KAREN DAVIDSON

Farming or fishing?Sometimes it hasn’t been clearthis summer as extreme rain-storms flood vegetable fields.

“It’s been bloody crazy thisyear,” says Ian Nichols, president,Weather INovations Consulting,(WIN) based in Chatham,Ontario. “In the flat plains aroundChatham-Kent, the heavy rainsare creating big ponds and thesoil is being starved of oxygen –not great growing conditions.”

With more than 500 WIN raingauges reporting across Ontario,most of the province was morethan 100 per cent of normal inprecipitation and in the south-western corner, 200 per cent ofnormal had been recorded bymid-July. Corey Versnel, chair ofthe Essex County AssociatedGrowers, is one of the rain’s victims, with some of his squashflooded out completely. Locatedjust west of Leamington, thetomato capital, he was more optimistic about his tomato cropwhich was in full flower in mid-July.

As farmers of high-value fruitsinvest in more high-tech equipment – hail netting, frostfans, high tunnels –to blunt theforce of Mother Nature, vegetablegrowers are more vulnerable withtheir field crops. To some degree,social media has been helping.Tweets from agronomists such as

Janice LeBoeuf (@ontariotomato) are warning ofdiseases on the wind. For example, the Ontario vegetablespecialist tweeted on July 18:Late blight in neighbouring states,but no confirmed Ontario casesyet. How to protect your tomatocrop. Her 875 followers are alert-ed to the threat as well as how totime prevention.

In Manitoba, a similar systemsponsored by Syngenta is operating with success for potatogrowers. Twice-weekly reportswith input from 32 weather stations are tabulated by AndyNadler, the western Canadianoperations manager and agricultural meteorologist forWIN. He also gathers informationfrom the provincial plant patholo-gist Vikram Bisht as well asKeystone Potato Producers’Association. The complimentaryreport is emailed to about 250growers. Here’s an example:

Hot days of 30°C + (in the lastcouple of weeks) has led to heatstress sprouts on tubers in somefields. The temperatures havenow cooled down and there hasbeen plenty of rainfall throughoutManitoba. This has led to anincrease in the DSVs (Late blightDisease Severity Values) in west-ern and central parts of theprovince. A few weather stationsites are at or over the thresholdof 18. Fields close to these sitesshould now be considered forregular weekly fungicide applica-tion for late blight management.If your fields are in general vicin-ity of high DSVs, it will be goodto protect even the late-plantedfields. Many fields are now rowclosed, and must have received atleast a couple of protectant fungicide sprays.

“What we’re finding is thatdisease is changing,” says Nadler

who also posts the weekly provin-cial potato aphid reports(@mbpotatoes). “The strains aredifferent and tend to evolve. Theconditions that we encounteredwith late blight a decade ago aredifferent today. That means management and forecasting needto keep up.”

For any grower unconvincedof the value of Twitter, just go tothe Twitter sites of these agrono-mists for photos identifying keypests and videos. It’s like being inthe field with a personal plantpathologist and weather expert.

Sheldon Wiebe agrees. He follows these reports to protecthis 1200 acres of potatoes nearCarberry, Manitoba. “It’s a fantastic tool,” says Wiebe. “Itighten up my fungicide treatmentfrom seven days to five days ifgrowing conditions are ideal forlate blight.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

AUGUST 2013 CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 63 NUMBER 08

An exceedingly wet summer in Ontario is challenging growers from Windsor to Ottawa. Here, Corey Versnel, chair of the Essex CountyAssociated Growers, wades into a sweet corn field in a mid-July heat wave to examine development. While many vegetable crops such astomatoes and beans are contracted for nearby processing plants, a good percentage is also shipped fresh to local farmers’ markets and theOntario Food Terminal. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

EXTREME WEATHER

@mothernature: a tweet of things to come

INSIDEGrowing Forward 2: More Q than A Page 4

Grocery channels are fracturing Page 7

FOCUS:

Storage/Containers Page 14

www.thegrower.orgP.M. 40012319

$3.00 CDN

What we’re finding

is that disease is

changing. The strains

are different and tend

to evolve.”

Andy Nadler

“

THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERSLorne Hepworth is retiring after 18 years as president of CropLifeCanada, the trade association that represents manufacturers, devel-opers and distributors of crop protection and plant science technologies. A veterinarian by trade, Hepworth has led a distinguished agricultural career. Elected in 1982 to serve the constituency of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, he served nine years in theConservative cabinet as minister of agriculture, education, finance,and energy and mines. In the early ‘90s, he held several executivepositions with the Canadian Agra group of companies specializingin agrifood/feed production, and themarketing of suchdiverse products aswine, apple juice concentrate, canola oiland dehydrated alfalfa.He has been a tireless crusader forbiotechnology in thelast decade, an interestthat has led him torecently become chairof the Genome Canadaboard of directors.

The Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame has announced its 2013inductees to be formally recognized on November 3 at the RoyalAgricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario. One of the four isDonald Ziraldo, a pioneer of the Canadian wine industry. He co-founded Inniskillin Wines in 1975, the first winery to be licensedin Ontario since prohibition, founded the Vintners Quality Allianceprogram and was instrumental in developing the Cool ClimateOenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University. Otherinductees include Lowell Lindsay, John Oliver and the late JohnWise.

Congratulations to Garry Sloik on his retirement after 33 years asmanager of the Keystone Potato Producers Association. His storiedagricultural career has spanned Carnation, McCains, ManitobaAgriculture as well as being a potato grower himself. DanSawatzky, a past president and director of the association, fills hisshoes as of August 1.

Dela Erith has resigned as executive director of the Nova ScotiaFruit Growers’ Association after 15 years in the post.

Pillitteri Estates Winery has been named the winner of the 2013Ontario Food Exporter Award. The Niagara-based winery exports tomore than 30 countries, including China where it operates 25 wineretail stores.

The Ontario Produce Marketing Association announces the hiring ofSimone Weber as director of marketing and communications. Arecent graduate of the University of Guelph with a Bachelor ofCommerce degree, majoring in marketing management, Weber willbe responsible for promotional activities and membership develop-ment. She follows in the footsteps of Ashlee Mclean who returnedto Ippolito Produce, Burlington, Ontario as director of marketing.

Janet Horner is the new chair of Rural Ontario Institute (ROI),replacing Rob Hannam. A Shelburne-area resident, Horner is cur-rently the coordinator of the GTA Agriculture Action Committee.

Celebrations are underway this summer to mark the 100th anniver-sary and five generations of farming at Murphy’s Farmstead,Allison, Ontario. The Murphy family are active members of theOntario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Farm Fresh MarketingAssociation, Ontario Berry Growers’ Association and SimcoeCounty Farm Fresh.

Makhteshim Agan of North America (MANA) Canada has hiredDonald Surgeoner as Eastern Business Manager and CanadianQuali-Pro Manager, handling customer relations and sales for theexpanding crop protection and turf grass product lineups.

If you care about food, then you’ll be delighted with the news thatformer Canadian Living Magazine editor Elizabeth Baird has beennamed as a Member of the Order of Canada. The distinguishedaward honours the author of more than 25 cookbooks, countlessmedia appearances and her unflagging support to Canadian cuisine.In her ‘retirement’ she continues to write stories for the SunMediachain. Baird was featured along with friend Rose Murray and gar-lic and vegetable grower Mark Wales in the October 2009 cover of The Grower.

AT PRESS TIME…

PAGE 2 –– AUGUST 2013

Snack programextended three moreyears

Ontario Premier KathleenWynne made a historic visit toCentennial Public School inTimmins on June 21. It’s a hubfor the Northern Fruit andVegetable Program. Betty AnnHorbul and Laura Needham,Porcupine Health Unit, presentedthe premier and ag minister withOntario-grown fruits and vegeta-bles.

Later that week, the OntarioMinistry of Health and Long-Term Care committed to threemore years of the snack program.An enhanced evaluation compo-nent was added to the budget.

Highland Companiessell potato acres

The future of potato land inOntario’s Dufferin County hastaken a new turn now that TheHighland Companies have sold6,500 acres to BonnefieldFinancial, a farmland investmentand property management compa-

ny. According to the July 16announcement, the land will beleased back to local operators.

“We’re not sure what thismeans for the Ontario potato

industry,” says Glen Squirrell,chair Ontario Potato Board.“Highland is the largest grower inthe province and lead supplier toLoblaw and Frito Lay. The com-pany owns the machinery and thecrop currently in the ground, butwe’re not sure what happens afterthat.”

The area has been under amedia microscope with TheHighland Companies’ initial plansto build a mega-quarry to mine2,316 acres for limestone.Sustained opposition, both urbanand rural, was so vehement aboutthe potential damage to water andsoil that they withdrew theirapplication last fall.

Growers remain skepticalabout the long-term goals ofBonnefield, the new owners. TheOttawa-based company hasacquired close to 35,000 acres offarmland in Alberta,Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontarioand New Brunswick since April2010. No figures were released onthe farmland transaction.

Local farmers plan to continuelobbying the provincial govern-ment for changes to theAggregate Resources Act toensure agricultural land is proper-ly protected.

Del Monte invests inOntario

Del Monte Fresh Produce haspurchased 12 acres in Oshawa,Ontario for a state-of-the-art dis-tribution centre and what thecompany calls “one of its mostsophisticated” fresh cut fruit andvegetable processing operations.The site will also house a bananaripening centre.

The company is retrofitting anexisting building and installingindustrial refrigeration units. Thisnew base, expected to be com-plete by the end of 2013, willaccommodate 16 trucks at a time– eight in, eight out with importedfruits and vegetables. However,there could be some opportunitiesfor home-grown produce.

“We also expect that demandfor high quality locally grownproducts will be increasing,” saysvice president DionysiosChristou, in a statement to localpress. “To meet the demand forOntario, Quebec or Canadian-grown products we’ll be glad tosupport local growers wheneverpossible.”

Del Monte’s clients includeconventional and non-convention-al retailers, supercenters, conve-nience stores and food servicecompanies across Ontario andQuebec. The company currentlyhas a base in St. Leonard,Quebec.

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Lorne Hepworth. Photo courtesy CropLifeCanada

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Manitobans are acutely aware of the havoc of weather,especially given that the Red River floods every year. Soit’s no surprise that Manitoba is the only Canadianprovince that participates in the Community CollaborativeRain, Hail and Snow Network (@CoCoRaHS Canada).It’s a non-profit network of volunteer observers manuallymeasuring precipitation.

The concept, now practised across the U.S., germinatedwith the Colorado Climate Center in 1998, after a FortCollins flood. The massive floods experienced two yearsago in Manitoba and Saskatchewan spurred the network inlate 2011. It’s expected to grow across Canada with

volunteers measuring precipitation from as many locationsas possible. Readings are then reported and posted to thewebsite at www.cocorahs.org.

With extreme weather more likely the norm, these amateur meteorologists will make a difference in providing hundreds if not thousands of data points acrossCanada’s vast geography.

This proactive movement is no replacement for cropinsurance, a thorny topic at best for fruit and vegetablegrowers. For many, premiums are too high to enroll. Andeven for those who are insured, Ontario’s apple growers,for example, felt punished when their premiums rose 50 to100 per cent after the significant frost losses of 2012.Growers in Ontario’s Holland Marsh literally bet the farmwhen they invested in Asian greens, only to be flooded in

early 2013. No crop insurance exists for them or for thoseventuring into hazelnuts or hops.

One idea is to consolidate crops under crop groups, asis done for pesticide purposes, to broaden the insurablebase and spread the risk. Growers also need to be able toinsure the weather events that most threaten their crops.For some, frost and hail are more damaging than rain orpests.

Crop insurance or not, growers are coping with biological systems that are evolving. Invasive species.Weed resistance. Disease evolution. Extreme weather.There’s more pressure than ever to adapt.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 3

THE GROWER

@mothernature: a tweet of things to comeEXTREME WEATHER

INTERNATIONAL

CHINA

More pears grownglobally

Global pear production has hitnew highs over the last decade,with China leading the way. Asrecently as the 2002-2003 season,global output was just under 15million MT. That number is nowpegged at more than 21 millionMT for the 2012-2013 season.Chinese growers account for 16

NETHERLANDS

Taste to trump yield

Will taste, quality and presen-tation be more important thanyield? That’s what a Frenchbreeding company says will bekey to future success in breedinggreenhouse tomatoes.

Gautier Semences, a familybusiness with a reputation as asupplier of open field vegetablevarieties, is also making a nameas a greenhouse vegetable seedgrower. While well-known inNorth Africa and westernEurope, they also have sights seton North America.

But to make inroads in NorthAmerica, they need to previewtheir varieties in the Westlandgreenhouse cluster of theNetherlands. That’s where tofind their seedstock. All varietiescultivated in North America areintroduced in the Netherlandsfirst.

Source: Hortidaily.com

million MT of this pear production.

After China, Argentina andthe United States are the nextbiggest growers of pears. In thecurrent season, Argentina pro-duced about 800,000 MT and theU.S. grew the same number.Italy harvested just over 700,000MT. Spain, Turkey, SouthAfrica and Japan produced theremainder.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

UNITED KINGDOM

Asparagus – a snack?

The craze for crisps hasembraced vegetables such asbeets, parsnips, sweet potatoesand even carrots. Now a U.K.chef has sliced asparagus, cookedthe green vegetable in oil andserved at parties.

Although the asparagus sea-son is short in Worcestershire,Daren Bale has made StalkersCrisps to last all year in bagform. He sources his green stalksfrom a nearby village, capitaliz-ing on its fame as the host of anannual asparagus festival everyApril.

In a news release, Bale saysthat his crisps don’t have thesame concentrate of mercaptan –the sulphurous compound thatreleases the strange smell – aseating actual spears of asparagus.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

UNITED STATES

Big blueberry crop

This season’s North Americanblueberry harvest is so big thatprices are starting to fall. Washington state’s blueberrycommission is reporting largevolumes of blueberries. Lastyear, the country’s leading pro-ducer tallied 70 million pounds, arecord, but will likely boost out-put to 80 million pounds thisyear.

The state is joined by otherproducers with bumper crops:Oregon, New Jersey andMichigan. This year’s weatherhas spurred the fruit to ripen allat once, creating a logjam in coldstorage. Blueberries can last justa month in those conditions.

Rainier Fruit, a key supplierof blueberries, predicts demandwill remain strong, but does notadvise expanding acreage.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Top ten pear producing countries.

A fishing pier? Rather, it’s a portion of Ontario’s Holland Marsh that wasswamped when dykes failed after excessive rain. Photo courtesy JamieReaume.

KAREN DAVIDSON

The Growing Forward 2 pro-gram is experiencing its owngrowing pains as bureaucrats setup the mechanisms to distribute$417 million in Ontario over thenext five years. For the non-busi-ness risk management compo-nents, there are three administra-tive agencies: Ontario Soil andCrop Improvement Association(OSCIA) for farmer projects;Ontario Ministry of Agricultureand Food (OMAF) for processorprojects; Agricultural AdaptationCouncil (AAC) for organizationand collaborator projects.

Six focus areas of GrowingForward 2 are targeted for fund-ing with innovation considered acomponent of each. • Environment and climatechange adaptation• Animal and plant health• Market development• Labour productivity enhance-ment• Assurance systems (food safety,traceability and animal welfare)• Business and leadership devel-opment

Projects can be either:• Capacity building – education,skills development and training,assessments, planning, etc; or• Project implementation - imple-mentation of plans, appliedresearch projects, etc.

Applicants are encouraged toundertake capacity building pro-jects in advance of applying forproject implementation.

Andy Graham, OSCIA’s direc-tor of operations, offers a roadmap for the farmer stream. First,workshops are still available forEnvironmental Farm Plans andGrowing Your Farm Profits. Lookto the OSCIA website for datesand places for workshops. Moreworkshop titles will be coming onstream later in the year.Secondly, applications are cur-

rently being accepted for thecapacity-building part of the pro-gram. Applicants are encouragedto apply online.

The biggest change is that thegrant system for project imple-mentation is not operating on afirst-come, first-served basis butrather on merit. What criteriawill be used is not yet known asof The Grower’s press time.

Under the farmer stream ofprojects, note that the OSCIA willbe accepting applications fromSeptember 9 through October 24.Information Sessions are plannedfor the end of August and earlySeptember to educate applicantson the new process. The defini-tion for “innovation” is still to bedetermined.

“In the merit-based system, notevery application will be success-ful,” says Graham. “Those notsuccessful are encouraged totighten up their application andresubmit for the next intake.”OSCIA will be evaluating eachapplication based on criteriaagreed to by OMAF.

“We expect brisk demand forthe program,” concludes Graham.“As we move into a different sys-tem, the farm caps are higher,there are more areas of focus, andthe process is different.”

For more information, go towww.ontario.ca/growingfor-ward2.

The collaborator stream offunding, to be administered byAAC, is new to applicants. Acombination of two or moregrowers or organizations may beeligible for funding. As much as$3 million of matching funds maybe assigned over five years – anumber well worth pitching for.

Here’s the definition of organi-zations and collaborations:

• ORGANIZATIONS - Any not-for-profit, Ontario-based, legalentity involved in the agriculture,agri-food and agri-based productssector capable of entering into a

contract, including, but not limit-ed to: associations; marketingboards; and aboriginal groups.Organizations must have a mem-bership comprised primarily ofOntario residents.

• COLLABORATIONS -Combinations of two or morelegal for profit businesses and/ornon-profit associations/organiza-tions, and/or academic/researchinstitutions in the agriculture,agri-food, agri-products sector,primarily located in Ontario.Collaborations must identify alead applicant. The lead applicantand all collaboration membersmust be actively and directlyengaged in the project and have avested interest (i.e. financialinvestment, resources provided,etc.) in the project. Collaborationfunding is intended to supportprojects that demonstrate benefitbeyond the collaboration mem-bers. Collaborations are stronglyencouraged to involve organiza-tions in the project to ensureresults are shared broadly.

For more information, go towww.adaptcouncil.org

PAGE 4 –– AUGUST 2013THE GROWER

First-come, first served traded for merit-based system of grantsGROWING FORWARD 2

http://www.MafexULV.com info@MafexULV.com phone: 647-309-7826 fax: 888-510-2688

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Labour productivity

Climate change adaptation

KAREN DAVIDSON

Horseradish, that knarled andpungent tuber root, is an unlikelyculinary hero. When grated andmarinated in vinegar, the secretingredient provides a piquantpunch to everything from stews topotato salad.

“It’s grown like a potato,” saysJason Ryder who has successfullycultivated 30 acres near Delhi,Ontario for the last five years. Asone of a dozen Ontario growers,Ryder says the niche crop hasprovided a surprising sideline tothe farm’s asparagus and springonions.

Locally grown, fresh root hasbeen sniffed out by major retail-

ers. About 60 per cent of Ryder’scrop is sold to Loblaw. Theremainder, interestingly enough,is transformed into the Dennis’brand, which he acquired from aneighbour.

As a certified food processor,Ryder has set up all the equipment to grind and bottlehorseradish on his farm. He produces anywhere from 10,000to 12,000 cases per year, with 12jars to the case. Substantialenough to employ two full-timeworkers through the winter, thebusiness is as much about market-ing as growing. What’s uniqueabout the Dennis’ brand is its lineextension of blends that includemustards and beets. That’s thestory to be told to retailers as well

as suggestions about a new usefor a hot pepper creamed horseradish ideal for makingCaesar drinks.

It’s home-grown businessessuch as Jason Ryder’s that maybe eligible for funding under thenew Growing Forward 2 program.It’s a tough grind for growerswho need to marshall marketingexpertise not to mention negotiat-ing acumen with large retailers. Ismoney well-spent refreshinglabels? Can a brand strategy trulypay off when consumer purchasesmay be monthly, not weekly?Those are the questions to beanswered as new business plansare put forward.

Ryder is up against the well-known Cedarvale brand owned byToronto-based Lounsbury Foods.But more than that, he’s upagainst all the private labels too.Tim Higgins, vice-president,Lounsbury Foods, says the condiments company contractstwo Ontario growers for 175acres. The Lounsbury Foods business is “steady and growing”supplying private label brands tomany of Canada’s major retailers.

So while horseradish may be ahot commodity, don’t get yourfingers burned in the value-addedprocess.

Field-to-fork horseradish is hot business

Growers eligible for processing stream

VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING

GROWING FORWARD 2

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 5

REPRESENTATIVES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - North & South shores of Montreal

Michel GrattonTel.: 450.781.6045Fax : 450.682.4959

Gilliane BissonTel. : 450.781.6049Fax : 450.682.4959

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Central, Eastern Quebec

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Yves Thibault, agr.Tel. : 418.660.1498Fax : 418.666.8947

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Warren PeacockTel. : 519.426.1131Fax : 519.426.6156

A team of experts Top -notch seeds

order@norseco.com

www.norseco.com

SC1102 (SeSh2)

Rick Hantz (L) and Jason Ryder admire their lineup of Dennis’ branded horseradish produced right on thefarm at Delhi, Ontario. Photos by Denis Cahill

Horseradish is an unsightly tuber that is transformed into a cook’sbest-kept secret ingredient.

Unprecedented funding is available for food and beverage proces-sors, says Norm Beal, president of the Alliance of Ontario FoodProcessors. What’s key is that a grower with an on-farm value-addedprocessing project would be deemed eligible under the processorstream.

“The alliance has been working long and hard to make sure govern-ments understand the value of processors to the Ontario economy,” hesays. “Funding through Growing Forward 2 is a positive signal for ourfuture.”

“All processors in this province should be considering their optionsunder Growing Forward 2,” says alliance executive director StevePeters. “This is exactly what’s needed for food and beverage processors to push ahead on innovative projects, new product develop-ment, skills and workforce training and productivity advances.”

The support is expected to help many of the 3,000 food processorbusinesses in the province. Martin Bohl, OMAF, says that the intakefor capacity-building project applications started June 26 and is on-going. For processor project implementation, intakes will beSeptember 9 until October 24 and then December 16, 2013 untilJanuary 30, 2014.

The ministry will use internal staff and expertise to review theapplications based on set evaluation criteria. In other words, theapplications need to support the key GF2 themes, such as growingyour profits, expanding your markets and managing shared risks.

For more information, visit www.ontario.ca/growingforward2 andfollow the links to Growing Forward 2 to start the enrollment process.

It’s home-grown

businesses such as Jason

Ryder’s that may be

eligible for funding

under the new Growing

Forward 2 program.

More than three-quarters ofmeal preparers are looking forways to serve more fresh vegeta-bles according to the Taste andDiscover Research Study.Reminded of the unique tastesand textures of everything frombroccoli to eggplant, 1407 respon-dents (5000 surveys) were clearabout which vegetables they loveand which ones need more pro-motion. The study was conductedduring last November’s RoyalAgricultural Winter Fair at theJourney to your Good Healthpavilion.

“It’s an exciting time to develop recipes for our richlydiverse communities,” concludesKaren Poncelet, marketing andcommunity relations manager.“Gone are the days of one-size-

fits-all recipes.”The study, funded by the

Canadian Agricultural AdaptationCouncil, was designed to take thepulse of consumers’ current vegetable and fruit knowledge aswell as to investigate what tacticsmight increase consumption offresh, frozen and canned varieties.Some of the key findings are:• 75% of meal preparers are looking to serve more fresh vegetables.• Local sourcing is becoming amainstream mindset. Where vegetables are grown, how tostore and prepare them along withrecipes are important motivators. • Parents haven’t given up thebattle! Households with childrenserve the same average number ofvegetable varieties (11.3 different

kinds in 7 days) as those withoutchildren. • Recipes should target culturalcommunities. Be sensitive to thechanging ethnicities of theCanadian population and demographics (aging boomers,single households, youngerassembly-type cooks). • In dietitians and farmers, wetrust. Consumers find these professions the most crediblesources of information with foodcompanies and retailers fartherdown the list. • Ready, set, app! The nextopportunity is to develop moreapps for smartphones and tablets.Just 26 per cent of consumerswith smartphones or tablets usefood apps, but 45 per cent expressa strong interest. No specific food

app has a monopoly on this information channel at this time.

“Broccoli is no longer theposter-child for vegetables welove to hate,” says Lois Ferguson,Registered Dietitian and consul-tant to the Royal AgriculturalWinter Fair. It’s now one of thetop five favourites with sciencebehind its health benefits. The topfive are carrots, potatoes, peppers,broccoli and tomatoes. Thesefindings encourage retailers, manufacturers and growers thateducation can increase consump-tion of specific vegetables

What’s unique about theresearch is a rich vein of informa-tion on each of 27 vegetablesgrown in Canada. These resultswill give growers and processorsmore insight on how to increase

consumption. For example:respondents said that knowingwhere spinach is grown wouldencourage them to eat it moreoften; the appeal of eggplant isstrongest with younger consumersand the Asian/Indian population;41 per cent said that recipeswould encourage them to eatrutabagas more often. Partnersincluded the Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers’ Association,University of Guelph, FoodlandOntario and General MillsCanada.

The Taste and DiscoverResearch Study is posted atwww.royalfair.org.

More consumers want to move fresh vegetables to center plateTop five favourites are carrots, potatoes, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes

CONSUMER RESEARCH THE GROWER

PAGE 6 –– AUGUST 2013

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 7

KAREN DAVIDSON

Food retailing is fracturing atthe same rate as entertainmentchannels. Only 63 per cent of groceries are now sold throughtraditional channels compared to93 per cent 20 years ago. Thatfact is reverberating with theAlliance of Ontario FoodProcessors (AOFP), an umbrellagroup of about 3,000 food andbeverage processors.Additionally, of $39 billion insales, more than $3.4 billion orig-inated with value-added fruit andvegetable products.

These numbers are importantcontext for the highly competitivelandscape of grocery retailers inCanada, all of whom profess tosome degree, a local foods pro-curement policy. Just two monthsago, Sobeys purchased CanadianSafeway in western Canada for$5.8 billion, solidifying its posi-tion as number two retailerbehind Loblaw. This news was atimely backdrop for the AOFPkeynote speaker at the annualgeneral meeting in late June.

John Scott, retired from hisrecent post as CEO of theCanadian Federation ofIndependent Grocers, offered anuanced appraisal of the currentgrocery scene in Canada. He alsooffered kernels of advice forgrowers.

Loblaw has been strong inwestern Canada, taking their

successful SuperStore model inSaskatoon – “variety seemingly ata discounted price” – to Winnipegand then to Edmonton. At thetime, Safeway enjoyed 78 percent of the Edmonton market.

“This was the start of soft dis-count in Canada, then cameCostco,” Scott said. “But ifyou’re going to be a retail store,what do you stand for?Discount? Premium? Ethnic?”

Nobody really did high-level,high-quality meat so Costcobecame a destination for meat,then baked goods and blossomedinto other areas. Consumersthought the prices were lower inan entertaining format that, by theway, sold the cheapest hockeytape anywhere.

Along came Walmart in 1994.Initially Walmart was not intofood, starting out with pantrystores but the American behe-moth’s plans for growth wereserendipitous. Expansion occurredat the same time as the recessionand Walmart rode the wave ofconsumers seeking lower prices.Suddenly, Walmart, Costco andLoblaw were all competing forthe same consumer.

During these years, societychanged profoundly with thearrival of new Canadians. Thereare now 4.5 million newCanadians in Vancouver, Calgary,Toronto and Montreal whopacked their own food tastes intheir suitcases when they came.Relishing in the cross-cultural

experience, the rest of us joinedthe trend, enjoying the T & Tshopping experience to such adegree that Loblaw eventuallybought the chain in 2009. “This was an ethnic chain of

stores doing soft discount,” Scottexplained. “But don’t forget harddiscount at No Frills, anotherLoblaw banner.”

For the last five years, soft andhard discount have grown. Themiddle class that U.S. presidentBarack Obama has focused on isshrinking. So the questionbecomes where does the tradition-al grocer go?

“There’s no possible way forall those traditional companies tocontinue,” Scott said. “It’s goingto be a tough go for Target.”

Given this history, it’s a sur-prise that traditional grocerSobeys bought CanadianSafeway. Another eastern foe,Metro, bought A & P in 2006 and

found it hard to integrate. WhileMetro has dominated Quebec, thegrocer has fought a losing battleagainst Dollarama which enteredthe market two years ago andlowered the margins in smalltowns.

“This phenomenon hasn’tmanifested itself yet in Metro’sstatements, but margins will comedown in Quebec,” Scott predict-ed. “With no assets in westernCanada, Metro had to getSafeway and could have gonewith a 11.5 multiple. I couldn’tbelieve that Sobeys got it for amultiple of nine.”

On the good news side of theledger, Scott says that Sobeysmade a tremendous acquisition. ACanadian company bought anoth-er Canadian company. “Sobeysalso has a packing private labeland while growers/processors willhave more market opportunity,they will grind you. There are 10

Sobeys processing plants sothere’s a huge opportunity toexpand markets.”

The bad news? Sobeysannounced that the deal wouldsave $200 million in synergies inthe next three years. Translation:the money will come through thetrade.

“If I was still at the CanadianFederation of IndependentGrocers, I would say the tradeimpact on suppliers will be huge,but so will the opportunities,”Scott commented.

In his past global travels, Scotthas noted the twin trends of urbandensification and ethno-culturalcommunities. Consumers don’tstore stuff in condos, so that trendopens an opportunity for premiumfoods. In the new economy, gro-cers such as Longos and Pusaterisare doing very well in the GreaterToronto Area. Urban Fare, ownedby Overwaitea in western Canada,is succeeding with prepared foodsfor urbanites who come out fromtheir condo “caves.” WhereasCostco wants to sell volume,niche grocers are selling toiletpaper by the roll. In Richmond,British Columbia, for example,there are 500 direct-deliverystores.

Overall, many of the grocershave been confused. Various loyalty programs are in the marketplace. “They need the data,but they don’t understand theconsumer,” Scott concludes.

GROCERY RETAILING

Demographics and condo boom change grocer strategies

Condo ‘cave dwellers’ now descend to grocers for spur-of-the-momentshopping.

THE GROWER

PAGE 8 –– AUGUST 2013

Canadianswaste $2.5billionfresh produceannually

New Greenbelt Fund grants announcedBITS AND BITES

British Columbians spend anaverage of $43.90 each week onproduce — and throw awayabout 11 per cent of their pur-chase, according to a new studycommissioned by KitchenAid.Both those numbers — expendi-ture and waste — are above theCanadian national average. Theaverage Canadian home throwsout $190.94 worth of fruit andvegetables each year, making anational total of more than $2.5billion.

Here's a closer look at the num-bers:

$121: amount the averageCanadian spends each week ongroceries.

$40.80: What the averageCanadian spends each week onproduce, eating up 34 per cent ofthe weekly grocery budget.

$43.90: What BritishColumbians spend weekly onproduce, the highest amount inthe country.

$29.80: What Atlantic Canadiansspend weekly on produce, theleast in the country.

$49.70: What Canadians aged18-34 spend weekly on produce,26 per cent more than Canadiansaged 35-44 ($39.40).

55% of Canadians say they arewilling to pay a premium forfruits and vegetables if they areorganic or locally grown.

30% of Canadians buy producetwice weekly.

Ontario’s Greenbelt Fund hasannounced a new Market Access program.Letters of intent are due September 6. Ifinvited to submit a full application, thedeadline is October 24, 2013.

The intent of the grants is to increaselocal food access for public institutionssuch as hospitals, schools and cafeterias,retail outlets and foodservice markets.“For small and medium-sized growers, it’sdifficult to sell into these commercial markets,” explains Megan Hunter, programmanager, Greenbelt Fund. “These grantsshould help growers come together to formfood hubs.”

The Market Access grant stream distributes grants under two headings –expansion and new ventures.

Expansion: For successful regional foodaggregation, value-add, and distributionbusinesses already operating in Ontario toeither expand their operations or increasethe amount of services provided in supportof Ontario farmers and processors.

Developing New Ventures: In the eventthat there is no existing operation forexpansion, funding is available to start-upprojects with experienced managementteams. Funds are also available for groupsinterested in evaluating and analysing theopportunities for establishing a food hub,regional aggregation facility, or value-added service. Under business planning,there are funds for groups who have completed a thorough market analysis

demonstrating a demand for the proposedfood hub, regional aggregator, or value-added service provider, who are ready todevelop a business plan for the project.

And for groups having completed both afull market analysis and business plan thatclearly demonstrate the demand and projected success for the proposed foodhub, regional aggregator, or value-addedservice provider, funding is available tobegin these projects.

Interested applicants should contactMegan Hunter, program manager, beforesubmitting a full proposal. For a detailedapplication guide visit Ontariofresh.ca

The Market Access program builds onthe success of the Greenbelt Fund’sBroader Public Sector program. Since its

launch in 2010, it has supported a $26 million increase in the amount of Ontariofoods purchased by public institutionsmeaning that every one dollar invested hassupported the purchase of five dollars’worth of local food.

If you miss the first round, the follow-ing intake will accept letters of intentbefore December 9, 2013. Full proposalsare due February 7, 2014.

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 9

In 2013, the Pest ManagementCentre (PMC) celebrates a decadeof achievement as Agricultureand Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)'shub for improving farmers' accessto newer, safer pesticides and tonovel production practices thatreduce reliance on pesticides. Onemeasure of its success is the largenumber (more than 1,350) of newpest control solutions – whetherchemical, cultural, biological ormechanical – that are now available to growers.

PMC was established byAAFC in 2003 to implement theMinor Use Pesticides Program(MUPP) and Pesticide RiskReduction Program (PRRP).MUPP responds to the needs ofCanadian farmers for access tonew minor uses of pesticides.PRRP focuses on the develop-ment and implementation of riskreduction strategies, includingbiological controls and integratedapproaches, for pest managementin both major and minor crops.

Both programs, jointly delivered by AAFC and HealthCanada's Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA),contribute to the Government ofCanada's efforts to support innovation, competitiveness and

market development in the agricultural sector by ways thatare environmentally and economically sustainable.

PMC is headquartered inOttawa and conducts field, greenhouse and growth chambertrials at seven Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada research sites:Kentville, Nova Scotia; Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec;Vineland, Ontario; Harrow,Ontario; Scott, Saskatchewan;Summerland, British Columbiaand Agassiz, British Columbia.The wide geographic distributionof these sites – located across allbut one of Canada's growingzones – helps PMC coordinatefield trials and collect data onnew products to combat weeds,diseases and insects that canthreaten the quantity, value andquality of crops.

Partnerships have yieldedresults

For many years, Canadianfarmers did not have access to thesame range of pesticide productsas farmers in other countries. Inparticular, growers of horticultur-al and other specialty cropsrequire a lot of diverse products

(insecticides, fungicides and her-bicides) for use on relativelysmall areas of production. Manypesticide manufacturers havebeen unwilling to invest the timeand money to pursue pesticideregistrations for this importantpart of the agriculture industry.According to Health Canada'sPMRA, a minor use of a pesticideis defined as a necessary use of apesticide for which the anticipat-ed sales volume is not sufficientto persuade a manufacturer toregister and sell the product inCanada.

Recognizing the need toimprove the mechanism forapproving new minor uses of pesticides on specialty crops aswell as limited uses of pesticideson certain major crops, AAFCtook steps to determine the appropriate structure and put staffin place. Two programs, MUPPand PRRP, were announced in2002 and a year later they wereup and running under an umbrellaorganization, PMC. A departmen-tal realignment in 2012 allowsPMC to work more closely withresearchers of AAFC's Scienceand Technology Branch.

Getting input from federal andprovincial governments, industry

representatives and producergroups, PMC matches majorweed, disease and insect problemsin the agricultural regions ofCanada with potential pesticidesolutions. Its research activitiesinclude non-chemical controloptions, such as biopesticides andfarm management practices thatintegrate tillage, crop rotation,cultivar resistance, seed selection,balanced fertility and sanitation.PMC has been able to move itsagenda forward in large partbecause of the successful partner-ships it developed over 10 years.Its team of experts works withcounterparts at the inter-depart-ment, national and internationallevels to bring crop protectiontools, knowledge and support for

adoption to Canadian growers. Minor uses of pesticides are aninternational issue and cooperation between countrieshas increased remarkably inrecent years. Much of MUPP wasmodeled after the U.S.Department of Agriculture's successful minor use pesticideprogram called the InterregionalResearch Project No. 4, or IR-4.Today, there are larger initiativesbetween Canada and the UnitedStates to close technology gapsand better align regulatory systems. That is the way to bringnew products to both sides of theborder simultaneously.

Source: Pest ManagementCentre

MINOR USE

Pest Management Centre: A decade of service

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THE GROWER

PAGE 10 –– AUGUST 2013

STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-252-7337, kdavidson@ecomente.caProduction: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.orgAdvertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, hsherwood@cogeco.ca

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 nextissue. 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 thesole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressedin The Grower are those of the newspaper’s editorial staff and/orcontributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publicationmay not be reproduced either whole or in part without theprior written consent of the publisher.

P.M. 40012319

OFFICE355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105

Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADATel. 519-763-8728 • Fax 519-763-6604

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

$30.00 (+ G.S.T.) / year in Canada$40.00/year International

Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues withinfour months. If the issue is claimed within four months, butnot available, The Grower will extend the subscription byone month. No refunds on subscriptions.

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEChair Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeVice-Chair Jason Verkaik, BradfordFruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginVeg Director Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownDirector Brian Gilroy, Meaford

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

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

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

On July 4th 2013, WayneRoberts passed away suddenly.With this passing we lost someone who was devoted to thehorticulture industry in Canada.Most of Wayne’s career wasspent in Ontario working withOMAFRA, grape and tender fruitsectors and Landscape Ontario.He also spent some time with AgCanada which gave him nationalexperiences and contacts.

After his public service inOMAFRA and Ag Canada, hecame to work with grape and tender fruit. This is when I got toknow Wayne. With his knowl-edge of governmental processes

he became invaluable to theIndustry. He became our go-toguy on issues around crop protection products. His ability toliaise between government, chemical manufacturers andresearchers was unmatched andmade it possible to get registra-tions in a timely manner.

In 2003, the grape and wineindustry in Ontario was facing anunprecedented threat. The multi-coloured Asian lady beetlethreatened the long term econom-ic health of the industry. Theladybug had tainted millions ofliters of wine and caused hugeeconomic losses in the wine

industry. The wineries’ toleranceof this pest quickly became zeroor very close to it. One ladybug ina load of grapes was too manyand the load would be rejected.At the time of the invasion we didnot have the tools to combat it.Wayne Roberts was instrumentalthrough his contacts and intenselobbying efforts to secure regis-tration of two crop protectionproducts more than a year aheadof schedule. The multi-colouredAsian lady beetle remains presentto this day but we now have thetools and process to control it.This instance was one feather thatWayne could have stuck in his

cap but he never took the time torevel in successes. He was on tothe next challenge.

Later in his career, Wayne wasrecognized for his dedicated service receiving Awards of Meritfrom both the Niagara PeninsulaFruit and Vegetable Growers’Association and the Tender FruitBoard of Ontario.

On behalf of the horticulturalproducers in Canada, I thankWayne Roberts for his years ofdedicated service. I will miss hishumour, that smile that onlyWayne could pull off, and his ah-shucks manner. Rest In Peace,and know you will be missed.

Horticulture has lost a friend

RAY DUCCHAIR, OFVGA

Prior to the spring provincialbudget, there was considerablespeculation that there would be anincrease in the provincial mini-mum wage rate. Fortunately thisdid not happen, instead an adviso-ry panel has been put together tohear comments and advice on thetopic of future minimum wageincreases. Unfortunately, no onefrom the agri-food sector wasnamed to sit on this advisorypanel. Too bad, considering thatthe agri-food sector is the largesteconomic driver in the provinceand also a shame since the realityof our world does not allow us torecoup additional expenses fromthe market place. Some on thecommittee will understand this --some will not -- but it is a pointthat can not be overlooked.

I have written recently aboutthis topic and why minimumwage increases do not fightpoverty but rather contribute topoverty. Some may think that mycomment is way off base butlarge increases in minimum wagelevels force employers to cut backon jobs.

Minimum wage increases arenothing new. We have had themfor 50 or 60 years, perhaps

longer. Now this, at least to mymind, begs the question: ifincreasing minimum wage is agood way to fight poverty thenwhy is there more poverty inOntario today then there was 10years ago?

I’m not saying that thereshould not be a minimum wageset for the province; obviouslythere needs to be one but it needsto be reasonable. It can not be setso high as to stifle job creation orworse cut jobs. If it does, then itcontributes to poverty which iscounter to what the government istrying to do.

For this discussion there aretwo types of employers: thosewho can recover additional costsby adjusting the price for theirgoods or services and those whocannot as the market place simplydoes not allow for it. Such is thecase for our fruit and vegetablefarmers.

When was the last time youheard a produce buyer or retailersay to you that they would paymore for your produce becauseyour input costs had gone up? . . .That’s right, you haven’t and neither have I and I have beenaround for a long time . . . Yourcosts don’t matter to the buyer orthe consumer for that matter andthis is why we are so impacted bylarge minimum wage increases.The prices are set by retailers andare based on the landed cost ofproduce from other parts of theworld, not by our costs here inOntario

Between 2008 and 2010 theminimum wage jumped by 28.5per cent and I personally knowmany farmers who had to cutback on the jobs they provided soas not to go under; hardly a goodway to fight poverty and manyfarmers still have not recovered

from that financial blow. Some sectors are of course

able to pass on these additionalexpenses. When labour rates goup at one coffee chain they willgo up at all coffee chains and sowill the price to the consumer. Sominimum wage increases are notas big an issue to these sectors asthey have the ability to adjust.In my opinion it is the size of therate increase and the inability toadjust to these increases thatcauses so many problems for ourfarmers.

We will always have wage rateincreases to deal with but weneed to avoid the large increasesthat we saw a few years ago andwe need to avoid the “politicalfootball” that we see from time totime. It is too easy at electiontime for political parties to getinto a bidding war on minimumwage just to buy votes. A mecha-nism that avoids both of theseneeds to be adopted here inOntario.

One such way would be to follow inflation where each yearthe minimum wage rate wouldautomatically be increased by theprevious year’s cost of livingincreases. These statistics arepublished monthly by StatsCanada and very easy to follow.For example if the ConsumerPrice Index for Ontario was up1.3 per cent for the 12 months toOct. 31st then 1.3 per cent couldbe added to the current minimumwage for the following year. Bydoing this we would avoid largeincreases and the political footballas mentioned above. This is not anew concept, it is already beingused by a number of provinces tocalculate their minimum wagerate. As well it is currently beingused here in Ontario to determineannual increases for indexed

pensions for retired provincialcivil servants. It has also beenused to determine wage increasesin the past for some governmentemployees and is used to deter-mine the allowable per cent rentincreases for landlords.

This would be very simple andit would certainly avoid majorjumps unless of course we werein a state of very high inflationand would also eliminate thedesire of political parties that aretempted to adjust the wage rate atelection time.

As simple as this processmight be is it the sole answer forestablishing minimum wagerates? Ontario is very diverse andthe cost of living is much higherin some parts of the province thanin others. The cost to live inToronto I am sure is higher thanit is to live in Windsor orNiagara. To compensate for thesedifferences perhaps a two-tieredsystem needs to be established.This could have a set minimumwage that was suitable for all sec-tors of our economy plus a mar-ket driven factor that was moreregional in nature. In this case ifan area had higher costs of livingand jobs were in greater demandthen the market for jobs wouldsoon create a new minimum wagelevel. Of course this new levelwould always be higher than theprovince-wide minimum wage.

Markets will always dictatewhat employers can afford andare willing to pay.

This system is not as easy asone that simply follows inflationbut it is still doable and since thehigher rates would be moreregional in nature it would notcreate hardship and job loss inthose areas where employerscould not afford the higher rate.This is different from the old sys-

tem where agriculture actuallyhad a lower rate than industry butfarmers were forced to pay thehigher industrial rate to attractemployees. By having effectivelydifferent regional rates the pres-sure to pay an unaffordable ratewould be eliminated.

These are just two ideas that Ithink have some merit.Regardless there will be manyinterest groups calling for a muchhigher minimum wage rate herein the province. Many of themwill have never had to meet pay-roll, many will never had to becompetitive in the global marketplace and many simply will notunderstand the realities of busi-ness; yet it will remain the task ofthis advisory panel to weedthrough everything they hear andread and then come up with a rea-sonable proposal to take back togovernment.

I certainly hope they are up tothe task and that they remainobjective and are not blinded bywhat may be their own personalbias. A minimum wage rate thatis unrealistic for rural Ontariowould be disastrous for our farmers and fruit and vegetableproduction here in Ontario!

At the end of the day, fightingpoverty through increasing mini-mum wage is not the answer or atleast not a major part of theanswer. The Government(s) needto create opportunity, as a societywe need to educate better and weneed to leave more money in thehands of the lower wage earnersby adjusting our tax system tohigher levels of personal taxexemptions. It is after all a com-plex problem with complexanswers.

For what it is worth, it’s theway I see it.

ART SMITHCEO, OFVGA

Minimum wage and poverty

THE GROWER

Researchers are taking anotherstep towards trying to figure outwhy Ontarians are not eatingfruits and vegetables, and more-over, what can be done about it.

Prof. Lisa Duizer from theUniversity of Guelph has teamedup with Dr. Isabelle Lesschaevefrom the Vineland Research andInnovation Centre and graduatestudent Claire Zhang to try to geta handle on this ongoing and frustrating mystery.

You’d think consumption patterns would be changing, giventhe allure of local food and itsstrong fruit and vegetable foundation. And that’s not tomention what we’ve learned overthe past couple of decades or soabout the eye-opening health benefits of strawberries, apples,blueberries and the multitude ofother tasty, good-for-you com-modities that grow here in abundance. This is nothing new.

But all that knowledge andemphasis on communication hasn’t changed things. In fact,consumption has fallen off. Arecently released study from theuniversity showed just one out of10 Ontario consumers is commit-ted to incorporating vegetables intheir family’s diet.

Is education a key? Probably,but not from a health perspective.Rather, it seems people need helpin the kitchen.

“Many people aren’t aware ofhow to cook vegetables, and theydon’t want to take the time tomake something when they aren’tcertain that they can make it taste

good enough that their familieswill want to eat it,” says market-ing and consumer studies Prof.Vinay Kanetkar, who conductedthe Guelph study along withProfs. Paula Brauer andSunghwan Yi.

Beyond consumers’ cookingcapacity, the new Guelph-Vineland study is looking at thelack of availability, which likewise might be a surprise. Iimagine to most Grower readers,fruits and vegetables are quiteeasily accessible. Whatever theycan’t find on their own farm theycan likely get nearby, with moreand more farmers’ markets opening and retailers stepping upthe way they promote Ontario-grown products. As well, theprovince’s Foodland label continues to resonate with consumers when they’re queriedabout quality.

But it turns out accessibility isindeed a problem for manyOntarians. As the researcherspoint out, in Toronto alone, 40food deserts have been identifiedby the Toronto Food Strategy

group, also a partner in this project. These are typically high-density, low-income housingwhose main food outlets are convenience stores. Food is nottheir specialty and fresh produceis lacking.

The province has long beenconcerned about this lack ofavailability. Shelves full ofresearch show a link between lowincome and poorer health. Andescalating health costs are anightmare.

But despite numerous inter-vention programs, the fruit andvegetable consumption situationis not improving. So the Ministryof Agriculture and Food andMinistry of Rural Affairs is get-ting behind the new studyresearch to figure out why theseprograms haven’t met their goals.

They’re reaching far foranswers. As part of this study, aninventory of public initiatives inOntario and elsewhere in Canada,as well as in the U.S. and theEuropean Union targeting adultsand school age children is cur-rently performed and will be ana-

lyzed for their strengths, weak-nesses, opportunities or threats.

And then, they’ll recommendmarketing strategies to enhancethe uptake of fresh produce pur-chases. For example, what aboutefforts to have fruit-and-vegetablevending trucks visit food-desertareas? Look what happens whensomeone sets up a fresh fruit andvegetable kiosk in a parking lot –it’s like people have never seenthe likes of these commoditiesbefore.

“The outcomes should drivethe development of future foodpolicies and the implementationof strategies by both producersand retailers to increase fruit andvegetable consumption andsales,” says researcherLesschaeve. “Opportunities areforeseen to meet consumers’ needfor convenience and ease in mealpreparation by connecting Ontariogrowers with Canadian processorswho would develop healthiersnacks made of fruits and vegeta-bles available year round.”

This research, she says, is afirst step towards this direction.

Researchers look far and wide for waning consumption answers

OWEN ROBERTSUNIVERSITY OFGUELPH

PERSPECTIVE

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 11

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Re: Ditch the miles – it’s minutes to market that count

As a land use planner who hasworked extensively on agricultur-al land use issues in the GoldenHorseshoe for the past 20 years(and coincidentally was retainedby the North DufferinAgricultural Action Committee,the farmer-based group whoopposed the Melancthon quarry)it is my observation that althoughthe various levels of governmenthave many policies to protect theland base unless they supportthese policies with actions thatallow the agricultural communityto farm efficiently these policieswill not work.

For years agricultural land hasbeen viewed as land in waitingfor urban development. Althoughthere is huge emphasis on planning for and funding infrastructure to support urbandevelopment, there is no focus onplanning or providing rural infrastructure. Issues such as getting fresh product to market ina timely way, moving farm equipment on roads used by commuters, ensuring there areaccessibile farm services in

reasonable proximi-ty, providing ruralinfrastructure(power, water forirrigation) providingeffective protectionfor the right to farm,building buffers ondevelopers' land noton the farmers' landas is currently set

out in MDS, providing flexiblepolicies so farmers can reactquickly to changing demands,addressing the issues associatedwith farm land value versusdevelopment value and just gen-erally supporting a strong ruralcommunity, are critical to the sur-vival of agriculture in the GoldenHorseshoe. Strong measures willbe required to achieve this.

Although the greenbelt legisla-tion was a start it was a weakstart in that it did not includeeffective consultation with farm-ers. It seemed to be environmen-tally based since the best landsuch as the Peel plain and theincredibly fertile land aroundMarkham was left out, setbacksnegatively impact area to farm,designations appear arbitrary andboundaries do not respect farmproperty boundaries. One unintended consequence of thegreenbelt legislation has been toestablish the area as an ideal location for rural estates whichdrive up land prices and increasesfarm and non-farm conflicts.

To ensure we have the land we

need to feed the rapidly growingGolden Horseshoe populationfrom the area's rich and uniqueland base, we need the govern-ment and the population to make

agriculture a real priority backedby strong, comprehensive planning, social and economicpolicies developed in consultationwith farmers in the area and

rigorously enforced.

Margaret Walton Senior Planner, PlanscapeBracebridge, ON

There is never a dull momentin retail these days! Last monthwe had Sobeys’ acquisition ofSafeway and now we haveLoblaw acquiring Shoppers DrugMart. This significant move willadd more than 1,200 stores toLoblaw’s network. The price forShoppers Drug Mart is more thandouble what Sobeys paid forSafeway.

The retail landscape will line upas follows:Loblaw (pro forma inc.Shoppers Drug Mart) - $42 bil-lion Sobeys (pro forma inc. Safeway)- $24 billionMetro (53 weeks ending Sept 29,2012)- $12 billion

Walmart and Costco do notreport their Canadian sales sepa-rately. These numbers includemore than food: gas, pharmacy,liquor, general merchandise andclothing. Smaller regional chainssuch as Overwaitea, Coops andspecialty stores round out theCanadian retail landscape forfood.

Loblaw’s July 15 news releasestates:

“This transformational partner-ship changes the retail landscapein Canada. With scale and capa-bility, we will be able to acceler-ate our momentum and strengthenour position in the increasinglycompetitive marketplace,” saidGalen G. Weston, executivechairman of Loblaw. “This com-bination creates a compelling newblueprint for the future, position-ing us to capitalize on importanttrends in society, from theemphasis on health, wellness andnutrition, to the imperatives ofvalue and convenience.”

I agree that society is puttingmore emphasis on health, well-ness and nutrition. The questionwill be whether Loblaw changesthe format that Shoppers DrugMart currently delivers. Today’soffering is more a general store asopposed to a destination forhealth and wellness. It is a challenge for me when the storeis positioned as offering healthysolutions and then at the checkout, I’m bombarded withpop, chips and chocolate.

Consumer research wouldpoint to filling the stores withhealthy items that complementthe health and wellness position-ing. Loblaw has the expertiseand infrastructure to do this. Butwhat consumers say and whatthey do are often different.

The bigger opportunity forLoblaw is convenience.Shopper’s have many urban locations that will be valuable toLoblaw in the future. AsCanadian consumers get older,they will be looking to drive lessand shop in smaller stores. Thelocations are in demand and theShoppers Drug Mart network issolid with many stores being newor remodeled in recent years.

Private label is an importantpiece of this new retail entity.While Loblaw will operateShoppers Drug Mart as a separatedivision initially, it will be inter-esting when the President’sChoice house label starts toappear in Shoppers Drug Mart.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

THE GROWER

PAGE 12 –– AUGUST 2013

KIM WAALDERBOS

They came. They ate. Theytoured. When the morningwrapped up, more than 2,000 vis-itors had walked through the farmgates to attend Ontario’s firstBreakfast on the Farm event. Formany, it was their first time on a

farm – and meeting farmers. Organized by Farm & Food

Care Ontario, and presented inpartnership with Egg Farmers ofOntario and Foodland Ontario,the event was an overwhelmingsuccess. It was held on a farm inNew Dundee, Waterloo region ona clear Saturday morning in June.

“Breakfast on the Farm was a

fantastic opportunity to showcaseall Ontario agriculture,” says program coordinator, HeatherHargrave of Farm & Food Care.“Even though it was hosted on adairy farm, we had such wide-spread support from partners andsponsors across the industry toreally round out the event.”

The day started with a compli-mentary Taste of Ontario break-fast featuring donated eggs andsausage, blueberry pancakes withmaple syrup, honey, milk andapple cider – all produced byOntario farmers. Hargrave saysthe meal was made extra specialbecause farmers were the onesthat handed the plates directly tohungry visitors. “Our guests wereliterally fed by farmers,” she says.

Then visitors wanderedthrough the dairy barns to experi-ence the sights, sounds and smellsat Heritage Hill Farms, owned byseventh generation family farmersthe Johnston and Doré family.

Additional hands-on exhibitsfrom many farm organizationsshowcased the diversity ofOntario agriculture – from cropsto animals.

“Encouraging Ontarians toconnect with all of the goodthings we grow in Ontario isimportant. This event brought allof agriculture together and built acommon voice with the public toshow them where their foodcomes from.” says DeniseZaborowski, manager FoodlandOntario.

She added, “It was definitelyan ‘I love our industry day’ to getto spend time with the Premier,host families and more than 100agri-food industry volunteers andconnect with many individualswho were visiting a farm for thefirst time.”

For many visitors, Breakfaston the Farm was their first oppor-tunity to see and touch calves,cows, chicks, pigs, hay, grain and

so many more farm-related wonders. Even the Premier ofOntario, Kathleen Wynne, andseveral of her Queen’s Park colleagues got in on the experience.

A team of 130 ag-proud volunteers helped run the eventand gave visitors a chance to chatwith farmers and ag-vocates one-on-one.

This event brought together 30national, provincial and regionalorganizations and businesses,whose support made the initiativesuch a success. The organizingcommittee is now looking at thepossibility of hosting similarevents in other communities in2014.

Breakfast on the Farm is aninitiative based on similar eventsorganized by Michigan StateUniversity Extension.

Breakfast on the Farmevent shines a spotlighton Ontario agriculture

August 3 Food Day Canada

August 6 Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association Annual Orchard Tour, NS

Aug 10, 11 16th Annual Perth Garlic Festival, Perth Fairgrounds, Perth, ON

Aug 13, 14 North American Strawberry Growers Association Summer Tour, Vermont, U.S., info@nasga.org

August 15 ‘Intelligent’ Sprayer Demonstration Day, J.C. Bakker & Sons Ltd., St. Catharines, ON 9 am – 4 pm

Aug 16 – 18 Leamington Tomato Festival, Seacliff Park, Leamington, ON

August 18 Celebrate Food and Water First, Honeywood Arena, Honeywood, ON (www.foodandwaterfirst.com)

August 22 Ontario Potato Field Day, HJV Equipment, Alliston, ON

August 22 AgBiomass Canada Conference, Minto Suites, Ottawa, ON

Sept 5 – 8 Shores of Erie International Wine Festival, Fort Malden National Historic Site, ON

Sept 7, 8 7th Annual Stratford Garlic Festival, Stratford Fairgrounds, Stratford, ON

Sept 10 Ontario Berry Growers’ Association Farm Tour and Supper, near Mt Albert, ON, info@ontarioberries.com

Sept 10 – 12 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Woodstock, ON

Sept 17 - 21 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo, Mitchell, ON

Sept 22 Third Annual Toronto Garlic Festival, Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, ON

October 5 Holland Marsh Soupfest, Ansnorveldt Park, King Township, ON (www.soupfest.ca)

October 5 Asparagus Farmers of Ontario 75th Anniversary Dinner, Hungarian Hall, Delhi, ON info@asparagus.on.ca

Oct 9, 10 Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls, ON

October 24 Ontario Harvest Gala, Guelph, ON

COMING EVENTS 2013Loblaw acquires Shoppers Drug Martcreating Canadian juggernaut

PETER CHAPMAN

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 13

Loblaw acquires Shoppers Drug Mart

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Loblaw, asserting more control over day-to-day to operations, may nix the deepdiscounts on grocery staples.

Shoppers Drug Mart also brings thepopular Life Brand to the table, and Iwould expect to see this brand in Loblaw’shealth and beauty sections, replacing theExact line.

As the organizations become more inte-grated, Loblaw will learn about pharmacy,health and beauty and cosmetics whileShoppers Drug Mart will learn about foodand perhaps fresh food. Close to 50 percent of Shoppers Drug Mart annual saleswas prescriptions.

Shoppers Drug Mart franchisees will bea significant challenge for Loblaw in thelong term. There are many benefits to afranchise operation however there are alsochallenges. Loblaw has a lot of experiencewith franchisees however the pharmacistsat Shoppers Drug Mart will be differentthan the current grocery franchisees. Thiswill require a lot of commitment fromLoblaw to ensure they are all focused onselling products as opposed to fightingabout agreements and franchise fees.

What does this mean for suppliers?

Suppliers who sell product to Loblawand Shoppers Drug Mart will soon haveone customer as opposed to two. It goes

without saying they will expect the lowestcost, if there is a difference between thetwo companies today.

There could be opportunities for freshfood suppliers to move in to Shoppers’locations in the future. Loblaw has theinfrastructure to supply these stores with alimited line of perishables and fresh prepared foods. This could deliver someincremental sales.

There will be changes for private labelsuppliers. My expectation would be thatLoblaw’s food private label suppliers willbenefit and Shopper’s food private labelsuppliers will lose. In health and beauty itwill be the opposite. Loblaw will reviewthe items but if there is not a clear benefitthe simple solution is to maintain the statusquo.

Some product was distributed to

Shoppers Drug Mart by other retailers. Asthe details get finalized and the transactionis approved, there will be changes in distri-bution. Loblaw will work to find the mostefficient methods, probably using their ownnetwork. If your products are currently distributed to Shoppers Drug Mart locations by a third party, make sure youunderstand what the plans are.

Most of these changes will not happenfor several months. The important thing forsuppliers right now is to determine whatwill happen and then be ready as thechanges start to filter through the system.Be proactive. Do not wait for them to getin contact with you.

This deal adds approximately $10.8 billion to Loblaw’s annual sales. PerhapsLoblaws felt Sobeys was getting too closeto them in total sales. There is no doubtthis was being put together before Sobeysannounced the Safeway acquisition, how-ever the timing is interesting. Both dealsrequire some approvals but it is likely theywill proceed.

Peter Chapman, a retail food consultantand professional speaker, is principal ofGPS Business Solutions, based in Halifax,Nova Scotia. Peter works with producersand processors to help them navigatethrough the retail environment with theultimate goal of getting more items into theshopping cart. pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

Announcing the deal: From left Loblaw executive chairman Galen G. Weston, Shopperschairman Holger Kluge and Loblaw president Vicente Trius.

JERRY SCOTT MILLS

In the wake of a call from thePaper & Paperboard PackagingEnvironmental Council (PPEC)for an Ontario ban on the dump-ing of used corrugated boxes intolandfills, the acronym ‘OCC’ forOld Corrugated Containers hasbecome widely recognized bygrowers.

In the October, 2012 issue ofThe Grower, PPEC’s executivedirector, John Mullinder empha-sized that OCC—the basic mater-ial for making new corrugatedlinerboard—is far too valuable acommodity to simply waste.

One of PPEC’s members addsa key economic consideration.“The more OCC we can acquirelocally, the more raw material formilling we can access easily andcost-effectively,” says SergeDesgagnes, paper product specialist for Kruger Inc.

It is vitally important for thecorrugated packaging industry torecycle as much OCC as it can,says Robert Lanthier, Norampac’svice-president of sales, marketing& innovation for containerboardand boxboard divisions.Achieving that optimal goalrequires wax-free moisture barriercoatings and treatments whichwill enable all corrugated produceshippers to be recycled and milledinto new paper. A high-profileexample of a non-wax alternativefor shipping fresh produce in iceis Norampac’s Norshield process,performance-profiled by Lanthier:

“Compared to traditional wax-coated containerboard, ournew wax-alternative product is atleast 80 per cent effective for thegrower, and 100 per cent effectivefor recycling by retailers.”

Wood fibre extracted fromrecycled OCC is ideal for millinginto the high-strength grades ofpaper required for manufacturingnew corrugated board.

“There’s far more to makingpaper than meets the eye,” saysJoe Zenga, manager ofNorampac’s recycling paper mill

in Mississauga, Ontario, com-menting on the complexity ofOCC repulping and milling. “Alot of science is involved in ourmill operation. And the processesare getting more scientific everyyear.”

How old corrugated boardbecomes new paper

At the ‘wet end’ of the mill,arriving shipments of collectedOCC are mixed with municipalwater and slowly churned to cre-ate a coarse mixture which under-goes mechanical separation toremove all foreign matter. Theliquified slurry is washed, treatedand filtered, leaving a residue ofextracted wood-pulp fibres thatcan now be processed and milledinto packaging-grade paper.

“At the end of the initial recla-mation stage, wood pulp fromrecycled OCC comes out as clean,or even cleaner, than pulp madefrom virgin wood.” Says GerryMurray, vice president of milloperations at Atlantic Packaging’sOCC paper mill in Scarborough,Ontario.

After emerging from thepulper head-box, the mixturecomposed of 96 per cent waterand four per cent wood fibreenters a multi-step drying androlling process which extracts

water from the mix until it is 92per cent wood fibre.

Compressed between hard-ened-steel rollers containing pressurized steam superheated toabove 350° Fahrenheit, the temperature of the passing papersheet is elevated to between 220°and 240°F, well above 212°F(100°C), the boiling point ofwater and the temperaturerequired for sterilization.

Chemical engineer Murraydescribes milled OCC as the perfect paper for corrugating andconverting: “With all millingprocesses completed, new paperfrom recycled OCC is at least asstrong as paper made from virginwood fibre. Strong, sterile andabsolutely clean, you couldn’t askfor a better paper.”

How clean is paper that beganas collected trash?

Questions often arise regardingthe relative cleanliness of papermilled using woodpulp from OCC(compared to virgin fibre); how-ever, such concerns are unwar-ranted and easily allayed. OCC isindeed recovered ‘trash’ but thatlowly status will be completelyreversed during the recovery, sep-aration and milling processes.

Wendy Cerilli, quality andtechnical manager for

Norampac’s Mississauga papermill, summarizes testing disciplines that engender totalcustomer confidence in the endproduct. “From pulping theincoming OCC to its finishedstage, treatments and processesare carefully monitored,” saysCerilli. “Our constant goal is toensure that the paper be free ofany defects: physical, chemical orbacterial.”

Hygienic safety assurance

While processes and technolo-gies for OCC recycling differ atvarious paper mills, every methodis specifically engineered toensure that output quality notonly meets all required shippingcontainer standards but also provides the assurance of hygienic sterility for every roll ofnewly milled paper.

In addition, high operatingtemperatures reached during subsequent corrugating and con-verting stages will also sterilizesurfaces of newly formed boxesbefore bundles of container flatsare shrink-wrapped for airtightprotection during palletizing andshipping to customers.

For food-grade applications,these final stages of boxmakingtake place in a totally-controlledhygienic environment that gets

the new corrugated containers totheir end users in pristine condition, ready to be filled withconfidence by produce growersand food producers.

Jerry Scott Mills is a freelancephotojournalist who has coveredthe paper packaging industry formore than a decade.

Editorial Acknowledgement: Management members

representing three leadingCanadian OCC recyclers andpaper manufacturers—Quebec-headquartered Kruger andNorampac, and Ontario-basedAtlantic—generously contributedtheir time, advice and expertise toa series of articles commissionedby the CCCA on the growingimportance to the containerboardpackaging industry, and to thiscountry’s economy, of recycledcorrugated containers.

Although the fundamentals ofOCC repulping and papermakingare similar, each company has itsown processes, unique technologies and special competitive applications.

Their confidence in providinginformation and insight and permitting individual inputs to beblended and cross-referenced issincerely appreciated by theauthor.

THE GROWER

PAGE 14 –– AUGUST 2013

How old corrugated board becomes new paper containers FOCUS: STORAGE

Canadian paper packaging mills produce more than 75 per cent average recycled content

The average recycled content of paper packaging produced byCanadian mills for use in Canada is more than 75 per cent, accordingto the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council(PPEC). The council’s biennual survey shows that for 2012, the average was virtually the same as in 2010: 76.4 per cent.

“What we have seen over the years,” says executive director, JohnMullinder, “is an increasing mill reliance on recovered paper andboard, whether from industrial or residential sources. Most packagingmills in Canada,” he says, “now produce 100 per cent recycled contentmaterial. Eight sites produce what we call a blend between recycledand virgin fibre, and three mills use only virgin fibre. Actually, virginis a bit of a misnomer since these mills primarily use wood chips andsawmill residues that are left over from lumber operations as theirfeedstock, rather than fresh trees.”

Domestic shipments of containerboard used to make corrugatedboxes averaged 81 per cent recycled content in 2012, while its lightweight cousin, the boxboard carton, averaged 70 per cent. Kraftpaper packaging averaged 35 per cent.

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 15

Silver scurf is a cosmetic dis-ease of potatoes caused by thefungus Helminthosporium solaniAffected tubers develop silveryblemishes on the skin causingthem to look dirty. Althoughsome tubers are infected in thefield, the greatest damage occursin storage where the fungus willgrow and spread.

Silver scurf attacks all potatocultivars, yield is not affected butbuyers reject fresh-market tuberswith silver scurf blemishes. Incontrast, silver scurf is not a problem for processing potatoesthat are peeled.

Symptoms and damage

Silver scurf forms tan to silvery gray, circular or irregularpatches on the tuber skin. Thepatches may be as small as a pinhead or may cover most of thetuber. There is usually a sharpline between healthy and infectedskin. The disease spreads slowlyin cold storage, and individual silver scurf lesions coalesce andform larger patches. The silveryshine of older lesions is most evident when the tubers are wet.Lesions caused by infection in thefield generally are irregular andclose to the stem ends. Lesionscaused by infection in storage areoften circular.

Silver scurf can be easily confused with black dot, anotherdisease caused by the fungusColletotrichum coccodes. Thelesions caused by black dot areoften darker than silver scurf andhave a poorly defined margin.The lesions contain microsclero-tia, which are small, round, blacksurvival structures embedded inthe tuber surface. The silver scurfpathogen does not producemicrosclerotia. Both fungi caninfect the same tuber.

Silver scurf lesions usuallyremain superficial causing nodamage to underlying tissues, butin severe infections the tuberflesh just beneath the lesionbecomes slightly discolored.Moisture escapes more easilyfrom diseased skin than fromhealthy skin. Infected skin willcrack and tubers shrivel after prolonged storage. Moisture losscan be substantial during long-term storage.

If tubers have been stored athigh humidity for a long time, themargins of young lesions mayhave a sooty appearance due tothe black fungal spores producedby the silver scurf fungus.

Source of silver scurf infectionand disease cycle

Usually, the soil is not asource of infection for newtubers. Spores of the silver scurfrarely survive for more than twoyears in the soil. The main sourceof infection is the seed. Plantinghighly infected seed pieces canresult in high infection rates ofdaughter tubers. In the soil, the

fungus produces spores on thesurface of infected seed pieces.The spores germinate, and thenthe fungus grows along thestolons to infect daughter tubersthrough lenticels or the skin.Disease severity and damageincrease the longer tubers are leftin the ground after vine death andskin set. Tubers are most suscep-tible after the skin has begun tomature. Although the greatestproblems occur in storage, a sig-nificant amount of infection anddamage can already be present onsmooth-skin cultivars at harvest.Time in the field after skin setand time in storage both con-tribute to disease development.Spores develop on infected tubersin storage, but spores can also bebrought into storage in contami-nated soil. Contaminated wood,concrete, and organic materialscan also be a source of spores instorage.

Silver scurf spores form on thesurface of diseased tubers whenthe relative humidity is above90% and temperatures above38°F. Spores are easily dislodged,and they spread through the stor-age’s air system to infect healthytubers.

Spores germinate and infecttubers when there is water on thetuber surface. Given adequatehumidity and time, a large pro-portion of tubers in storage can beinfected.

Management practices thatreduce the incidence of silverscurf

1. Practise crop rotation with atleast two years between potatocrops.

2. Use seed that is free or relatively free of silver scurf.

3. Clean and disinfect seed cutting and handling equipmentbetween lots.

4. Keep vines healthy until frostor vine kill.

5. Harvest potatoes as soon asskins are adequately set. Leavingthe crop in the ground beyondskin set will encourage higherlevels of infection.

6. Thoroughly clean and disinfectstorage facilities

7. Remove plant material anddebris before storing tubers. Alsoreduce the amount of soil goinginto storage with tubers. Soil canbe a source of inoculum, and canalso restrict air movement aroundtubers, increasing humidity at thetuber surface.

8. Cure tubers under conditions ofhigh humidity (95 percent), opti-mum temperature (50 to 57°F),and good ventilation (up to 25cfm per ton of potatoes)

9. Reduce temperature and

humidity once the tubers arecured adequately. Keep tempera-tures at the lower range of opti-mum for the type of potato beingstored: about 38°F for seed, 42°F for table stock, and 50°F for potato chip processing.

Modifying the storage environ-ment only slows silver scurf.Know how much infection is onthe potato crop and adapt storageplacement and length of storageaccordingly.

Test representative tubersgoing into storage, particularlythose likely to be stored for 4 ormore months. This procedure isbest performed by digging sometubers from each lot of potatoes

just before vine kill and checkingfor silver scurf. It is important totake a representative sample fromeach lot because levels of infec-tion may vary among lots.

Separate lots with high levelsof infection from those with littleor no infection. Knowing theamount of infection of all lotsalso can help you decide howlong tubers might be storablewithout large-scale secondaryinfection. Lots with little or noinfection can probably be storeduntil May or later, given a properstorage environment, but it is stillimportant to check the tubers instorage periodically. Smooth-skincultivars seem to be more suscep-

tible, so they may not be storedsuccessfully for the same lengthof time as more tolerant varieties.

If long-term storage isplanned, do not open the storagefacility to pack and ship sometubers and then reclose the facility. Major losses haveoccurred from this, apparentlydue to the dislodging of spores byvibrations. The air system thenspreads the spores throughout thepile.

Chemical Control in Storage

Research in the US has shownthat general biocides such asozone, hydrogen peroxide/peroxy-acetic acid mixtures and chlorinedioxide do little to reduce silverscurf.

Drs Jeff Miller (Idaho CropConsultant) and Nora Olsen(University of Idaho) have testedPhostrol in storage and foundthat a post-harvest applicationwas effective for pink rot, lateblight and silver scurf and safefor tubers when used according tolabel instructions.

Phostrol is registered inOntario as a foliar spray and as apost-harvest treatment.

Silver scurf: a potato storage yield robberFOCUS: STORAGE

JENNIFER DeELL

As more and more ‘HarovinSundown’ pears come into pro-duction, the need for maintaininggood fruit quality throughout themarketing period becomes veryimportant. The objective of thisstudy was to evaluate the qualityof ‘Harovin Sundown’ pears fromtwo harvest times, treated withoutor with SmartFresh at one, three,or seven days after harvest, andstored for four months in air stor-age at 0-1°C, followed by 14 daysat room temperature.

‘Harovin Sundown’ pears wereharvested on September 11 and20 (2012) from the same commercial orchard near Simcoe,Ontario. Pear maturity at the firstharvest time was: 12.8 lb firmness, 15.0% soluble solidsconcentration (Brix), 48% starchcontent (starch-iodine test), greenskin colour, white seeds, and noethylene production. Maturity atthe second harvest time was: 10.1lb firmness, 17.0% soluble solids,52% starch, more green than yel-low skin colour, >60% seedsbrown or turning, and no ethyleneproduction.

Pears were transported within30 minutes to the nearby storageresearch facility. After one, threeor seven days at 3°C, three boxesof pears were treated withSmartFresh (0.3 ppm, label ratefor pears in Canada) for 24 hoursat 3°C. Three boxes from eachharvest time were also not treatedand served as the control fruit.Following SmartFresh treatment,all pears were held at 0-1°C forfour months, and evaluated forquality after one, seven, and 14days of holding at room tempera-ture (~19°C).

Harvest 1. After four months of

air storage at 0-1°C, ‘Sundown’pears from the first harvest treat-ed with SmartFresh softenedslower (~ half rate) and had lowerethylene production than thosenot treated. Pears treated withSmartFresh three days after har-vest were also firmer after sevenand 14 days at room temperature,compared to fruit treated one orseven days after harvest. Fruitwere greener upon removal fromstorage when SmartFresh wasapplied one or three days afterharvest.

Some storage disorders devel-oped within seven to 14 days atroom temperature, following coldstorage. SmartFresh applied oneor three days after harvestreduced the incidence of senes-cent scald (8% vs. 22% withoutSmartFresh) and friction markingor bruising (11% vs. 34% withoutSmartFresh). Only SmartFreshapplied three days after harvestreduced core breakdown (12% vs.31% without SmartFresh). Therewas high incidence of storage rots

(6-10%) after 14 days at roomtemperature and SmartFresh hadno significant effect.

Harvest 2. After four months at0-1°C, ‘Sundown’ pears from thesecond harvest were ~2 lb softerthan those from the first harvest.Pears from the second harvestwith SmartFresh applied one orthree days after harvest werefirmer (1-2 lb) after seven and 14days at room temperature thanthose not treated or treated sevendays after harvest. There washigh incidence of storage disor-ders in these pears, with >80%senescent scald and core break-down in non-treated fruit.SmartFresh applied one or threedays after harvest reduced thesestorage disorders, but not toacceptable levels (41-57% inci-dence).

Conclusions

1) ‘Sundown’ pears from the second harvest (<11 lb firmness)

were not suitable for storagebecause of extreme disorderdevelopment. 2) SmartFresh applied seven daysafter harvest was not an effectivetreatment for ‘Sundown.’3) SmartFresh applied one orthree days after harvest had sub-stantial benefit by slowing fruitripening.4) SmartFresh was more effectiveon ‘Sundown’ pears harvestedwhen firmness was 12-13 lb.

Additional data from one ormore growing seasons is needed

to confirm these results.For more information contact

Jennifer.DeEll@ontario.caThanks to Vineland Growers’

Cooperative, AgroFresh Inc.,Ontario Apple Growers, NorfolkFruit Growers’ Association, andLingwood Farms Ltd. for theirsupport of this project.

Dr. Jennifer DeEll is FreshMarket Quality Program Lead,OMAF and MRA, Simcoe,Ontario

THE GROWER

PAGE 16 –– AUGUST 2013

Optimizing the quality of ‘Sundown’ pears during storageFOCUS: STORAGE

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

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

Supplying Fruit and Vegetable Growers with:

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

Pear grower Murray Porteous tastes ‘Sundown’ treated withSmartFresh after four months of storage.

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 17

JENNIFER DeELL

The SmartFresh label forapples in Canada was expanded in2011 to allow up to four applica-tions (1 ppm 1-MCP) within 240days of harvest. As a result, manystorage operations are treatingrooms with SmartFresh more thanonce during filling. This has ledto interest in the possibility thatmore than one application ofSmartFresh could enhance fruitquality benefits, but also poten-tially increase the development ofdisorders that are aggravated bySmartFresh.

There had been no scientificreports on the effects of rapidconsecutive SmartFresh treat-ments on apples at harvest, simu-lating daily SmartFresh applications as storage rooms areloaded with fruit. Therefore, theobjective of this study was toinvestigate the effects of rapidconsecutive postharvestSmartFresh treatments (one andtwo days after harvest) on fruitquality and storage disorders inapples. ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Spartan’

apples were studied through long-term storage in air and controlledatmosphere (CA).

‘McIntosh’ and ‘Spartan’apples were harvested twice fromcommercial orchards andSmartFresh was applied eitherone day after harvest or one andtwo days after harvest. Similarfruit were also not treated withSmartFresh. Fruit were held ineither air storage at 0.5°C forthree or six months, or in CAstorage for six or nine months.CA for ‘McIntosh’ consisted of2.5% O2 + 2.5% CO2 for onemonth, 3.5% CO2 for the nextmonth, and then 4.5% CO2 there-after, at 3°C. ‘Spartan’ appleswere held in CA storage of 2.5%O2 + 2.5% CO2 at 0.5°C.

Results• SmartFresh improved firmnessand acidity retention, and reducedinternal ethylene in both cultivars(but ‘Spartan’ in CA often main-tained these attributes withoutSmartFresh).• ‘McIntosh’ apples treated twicewith SmartFresh were oftenfirmer (<1 lb) than those treated

just once.• SmartFresh substantiallyreduced superficial scald andthere was no difference in scaldincidence among the treatments.• SmartFresh increased the incidence of external CO2 injuryin ‘McIntosh’ from the first har-vest.• Core browning was generallyreduced by SmartFresh, but fruittreated twice sometimes had high-er incidence than fruit treatedonly once. • ‘Spartan’ treated twice withSmartFresh had higher incidenceof internal browning after ninemonths in C A.• Storage rots were greatest aftersix months of air storage andSmartFresh treatments usuallyreduced the incidence, regardlessof application times.

These results suggest thatusing more than the traditionalsingle application of SmartFreshmay improve firmness retention,but there is also some risk associ-ated with increased disorders,especially when storing appleslong-term, such as for six monthsin air or nine months in CA

storage. Delaying SmartFreshapplication should be investigated.

Thanks to the Ontario AppleGrowers, AgroFresh Inc.,Pommes Philip Cassidy Inc.,Norfolk Fruit Growers’

Association, and Lingwood FarmsLtd. for their support of this project.

Dr. Jennifer DeEll, is FreshMarket Quality Program Lead,OMAF and MRA – Simcoe,Ontario

Repeated SmartFresh treatments for apples improve firmnessand acidity retention

FOCUS: STORAGE

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‘McIntosh’ apples with various SmartFresh treatments after sixmonths in air or controlled atmosphere storage.

Using multiple applications of SmartFresh canprovide greater flexibility for rapid treatments as

storage rooms are being loaded.

As an agronomist with DeltaAg Services and owner of WhitePotato Services, Darren White’ssummer office is his truck. He’sresponsible for scouting 4,000acres of potato fields in southernManitoba from his base inPortage La Prairie. He maintainsthat storage diseases can be prevented with good management, starting in the fieldbefore harvest. Here are sometimely tips.

1. Ideal humidity and tempera-ture. The most critical time forshrink is during the wound healing period during the first fewdays and weeks after harvest.While removing field heat duringthe first few days of storage, it isimportant to keep the temperaturesetpoint within two or threedegrees of the pile temperaturewith humidity on. If the setpointis too far below the pile tempera-ture, unnecessary dehydration willoccur, and can lead to moresevere pile settling and pressurebruising later in storage season.

2. Environmental conditions.Ensure proper tuber temperaturefor storage as well as proper soilmoisture. Temperatures between50F and 65F are ideal for tuberhandling. Temperatures belowthis range tend to increasechances of shatter bruise andother mechanical damages, whiletemperatures above this rangewill increase the risk of rapid disease progress such as pythiumrot or leak early in the storage

season. Irrigating prior to harvestwill aid in addressing the soilmoisture. It is important to irrigate a few days prior to har-vest to allow irrigation to infil-trate and equalize in the hill.

3. Phosphoric acid. These prod-ucts have been used with muchsuccess in the past few seasons.Most applicators – either pur-chased or homemade -- have beenas a post-harvest treatment tocontrol tuber disease, specificallythe risk of tuber late blight. Mostapplications have gone withoutissue and proven to be helpful inreducing storage losses from lateblight.

4. Phosphoric acid foliar. Therehave been a limited number ofgrowers applying phosphoric acidfoliar in season. Until recently,

the relatively large amount ofphosphorus acid necessary as afoliar has been cost prohibitive,however, there has been a signifi-cant change in phosphorus acidpricing as more products havebecome available in the market.Although we haven't had muchexperience with foliar appliedphosphorus acid, research indi-cates that it is effective in control-ling tuber late blight.

5. Irrigation throughout season.As growers transition from the

summer crop demands and enterthe mid and late bulking stage ofdevelopment, cooler daytime tem-peratures and cool nights prevail.The peak of water demand is pastand it can be difficult to reduceirrigation to plant needs. It isimportant during mid- and lateAugust in our environment tobegin watering with harvest inmind. Soil moistures of 55 percent to 65 per cent availablewater is often adequate for thispart of the season, compared to70 per cent to 90 per cent earlier

in the season.

6. New equipment. Nearly allstorages have automated tempera-ture and humidity control. Morerecently, many growers haveadded outside RH to allow maximum use of cooling potentialof outside air with humidificationsystems. As well, CO2 monitoringand installation of heaters havebecome standard components ofmanaging storages through thecoldest parts of the storage season.

THE GROWER

PAGE 18 –– AUGUST 2013

Six tips for managing potato storage diseases FOCUS: STORAGE

Pythium rot on potato Tubers suffering from extreme heat/drought in 2012 crop. Thesetubers didn't store well when harvested in the fall due to jelly end rot.

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 19

www.cccabox.org

Proud supporter of the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC)

IT’S WHAT’SINSIDETHAT COUNTS

Unlike retrippers, corrugate is always new. It does not need to come from or return to washing stations in the USA. Corrugate is the food industry’s packaging of choicebecause you can focus on what matters – what’s in the box. BRANDED, NEW AND TRUSTED.

Cover crops are a must forvegetable soils; holding on to soilto prevent blowing in the spring,filtering and anchoring soils during heavy rainstorms and

helping to stabilize field head-lands and harvest driveways. Butthere is more, much more thatcover crops can do in a vegetableproduction system.

Rotation benefits – achieving agood crop rotation can be chal-lenging with high value vegetableland and limited land base. Selectcover crops from plant families

unrelated to your crops to ensurethat you get the most rotationbenefit. Getting a different rootsystem and different crop residuesin the system will encourage awider variety of soil organismsand in particular, support benefi-cial organisms. Rotation researchin field crops suggests a yieldincrease of approximately 10 percent can be achieved with a well-planned and varied rotation.

Suppress Weeds – Cover cropscan help to suppress weeds at var-ious times through the productionyear. An early spring cover cropprior to a later warm season cropcan shade and delay weeds.Similarly, planting a cover cropafter an early harvested crop, likepeas, can significantly reduce theweed biomass in the field and thepotential seed production. Covercrops can suppress or reduceweeds in a variety of ways, mostdepend either upon allelopathy orbasic shading/competition.

Cover crops in the sorghumfamily such as sorghum sudanhave been studied extensively fortheir allelopathic control of weeds.Sorghum sudan root exudatescontain an allelopathic compoundcalled sorgoleone that has beenshown to provide significantweed suppression with commonweeds such as nightshade, pigweed and common ragweed(Czarnota et al 2001). Cereal ryeis another cover crop with knownallelopathic effects. Often thecompounds that provide the weedsuppression are very short livedand are only as consistent as theplant stand. With rye, the mainallelopathic compound varieswith rye variety and the maturityof the rye, declining as the ryematures (Regerg-Horton et all,2005).

Cover crops like buckwheatand those from the Brassica fami-ly – things like oilseed anddaikon radish, rape and canola,can cover and shade the soilquickly, reducing early weed seedgermination. However, avoidthese cover crops if you producecrops from the same family likebroccoli and some Asian vegeta-bles, in order to prevent disease.Warm season grasses like pearlmillet and sorghum sudan also doan excellent job of growing rapidly and shading the soil undergood conditions. Sorghum sudanmanaged with successive cuts hasbeen shown to reduce the stand ofCanada thistle through competition.

Reduce nematode populations –

nematodes are a serious pest ofmany vegetable crops. However,it is important to test for andknow the species of nematodespresent in your fields. The specieswill help to determine cover cropchoices. For example, the common nematode pest for mostvegetable crops is the root lesionnematode. Almost any crop orcover crop is identified as analternate host for that particularnematode. Read cover crop nematode claims with care – youneed to know which nematode.For example Sunn hemp – a tropical legume is used in Floridaas a nematode control cover cropfor many vegetable crops.However, the target nematode isthe root knot nematode.

Some cover crops like pearlmillet and some varieties ofsorghum sudan have been identified as non-hosts for nematodes, but this tends to bevariety specific.

Another approach to control-ling or suppressing nematodes isthrough the use of biofumigantcover crops like oriental mustard.Many of the brassica cover cropscontain large amounts of glu-cosinilates – compounds thatbreakdown to materials very similar to chemical fumigationproducts. Brassicas are capable ofgrowing large amounts of greenmaterial in a short time, if managed well. However, most ofthe brassica cover crops are alsoalternate hosts for root lesionnematode. Using mustard andother brassicas as biofumigantsrequires that the cover crop bechopped finely to release thecompounds, worked consistentlyinto the soil and the soil sealedthrough tillage and packing orirrigation.

Improve soil structure anddrainage – cover crop root systems can help to break up mildtillage pans. For severe com-paction a longer term rotationalcrop really should be grown toget root systems through the compacted zone. Choose a fibrousroot system like those found inspring cereals like oats, to gluesoil particles together and buildbetter soil structure.

Refer to the Midwest Cover CropCouncil website for the OntarioCover Crop Decision Tool formore information and to comparecover crops.http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu/VertIndex.php

Cover crops – can be so much more!

THE GROWER

PAGE 20 –– AUGUST 2013

Cover Crops Plant Family Root System/role

Oats, rye, wheat, pearlmillet, annual ryegrass

Grass Fibrous root system- Excellent soil structure builder

Clover, alfalfa, peas,vetch

Legume Tap root system, some are more fibrous- Fixes nitrogen from the air

Oilseed Radish, rape,canola

Brassica – related to other mem-bers of the cabbage family

Tap root system- Fast ground cover and high nitrogen need

Buckwheat, phacelia Various Weak tap root and fibrous root systems

Soil structure target Cover crop best suited

Better soil structurenear the soil surface

Choose a fibrous root system – the fine roots will help to bind soil particles together- Spring and winter cereals like oats, rye- Buckwheat or the warm season grasses like sorghum sudan

Mild tillage pans orcompaction

Choose a cover crop with a tap root such as cover crop radish or an aggressivefibrous root system such as sorghum sudan

Deeper compactionfrom rutting or har-vest operations

This is beyond using just a cover crop. Options include:- Rotate out of production for several years using sweet clover or alfalfa to breakup the compacted layer and improve drainage- Or a combination of targeted deep tillage (done under appropriate soil condi-tions) combined with a cover crop program using both deep rooted and fibrousrooted cover crops such as cover crop radish and rye or oats and allowed to growfor 6 to 8 weeks minimum

Pearl millet growth

SEAN WESTERVELD, JANICELEBOEUF, MICHAELCELETTI, JASON DEVEAU,MELANIE FILOTAS, OMAFAND MRA

For many vegetables and otherhigh value crops, fumigation is aviable option for controlling soil-borne pathogens that are difficultto control using other manage-ment strategies. Fumigation isused to control or suppress plantparasitic nematodes, soil-bornepathogenic fungi and bacteria,soil-inhabiting insects, and weedseeds. However, the cost of fumigation can range from a fewhundred dollars per acre for band-ed applications to a few thousanddollars for tarped and broadcastapplications. With such a highcost, it is essential to ensure proper fumigation or a significantinvestment can be wasted.

Currently registered fumigantsrequire careful attention to application procedures listed onthe product labels in order to beeffective. The available fumigantscontrol different spectrums oforganisms in the soil. Growersshould find out what research hasbeen conducted on their crop todetermine which product is bestfor their crop and growing conditions.

Before the fumigant can beapplied properly, it is important toknow how the fumigant movesthrough the soil. Whether a fumi-gant is applied as a liquid or asolid, the active ingredients areconverted to a gas and movethrough the soil in the air spacesbetween soil particles. A studyconducted at Ridgetown looked athow far metam-sodium fumigantmoved through the soil from thepoint of injection. The study basi-cally showed that the fumigantrises from the point of injectionmoving laterally about 7.5 cm (3in.) in each direction. Workingthe soil to seed-bed conditionsprior to fumigation improved pen-etration of the fumigant.

There are 6 main things agrower needs to consider to getthe most out of their fumigantapplication. Whether the productis a standard fumigant, a biofumi-gant, or nematode-suppressivecover crop, these general consid-erations still apply.

1. Soil Preparation. Preparingthe soil before fumigation is veryimportant for maximizing theefficacy of the product. As shownin the research at Ridgetown,working the soil prior to fumigation can result in betterpenetration and movement of thefumigant in the soil. Any largeclods of soil or organic matterwill result in large air spaces inthe soil, which will allow thefumigant to escape to the surfacefaster. In addition, fumigants willnot penetrate these clods verywell and any pathogens contained

within the clod may not be con-trolled by the fumigant. Thesepathogens will have an opportuni-ty to re-colonize the soil afterfumigation because they will nolonger have any competition frombeneficial soil organisms. Soilshould be worked a few weeks ormore before fumigation to alloworganic matter to be broken downand then again prior to fumigationto break up soil clods.

2. Soil Moisture. Most fumigantswork best when soil moisture is at60-80% of field capacity. Too lit-tle soil moisture and the fumigantcan move through the soil tooquickly, and the soil cannot besealed properly after fumigation.Too much moisture and the fumi-gant may not move through thesoil, reducing the area treated. Inaddition, the fumigant may beslower to gas off after fumigationin wet soils, which could interferewith planting of the subsequentcrop. If rainfall is not sufficientprior to fumigation, irrigationmay be required. While this canbe a costly and labour intensive,consider the money wasted onfumigation if it is not effective.

3. Soil Temperature. Mostfumigants can be applied at soiltemperatures ranging from 4 to30°C. However, the fumigationmay be more difficult to manageor less effective at the high andlow end of that range. Soil tem-peratures above 20°C increase thevolatility of the fumigant, mean-ing it can move through the soilmore rapidly. This can lead tomore rapid escape of the fumigantfrom the soil if it is not properlysealed. Soil fumigants shouldremain in the soil for 7 to 14 daysfor maximum efficacy, and thesoil should be worked after fumi-gation to allow any remainingfumigant to escape so it will notdamage the subsequent crop. Lowsoil temperatures can result in thefumigant remaining in the soil forlonger than 14 days, which candelay planting. Generally soiltemperatures around 10 to 20°Care ideal, which generally occursin early May or late September insouthern Ontario.

4. Weather Conditions. Weatherconditions at the time of applica-tion are most important in deter-mining the potential for escape ofthe fumigant and drift off of thefield. Fumigants should not beapplied if a temperature inversionis forecast within the first 48hours. Temperature inversionsoccur on clear and calm nightswhen the soil radiates heat intothe atmosphere. Cloud cover radi-ates heat back towards the surfaceand a breeze will mix the air pre-venting an inversion from occur-ring. In a temperature inversion,any fumigant that escapes the soilcan be trapped in the cold layer atthe surface and flow into lowareas in or around the field. If

houses or businesses are situatednext to the field, people could beexposed to the fumigant, whichcan cause significant healtheffects and potentially significantfines.

5. Sealing. Regardless of the con-dition of the soil and the productbeing applied, it is essential toseal the product in the soil imme-diately after fumigation. Withouta proper seal, the fumigant willrapidly escape from the soil andthe money spent on fumigationwill basically vaporize. With apoor seal, soil pathogens in thetop layers of the soil may not beexposed to the fumigant longenough to be killed. At a mini-mum, a good soil seal is requiredafter fumigation. For broadcastapplication, this usually involvedrolling the soil with a roller thatmoves faster than the speed of thetractor. For banded applications,beds are often formed behind theinjector to seal the product intothe soil. Good soil moisture willbe essential for forming a properseal. Any stubble remaining froman earlier crop can interfere withthe seal and allow the fumigant toescape. A small amount of water

applied after fumigation (e.g. 5mm) can provide an even betterseal. Tarping is by far the mosteffective method of sealing thesoil after fumigation. Tarping isrequired for any broadcast appli-cations of chloropicrin fumigants.A special tarp is used that isimpenetrable by the fumigant.However, tarping adds signifi-cantly to the cost of fumigation,and it may only be practical forcrops with a very high value orno viable alternatives.

6. Post-Fumigation Practices.Regardless of the methods used toensure proper fumigation, it ishighly unlikely that the fumigantwill be 100% effective. Anyorganisms located below the

injection shanks will not be treat-ed, and banded applications onlytreat the area immediately aroundthe shank. For broadcast applica-tions, care should be taken toavoid digging up soil from belowthe treated zone or bringing inuntreated soil from outside of thefield. For banded applications,growers should ensure the plantsare planted in the centre of thetreated zone, and soil from out-side of the row should not beintroduced into the row throughpost-plant cultivation. Fumigatedsoil is virtually sterile and will becolonized by the first organismsintroduced to the soil. If that firstorganism is a pathogen, signifi-cant disease issues may occur.

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 21

THE GROWER

VEG FOCUS

Making it count: maximizing your fumigation dollars

THE GROWER

PAGE 22 –– AUGUST 2013

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

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

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THE GROWER

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REFRIGERATION

Follow The Grower on twitter . . .

The Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof a minor use label expansionfor Kanemite 15 SC miticide forcontrol of two-spotted mites oncaneberries, eggplant and treenuts in Canada. Kanemite 15 SCmiticide was already labeled inCanada for management of miteson pome fruit and outdoor ornamentals.

The following is provided as ageneral, abbreviated outline only.Users should consult the com-plete label before using Kanemite15 SC miticide.

Kanemite 15 SC miticideshould be used in an integratedpest management program and inrotation with other managementstrategies. This product is toxic toaquatic organisms. Do not conta-minate any body of water bydirect application, cleaning ofequipment or disposal of wastes.

Follow all other precautionsand directions for use on theKanemite 15 SC miticide label.

For copies of the new supplemental label for caneberries contact Pam Fisher,Simcoe (519) 426-2238; for eggplant contact Janice LeBoeuf,Ridgetown (519) 674-1699; fortree nuts contact Melanie Filotas,Simcoe (519) 426-4434 or visitthe Arysta LifeScience website athttp://www.arysta-na.com/

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 25

Control of mites on fruiting vegetables

JIM CHAPUT, OMAF/MRA,MINOR USE COORDINATOR,GUELPH

The Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof a minor use label expansion forAcramite 50WS miticide (bife-nazate) for control of two-spottedspider mite (TSSM) on fruitingvegetables, crop group 8-10 inCanada. Crop group 8-10 includeseggplant, peppers, tomatoes, gojiberry, okra, tomatillo, etc.Acramite 50WS was alreadylabeled for management of miteson cucurbit vegetables, apples,stone fruit, caneberries, tree nuts,hops and grapes in Canada.

Access to spider mite manage-ment tools is a priority for fruit-ing vegetable producers and thelabel expansion of Acramite50WS will provide producerswith an effective mite manage-ment and resistance managementtool. The following is provided asa general, abbreviated outlineonly. Users should consult thecomplete label before usingAcramite 50WS miticide.Acramite 50WS miticide can beapplied at a rate of 851 gramsproduct per ha (15 pouches perfour ha) for TSSM in a minimumspray volume of 500 L per ha assoon as mites appear. A maxi-mum of one application per sea-son is permitted. The pre-harvestinterval for fruiting vegetables is

three days.Acramite 50WS miticide

should be used in an integratedpest management program and inrotation with other managementstrategies. Acramite 50WS maybe harmful to beneficial predatoryor parasitic arthropods and istoxic to fish and other aquaticorganisms. Do not contaminatethese habitats when cleaning andrinsing spray equipment or con-tainers. Follow all other precau-tions and directions for use on theAcramite 50WS label.

For copies of the new minoruse label contact Janice LeBoeuf,OMAFRA, Ridgetown (519) 674-1699 or visit www.bartlett.ca ,www.growercentral.com and/orwww.chemturaagrosolutions.com

Expansiongranted formiticide

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HELPYOURSELF

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Eggplant

Hazelnut trees

THE GROWER

PAGE 26 –– AUGUST 2013

Many organizations around theworld adopt ‘catchy’ slogans thatexpress their values and tell people who would otherwise notknow who they are or what theorganization is all about. ‘Learnto do by doing’ is one. ‘Be pre-pared’ is another. The ‘Four-WayTest’ of Rotary International isanother.

When it comes to helpingone’s-self, it is almost alwaysbeneficial to get there by helpingthose who can help you most. Notonly does that just make goodsense, it actually works! The term‘pay-back’ can have a negative ora positive connotation -- it justdepends on what precipitates the‘response’ in the first place.

At the recent meetings of theCODEX Committee on PesticideResidues, our Canadian delega-tion was beefed up with severalsenior government staff. Thatalone shows that their commit-ment to the process is real, andthat their efforts merit recogni-tion. They were there (in part) inresponse to the recent exhorta-tions from grower groups acrossCanada (including horticulture)about the need to ‘fix’ CODEX tofacilitate trade. Canada was notalone in its desires to fix theproblems that plague the CODEXsystem. CODEX is the interna-tional body charged with settingpesticide residue limits for mostof the countries around the world,and is sanctioned by the Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO)of the United Nations and theWorld Health Organization(WHO).

The Canadian delegation

supported resolutions and activities undertaken by othernations, but in some cases to noavail. There are 180 nations there,and if the politics of food, poverty, trade imbalances, andinternecine strife were not enoughto scuttle the talks, jealousies andlong-standing political differenceswould have doomed the best ofintentions in any case! What Ifound fascinating was that the outand out stone-walling of attemptsto make CODEX work betterwere immediately followed bydemands for more funding, whichwas of course to be funded fromthose asking for change and to goto help the efforts of those resisting change!

Like some of the serious problems with our pesticide regulatory regime that we dealtwith several years ago, the solution must include ousting ofthe worst of the die-hards, andbringing in of new blood withnew ideas, new approaches, andwith the mandate to make thedrastic steps required. It is not ajob for the faint at heart, but itmust be done! The other option ofcourse is to come up with anotherapproach entirely, that may goagainst old commitments to FAOand the WHO, and those madeunder GATT (Global Agreementon Trade and Tariffs) but thatmay still be the lever it takes toinstill change.

Of the major attempts atchange made at this year’s meetings, there are three thatstand out.

The first has to do with usingthe ‘proportionality concept’ toadjust data that may have beengenerated on a crop in variousparts of the world, but at differentrates (up to +/- 25%) of activeingredient per acre. To facilitate adecision on a Maximum ResidueLevel (MRL), there may not be‘enough’ data at one rate but bybeing able to use properly adjusted data from other trials, agood use of the available datacould allow such a decision to bemade. This is hardly rocket science, but after three years, itwas adopted, except for desiccants and for post-harvest

uses! I can only hope these willbe included when more data onthem becomes available, andshows the same trends.Meanwhile, we will struggle on.The second item was an attemptto make good use of the globalregistrations that have becomeincreasingly the way to go bymajor registrants. Since register-ing countries are already doingfull reviews of toxicology, settinga ‘risk cup’ for the sum total ofresidues, and have access to theGAP (Good Agricultural Practice)for each and every use proposedon the label, their determinationof the appropriateness of the pro-posed MRLs for each country’suse could/should then be used inthe CODEX process (at least inlieu of the preliminary reviews) toset global MRLs. This was doneas a pilot project on a new prod-uct. However, since the majorityof the 180 countries were not partof the global registration, theyvoted to NOT accept thisapproach! Instead of trying tomove to the 21st century (andsave at least two years and manythousands of dollars) and tomaybe try to get included infuture global activities, theydecided instead to cling to a pastthat just does not work! It is backto square one on this, when itshould have been a home-run.

The third item was an attemptto set priorities for Minor UseMRL needs separate from and inaddition to the regular work plan.This item was bogged downimmediately by attempts to befogit with calls for new definitions ofMinor Use. In addition, therewere once again the wails of the‘have-nots’ that felt they were notgoing to get as much out of this

‘additional’ drain on CODEXresources. They did not considerhow they could actually benefitfrom this in the short and longterms- only that those whoalready have Minor Use programswould seem to gain more! Thefact that we have already shownwillingness to share, and toinvolve any/everyone who choos-es to become a part of existingtrials would seem to have beenoverlooked.

The Canadian reps did providecomment, and access to data tosupport the actives that were actually evaluated this year. Theyalso suggested their additions tothe list of products to be looked atfor 2016! That is how far behindthe process has fallen.

Now our growers have achance to further help the process.We have been asked to provide acomprehensive list of commodi-ties that we do or expect to tradebeyond Canada’s borders, andthat have gaps in the MRLs forthe pesticides that are registeredand needed in crop production,and that MRLs are needed tofacilitate this trade. All of themore recently registered activesmight come into play. Some long-term irritants from older reg-istrations may also be nominated.These could be as a result of newminor uses of older chemistries,or the sudden reliance on a once-shunned active when resistance inthe pest population precludes theuse of an otherwise trade-accept-able active. Only commoditygroups would have such detail. Infact, some groups routinely listactives to avoid using on thefarm, if trade to certain places iscontemplated. All of these scenar-ios should be identified, so at

least an attempt can be made tofacilitate a CODEX MRL.

There are already long lists ofactives/commodities that havebeen nominated in the ‘normal’process. None of these need to berepeated, but grower lists canactually corroborate the need forthem to be on the lists. Some ofthe actives/commodities mayNOT be supported by registrants.(They must have their reasons?)However, growers need to act onthis opportunity now. Our listsneed to be in by late July. Eachcommodity group should do theirhomework and at least for horti-culture, the CHC Crop ProtectionCommittee will accumulate anyrequest we get. I fully expectother national groups will do like-wise. This is our chance to helpourselves by helping PMRA tohave the best data set available.

We will also need to do someoutreach beyond Canada on theother issues if there is to be muchchance of ‘fixing’ CODEX. Ifevery country we currently tradewith could be convinced to sup-port positive change at CODEXregardless of who proposed it,perhaps good things could standon their merits rather thanbecome hopelessly bogged downin petty squabbling. If every trad-er of commodities out of Canadawere to ask for their customers topush their representatives forchange at CODEX, anything ispossible.

Perhaps CODEX needs its ownslogan. It might be along the linesof “Just do it.” But I think thatone is taken!

Let’s just adopt it anyway- itworks for me!

CRAIG’S COMMENTS

How do we fix CODEX?

CRAIG HUNTEROFVGA

MINOR USE

EFFECTIVE. FLEXIBLE. CONVENIENT.

Phostrol is an extremely systemic and highly uniquephosphite fungicide that has both a direct andindirect effect on harmful oomycetediseases on a broad range of crops.

engageagro.com Phostrol is a registered trade-mark of Engage Agro Corporation. © 2013 Engage Agro Corporation.

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The Codex Alimentarius, Latin for "Book of Food," is a

collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice,

guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, including

maximum pesticide residue limits (MRLs).

JIM CHAPUT, OMAF/MRA,MINOR USE COORDINATOR,GUELPH

The Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof an emergency use registrationfor Pyganic crop protection EC1.4 II (pyrethrins) for control ofcucumber beetles on field cucumbers, squash, melons andprocessing pumpkins in Canada.Pyganic was already registeredfor use against several insects ofbeans, tomatoes, blueberries,grapes, raspberries and roses inCanada.

This emergency use forPyganic can be used only inQuebec, Prince Edward Island,New Brunswick and Ontario until

October 31, 2013.Cucumber beetles are the most

common and serious pest of fieldcucurbits in North America andhave been identified annually onthe Canadian minor use prioritylist and more specifically byorganic producers of field cucurbits. The emergency useregistration of Pyganic is animportant temporary step towardsimproving the pest managementtoolkit for organic producers ofcucumbers, squash, melons andprocessing pumpkins.

Pyganic crop protection ECcan be applied at a rate of 4.65 Lproduct per hectare as soon ascucumber beetles are observed.Apply in sufficient spray volumeto ensure complete and thoroughcoverage of plant surfaces.Applications can be made on a

five day interval if monitoringindicates a need. A maximum ofeight applications per year is permitted.

Follow all other precautionsand directions for use on thePyganic label carefully. Thisproduct is highly toxic to honeybees and native pollinatorsexposed to direct spray on bloom-ing crops or other vegetation.Avoid use when pollinators areactively foraging. This product istoxic to aquatic organisms. Donot contaminate any body ofwater by direct application, cleaning of equipment or disposalof wastes.

Pyganic should be used in anIPM program and in rotation withother management strategies toadequately manage resistance.Although Pyganic is OMRI listed

in the U.S., growers should consult their organic certificationbody in Canada to confirm that itcan be used here also.

For copies of the new minoruse label contact Melanie Filotas,

OMAF/MRA, Specialty CropsIPM Specialist, Simcoe (519)426-4434, Jim Chaput,OMAF/MRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit www.plantprod.comor www.bartlett.ca

The Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof a minor use registration forAcrobat 50 WP fungicide(dimethomorph) for suppressionof Phytophthora blight on gin-seng in Canada. Acrobat wasalready registered for use againstseveral diseases of other fruit andvegetable crops in Canada.

Phytophthora blight is one ofthe most common and seriousdiseases of ginseng in NorthAmerica and has been identifiedannually on the minor use priori-ty list. The registration ofAcrobat is an important steptowards improving the pest man-agement toolkit for ginseng.

Acrobat 50 WP can be appliedat a rate of 450 grams productper hectare as soon as cropand/or environmental conditionsbecome favourable for diseasedevelopment. Applications canbe made on a five - seven dayinterval under high disease pres-sure or every seven – ten daysunder low disease pressure. Amaximum of three applicationsper year is permitted and the pre-harvest interval for ginseng is 30days. To reduce the developmentof fungicide resistance, Acrobatmust be used as a tank-mix withDithane DG RainshieldFungicide, Manzate Pro-StickFungicide or Penncozeb 75 DFRaincoat Fungicide at 3.3 kgmancozeb per ha.

For copies of the new minoruse label contact SeanWesterveld, OMAF/MRAGinseng & Medicinal HerbsSpecialist, Simcoe (519) 426-4323, Rebecca Coates, OGGA,Simcoe (519) 426-7046 or visithttps://agro.basf.ca/basf/agsolu-tions/SelectRegion.htm

THE GROWER

AUGUST 2013 –– PAGE 27

MINOR USE

Emergency use registration for control of cucumber beetles

Fungicidecontrol forginseng

Cucumber beetle

THE GROWER

PAGE 28 –– AUGUST 2013

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