fax: (905) 945-1149
or call toll-free
1-800-361-8515
If you have a
rural route
address,
please update
subscription
with your
civic address
to ensure
delivery.
VEGETABLE SEED
Oriental Vegetable Seeds
LABELLING EQUIPMENT
866-898-8488 ext 221
PACKAGING
Ginwa
Lucky Green
Nabai Slo
Spring Tower
AgroHaitai Ltd.
Ph: 519-647-2280 • Fax: 519-647-3188
[email protected]• www.AgroHaitai.com
www.thegrower.org
PAGE B10 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
C.O.
ASPARAGUS ROOTS
Jersey Giant
Millennium
KEDDY
• Certified Strawberry Plants & Raspberry Canes
• All popular varieties available
• Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification program.
Plants shipped across North America.
Contact us for a FREE brochure!
Wrightland Farm
RR 1 • 1000 Ridge Rd.
Harrow, ON N0R 1G0
Keith: 519-738-6120
Fax: 519-738-3358
982 North Bishop Road, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7
Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067
Email: [email protected]
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 Brenk
31760 Erin Line
Fingal ON, Canada N0L 1K0
519-902-6353
www.vanbrenk.ca
[email protected]
ASPARAGUS
ASPARAGUS
CROWNS
GLADIOLUS BULBS
Millennium
Mary Washington
Wide variety selection for retail sales and
commercial cut flower production
Catalogue available upon request or
visit our website at www.lmbolle.com
Sandy Shore Farms Ltd.
(519) 875­3382
www.sandyshorefarms.ca
[email protected]
L.M. Bolle & Sons
813083 Baseline Norwich, ON
(519) 468-2090 Fax 468-2099
email: [email protected]
FUMIGATION
EMPLOYMENT
Propagation Grower
(Delta, BC)
• 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
Position specializes in the care
of vegetable seedlings with
duties related to germination,
grafting, irrigation, hygiene,
climate, & pest control.
Experience in commercial
greenhouse growing and/or
nursery production is required.
Applicant will be familiar with
computer functions and be
able to carry out commands in
a greenhouse climate system.
Applicant must work well in a
team environment and be
available to work weekends in
a rotating schedule with
colleagues. To apply for this
position, email your resume
and cover letter to
[email protected]
APRIL 2015 –– PAGE B11
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
AUCTION
CONTAINERS
FARM SOLD, CLEARING AUCTION SALE
LOUTH & NIAGARA ORCHARDS
10 TRACTORS, ORCHARD HARVESTER & EQUIPMENT,
FARM & IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT, VEHCILES ETC.
Selling for DOWNING FARMS LTD. #1477 Windham Road #12 Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 4K3 - located 4kms
north of Simcoe on Hwy #24 then 1.5kms west on Windham Rd #12 OR 11kms east of Delhi on Windham
Road #12 (Church St.)
*****TUESDAY APRIL 14TH, 10:00AM*****
TRACTORS: New Holland TM 125 MFWD c/w cab, 18.4R38 rears, 14.9R28 fronts, 2 remotes - only
3811hrs; New Holland TT 45 A open station with 12.4x28 rears - only 1809 hrs; Landini 8860 c/w Frey
loader, 270/95R48 rears - 6560hrs; John Deere 1630 c/w rack & pinion axle; J.D. A20 mounted cultivators;
Farmall 140 c/w cultivators; Farmall 130.
ORCHARD TRACTORS: Case IH JX1095N MFWD c/w cab, 380/85R28 rears, only 1678hrs; Case IH 95N
MFWD c/w cab, 380/85R28 rears - only 2212 hrs; Case IH 75N 2wd, c/w cab, 380/85R28 rears - only 713
hrs; New Holland 75V MFWD c/w cab, 380/85R28 rears - 3188hrs.
ORCHARD EQUIPMENT: Techno Fruit CF-105 self propelled platform harvester c/w pruning aid & bin
trailer - as new; Slimline 600gal orchard sprayer c/w stainless tank & tower - 2 years old; Armis orchard
sprayer; Votex Kombi 2000V 3pth orchard mower; Votex V225 7' 3PTH flail chopper; Herb sprayer c/w Bhil
Brown boom; 3PTH air compressor with pruning shears; 3 chain driven bin trailers; 4 roll off bin trailers;
tree planter; 10 aluminum orchard ladders; approx 300 plastic apple bins; approx 700 good wooden apple
bins; qty of picking bags; qty of tree spreaders;
FARM EQUIPMENT: Case IH 5300 21 run d.d. grain drill - c/w press wheels & track eliminator - sharp;
Case IH 530 s/a manure spreader; Agro Trend t/a 300 gal. sprayer c/w 45' boom & foam markers; 14' hyd.
fold S tine cultivator c/w Salford d.r. harrows; RJ 16' crowfoot packer; Kongskilde 4F semi mount plow;
3PTH 3 prong subsoiler; IH 370 44 plate disc; IH 36 plate disc; Bush Hog 9' heavy duty disc; gravity box &
wagon c/w fertilizer auger; Horst rear steer wagon; Land Pride 45 3PTH hyd. angle 8' blade; bale elevator;
D.F. 7' 3PTH snow blower; Vicon 3PTH fertilizer spreader.
IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT: Cadman 4000S wide body irrigation traveler - new motor; Iveco 4cyl diesel
irrigation motor & pump; approx 40 Wade Rain 6"x30' pipe; approx 65 Wade Rain 5"x30' pipe; qty of
fittings; drip irrigation Filter; pipe wagon.
GINSENG & TOBACCO EQUIPMENT: ginseng root washer; ginseng cable cloth puller; ginseng box
vibrator; ginseng box strapper; hyd. anchor drill; qty of 3" line anchors; 12' ginseng grading table; PTO
driven small bale spreader; qty of ground cloth; 2 row Holland transplanter; 2 De Cloet bin caddies;
elephant wagon; baggie trailer; tobacco stick elevator; approx 25,000 tobacco sticks;
VANS, TRUCK & LAWN MOWER: 2005 GMC passenger van - 112,000kms; 2003 Chevrolet passenger
van; 1994 Dodge passenger van; 2001 Ford F350 2wd ext cab truck; Cub Cadet commercial zero turn
lawn mower.
MISC: 2 Honda gas power washers; Honda EZ3000 gas generator; battery charger; electronic scale; shop
equipment and tools and lots of unlisted items.
TERMS: Cash or proper cheque with ID day of auction. No buyers premium. Verbal announcements take
precedence over written ads. Lunch Booth on grounds.
PROPRIETOR: Mike Downing 519-426-2224
A GOOD CLEAN LINE OF EQUIPMENT. A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE
ORCHARD EQUIPMENT. PICTURES ON OUR WEBSITE. PLAN TO ATTEND.
JOHN, MIKE & LES SHACKELTON – AUCTIONEERS
Shackelton Auctions Inc
519-765-4450
www.shackeltonauctions.com
P.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
• Masters
• Fertilizer
• Vineyard Trellis Supplies
• Berry Boxes
• Waxed Cartons
• Crop Protection Material
PAGE B12 –– APRIL 2015
THE GROWER