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CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION
MARCH 2015
VOLUME 65 NUMBER 03
Charting the flight of Canadian greenhouse investment
to the U.S.
Provincial regulations are stalling growth and jobs
Like strings of pristine pearls, these tomatoes on the vine promise premium prices here in Canada and in the U.S. Seventy per cent of Ontario’s greenhouse vegetable
production is exported to the U.S. The dive in the value of the Canadian dollar should help business, although competition between Canadians in the U.S. is fierce.
Here, Fabio Castelli, greenhouse operations, inspects the crop in a Mastronardi Produce facility in Kingsville, Ontario. Photos by Glenn Lowson.
INSIDE
Why onion prices are at
rock bottom
Page 7
What’s new in potato
production?
Page B1-8
Focus: Crop
protection
Page B9-20
www.thegrower.org
P.M. 40012319
$3.00 CDN
KAREN DAVIDSON
Geography matters. Or more
to the point, policy and tax jurisdictions matter.
While Ontario greenhouse
vegetable growers expanded their
domestic acreage by six per cent
to 2553 acres in 2014, they made
far larger investments in the
United States. Statistics aren’t
readily available of their total
footprint in the U.S., but the plans
of several leading growers are
testament to the trend.
Early this year, KingsvilleOntario-based Mastronardi
Produce announced its plan to
build a large-scale pepper facility
in Coldwater, Michigan. When
the new 41 acres of Pepperco
USA are added to the current
tomato greenhouses, its American
presence will grow to 100 acres
in total. These facilities have been
built rapidly since 2012 with
state-of-the art lighting, water and
nutrient management.
Nature Fresh Farms based in
Leamington, Ontario will make
its mark in the U.S. with a 175acre greenhouse over seven years
in Delta, Ohio. About 300 jobs
will be created.
“Contingent upon acceptable
levels of incentives from the state
of Ohio and other government
authorities as well as utility rates
agreeable to Nature Fresh, the
company will be poised to ship its
first case of vegetables in
December 2015,” stated Peter
Quiring, president, in a news
release. “The greenhouse project
will be completed in several
phases over the next seven years
with a total investment
approaching $200 million by the
year 2022.”
Red Sun Farms, based in
Kingsville, Ontario, opened 18
acres to local officials in a
ribbon-cutting ceremony in
Dublin, Virginia last November.
It’s the first of three phases, with
an emphasis on organic
production.
Orangeline Farms is also
considering an expansion in 2015
says Jordan Kniaziew, vicepresident sales and marketing.
“It’s much easier to make
decisions outside of Ontario,”
says Kniaziew from Leamington,
Ontario. “Our input costs –
labour, hydro -- are higher than
competitive jurisdictions.”
Kniaziew has just come back
from the world’s largest produce
show, Fruit Logistica in Berlin,
Germany. He’s convinced that
Ontario’s greenhouse industry is
on par or leading the Europeans.
With nearly $1 billion in overall
industry sales, he and other growers are frustrated that Ontario’s
government is not engaged in
building more infrastructure such
as natural gas and hydro. The
premier has challenged agriculture to create 120,000 new jobs
by 2020, yet the business climate
is not conducive for this growth.
Money isn’t patient. It follows
the path of least resistance to
build market share.
Ontario growers aren’t alone
in their migration south. British
Columbia greenhouse grower
Casey Houweling is building a
28-acre facility in Mona, Utah.
This is in addition to his successful 125-acre facility in Camarillo,
California. With 50 acres as home
base in Delta, British Columbia,
he has placed his bets on a
sunnier economic climate south
of the border. Despite its drought
status, California is close to
millions of consumers. Utah’s
lure is access to waste heat and
carbon dioxide from a nearby
business.
Linda Delli Santi, executive
director of the B.C. Greenhouse
Growers’ Association explains
the exodus. “Our members are
going to the U.S. because of the
provincial government and its
policies,” she says. “They can
buy water in the U.S. cheaper
than in British Columbia.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
PAGE 2 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
NEWSMAKERS
AT PRESS TIME…
OFVGA launches
new website
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable
Growers’ Association (OFVGA)
has launched its new website.
It is the final piece of the
development of the organization’s
new corporate identity, which
began with the launch of a new
logo and trade show materials last
fall.
“As a lobby organization, the
OFVGA needs a website that is
easy to use and accessible across
all sorts of device platforms, as
well as being compatible with all
accessibility requirements,” says
executive vice-president John
Kelly. “Our new website does all
that and more and we look forward
to it being a cornerstone of all of
our communications efforts.”
The new hub for the
organization’s outreach and
lobbying activities, visible at
www.ofvga.org, is mobile
compatible and integrates social
media, including the OFVGA’s
Twitter account @OntFruitVeg.
Other key features include
electronic registration for events
such as the annual general meeting
and a separate, login-protected area
where board members will be able
to electronically access meeting
materials and other board-specific
documents. Visit www.ofvga.org.
Required advertising
for seasonal jobs
Farm employers who hire
off-shore workers are strongly
encouraged to review advertising
requirements under new federal
rules that came into effect last
summer. If any of the steps for the
Seasonal Agricultural Workers
Program (SAWP) aren’t fulfilled in
a timely manner, there will be
delays in processing applications.
The SAWP is a Canadians-first
program says Sue Williams,
general manager of Foreign
Agricultural Resource Management
Services. (FARMS). It’s mandatory
for farm employers to advertise on
the federal Job Bank website
(www.jobbank.gc.ca) to make sure
that qualified Canadian residents
can apply. Because this site is
well-known internationally, many
responses can also be expected
from around the world. Williams
advises setting up a separate email
account to handle what could be
hundreds of responses.
In addition, proof of a secondary
advertising posting is necessary.
This could be a local newspaper, a
church bulletin or Kijiji. Your
recruitment advertising must be
ongoing at the time of submitting
your application for off-shore
workers.
What is not acceptable is
word-of-mouth, walk-ins (people
stopping by the farm looking for
day work) or a sign on the farm or
at side of the road.
“We advise sending your
application 12 to 14 weeks prior to
your anticipated start date of
workers,” says Williams. “Be
aware that proof of advertising is
needed 14 days before sending that
application to prevent paperwork
delays.”
To avoid frustration, keep track
of your account number and access
number for the Job Bank. After 30
days, your advertisement will
expire. This posting must be
renewed every 30 days to keep
current. Otherwise, the paperwork
will not be in place in case you
need to transfer workers in
mid-summer.
About 17,000 off-shore workers
are expected in Ontario in 2015.
Williams reports that 12,000
applications have already been
approved.
For full details, go to
www.farmsontario.ca or call
1-866-271-0862 for assistance.
Outside Ontario, call the
appropriate provincial organization.
Updated import
requirements for
root crops
As of February 2, 2015, the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) no longer requires an
Import Permit for root crops
intended for human consumption
originating from areas outside the
continental United States. The
CFIA’s Automated Import
Reference System (AIRS) and
directive D-94-26 have been
amended to reflect this change.
Root crops for human consumption
originating in the U.S. currently do
not require an Import Permit and
this change now removes this
requirement for root crops coming
from other parts of the world.
Please be reminded, however,
that the other phytosanitary import
requirements for all imported root
crops have not changed, i.e. material must be free from pests, soil and
soil-related matter, and is subject to
inspection upon arrival in Canada
to verify that it meets Canada’s
phytosanitary requirements.
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention Innovation Award
winner is the CF2000 Hol Spray System nominated by Provide
Agro Corporation. The high-efficiency sprayer promises less drift,
lower fuel consumption and more consistent coverage. The over-therow orchard sprayer is suited for high-density apple orchards.
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association new chair
Jason Verkaik welcomed the naming of the management committee
at the February 4 board meeting. Greenhouse cucumber grower Jan
Vander Hout is vice-chair. Joining him are potato grower Mac
James, berry grower Norm Charbonneau and tender fruit and
asparagus grower John Thwaites.
Condolences to the family of Art Kemp who
passed away in his 100th year. He was past
president of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable
Growers’ Association in 1964-1965.
The OFVGA welcomes new communications specialist Katie Burt.
She was formerly the communications specialist with the Ontario
Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
Fruit and vegetable grower Peter Martin Lindley, Ancaster,
Ontario, has been selected for induction into the Ontario Agricultural
Hall of Fame. His long list of accomplishments include the presidency of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
(OFVGA) in 1978, when he led a constitutional change to allow all
segments of the industry to be members. He also urged the federal
government to disallow “Canada” labeling on imports and to ensure
country of origin was listed. Lindley was instrumental in pressing for
a provincial enquiry into retail practices. The OFVGA and Ontario
Agricultural College ’57 are proud nominees. The induction
ceremony is to be held at Country Heritage Park, Milton, on June 14.
The Holland Marsh Growers’ Association has elected its 2015 board
of directors. Domenic Riga is the new chair. He is joined by new
directors Tim Horlings and Herman Gasko. Jody Mott is interim
executive director. A relaunched website is located at
www.hollandmarshgold.com.
The Ontario government has appointed members to its Agri-Food
Growth Steering Committee. Co-chairs are Deb Stark, OMAFRA
deputy minister and Amy Cronin, a hog producer. The group
comprises Jim Brandle, CEO of Vineland Research and Innovation
Centre, Christian von Twickel, executive vice-president of Dr.
Oetker, Norm Beal, executive director of Food and Beverage
Ontario, Scott Graham, egg and pullet producer, Jamison Steeve,
executive director of Martin Prosperity Institute and Institute for
Competitiveness and Prosperity. The group will support the
premier’s challenge to double the agriculture industry’s jobs by
120,000 by 2020.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) is losing its CEO
Sandra Banks. After three years at the helm, she is leaving to
become vice-president, university relations for the University of
Waterloo on April 6. Her legacy is a successful 2014 show that saw
a three per cent increase in attendees to 322,000. John Core, a former RAWF director and former CEO of the Canadian Dairy
Commission, becomes interim CEO, while a job search is held. Next
fall’s 93rd show runs from November 6 – 15.
Ontario’s Greenbelt Fund has recognized the contributions of
Debbie Zimmerman, CEO of the Grape Growers of Ontario, with a
lifetime achievement award. She was lauded for her 36 years of
public service in municipal politics along with directorships at the
Niagara Escarpment Commission and the Niagara Peninsula
Conservation Authority. Her strong voice has advocated for a
successful Greenbelt and increased the success of the Niagara grape
and wine industry.
PROUD TO SUPPORT
ONTARIO FARMERS
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 3
THE GROWER
COVER STORY
Charting the flight of Canadian greenhouse investment to U.S.
2015
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
And don’t forget we lost five to 10 years of growth when
the B.C. government brought in its carbon tax. While
we’re in the fourth year of receiving a carbon tax rebate,
our growers aren’t relying on that policy. We have had
little expansion since the carbon tax came in.”
The numbers prove her point. From 1998 to 2007, prior
to the carbon tax, yearly growth was 10 per cent. Those
robust figures shrunk to annual growth of 2.53 per cent
from 2009 – 2015. B.C.’s greenhouse industry now
comprises 769 acres.
The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG)
is in similar dialogue with the provincial government. “We
have advised the province of our limitations to expand
without affordable infrastructure,” says George Gilvesy,
OGVG general manager. “We know it’s a very
competitive economic environment and we see the impact
of that competitiveness every day. Independent business
people will go where it makes sense.”
Those structural issues aside, OGVG is focusing on
how to grow business with retailers and foodservice. For
the first time this spring, radio advertisements will run in
the Greater Toronto Area in Punjabi and Mandarin to
encourage new Canadians to eat Ontario-grown tomatoes,
cucumbers and peppers.
The OGVG’s learnings at a major food show in
Monterey, California are confirming instincts on global
fusion cuisine. Recipe development is much more flexible
such that greenhouse vegetables can be combined with
other ingredients and spices that appeal to various
Ontario
British Columbia
Michigan
Ohio
Minimum wage
$11/hour
$10.25/hour
$8.15/hour
$7.25/hour
Electricity rates
Leamington, ON
Not available
Coldwater, MI
Delta, OH
11.67 ¢/kWh
5.19¢/kWh
14.61-14.96 ¢/kWh
ethnicities.
In addition to retail efforts, Nancy Hewitt, OGVG
foodservice market specialist, is making inroads into a
challenging sector of the food trade. A Foodservice
Operator Resource Guide contains photos of different
kinds of tomatoes as well as photo instructions on peeling,
seeding and chopping tomatoes. Culinary tips are offered
for cucumbers and peppers.
With this resource in hand, Hewitt has then approached
culinary schools to lead educational seminars. For a fun
twist, she’s also organized Food Network TV-type
culinary contests encouraging students to create their own
recipes.
“The restaurant industry has been used to Florida field
tomatoes for 20 years, so to make changes, even to a
locally-grown product, requires education,” says Hewitt.
Her diligent work with foodservice is starting to pay
dividends. Sales of English cucumbers to Ontario food-
service, for example, are up almost 19 per cent in the last
year.
This is ground-breaking work on home turf. But it’s
providing the insights to demographic shifts, regional markets and foodservice needs in the much larger U.S. market.
Gilvesy is acutely aware of global pressures. He cites
the volatility of the Canadian dollar vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar, the growth of the Mexican industry and disruptions to
trade patterns due to the Russian embargo on European
produce. The new worry is that greenhouse bell peppers
from the Netherlands could once again flow into Canada
without a renewal of an injunction by the Canadian
International Trade Tribunal. On October 16, 2015, the
tribunal will determine if there’s a likelihood of injury.
The greenhouse vegetable industry is global in every
respect. The next frontier may well be the Asia-Pacific
region. Gilvesy concludes with a compelling message:
“To survive, we must retain best-in-class.”
INTERNATIONAL
UNITED STATES
MEXICO
CHINA
GERMANY
CALIFORNIA
New York apple
growers launch new
variety
Guanajuato state
leads in broccoli
Chinese ports open
to all U.S. apples
New kohlrabi
varieties unveiled
Tomato growers
have banner year
About 40,000 hectares of
broccoli are grown in Mexico,
but most – 38,000 hectares -- are
found in the central state of
Guanajuato. Exports have grown
from $149.6 million dollars in
2010 to $196.3 million in 2014.
The secretary of agricultural and
rural development, Javier
Usabiaga Arroyo, says most
exports go to the U.S., followed
by Canada and Japan. Most of
the broccoli, 70 to 80 per cent, is
frozen while the rest arrives fresh
to market.
Arroyo anticipates doubledigit increases in exports of
Mexican agricultural produce.
Chinese officials have
announced that all U.S.-grown
apples are now welcome. Experts
anticipate that within two years,
U.S. apple exports could reach
five million bushels annually,
with a value of $100 million per
year.
If that happens, the deal could
increase exports by 10 per cent.
In 2013, all apple exports were
tallied at more than $1 billion.
Until August 2012, only Red
and Golden Delicious apples
from the U.S. northwest had
access. The Chinese closed
access due to phytosanitary
concerns.
Kohlrabi is popular in
Germany but barely on the radar
globally. The flesh of the
kohlrabi bulb is juicy and crisp,
with a mild, melon-like fragrance
and a mild, sweet flavour.
Traditionally kohlrabi is served
boiled, but is equally delicious
raw, retaining its fresh colour for
a long time.
As part of its “Taste-HealthConvenience” concept, Bejo
Seeds has developed new
varieties such as Konan F1 and
the purple Kolibri F1. They made
their European debut at Fruit
Logistica 2015.
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Despite several years of
drought, California’s growers
produced a record 14 million
tons of processing tomatoes last
year. They expect to produce 15
million tons in 2015.
Strong export markets for
salsa, ketchup and pasta sauce
are holding up prices of $83 per
ton, making it worthwhile to
steward what little irrigation
water is available.
Drought and economics have
dictated changes in the crops
grown. Farmers are fallowing
annual crops such as corn and
cotton so they can keep fruit and
nut trees producing. Strong
prices for tomatoes, however, are
keeping this annual crop in the
mix.
California grows about a third
of the world’s processing
tomatoes.
The new cultivar, RubyFrost,
is now available in northeast and
mid-Atlantic regions of the
United States. It’s described as
having rich colour, crisp texture
and a delicate balance between
sweet and tart flavours.
Thanks to the breeding program at Cornell University,
RubyFrost as well as the
SnapDragon cultivar, will be
rolled out in significant volumes
in 2016. Rubyfrost will be positioned as a seasonal wintertime
apple available for a limited window.
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Palais des congrès de Montré
éal
April 15-17, 2015
convention.cpma.c
ca
PAGE 4 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST
QUEBEC
Veg Pro launches vegetable stir fries
Lately, numerous awareness campaigns,
driven by the Canada’s Food Guide
recommendations, have been encouraging
Canadians to add more fruits and
vegetables to their diet. To help
time-starved consumers achieve this goal,
Veg Pro International, the vegetable
producer behind the popular Fresh Attitude
salads and baby lettuce blends, is launching its new line of fresh vegetable Stir
Fries. All are microwaveable and ready-toeat in two minutes.
The kits are processed all year round at
Veg Pro International’s facility located in
Sherrington, Quebec. The family business
has grown since 1952 to employ 750
workers. Veg Pro uses vegetables grown in
its fields of Quebec and Florida, as well as
ingredients from other trusted suppliers.
These products can be found in the
refrigerated produce section of key grocery
chains in Ontario and Quebec, including
Sobeys, Foodland, Urban, IGA, Metro and
Super C.
Available in single-size servings, these
vegetable stir fries can easily be cooked in
a microwave oven or in a wok for a quick
nutritious meal or as a side dish to share.
Available in four Asian-inspired flavours,
they will appeal to both young and old.
Teriyaki, Sweet and Sour, Thai and
General Tao recipes have been developed
to offer a selection of creative and themed
toppings. They blend perfectly with various mixtures of the freshest pre-cut vegetables.
The highly innovative and nutritious
aspects of Stir Fries have been recognized
by industry professionals. Veg Pro
International was declared Grand Winner
of the prestigious Food Innovation Awards
2014 last November.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
First Nations partner with Kwantlen Polytechnic University
The Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School will welcome its first crop of students this spring in a program that
blends theory with practice on a 20-acre working farm at
the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN). A partnership
between Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Institute for
Sustainable Food Systems (ISFS) and TFN, the 10-month
program will cover the science and business of farming
plus perspectives on indigenous food systems.
The actual farm will include market crops, small livestock
and organic practices.
Once fully in production, the farm will boast a traditional medicine garden and food forest, an orchard, an
organic market garden and incubator plots for farm school
students who have completed the first year of instruction
and practicum. TFN demonstrated its commitment to
securing a future for agriculture in Delta more than a year
ago when it announced 25-year lease agreements with
local farmers on 385 acres of farmland in Ladner.
The Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School is now
accepting applications for its 2015 program, which starts
in March. Students can expect to be integral parts of a
working farm growing a variety of market crops and
animals.
The learning occurs on the farm with the guidance of
skilled and knowledgeable agriculturists. The program
offers classes in crop production, soil and water management, animal husbandry, small farm carpentry and welding, tractor and equipment maintenance, business planning
and marketing and indigenous food systems.
Successful students, after the first year of instruction, can
access up to one half-acre of incubator farm land for up to
three years to hone their crop production and farm business skills with mentoring and access to shared tools and
resources. After three years, Farm School incubator farmers will be ready to independently farm.
Makayla Morgan enjoys an apple on the site of the
new Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School.
S
IEGERS
EED CO.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 5
THE GROWER
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONVENTION
High-efficiency sprayer wins Innovation Award
“One of our goals is to bring advanced technology to Canadian growers to compete in the global environment. That technology must deliver efficiency, safety and quality.”
~ Sean Bartlett, Provide Agro
crop protection, sprayers and mowers in
You can adjust coverage to match the
A hand wash station is on board. This
KAREN DAVIDSON
eastern Ontario. “That technology must
canopy structure.”
has become standard equipment on crop
deliver efficiency, safety and quality.”
“Where we may have used 700sprayers, but until now, has not been seen
For the third year, the Ontario Fruit and
Bartlett and members of the company
1000L/ha we are getting adequate coverage often in horticultural equipment.
Vegetable Convention (OFVC) has held an have travelled to many world events to
with 400-500L/ha,” says Bartlett. “The
Bartlett points out that this is a dualInnovation Award competition for
scout the latest technology. Ontario apple
CF2000 only requires 45hp to run effecaxle sprayer. The flotation tires can be
exhibitors to honour the most worthy inno- grower Marius Botden is credited with
tively, much lower than the industry stanadjusted to reduce soil compaction. It is
vation in horticulture. This year’s winner
bringing this particular sprayer to their
dard, with the capability to gear up, throttle also GPS-ready.
is a high-efficiency sprayer, the HSS
attention. Hol Spray Systems is a familydown to lower rpms.”
“We’re getting ever closer to an
CF2000.
owned company that bought the rights to a
Together, these features translate into
autonomous vehicle,” says Bartlett. The
Imported from Holland’s Hol Spray
John Deere sprayer and modified it over
less drift, lower fuel consumption, more
system can be programmed to shut off
Systems, Provide Agro is now carrying the six years.
consistent coverage and increased operator
application at the end of the row.”
line for growers with high-density
The advantage of this sprayer is its flex- safety.
As orchards are often in areas close to
orchards.
ibility in high-density orchards. “You can
Additional safety features include a
urban centres, an advantage of this sprayer
“One of our goals is to bring advanced
basically push air to where you want it to
clean wash tank which means that rinsing
is that it can be operated with low horsetechnology to Canadian growers to combe and where the crop protection product
the system does not require any worker to
power and little noise.
pete in the global environment,” says Sean
needs to be,” says Bartlett. “It’s important
go inside the tank. This limits applicator
Depending on the options, the sprayer
Bartlett, Provide Agro sales manager for
not to be spraying 25 feet past the trees.
contact with pesticides.
retails in a range from $30,000 to $45,000.
PAGE 6 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FRUIT LOGISTICA
Growers scout new varieties, packaging and packing equipment
KAREN DAVIDSON
Every February, Berlin,
Germany, becomes a mecca for
the global produce industry. Fruit
Logistica attracted a record crowd
this year with 2,785 exhibitors
and more than 60,000 visitors.
Here’s a pulse check with three
growers who travelled to the
show.
Tender fruit and asparagus
grower John Thwaites went
specifically to scout new packaging and packing equipment for his
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
farm. “We won’t be making
purchasing decisions for another
two or three years, but this is the
start of the educational process,”
he says. Dutch company Greefa,
New Zealand company Compact
and German company Strauss all
have something to offer.
The value of the Canadian
dollar continues to play a
significant role in timing of
purchase decisions vis-à-vis the
euro and the U.S. dollar.
While plastic containers are
getting cheaper, the dollar
exchange is worsening, says
Thwaites. Growers who buy
containers from China must order
now, while orders for American
containers will be placed by
April. The hope is that more
expensive U.S. fruit and v
egetables will provide a more
competitive landscape for
Canadian growers in the 2015
season.
Fresh Advancements’
vice-president Anthony Pitoscia
packed three days with meetings.
“You can literally travel the
world here,” he says. Because he
represents Bay Growers’
Co-operative Apple Packers, he
was interested in the pavilions of
apple growing countries such as
New Zealand, South Africa,
France, Germany and Italy. He
now knows what to expect in
terms of size of fruit, hail damage
and variety mix from these key
growing regions.
“I think the Honeycrisp trend
is at its peak,” he says. “This
variety is not as exotic as it used
to be so we will be cautious moving forward with new plantings.
There are eight million trees of
Honeycrisp which have been
planted in Washington State in
recent years. However, there is
interest in the new Royal
Honeycrisp variety.”
Pitoscia also points out the
changing demographics of the
Greater Toronto Area. Asian
consumers prefer a sweeter apple.
Honeycrisp, which is closer to a
Granny Smith apple, doesn’t have
the flavour profile that they want.
Greenhouse pepper grower
Jordan Kniaziew
attended the show for the first
time. “Europe has always been
considered the leader in new varieties and innovative techniques,
but I think we’re now on par or
leading the world,” says the
Leamington-Ontario vicepresident of sales and marketing
for Orangeline Farms. “I’m
impressed with how our Canadian
industry has advanced.”
Fruit Logistica 2015 lauds its innovation winners
1. Company Aviv Flowers Packing House Ltd, Israel:
Product “Aurora Seedless Papaya” – A small, seedless variety of
papaya
Website www.aviv-flower.co.il
The Aurora papaya is a unique seedless variety with a rich and balanced taste without the papaya’s typical aftertaste. It has a delicate and
pleasant aroma and firm flesh.
The shelf life of this variety is said to be longer than that of all
other existing papaya varieties. Even after the fruit has been cut open,
it can be kept under normal conditions for an unusually long period of
time. The variety was developed in Israel using natural selection and
hybridization methods. Target markets are the EU, Switzerland and
Canada. Fruit sizes vary between 200 g and 1 kg.
2. Company BelOrta, Belgium
Product “Lemoncherry” – A yellow cherry tomato variety
Website www.belorta.be
The Lemoncherry is a new variety of yellow cherry tomato on the
vine. Lemoncherry tomatoes are transparent yellow in colour, giving
them a unique and very decorative appearance. Their taste is rich and
sweet with a delicate touch of lemon. The tomatoes weigh 10-12 g,
making them ideal for snacks and for foodservice. The vine contains
14-16 tomatoes with attractive green stalks and weighs approximately
175 g. BelOrta has developed a marketing concept to communicate the
product’s special original taste and appearance for the retail market.
They are sold in 1.5 and 3 kg cardboard or wooden crates to foodservice and wholesale customers. Small packages in trays are available
for retail customers.
Stokes Seeds Trial Evaluation Researching the best for our customers since 1881.
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NE
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Grepala
Momentum
Payload
60 day, nice dark green
wrapper leaves, high quality
early fresh market type.
56 day, straight dark green
3.5-4 sieve pods, suitable for
machine harvest.
44 day, medium dark green,
flecked cylindrical fruit, open
plant less spines.
Henry Zomer
Leah Erickson
Jim Robinson
Laura Caralampides Rob Hovius
Paul Banks
Marc André Laberge
ON, MB, SK
AB, BC
ON, MB
QC
ON, PEI, NB
ON, NS
ON, MB, SK
905-308-4396
604-957-2359
905-715-8595
514-984-0662
519-580-3231
905-688-4300
905-308-4396
— Quality Seed Since 1881 —
T: 1-800-263-7233 ŇF: 1-800-272-5560 Ňwww.StokeSeeds.com ŇBox 10 Thorold ON L2V 5E9
©2015 Syngenta. The Syngenta logo is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.
3. Company Bakker Barendrecht (Member of the UNIVEG
Group), The Netherlands
Product “DIY fresh packs” – Packages of mixed fruits/vegetables
with additional ingredients and recipes for specific dishes
Website www.bakkerbarendrecht.nl
DIY fresh packs help consumers prepare a meal, soup or side dish
using fresh ingredients. They are available in several varieties: asparagus soup (in spring), gazpacho, exotic salsa and tomato salsa (in summer), and lasagna, couscous and curry madras (all year), and include a
recipe with a step-by-step guide based on the “no waste” principle. All
fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and couscous/lasagne sheets are
provided in the right quantity to prepare a meal for four people.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 7
THE GROWER
TRADE
Onion prices barely cover cost of production
KAREN DAVIDSON
Holland Marsh farmers are
complaining that Washington
State yellow onions are landing at
the Ontario Food Terminal at
record low prices. At $8 to $10
per 50-lb bag, this wholesale
price barely covers the cost of
production.
One major processor was
reported to be importing eight
loads per week in January – that’s
42,000 pounds per load. Why?
Many U.S.-based restaurant
chains operating in Canada
demand U.S.-grown onions. Even
with local product readily available at competitive prices, their
buyers are mandated to support
American product. That’s small
comfort to Ontario growers.
“Every grower had a bumper
crop of onions last year,” says
Tom Miedema, chair of the Fresh
Vegetable Growers of Ontario. In
fact, there’s a worldwide glut of
onions adds Ian MacKenzie,
president of the Ontario Produce
Marketing Association.
The Russian embargo on
Europe’s vegetables has disrupted
traditional trade patterns.
Europe’s onions are now flowing
into the Caribbean, a traditional
export destination for Canada.
With export markets drying up,
Ontario onion growers are now
sitting on huge inventories in
storage.
That’s a worry for aggregators
such as Cohn Farms near
Bradford, Ontario. “We’re flooded with onions and they’ll soon
start sprouting with warmer
weather,” says Keith Cohn.
“We’re trying to move loads to
eastern Canada as fast as we can.”
Fortunately, he’s a supplier to
Gordon Food Service, a major
foodservice distributor in the
province.
“All of our cooking onions are
a product of Ontario, packed in
10 lb and 50 lb bags,” says Peter
Bozzer, Ontario food
procurement, Gordon Food
Service (GFS). “We have no
intention of changing that, despite
the fact we are feeling some
market pressure with an influx of
cheaper U.S. product. Our supply
from the Holland Marsh typically
lasts 90 per cent of the year.”
Recently awarded a grant from
the Greenbelt Foundation to
promote locally produced
products to Ontario foodservice.
GFS will be creating a model to
change the way food service
distributors both purchase and
market local food.
“Our local team is dedicated to
the identification, procurement,
marketing and sales of all local
products within the entire GFS
Ontario portfolio. As a food
service distributor, GFS can
bridge the gap between the
growers and consumers while
providing a safe, traceable and
consistent supply,” says Bozzer.
U.S.-grown onions must be
inspected coming into Canada
The onion pilot initiated under the Beyond the Border (BtB)
Action Plan explored the potential to remove the quality inspection
requirement for U.S.-grown onions being imported into Canada.
This pilot concluded on January 20, 2015.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) noted, “We have
heard from Canadian industry that it is important to achieve
reciprocity with the U.S. before CFIA removes the regulatory
requirement for inspections of U.S-grown onions destined for
Canada. While we continue to engage with the U.S. on reciprocity,
the U.S. currently requires that Canadian onions moving to the U.S.
be subject to inspection.
Effective January 21, 2015, U.S.-grown onions imported into
Canada will have the inspection/certification requirement reinstated
for onions marketed fresh to consumers, or intended for bulk or further processing/repacking. American-grown onions will be required
to have an inspection/certification in accordance with Canada’s
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Regulations.
Source: Canadian Horticultural Council
PAGE 8 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION
Board briefs
Following are highlights from the
OFVGA board meeting held
February 5, 2015. The purpose of
this brief is to keep you up-todate on the issues that the
OFVGA is working on, as well as
projects and initiatives the organization is involved in.
drawing insects into a trap, or driving them away from your crop,
with sound. The challenge will be
to tune it to the particular insect
involved and develop all the
accompanying field equipment
(field prototype, traps, portable
power, etc.)
This was the first meeting of the
2015 Board of Directors
Changing buying habits: Dr.
Sunghwan Yi is an Associate
Professor in the Dept. of
Marketing and Consumer Studies
at University of Guelph. He is
putting together a research proposal to determine what changes
can be made, and the impact of
these changes on food choices in
a university cafeteria. The aim
here is to see if researchers can
impact healthier eating choices by
students with subtle menu
changes (for example, offering
vegetable side dishes as the
default combo, or salad bars with
bigger plates).
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
FOR 2015
Management Committee for 2015
is: Jason Verkaik (Chair), Jan
VanderHout (Vice Chair), Norm
Charbonneau, Mac James, and
John Thwaites.
Research
Priority setting process A resolution was passed at the AGM to
arrange a meeting with concerned
commodities, OFVGA, VRIC and
OMAFRA with the intent to
streamline the research priority
setting process prior to the next
round. The Research Section
Chair has been working with the
Vineland Research and
Innovation Centre (VRIC) and
commodity organizations to have
priorities of all groups addressed.
The process needs to evolve to
reflect concerns around addressing a limited number of problems
with a limited amount of funding.
New research programs were
discussed:
A new way to control insects:
This technology involves acoustically affecting insect behaviour:
Glycemic Index Labelling in
Canada: A group of academics
from the Dept. of Nutritional
Sciences, U of T and the Risk
Factor Modification Centre, St.
Michaels Hospital had discussions with Health Canada about
the possibility to have glycemic
index labelling for foods in
Canada (as they do in Australia).
For this to occur, Health Canada
wanted an arms-length organization to take control of the
labelling. The Canadian Diabetes
Association (CDA) is very interested in this as long as it fills
their Public Education mandate
and isn’t revenue negative for
them. The project would run from
June 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2016.
hope for a positive outcome.
Squash Bees: The University of
Guelph has hired Dr. Nigel Raine
to work on pollinator conservation. Raine arrived at U of G last
spring as the inaugural holder of
the Rebanks Family Chair in
Pollinator Conservation, the first
research chair of its kind in
Canada. The endowed chair is
funded by a $3-million gift from
The W. Garfield Weston
Foundation in the name of Wendy
Rebanks, one of the foundation’s
directors.
Global minor use summit. In
September Craig Hunter and Jerry
Baron, the Executive Director for
IR-4 in the U.S will be co-chairing a session at the third Global
minor use summit that will be
held in Chicago September 20 22, 2015. The major topic is data
sharing between countries to
reduce the cost and harmonize
registrations of crop protection
materials. Over 50 different countries will be represented at the
summit.
Crop protection
Safety nets
Neonicotinoids OFVGA’s
Environmental Registry response
on the Pollinator Health consultation has been submitted. A newspaper ad in major newspapers in
southern Ontario on the use of
neonicotinoids was published in
February. The CHC annual meeting in Quebec City in March will
have a speaker or panel that will
address the neonicotinoid issue.
Dr. Terry Daynard has a very
good blog on neonicotinoids.
Visit tdaynard.com
A survey will go out soon
from CHC regarding questions
around Federal Election, Growing
Forward 2.
The Great Lakes Water
Stewardship program was
announced -- $4 million per year
for four years. This is being
coordinated through the Ontario
Soil and Crop Improvement
Association.
The Ontario Retirement
Pension Plan (ORPP) consultation
ends February 13th. Associate
Minister of Mitzy Hunter is the
lead. The goal is for ORPP to
start in 2017 with large employers
first, and have everyone involved
by 2019. This involves a 1.9 %
Maximum contribution of
$90,000, with no requirement to
pay if employee makes less than
$3,500. The OFVGA has made a
submission on this file.
Re-evaluations Craig Hunter and
Charles Stevens met with
PMRA’s re-evaluation team to
update them on new growing
methods. They were using 35year old data for occupational
exposure, which is the main issue
on the re-evaluation of Linuron,
Metiram, Captan, and Mancozeb.
We were asked to get data and
submit this for their review. It
was a very positive meeting and
Canadian Horticultural Council
Some vacant positions have
now been filled at CHC.
Communications – Trevor
Eggleton and Executive Assistant
to EVP – Diane Davidson. The
oversight committee has recommended that CHC hire a lobbyist
– they have decided to hire a
lobbyist on contract on an
as-needed basis.
CHC sold its building and
have moved into its new building,
debt free.
Semi annual board meeting to
be held in Ontario in July 8th and
9th, likely in Niagara. A farm
tour will be part of this meeting.
CHC AGM will be in Quebec
City March 2015 and will be held
in Ottawa March 2016.
Perishable Agricultural
Commodities Act (PACA) like
trust. Because there will be an
election this fall, it is unlikely
that this issue will be resolved
anytime soon. CHC in cooperation with CPMA will continue to
work on this issue.
Blue box stewardship
The provincial government
made efforts to change the legislation in 2013 but this was never
completed, so the legislation and
processes developed in 2002 are
in force at present. This won’t
affect OFVGA members whose
produce is sold with minimal or
no Blue Box-eligible packaging,
but it could affect greenhouse and
tender fruit, among others where
more consumer packaging is
used. If 15,000 kg of Blue Boxeligible packaging material and
$2M worth of products are sold in
Ontario, the company responsible
for the brand under which it is
marketed to consumers is
required to report and remit Blue
Box fees to Stewardship Ontario.
It is important to know who is the
owner of the brand that is being
packed, as it impacts who pays
the fee.
157th Annual General Meeting
The location and date for the
157th AGM is Niagara Falls,
Ontario on January 12th and 13th,
2015.
COMING EVENTS 2015
Stokes Seeds Trial Evaluation Researching
g the best for our customerss since 1881.
W
NE
W
NE
W
NE
W
NE
March 3
Asparagus Farmers of Ontario Grower Information
Day, Belgian Hall, Delhi, ON
March 5
Ontario Potato Conference, Delta Hotel, Guelph, ON
March 10
Ontario Outstanding Young Farmers’ Competition
Gala Banquet, The Sheraton, Ottawa, ON
Mar 10 – 12 93rd Canadian Horticultural Council Annual General
Meeting, Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec
City, QC
Mar 15 – 21 Farm Safety Week
Rhea
Warty Goblin
Cronus
Mischief
[20-30 lbs.]
[8-20 lbs.]
[25-60 lbs.]
[3 lbs.]
Powderry Mildew To
olerra
ant
Powderry Mildew To
olerra
ant
Powderr y Mildew To
olerra
ant
Pow
wderry Mildew To
olerra
ant
H
Z
Henr
y Zomer
Leah
L hE
Eric
i kson
k
Ji R
Jim
Robinson
bi
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Laura
C
Caralampides
l
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Rob
R b Ho
H vius
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Paull Banks
B k
M rc André
Mar
A d é Laber
L b rge
ON, MB, SK
AB, BC
ON, MB
QC
ON, PEI, NB
ON, NS
ON, MB, SK
905-308-4396
604-957-2359
905-715-8595
514-984-0662
519-580-3231
905-688-4300
905-308-4396
— Quality Seed Since 1881 —
T: 1-800-263-7233 ŇF: 1-800-272-5560 Ňwww.StokeSeeds.com ŇBo
ox 10 Thorold ON L2V 5E9
Mar 23 – 25 Minor Use Priority Setting Meeting, Gatineau,
QC
March 24
6th Annual Ontario Hazelnut Association
Symposium, Best Western Hotel, Brantford, ON
March 28
Garlic Growers of Ontario Annual General Meeting,
OMAFRA office, Woodstock, ON
Editor’s note: for more listings go to www.thegrower.org
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 9
THE GROWER
PAGE 10 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
Trust science? There should be no question
JASON VERKAIK
CHAIR, OFVGA
History is a great teacher.
Unfortunately, ignoring its truths
makes a poor student. Changing
its truths creates a foolish student.
When a student ignores the truth,
the student becomes a blind follower. When a student changes
the truth, the conditions are set to
become a dangerous leader.
When I recall my grandparents’ life journey, it’s of the
hardships they endured to
immigrate to Canada. There were
stories of war, going hungry,
young children dying of disease.
My oma had such respect for
Canada and its freedom. She had
such respect for her son-in-law,
my father, for being a farmer.
And she had great respect for the
medical advances of her time and
was always amazed at what
doctors and science could do.
Flash forward to 2015. There
are two current news stories that
would boggle the minds of my
grandparents. What I find
perplexing is how these two
stories with fundamental
similarities at their core are being
reported differently. One is the
handling of the neonic issue about
unexplained bee mortality and the
other is the vaccination debate
brought on by recent outbreaks of
measles.
Most of the reporting on
immunization is a positive trust in
science and for the need to
vaccinate. However, journalists
have a reverse approach in reporting crop protection in a complex
ecosystem. Yes, plants do get
disease and suffer from predatory
insects that can destroy and wipe
out food crops. Many of these
crops need beneficial insects,
especially bees which pollinate.
So let’s applaud science for
balancing the need to protect
beneficial insects while thwarting
the bad insects. Science is a field
of continuous improvement,
always adapting to new environmental conditions. Yet those same
reporters who tell us to trust
medical science in one story
move on to the next story and tell
us food science can’t be trusted.
This is disingenuous.
If journalists and their families
had to live through a prolonged
period of hunger, what would
their perspective be on the food
system? Would their understanding of crop protection science be
sharpened?
Photo by Glenn Lowson
We have a responsibility to
protect our children and
ourselves. Farmers have a
responsibility to protect our food
system. Science has a
responsibility to deliver methods
of protection for all living things,
including bees, safely and
effectively. Any one who says
this is not in the minds of farmers
and the agribusiness industry is
either a blind follower or a
dangerous leader. I urge the
government and consumers to
listen to the farmers’ approach on
the neonic issue. Reset. Wait to
make a policy decision based on
unbiased science. When policy is
formed with a balanced perspective, continued self examination
and without any outside agendas,
we can move forward. Don’t
ignore the great lessons from
history.
Beware: policies have unintended consequences
JOHN KELLY
EXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA
Horticulture is part of a very
diverse ecosystem that must be
complementary to the environment, because at the end of the
day, growers must have an
excellent environment in which to
produce their crops. In Ontario,
our farmers have been stewards
of the land for well over two centuries, producing new and high
quality fruits and vegetables for
the consuming public. In all of
agriculture, because we have been
so successful at producing food,
only two per cent of the population is directly involved at the
farm level. This says a lot for the
quality of our growers, the
technologies that they have at
their disposal and the efficiency
with which we produce product
year after year.
But the consumer should not
have the mindset that this is an
easy thing to do, and that there
will always be the ability to
produce home-grown product. To
produce fruits and vegetables in
Ontario is costly -- more costly
than it is for other jurisdictions
such as California, Florida,
Mexico, Chile, Peru, the
Netherlands or even South Africa
to have their product landed in
Ontario. We rely on our ability to
be at the forefront of new
developments, technologies and
value-added markets for us to
remain competitive.
Crop protection is required in
Ontario and it is a complex issue.
The recent neonicotinoid discussions that have taken place
through the government of
Ontario’s proposed regulations of
seed treatments in corn and
soybeans should be of concern to
horticultural producers. This is
part of an effort to improve the
viability of pollinators in Ontario.
The comment period for these
initial discussions closed on
January 25, 2014, and there was a
plethora of submissions made to
the government from many
different positions on this issue.
The government of Ontario
has taken the position that there is
a problem with pollinators in
Ontario and that they are the ones
to fix the problem through further
regulation of the sector. It is
certainly within their purview to
STAFF
Publisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
Editor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, kdavidson@ecomente.ca
Production: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.org
Advertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118,
advertising@thegrower.org
The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Any
errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the next issue.
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.
do so. It is not without
consequence to the horticultural
sector and is also not without
consequence to the competitiveness of all Ontario agriculture. It
would be useful for Ontario
producers for these decisions to
be made by including relevant
Ontario-based information. This
does not appear to be the case
with this issue.
Many horticultural producers
rely on pollinators for the success
of their business. Certainly
beekeepers are a key source of
pollinators and are dependent on
the horticultural sector for a
significant portion of their
business. The relationship
between suppliers of pollinators
and growers is one of economic
interdependence, but there is no
doubt in the past few years that
beekeepers are under increasing
pressure to maintain an adequate
supply of pollinators to growers.
In discussion with several key
users of pollinators, there is a
general consensus that although
there may be stresses on the
pollinator supply, there has not
been difficulty in acquiring
pollinator services. This may not
be the case for all producers
however. There is an intimate
business relationship between
providers of pollinators and
horticultural end users, and our
growers have a vested interest in
maintaining a healthy supply for
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:
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Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues within
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P.M. 40012319
pollination.
This is certainly identified in
the National Bee Health Action
Plan, which formed the Bee
Health Roundtable. Federally,
they have several objectives that
are consistent with those of the
provincial government. Among
them, they want to mitigate the
losses from pests, pathogens,
pesticides and other causes and to
have apiculture as a valued and
recognized component of
agriculture. Horticulture
producers in Ontario already have
this perspective. They also want
to build trust and understanding
amongst all stakeholders, by
telling the “full” bee health story
to the public and to convey
Canadian actions on “all” aspects
of the bee health issue. This is
where we should be headed,
along with the recommendations
of the federal agency involved in
this discussion: Health Canada,
through the Pest Management
Regulatory Agency.
While the neonicotinoid issue
remains front and center, the
OFVGA and the Canadian
Horticultural Council (CHC)
remain strongly engaged with
other aspects of crop protection
for fruits and vegetables.
Development of appropriate
Maximum Residue Limits
(MRLs) across different
jurisdictions, engagement of the
Minor Use Program with Ontario
grower requirements in mind,
supporting the expansion of the
Grower Requested Own Use
(GROU), working with our
federal and NAFTA colleagues
on appropriate regulatory scrutiny
and joint reviews for various
products, re-registration of active
ingredients, trade irritants and
support of real-world use of these
products are all key mandates of
the OFVGA and the CHC.
At the research priority-setting
meeting held jointly by the
OFVGA and the Vineland
Research and Innovation Centre
in November, 2014, crop
protection was deemed to be a
key issue for all sectors. As a
result of this meeting, pest
management became an
overarching priority for the
horticultural sector in Ontario,
and was presented to the government of Ontario as one of the key
strategic priorities.
It is through the efforts of and
partnership between the OFVGA
and CHC, both at the provincial
and federal level, that producers
have a voice with industry,
academia and the government.
There are many complex
challenges to keeping growers
competitive, and the necessity for
specific crop protection tools and
technologies is essential for the
profitability of the sector.
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
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 11
THE GROWER
PERSPECTIVE
A tropical opportunity to pick your own and lend a hand
OWEN ROBERTS
U OF GUELPH
If you love talking about farming – and who doesn’t? -- meet
Val Kempadoo.
Kempadoo rose through the
ranks as an organic farmer and
later as a Caribbean-wide nursery
owner. Now he’s a successful real
estate developer, founder of a
new and luxurious US$600million development in St. Kitts
called Kittitian Hill, a 400-acre
property at the northwest part of
the island, away from the
traditional tourist areas.
But he’s still a farmer at heart.
And he’s looking for advice from
other farmers on how to make the
organic farm at Kittitian Hill,
called Belle Mont Farm, succeed.
In fact, he’s prepared to offer
discounts to guests, depending on
how much guidance they can
provide. The amount of that
discount is important – a typical
guesthouse at Belle Mont Farm
runs about $2,500 a night!
Through a series of fortunate
circumstances, I had the
opportunity to experience
Kittitian Hill in early February,
and not surprisingly, it’s an
amazing place.
Kittitian Hill is located in the
foothills of 3,800-ft. Mt.
Liamuiga. Behind the property, a
seemingly endless, dense rainforest engulfs the entire mountain.
The development’s up front -- the
farm, as well as 84 single-room
guesthouses and seven multifamily units, a spa, restaurants
and other facilities in various
state of completion.
These all blend below into a
nine-hole golf course called Irie
Fields, and abandoned sugar cane
fields that will become another
nine holes for the course
mid-year, and further developed
farmland. From your private
guesthouse you can see
uninterrupted views of the
Caribbean Sea and the nearby
islands of St. Eustatius, St. Barts,
St. Martin and Saba.
But despite the opulence of its
guesthouses, main buildings with
cut stone exteriors, designer
interiors and coral walkways,
Kittitian Hill spa director
Nickie Myers has plans for this
homegrown flax, as well as the
tomatoes and other greens that
grow on Belle Mont Farm.
Photos by Owen Roberts
gritty, tiny Belle Mont Farm is
held out as the key attraction
there. It’s the apple of
Kempadoo’s eye.
He believes food and food
production, regardless of the
scale, opens doors for conversations and lessons about sustainability and social responsibility.
This includes replacing imports
with locally grown food and making jobs for Kittitians.
It’s at the farm level that
Plans call for this two-acre terraced organic farm to expand threefold . . . which will require a lot of agricultural expertise.
Kempadoo wants food production
and nature to be in harmony, and
hopes Belle Mont Farm inspires
others to be like-minded.
To him, that journey centers
around guests having their own
farm-to-table agricultural
experience. They mosey through
the two-acre terraced fruit and
vegetable farm (plans call for it to
triple in size over the next five
years) and get guidance from staff
to pick what’s in season from the
dozens of fruit and vegetable
varieties there.
Belle Mont Farm’s fertile
ground gives the facility’s chef
many possibilities. The rich
volcanic topsoil is easily a metre
deep in some places, perfect for
fostering plant life of all kinds.
The real challenge here is how
to grow food organically,
naturally or whatever you want to
call it, without the modern
pesticides that make wide-scale
farming possible elsewhere.
Insects and plant diseases flourish
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PAGE 12 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
How to sustain our soils in 2015
and beyond
Photo by Glenn Lowson
BRUCE KELLY
The United Nations (UN)
General Assembly has declared
2015 the International Year of
Soil, with a different theme each
month. The theme for March is
“Soils Support Agriculture.”
The declaration by the UN is a
good reminder that the
sustainability of all society hinges
on what we can grow in a thin
inch or two of sand, clay and
organic matter, together with
some protozoa, bacteria and
nematodes – all bound up with a
bit of water to form soil.
Vegetable producers are
always concerned about the
quality of their soil and for good
reason. Maintaining good soil
health and structure can be a
challenge in modern vegetable
production systems that are not
situated on deep organic muck
soils. Soil erosion by wind and
water, organic loss, and the need
to minimize nitrogen contamination are ongoing challenges in
vegetable production, particularly
on sloped fields.
It is important for us as
farmers to acknowledge that soil
organic matter is a depreciating
asset. Left unchecked, organic
matter oxidizes over time and is
consumed by soil organisms.
Between the materials removed
by our crops and the losses from
oxidation and other natural forces,
farmers and agronomic systems
have to work hard to simply
maintain the organic content of
soil. In fact, soil scientists often
take samples from field margins
at the fence row for comparison
with the physical and chemical
properties of production soils
mid-field.
Across the border in New
York, Cornell University is
working with vegetable producers
to study soil health. Under a new
two-year program, researchers
will work with interested growers
to increase or diversify their
cover cropping and reduce tillage.
For co-operating growers, soil
sampling, soil testing, and
interpretation through the Cornell
Soil Health Assessment (CSHA)
will be free. Researchers will also
evaluate biomass production,
weed growth, and crop response
to determine how best to integrate
cover crops into vegetable
systems.
Here in Ontario, the newly
announced Great Lakes
Agricultural Sustainability
Initiative (GLASI) has provisions
to offer a farm soil assessment, a
free assessment of soil erosion
potential related to local
conditions and soil test outcomes.
For more information on this new
program available to Ontario
farms that drain into Lake Huron,
St. Clair or Lake Erie basins,
contact an OSCIA representative
or: GLASI@ontariosoilcrop.org
Trying to characterize and
compare the “health” of soils has
always been a challenge for soil
scientists. Laura Van Eerd from
the University of Guelph
Ridgetown is working with the
OMAFRA Soils Team to
determine how to use the Cornell
Soil Health Assessment (or a
Canadian-adapted one) to
evaluate and compare the health
of our soils, organic matter,
physical properties and chemistry.
You can check out her recent
paper on using the Cornell Soil
Assessment on Ontario soils by
googling Van Eerd Ridgetown Long term effects of tillage
systems.
Having the ability to
characterize and compare
different soils in a measurable
way will improve our ability to
measure changes over time and
compare the outcomes of
different management systems on
soil health.
We have all seen the damage
caused by severe erosion, with the
organic matter and fine soil
particles gone from the up-slope
areas, exposing infertile subsoil.
Or the slow demise of land
caused by the mismanagement of
nutrients or years of high
production that robbed the soil of
organic matter and nutrients. And
we all know of a piece of land
somewhere near us that has been
so mismanaged over the years
that you wouldn’t rent it at any
price.
Corn, soy and wheat producers
have been experimenting with
cover crops for some time.
Recently they have begun to
explore the benefits of planting
cover crops in late spring or early
summer inter-row just as the crop
canopy closes and crop height
prevents equipment travel. A
2014 project funded through the
Water Adaptation and Quality
Management Initiative (WAMQI)
that was completed by Ontario
Pork has shown great promise in
planting cover crops into corn and
wheat in June in combination
with a manure application pass
through the field. This year, cover
crops were successfully planted
into the living crops. Not only did
the cover crops have minimal
impact on the wheat yield, some
of the cover crop plots actually
had a higher corn yield than the
control plots with no cover crops.
These fields will also benefit
from an over-wintering crop that
stores nutrients and prevents wind
and water erosion over the winter.
Soil scientists tell us that 60 per
cent of nutrients leave the land
with the spring melt, either
dissolved in water or attached to
soil particles. Yet we know that
pasture fields have almost no
nutrient run-off. Cover crops
can help keep crop land and
vegetable land sustainable for
years to come by holding
nutrients and maintaining
soil structure, biology
and organic matter.
Vegetable
production systems
pose a number of
management
challenges.
Intense crop
rotations or a
lack of
rotation
combined
with
tillage to prevent weeds, make it
difficult to build and maintain soil
organic matter. Often our most
productive vegetable soils suffer
from low soil organic matter,
which results in soil that has a
poor ability to retain moisture and
requires high fertilization
practices to be productive.
However, these vegetable systems
do offer a few advantages. As
Ann Verhallen, OMAFRA cover
crop specialist, points out, these
systems have shorter growing
seasons and offer an opportunity
to grow other plants that can
address specific needs of the
grower, including nitrogen
production, nitrogen scavenging,
weed suppression, organic matter,
and soil structure support, or a
cover to prevent wind and water
erosion.
Just as the no-till corn farmer
has come to re-think what makes
a pretty field, vegetable producers
must carefully evaluate some of
their systems.
As the International Year
of Soil continues, we will
see a number of articles
about soil and soil health.
Let’s make a concerted
effort to assess our own
farming practices to
make sure that we
can continue to
produce food
sustainably.
Bruce Kelly is environmental
program manager for Farm
& Food Care.
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MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 13
THE GROWER
RETAIL NAVIGATOR
Get the most out of your face-to-face meetings
With a limited amount of time,
you will need to keep the small
talk to a minimum.
Stay on track
The most valuable time with
your retail customers is the faceto-face time. You can share your
plans, understand what they are
trying to accomplish and most
importantly read their reactions to
your message. It is important to
plan for these meetings and make
the most of the time you have
together.
Category managers are busy.
They see a lot of vendors so you
need to stand out from the crowd.
There are three keys to a successful meeting:
1.
Plan properly
2. Budget your time
3. Stay on track
Plan properly
undles.
bates.
aiting.
Prior to the
meeting you should do
some research into
the category manager and any other
attendees. You
can search them
on line and
ask other
suppliers.
Most category
managers
dding.
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would be on LinkedIn or other
social media sites. It is very helpful to know something about your
audience. If you can get some
insights, work these into the conversation. You must build a relationship with this person. If you
can determine that you have
something in common this will
help in your discussions.
It is important to determine
who will attend from your company. Less is more, however if
you have a person who is critical
to the operation then you should
include them. Keep in mind that
the more people are there, the
tougher it will be to stay focused
on your key points. If you do
include another person make sure
they understand how important it
is to stay focused.
In the preparation for the meeting, determine how you want to
present your samples. We all talk
about how demos are a great way
to sell to consumers. The same is
true for category managers. You
should practise the demo with
other accompanying items such as
crackers or cups.
Budget your time
You need to create a presentation that is designed to fit the
allotted time you have with your
customer. Your challenge will be
to keep the discussion flowing
and cover all of the important
points you have identified. There
are different methods you can use
to keep yourself on time during
the meeting. One option is to
mark the time on the pages in
your presentation. For example, if you should be completing page five within 10
minutes. Put a small 10 on
the bottom of page five in
your copy.
Get right into
the content. It can be
tempting to make
small talk and to
get comfortable
with the
meeting.
The category manager will ask
questions. Answer them honestly
and if you do not have an answer
then say you will have to get back
promptly. Try to answer the questions as succinctly as possible. In
your format there should be time
for questions but if you dive into
a long answer that generates more
questions you could have a challenge getting to the end of the
presentation.
Focus on the key points to
ensure that you deliver your message. List your key points on a
separate piece of paper. As you
go through the meeting check to
ensure that you are covering your
points. The order of these points
should follow how they are
included within your presentation.
Do not bring your samples or
any other materials out on the
table until you are ready to discuss them. The focus will shift to
what is on the table and not the
content you want to deliver. The
samples should come out when
you are discussing the point of
differentiation. This is your
opportunity to focus on the
unique properties of the item and
the sample will reinforce your
position.
Do not assume the category
manager will see the obvious. If
your health claims are on your
packaging show them off. Make
sure you have enough samples for
all of the attendees and leave
some more behind with them.
Not too many to be cumbersome
but a few so they can share within
their office.
Your last impression should be
a good one
In any presentation you want
to finish strong. Think about
what you will say as the meeting
wraps up. You can make a couple of notes on your last page.
There will be some things that
might get discussed in the meeting where you perceive the category manager to be excited about
your offering. In your last minutes bring them back to these positives. They might have made a
comment about the functionality
of your packaging. You can subtly include it to get them thinking
as you are leaving.
Offer your samples for others
in the office to enjoy.
Take note of any issues that
the category manager has asked
about specifically.
After a few days, follow up
with a phone call or email to say,
“Thanks for the meeting” and
leave your number in case they
have any questions. Don’t expect
a reply, they are busy. If you do
get a reply, great!
The face to face time you get
with your category managers is
PETER CHAPMAN
very important. If you have any
more tips about making the best
use of the time with the category
manager it would be great to hear
about them. You can send them to
me at pchapman@gpsbusienss.ca.
Retail news
Metro delivers strong results
Last month, Metro delivered
its Q1 2015 results, which was for
the 12 weeks ending on Dec 20,
2014. Overall, the results were
very positive. The company has
achieved positive sales and
improved margins in two very
tough markets. Metro operates
more than 600 stores in Quebec
and Ontario.
Total sales were up 5.2 per
cent and same store sales were
up 3.8 per cent. Note that Metro
declared inflation to be at three
per cent during the quarter. It is
important to understand the sales
growth and inflation. When retailers report inflation it is always
interesting to see if there are differences because inflation is
directly related to retail pricing.
Generating sales growth from
price increases is a very shortterm strategy, especially if your
competition is not increasing
prices. We will see higher retail
prices with the significant drop in
the Canadian dollar but this will
not show up until the first quarter
of 2015.
Net earnings for the quarter
were also strong with a 13.4 per
cent increase.
Metro announced a 3:1 stock
split that will took effect the first
week of February. The company
also announced a 0.35 dividend.
Overall the company should be
very happy with these results.
Peter Chapman is a retail
consultant, professional speaker
and the author of A la cart-A
suppliers’ guide to retailers’
priorities. Peter is based in
Halifax NS, where he is the
principal at GPS Business
Solutions. Peter works with
producers and processors to help
them navigate through the retail
environment with the ultimate
goal to get more of their items in
the shopping cart.
pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.
PAGE 14 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
PRODUCTION EFFICENCY
Time motion studies reveal savings with fewer steps
Time study results
The seven deadly sins of waste are: transport, inventory, motion,
overproduction, overprocessing and defects. Sound familiar? The
2015 harvest is just months away. With labour costing more than
ever, prune some seconds off repetitive tasks.
Photos by Denis Cahill.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Waste not, want not. That simple
proverb is at work today across
horticulture. As two Ontario apple growers
and one peach grower discovered last
summer, time motion studies of harvest
workers in their orchards revealed wide
variances in efficiency.
One apple harvester, on average, took
135.8 seconds to fill a bag from the
ground, while another harvester took 218.5
seconds. At 0.4 cents per second, the pennies add up to dollars. In variation, there is
opportunity. With Ontario minimum wages
at $11 per hour, every second counts.
“In many cases, orchard practices have
been conducted the same way for years
without a thought to short-cuts that save
labour and time,” says John Van de Vegte,
project manager, robotics and automation
at the Vineland Research and Innovation
Centre.
“These time trials are not about replacing workers with automation. It’s about
collecting data to implement best practices.
A decision made without data is just an
opinion.”
Borrowing from the auto industry and
its concept of “lean” manufacturing, Van
de Vegte approaches agriculture the same
way. Ask yourself if every task is
value-added or wasting resources.
Different sectors and crops have
different cost drivers. Apple growers, for
example, incur their biggest labour costs at
harvest while greenhouse cucumber
growers incur the biggest expense in thinning and winding. For each sector, breaking down the component parts of a job can
reveal opportunities for improvement.
Van de Vegte shared the results of his
time motion trials at the recent annual
general meeting of the Ontario Fruit and
Vegetable Growers’ Association. He
followed individual workers in the orchard
and clocked the duration of different
process steps.
In comparing the two apple orchards,
Van de Vegte was struck by the differences
in terms of configuration and spacing and
how people were operating in each environment. While the workers were happy,
the time variations were significant. In
some cases, there was too much congestion
in dumping fruit into bins. Better bin
placement could help. Perhaps there’s a
more optimal number of harvesters per bin.
He also observed opportunities to reduce
walking time and moving time for ladders.
These were the first time motion trials
that Van de Vegte has conducted in
Ontario. More data is required such as
weight of apples rather than bags to be
more accurate in measuring productivity
and saleable product. But this initial data
gives an inkling of where farmers can
implement continuous improvement.
“Let the data and observations drive you
to make the changes that are effective in
your own operation,” he advises.
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MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 15
THE GROWER
PAGE 16 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
Some highlights of the 8th North
American Strawberry Symposium
PAM FISHER
Like the Olympics, this
Strawberry Symposium occurs
once every 4 years, bringing
researchers, ag business and
growers together from across
North America and the world.
Organized by the North American
Strawberry Growers Association
and a team of volunteers, this
year’s strawberry olympics were
held in Ventura, California. The
meeting included over 50 speakers, 30 posters and a field tour.
Much has changed since I attended the 6th symposium, also in
Ventura, 8 years ago. Here are
some highlights.
ASD = Anaerobic soil disinfestation. This is the new hot
topic in California as growers
search for alternatives to methyl
bromide and other soil fumigants.
Eight years ago, alternatives to
methyl bromide were “other
fumigants”. Now there is a very
focussed effort on ASD and other
alternatives as restrictions on all
fumigants get tougher. Anaerobic
soil disinfestation involves a
series of steps: 1. Incorporate a
carbon source, such as rice bran,
or whatever is economical. 2.
Cover with an impermeable tarp.
3. Irrigate under the tarp to soil
saturation, then maintain at field
capacity for 3 weeks. 4. Hope for
sunshine. Soil temperatures under
the tarp should reach an average
of 20C at 6 inch depth, for at least
a week. Done properly, ASD is
helping to reduce plant disease
from soil pathogens such as verticillium (Figure 1).
Walmart sustainability initiative
The Walmart foundation provided $3M in 2013-2015 for a
national strawberry sustainability
initiative, through a series of
competitive grants administered
by the University of Arkansas.
Many research reports at the
NASS symposium were a result
of this research funding.
For example:
• Sustainable off-season production of high quality hydroponic
strawberry in desert southwest —
Chieri Kubota, University of
Arizona
• Sustainable soil management
practices for strawberries: evaluation of individual and integrated
approaches — Michelle
Schroeder-Moreno and Amanda
McWhirt, North Carolina State
University
• Placement of additional drip
lines to enhance soil fumigation
and irrigation efficiency and minimize environmental impacts —
Oleg Daugovish, University of
California Cooperative Extension
You can read more about these
projects and download the report
at http://strawberry.uark.edu/.
There are videos and links to
presentations on lots of great
projects.
California Cooperative
Extension employs a well-connected group of knowledgeable
pest management and horticulture
specialists. Web pages for
Ventura County, San Luis
Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa
Cruz counties provide a wealth of
information for growers, in
English and Spanish (in your
browser type
“cecountyname.edu”).
Cooperative extension agents post
their presentations and meeting
handouts on line. Ontario berry
growers might be interested in
Mark Bolda’s blog
http://ucanr.edu/blogs/strawberries_caneberries/ , or the presentations from recent local berry
meetings www.ucanr.edu/meetingpresentations, or Oleg
Daugovish’s video on anaerobic
soil disinfestation http://ceventura.ucanr.edu/Com_Ag/Strawberry
National Clean Plant Network
for Berries receives stable funding from the USDA to ensure that
clean, disease-free Generation 1
material is provided to plant propagators in the USA. Plant material and new selections can be tested for viruses and “cleaned up”
using various methods at one of 3
centers before it is released to
plant propagators. This funding
is also used for research and
improved diagnostics of berry
plant virus and virus like diseases. Additionally, a national
standard for strawberry certification is being developed for strawberries in the USA. The question
is, will Canadian programs develop in synchrony with the
American process?
Water shortages: The drought
conditions in southern California
range from extreme to exceptional. After 6 years of drought, the
Ventura River and many other
lakes and rivers have gone dry,
and the snow pack is a small fraction of normal in the Sierra and
other mountain ranges. Growers
are dealing with this shortage by
drilling deeper wells, and salt
water intrusion is becoming a
problem. Desalinization, which is
expensive and energy-intensive,
seems to be the back-up plan if it
doesn’t rain soon.
Insects: It’s no surprise that
mites are a huge problem in hot,
dry California, both two spotted
spider mite and a newer species,
the Lewis mite. Resistance to
miticides is a concern as some of
the older products are showing les
efficacy than in the past.
Growers use both insecticides and
bug vacuums for lygus bugs, a
relative of the eastern tarnished
plant bug. Bug vacs are known to
be inefficient, capturing a small
portion of the population with
each pass, so growers use them
twice a week! Researchers are
working to improve the efficiency
of these expensive machines.
Farm Tour: The highlight of the
tour was a visit with Will Terry,
Figure 1: Joji Muramoto and Oleg Daugovish explain ASD in an
organic strawberry field. It is too early to know if ASD will control
the macrophomina which causes plants to collapse in hot dry
conditions.
Figure 2: Strawberry harvest in Oxnard, California. Harvest aids
save labour costs by reducing the time workers spend walking to
drop off their flats. They are best suited to the large flat fields
around Oxnard.
of Terry Berries. Will is a5th generation farmer in Oxnard, with a
very large acreage of strawberries
and leafy greens. There were 3-4
harvest aids in the field. These
machines move along the field
ahead of the workers, who simply
deposit their flats onto a conveyer
belt, reducing time walking back
and forth in the field. These harvest aids are widely used especially in the Oxnard area.
Although labour costs are sub-
stantially reduced, it takes
approximately 5 years to pay off
the initial investment of over
$100,000 per machine (Figure 2).
What keeps Will Terry awake at
night? His three biggest concerns
for the future of strawberry production are: alternatives to soil
fumigants, water issues, and
availability of labour.
Pam Fisher is berry crop
specialist for OMAFRA.
THE CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION
WE HELP THE PRODUCE INDUSTRY PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS
sŝƐŝƚƵƐŽŶůŝŶĞĨŽƌŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶĂďŽƵƚŽƵƌƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐĂŶĚƉƌŽŐƌĂŵƐĂŶĚƚŽĂƉƉůLJĨŽƌŵĞŵďĞƌƐŚŝƉ͘
cpma.ca
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 17
THE GROWER
BERRY FOCUS
Cold climate strawberry farming now available
Now, breaking into commercial strawberry farming will be easier than ever with
the help of this free interactive e-book
from the University of Minnesota, Cold
Climate Strawberry Farming.
The e-book goes into detail on important topics such as choosing your market,
innovative marketing techniques, comprehensive cultivar recommendations, insurance requirements and other essential business info, and of course best practices for
growing strawberries. For those already
experienced with commercial strawberries,
Cold Climate Strawberry Farming introduces a new, season-extending method of
growing strawberries for cold climates
using low tunnels and day-neutral cultivars.
All content is based on years of research at
the University of Minnesota and Minnesota
Grown, and can be viewed online or downloaded for offline use to any iOS or
Android mobile device. Now you can easily bring the information you need right to
where you need it.
This project is funded by a grant from
the Walmart Foundation and administered
by the University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture Center for
Agricultural and Rural Sustainability. It
was created by the Department of
Horticultural Science at the University of
Minnesota and is copyrighted under a
Creative Commons License: BY-NC-ND
4.0
New products for berry crops in 2015
PAM FISHER
A supplement to OMAFRA publication
#360, Guide to Fruit Production, will be
available beginning of March 2015. This
supplement lists new products and new
uses that have been registered for berry
crop pests since the publication went to
press last year.
New Products:
Nealta (cyflumetofen), registration #
31284, BASF Canada. Registered for twospotted spider mite control on strawberry.
Quilt (azoxystrobin + spinetoram), registration # 28328, Syngenta Inc. Registered
on blueberry for mummyberry and anthracnose control.
New uses and label expansions:
Actara 25 WG: now labelled on
strawberry for larval stages of strawberry
rot weevil and black vine weevil control.
Intrepid 240 F: registered for control of
oblique banded leafroller on raspberry.
Nova Fungicide: registered for white pine
blister rust on currant and gooseberry.
Switch 62.5 WG: now labelled for botrytis
grey mould on currant, gooseberry, elderberry and sea buckthorn as well as anthrac-
nose on elderberry.
• You can look up the details on these new
products and uses on the PMRA website at
http://pr-rp.hc-sc.gc.ca/ls-re/index-eng.php
(“PMRA label search”)
• Or, check our website at
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops
/pub360/p360toc.htm.
Pam Fisher is berry crop specialist for
OMAFRA.
New horticulture videos for berry growers
Check out www.Ontario.ca/hortvideos
You will find videos on a variety of topics for horticulture
crops and several of interest to berry growers.
Brown marmorated stink bug by Hannah Fraser shows
some great shots of live BMSB to help identify this pest
before it becomes a problem. Look under Pest
Management videos.
Under Production videos: Using propane cannons for
bird control is explained on two video clips by OMAFRA
engineer Hugh Fraser. He also has a video on using fans
for frost protection.
Rebecca Short demonstrates both drip irrigation system
maintenance and how to monitor for soil moisture, in five
mini clips. Learn maintenance tips and tricks by watching
Rebecca carry out the California standard irrigation system
assessment in an Ontario orchard. Soil moisture monitoring is presented in the last three of Rebecca’s videos.
Go to www.Ontario.ca\hortvideos and click on the
playlist in the top corner of each icon to get a list of videos
on that topic.
Planning now for 2016
Field preparation for berry
crops should take place at least a
year in advance of planting. Use
the 2015 growing season to
prepare for 2016. Use the fivefinger checklist when planning
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sales
contact Lynn Pettypiece:
Tel: 902 527 2139
Cell: 902 209 2912
2
email: lynn@lahavenaturalfarms.com
1776 Northfield Rd, Blockhouse, Nova Scotia B0J 11E0
www.lahavenaturalfarms.com www.haskapa.com
m
new berry fields.
1. Take soil samples and adjust
soil nutrients and pH.
2. Add organic matter: aim for
three per cent or higher. Add
manure, and/or work in cover
crops to improve organic matter.
3. Test soil for nematodes in
June or early fall and make plans
to control them if thresholds of
500 nematodes for kg/soil for
strawberries and 1000 nematodes
per kg of soil for raspberries are
exceeded. (You might need more
than a year to do this with cover
crops and crop rotations)
4. Perennial weed control –
know the problem weeds in the
field. Perennials should be controlled before planting with crop
rotation and/or a series of
glyphosate applications and
tillage.
5. Order plants early from a
grower who grows to accredited
guidelines to be sure you get the
varieties you want.
For more information:
www.Ontario.ca\crops and follow
the links to berries and information for new growers.
•
Agricultural * Commercial * Industrial
50 Years of Excellent Service
Refrigeration (All Types)
Heating, Air Conditioning
Controlled Atmosphere
905-685-4255
www.pennrefrigeration.com
info@pennrefrigeration.com
18 Seapark Drive, St Catharines ON, L2M 6S6
PAGE 18 –– MARCH 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
** LOW DRIFT SPRAY TOWERS TO FIT ANY TURBO-MIST - IN STOCK **
TURBO-MIST 400 GAL, 30” FAN, ONLY 8 ACRES/YEAR, LIKE NEW
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
GB 1000 LITRE, NICE CLEAN, GOOD CONDITION
HARDI 600 GAL, HYDRAULIC CONTROLS, 36” FAN
PERFECT KG220 H.D. FLAIL CHOPPER (2012) NEW FLAILS
$12,700
$14,500
$17,500
$14,500
$16,950
COMING
COMING
$6,900
Mesh Bagging
and Weighing
systems
Bag Closing
Systems, Sales,
Service, Parts
classified ads
call the classified
department at
866-898-8488 ext 221
** 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
If you have a rural
route address,
please update
subscription with
your civic address
to ensure delivery.
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 donarthur3@gmail.com Clarksburg, ON
1-800-811-6238
pfs@reach.net
866-898-8488 ext 221
SPRAYING EQUIPMENT
OUR SPECIALITY
have been
YOU to the rest,
call the
NOW BEST!!
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.
NEW . . USED . . SERVICE
CALL ABE FIRST
FOR BETTER PRICES, MORE
CHOICES, FAST, AND FRIENDLY
SERVICE. BUY A DIESEL ENGINE
PUMP UNIT FROM THE
DIESEL MECHANIC.
YOUR SOURCE FOR
JOHN BEAN AND
DURAND-WAYLAND
• VEGETABLE SEEDERS
Planet Jr.
Gaspardo
Cole
• CASH CROP PLANTERS
Conventional – Pneumatic (Air)
• FERTILIZER ATTACHMENTS
(SideDressers)
• ROW CROP WEEDERS, ETC.
• DISC HILLERS
• SPECIALIZED ROW CROP EQUIPMENT
Cultivator Steels, Sweeps, Hoes, Furrowers,
Hillers, Etc.
JOHN C. GRAHAM CO. LTD.
DISTRIBUTORS
88 Erie Street North • P.O. Box 13
Leamington, Ontario • N8H 3W1
Tel:(519) 326-5051
Fax: (519) 326-0480
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
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 19
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
LABELLING EQUIPMENT
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
REAL ESTATE
Winona Concrete
& Pipe Products Ltd.
489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4
info@WinonaConcrete.com
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.
ORCHARD SUPPLIES
call the circulation
department at
866-898-8488 ext 221
PACKAGING
VEGETABLE SEED
Oriental Vegetable Seeds
Ginwa
Lucky Green
REFRIGERATION
Nabai Slo
Spring Tower
KOOL JET
®
Reliable Refrigeration Systems
AgroHaitai Ltd.
1-866-748-7786 www.kooljet.com
Ph: 519-647-2280 • Fax: 519-647-3188
seed@agrohaitai.com• www.AgroHaitai.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
PAGE 20 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
C.O.
KEDDY
• Certified Strawberry Plants & Raspberry Canes
• All popular varieties available
• Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification program.
Plants shipped across North America.
Contact us for a FREE brochure!
982 North Bishop Road, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7
Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067
Email: keddynursery@xcountry.tv
STRAWBERRY PLANTS
***CERTIFIED***
RASPBERRY CANES
ASPARAGUS ROOTS
Jersey Giant
Millennium
Producers of Quality stock for 46 years. Grown under the
Nova Scotia Certification Program. Shipping across North America.
Wrightland Farm
RR 1 • 1000 Ridge Rd.
Harrow, ON N0R 1G0
Contact us for more information and a free brochure
G.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD.
Keith: 519-738-6120
Fax: 519-738-3358
7295 Hwy 221
Centreville, N.S. B0P 1J0
ph. 902-678-7519 fax: 902-678-5924
Email: sales@gwallennursery.com
www.gwallennursery.com
Exclusive grower of select grafted nut trees and minor fruits.
Cultivars are tested in our own experimental orchards.
Choose from Persian and black walnut, heartnut, butternut,
chestnut, hazel, pecan, hickory, gingko, pine nut, mulberry,
persimmon, pawpaw, fig & more.
Providing quality
apple trees for 40 years.
Proprietor Ernie Grimo
979 Lakeshore Rd, RR 3, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Canada L0S 1J0
Tel.: (905) YEH-NUTS (934-6887)
E-mail: nuttrees@grimonut.com
Fax: (905) YEL-NUTS (935-6887) Catalogue Site: www.grimonut.com
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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
brian@vanbrenk.ca
GLADIOLUS BULBS
Wide variety selection for retail sales and
commercial cut flower production
Catalogue available upon request or
visit our website at www.lmbolle.com
L.M. Bolle & Sons
813083 Baseline Norwich, ON
(519) 468-2090 Fax 468-2099
email: lmbolle@execulink.com
QUALITY
FRUIT TREES
• APPLE on M9, B9 and M26
• Peach on Bailey
• PEAR on Quince
ORDER NOW FOR
BEST SELECTION
WARWICK
ORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD
7056 Egremont Rd. R.R. #8
Watford, Ontario
N0M 2S0
warwickorchards@brktel.on.ca
Tel: (519) 849-6730
Toll free: 877-550-7412
Fax: (519) 849-6731
classified ads
call the classified
department at
866-898-8488 ext 221
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 21
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 • 866-898-8488 x 218 • Fax: 519-380-0011
CONTAINERS
SEED AND ROOTSTOCK
Alpine
Nurseries
LOUTH & NIAGARA ORCHARDS
P.O. Box 43 • Virgil, Ontario • L0S 1T0 • 905-468-3297
4000 Jordan Road • Jordan Station, ON • 905-562-8825
(Niagara) Limited
SPECIALIZING IN FRUIT
TREES & GRAPE VINES &
ELDERBERRIES.
VARIETY AND PRICE LIST
AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
Supplying Fruit and Vegetable Growers with:
• Baskets
• Masters
• Fertilizer
• Vineyard Trellis Supplies
• Berry Boxes
• Waxed Cartons
• Crop Protection Material
Howard A. Colcuc
Nursery Manager
R.R. #4 Creek Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. L0S 1J0
Tel: (905) 262-4971
Fax: (905) 262-4404
howardcolcuc@rogers.com
Squirrell
Farms
SEED POTATOES
Fingers
• Banana Fingerlings
• Red Thumb
• Rose Finn Apple
Old Favourites
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Yukon Gold
Chieftain
Kennebec
Superior
Dark Red Norland
Irish Cobbler
Russian Blue
Newer Varieties
AUCTION
Clearing Auction Sale
Saturday, April 11th at 10:00 a.m.
Consisting of 37 acre farm - house - outbuildings - pond
For VAN DAM FARMS - 905-979-1563
(Owners retiring from farming)
Consisting of Tractors - Forklifts - Tillage - Stan Hay seeder - Cole
Sidedresser - Cadman traveler - PTO pumps, Irrigation pumps - Steel
deck wagons - Flat fillers - 4-way drip lines - Niagara seeder cabbage bins - skids - 216 cell plug trays - shipping carts
- Approx 20 cold frame hoop houses 20’ x 120’ x 144’
- Quantity of natural gar furnaces
- Good selection of farm and market gardening equipment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dakota Pearl
Gold Rush
Cal White
Dark Red Chieftain
Adirondike Red
Adirondike Blue
Yukon Gem
AC Chaleur
All seed is C.F.I.A. i
nspected and is tagged as to
variety and level of
certification.
Contact
Penny and Glen Squirrell
RR 2, Shelburne, ON L0N 1S6
Ph: 519-925-5247
Fax: 519-925-5603
email: pmsquirrell@yahoo.com
Call for pricing.
Small orders Welcome!
Delivery can be arranged!
Located 453 Concession 10 East, Approx 2 miles East of hwy 6
Flamborough, Approx 6 miles south of 401 hwy, 7 miles north of
Clappisons corners (Watch for signs)
ASPARAGUS
Jim McCartney Auction Service Ltd.
ASPARAGUS
CROWNS
905-689-8778 Waterdown
For full listing and some photos check
www.auctionsfind.com/mccartney
Millennium
Mary Washington
BAG Supp
plies
li
Canada
C
d Lt
Ltd
td.
d..
d
pp
Packaging supplie
ers covering North America and Eu
urope
offering a wide range of high quality:
Net Mesh Bags:
Mesh Bags:
Mosquito Vented Ba
ags:
Choice of Mesh Ba
ag
Colours & P
Printin
ng:
g
Pallet Net Wrap:
upplies Ltd.
TM Design registered to Bag Su
Design No. 4015611
Handy Bags:
pplies Ltd.
TM Design registered to Bag Sup
Design
n No. 4015612
2
Bulk Bags:
Sandy Shore Farms Ltd.
www.thegrower.org
(519) 875­3382
www.sandyshorefarms.ca
info@sandyshore.ca
We are located at 38 North Point Estates, Stratford, Ontario, N5A 8C3
info@bagsupplies.c
ca
www.bagsupplie
es.ca
393
Tel: 1 519 271 204
40/5393 Fax: 1 519 271 53
PAGE 22 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
MINOR USE
CRAIG’S COMMENTS
‘Tax’ time
CRAIG HUNTER
OFVGA
March is tax time and since it
is just around the corner, money
(or the lack of it!) is on the mind
of most of us these days. Perhaps
even more important is to know
that our money is being well
spent, and achieving the desired
outcomes. It is into this timeframe
that the Pest Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of
Health Canada has announced the
outcomes of the public
consultation on their cost
recovery fee changes. While there
may never be a good time to
announce fee changes (increases),
after 18 years with a set fee, the
time was nigh for major upgrades
to the fee structure.
The PMRA has always had to
rely on budgetary ‘help’ over and
above ‘normal’ “A-Base” funding
to meet its mandate and to meet
the needs of its stakeholders. The
base budget should have been
sufficient to do this, but has been
woefully inadequate since
PMRA’s formation by
amalgamation of groups working
on pesticide registration/
regulation from within
Agriculture Canada, Health
Canada, Environment Canada,
Fisheries and Oceans, and Natural
Resources Canada. No doubt the
full complement of funds
associated with their former work
did not follow the staff to the new
agency (an old ploy in government to keep needed funds back
‘home’). Over the past 18 years,
PMRA has had to rely on special
program funds from AAFC such
as ‘Growing Forward 1 and G.F.
2,’ ‘Market Access,’ and others. It
would appear that the clout of
PMRA for budget within Health
Canada is much less than some
other groups who continue to
access almost unlimited funds for
lesser value programs (my
opinion). Nonetheless, PMRA
continues to have budgetary
pressures that affect their ability
to perform at a level that all their
stakeholders might wish. Having
said that, the PMRA has done a
credible job given their budgetary
limitations. Just in the past year
they have faced the legislated
requirement to conduct 23
“Special Reviews” on top of
those they had initiated themselves -- all with no additional
funding or staffing.
The new cost recovery
proposal follows all government
mandatory requirements for such
fee programs. They must live up
to performance standards or the
registrant is entitled to fee
reductions on future work (as
opposed to a fee refund). It is also
based in large part on similar fees
as set by the U.S. EPA for similar
work done to register pesticides
there. Even though there are
many substantial fee increases,
there are actually some that have
decreased. It is difficult to assail
their proposals overall, but there
are a few points that will make
more of an impact on farmers
than as stated. In the analysis,
they suggest that the expected
increase in annual fee costs might
be absorbed in whole or in part
by any or all of the registrants,
retailers, or growers. That is
patently nonsense as growers are
the fount of all income derived
from the other two groups! It
goes on to suggest that if growers
absorbed all the fee increase, it
would only amount to a 0.1 per
cent increase in pesticide costs to
a grower! That is quite
disingenuous, to say the least! A
wheat grower in Manitoba may
use $30 of herbicide per acre a
year, and an apple grower in
Quebec may use $2,000 of
treatments per acre a year! The
difference in impact for
individual crops is obvious.
None of that matters to most
growers if the increase in funding
is used for their benefit. Canadian
growers have consistently stated
they want increased activity in the
international arenas that will
facilitate greater market access,
faster setting of international
(CODEX) residue limits, easier
global registrations, and overall
better service standards. Growers
certainly appreciate the public
face that PMRA has had recently;
they just want more of it -defending and explaining the
registration and regulation/
enforcement processes to the
public.
At first glance it looked like
Minor Use (URMULE) was
going to take a big hit because
research permit fees increased
substantially. However, in the
fine print it was pointed out that
with a five- hectare base for such
fees; most if not all Minor Use
trials will be exempt from that
fee. The new label registration fee
has gone up from $262 to about
$1133 payable by the registrant.
This is not onerous given the
extra data protection that may
ensue.
The fees for Import MRLs
have long been a bone of contention for growers. The U.S. fee
was well over $50,000 while ours
was $8,000 for three crops on a
single active ingredient (AI).
Simply put, a company could
bypass registration here of a
needed AI, but get market access
to Canada at a pittance, for produce treated elsewhere. When the
shoe is on the other foot, a
Canadian registrant needing an
import MRL for access to the
U.S. market would need to pay a
huge fee, and often this was
refused by the U.S. registrant.
(Who knows what internal
pressure gets brought to bear on
that company by U.S. growers
who wanted to keep that
Canadian competition out of
‘their’ market?) The net result
was a one-way street in Import
MRLs. (By the way, only a
registrant can apply for an MRL).
The newly proposed fees are still
not the same but somewhat better
than in the past. In Canada it will
be $15,000 and in the U.S.
$68,000 for an AI that has already
been reviewed for other crops.
For unevaluated AIs it is much
more: $125,000 here vs. $341,000
in the U.S. Progress but not
parity.
In another area, it would
appear that the pesticide industry
lobby was able to keep
‘Maintenance Fees’ down to
unseemly low levels. The minimum only increased from $75 to
$100 a year to keep a registration
on the books. For large volume
products, it is still only $3,600
(maximum) a year or four per
cent of sales- whichever is less.
(I wish income tax had such a
sweet out!) I envisioned a
substantial increase across the
board so the highest volume
products paid pro rata with no
maximum. These funds could go
a long way to fixing holes in the
overall PMRA budget, and would
be spread evenly across the
marketplace with the most
profitable market leaders paying
their fair share. The current
proposal is patently unfair to most
products and users.
Fees are just another form of
taxation, but in this instance one
that we can accept if the
outcomes meet our needs. We
will continue to monitor the effect
these fees have on the PMRA
being able to do their job.
Likewise, we will continue to
make supplication to Health
Canada for better “A-Base” funding to take some of the uncertainty out of PMRA’s future.
It is still hard to reconcile all
that when filing one’s personal
tax return, nonetheless!
Photo archive launched
for herbicide symptomology
Identifying non-target crop and
ornamental plant damage from
herbicides has become much
easier. Kassim Al-Khatib, a weed
science professor from University
of California-Davis, has drawn
from his archives and other
researchers to launch an online
photo repository. The images are
catalogued to show damage that
can occur from 81 herbicides in
more than 14 specific herbicide
modes of action, applied in field
to demonstrate the symptoms or
when known herbicide spray has
drifted onto the plant.
Each image is characterized
with the name of the plant, mode
of action of the herbicide, and
notes the specific symptoms of
damage. Together these photos
provide a comprehensive archive
of damage to more than 120
different crops and ornamental
plants by known herbicides,
which users can easily compare
with what they see in the field.
Also included in the repository
is information about the modes of
action of various herbicides and
an index of example herbicide
trade names and active
ingredients.
The repository can be found at
http://herbicidesymptoms.ipm.uca
nr.edu/
The website is very friendly.
It can be searched by herbicide
mode of action, chemistry,
herbicide, crop/ornamentals or
and symptoms.
SENATOR 70WP
®
engageagro.com
1-866-613-3336
Proven Systemic Disease Control
Unique mode of acon
Systemic & rainfast
Broad spectrum
Senator is a registered trade-mark of Engage Agro Corporation. © 2013 Engage Agro Corporation.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE 23
THE GROWER
MINOR USE
Reflex herbicide to control weeds on potatoes
JIM CHAPUT
The Pest Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
recently announced the approval
of an URMULE registration for
Reflex herbicide for control of
weeds on potatoes in eastern
Canada. Reflex herbicide was
already labeled for management
of weeds on beans and cucumbers
in Canada.
This minor use project was
originally submitted by Ontario in
2012 as a result of minor use
priorities established by growers
and extension personnel in
Canada.
The following is provided as
an abbreviated, general outline
only. Users should consult the
complete label before using
Reflex herbicide.
Reflex herbicide can be used
once per year at a rate of 1.0 L
per hectare applied to potatoes
after planting but before potato
emergence. Do not cultivate for
seven days after application and
do not harvest potatoes within 70
days of application of Reflex
herbicide. Do not apply Reflex
herbicide to any field more often
than once every two years.
Reflex herbicide should be
used in an integrated weed management program and in rotation
with other management strategies
to adequately manage resistance.
Do not contaminate aquatic habitats when spraying or when cleaning and rinsing spray equipment
or containers.
Follow all other precautions
and directions for use on the
Reflex herbicide 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
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cpsspc/pest/registrant-titulaire/toolsoutils/label-etiq-eng.php
Jim Chaput is minor use
coordinator, OMAFRA, Guelph
Editors note: See more
registration news on B9.
Chateau herbicide WDG to control weeds on sweet potatoes
Follow all other precautions
and directions for use on the
Chateau herbicide label carefully.
The Pest Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
recently announced the approval
of an URMULE registration for
Chateau herbicide for control of
weeds on sweet potatoes in
Canada. Chateau herbicide was
already labeled for management
of weeds on several fruit and vegetable crops and non-crop areas in
Canada.
This minor use project was
originally submitted by Ontario in
2011 as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and
extension personnel in Canada.
Management of weeds on sweet
potatoes has been a priority of
producers.
The following is provided as
an abbreviated, general outline
only. Users should consult the
complete label before using
Chateau herbicide.
Chateau herbicide can be used
for control of weeds applied as a
single application prior to transplanting sweet potatoes at a rate
of 105 grams per hectare. Do not
use on any sweet potato variety
other than Beauregard unless user
has tested Chateau herbicide on
other varieties and has found
acceptable crop tolerance.
Chateau herbicide should be
used in an integrated weed management program and in rotation
with other management strategies
to adequately manage resistance.
Chateau herbicide is toxic to
aquatic organisms, small wild animals, beneficial insects and nontarget terrestrial plants. Do not
contaminate aquatic habitats
when spraying or when cleaning
and rinsing spray equipment or
containers.
For a copy of the new minor
use label contact Melanie Filotas,
OMAFRA, Simcoe
(519) 426-4434 or visit the
PMRA label site
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/
registrant-titulaire/tools-outils/
label-etiq-eng.php
PAGE 24 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
MAKE TIME FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS.
CORAGEN CAN HELP.
®
You’re proud of your vegetable crops. Let’s face it. No one ever looks back and wishes they’d spent
more time controlling cutworms, armyworms, diamondback moths and swede midge. We get
that. DuPont Coragen is powered by Rynaxypyr , a unique active ingredient and a novel
TM
®
®
mode-of-action that delivers flexible, long-lasting control of key insects, so you have time for
1
DuPont™
Coragen
®
Insecticide
2
more important things. Did we mention it’s also easy on bees, beneficials and the environment?
For farmers who want more time and peace of mind, Coragen is the answer.
Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit coragen.dupont.ca
®
1. Studies from the University of Guelph, conducted by Dr. Cynthia Scott-Dupree and Angela Gradish, indicate that Coragen® is an excellent alternative product when bees are present if used in accordance with the label instructions.
2. Recommend spraying when bees are not actively foraging.
As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully.
The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Coragen® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada.
© Copyright 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.
THE GROWER
MARCH 2015
CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION
SECTION B
FOCUS: POTATO PRODUCTION
Measure, analyze and adjust water resources
While most potato-growing regions of Ontario recorded bountiful rainfall last year, research continued on a new web app that will indicate the best timing for irrigation.
One of the cooperators is Homer Vander Zaag. Here, his daughter Karen gives a tour of the blossoming crop near Alliston, Ontario. Photo by Glenn Lowson.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Too little rain, too much rain,
too little heat, too much heat.
These are the proverbial
complaints of farmers. As shrewd
as farmers are about the weather,
there’s more to be learned. Even
in a rainy year, it’s possible to
underestimate the water needs of
a potato crop. That was shown
last year in a project managed by
Weather INnovations Consulting
(WIN).
“Plants are lazy,” says Ian
Nichols, WIN president. “They
drink from the upper levels of the
soil profile first and then have to
work harder to go to intermediate
and lower levels when soils get
drier.”
A multi-level sensor helps
illustrate what is happening. The
accompanying chart shows a
period when the 10 cm soil
moisture sensor is flatlining.
That means one of three things.
There may be insufficient soil
moisture which translates into
yield loss. The crop has entered a
different physiological stage
which doesn’t require as much
water. Or cloudy days have
inhibited photosynthesis and the
crop isn’t working very hard.
Nichols points out that each
grower can learn to interpret these
charts, combining the scientific
data with home-farm knowledge.
While this chart compresses time,
the distinct descending staircase
pattern of daily crop water use
leads up to a period of potential
moisture stress signified by the
relatively horizontal slope starting
around August 7. When this
horizontal pattern appears during
the growing season, it’s time to
irrigate to prevent moisture stress.
That said, farmers should not
over-irrigate. If the soil becomes
too saturated, the green line will
spike. That indicates a waste of
water and valuable nutrients such
as nitrogen.
With three seasons of tracking
under his belt, Nichols has
developed a potato-specific
monitoring system using 11
weather monitoring locations.
His team has determined that
potatoes use water up to a depth
of 30 cm, therefore soil moisture
charts available on ONpotatoes.ca
only display data for the 10 cm,
20 cm and 30 cm levels.
The website merges data from
site-specific weather and
environmental monitoring to
create an interactive,
web-accessed system that can be
customized for individual
growers. Thanks to funding from
Syngenta Canada and the Water
Adaptation Management and
Quality Initiative (WAMQI),
refinements have been made.
For the 2015 season, plans are
to enable potato growers to
register an account and save their
site-specific field locations and
calculations for historical
comparison.
PAGE B2 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: POTATO PRODUCTION
Context and contacts are crucial for continuous improvement
KAREN DAVIDSON
What happens when you get
away from home, leave the country, skip a time zone? Insight
worms into your head.
Call it inspiration. Or appreciation. Following the star can lead
you home to your own country,
your own county, your own dirt.
That’s what 10 New
Brunswick potato growers experienced in mid-January. They
didn’t go to outer space like
astronaut Chris Hadfield.
Courtesy of McCain Foods’ tour
guides, they traveled to Argentina
along with five Maine growers.
They were in a time capsule of
sorts, talking passionately about
potatoes.
The trip was timely as the
potato industry is facing global
challenges. One of the travellers
was Joe Brennan, a Johnville,
New Brunswick potato grower. A
year ago, he was contracted by
Potatoes New Brunswick (PNB)
to chair an industry steering committee which is comprised of
PNB, McCain Foods, the provincial department of agriculture and
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada. Spurred by McCain
Foods, the industry is looking to
improve potato yields from the
current 300 cwt/acre benchmark
to 350 cwt/acre in the next three
years. With his 35 years as a
grower until his retirement in
2013, he certainly understands the
context, but just as importantly,
he has the contacts.
“There is no magic solution or
single thing to fix,” says Brennan.
“It’s about more growers paying
attention to the details.”
With the closure of the
McCain Foods French fry plant in
Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward
Island, the 175 or so New
Brunswick growers are keenly
aware of the need to be globally
competitive. About half of them
grow processing potatoes. The
Saint John River valley has been
home to three, four and even five
generations of potato growers
with 50,000 acres under cultivation. However, there’s no history
that can guarantee a straight road
ahead.
Brennan is now reporting on
the first year of the journey to
anyone who will listen. He spoke
in Brandon at the recent Manitoba
Potato Production Days. There
are lessons not only for New
Brunswick but for any commodity across the country.
Brennan is the chair for four
sub-committees. They comprise
soil and water management, seed
improvement, science and technology and economics. One of his
first rounds was to visit both public and private agronomists, seeking consensus on what priorities
to tackle first. Soil health
emerged as one of the top concerns.
“We have more clay soils here
in the Saint John River Valley so
drainage is important,” says
Brennan. “But tight, two-year
rotations with potatoes and small
grains are putting soil under pressure. Rotating into canola, corn or
soybeans is not returning organic
matter to the soil.”
Brennan blames the disappearance of livestock farming. No
need to feed forage to cattle?
Then there’s no need to sow
nitrogen-fixing clovers or alfalfa
that would help soil tilth.
Researchers such as
Agriculture Canada’s Joseé
Owens and Bernie Ziebardt are
now delving into what cover
crops might be of most help in
tight rotations. Their answers may
help boost potato yields.
Continuous improvement is
more of a mindset about sharing
information to lift the entire
industry.
“It’s more psychology than
agronomy,” Brennan concludes.
improve penetration of water into
the soil, for the potato crop to
use.
Or in late fall, would winter
rye, winter canola or cool-adapted
radishes germinate in low temperatures and provide that protective
function by holding onto soil
through the winter and spring?
Seeding a cover crop after a longseason potato is a challenge, but
some crops could be seeded at
topkill, and survive the disturbance of harvest to create vegetative cover. The how-to of integrating these cover crops into
rotation need work, but if successful, she believes there is little
doubt they will be an important
aspect of improving soil health
over time.
Soil amendments such as biochar also intrigue her. Biochar is
charcoal carbon created by pyrolysis of biomass. Besides having
the potential to sequester carbon,
biochar has many benefits. It’s
very good at holding nutrients,
holding water, modifying soil and
improving soil structure, lessening compaction and boosting the
microbial community in the soil.
Partnering with New
Brunswick’s forestry industry
could be fruitful. Clearing forests
to make way for lowbush blueberry production will create biomass. Instead of shipping those
surplus materials to Prince
Edward Island to make electricity,
burning them or burying them,
they could stay in-province and
be converted to biochar to fertil-
ize potatoes.
The agronomics aren’t as difficult as the economics, she
acknowledges. If a farmer plans
to grow potatoes one year in two,
or with enough land, two years in
five, then cash crops must finish
the plan. Her mission is to show
how these new ideas can pay for
themselves.
“We need to get beyond rotation sequences and think about
how to integrate innovative, soilbuilding techniques into each
crop as it grows,” she concludes.
Soil: back to life basics
“The multiple roles of soils often
go unnoticed. Soils don’t have a
voice, and few people speak out
for them. They are our silent ally
in food production.”
~ José Graziano da Silva, FAO
Director-General
2015 is the United Nation’s
International Year of Soils. For
his part, José Graziano da Silva,
the director-general of the Food
and Agriculture Organization, is
giving voice to a concern of many
farmers. Soils are becoming
impoverished. They need a rest.
They need to rejuvenate.
That’s the same mantra of
Joseé Owen, potato agronomy
researcher with Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada based in
Fredericton, New Brunswick.
“The soils in our potato belt
have really been eroded in the last
50 years,” she says. “Potato production is hard on soil with tilling, hilling and harvesting to the
point we have only about two per
cent organic matter in the soil.
The Russet Burbank, our longstanding processing variety, is a
long-season potato which is being
grown in a short-season climate.”
Based at the Potato Research
Centre, she is setting up a number
of trials for 2015. Cool-germinating crops such as winter rye
might fill that need. She wants to
look at other crops as well, such
as buckwheat which germinates
and provides ground cover quickly. These cover crops could protect soil from the heavy rains typical of the region, but could also
Fresh potato company expands
EarthFresh, a Canadian produce company specializing in
fresh potatoes, has moved to a
larger space in Burlington,
Ontario. “After more than 50
years at our old location on
Browns Line in Toronto, it was
time to move,” says president
Tom Hughes.
“We are a market leader with
the largest stock of exclusive
potato varieties in North America.
We have complete involvement
in all aspects of the potato industry – from seed breeding, seed
production, packing and distribution.”
Burlington was chosen for its
proximity – 15 kilometers – to
the farm in Millgrove, Ontario.
The city is also close to all major
highways, customers, as well as
skilled labour markets.
The new office and production
facility is approximately 60,000
square feet, making it nearly three
times larger than EarthFresh’s
previous space. Customized
packing lines will improve efficiencies by 250 per cent. The
new lines will increase capacity
by nearly four times previous
capacity.
In addition, Earth Fresh has a
strong partnership with Halton
Food for Thought, a non-profit
association that supplies fresh
fruits and vegetable to schools for
their snack programs in the
Halton area.
On January 16th, EarthFresh held a ribbon cutting ceremony to
officially finalize the transition into a new packing facility at 1095
Clay Avenue, Burlington Ontario.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B3
THE GROWER
PAGE B4 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: POTATO PRODUCTION
Silver scurf requires multi-pronged strategy for suppression
KAREN DAVIDSON
Silver scurf, a common scourge of
potatoes across Canada, comes by its name
honestly. Metallic, silvery patches signal
that the fungal pathogen Helminthosporium
solani is present. If there’s any good news,
it’s that researchers have a better understanding of what works to suppress this
disease.
“Don’t use foliar fungicides. Post-harvest application of phosphorous acid provides silver scurf suppression,” advises
Tracy Shinners-Carnelley, director of
research and quality enhancement for Peak
of the Market. She spoke at the recent
Manitoba Potato Days in Brandon.
Silver scurf can be managed effectively
by taking an approach through the entire
growing cycle. Disease control starts with
planting relatively disease-free seed that
has treatment against silver scurf. Annual
storage cleaning and disinfecting are recommended. Confine is the only post-harvest product that’s labelled for suppression.
These recommendations make sense
when studying the entry points for the fungus during the growing season. (See above)
As Shinners-Carnelley explains, if
infection is severe, lesions can thicken and
crack, leading to moisture loss and shriveling of tubers. Infected seed tubers are the
main source of inoculum. Spores from an
infected seed piece then move through soil,
by rain or irrigation water, or grow down
the stolon to infect daughter tubers. Seed-
borne infection is possible if the rotation is
very short, but spores typically don’t survive longer than two years in the soil.
When infected tubers are put into storage, lesions sporulate, producing inoculum
for secondary infection. This is particularly
true when relative humidity is greater than
90 per cent and temperatures are greater
than 38°F. Spores can also be present in
soil brought into storage, as well as in
infested concrete and wood in the bin.
Symptoms are circular or irregular, tan
to silvery lesions with a definite margin.
They can vary in size from small lesions to
patches that cover most of the tuber, rendering the potato unmarketable.
“Where possible, manage storage conditions to reduce disease development,” says
Shinners-Carnelley. “Cooler temperatures,
lower humidity and adequate ventilation
can help reduce disease development.”
The objective of a recent trial (where?)
was to see if post-harvest application of
Confine and Phostrol would result in a
change in the skin colour of yellow and
red-skinned potato varieties. The trial
looked at Dark Red Norland, Lady Christi,
Sangre and Satina. The application of postharvest treatment did not result in staining,
flecking or a change in skin colour. Lady
Christi tubers, for example, had significantly lower silver scurf ratings compared to
the untreated control. This result was
maintained seven days after being washed.
Photos courtesy of Tracy ShinnersCarnelley.
FARM SAFETY WEEK MARCH 15-21
Tractor and machinery training
funded across Canada
The Canadian Agricultural Safety
Association (CASA), in partnership with
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) says that more
than $100,000 has been awarded to help
enhance tractor and machinery training
across Canada.
The FCC Ag Safety Fund has provided
charitable and non-profit organizations the
financial support to deliver community-based
farm safety training programs since 2010. In
this, the fifth year of the FCC Ag Safety
Fund, the training efforts have narrowed to
focus on tractor and machinery training.
“Community-based training is effective
and important in creating safer farming practices,” says Marcel Hacault, CASA executive
director. “The community-based focus of the
FCC Ag Safety Fund addresses farmers’
needs at the grassroots level, creating more
buy-in and ownership for safer behaviour,”
he says.
The recipients of the 2015-2016 FCC Ag
Safety Fund include:
Quebec 4-H
L’union des producterus agricoles (UPA)
Farm Safety Nova Scotia,
PEI Federation of Agriculture
University of Manitoba
Wild Blueberry Nova Scotia
The Canadian Centre for Health and
Safety in Agriculture
New Brunswick Young Farmers Forum
Inc.
Farm and Ranch Safety & Health
Association (FARSHA),
Manitoba 4-H Council
Canadian Farmers with Disabilities
Registry.
These 11 organizations will receive FCC
Ag Safety Fund support in seven
provinces. For a full list and description
of projects funded in 2015–2016, visit:
www.casa-acsa.ca/fcc-ag-safety-fund.
Confine 1x
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B5
THE GROWER
PAGE B6 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: POTATO PRODUCTION
The 50 things to remember from field selection to harvest
EUGENIA BANKS
The potato is one of the more
complex crops to grow, and potatoes require intensive management to ensure success. Mother
Nature plays the biggest role in
determining what pests appear; in
wet years, diseases like late
blight, white mold, Botrytis grey
mold and pink rot are major
problems. By contrast, insect
populations develop faster in dry
years. Readiness is everything,
and readiness is helped by
implementing management
practices that reduce the
incidence of pests. What follows
is a list for growers of the 50
things they should not forget from
field selection to harvest.
Field selection
1. Practise crop rotation. This is
one of the best management practies to reduce several important
diseases and insects.
2. Drainage, soil texture, soil
compaction and soil organic matter all have a significant impact
on pest development. Varieties
very susceptible to late blight
should be planted in the lightesttextured field because sandy soils
do not remain saturated for long
periods after heavy rainfall. Soil
compaction reduces soil drainage
and favours nematode infestation.
Identify compacted soil areas by
checking root growth and soil
texture in a three-foot deep
trench. Look for excessive clod
formation, slow water infiltration,
distorted root and tuber growth
and premature crop death. These
are all signs of shallow rooting.
3. If soil organic matter is low,
incorporate cover crops and/or
manure. Cattle manure from large
operations is usually free of scab
because the cows are not fed cull
potatoes. In Ontario, soils high in
organic matter rarely have
problems with common scab.
4. Check for nematodes, wireworms and white grubs before
planting. These pests can cause
serious economic losses. Take
soil samples for nematode counts,
and use baits to trap wireworms.
White grubs are usually easy to
see when plowing the soil in the
spring.
5. Take soil samples to be
analyzed for Verticillium before
planting. If Verticillium levels in
a field are medium to high, do not
plant early or susceptible varieties
like Superior, Pike or GoldRush.
6. If the field is infested with
common scab, grow only resistant
varieties.
11. Calibrate the seed cutter.
Sharpen knives and sanitize cutting equipment at least once a day
and/or when changing seed lots to
avoid spreading diseases like dry
rot, blackleg and soft rot.
7. If you are renting land, be
aware of previous crops and
problem weeds. Some herbicides
persist in the soil for several years
and damage potatoes.
12. Warm seed tubers to 50-55°F
before cutting. This reduces
bruising when handling, promotes
rapid healing of cut surfaces and
initiates sprouts before planting.
8. Conduct complete soil tests.
Nutrient deficiencies can encourage diseases and limit yield. Soil
tests will also allow you to save
money by applying the right rate
of the fertilizers needed.
13. Set aside samples of
suspicious tubers. Contact your
potato specialist if you are
uncertain of the cause.
Field preparation
9. Aim for soil of good tilth
without drying out the soil or
producing soil clods. Tillage
should produce enough loose soil
to allow the planter shoe to
penetrate to the desired depth and
to provide the hiller discs with
enough loose soil to construct a
proper hill over the seed. Tillage
that dries out the soil surface
reduces plant vigour. Also,
sufficient tillage is required to
properly incorporate
pre-emergence herbicides
Seed quality and handling
10. Plant healthy seed. Always
check seed upon arrival. You
have only 48 hrs to contact the
Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) if you detect seed
problems.
,
S
P
O
R
C
HEALTHY
S
T
I
F
O
R
P
R
E
G
G
BI
LL
LC
Simply Sustainable. Always Effffectivve.
1.860.290.8890 | biosafesystems.com
14. Apply the fungicide/
insecticide seed treatment you
know will be cost effective.
15. If possible, use B-size seed
for early planting. Whole seed
tolerates cool, wet conditions
better than cut seed and is more
resistant to soft rot.
16. Destroy slivers and any tuber
waste left after cutting.
Planting
17. Make sure the planter is in
good condition.
18. Try to schedule planting to
coincide with favourable soil and
weather conditions. Ideally seed
and soil should be the same temperature at planting. Do not plant
cold seed in warm soil. It will
sweat, and this creates favourable
conditions for soft rot.
19. Apply in-furrow insecticides
and/or fungicides depending on
anticipated problems.
20. Check the depth and spacing
of seed pieces at the beginning of
planting and throughout planting.
Skips and clumped seed pieces
reduce yields. Doubles reduce
average tuber size. Plants adjacent
to skips don’t fully compensate
for their missing neighbour.
• Ornamental and
Food Crop Protecction
21. Apply herbicide treatments
immediately before ground crack.
Better weed control is achieved
with adequate water volume.
Rainfall or irrigation should activate the herbicides, otherwise
there will be poor weed control.
• Water Treatment
Vegetative growth to harvest
• Cleaning and Sanitizing
n
22. Maintain and calibrate all
potato equipment: tractors, hillers,
pivots, sprayers, diggers, etc.
23. Destroy all cull piles before
crop emergence. Cull piles are
often sources of late blight spores
that are spread by wind to healthy
fields. Late blight is a community
problem. Do your bit to reduce
the risk of late blight in your area.
24. Destroy volunteers in grain
fields. They are often a source of
late blight spores.
25. Scout for hairy nightshade
(Solanum sarrachoides) in borders and hedgerows. This weed is
closely related to potatoes, and is
susceptible to both early and late
blight. Populations of hairy nightshade have been increasing in
Ontario over the past four years,
and diseased weeds could start an
epidemic of late blight.
26. Scout potato fields regularly,
at least once a week. Scouting can
be done by growers or by a
trained person who has an eye for
details. Scouting provides timely
information on plant growth,
insect numbers, disease development, weed status and other
problems such as air pollution,
lightning damage or poor spray
coverage.
27. Identify field problems
accurately. If in doubt, check the
Potato Field Guide or contact the
potato specialist.
28. Place flags in problem areas
e.g. Colorado potato beetle, early
blight hot spots. This will allow
you to check the efficacy of the
crop protection materials applied
and detect early signs of pesticide
resistance.
29. Apply the post-emergence
herbicide rimsulfuron when pigweeds and lamb’s quarters are
small. Do not allow weeds to get
ahead of the game.
30. Conduct petiole testing. This
test indicates the nutritional status
of the crop and allows you to
make early adjustments in the fertility program. It is common to do
the first petiole sampling about
30 days after emergence. Keep in
mind that:
• Most deficiencies of minor
nutrients can be corrected during
the season with chelated sprays.
• Applications of P and K are
more effective banded at planting
or preplant broadcast.
31. Be aware of weather conditions in your area. Wet weather
favours late blight, white mold,
Botrytis grey mold, blackleg, pink
rot. Warm, dry weather causes
crop stress favouring early blight,
early dying, black dot, and brown
spot. Insects also develop rapidly
in warm weather.
32. Start your fungicide
applications early, before row
closure. Fungicide application
intervals for early blight and late
blight are based on potential for
disease development due to
weather conditions, crop age
and/or late blight outbreaks in the
field or the region.
33. Manage pesticide resistance.
Have in place a cost-effective
fungicide and insecticide program
that will delay the development of
resistance in pests.
• Always use label rates.
• Rotate pesticides. Don’t
spray pesticides back-to-back if
they are from the same family.
• Tank mix fungicides as
indicated on the labels.
34. Be proactive, use all the
strategies available to prevent or
delay the development of late
blight:
• Scout your fields at least
twice a week. Always check risky
areas such as low spots.
• Destroy cull piles, volunteers
and hairy nightshades.
• Start your fungicide program
early, before rows close.
• Spray intervals according to
crop growth and weather
conditions. Shorten intervals (four
to five days) if wet weather
prevails and late blight has been
detected in your area.
• If late blight is found in your
field, spot kill or disc late blight
infected areas of fields.
• Include in your spray
program specific late blight
fungicides.
• Irrigate during the day to
avoid prolonged periods of wet
foliage during the night.
• Prevent soil cracking that
allows late blight spores to reach
the tubers. Use a roller after
topkilling to seal soil cracks.
• Apply a copper fungicide
after topkilling to kill spores that
may remain viable on green vine
tissue.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B7
THE GROWER
FOCUS: POTATO PRODUCTION
The 50 things to remember from field selection to harvest
35. Adjust sprayer boom height as
crop grows. Water-sensitive spray
cards can be used to test the
coverage of leaf and stem
surfaces.
36. Clean all equipment when
moving between fields to prevent
weed and disease spread. This is
extremely important when going
from scabby or late blight
infected fields to healthy fields.
37. Manage irrigation –if
available– to provide adequate
soil moisture for continuous root
development. Available soil
moisture in the top 12 inches of
soil should not be below the
following ranges:
• 75%-85% at the vegetative
growth stage
• 80%-90% at tuber initiation
• 80%-90% at tuber bulking
• 70%-75% at maturation
tubers dug on hot, humid days.
46. Adjust equipment to minimize
bruising. Have drops no more
than six inches. Keep chains full.
Conduct bruise evaluation (e.g.
“superspud” or dyes). Bruises
predispose tubers to Fusarium
and soft rot.
47. Avoid digging at temperatures
below 45°F for potatoes going
into storage.
48. Note disease problems from
any fields or as bins are loaded.
Keep lots with any signs of dis-
ease separated from healthy lots.
Do not store suspicious lots or
market them as soon as possible.
Store those suspicious loads close
to the door for rapid movement.
49. Maintain proper storage
conditions to promote wound
healing during the curing period:
• 95-99% relative humidity
• Tuber pulp temperature
should be maintained at 55-60°F
if tubers are healthy and at 50°F
if some decay is present
• Air movement at high rate is
essential to remove field heat,
stabilize pile temperature, reduce
CO2 build-up and provide oxygen
for wound healing.
50. Last but not least: evaluate
and identify successful practices,
incorporate them into next year's
crop. Attend Ontario potato
meetings, and meetings in other
jurisdictions when possible. You
will find these meetings
informative and will give you the
chance to exchange ideas with
other growers, researchers and
crop consultants.
Eugenia Banks is OMAFRA
potato specialist.
38. Monitor nitrogen leaching.
Water in excess of the holding
capacity of the soil -caused by
heavy rainfall or excessive
irrigation- will leach N from the
root zone leading to N deficiency
compromising crop health. Keep
in mind that most late maturing
potato varieties take up N
efficiently within 70 days after
emergence. Supplemental N
applications to correct leaching
losses should be done before that
time.
39. Reduce incidence of pink rot
and leak by applications of
Ridomil Gold, the only fungicide
registered in Ontario to control
these tuber diseases.
40. Rogue virus infected plants
from fields (especially for seed
potato growers).
41. Destroy weeds around your
fields. They are host to potato
viruses that are vectored by
aphids to your healthy fields.
42. Manage problem weeds with
rotational crops. Spot spray
persistent perennial weeds.
43. Watch for weeds that are not
common or are new to the field,
consider adopting a zero
threshold for these weeds and
physically remove them in order
to prevent seed production. Make
weed maps and keep them
updated to make treatment
decisions next season.
Harvest
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44. Allow at least 14 days from
top killing to harvest to dig a crop
with proper skin set. Immature
tubers with thin skin are easily
attacked by soft rot bacteria,
specially if dug under hot and
humid conditions.
45. Do not leave a truckload of
harvested potatoes exposed to the
sun for long periods of time.
Pythium leak develops quickly on
This year, one move will make all the difference.
Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit fontelis.dupont.ca
As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully.
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PAGE B8 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: POTATO PRODUCTION
Managing potato diseases with biopesticides
EUGENIA BANKS
At the recent 2015 PotatoExpo, Dr. Amanda Gevens, a
plant pathologist from the
University of Wisconsin, gave a
talk on Managing Diseases with
Biopesticides in Potato
Production. Her presentation
attracted a lot of attention because
it was practical. She emphasized
that knowledge of the mode of
action of the product and the biology of the pest are critical for
effective biopesticide use.
What follows is a summary of Dr.
Gevens’ presentation.
Biopesticides are derived from
natural animal, plant, bacteria,
and mineral sources. There are
three categories:
Microbial pesticides contain
microorganisms such as bacteria,
fungi, viruses or protozoa as
active ingredients and are often
highly specific. For example, the
fungus Coniothyrium minitans
(labelled as Contans) is registered
in Canada to suppress the fungi S.
sclerotiorum and S. minor in
fields where vegetables that
appear on the label will be
planted.
Plant-incorporated-protectants
(PIPs) are compounds that plants
produce to protect themselves
against pests. In this case, genetic material from other species is
added to the plant. The best
example is Bt technologies which
add a gene from a bacterium to
plants to protect them from insect
pests.
Biochemical pesticides are
naturally occurring substances
such as plant extracts, fatty acids,
or pheromones that have low toxicity to humans but are highly
toxic to plant pests. The fungicide
Regalia contains extracts from a
weed and Phostrol (Mono- and
di-basic salts of phosphorous
acid) are examples of biochemical
pesticides.
Advantages of biopesticides:
• Often have shorter re-entry
intervals (REI) and pre-harvest
intervals (PHI).
• Typically less toxic than
conventional pesticides.
• Many biopesticides are
biodegradable and pose little risk
to surface and ground water.
• Biopesticides generally have
low volatile organic chemical
(VOC) content and reduce air
pollution.
• Generally affect only the target
pests.
• Often are effective in small
quantities and decompose quickly
resulting in reduced persistence
and residues.
• May be used as a component of
an Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) program to minimize
reliance on conventional
pesticides and to manage resistance.
Limitations of biopesticides:
• Should be used preventively and
not curatively as they typically
have shorter duration of efficacy
and residual activity than
conventional pesticides.
• Storage and shelf life of products may be more specific and/or
shorter duration than conventional
pesticides.
• Data on the efficacy of
biopesticides is limited.
• Trialing of biopesticides often
requires special considerations.
Researchers cannot always add
biopesticides into conventional
pesticide trials due to differences
in:
• timing
• product placement
• frequency of application
• tank-mix partners
Registration of biopesticides
• In the US, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) requires
less data to register a biopesticide
than to register a conventional
crop protection product.
• Biopesticides are typically registered in <1 year; conventional
pesticides usually take at least
three years.
• EPA requires that registrants
submit data on pesticide composition, toxicity, degradation, and
other characteristics to ensure
safety to humans and the
environment. This is consistent
with the registration of chemical
pesticides.
Why pay attention to
biopesticides?
Worldwide, demand for
biopesticides is on the rise for the
following reasons:
• Public awareness of environmental and agricultural issues
• Improved quality and performance of modern biopesticides
• Push to reduce conventional
pesticide usage in agriculture to
enhance sustainability.
Constraints in using biopesticides
There is still a lot of uncertainty
around biopesticides that
constrains their use:
• their effectiveness in managing
disease or insect pests
• the return on investment
• the timing and method of
application
• the availability and storage of
product
What is needed for further
adoption of biopesticides?
• Continued and expanded
research (replicated trials repeated
across years) to better understand
mode of action and optimal
performance conditions of
biopesticides.
• Focus on performance factors
including coverage, timing, frequency, and rate of application
• Proper controls in field trials to
permit comparisons to other treatments
• Disease pressure should be ‘just
right’ – enough disease to differentiate treatments, but not too
much disease to overwhelm the
plants
• Adjuvants or tank-mixes may
enhance efficacy of biopesticides.
Eugenia Banks is OMAFRA
potato specialist.
The old and the new blackleg pathogens
EUGENIA BANKS
Blackleg is a soft rot potato
disease of worldwide distribution
caused by the bacterium
Pectobacterium atrosepticum
(formerly classified in the Genus
Erwinia). Blackleg is more likely
to occur in wet, cool seasons. In
Europe, Dickeya spp such as
Dickeya dianthicola (formerly
Erwinia chrysanthemi) and
Dickeya solani also cause blackleg of potatoes. These two
Dickeya spp have caused serious
economic losses in some
European countries. Dickeya spp
are more aggressive than the
Pectobacterium blackleg
pathogen. They cause more
disease at lower inoculum
levels, destroy the vascular tissue
more rapidly and can survive in
water courses for at least three
years. Thus, irrigation water may
be a source of bacterial
infection. Dickeya soft rots are
more common in warm conditions (when temperatures exceed
25ºC).
The host range of the
Pectobacterium atrosepticum
pathogen is restricted to potatoes.
By contrast Dickeya spp also
attack tomatoes, carrots, corn,
PATHOGEN
SYMPTOMS
Pectobacterium atrosepticum
• Stunted plants that look stiff and stand erect (especially early in the season)
• Wilted foliage, leaves rolled upward.
• Inky black, slimy stem rot with fishy smell.
• Sunken, circular, black. rotted lesions on tubers
extending from the stem end into the pith.
• Rotting tuber tissue appears cream-coloured, but
darkens with time. In an advanced stage, the infected
tissue turns greyish black, mushy and smelly.
Dickeya dianthicola
Dickeya solani
• Wilted plants often taking on a bluish appearance.
• Stems may have an external brownish discolouration or they may
remain green above ground. Frequently, the rotting is visible in the upper
parts of the stem while the stem base is necrotic from the pith
• Pith tissue is macerated. Stems become hollow as the pith dries out.
• Infected plants rarely give off foul odour.
• Tuber rot symptoms are similar to those caused by Pectobacterium but
the fishy smell does not always develop.
tobacco and a few ornamentals.
Usually, blackleg lesions
caused by the Pectobacterium
pathogen give off a fishy smell.
The smell is caused by secondary
bacteria that invade affected tissues. However Dickeya spp infections are not smelly because
Dickeya spp are more aggressive
and outcompete other microbes in
the potato environment.
Pectobacterium atrosepticum
and Dickeya spp produce slightly
different blackleg symptoms, but
the symptoms often overlap. A
laboratory test must be conducted
for the correct identification of
the pathogen causing blackleg.
Dickeya dianthicola and
Dickeya solani spread easily in
latently infected seed tubers. In
latent infections, tubers appear
healthy but carry the bacterium.
Blackleg will develop when
conditions are right. In other host
plants such as tomatoes, the
bacteria may be moved long
distances, and especially across
borders, on vegetative material.
European management
practices to reduce blackleg
incidence
There are no seed treatments
to control seed-borne infections
• Avoid poorly drained soils and
over-irrigation
• Use healthy seed, tested for
Dickeya spp.
• Pay attention to storage
conditions for seed before
planting
• Grade out suspicious seed tubers
• Prevent de-sprouting of the seed
during planting
• Disinfect cutting equipment
between seed lots
• Scout your fields regularly
during the growing season
• Rogue blackleg infected plants
and daughter tubers.
• Do not harvest during rainy
weather
Eugenia Banks is OMAFRA
potato specialist.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B9
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Purespray Green Spray Oil 13E label expanded
JIM CHAPUT
The Pest Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
recently announced the approval
of several URMULE registrations
for Purespray Green Spray Oil
13E for management of several
important pests of apples,
greenhouse vegetables, berries,
field-grown fruiting vegetables
and cucurbit vegetables, tree nuts
and hops in Canada. Purespray
Green Spray Oil 13E was already
labeled for management of a
number of pests on several crops
in Canada.
These minor use projects were
submitted by British Columbia
and Ontario as a result of minor
use priorities established by
growers and extension personnel
in Canada. Management of these
pests on these crops has been a
priority of both organic and
conventional producers.
The following is provided as
an abbreviated, general outline
only. Users should consult the
complete label before using this
product.
Purespray Green Spray Oil
13E can be used to control, suppress or deter several additional
pests on the following crops as
outlined in the chart.
Purespray Green Spray Oil
13E should be used in an integrated pest management program
and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately
manage resistance. Purespray
Green Spray Oil 13E is toxic to
aquatic organisms. Do not
contaminate aquatic habitats
when spraying or when cleaning
and rinsing spray equipment or
containers.
Purespray Green Spray Oil
13E can be used in organic
production systems, however
producers are advised to consult
with their organic certifying
body.
Follow all other precautions
and directions for use on the
Purespray Green Spray Oil 13E
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/registrant-titulaire/
tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php
Pristine helps apple
growers control diseases
BASF Canada Inc. has been granted a new label expansion for
Pristine fungicide for control of bitter rot and black rot in the pome
fruit group.
Previously registered for control of scab, powdery mildew, flyspeck, sooty blotch and brooks spot in pome as well as a number of
other key diseases in fruit and vegetable crops, Pristine uses both
Group 7 and Group 11 active ingredients to provide broad-spectrum
disease control.
Pristine also provides growers with the benefits of AgCelence
which may increase growth efficiency and tolerance to minor \environmental stress.
For more information about Pristine fungicide, visit
www.AgSolutions.ca or contact your retailer.
Switch controls diseases
on additional crops
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency recently announced the
approval of an URMULE registration for Switch 62.5 WG fungicide
for control/suppression of labeled diseases on all crops in the bulb
vegetable crop group and on crops in subgroup 5B, leafy Brassicas in
Canada. Switch 62.5 WG fungicide was already labeled for management of several diseases on a variety of fruits and vegetables in
Canada.
This minor use project for bulb vegetables was submitted by
Ontario in 2011 and the project for leafy Brassicas was submitted by
Quebec Horticultural Council (CQH) in 2013 as a result of minor use
priorities established by growers and extension personnel in Canada.
Users should consult the complete label before using Switch fungicide.
Switch fungicide should be used in an integrated pest management
program and in rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance. Switch fungicide is toxic to aquatic organisms.
Do not contaminate aquatic habitats when spraying or when cleaning
and rinsing spray equipment or containers. Fludioxonil is persistent
and may carry-over, therefore it is recommended that fludioxonil not
be used in areas treated with this product during the previous season.
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/registrant-titulaire/tools-outils/
label-etiq-eng.php
New Pest(s) and Crop(s)
Rate (L/ha)
Control of rosy apple aphid on APPLES
10 L
(summer spray);
10-20 L
(post-harvest spray)
Suppression of powdery mildew and spider mites
on FIELD-GROWN FRUITING VEGETABLES
Maximum
Application
apps per Interval (days)
season
8 summer,
2 dormant
not specified
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
7 – 14 days
Suppression of powdery mildew, mites and thrips;
deter feeding by aphids and whiteflies on GHGROWN FRUITING VEGETABLES
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
7 – 14 days
Suppression of powdery mildew and spider mites
on FIELD-GROWN CUCURBIT VEGETABLES
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
7 – 14 days
Suppression of powdery mildew, mites and thrips;
deter feeding by aphids and whiteflies on GHGROWN CUCURBIT VEGETABLES
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
7 – 14 days
Suppression of spider mites; deter feeding by
aphids on BERRIES AND SMALL FRUITS;
Suppression of powdery mildew on blackberry,
buffaloberry, cloudberry, currant, elderberry,
gooseberry, jostaberry, juneberry, raspberry,
strawberry
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
7 – 14 days
Suppression of spider mites on CHESTNUTS,
HAZELNUTS
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
10 – 14 days
Suppression of powdery mildew and spider mites;
deter feeding by aphids on HOPS
10 L in 1000 L water
(1% solution)
8
10 – 14 days
PAGE B10 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Crop-adapted spraying project – results to date
JASON DEVEAU
Imagine a sprayer operator is
spraying an apple orchard with a
fungicide. The label clearly prescribes 100 grams of formulated
product per hectare. The operator
has always sprayed big trees with
1,000 litres of spray mix per
hectare and had good control.
They finish spraying the big trees
and move on to a block of newly
planted, high density trees.
Should they still apply 1,000
litres of spray mix per hectare?
Most operators would say ‘No,
of course not,’ because there is so
much less tree canopy on a
hectare of high density compared
to the larger, older trees. Perhaps
they would turn off the nozzles
that over-shoot the smaller trees,
drive faster, or only drive every
second row.
If the operator decides to
change their rate-per-hectare,
they generally do so in an ad hoc
manner that results in an application that is technically “offlabel.” They are compelled to
make this choice because pesticides labelled for crops such as
trees, shrubs, vines and canes
should not have rates that reflect
the area of the planting. They
should reflect the crop areadensity, which means the amount
of target canopy in planting, not
the area of the planting. Many
international studies have
demonstrated this conclusively.
Since 2010, OMAFRA has
been developing the CropAdapted Spraying (CAS) model.
CAS allows an operator to adapt
rate-per-hectare in such a way
that the foliar dose consistently
meets a minimal coverage standard, even if the size, shape and
density of the canopy is different
between blocks (see Figure 1).
Models such as this have been
used since the 1960s, when
tree-row volume started to gain
acceptance. CAS does not allow
the operator to apply more
pesticide than the label allows
but, when there is very little
target, it generates pro rata
reductions that should achieve the
same level of control. This is
particularly appropriate for
orchard operations shifting from
semi-dwarf to high-density
plantings.
Two Ontario orchards have
been testing CAS-optimized rates
since 2013 and a third joined for
the 2014 season. A final season
of testing is planned for 2015,
and the results from all three
years will be reviewed for any
possible compounding effects
arising from repeated use of
optimized rates in the same
blocks. None are anticipated.
Each orchard reserved anywhere from a few rows to several
thousand trees to act as the
treatment condition for optimized
rates. The remainder of the
orchards were sprayed in the
grower’s traditional manner, and
represented the control condition.
Plant growth modifiers (e.g.,
thinners, stop-drops) and drench
applications (e.g., dormant oils)
were applied in the grower’s
traditional manner for both
treatment (CAS) and control
conditions.
For each operation, critical
data such as tree spacing, shape
and density, were entered into the
CAS model. Sprayers were then
calibrated according to the model,
where fan speed, travel speed,
spray volume, spray distribution,
orchard architecture and environmental conditions are all accounted for using water-sensitive paper
as a coverage indicator (see
Figure 2).
In this blind study, a scout
followed a regimented weekly
protocol: 10 trees were randomly
chosen from both the control and
treatment (CAS) conditions each
week. The scout performed an
average 2.5 taps per tree (25 per
condition), sampled five leaves
per tree (50 per condition),
inspected 10 spurs/terminals per
tree (100 per condition) and at
harvest, collected 50 apples for
destructive examination per
condition. Over 13-15 weeks,
pest presence and damage were
recorded.
Based on the CAS model,
each orchard applied ~30%
(±5%) less spray mix in the
treatment condition compared to
control. Tables 1 and 2 (next
page) present the 2013 and 2014
mean weekly counts for each
orchard and condition.
Raw data with high skewness
were transformed prior to analysis of variances (ANOVA) using
Proc GLM of the SAS program.
Grouping was carried out by
Duncan’s multiple range test. For
data with non-normal distribution, Proc GLIMMIX of the SAS
program was used and grouping
was carried out using TukeyKrameres. For all other data with
low observations or categorical
data, Kruskal-Wallis test was
used for non-parametric
ANOVA.
Pest counts with statistically
significant differences between
conditions were graphed by week
to determine whether or not they
represented an economic threat to
the orchard. In all cases, pests
were adequately controlled by
both conventional and CASoptimized application regimes.
Black rot (indicated by frog eyed
leaf spot) and two spotted spider
mite counts from 2013 and 2014
are presented as examples
(Figures 3-6).
Fifty apples were randomly
collected from each condition at
harvest. The following graphs
show the cumulative counts of
apple damage for the 50 apples
from each condition for 2013 and
2014. With the exception of
Orchard 2 in 2014, the CAS
apples had par or less damage
than the control blocks.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Figure 1 – Illustrating how observing the label-directed ratio of product-to-carrier and maintaining a
satisfactory spray coverage pattern preserves efficacy while allowing for variable rates per planted
area.
Figure 2 – Water-sensitive papers collected from a spring 2014 CAS calibration. The top row of
papers represents the grower’s typical rate (660 L/ha) and nozzle distribution. Papers were located in
canopy positions that correspond to the tree illustration. The CAS model proposed 400 L/ha as an
ideal volume given the tree size and amount of canopy per ha. Row 2 shows coverage achieved at this
rate over 18 nozzles (nine per side); position 3 had unsatisfactory coverage. Row 3 shows coverage
from a re-distribution of spray over eight nozzles per side, but gave unsatisfactory coverage in position 1. Overall satisfactory coverage was achieved in the final row using 14 nozzles emitting 400 L/ha.
Figure 3 – 2013: Weekly mean black rot count per tree, from a total of ten trees, over 15 weeks. Black
rot was indicated by frog eyed leaf spot. Five leaves and 10 spurs/terminals were sampled from 10
trees in each condition. While black rot is statistically higher in Orchard 1’s treatment (CAS) condition, counts are too low to raise concern. Bars indicate standard error.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B11
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Crop-adapted spraying project – results to date
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
The results indicate that the
CAS model for optimizing
orchard pesticide rates is as
efficacious as the grower’s typical
practices. Growers reported that
these methods were intuitive and
that they would be willing to
expand their use of CAS throughout their operations following the
2015 trials.
Province-wide adoption of
these methods has the potential to
reduce unnecessary
Figure 4 – 2013: Weekly mean two-spotted spider mite count per tree, from a total of ten trees, over
15 weeks. Five leaves were sampled from 10 trees in each condition, for a total of 50 random leaves
per condition per week. While TSSM is statistically higher in Orchard 1’s control condition, and
Orchard 2’s treatment (CAS) condition, it is not high enough to be an economic concern. Bars indicate standard error.
Table 1 – 2013 Weekly mean pest count per tree, from a total of
ten trees, over 15 weeks. Red font indicates counts where the control condition has statistically significantly lower pest counts than
the treatment (CAS) condition. Green font indicates counts where
the treatment (CAS) condition has statistically significantly lower
pest counts than the control condition.
Figure 5 – 2014: Weekly mean black rot count per tree, from a total of ten trees, over 13 weeks. Black
rot was indicated by frog eyed leaf spot. Five leaves and 10 spurs/terminals were sampled from 10
trees in each condition. While Black Rot is statistically higher in Orchard 1’s treatment (CAS) condition, counts are too low to raise concern. Bars indicate standard error.
Figure 6 – 2014: Weekly mean two-spotted spider mite count per tree, from a total of ten trees, over
13 weeks. Five leaves were sampled from 10 trees in each condition, for a total of 50 random leaves
per condition per week. While TSSM is statistically higher in Orchard 1’s control condition, and
Orchard 2’s treatment (CAS) condition, it is not high enough to be an economic concern. Bars indicate standard error.
Table 2 – 2014 Weekly mean pest count per tree, from a total of
ten trees, over 13 weeks. Red font indicates counts where the control condition has statistically significantly lower pest counts than
the treatment (CAS) condition. Green font indicates counts where
the treatment (CAS) condition has statistically significantly lower
pest counts than the control condition. Orchards 1 and 2 are in
their second year of the trial and Orchard 3 is in its first year of
the trial.
environmental pesticide loads and
orchard operating expenses without compromising pest control.
Further, it can be argued that the
coverage-centric calibration
method improves the consistency
of pesticide coverage, potentially
improving the overall application.
Future trials will include the three
Ontario orchards as well as a
Nova Scotia orchard that
demonstrated successful
preliminary results in 2014. The
CAS model is currently being
adapted from its Microsoft Excel
format to a more convenient app
for mobile devices.
Special thanks to Kristy GriggMcGuffin (OMAFRA Pome Fruit
IPM Specialist), summer students
Taylor Wallace, Carly Decker,
Megan Leedham, and Tara
Wiedeman, statistical expertise by
Behrouz Ehsani, and the grower
co-operators for making this
research possible.
Jason Deveau, PhD, is
OMAFRA's application
technology specialist based in
Simcoe, ON.
PAGE B12 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Control of spotted wing drosophila requires more research
GREG LOEB and DALE ILA
RIGGS
The invasive species Spotted
Wing Drosophila (SWD)
Drosophila suzukii is causing
significant economic damage to
soft-skinned fruit crops in New
York state and much of the U.S.
Unlike other fruit flies, SWD lays
eggs into intact and marketable
fruit. Berry crops such as
raspberries and blueberries are
especially vulnerable, although
SWD attacks many other fruit
crops and wild plants.
A team of Cornell researchers
and extension educators, in collaboration with the New York
State Berry Growers’ Association
(NYSBGA), has been fully
engaged in developing
management tactics and
communicating with stakeholders.
SWD caused havoc to the New
York berry industry in 2012, the
year after it was first reported in
our state. This was because of its
great abundance, the limited
information on its biology and
methods for control, and a lack of
familiarity with it by berry growers. As an example, The Berry
Patch in Stephentown, NY owned
and operated by Dale Ila Riggs,
lost 40 per cent of its revenue
from blueberries and part of its
fall raspberry harvest due to SWD
damage. The only way a
raspberry crop could be harvested
was by applying organically
approved crop protection
materials every three days. Prior
to SWD, The Berry Patch had
never sprayed their raspberries or
their blueberries. Berry farmers
started removing fall raspberry
and late blueberry plantings.
Other berry farmers stopped
growing fall strawberries. At The
Berry Patch, we thought long and
hard about tearing out our fall
raspberries and using the tunnel
space to plant more winter greens
and tomatoes in the summer.
In response to this emerging
SWD crisis, the growers’
association asked Cornell
University what they needed for
funding to initiate an aggressive
research and education agenda.
Working hand in hand, the
industry and researchers at
Cornell developed a research and
education plan to address short
term needs, medium term needs,
and long term needs for managing
this pest. In the intervening two
years we have made significant
progress, at least to the point
where some tools have been
developed to manage the crisis,
although SWD remains a
significant threat. To date we
have accomplished the following
objectives:
1. Increased industry awareness
of the problem with SWD
through education at the state and
county level (fact sheets, newsletter articles, webinars, web blogs,
pest management guidelines,
presentations, workshops).
2. Identified what crops are at
most risk and when during the
season.
3. Made progress in developing
protocols for monitoring adult
SWD as a tool for decisionmaking. We have established a
statewide monitoring network.
4. Identified which wild plant
species are important sources for
SWD which then multiple and
infest berry crops.
5. Developed a better understand-
ing of the overwintering biology
of SWD (e.g. role of day-length
and cold tolerance) and its
implication for management.
6. Identified which insecticides,
both for organic production and
non-organic production, are
effective in managing SWD and
reducing fruit damage. We have
made progress in how to optimize
their use, such as the addition of
feeding stimulants, and the use of
fixed sprayer systems in high
tunnels.
7. Identified cultural practices to
help minimize damage, such as
frequent harvests.
8. Demonstrated the use of
netting to exclude SWD from
some berry crops.
9. We conducted both laboratory
and field trials examining the
deterrent properties of two
volatile compounds: geosmin and
1-Octen-3-ol. The goal is to deter
colonization of the berry crop in
combination with an attractant
placed on the periphery that
includes a toxicant, to kill adult
SWD.
10. We held an in-depth
workshop on monitoring and
identification of SWD and other
Drosophila as part of a training
program for regional monitors in
preparation for monitoring SWD
for the 2014 field season.
11. We have developed and held
day-long workshops providing
up-to-date information on SWD
research and management
options.
We still have numerous
challenges to overcome to
achieve a sustainable management plan for SWD. Although the
current use of insecticides has
helped reduce the impact of SWD
on berry crops, they can be costly
both in dollars and in
environmental impacts, and
organic options are very limited.
Past experience tells us that sole
reliance on insecticides is not
sustainable. Moreover, a
significant number of berry growers do not want to use insecticides
(organically approved or
conventional) on their farm. We
hope to address at least the
research objectives listed below
toward improving management of
SWD.
1. Develop approaches to
managing SWD adults that
manipulate their behavior including identification of repellents to
spray on or near the crop to push
SWD out of crops and attractants
that can be combined with toxicants to attract adults outside of
the crop and kill them.
2. Increase the impact of natural
enemies as a control method for
SWD. For example, work has
begun in New York state on the
use of insect diseases, but the
research is only in the beginning
stages. We need funding over
multiple years to identify
successful pathogens, optimize
their effectiveness, and develop
delivery systems.
3. Improve lures and traps for
adult SWD to make it more
practical as a decision tool for
growers. We have made progress
to date, but improvements are
necessary before being useful to
growers.
4. Optimize exclusion netting
techniques, assess impact on crop
function, and examine economics.
5. Identify other horticultural
practices, such as pruning and
raspberry cane positioning, to
enhance control of SWD.
6. Measure movement of SWD
from wild hosts to berry crops
and quantify the impact of removing wild hosts from periphery.
7. Optimize the effectiveness of
insecticides, including testing of
season-long control programs,
that are cost effective and reduce
impact on non-target organisms
such as pollinators and natural
enemies.
8. Release biological control
organisms (parasitoids) and assess
their impact on SWD in crops and
in wild habitats.
Greg Loeb, PhD., is with the
department of entomology,
Cornell University. Dale Ila
Riggs is president of the New
York State Berry Growers’
Association and is owner of The
Berry Patch, Stephentown.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B13
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Fighting bird bandits with a bird
For some birders, the
American kestrel is known as the
sparrow hawk. For tender fruit
and grape growers, they would
like to know it as the starling
hawk – a bird that deters one of
the most voracious marauders of
their fruit.
The first year of a research
project in the Niagara and Simcoe
regions had mixed results trying
to establish kestrels in orchards
and vineyards, says Brian Gilroy,
OFVGA’s property section chair.
“Installation of the nesting boxes
was delayed until April 2014 after
a harsh winter,” says Gilroy. “At
this time, the kestrels would
usually be starting to nest.”
The goal is to encourage these
cavity nesters to use nest boxes
erected in orchards. The kestrel is
highly territorial and will eat a
range of birds, rodents and large
insects. The species has a range
of one mile, returning to the same
territory to nest year after year.
“Even if they don’t kill a lot of
birds in terms of volume, they
will drive birds out of their
territory,” says Gilroy. “They do
eat a lot of mice, voles and
grasshoppers.”
A nesting box tower plan was
sourced from a U.S. research
group. The mast was strengthened to prevent twisting and to
make sure the box could only be
tipped one way. The idea is to tip
the box backward so that baby
birds or eggs are not dumped out.
On each nesting site, towers
were cemented four feet into the
ground. The nesting boxes were
erected about 16 feet in the air.
In all, 10 research boxes were
installed in April 2014 -- two at
blueberry sites near Simcoe, four
vineyards and four tender fruit
orchards in the Niagara peninsula.
Fourteen other boxes were
installed by individual growers in
May.
“This was probably too late to
hit the kestrel nesting period, but
the ground was still frozen,” says
Gilroy.
Jim Willwerth, viticulturist
with Cool Climate Oenology and
Viticulture Institute, is overseeing
the research component in collaboration with a U.S. research
group. He’s asked the orchard
and vineyard owners to track
when the boxes were installed,
where and bird activity.
Bird counts were conducted
for several weeks to try to quantify the impact of the kestrels. It
was reported that the starlings
seem to know when the kestrels
are in the area and leave around
the time they are expected. The
kestrels were fairly consistent in
flying and hunting between 10:15
and 10:30 each morning. Initial
results indicate that the bird numbers were about half when the
kestrels were present however
there was still a lot of fruit damage at one particular site.
In all the nesting boxes, only
one female kestrel fledged. This
may have been due to the cooler
than normal temperatures or the
adult pair may have been inexperienced parents. The latter would
also explain why they initiated
nesting later than typical for
kestrels in late May versus
March/April. As of October
2014, the young kestrel was still
in the area. If she didn’t migrate,
the hope is that she will nest this
year.
Early learnings indicate that
boxes located close to an open
field are more attractive to
kestrels than those situated within
an orchard. Kestrels have a fairly
large hunting territory so they
don’t need to nest within the crop
to have an effect.
Kestrels may be more beneficial to blueberry and cherry crops
than for grapes as their nesting
period is typically over by the
time most grape varieties begin to
ripen. The adults are quite aggressive when nesting and would be
most effective at deterring birds
during that time. They might not
remain in the vineyard after the
young fledge or not be as territorial. However, they could still be
hunting in that territory and deterring birds even though they are
not seen when site visits are
made.
Final data summaries are
European starling
American kestrel
expected to compare bird counts
and fruit damage at other
participating sites.
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PAGE B14 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Circulating spray mix through a tank-rinse nozzle maintains
nematode concentration
JASON S.T. DEVEAU AND
JENNIFER LLEWELLYN
Many horticultural commodities, such as turfgrass and
ground cover, include the application of live nematodes as
part of their annual spray program. In 2013 we performed
preliminary research into the claim that a grower’s nematode applications were no longer efficacious. In the course
of the investigation, it was discovered that the nematode
concentration (i.e. dose) sampled from the spray gun was
diminishing over time.
After eliminating potential sinks in sprayer’s plumbing
(e.g. filters, strainers, etc.) it was hypothe sized that the
nematodes were adhering to the interior of the poly tank.
As the level of spray mix dropped this could reduce the
concentration. To test the hypothesis, we installed a
tank-rinse nozzle to sparge the inner walls of the tank
throughout the application and re-suspend any stranded
nematodes (Figure 1)
Figure 2 – (A) Installing a high-capacity roller pump. (B) Tank-rinse nozzle, with valve, installed through tank
lid. (C) Control manifold installed to plumb the return, the tank-rinse nozzle, spray gun and boom. (D) The
entire installed system. Photos by Behrouz Ehsani.
Figure 1 – (A) Tank-rinse assembly mounted through
tank lid with a flow-regulating valve. (B) Close up of
tank-rinse nozzle.
A high capacity roller pump (Pentair series 1700C) was
installed to operate the tank-rinse nozzle (Pentair Proclean
Tankwash) during spraying (Figure 2). It was installed
through a bulkhead fitting in the tank fill lid. During
testing it was discovered that the tank-rinse nozzle shunted
too much flow and pressure to maintain flow to the spray
gun. A valve was installed to restrict flow to the point
where it gently rinsed the inner walls of the tank, restoring
flow and pressure to the spray gun.
The 200 L tank was inoculated with a sponge
containing 25 million nematodes (125 nematodes / ml). 1
L of spray mix was collected from the spray gun every 10
minutes, and 1 ml of solution was immediately subsampled for counting (Figure 3).
Nematode counts and viability dropped by >40% and it
was presumed prolonged circulation through the roller
pump created the damage observed through the microscope. The trial time was subsequently reduced to 10
minutes (more realistically reflecting the time it took the
grower to apply 200 L in the field). The tank was rinsed
and re-inoculated for each trial. 1 ml samples were drawn
from the spray gun, which operated continuously, with and
without the tank rinse nozzle in operation.
Univariate analysis confirmed data normality and a
GLM procedure was conducted for analysis of variance.
Results indicate that nematode concentration dropped by
>15% without tank-rinse. With the tank-rinse nozzle
engaged, the concentration still declined slightly, but
significantly less (<5%) (see graph below).
The results suggest that a tank-rise system preserves
nematode concentration and may lead to more efficacious
applications.
Jason Deveau, PhD, is OMAFRA application
technology specialist. Jennifer Llewellyn is OMAFRA
nursery crops specialist.
Figure 3 – (A) Nematodes, as-shipped, in a sponge. (B) Suspending nematodes for tank mixing. (C) Counting
nematodes. (D) Undiluted nematodes in water via microscope ocular
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B15
THE GROWER
We have a technical name for
every stage of a spider mite’s life.
Deceased.
Deceased.
Deceased.
Deceased.
New Nealta™ controls harmful spider mites at all life stages,
including eggs. Yet at the same time, it’s safe for beneficial insects,
including bees and predatory insects and mites. And thanks to its
unique mode of action, Nealta even controls tolerant and resistant
populations. So why wait? Control spider mites at every phase
of their miserable little lives. Call AgSolutions® Customer Care at
1-877-371-BASF (2273) or visit agsolutions.ca for more information.
Always read and follow label directions.
NEALTA™ is a trade-mark of BASF Corporation, used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. © 2015 BASF Canada Inc.
Deceased.
PAGE B16 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
No silver bullet for difficult-to-control strawberry pests
Figure 3: anthracnose fruit rot
Thrips on strawberry bloom
Western flower thrips: Western flower thrips are very
tiny insects that can cause big problems in day-neutral
strawberries. They damage flower parts and developing
fruit, causing bronzing and scarred, misshapen fruit
(Figure 1). Because thrips hide in flower parts, and pupate
in the soil, they avoid contact with insecticides. Because
they have multiple generations a year, they develop resistance to insecticides very easily. Control of western flower
thrips requires a whole-farm management strategy and lots
of help from beneficial insects and mites. Biocontrol programs have been developed for effective thrips management in greenhouses. Research is needed to bring these
programs to the field.
Registered insecticides for thrips suppression on strawberries: Delegate WG. A three to four-day re-treatment
schedule may be needed if thrips populations are high and
increasing rapidly. Plan for no more than three applications per year. Resistance to this class of insecticides is a
problem in some areas.
Figure 1: thrips damage
Other management strategies for thrips: Encourage
naturally occurring beneficial insects by avoiding the use
of pyrethroids and other toxic insecticides, especially
early in the season. Control weeds, which can support high
populations of thrips. Use yellow sticky traps for early
indications of a problem.
Registered insecticides for cyclamen mite control:
Thionex WSP, Agri-Mek 1.9 EC. There are some use
restrictions that interfere with optimum control. Thionex
will not be registered after 2016.
Other management strategies for cyclamen mites:
• Start new fields with clean plants and avoid planting new
fields next to older ones.
• Schedule work so activities are done in newer, clean
fields first, and older fields last.
• Scout fields regularly and carefully rogue out plants with
symptoms.
• Minimize use of pyrethroid insecticides (Decis, Ripcord,
Matador, etc) which are highly toxic to beneficial mites,
can disrupt beneficial insect populations, and lead to outbreaks of cyclamen mite.
• Maintain short strawberry cropping cycles, harvesting the
field for no more than two years if cyclamen mites are a
problem.
• Introduction of predatory mites, in high numbers, may
help keep cyclamen mites in check, but this strategy is
experimental. Check with suppliers about the best species
of predatory mite to use. Combinations of Neoseiulus fallacis and Neoseiulus californicus have been suggested.
Research needs for cyclamen mite: monitoring protocols
and thresholds, effective pesticides, alternatives to pesticides, such as hot water dips, use of biocontrols.
Anthracnose fruit rot: This fungal pathogen can multiply on plants before symptoms show up. When ideal
weather occurs, outbreaks of anthracnose fruit rot show up
very quickly (Figure 3). The problem is most serious on
day-neutrals, because fruit is more likely to be present during the warm, wet weather conditions that favour this disease. Anthracnose is spread from plant to plant by rainsplashed spores. It can also spread by workers (and equipment) who pick up spores in one field and move them to
another. Fungicides applied during the bloom and green
fruit can be used to control anthracnose. The problem is
that only a few fungicides are registered to control this
disease. Resistance can develop very quickly and is a
concern.
Registered fungicides for anthracnose fruit rot control:
Pristine, Cabrio.
Registered for suppression: Actinovate.
Research needs for thrips: monitoring techniques,
thresholds, using biocontrols such as Orius, and
Beauvaria, bee vectoring (use of honeybees or bumblebees
to transfer biocontrol agents to the blossoms), effective
products, and sustainable control strategies for day-neutral
strawberries.
Figure 2: cyclamen mite damage
PAM FISHER AND
MARGARET APPLEBY
Silver bullet, quick fix, effective pest management
strategy? Unfortunately, none of these phrases apply to the
following problems in strawberries: western flower thrips,
cyclamen mite, and anthracnose fruit rot. Fortunately
these pests are sporadic and weather-dependent. Although
they can cause extreme damage, it doesn’t happen every
year.
Niagara on the Lake, ON
Cyclamen mites: Cyclamen mite feeding causes wrinkled, distorted leaves (Figure 2), resulting in compact,
toughened leaves in the center of the plant. Fruit on infested plants is small, bronzed, with prominent seeds. The first
step in cyclamen mite management is to accurately identify the problem, as it is sometimes confused with winter
injury, herbicide damage or other problems.
Mites can be introduced to new fields on infested planting stock. Infestations may first appear in scattered locations. As populations build up, mites move to new plants
along the runners or they are transferred from plant to
plant by workers or on machinery. Older fields are more
likely to have higher populations of cyclamen mite. There
are multiple generations each year but populations peak in
early spring (bud- green fruit stage) and again in late summer (late August- September).
Phone: (905) 468-5016
Other management strategies for anthracnose: Use clean
plants grown in an accredited program to start new fields.
Home-grown plants are more likely to be infected with
anthracnose. Use broad-spectrum fungicides in alternation
with products registered for anthracnose. Avoid working
in fields when they are wet. Avoid working in infested
fields and then moving to newer, or uninfected plantings.
Instead, schedule work so activities are done in newer,
clean fields first.
Research needs for anthracnose: Degree day models to
predict infection, information on fungicide resistance in
Ontario, bee vectoring (use of honeybees or bumblebees
to transfer biocontrol agents to the blossoms), effective
fungicides, and effective use of biofungicides.
Pam Fisher is OMAFRA’s berry specialist.
Margaret Appleby is OMAFRA’s IPM
specialist.
Fax: (905) 468-5676 e-mail: info@vine
eyardmachines.com
www. vineyardmachines.com
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B17
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Understanding the life cycle of western flower thrips
is critical to control
Jeff Tigchelaar uses his magnifying glass to check for western flower thrips in a day-neutral strawberry blossom. If left uncontrolled, western flower thrips damage the conical-shaped Albion variety,
resulting in stubby berries. In 2014, he and his brother Dan learned to intersperse rows of oriental
peppers and alyssum to act as hosts for Orius and Cucumeris. These beneficial insects feed on the first
instar of thrips larvae. Photos by Denis Cahill.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Invisible to the naked eye,
western flower thrips have the
potential to decimate your
strawberry crop. In the 2012
growing season, brothers Jeff and
Dan Tigchelaar battled western
flower thrips near Vineland,
Ontario in what they term the
“perfect storm.” This insect is so
devastating they almost quit
strawberry farming with dayneutrals.
They surmise that the previous
mild winter and row covers
created an environment for insect
numbers to build. By the first
week of July, they counted 10 to
15 insects per strawberry flower
sampled. But by mid-August, the
population had exploded to 100
per flower.
“We rotated insecticides in our
usual schedule, but nothing
worked,” recalls Jeff. “It’s
difficult for insecticide to reach
the pest when it hides protected
inside buds that bloom a few
hours after spraying.”
At the height of the crisis, with
half of their acreage affected, the
Tigchelaar brothers ordered all
the fruit and flowers to be
manually cut off. This last-ditch
effort didn’t work either. The
strawberry plants became more
vigorous and started to bloom
again. The short life cycle of this
insect meant there were enough
pupating in the soil to emerge and
cause another round of damage.
Besides losing acreage, the
Tigchelaars’ lost quality. The
gloss is taken off the damaged
berries.
The harsh winter of 2014
apparently destroyed the pupating
western flower thrips providing a
better start to the growing season.
In the intervening months, they
researched potential management
solutions. One was to borrow a
leaf from the greenhouse industry
which learned to control this pest
10 years ago with beneficial
insects Orius and Cucumeris.
Granted, these predatory bugs
perform optimally in a closed
environment where they feast on
not only western flower thrips,
but aphids and spider mites.
However, they learned that
favourite hosts are oriental
peppers and alyssum, so these
sentinel plants are now
interspersed in rows between the
strawberries.
Cucumeris is available in
sachets of rice bran that are
planted every five feet under the
plastic. The beneficial insect is
present to feed on first instar
thrips larvae.
Looking back on the overall
insect management program, Jeff
says, “It’s important to let the
field balance itself. We’ve
changed our insecticide program
to keep the field more balanced
with beneficials.”
That said, western flower
thrips aren’t the only insect menace. With the help of a crop scout
twice a week, other threats are
tracked. For example, when spotted wing drosophila populations
rise in August, this pest must be
managed with insecticides in
short intervals of five to seven
days, which over time, throws the
overall beneficial balance of the
field in favour of the thrips.
It’s a daily challenge to keep
ahead of the bugs.
Vive Crop Protection unveils its new manufacturing plant
Vive Crop Protection, Inc. has
opened its new manufacturing
plant in Toronto, Ontario to commercially produce its advanced
product formulations. These technologies leverage Vive’s patented
Allosperse water-dispersible
delivery system, meaning that formulations are made without solvents.
According to its website, Vive
has created improved fungicides,
insecticides and herbicides. The
company works with low melting,
high melting or liquid actives, and
can achieve high loading.
Quality Seed
Products can be made into
different forms, including liquid
suspension concentrates (SC)
with up to 25 per cent active
ingredient (AI), and solid waterdispersible granules (WG) or wettable powders (WP) with up to 50
per cent AI.
Products are ready for mixed
use. They are stable in a variety
of salt conditions including hard
water and soft water. They are
compatible with standard tank
mix partners, and several products
are also compatible with liquid
fertilizers.
Quality Service
Vive has made formulations
with the following active
ingredients:
• Abamectin
• Alpha-cypermethrin
• Azoxystrobin
• Bifenthrin
• Deltamethrin
• Difenoconazole
• Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl
• Lambda cyhalothrin
• Pendimethalin
• Spinetoram
• Thiamethoxam
• Trifluralin
• Zeta-cypermethrin
“This plant is the result of the
dedicated effort of all our
employees and the support of our
partners. Completion of our
manufacturing plant is a
momentous milestone that
significantly accelerates our
company’s growth,” said Vive
CEO Keith Thomas.
Vive's products have been
commercialized from
fundamental research conducted
at the University of Toronto and
funded by the Natural Sciences
and Engineering Council of
Canada (NSERC) I2I program
and Ontario Centres of
Excellence. Ongoing support has
been provided by private
investors as well as the
Government of Canada through
Sustainable Development
Technology Canada and FedDev
Ontario as well as the
Government of Ontario through
the Innovation Demonstration
Fund and Ontario Capital Growth
Corporation. Vive's plant is
located at Halltech Inc., a
Canadian manufacturer of
polymer emulsions.
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 B18 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER
FOCUS: CROP PROTECTION
Some products show promise in controlling nematodes
in muck crops
KAREN DAVIDSON
Entire careers have been spent
researching nematodes, yet these
ubiquitous and microscopic pests
promise plenty more work for
PhDs. University of Guelph grad
student Dennis Van Dyk can
attest to that, working full-time at
the Muck Crops Research Station
as IPM coordinator.
Mary Ruth McDonald,
University of Guelph’s research
program director for the department of plant science, outlined
several projects at the recent
Fresh Vegetable Growers of
Ontario annual general meeting.
She and her team are evaluating
fumigants and new nematicides
for the control of soil-borne
nematodes in Ontario.
One such project is looking at
effective controls for root knot
nematodes in carrots and radishes,
and for lesion nematodes in tomatoes. The goal is to identify the
best method for extracting and
quantifying nematodes. At this
point, nematode counts are often
not closely related to field damage so more needs to be understood. Part of the challenge is that
nematode populations vary within
a field. As well, McDonald wants
more data on the species of nematodes attacking these crops. She
notes that a nematode survey in
2013 revealed carrot cyst nema-
tode to be economically damaging.
In 2014 field trials, several
products showed promise.
PicPlus, Vapam, Nimitz and a
combination of these products
increased carrot yield and per
cent marketable carrots while
reducing disease severity.
Although Vapam + PicPlus
numerically had the highest yield
and lowest disease severity index,
combining applications of PicPlus
at seeding and pre-plant applications of Vapam or Nimitz did not
significantly increase efficacy
over the separate application of
these products. The non-fumigant
nematicide, Nimitz, reduced damage and increased yields comparable to the grower standard fumigants. Dazitol and MustGrow
decreased disease severity compared to the untreated check but
had no effect on marketability or
yield of the carrots.
Carrots are very sensitive to
damage during taproot formation
which causes disruption and
unmarketability, so soil nematode
counts during the growing season
or at harvest may not give an
accurate quantification of potential for damage in this case.
A larger number of products
were tested in growth room trials
with tomatoes as follows:
1) non-inoculated check
2) inoculated check
3) Movento at 350 L/ha spraying
post-planting
4) Agri-Mek at 20L/ha
5) Dazitol at 60 L/ha
6) Basamid at 392 kg/ha
7) Nimitz (was MCW-2) EC at
8.36 L/ha
8) MustGrow at 1680 kg/ha
9) Busan 1236 at 275 L/ha
Pic Plus was not applied due to
difficulties in applying a volatile
product.
The fumigants Busan and
Basamid provided the best control
of root knot nematodes in terms
of reducing damage and improving plant health and growth.
Nimitz reduced root knot nematode damage comparable to the
fumigants. Agri-Mek was also
able to cause a reduction in damage but not to the same extent.
The products identified in both
controlled environment and field
results show promising potential
for nematode management within
the context of increasing fumigation restrictions.
“Nematodes are becoming a
bigger problem in Ontario,” concludes McDonald. “We’ve lost
Telone as a nematicide and there
are new restrictions on fumigant
use.”
Biological control of wireworms
• Greenhouse and Field Soil Fumigation
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A major research project on w
ireworm control in potatoes and
strategic rotational crops being
conducted under CHC’s Canadian
Agri-Science Cluster for
Horticulture 2 includes a focus on
biological approaches to wireworm control.
Todd Kabaluk, a biologist at
the AAFC Research Station in
Agassiz, British Columbia, has
developed a new formulation of
pheromone for targeting click
beetles, the adult stage of wireworm. This attractant pheromone,
when used in combination with a
fungal biocontrol, Metarhizium
agent that he has discovered,
control almost all of the beetles
targeted.
When combined with biological control targeted at wireworm
larvae, a comprehensive approach
to the biological control of wireworms at larval and adult stages
could be developed. Targeting
click beetles during rotation years
will reduce the laying of eggs and
new larvae into the field, while
targeting larvae during potato
planting years will focus on the
wireworms already in the soil and
protect tubers from feeding damage.
It is anticipated that after one
complete cycle including
rotational crops and the potato
crop, wireworm populations will
be reduced dramatically.
There is also an indication that
the pheromone granules will be
useful for click beetle mating disruption, a control approach that
has been successful for other pest
insects. Mr. Kabaluk’s research
is part of the Cluster 2 project,
Wireworm Control in Potatoes
and Strategic Rotational Crops in
Canada, led by Dr. Bob Vernon,
who is also based at the AAF
C research station in Agassiz.
Dr. Vernon’s project will be
featured in the Spring 2015 issue
of CHC’s magazine, Fresh
Thinking.
Source: Canadian Horticultural
Council.
MARCH 2015 –– PAGE B19
THE GROWER
CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL
Annual General Meeting
March 10 - 12, 2015
The 2015 Canadian
Horticultural Council’s 93rd
Annual General Meeting will
soon be here. Your Quebec hosts
are preparing a first-class event
based on the theme Healthy You
and are looking forward to wel-
coming you to the Fairmont
Château Frontenac, Quebec City.
The business sessions will
address issues of top priority for
CHC members and include presentations and panel discussions
on the many issues facing horti-
culture. Government officials and
allied sector representatives will
be on hand to hear your concerns
and participate in the debate, and
guest speakers will shed light on
the issues that matter most to you.
Help find solutions for
farm labour shortages
The Canadian Agricultural HR
Council is working with the
Conference Board of Canada to
conduct six focus group sessions
across Canada in February and
March 2015.
They need you – Canadian
producers – to have your say by
participating in the focus groups.
The focus groups will also inform
participants about their sector's
labour supply and needs, helping
to formulate best practices and
recommendations to address
agricultural workforce challenges.
Please ‘Have your say!’ by
volunteering to participate in a
focus group.
Contact Debra at 613-7457457 or hauer@cahrc-ccrha.ca
for registration or more information. www.cahrcccrha.ca/haveyour-say
Overview of the Canadian
greenhouse vegetable industry-2013
The Horticulture and Cross Sectoral Division of
the Sector Development and Analysis Directorate,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada recently released
its “Statistical Overview of the Canadian
Greenhouse Vegetable Industry - 2013” report. The
report provides a comprehensive summary of the
greenhouse vegetable industry in Canada and contains tables and charts about production, revenues,
labour and trade. Report highlights include:
• Canada’s greenhouse industry is composed of
tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce.
• In 2013, greenhouse farm gate value amounted to
$1.24 billion, up 17% from 2012. Tomatoes are the
primary greenhouse vegetables in Canada and
accounted for 42% of total greenhouse vegetable
farm gate value, followed by cucumbers (31%) and
peppers (25%) respectively.
• Ontario continues to be the leader in the
Photos by Glenn Lowson
greenhouse vegetable sector, representing 68%
of the total harvested area in Canada. British
Columbia and Quebec have the second and hird
largest area of harvested greenhouse vegetables in
Canada with 21% and 7%respectively.
• In 2013, 10,760 people were employed in the
greenhouse vegetable industry.
• Canada is a net exporter of greenhouse vegetables.
In 2013, Canada’s exports amounted to $724 million
against imports of only $259 million.
• The United States is the main export destination of
greenhouse vegetables for the past five years.
Exports to the United States accounted for 99.8%
($723 million) of total exports.
The key resources used in the preparation of this
document are Statistics Canada. The report will be
available online.AAC@agr.gc.ca
CHC welcomes new staff
Trevor Eggleton, Manager,
Communications
Trevor Eggleton has joined the CHC as
Manager, Communications. He moved to
Ottawa from Vancouver and grew up in
the Okanagan. His career has been
anchored in public relations, mostly in the
not-for-profit sector. Prior to joining CHC,
Trevor was the Marketing and Public
Outreach Officer with the Micronutrient
Initiative (MI), a Canada-based global
nutrition organization working exclusively
to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the world́s most vulnerable populations. Prior to his work with MI he served
as Acting Director of Communications
with the National Aboriginal Health
Organization (NAHO).
Diane Davidson, Executive Assistant
Diane Davidson has also recently joined
the CHC in the position of Executive
Assistant. Her previous experience
includes Executive Assistant positions at
the Canadian Cardiovascular Society
(CCS) and Senior Executive Assistant to
the President and CEO of Lockheed Martin
Canada from 2001 to 2010.
The ad deadline for the April issue of The Grower is March 13. Contact Herb Sherwood 519-380-0118
PAGE B20 –– MARCH 2015
THE GROWER