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A 2013 Economic Outlook for Canadian HorticultureDe conduite l’économie du Canada : Perspectives économiques du secteur horticole canadien pour 20135

Cultivating Leaders of TomorrowPage 27Canada Post Publications Agreement Number 40609661

6 fresh Thinking | spring 2013

The official publicaTion of The canadian horTiculTural council 7

Table of conTenTs Table des maTières

FreshThinkingPublished For: Canadian Horticultural Council Le conseil canadien de l’horticulture 9 Corvus Court Ottawa, ON K2E 7Z4 Tel: (613) 226-4880 • Fax: (613) 226-4497 Email: [email protected] Web: www.hortcouncil.ca

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©2013 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc.

up fronT09 a message from murray porteous, president of the canadian

horticultural council / un message de murray porteous, président du

conseil canadien de l’horticulture

11 a message from anne fowlie, executive Vice-president of the canadian

horticultural council / un message d’anne fowlie, vice-présidente

directrice du conseil canadien de l’horticulture

14 generating Value for members: a more innovative, profitable

horticultural industry for future generations

feaTures15 a 2013 economic outlook for canadian horticulture / de conduite

l’économie du canada : perspectives économiques du secteur horticole

canadien pour 2013

20 The creating a legacy initiative: raising capital shines light on past

successes and future needs / le programme façonner l’avenir : les

sommes accumulées mettent en lumière les réussites du passé comme

les besoins de l’avenir

27 cultivating leaders of Tomorrow

31 innovating management: electronic record keeping software increases

efficiency for potato farmers

32 supporting growth, investment, innovation and market openness: The

regulatory cooperation council

34 giving back, connecting with the community

WhaT’s neW aT chc36 facing the communications dilemma

38 harmonizing maximum residue limits / harmonisation des limites

maximales de résidus

41 canadagap program under new ownership

42 agri-science clusters: looking back and growing forward 2 / grappes

agro-scientifiques : un retour en arrière et cultivons l’avenir 2

44 buYer’s guide

la publicaTion officielle du conseil canadien de l’horTiculTure 9

a message from murray porteous

president of the canadian

horticultural council

un message de murray porteous

président du conseil

canadien de l’horticulture

What We Have Learned About How to Lobby the Federal Government

Lobbying is defined as “influencing the deci-sions of politicians.” The Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) has been lobbying on behalf of the Canadian fruit and vegetable industry for 91 years but how we now need to lobby has changed dramatically. The Creating a Legacy Initiative, which was approved at the CHC Annual General Meeting in March 2012, set a path forward for our industry over the next 10 years with the objective of creating a stronger industry for future gen-erations. As we have transitioned through the past year, our focus has been on identifying how to improve the effectiveness of our lobbying efforts with the goal of achieving cost-effective results for our members.

In recent years, government has changed the way it does business. With economic pressure and increased public scrutiny on its expendi-tures, the federal government now places a lot more emphasis on get-ting value for its money and maintaining tighter control. As such, its priorities are developed as part of an overall emphasis decided by its elected leadership and key staff. The resulting Beyond the Border and Regulatory Cooperation Council initiatives signed by Prime Minister Harper and President Obama placed several of our highest priorities on the government’s list for action.

The level of detail required for a successful lobby effort is now much greater since decisions on proposals often cross-cut across

Ce que nous avons appris sur la manière d’exercer des activités

de lobbying auprès du gouvernement fédéral

On entend par lobbying : « influencer les décisions des politiciens ». Au Conseil cana-

dien de l’horticulture (CHC), nous exerçons des activités de lob-bying au nom de l’industrie canadienne des fruits et des légumes depuis 91 ans, mais la façon dont nous devons exercer ces activités a beaucoup changé. Le programme Façonner l’avenir, approuvé à l’assemblée générale annuelle du CCH en mars 2012, a défini la voie de l’industrie pour les dix prochaines années avec, pour objec-tif, de créer une industrie plus solide pour les générations à venir. Au cours de l’année dernière, notre priorité a été de déterminer la manière d’améliorer l’efficacité de nos efforts de lobbying dans le but d’obtenir des résultats rentables pour nos membres.

Au cours des dernières années, le gouvernement a changé sa façon de gérer ses activités. Avec les pressions économiques et ses dépenses scrutées à la loupe par le public, le gouvernement fédéral veut maintenant optimiser ses investissements et mettre en place des contrôles sévères. Pour ce faire, ses priorités font mainten-ant partie d’une orientation générale décidée par ses élus et les membres clés du personnel. Les initiatives du plan d’action front-alier et le plan d’action du conseil de coopération en matière de

continued on page 10 suite à la page 10

Lingwood Farms in Simcoe, Ontario; 750 acres orchard, 100 acres asparagus, and three generations. Back row, left to right: Murray Porteous, Ray Vogel and Ken Porteous. Front row, left to right: Joel Porteous, Brad Vogel and "a man's best friend”, Caleigh.


ministries with competing priorities. Even though an item is included in a “border deal,” a successful lobby effort still requires a great deal of effort. The result of an effect-ive lobbying strategy is the collaboration between sectors that have similar interests to explain different aspects of a proposal to very senior levels of government. The goal is to address a particular issue for the proponent(s) in concert with the govern-ment’s overall objectives.

Although our lobbying efforts this year have been focused, the amount of

time spent with key decision makers has increased substantially. This includes the Prime Minister’s Office, finance, industry, cabinet, key Members of Parliament, the United States’ Embassy, senators, agencies, members of the media and other organiza-tions. While these efforts have been reward-ing, it is obvious that our industry can be more effective in lobbying. We need to dedi-cate more resources to developing solid pro-posals and continuing to present them to the key people in government who have the most impact on decision-making if we are to address other priorities.

réglementation signé par le premier ministre Harper et le président Obama ont mis plu-sieurs de nos priorités sur la liste d’actions du gouvernement.

Le niveau de détails nécessaires pour que les efforts de lobbying réussissent est maintenant beaucoup plus élevé puisque les décisions concernant les propositions passent par différents ministères dont les pri-orités diffèrent. Ainsi, même si un élément fait partie du plan d’action frontalier, les activités de lobbying nécessitent beaucoup d’efforts pour porter des fruits. Le résultat d’une stratégie de lobbying efficace est la collaboration entre les secteurs ayant des intérêts semblables pour expliquer les dif-férents aspects de la proposition à de très hauts fonctionnaires. Le but est d’aborder une question particulière des intervenants de concert avec les objectifs globaux du gouvernement.

Bien que nos efforts de lobbying cette année aient été ciblés, le temps passé avec les décideurs clés a augmenté de manière importante, notamment avec le bureau du premier ministre, les représentants des finances et de l’industrie, le cabinet, les membres clés du parlement, l’ambassade des États-Unis, les sénateurs, les agences, les membres des médias et autres organ-ismes. Ces efforts ont été récompensés, mais il est évident que notre industrie peut être plus efficace en matière de lobbying. Nous devons consacrer plus de ressources au développement de propositions solides et continuer de les présenter aux personnes clés du gouvernement qui auront le plus d’impact sur les preneurs de décision si nous voulons aborder d’autres priorités.

continued from page 9 suite de la page 9

Did you know?The Canadian Horticultural Council

(CHC) is a voluntary, not-for-profit, national association which represents the dynamic and diverse sector of Canadian agriculture known as horticulture. The CHC's members are primarily involved in the production and packing of over 120 horticulture crops comprised of fruit and vegetables. The CHC has been committed to promoting the interests of its members since 1922.

To learn more about the CHC, go to www.hortcouncil.ca.


un message d’anne fowlie

vice-présidente directrice du conseil canadien de

l’horticulture

a message from anne fowlie executive Vice-president of the canadian horticultural council

The Year of ….Value This year, 2013, has a number of official

designations. The United Nations has proclaimed it as the International Year of Water Cooperation, and according to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 is the Year of the Snake. While some muse lightly over such designations, others bring an approach which may be steeped in superstition, or one which is filled with enthusiasm, celebration and looking to leave a lasting mark.

Our most recent “year of” experience was the International Year of the Potato in 2008. As wheat and rice prices surged, it was hoped the potato would be rediscovered and viewed as a vital and nutritious crop that could efficiently and economically feed an increasing global popu-lation and promote global food security.

I believe 2013 will also be a “year of ” for the Canadian Horticultural Council—a self-designated Year of Value. How will we move through the coming year, and, more importantly, how will it be remembered and what course will it set for the future?

All organizations are being challenged to demonstrate value. There are many ways to define value; from the basic worth of something compared to the price paid (mass), to principles or standards (values) to a return on investment. In today’s world, for many, value is more readily assigned to full and immediate results. Regardless of the defin-ition or the timeline, the ability to capture results and to tell the stories is key.

Traditional strategic planning, reporting, communication and measures of good governance are evolving. An organization’s ability to be responsive, agile, disciplined and articulate is more important than ever. It is much too easy to lose sight of the “big picture” while pre-occupied with trying to sustain the day-to-day. As we so often hear,

L’année de... la valeur L’année 2013 a reçu quelques désignations offici-

elles. En effet, l’Organisation des Nations Unies a déclaré 2013 Année internationale de la coopéra-tion dans le domaine de l’eau et, selon l’horoscope chinois, 2013 est l’année du Serpent. Alors que

certains sont amusés par de telles désignations, pour d’autres cepend-ant, elles sont empreintes de superstition ou remplies d’enthousiasme et de célébrations afin de laisser une marque durable.

La dernière année consacrée à quelque chose a été l’Année interna-tionale de la pomme de terre en 2008. Alors que les prix du blé et du riz augmentaient, on espérait que la pomme de terre soit redécouverte comme aliment nourrissant et essentiel pouvant nourrir efficacement une population mondiale en croissance et promouvoir la sécurité ali-mentaire à l’échelle internationale.

Le Conseil canadien de l’horticulture a déclaré que 2013 serait l’Année de la valeur. Comment progresserons-nous au cours de l’année et surtout, quels souvenirs laissera-t-elle et quelle voie tracera-t-elle pour l’avenir?

Tous les organismes ont un défi : démontrer de la valeur. Le mot « valeur » peut faire référence à plusieurs choses, par exemple à la valeur d’un objet par rapport à son prix, au rendement d’un investisse-ment, ou même à un principe ou un idéal. Dans le monde actuel, pour la majorité d’entre nous, la valeur est beaucoup plus facilement rattachée à des résultats immédiats. Peu importe la définition ou le calendrier, la capacité d’obtenir des résultats et de bien exprimer son message est la clé.

suite à la page 12

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continued on page 12

Traditional strategic planning, reporting, communication and measures of good governance are evolving. an organization’s ability to be responsive, agile, disciplined and articulate is more important than ever.

“ “la planification stratégique, les rapports, la communication et l’évaluation d’une bonne gouvernance évoluent. la capacité d’un organisme d’être prêt, rapide, discipliné et articulé est plus importante que jamais.

«»

12 idÉes fraÎches | prinTemps 2013

continued from page 11 suite de la page 11“the game has changed,” and the past year has been a time of change to stay in the game.

Past successes are a source of pride and have clearly provided value to members and the sector at large: the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, the industry-owned, inter-nationally recognized CanadaGAP food safety program, establishment of the (AAFC) Pest Management Centre and others.

In 2013, with the support of its members, the CHC will strive to define and deliver value, ensuring stories of industry success and achievement for years to come.

La planification stratégique, les rap-ports, la communication et l’évaluation d’une bonne gouvernance évoluent. La cap-acité d’un organisme d’être prêt, rapide, discipliné et articulé est plus importante que jamais. C’est toujours très facile de perdre de vue la s i tuation dans son ensemble lorsqu’on essaie de poursuivre les activités, au jour le jour. Comme nous l’entendons dire souvent, « les règles du jeu ont changé » et l’année dernière a été con-sacrée aux changements afin de rester dans la course.

Nos réussites passées sont une source de fierté et ont fourni de la valeur aux membres et au secteur dans son ensemble, notamment le Programme des travailleurs agricoles saisonniers, le programme cana-dien de salubrité des aliments CanadaGap, appartenant à l’industrie et reconnu à l’échelle internationale, l’établissement du Centre de la lutte antiparasitaire (AAC) et bien d’autres.

En 2013, avec le soutien de ses membres, le CCH s’efforcera de définir et de procur-er de la valeur, assurant ainsi la réussite de l’industrie pour les années à venir.

Canadian Horticultural Council's 2012-2013 Executive Committee

PresidentMurray Porteous (Ontario)

First Vice-PresidentKeith Kuhl (Manitoba)

Second Vice-PpesidentClaude Laniel (Quebec)

MemberBrian Gilroy (Ontario)

MemberAdrian Huisman (Ontario)

MemberJacques Demers (Quebec)

MemberAlvin Keenan (Maritimes)

MemberKathy Trueman (Maritimes)

MemberBar Hayre (British Columbia)

MemberJeet Dukhia (British Columbia)

MemberVacant (Prairies)

Past PresidentJack Bates (British Columbia)

Executive Vice-PresidentAnne Fowlie (Ontario)


Generating Value for Members A More Innovative, Profitable Horticultural Industry for Future Generations

The CHC works with industry partners to secure the necessary resources to develop and implement much needed federal government poli-cies to create a brighter future for our industry by encouraging innovation, sustainability and economic growth in Canada’s horticultural sector.

Strategic GoalsThe CHC will concentrate on developing and implementing policies and programs to meet the following members’ goals:

• Improve the ability of Canadian farmers to compete and access management tools by the harmonization of crop input registrations within North America.

• Create a system to ensure that farmers are paid in a timely manner and protected in the event of client bankruptcy.• Achieve reduced trade disruptions by reducing the risk of introduction of invasive species and diseases as the result of a common food

security system for North America and by developing common approaches to North American food safety.• Increase the impact of research and promotion to increase product innovation, consumer awareness and demand by establishing a National

Research and Promotion Agency to facilitate the collection and distribution of levies from domestic and imported produce to be used for generic research and promotion of fresh fruit and vegetables in Canada.

• Achieve recognition of the importance of fruit and vegetables in Canadian diets by involving our industry and products in the development and implementation of National Food Security, Sustainability and Health Promotion Policies.


l’industrie horticole canadienne est très diversifiée. Les cultures produites, leur emplacement et les méthodes de production façonnent un environnement économique unique pour chaque secteur de l’industrie. Néanmoins, certains facteurs économ-

iques communs touchent l’ensemble des fruiticulteurs et producteurs maraîchers du Canada.

Les relations d’affaires des producteurs horticoles du Canada évolu-ent et se complexifient sans cesse. Le vieillissement de la population et la diversité ethnique croissante sont des facteurs démographiques constants

The Canadian horticultural industry is diverse by any measure. Crops grown, location and production methods all define a unique economic environment for each sector. There are, however, a few common economic drivers that impact all

Canadian fruit and vegetable growers. The business relationships of Canadian horticultural producers con-

tinue to change and grow in complexity. An ageing and more ethnically-diverse population are ongoing demographic drivers that change con-sumption patterns. Consumers continue to demand healthier and more

A 2013 Economic Outlook for Canadian Horticulture

De conduite l’économie

du Canada : Perspectives économiques

du secteur horticole canadien pour 2013

By J.P. Gervais, Chief Ag Economist, Farm Credit Canada & James Bryan, Ag Economics Analyst, Farm Credit Canada

Par J.-P. Gervais, économiste agricole en chef, Financement agricole Canada & James Bryan, analyste en économie

agricole, Financement agricole Canada

suite à la page 16continued on page 16


nutritious foods. Food safety is a growing concern. These trends lead to increased collaboration in packing, marketing and logistics throughout the supply chain.

A large portion of Canadian horticultural sales rely on the domestic market. Retail food prices in Canada have been increasing faster than overall inflation since 2007, although prices for fruits and vegetables have increased at a slower pace than other foods. This makes fruit and vegetables more affordable compared to meat products.

On average, Canadians now eat 17 per cent more fruit than 10 years ago. This increase is nearly exactly offset by a decrease in vegetable consumption—although much of that decline is related to a significant decrease in potato consumption.

Despite an overall growing domestic market for fruits and vege-tables, the Canadian horticultural sector is not immune to economic cycles. The food basket of Canadian households becomes lighter in fruits and vegetables when income falls. Canada’s small, open econ-omy is heavily dependant on overall economic conditions around the world.

The good news is that the economic turmoil experienced over the last few years should abate somewhat in 2013. While there is no end in sight to the European debt crisis, encouraging signs in the United States and China suggest growth is likely to return to more traditional levels in these countries. Overall, this is positive for the consumption of horticul-tural products.

Exports of Canadian horticultural products to the United States have increased steadily over the past decade. This is an impressive

qui changent les habitudes de consommation. Les consommateurs exigent des aliments de plus en plus sains et nutritifs et se préoccupent davantage de la salubrité alimentaire. Ces tendances amènent une collaboration de plus en plus étroite entre les acteurs de la chaîne d’approvisionnement qui s’occupent de la transformation, de la commercialisation et de la logistique.

Une grande partie de la production horticole canadienne est écoulée au Canada. Depuis 2007, au Canada, le prix de détail des aliments augmente plus rapidement que l’inflation globale, bien que le prix des fruits et des légumes ait augmenté moins rapidement que le prix d’autres aliments, ce qui rend les fruits et les légumes plus abordables que la viande.

En moyenne, la consommation de fruits des Canadiens a augmenté de 17 pour cent en 10 ans. Toutefois, cette augmentation est contrebalancée, dans une proportion presque identique, par une baisse de la consomma-tion de légumes, diminution qui s’explique en grande partie par un déclin considérable de la consommation de pommes de terre.

Malgré la croissance globale du marché canadien des fruits et légumes, le secteur horticole canadien n’est pas à l’abri des cycles économiques. Toute diminution du revenu des ménages canadiens se traduit par une diminution de la consommation de fruits et de légumes. L’économie cana-dienne est une petite économie ouverte qui dépend en grande partie de la situation économique mondiale.

Heureusement, la tourmente économique des dernières années devrait s’apaiser quelque peu en 2013. Bien que la crise de la dette en Europe ne semble pas vouloir s’estomper, les États-Unis et la Chine montrent des signes encourageants qui permettent d’entrevoir dans ces pays un retour

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achievement, considering a higher Canadian dollar has made our prod-ucts more expensive to United States buyers. The United States will remain our largest export market for the foreseeable future but strong economic growth and an expanding middle class in emerging markets have been positive for Canadian horticulture. In 2002, 92 per cent of horticultural exports went south of the border. Ten years later, it’s 87 per cent.

The strength of the Canadian dollar has also made products from the United States more competitive in our own market. Imports of horticultural products from the United States have increased by 22 per cent since 2002, a larger percentage increase than our exports. For example, strawberry imports have nearly doubled in the last 10 years. The increased value of the Canadian dollar is certainly a factor behind rising imports. Consumer demand for fresh fruits and vege-tables year-round may also have contributed to the upward trend in imports.

Rapid growth in countries like China and smaller countries, like Bangladesh and Vietnam, has triggered a surge in sales of Canadian fruits and vegetables in those areas. Over the last 10 years, exports to

à une croissance normale, ce qui devrait favoriser la consommation de produits horticoles.

Les exportations de produits horticoles canadiens vers les États-Unis ont augmenté de façon stable au cours de la dernière décennie, ce qui est impressionnant puisque la vigueur du dollar canadien a rendu nos produits plus chers pour les consommateurs américains. Les États-Unis devraient demeurer notre principal marché d’exportation dans un avenir prévisible, mais la forte croissance économique et l’essor de la classe moy-enne dans les marchés émergents sont favorables au secteur canadien de l’horticulture. En 2002, 92 pour cent des exportations horticoles étaient destinées au marché américain. Dix ans plus tard, ce pourcentage était passé à 87 pour cent.

La vigueur du dollar canadien a également rendu les produits améric-ains plus concurrentiels dans notre propre marché. Depuis 2002, les importations de produits horticoles américains ont augmenté de 22 pour cent, c’est-à-dire que les importations de produits américains au Canada ont augmenté plus rapidement que les exportations de produits canadiens aux États-Unis. Par exemple, les importations de fraises ont presque dou-blé au cours des 10 dernières années. La hausse du dollar canadien a sans


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China have increased 23 times, while exports to Bangladesh doubled, and those to Vietnam increased 14 times. Taking frozen fruit as an example, exports to just these three countries increased from less than $500,000 in 2002 to $15M in 2011—a thirtyfold increase. Continued strong economic growth in the developing world will continue to pro-vide market opportunities for Canadian producers and processors.

doute contribué à l’augmentation des importations. Toutefois, la demande des consommateurs pour les fruits et les légumes frais douze mois par année a aussi possiblement contribué à l’augmentation des importations.

La croissance rapide de pays comme la Chine et de plus petits pays comme le Bangladesh et le Vietnam a entraîné une augmentation marquée des ventes de fruits et de légumes canadiens dans ces régions. Au cours des 10 dernières années, les exportations vers la Chine ont été multipliées par 23, alors que les exportations vers le Bangladesh ont doublé et que celles vers le Vietnam ont été multipliées par 14. Dans le cas des fruits surgelés, par exemple, les exportations vers ces trois pays seulement sont passées de moins de 500 000 $ en 2002 à 15 millions de dollars en 2011, c’est-à-dire qu’elles ont été multipliées par 30. La forte croissance économique sout-enue des pays en développement continuera d’offrir des débouchés com-merciaux pour les producteurs et les transformateurs canadiens.

Les accords commerciaux contribuent également à rendre les produits canadiens plus concurrentiels à l’étranger. Les négociations commerciales avec l’Union européenne (UE) devraient se conclure en 2013. Malgré les difficultés économiques de l’Europe, l’UE représente un important ensem-ble de pays riches. L’accès préférentiel au marché européen donnerait aux producteurs canadiens un avantage sur le reste du monde, ce qui devrait stimuler les échanges commerciaux et accroître la rentabilité des produc-teurs canadiens.

The united states will remain our largest export market for the foreseeable future but strong economic growth and an expanding middle class in emerging markets have been positive for canadian horticulture.

“ “


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Les producteurs horticoles devront toutefois relever certains défis. En raison de la période de croissance relativement courte, la majeure partie de notre production est saisonnière, sans compter que chaque année, les gelées tardives peuvent nuire à la production. Le coût des intrants agricoles continue de grimper puisque les recettes des productions végétales ont été élevées dans la plus grande partie du secteur agricole, ce qui stimule la demande pour les intrants de culture.

Quelle que soit la chaîne d’approvisionnement agricole à laquelle les producteurs participent, les facteurs économiques les force à trouver des moyens d’accroître leur efficience et à avoir recours à la technologie pour améliorer leur productivité.

On prévoit que les recettes des productions végétales seront bonnes et que les taux d’intérêt demeureront faibles pendant une bonne partie de 2013, ce qui devrait soutenir la vigueur actuelle des valeurs des terres agricoles. L’écart croissant entre les marchés du travail de l’Ouest et de l’Est du Canada pourrait entraîner une pression accrue sur les salaires et entraîner une rareté de la main-d’œuvre qualifiée dans les provinces de l’Ouest.

Nous voyons donc que la rentabilité des producteurs dépend de facteurs propres à l’horticulture ainsi que de tendances économiques mondiales. L’intérêt soutenu des consommateurs pour la santé et la nutri-tion constitue une tendance qui profitera aux producteurs horticoles cana-diens. Les perspectives favorables pour l’économie canadienne devraient également contribuer à soutenir les ventes sur le marché intérieur, et un accès accru aux marchés à l’étranger devrait créer de nouveaux débouchés pour les produits canadiens.

Trade agreements also play a role in making Canadian products competitive in foreign markets. Trade negotiations with the European Union (EU) are expected to wrap up in 2013. Despite European economic struggles, the EU represents a large bloc of rich coun-tries. Gaining preferential access to the European market would give Canadian producers an advantage compared to the rest of the world, which should boost trade and profitability.

Canadian horticultural producers do face some challenges. A relatively short growing season makes much of our production seasonal and there is an ever-present threat of late frosts hurting production. Farm input prices continue to climb, pushed by strong crop receipts from much of the farm sector and the resulting increase in demand for crop inputs.

Regardless of what horticultural supply chain producers are involved with, economic drivers are pushing them to find efficiencies and use technology to capture productivity gains.

The prospects of strong crop receipts and interest rates remaining low well into 2013 should support current strength in farmland val-ues. Growing divergence in the labour markets of Western and Eastern Canada may imply stronger wage pressures and fewer qualified workers being available in the Western provinces.

Growers’ profitability is influenced by horticulture-specific factors as well as global economic trends. Continued consumer emphasis on health and nutrition is a positive trend for Canadian horticultural pro-ducers. The positive outlook for the Canadian economy should also sus-tain domestic sales, while additional market access in foreign countries should generate opportunities for Canadian products.



The Creating a Legacy Initiative raising capital shines light on past successes and future needs

Le programme Façonner l’avenir

les sommes accumulées mettent en lumière les réussites du passé comme les

besoins de l’avenir

By Karen Davidson

Par Karen Davidson


When CHC President Murray Porteous called the “wise men” of the industry a year ago, it was to discuss fund-ing the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) on a long-term basis. His premise was simple: How does

horticulture maintain credibility on a motel budget? To be effective, growers need a stronger presence in Ottawa, Washington and other global capitals.

As a result of that meeting, CHC’s Creating a Legacy Initiative Fund was formed and framed as a countdown to the 100th anniversary in 2022. This initiative has two objectives. First, story-telling engages stakeholders in the day-to-day issues of horticulture and how successful outcomes affect everyday businesses. Second, the initiative raises the economic importance of horticulture to the economy at large. For anyone who will listen, horticulture represents more than $5 billion in farmgate receipts, second only to grains and oilseeds.

To date, $140,000 has been raised to support the health and sustainability of the CHC, with an additional $100,000 committed over the next 10 years. The first to commit was Manitoba’s Peak of the Market with $100,000. “We are very committed to a strong national association,” says Keith Kuhl, chair of the board. “The CHC cannot operate on meager increases as costs continue to escalate.”

For Peak of the Market, the donation was made in memory of Doug Connery, a past CHC president who had suddenly passed in the fall of 2011. “This was a good way to honour his contributions, especially as he had been at the heart of the labour committee,” says Kuhl.

The timing of this initiative is crucial as Kuhl points out a heightened need to lobby government. Although President Obama and Prime Minister Harper signed the Beyond the Border agreement in December 2011, it still takes a concerted effort to make sure government keeps its promises. For a PACA-like trust to mitigate financial risk, for example, the CHC has been driving hard for legislation. On another topic of nutrition labeling, CHC has asked the Canadian government to follow the United States’ example, where there are standard labels for 25 fruits and vegetables.

At the eastern edge of Canada, the Prince Edward Island Potato Board also sees value in the lobbying efforts of the CHC. They

lorsque le président du Conseil canadien de l’horticulture (CCH), M. Murray Porteous, a fait appel aux « sages » de l’industrie, il y a un an, c’était pour discuter de l’avenir à long terme du CCH. Sa prémisse était simple : le secteur de

l’horticulture tente de préserver sa crédibilité en ne disposant que d’un budget digne de celui d’un motel. Pour être efficaces, les producteurs doivent afficher une présence marquée à Ottawa et à Washington ainsi que dans d’autres grandes capitales du monde.

Le fonds du programme Façonner l’avenir du CCH a vu le jour à la suite de cette discussion et a été formé et élaboré tel un compte à rebours vers le 100e anniversaire de l’organisme, en 2022. Cette initia-tive a deux objectifs. Le premier est de raconter les événements du quotidien aux parties prenantes afin de leur faire partager les enjeux courants du secteur horticole et de leur faire voir les répercussions des débouchés favorables sur les activités de tous les jours. Le second est d’étendre la portée économique du domaine horticole à l’ensemble du secteur économique. Tout entendeur comprendra que le secteur de l’horticulture représente des recettes à la ferme de plus de cinq mil-liards de dollars, devancé uniquement par le secteur des grains et des oléagineux.

À ce jour, un montant de 140 000 $ a été amassé afin de soutenir la santé et la viabilité du CCH, avec un montant supplémentaire de 100 000 $ engagés au cours des 10 prochaines années. Le premier joueur à s’engager a été l’organisme Peak of the Market, du Manitoba, avec un montant de 100 000 $. « Nous sommes très engagés envers une association nationale forte », déclare Keith Kuhl, président du conseil d’administration. « Le CCH ne peut continuer à fonction-ner avec de faibles augmentations alors que les coûts continuent de grimper. »

Le don de l’organisme Peak of the Market a été fait à la mémoire de Doug Connery, ancien président du CCH, décédé de manière soudaine à l’automne 2011. « Il s’agissait d’une bonne façon de faire honneur à sa contribution, particulièrement vu son rôle central au cœur du comité des travailleurs », mentionne Kuhl.

Le déroulement de cette initiative est crucial et Kuhl fait remar-quer qu’il est plus nécessaire qu’avant encore de faire pression sur le


Par Karen Davidson

Creating a Legacy

For a more innovative, profitable and sustainable

horticultural industry for future generations


committed $10,000 in 2012 and will revisit their commitment in 2013. “CHC resources are important to the industry here,” says Gary Linkletter, chair of the board.

In one recent example, Linkletter credits the CHC with identifying federal funds that could support a Charlottetown researcher who had been denied funds for a wireworm project.

“Wireworm is a serious issue in P.E.I.,” says Linkletter. “If the crop protection product for wireworm is deregistered, it would affect 15 per cent of the island’s production. Within 45 days of initial discussions, we had gathered 25 per cent of matching funds from the industry and we were able to tap into the newly-identified federal funds. That’s how CHC helped our local industry.”

A myriad of other issues are on the CHC’s radar, such as containers, seed quality inspection and test marketing of seven-pound potato bags. “Some growers may not see what is happening on their behalf, but CHC is well-positioned in Ottawa,” says Linkletter. “It is a listening ear and a listened-to ear.”

Ken Forth agrees with that assessment. He’s currently chair of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS), which administers the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. They committed $30,000 to the Legacy Fund in 2012.

“It’s the right thing to do to help the national organization function,” says Forth. As chair of FARMS, he knows the importance of being in the same room as those who are making decisions that affect horticulture.

“Government needs to hear the same message,” he says. “Gentle pressure continuously applied is more effective than fire and brimstone. It’s absolutely the case that more heads are better than one, and sometimes one head is government,” Forth concludes.

From its perspective as a seed and crop protection company, Syngenta knows the importance of positive government relations and good policies. “Government, industry and growers share a lot of common ground on issues such as introducing new technologies and registering new products,” says Chris Davison, head of corporate affairs for Syngenta Canada. That made it a logical decision for Syngenta to commit $10,000 per year for the next decade to the Legacy Fund.

“It’s rare in our experience that any one organization can move all of the issues forward,” says Davison. “We want to work collaboratively in this space to meet the needs of all of the CHC’s constituents—growers, grocers and consumers.”

In an era of tightened budgets and global forces, the need has never been greater for the long-term competitiveness of horticulture and its national association. Fruits and vegetables are an easy sell. The Canadian Horticultural Council should be the same.

gouvernement. Bien que le président Obama et le premier ministre Harper aient signé l’entente Par-delà la frontière en décembre 2011, un effort concerté demeure nécessaire pour s’assurer que le gouverne-ment tienne ses promesses. Le CCH exerce de fortes pressions pour que s’ajoute à la réglementation en place un mécanisme de protection permettant l’atténuation des risques financiers, comme une fiducie semblable à la PACA. Au sujet de l’étiquetage des aliments, le CCH a demandé au gouvernement du Canada de suivre l’exemple des États-Unis, qui compte des étiquettes standard pour 25 fruits et légumes.

À l’est du Canada, le Prince Edward Island Potato Board croit aussi aux efforts de lobbying du CCH. L’organisme a versé une somme de 10 000 $ en 2012 et entend engager une nouvelle somme en 2013. « Les ressources du CCH sont importantes pour l’industrie d’ici », affirme Gary Linkletter, président du conseil d’administration.

Dans un récent exemple, Linkletter indique que la découverte des fonds fédéraux qui permettraient de soutenir un chercheur de Charlottetown, à qui l’ont a refusé d’octroyer des fonds pour un projet portant sur le ver fil-de-fer, est attribuable au CCH.

« Le ver fil-de-fer est un problème grave à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard », précise Linkletter. « Si le produit de protection des récoltes contre le ver fil-de-fer cesse d’être homologué, 15 pour cent de la production de l’île s’en trouveront affectés. Dans les 45 jours suivant les pourparlers initiaux, nous avons obtenu 25 pour cent des sommes de contrepartie des membres de l’industrie et avons pu tirer d’autres sommes des fonds fédéraux tout récemment découverts. Voilà comment le CCH aide l’industrie locale. »

Le CCH surveille aussi une myriade d’autres enjeux, comme les contenants, le contrôle de la qualité des semences et les essais de mise

nous voulons travailler en collaboration sur cette scène afin de répondre aux besoins de tous les membres du cch, soit les producteurs, les épiciers et les consommateurs.

«»


suite à la page 23

suite de la page 21


en marché des sacs de pommes de terre de trois kilos. « Certains producteurs ne se ren-dent peut-être pas compte de ce qui se fait pour leur bénéfice, mais le CCH est bien placé à Ottawa », poursuit Linkletter. « Il offre—et reçoit—une oreille attentive. »

Ken Forth est d’accord avec cette affirma-tion. Il préside actuellement l’organisme Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS), qui administre le Programme des travailleurs agricoles saison-niers, et qui a engagé 30 000 $ envers le fonds du programme Façonner l’avenir.

« C’est la bonne chose à faire pour aider au fonctionnement de l’organisme national. » En tant que président de FARMS, il connaît l’importance de se trouver au même endroit que ceux qui prennent les décisions se réper-cutant sur le secteur horticole.

« Le gouvernement doit capter le même message, affirme-t-il. Il est plus efficace d’effectuer constamment de légères pressions que de faire de graves menaces. C’est bel et bien ici un cas où plusieurs têtes valent mieux qu’une, et parfois, l’une de ces têtes, c’est le gouvernement », dit-il en terminant. À titre d’entreprise de protection des récoltes et des semences, Syngenta reconnaît l’importance d’entretenir de bonnes relations avec le gou-vernement et bonnes politiques.

« Le gouvernement, l’ industrie et les producteurs partagent bon nombre de préoccupations au sujet d’enjeux comme l’introduction de nouvelles technologies et l’homologation de nouveaux produits », mentionne Chris Davison, chef des affaires générales pour Syngenta Canada. C’est la raison pour laquelle Syngenta a choisi sans hésiter d’engager 10 000 $ par année pendant la prochaine décennie envers le fonds du pro-gramme Façonner l’avenir.

« Selon notre expérience, il est rare qu’un seul organisme réussisse à faire avancer toutes les questions », déclare Davison. « Nous voulons travailler en collaboration sur cette scène afin de répondre aux besoins de tous les membres du CCH, soit les producteurs, les épiciers et les consommateurs. »

En cette période de budgets restreints et de pressions mondiales, il est plus import-ant que jamais de maintenir la compétitivité à long terme du secteur horticole et de son regroupement national. Faire comprendre les avantages des fruits et légumes est chose facile. Il devrait en aller de même pour le Conseil canadien de l’horticulture.

suite de la page 22


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al v in Keenan (Ro l l o Bay Holdings Ltd., PEI) and Keith Kuhl (Southern Manitoba Potato Co., Manitoba) have a

few things in common. They are both suc-cessful potato farmers and represent the second of three generations of successful pota-to production enterprises.

This story highlights the three generations in their families, focusing on how practices

have changed and how they’re preparing the leaders of tomorrow. Clearly, through the generations they have been very successful in producing “leaders of the future,” so what are their secrets?

With 24-hour days, 7 days a week, no one can argue that farming is a lifestyle—but more importantly, it is a business. There are three themes that came to mind in my discussions with Alvin and Keith

on cultivating leaders of tomorrow; one was education, another was technology and, as already mentioned, farming is a business.

When Alvin’s father had finished high school, he went on to vocational school for agriculture, learning new techniques as well as coaching on other important aspects of the business of farming. Unlike it is today,

Cultivating Leaders of Tomorrow

Keith Kuhl and his sons have been cultivating the leaders of tomorrow for multiple generations. Left to right: Marlon Kuhl, Keith Kuhl and Jeremy Kuhl.


By Judy Shaw, Judy Shaw & Associates, Inc.


farming was not always treated as a busi-ness. This coaching made him realize the importance of being close to transportation (railways, for example). Much of Atlantic Canada is not close to a large population base, which highlighted the need for access to transportation to other markets. This has not changed. The ability to access those new markets would mean the difference between future success and failure. Alvin Sr. located his farm with this in mind. Education played

a huge role in many aspects of his success, and in that of future generations.

In Manitoba, Keith’s eldest son wanted to stay on the farm after finishing secondary school. Keith said to him, “It would be cruel and inhuman to be back on the farm without an education.” Both of his sons went on to study agriculture at post-secondary schools prior to returning to the farm, where they represent the third generation at the Southern Manitoba Potato Co.

Although a post-secondary education is not a prerequisite to farming, it helps to build a better understanding and knowledge base for a successful farming business. There are many things a producer cannot control (e.g. weather, market prices, etc.), making it essen-tial to take the opportunity to expertly manage those things that are within their control. It was clear that in both Alvin and Keith’s gen-erational stories, education—not luck—played an important role in the success of their family operations.

Technology, and the fact that the first through third generations were all early adopters, made them all leaders in agricul-ture in their time. Alvin’s father started farm-ing with horses at a time when the horse consumed half of what the farm produced. He would also work in the lumber industry through the winters to subsidize the farming

life, where the lumber companies paid for the horse feed over the winter. At this time, it was “bare existence farming.”

But Alvin Sr. was an early adopter and recognized the importance of new technolo-gies and the use of fertilizers and mechanical equipment, which would double his harvest and allow him to sell to new markets in the United States. To this day, technology con-tinues to provide advances, making potato farming more efficient at Rollo Bay Holdings Ltd. “At Southern Manitoba Potato Co., we have now moved from planting the same var-ieties and using the same amount of fertilizers

Alvin Keenan, his brother, Ray, and the next generation of farmers are leading the way with their successful family-owned business.

Alvin Keenan (above) co-owns Rollo Bay Holdings Ltd. in PEI with his brother, Ray.

although a post-secondary education is not a prerequisite to farming, it helps to build a better understanding and knowledge base for a successful farming business.

“ “




and pesticides year after year,” says Keith, “to looking at each field and mapping the soils and production capacity within each field by the square foot.” Continuous education and learn-ing allows them to keep up with the rapidly evolving technologies available to them.

Looking to the future, trade will continue to be an important aspect for future leaders in low population areas, and from the perspec-tive of sanitary and phyto-sanitary regula-tions, globally, and food safety considerations. Assessing demand is also essential. There will continue to be new production challenges,

which will make it essential to encourage more public/private partnerships in research and technology. Canada must attract more private research dollars.

The overriding most important highlight which came to me in interviewing Alvin and Keith is the fact that both their operations are successful family businesses—Alvin with his brother, Ray, and the next generation; Keith with his father and two sons. They are incredible entrepreneurs as were their fath-ers; always evaluating what may affect their business in the future, whether it might be good or bad.

Committed to the Leaders of Tomorrow, and Today!

The CHC's mission is an unwaver-ing commitment to advance the growth and economic viability of horticulture by encouraging cooperation and understand-ing to build national consensus on key issues, so as to deliver unified and clear representation to governments and other national and international parties.



since March 2011, The Canadian Potato Council (CPC) of the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) has been working with

Farm Credit Canada (FCC), John Deere and other industry stakeholders to develop a software solution to improve record-keeping in the field for potato farmers. In February 2012, FCC launched Field Manager Pro 360.

The software allows potato growers to eliminate the duplication of data entry, cap-ture precise field measurements and activities, and consolidate farm records. Users can view and edit layers of current and historical data on their land, which can result in cost sav-ings—crop input information from previous years by area within a field can be used to adjust current production year applications and practices for efficiency and safety. Users can also import current satellite imagery of the field (using GIS technology) to accurately map boundary, acreage, application, density and variability data.

Since the launch of Field Manager Pro 360, the CPC’s Farm Records Management Working Group continues to collaborate with FCC, equipment and GPS manufactur-ers in order to establish agreements to share data and to provide feedback on the current program through a user survey. This pro-ject is partially funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program and will be completed by March 31, 2013.

Next stepsFuture opportunities for electronic farm

recordkeeping could include the incorpora-tion of data warehousing (where all field rec-ords can be stored and extracted based on the customer’s requirement), eliminating the need for multiple reports and surveys. For example, multiple on-farm programs, such as environmental farm plans, IPM survey, crop insurance and food safety programs, share

some common data elements that could be integrated from a single on-farm database.

Other possible improvements could include a traceability function that would provide a field-to-fork history of the potato, with multiple layers of information available

at different points in the supply chain, as well as a real-time web-based transfer of data as it is being generated in the field.

For more information, contact CHC Potato Industry Coordination Manager David Jones at [email protected].

Innovating Management: electronic record keeping software increases efficiency for potato farmersBy Katie MacKimmie, CHC


on February 4, 2011, Prime Minister Harper and President Obama announced the creation of the Canada-United States

Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) to better align the two countries’ regulatory approaches. The RCC supports growth, investment, innovation and market open-ness, and offers an opportunity to achieve a true competitive parity between Canada and the United States for both financial and crop protection.

In December 2011, an Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness was announced. The Joint Action Plan sets out 29 initiatives where Canada and the United States will seek great-er alignment in their regulatory approaches over the coming two years. These initiatives include reference to the provision of financial risk mitigation options for companies engaged in bilateral trade in perishable produce and the further alignment of crop protection regulatory systems in the two countries.

The financial risk mitigation action item is based on a commitment to develop com-parable approaches to financial risk mitiga-tion tools to protect Canadian and American fruit and vegetable suppliers from buyers that default on their payment obligations. Canada and the United States have recognized that the majority of growers and shippers of produce are small and moderate-size businesses that depend on prompt payment to meet their financial obligations. Having comparable financial risk

Supporting Growth, Investment, Innovation and Market Openness: The regulatory cooperation council


By Craig Anderson, CHC


mitigation tools available to these businesses in both Canada and the United States would level the playing field by minimizing the risks for shippers in the bilateral marketplace.

The Canadian fresh produce industry operates in a dynamic business environment which enables a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to be consistently available to consumers, despite the inherent perishability and volatility of their supply. Particular busi-ness practices have evolved in order to make this possible. However, the cost of these busi-ness practices is a fundamental insecurity of payment for sellers along the value chain, for both farmers and for dealers.

In the United States, the problem of pay-ment security has been solved through the deemed trust provisions of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). Under the PACA, Canadians are protected when making sales to American dealers. No such protection exists for sales to Canadian dealers, and the Canadian industry has been seeking similar protections for some time.

The other critical initiative in the Joint Action Plane is the commitment to further align crop protection product approvals and establishment of maximum pesticide residue limits/tolerances in both countries, which will result in increased trade and a wider variety of agricultural commodities available, and provide consumers in both countries with more choice and predictability at the grocery store.

In the North American regulatory environ-ment and marketplace, Canadian farmers face a competitive disadvantage in terms of equal access to crop protection products, uses and the establishment of maximum residue limits (MRLs). By building on the already established process of joint pesticide reviews and accept-ance of data generated in either country, and increasing minor use expansions, the RCC process can contribute to an increased qual-ity, value and quantity of products grown in Canada and the United States.

Beyond the immediate objectives which will be achieved through the RCC crop protection process, further alignment will enable new and continued work sharing and information shar-ing between Canadian and American regula-tors, allowing them to benefit from expertise in each country, which will increase efficiency and reduce cost, and will provide a fairer market-place for Canadian producers.

Regulation plays a critical role in the North American marketplace and effective regulations are those which support growth, investment, innovation and market openness. Unnecessary regulatory differences and a lack of similar

protections for produce sellers result in a reduc-tion of cross-border trade, and impose a need-less cost on business, the consumer and the economy as a whole. Given the impressive and increasing trade relationship between Canada and the United States, this process has created the opportunity for more efficient and stable supply chains and increased trade and export opportunities, and will, ultimately, result in more job creation on both sides of the border.

A joint commitment of this nature is unprecedented and the opportunity to align regimes and regulatory systems has never been better.

regulation plays a critical role in the north american marketplace and effective regulations are those which support growth, investment, innovation and market openness.“ “



all over Canada, farmers are giv-ing back and making connections with communities through food banks. Fruit and vegetable grow-

ers across the country dug extra deep for the Christmas holidays to make sure that thou-sands of Canadians in need had fresh, nutri-tious food on their tables.

Members of the Canadian Horticultural Council regularly donate thousands of kilo-grams of fruits and vegetables every month to food banks in each province but they increase their charitable efforts toward the end of the year to match the growing need over the holidays. Whether it’s in the form of fresh

vegetables or delicious fruit at the peak of ripe-ness, farmers across the country continue to make a difference by giving back to the com-munity. The following are just a few examples of the year-round generosity of Canada’s horti-cultural producers in all parts of Canada.

In the WestBCfresh, a consortium representing 52

vegetable growers in the Fraser Valley, donates 65,000 to 70,000 tonnes of potatoes, carrots and other produce items each year to local food banks in the Greater Vancouver area. Members of BCfresh also make their own indi-vidual food bank donations every week, adding

up to approximately 250,000 tonnes of pro-duce that benefits families in need throughout the Lower Mainland.

BCfresh president Murray Driediger says growers find it rewarding to share the fruits of their labour with their communities, especially over the Christmas holidays when families can find it more challenging to make ends meet.

Members of the CHC are also grateful to help food banks across the country that have made a conscious effort to provide more fresh and healthy food choices to their clients, in addition to the non-perishable goods that typ-ically stock their shelves.

Giving Back, Connecting

with the Community

By the Canadian Horticultural Council and Fresh Thinking Staff



Central CanadaIn Manitoba, Winnipeg-based Peak of the

Market, a 70-year-old cooperative representing 40 fruit and vegetable growers, donates more than 360,000 kilograms of potatoes, carrots, onions and other produce items each year to the Winnipeg Harvest Food Bank—for a total of more than 18 million lbs. of food donated over the past 12 years. Winnipeg Harvest dis-tributes the fresh vegetables to more than 200 local food banks across the province.

“Peak of the Market growers know that it is very important to give back to our commun-ities. One of the ways of giving back is shar-ing vegetables with those less fortunate than ourselves,” says Larry McIntosh, President and CEO of Peak of the Market in Winnipeg, MB. “Peak growers give about 800,000 pounds of veggies per year to Winnipeg Harvest which, in turn, shares them with food banks and soup kitchens throughout Manitoba.”

McIntosh was recently awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by Food Banks Canada and Winnipeg Harvest for the work done in helping ensure the less fortunate receive food. The award was presented by former Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, The Honourable John Harvard.

Out EastIn Nova Scotia, Halifax-based charit-

able organization Feed Nova Scotia receives approximately 2.1 million kilograms of pro-duce per year from a large network of growers and distributes the perishable food items to more than 150 member food bank agen-cies across the province. Four of the top 10 donors to the Metro Food Bank are horticul-ture farmers.

Executive director at Feed Nova Scotia, Diane Swinemar, says the donations are

extremely important because they provide produce to families in need of high-quality, healthy food items that they otherwise may not be able to afford.

Generous supporters of the program include:• Nova Agri in the AnnapolisValley, which

has donated an average of 68,000 kilo-grams of produce each of the past four years;

• Sawler Gardens in the Annapolis Valley, which donates about 10,000 kilograms of carrots, onions and other vegetables to the program per month;

• Vermeulen Farms in the Annapolis Valley, which donated about 25,000 kilograms of lettuce, cucumbers, zucchinis and other vegetables last year; and

• Den Haan Greenhouses & Enterprises in the Annapolis Valley, which donated near-ly 30,000 kilograms of tomatoes, cucum-bers and peppers last year.Earl Kidston, a fruit and vegetable farmer

in Centreville, NS, is owner and founder of Nova Agri, a fourth-generation, 2,500-acre farm that produces high bush blueberries, onions, potatoes, strawberries, lettuce and other greens. Nova Agri believes that the fruit of the land is about more than pro-duce—it is a lifestyle choice, and quality and sustainability go into every box of fresh produce.

Vermeulen Farms, located in Canning, NS, produces fresh vegetables and specializes in lettuces, green peppers, cucumbers, aspara-gus and squash. The 450-acre, three-gen-eration family farm has been growing fresh vegetables since 1986, providing Atlantic Canadian customers with healthy, top quality, hand-harvested vegetables through efficient and sustainable use of labour, equipment and land.

At den Haan Greenhouses, located in Lawrencetown, NS, giving back to the com-munity is an important aspect of their oper-ations that has simply become part of their weekly routine.

“We donate weekly to Feed Nova Scotia, which then distributes food to all the food banks in Nova Scotia,” says Jodi den Haan, head of produce sales and marketing. “This past year, we donated 63,375 lbs of toma-toes. We feel it is important to contribute throughout the year—not just around the holidays—as there are always people in need. We look at the donations as a small way that we can give back to our community.”


These are just

a few examples of the

year-round generosity

of canada’s horticultural

producers in all parts of

canada.

“ “


it’s no shocking revelation that we are living in an electronic world domin-ated by the latest gadgets and social media platforms. Thanks to Twitter,

Facebook, blogs and text messaging, the most current information is always right at our fingertips. Yet, in a time where we seem to be so connected, we are somehow possibly more disconnected than ever before.

The expression “Google it” has become part of everyday vocabulary. Learning how to change a tire, fix a toilet or wire a light switch is only just a click away. It makes a person question how people survived before the Internet. Long gone are the days where we acquire the latest information through letters, newspapers, books and face-to-face communication. Instead, our instincts send us to search engines and online communities to seek answers.

Although convenient and fast, the trouble is that information is so easily accessible that there is no way to guarantee its accuracy. In the land of technology, anyone can hide behind the screen. Through a blog, a text, an e-mail, a Facebook post or a tweet, any individual can claim to be a doctor, a mechanic or a lawyer. If the reader is none the wiser, they will take the information being spewed and regurgitate it as fact. For example, the famous “Dr. Google” can very well be a teenager having fun diagnosing your cough or back pain. In many cases, there is no way to tell who is sending out the information, and because it is so readily available and being published at an alarmingly fast speed, being misinformed is effortless.

Not only are we gravely misinformed, it is also so easy to misconstrue messages.

The majority of the information we receive is from behind a screen. Face-to-face conversations are increasingly rare. Without witnessing body language and non-verbal cues that accompany the message, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that someone is angry or frustrated, when, in fact, they are simply in a rush because they are sending the message while in line at the grocery store or in between sets at the gym. Often, conclusions are drawn on little information, demonstrating that instinct and awareness of body language is often crucial in accurately conveying and receiving messages.

Thanks to the latest ways to communicate, we are interacting at an unbelievably fast rate and frequency. Often, the context of our message is stripped away and we build relationships or make decisions through

Facing the Communications Dilemma By Kirsten Mangin



short sentences, abbreviations, snippets and smiley faces. This is evident in the common perception that a lengthy and thorough e-mail is viewed as long-winded and it is often skimmed or just completely ignored by the recipient. We have become scanners, where we no longer read the page word for word. Instead, we scan for keywords, highlights and the main message. All to say, as times change, the way a message is written needs to evolve because the way we are reading them already has. A rambling message likely doesn’t get read because there are so many distractions occurring while a person is reading one e-mail: they could be receiving a text, clicking on a link, answering the phone or reading the message while at the dentist. Senders should count themselves lucky if the receiver even reads past the subject line—which, if concise and to the point, should coax the recipient to open the message and read more.

In reality, we live in an attention-deficit society filled with constant stimulation and distraction. Short, precise sentences and brief messages may be counterintuitive and the opposite of formal training, but in today’s world, more content does not necessarily mean more efficient communication. After all, the expressions “less is more” and “brevity is the soul of wit” have been in our vocabulary long enough that it might be wise to finally follow this advice.

although it should be

easier than ever before to get the

message out, it can, in fact, be

more difficult than ever.““



canadian regulatory bodies set Maximum R e s i d u e L i m i t s (MRLs) based on how

much pesticide residue is expected to remain on food products after the crop producer has applied the pesticide in accordance with the instructions found on the product labeling.

Every crop in Canada needs to have an MRL for every pesticide used if it is grown for human consumption. This ensures that the foods which Canadians eat are safe to do so and that there is some consideration for the impact that the pesticides have on the environment.

MRLs are generally monitored within Canada in two ways. “The processor will likely have an internal quality check so that what they are buying doesn’t have excessive pesticide residues,” says Mark Goodwin, Pest Management Coordinator for Pulse Canada. “Additionally, there are spot-checks that are enforced by the federal government through occasional visits to the grower. If a violation is discovered, the crop can be kept from being sent to market, which is usually a pretty severe penalty in and of itself.”

However, avoiding MRL violations is simple, as long as the farmer follows Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and uses their pesticide products as instructed. “Basically, nobody gets into any trouble if they stick to the label,” says Goodwin. “In staying with the label and applying according to the label, you’re going to be just fine.”

The complexity for Canadian producers in determining MRL compliance occurs when looking at internationally-marketed crops, wherein different countries may have different regulatory bodies which may have very different MRL setting processes—some more stringent; some more lax.

les organismes régle-mentaires canadiens ont établi les limites maxi-males de résidus (LMR)

en fonction de la quantité prévue de résidus restant sur les produits alimentaires après l’application de pesticides par le producteur, conformément aux instructions indiquées sur l’étiquette du produit.

Chaque culture au Canada doit avoir une LMR pour chaque pesticide utilisé, si elle est destinée à la consommation humaine. De cette manière, on s’assure que les aliments consommés par les Canadiens sont sécuritaires et l’on tient compte de l’incidence des pesticides sur l’environnement.

Le suivi des LMR au Canada se fait de deux manières. « L’entreprise de transformation effectuera

vraisemblablement une vérification de la qualité à l’interne pour s’assurer qu’elle n’achète pas de produits avec une trop grande quantité de résidus de pesticide », explique Mark Goodwin, coordonnateur de la lutte antiparasitaire chez Pulse Canada. « De plus, le gouvernement fédéral effectue des contrôles aléatoires lors de visites occasionnelles chez les producteurs. Si une infraction est découverte, on peut interdire que la récolte soit distribuée sur le marché, ce qui est en soit une sanction très sévère. »

Ces contrôles aléatoires font partie du Programme national de surveillance des résidus chimiques de l’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments. Pour éviter les infractions en matière de LMR, il suffit que le producteur suive les bonnes pratiques agricoles (BAP) et utilise les pesticides conformément aux directives. « En somme, les infractions sont impossibles si l’on suit le mode d’emploi de l’étiquette », déclare Goodwin. « Si vous suivez à la lettre ce qui y est indiqué, vous n’aurez aucun problème. »

harmonizing maximum residue limits

harmonisation des limites

maximales de résidus

By Paul Adair Par Paul Adair



“Canada is a huge exporter,” says Goodwin. “Because of this, we—more so than most—need to be very cognisant of MRL disparities between countries. If the European Union or Asia has an MRL that is significantly different than the MRL here in Canada, our growers need to have their heads up going into that.”

Canadian crop associations are working together in bridging this complexity by pushing for more harmonization in international MRL determination. “We want to be sure that our growers are not faced with a ‘Tower of Babel’ in terms of MRLs,” says Goodwin. “The way for Canadian growers to fix this is to be active in their growers association or their trade associations in terms of working with the federal authorities here in Canada, voicing their concerns and making sure that the efforts toward harmonization continues on.”

Cependant, dans les cas où des LRM n’ont pas été établies pour certaines combinaisons de pesticide et de culture, la LRM par défaut de 0,1 ppm s’applique. Dans ces situations, la quantité par défaut ne permet pas vraiment de mesurer les résidus présents, même si le producteur a suivi les instructions de l’étiquette. Pour cette raison, il est important qu’une LMR particulière à une combinaison de pesticide et de culture soit établie à partir de données rigoureuses.

Il est encore plus compliqué pour les producteurs canadiens de déterminer la conformité aux LMR lorsqu’il s’agit de cultures destinées aux marchés étrangers puisque les organismes réglementaires des pays étrangers peuvent avoir des LMR différentes, parfois plus sévères, parfois moins.

« Le Canada exporte énormément », explique Goodwin. « Parce que nous dépendons des exportations, nous devons être au courant des disparités qui existent entre les différents pays. Si la LMR de l’Union européenne ou de l’Asie est très différente de celle du Canada, nos producteurs doivent le savoir lorsqu’ils exportent. »

Les associations en matière de récoltes collaborent pour diminuer la complexité de la situation en mettant de l’avant un processus international d’établissement des LMR. « Nous voulons nous assurer que nos producteurs ne font pas face à une tour de Babel en matière de LMR », déclare Goodwin. « Pour régler ce problème, ils doivent être actifs au sein de leurs associations commerciales ou de producteurs et travailler avec le gouvernement fédéral ici au Canada afin d’exprimer leurs préoccupations et de s’assurer que les efforts d’harmonisation se poursuivent. »

The complexity for

canadian producers in

determining mrl compliance

occurs when looking at

internationally-marketed crops,

wherein different countries may

have different regulatory bodies

which may have very different

mrl setting processes...

“ “

il est compliqué pour les producteurs canadiens de déterminer et d’assurer la conformité aux lmr lorsqu’il s’agit de cultures destinées aux marchés étrangers puisque les organismes réglementaires des pays étrangers peuvent avoir des lmr différentes, parfois plus sévères, parfois moins.

«»



CanadaGAP™ Program Under New Ownership

canadaGAP™, the na t iona l food safety program for fresh fruit and vegetable suppli-ers founded by the Canadian

Horticultural Council (CHC), is now oper-ated by CanAgPlus, a new, not-for-profit corporation.

Un d e r t h e n e w c o r p o r a t i o n , CanadaGAP Program requirements and the audit and certification process will remain the same for program participants and for certification bodies delivering third-party audits; however, the change in

ownership creates new opportunities for those enrolled in CanadaGAP™. Program participants will become members of CanAgPlus, offering new rights and priv-ileges to attend annual general meetings, submit resolutions, elect the Board of Directors, etc.

CanadaGAP™ was first launched as a food safety certification program in 2008 and has achieved international recogni-tion. Over 2,000 fresh produce suppliers are currently enrolled for CanadaGAP™ certification.

CanAgPlus was formed in a move to integrate CanadaGAP™ and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s Repacking and Wholesale Food Safety Program. The new, corporate structure will provide benefits to members and engage a broader stakehold-er base, while effectively managing the liabil-ity of the programs’ founding organizations.

The fu l ly- integrated program i s not yet available, although work is act-ively progressing and is continuing into 2013. For more information, visit www.canadagap.ca.


With the recent announcement of Growing Forward 2 and emerging details pertaining to the suite of programs to be launched commencing April 2013, the evolution of the Agri-Science Clusters is in sight. This follows industry

consultations that have been taking place over the past two years, empha-sizing innovation and technology adoption. The idea of Agri-Science Clusters is to bring together the regions of our vast country, our research-ers and, most of all, to engage the industry. The goal is to take advantage of the research dollars available to us and engage industries to become more competitive, not only in our domestic market but also in the inter-national markets in which we find ourselves competing.

From CHC’s first experience with the Agri-Science Cluster program under Growing Forward, we fully understand the need to be prepared with the planning and development of projects, so that they are ready to move forward. We also have to engage horticulture producers so that they are thinking and communicating their ideas and needs. We are working to consolidate the many different aspects of our research needs—production and beyond—to gain synergies and present a coordinated and collab-orative proposal for funding. This will include spreading the impact of the projects beyond the immediate interest.

The main message that I want to give is that horticulture producers have to become engaged with researchers and invest in new technolo-gies and equipment to maintain and develop a competitive edge. When research meetings are only attended by less than half a dozen farmers, and the general community is unwilling to support the research financially, we are going to lose the public money and researchers for our industry. Equally important is translating our work into success stories and gaining public support.

The bottom line is that the “pot” continues to get smaller; technology is advancing as evidenced by the smartphone in your pocket. As a nation, and an industry, we have to harness it to advance our industry. Maybe it’s time to consider a national promotion and research agency for horticul-ture to support this.

avec l’annonce récente du programme Cultivons l’avenir 2 et des détails concernant les programmes qui seront lancés au début d’avril 2013, l’évolution des grappes agro-scien-tifiques se profile à l’horizon. Cette annonce est le résultat

de consultations avec l’industrie qui ont eu lieu au cours des deux der-nières années et qui mettaient l’accent sur la technologie et l’innovation. L’objectif des grappes agro-scientifiques est de rassembler les régions et les chercheurs de notre vaste pays et surtout de faire participer l’indus-trie. Le but est de profiter des fonds de recherche disponibles pour encourager l’industrie à devenir plus concurrentielle, non seulement sur le marché national, mais également à l’échelle internationale.

Grâce à la première expérience du CCH avec le programme de grappe agro-scientifique dans le cadre du programme Cultivons l’avenir, nous avons compris le besoin de nous préparer avec des projets de planification et de développement afin de pouvoir aller de l’avant. Nous avons également fait participer les horticulteurs pour qu’ils nous communiquent leurs idées et leurs besoins. Nous travaillons à l’intégration des nombreux différents aspects de nos besoins de recherche (production et au-delà) pour développer des synergies et présenter une demande de financement coordonnée et collaborative. Cela comprend la dilution de l’impact des projets au-delà des intérêts immédiats.

Le message que j’envoie aux horticulteurs, c’est qu’ils doivent collabo-rer avec les chercheurs et investir dans les nouvelles technologies et dans l’équipement pour maintenir et augmenter leur avantage concurrentiel. Les producteurs sont très peu nombreux à participer aux rencontres de recherche et la collectivité en général n’est pas prête à appuyer financière-ment la recherche. Cette situation va entraîner, pour notre industrie, une perte de fonds publics et de chercheurs. Il faut également que notre travail se traduise par des réussites pour obtenir l’appui du public.

En somme, le « pot » continue de rétrécir et la technologie ne cesse d’évoluer, comme le prouve votre téléphone intelligent. En tant que pays, nous avons l’obligation de faire avancer notre industrie. Il est peut-être temps de penser à créer une campagne de promotion à l’échelle nationale et une agence de recherche pour l’horticulture afin d’y arriver.

Grappes agro-scientifiques : un retour en arrière et

cultivons l’avenir 2

Agri-Science Clusters: looking back and growing forward 2By Andy Vermeulen, Chair, Science Advisory Committee, CHC

Par Andy Vermeulen Président, Comité consultatif sur la science Conseil canadien de l’horticulture

...horticulture producers have to

become engaged with researchers and invest in

new technologies and equipment to maintain

and develop a competitive edge.“ “...qu’ils doivent collaborer avec les

chercheurs et investir dans les nouvelles technologies et dans l’équipement pour maintenir et augmenter leur avantage concurrentiel.

« »


AgriculturAl VentilAtiondayson agricultural Ventilation ltd. ................. 44

ApprAisAlsronald c. ellens appraisals inc. ........................... 30

BAsket MAnufActurergreenfield basket factory inc. ............................. 30

consultinggcp consulting ltd. ................................................ 29

credit And MArketing Agency – fresh fruit And VegetABle industryblue book services .................................................. 14

crop protectionclean light inc. ......................................................... 29e.i. dupont .................................................................ifcfmc canada .......................................................... obc

crop protection, fertilizers, fungicides, herBicides And insecticides bayer cropscience canada .................................. 29

crop sciencedow agro sciences ....................................................3

cultiVAting equipMenthillside cultivator co., llc .................................... 41

custoM greenhouse polyThe growers requisite ltd. ................................... 31

ediBle lAndscAping treesgrimo nut nursery .................................................. 40

exotic Berry cropsagriforest bio-Technologies ltd.. ...................... 40

fArM equipMentagriVeg equipment ................................................ 19eastern farm machinery ....................................... 30mechanical Transplanter co. ................................ 37phil brown Welding corp. ..................................... 41

fArMing And Agriculturegreenboost international inc. .......................24, 25

fertilizer contAinerscrop life canada ..................................................... 33

fertilizersYara north america ....................................................5

finAncing serVicesfarm credit canada ...............................................4, 8

finAncing, crop inputs And storAgeagricultural credit corp. ....................................... 23

frost protectionshur farms protection ......................................... 29

greenhouse equipMent And suppliesWestland greenhouse equipment & supplies ltd. ................................. 35

growing contAiners And MediAama plastics ltd. ...................................................... 44

hAil And Bird netting systeMsgintec shade Technology ..................................... 43

high tunnelsTunnel Tech ................................................................ 26

insect Monitoring And controlalpha scents .............................................................. 37

insurAnceontario mutuals ....................................................... 45

MAchinery pArtsdurabelt inc. .............................................................. 30

MetAl And fABric structuresWe cover structures ............................................... 43

MoBile fArM technologycogent 3d icropTrak .............................................ibc

netting And fABricsamerican nettings & fabrics inc. ....................... 26

non-profit growers AssociAtionspotato growers of alberta .................................... 23

nursery stockadams county nursery inc. .................................. 40prairie plant systems inc........................................ 23

online sprAy pArts And AdVicespraysmarter.com ................................................... 26

ontArio AgriculturAl collegeuniversity of guelph, ontario agricultural college .................................................6

pAckAgingcanadian corrugated & containerboard association (formerly paper packaging) ...... 13mgi ltd. (labels & label machinery) ................ 16nnZ inc. ....................................................................... 26

pAcking equipMenta&b packing equipment ....................................... 12

sorters, grAders And sizerskerian machines inc. ............................................... 43

stAinless steel tAnksraynox 2000 inc. ...................................................... 10

steel Building supplieralpine steel buildings ............................................ 43

toMAto seedheinz seed ................................................................. 40

VegetABle And irrigAtion equipMentr&W equipment ....................................................... 46

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