the grower january 2013

KAREN DAVIDSON

Like a plant, you’re eithergrowing or dying. That philoso-phy has served Charles and JudiStevens well as they have invested 35 years building andexpanding an apple and blueberrybusiness at Newcastle, Ontario.They are just as vitally involvedin passing the success story to thenext generation.

“At 50 years of age andbeyond, it’s natural to be morerisk averse,” says CharlesStevens. “But that stage of life isnot conducive to the risk-takingthat’s necessary for a business togrow.”

After several years of tappingthe expertise of bankers, accountants, lawyers and government specialists on thetopic of succession, Stevens isnow exploring an innovative planfor the farm. Two corporationswill be formed – one to hold theland, one to hold the business. Bykeeping possession of the land,Stevens is eligible to continue hisindustry organizational work. Byincorporating the business ofWilmott Orchards, he can sell itat a reasonable price withoutcompromising its viability for thenext generation.

What’s novel about the plan isthat the younger generation con-sists of his 24-year-old daughter,Courtney, and 22-year-oldUniversity of Guelph sciencegrad, Ian Parker. Bringing someone into the operation with-out a deep agricultural pedigree is

becoming more common, but stillrequires commitment on bothsides.

“Horticulture is made up ofpeople,” says Stevens, “so humanresources skills are imperativealong with education and passion.Everything else can be taught.”

Parker wasn’t completelyunknown to the farm, havingworked there as a summer stu-dent. It was his volunteer work atthe University of Guelph’s organic farm that tweaked hisinterest.

Last April, Parker joined thefarm to start his apprenticeshiplearning every manual job on thefarm. From winter pruning toinstalling a new trellising systemfor apples, he’s had to show hismettle. Other skills are learning tointeract with the Barbadian workers. But one of the hardest islearning how to protect the crop.

“I’m trying to learn cropchemistries,” says Parker, whohas just returned from the GreatLakes Expo in Michigan. “I thinkit will take two or three years to

understand the complexities ofharvest intervals and tank mixing.”

So far, Parker says that thelearning process is overwhelming

but he’s invigorated for theupcoming growing season andrenewing his one-year contract.

“I think agriculture is overlooked as a profession,” hesays. “I feel healthy and mentallystimulated.”

Daughter Courtney has a

clearer idea of what to expect,having been raised on the farm.For the last six months, Courtneyhas been involved in the blueberry business, hiring

summer staff, taking inventoryand running the on-farm café.

“I don’t have a desire to manage the farm, but I want to beinvolved,” she says. “I would feelcomfortable if Ian potentiallytakes over the management.”

The emotions of farm

succession can be the most thornyaspect. Communication on allsides is important in managingexpectations. “So far, so good,”reports all parties.

“It does no good for me tohave six figures in the bank at theage of 100,” says Stevens, whospeaks to the legacy of the farm.“We have a brand in WilmottOrchards with thousands of people coming to the pick-your-own operation. Always have aplan B.”

Bryan Boyle appreciates whatthe Stevens’ family is trying toachieve. After a 35-year career asan OMAFRA ag representative insouthwestern Ontario, he’s nowcoaching farmers on organization-al issues and farm successionplans.

“The technical aspects are notthe biggest risks of farm trans-fers,” says Boyle, “if you havehired qualified lawyers andaccountants. The biggest risk, inmy experience, is the people sideof the equation.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

JANUARY 2013 CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 63 NUMBER 01

Succession planning is a process that can take years as both financial and emotional aspects are considered. Charles Stevens, 60, and his wifeJudi are well on their way to a novel arrangement where their daughter Courtney takes over the marketing aspects and a recent University ofGuelph graduate, Ian Parker, learns apple and blueberry management from the ground up. Photo by Courtney Stevens.

FAMILY MATTERS

How to find success in succession planning

INSIDEInvasive pest challenges wild blueberries Page 4

Retired berry researcherleaves gap Page 7

Focus: food safety and traceability 2

www.thegrower.orgP.M. 40012319

Horticulture is made up of people sohuman resources skills are imperative alongwith education and passion. Everything elsecan be taught.”

~ Charles Stevens

“

Irish company to buymajority share ofOppenheimer Group

Total Produce, well-known asa leading marketer of fruits andvegetables in Europe, is poised tobuy 65 per cent of theOppenheimer Group. The transac-tion is scheduled in two stages,with the first 35 per cent to beacquired this month. Another 30per cent will be acquired in 2017according to the company’sDecember 17 news release.

Headquartered in Vancouver,the Oppenheimer Group providesfresh fruit and vegetable produceto its retail, wholesale and food-service customers throughout theUnited States and Canada. Thegroup has a network of growersaround the world and operatesfrom a number of locationsthroughout North America. In2011, the Oppenheimer Grouphad Canadian sales of $525 million.

Oppenheimer will continue tobe managed by its current chair-man, president and CEO, JohnAnderson, and his existing team.Anderson has entered into a long-term service agreement as part ofthe transaction and will continueto hold 35 per cent ofOppenheimer’s shares after the2017 transaction.

“For Oppenheimer, this couldmean an enhanced focus onexports, as well as new opportu-nities for our current grower fam-ily, and potential new alignmentsin the future,” said Anderson.

With most of its focus onEurope, Total Produce operatesout of 22 countries and had 2011

sales of more than $3.92 billion(U.S.). Total Produce marketsmore than 280 million cartons offresh produce annually andemploys more than 4,000 peoplein 100 locations.

Book early forOFVC

The Ontario Fruit andVegetable Convention (OFVC)will be staged at the ScotiabankConvention Centre in NiagaraFalls, Ontario for February 20and 21. At press time, trade showspace was 90 per cent sold out,according to Glenna Cairnie,trade show/exhibits administrator.

“Trade show response hasbeen fantastic with many newexhibitors and returningexhibitors increasing their boothspace,” says Cairnie. “The equip-ment display component will behuge.”

OFVC is launching awards forthe first time for InnovativeProduct and Innovative Service.For details on all aspects of theconvention, go to www.ofvc.ca.

Special room rates at $125 willbe available at the EmbassySuites Hotel until January 31 oruntil the block is sold out.

Walmart expands inQuebec

Walmart has opened a newregional office in Laval forQuebec and Atlantic Canada.Retail Navigator columnist PeterChapman says, “This is a signifi-cant point for two reasons: theysee Canada as a regional businessand it is a sign that a Supercentrewill be coming to AtlanticCanada.

From its head office inMississauga, Ontario, Walmarthas grown to 367 stores acrossthe country. That numberincludes 194 Supercentres. By theend of January 2013, Walmartwill have opened 38 stores in 12months. The torrid pace of expan-sion is attributed, in part, to theentry of Target in Canada.

Cavendish buys potato processor

Cavendish Farms is buying theassets of Maple Leaf Potatoes, thefrozen potato business of MapleLeaf Foods Inc., including a142,000 sq. ft. processing facilityin Lethbridge, Alberta.

The acquisition will enhanceCavendish’s national distributionnetwork in the foodservice andretail sectors in Canada and builda stronger position in the UnitedStates, according to RobertIrving, president of CavendishFarms. The Lethbridge plant cur-rently produces a variety of high-quality products, including frozenFrench fries and other specialtypotato products.

THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERSDoug Van Luyk, a multi-generation onion and carrot farmer, hasassumed the chairmanship of the Holland Marsh Growers’Association. He takes over the role from Alex Makarenko who hasserved since 2008. Paul Smith returns to the board plus new directors Sam Visser and John Hambly in a recent election.

Congratulations to Jim Founk, the 2012 award winner for theEssex County Association Growers in recognition of his 34-yearOMAFRA career.Initially, he wasinvolved in gradingof fruit and vegeta-bles for processingand tobacco. A keyproject was modernizing thegrading system fortomatoes in Ontario.In later years, he wasfield service managerfor Essex/Kent/Lambton counties. His retirement years are nowspent volunteering for the Southwestern Ontario Gleaners.

Congrats to the prairie winners of the 2012 Outstanding YoungFarmer award, Vance Lester and Susan Echlin of Living SkyWinery, Perdue, Saskatchewan.

Kelowna orchardist Kirpal Boparai resigned his position as presi-dent of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association in early Decemberamongst controversy that included cancellation of his membershipin the Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative for selling fruit indepen-dently. Vice-president Jeet Dukhia will fill the chair until growersvote on a new president at the January 28 annual convention.

Meanwhile, the Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative has also under-gone change. A new board of directors appointed Alan Tyabiji asthe new chief executive officer, while removing Gary Schieck fromthe post, as well as operations manager Rod Vint. Changes in personnel came in a year that saw higher apple prices in B.C. due tothe crop failure in eastern Canada.

Heather Moyse, Olympic gold medalist, is renewing her contract asbrand ambassador for Prince Edward Island potatoes, while compet-ing for spots on both Canada’s women’s rugby sevens team as wellas Canada’s women’s bobsled team.

CropLife Canada elected its new executive committee including:chair Kamel Beliazi, Bayer CropScience Canada; past-chair JimWispinski, Dow AgroSciences Protection Canada Inc.; first vice-chair Ian Grant, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited; second vice-chair MikeMcGuire, Monsanto Inc.; third vice-chair Jay Bradshaw, SyngentaCrop; member at large Fran Burr, Cargill Limited; MonteKesslering, Viterra; Al Raine, Richardson International Limited;ex-officio Lorne Hepworth, CropLife Canada.

The Agricultural Adaptation Council elected its new board inDecember. Directors are as follows: Chair: John Kikkert, GeneralFarm Interest• Vice Chair: Kristin Ego MacPhail, Other Industries/Commodities• Treasurer: Fred Wagner, Grains/Seeds/Oilseeds/Specialty Crops

Congrats to Larry McIntosh, president and CEO, Peak of theMarket, who was recently decorated with a Queen’s Jubilee Medal.The Peak of the Market has donated more than 18 million pounds offood to the food bank during the past 12 years.

Jim Veri, Exeter Produce donated 40,000 tons of rutabaga to NewYork’s City Harvest, a group that feeds thousands daily. Theannouncement was made at the New York Produce Show to helpsurvivors of the superstorm Sandy.

The Canadian Gift and Tableware Association will be honouringJohn and Laura Hughes this month as the 2012 CGTA Retailer ofDistinction winners. Their retailing prowess at Springridge Farm,Milton, Ontario will be recognized in the January/February 2013issue of Retail News Magazine as well as at a CGTA gift showevent on January 27.

The Bank of Montreal, Canada’s fourth largest bank by assets, hasappointed Douglas Porter chief economist. At 52, he replaces thehigh-profile Sherry Cooper effective February 1. Bloomberg hasnamed him as the best economic forecaster in Canada for the pasttwo years. He is well-known to agriculture as a frequent guestspeaker.

AT PRESS TIME…

PAGE 2 –– JANUARY 2013

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

& Atlantic Provinces

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ontario

Warren PeacockTel. : 519.426.1131Fax : 519.426.6156

A team of experts Top -notch seeds

[email protected]

www.norseco.com

SC1102 (SeSh2)

Ed Verbeke (L) chair of Essex CountyAssociation Growers and Jim Founk.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Here are the three biggest risks to manage:

• Matching skills and activities to therole. The old idea of farmers being a jack-of-all-trades doesn’t work very well, espe-cially when the new generation has justgraduated from university or college. Itwould be unusual to find a person that rel-ishes the orchard pruning, for example, aswell as devising a marketing plan. Somefamily members prefer the mechanicaloperational side to the computer-oriented,planning side. The skill sets required todayare much broader than even a decade ago.

• Managing expectations of stakeholders.Many a farm transfer has failed, even mid-way through execution, when communica-tions fail to be clear. “We had no idea thatour son or daughter wanted that,” says theparents. “If we had known that, we wouldhave walked away.” There is often

surprise when theyounger genera-tion admits theywant less involve-ment, not moreinvolvement inthe farm. Be clearand direct.

• Establishingcommitment tochange.Regardless of theplan and technicalcapability to drawup financial state-ments, there mustbe commitmentfor all parties toaccept change.The paperworkdoes not guaran-tee an acceptanceof the role changes and the need to modifywords and deeds. It’s possible to accom-

plish the financialpaperwork in sixmonths, but it’smore likely to be aone or two-yearprocess for asmooth transition.

Farmers arevery good at discussing inputsand yields, saysBoyle, but not asgifted at peopleskills. “Althoughsome call these softskills, I think people skills can be very hard.”

Elaine Froese,farm family coach,is another farm succession advisorbased in

Boissevain, Manitoba who encouragesfamilies to discuss the “undiscussabull.”

She starts farm families with an audit sheetthat probes for what issues need coaching.They range from conflict resolution skillsto honouring the timelines agreed to. Onher website www.elainefroese.com, sheechoes Bryan Boyle’s approach.

• Head issues: need to find understanding"I get it now. I understand what thismeans."• Heart issues: need to feel good aboutthe decision"I like it. It feels right. I can let go."• Gut issues: need to trust others withchange“I trust you. You will not lose the farm.”

According to the latest census, the average age of Canadian farmers is 54.Succession planning is one of the biggestissues to face agriculture, with each familyfacing a unique set of circumstances. Notemplate fits all. That’s why it’s importantto kickstart the discussion now, in the optimism of a new year.

JANUARY 2013 –– PAGE 3

THE GROWER

How to find success in succession planning

INTERNATIONAL

BREEDING

Watermelon genomedecoded

Nature Genetics published thewatermelon genome sequencelast November, excitingresearchers that juicer, sweeterand more disease-resistant fruitmay be closer to reality. Whenwatermelons were domesticated,a large portion of disease resis-tance genes were lost.

“Watermelons are an impor-tant cash crop and among the topfive most consumed fresh fruits;however, cultivated watermelonshave a very narrow genetic base,which presents a major bottle-neck to its breeding,” saysZhangjun Fei, a plant researcherat Cornell University.

The genome sequences of thewatermelon are publicly avail-able at the Cucurbit GenomicsDatabase (www.icugi.org) whichis maintained by Fei’s group.

Source: Cornell University PressOffice

FOOD SAFETY

E. coli washed fromspinach

U.S. scientists are perfectingan ultrasound-chlorine regimento destroy E. coli pathogens inspinach.

“We can reduce the total num-ber of food-borne pathogenicbacteria by more than 99.99 percent, " said Hao Feng, professorof food science and human nutri-tion, University of Illinois.

The use of ultrasound expo-sure during chlorine washingoffers significantly enhancedmicrobial safety, says Feng. TheUSDA is looking for new tech-nologies that can achieve a mil-lion-fold reduction in the bacte-ria.

The challenge is to ensure thatall leaves receive full ultrasonictreatment. A single leaf is capa-ble of contaminating the package.Feng’s team has achieved similarsuccess using this technique oniceberg and romaine lettuce.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

LABOUR

California needsworkers

A survey conducted by theCalifornia Farm BureauFederation (CFBF) reveals that61 per cent of respondentsreported worker shortages, espe-cially those with labour-intensivecrops. To deal with the gap,farmers are offering higherwages, adjusting harvesting andpruning times, relying more onmechanization, and, in somecases, planting fewer acres orcutting the harvest short.

“Without the creation of asecure, effective program thatallows people from foreign coun-tries to work legally in theUnited States to harvest crops,we could see continuing or wors-ening problems, especially forsmall or midsized farms,” warnsPaul Wenger, CFBF president.


MARKETING

U.S. apple harvest isup

Washington state’s applegrowers harvested 130 millionboxes, up considerably from the121 million boxes estimatedNovember 1. Despite summerhail, the tally is 20 million boxesmore than the industry has everproduced.

The upward trend was particu-larly steep this year, due to theoverall size of the crop, latervarieties picking out longer andfavourable harvest weather.

As of December 3, theWashington industry had shipped31.7 million boxes of applesfrom the 2012 crop, comparedwith 26.5 million during thesame period in 2011. Exports sofar this season are running 21 percent ahead of the previous year.


TRENDS

Leaf lettuce trumpsiceberg

California recorded moreacres of leaf lettuce than icebergfor the first time in 2012. A tinysliver of that market is served bythe ‘Better Burger’ lettuce, bredto cover a sandwich with frillyleaf and minimal rib. It’s justone example of how innovativegrowers and packers are differ-entiating themselves and servingconsumer needs.

As part of that new lettucevariety search, they are alsoseeking varieties with moremildew resistance. Duringmonths of highest mildew pres-sure, growers were paying asmuch as $1,200 U.S. per acre tocontrol mildew.

Other diseases such asFurasium and Verticillium areproving problematic as well.Because of strict regulations onchemical controls, new lettucegenetics will become moreimportant.

Source: Nunhems newsletter

The Ontario Ginseng Growers’ Association (OGGA)has received $80,000 from the federal government’sAgriMarketing program to help increase sales in the lucra-tive Asian markets of Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Thefunds will be used to continue brand presence at majorfood and trade shows and to engage mid-size retailersabout sourcing Canadian ginseng directly from Canadiangrowers.

Long recognized for its superior quality, Canadian gin-seng has tallied $72.8 million in exports in 2011 with 1.6million kilograms of roots exported.

“The AgriMarketing and Canada Brand initiatives pro-vide an important source of funding and services for theOntario Ginseng Growers’ Association to access new andexisting markets on behalf of our 120 members,” saysOGGA executive director, Marvin Karges.

Ginseng growers receive funding

The Ontario Tender Fruit Producers have joined withAgricorp and Dragonfly Inc. to develop an integrated ten-der fruit GIS based information and database managementsystem. Agricorp is currently mapping various tender fruitcommodities planted in orchards across Ontario for thoseproducers who have signed up. These maps provide thebasis for FruitTracker, an advanced, integrated orchardmanagement system for individual growers.

The FruitTracker program, developed by Dragonfly Inc.

is a web-based platform that began as a spray tracking pro-gram but has quickly evolved to include tracking modulesfor chemicals, harvest, storage, packing, shipping andscouting. It incorporates OMAFRA’s Publication 360 dataand provides detailed reporting in conjunction withCanadaGAP guidelines. Dragonfly is currently workingclosely with an enthusiastic focus group, comprised of ten-der fruit growers, in ensuring these modules are relevant,proficient and built right from the start.

“The Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board is veryexcited to be working with growers on building an all-encompassing data management system for the future ofthe industry,” says Sarah Marshall.

To inquire about signing up, please contact LarissaOsborne at 905-688-0990 ext. 235 or email [email protected]

FruitTracker evolves

Photo by Glenn Lowson

KAREN DAVIDSON

Wild blueberries are unique inthat the industry relies on themanagement of native stands.Although a minimalist approachis taken with management practices, protecting the cropsfrom new invasive pests is proving a daunting task.

“We don’t plant, harrow orcultivate,” says Gary Brown,Bragg Lumber Company Ltd.based in Collingwood, NovaScotia. Brown, the agronomyadvisor to farmers in the Atlanticprovinces, says that with integrated pest management andother favourable conditions, atotal crop in excess of 250 millionpounds was harvested in AtlanticCanada, Quebec and Maine.

Despite a good crop, fieldprices have remained comparableto last year’s prices. Wild blueberries from Atlantic Canadaare exported to more than 30countries, including markets inEurope and Japan. The foreignbuyers emphasize quality, safetyand traceability, and in particularthe need for wild blueberries tomeet the maximum residue limits(MRLs) for their respective countries.

“MRLs can be an issue forus,” says Brown, who has justreturned from the CropLifeCanada conference in Ottawa. “Alarge portion of our crop is soldoverseas and any pesticide we usemust meet foreign MRLs.” WhenBrown was in Ottawa, he metwith crop protection companyrepresentatives to learn what newchemistries might be in the

pipeline and to encourage labelextensions for wild blueberries.

Excellent reduced risk agro-chemicals are working in BritishColumbia. But more will beneeded to combat new invasivespecies such as Spotted WingDrophosila (SWD). The pest wastrapped in Prince Edward Island,New Brunswick and Nova Scotiathis past year, a signal that higherpopulations are in the future. Forexample, student researcherstrapped 600 flies in a NewBrunswick test plot in 2011 butthat number grew to 7,000 flies in2012. Pressures are expected tobe higher in 2013, with researchunderway as to what economicthreshold is needed to spray.

The worry for wild blueberry

growers is that export marketsmay be hindered if they can’tmeet the current MRLs set inEurope and those which areexpected in Japan by 2014. “It isa continuous challenge to copewith invasive species, MRLs andcost of production,” says Brown.“We need to have more tools in

the toolbox to control thesepests.”

Under the umbrella of theCanadian Horticultural Council, aBlueberry Working Group ismonitoring the issue and encour-aging crop protection companiesand researchers to screen newproducts. Delegate, a productmanufactured by Dow, appears tobe controlling SWD in a numberof horticultural crops.

“This is a Canada-wide issue,”says Brown. “Other commoditiessuch as canola and pulses are facing the same issue meetingMRLs in foreign countries.” In fact, the issue applies to manyother horticultural crops.

The wild blueberry industryhas been aggressive and proactivein coordinating and fundingresearch. Within the Faculty ofAgriculture at DalhousieUniversity, this has resulted in thecreation of faculty positions andassociated research programs specializing in plant physiology,vegetation management, entomology and precision agriculture. A check-off system isin place and varies from provinceto province to provide funding forthese research programs.

“With support from the

Canadian Horticultural Counciland the wild blueberry industrystanding squarely behind its prod-uct, I can go to a crop protectioncompany and say with credibilitythat we’ll put feet on the groundfor research,” says Brown. DavidPercival, Faculty of Agriculture,Dalhousie University, has beenactive with other research groupsin identifying causal organismsand developing managementstrategies. This has been pivotalin providing producers with thetools to continually increaseyields and to remain competitivein an increasingly global economy.

Although crop protection products are important, Brownstresses that the industry has beenproactive in reducing agrochemical use. The industrywants to take a minimalistapproach with as little a carbonand greenhouse-gas footprint aspossible.

“The Canadian HorticulturalCouncil has been a huge asset tous,” says Brown. “Through theblueberry working group, thespotlight has been shone on anindustry that tallies 123,000acres.”

PAGE 4 –– JANUARY 2013THE GROWER

Protecting the production and export of wild blueberries WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

3211 - 8th Line Bradford, ON

L3Z 2A5Ph: [email protected]

VEGETABLE EQUIPMENT FOR SALE- 3 used potato trucks. 18’ - 24’, $7,500 each.- Lockwood 5500 4 row windrower, full width secondary star table, $27,500.- Thomas C91 2 row harvester, field ready, TTT warranty. Call for price.- 2 row Spudnick potato harvester, $30,000.- 4 row mechanical transplanter with water tank, $3,500.- Lockwood 5000 4 row, windrower, field ready, $20,000.- 4 row Lockwood pick planter, $4,500.- 12-row Agricola vegetable seeder. Call for details.- Grimme GB1700 potato harvester. Call for details.- Grimme DL1500 2-row windrower, $8,000.- Better Built seed cutter with 3 cut and duster, $7,500.- 6 row Lockwood pick planter, [parting out].

10% DISCOUNT ON ALL BROEKEMA BELTS

ORDERED BEFORE JANUARY 3RD.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR OURFULL LISTING OF USED EQUIPMENT!

Seed TreatersPotato Planters

100 %

The CFFO believes that policies need to encourage the use of Canadian grown food over imported food

DO YOU BELIEVE?

MAKE CFFO YOUR FBR CHOICE

CHRISTIAN FARMERS FEDERATION OF ONTARIO

CFFO

www.christianfarmers.org www.facebook.com/CFFOnt Twitter: @CFFOnt

DO YThe CFFO bel

YOU BEieves that policies nee

ELIEVEed to encourage the

E?use

of Can

nadian grown food ov

ver imported food

000000100

%0 %

MAKE Cwww.christianfarmers

CFFO YOURwww.facebook.cs.org

CFFOARIOTION OF ONTTAAATFEDER

ARMERS CHRISTIAN FFA

R FBR CHOTwittercom/CFFOnt

OICEr: @CFFOnt

Wild blueberry harvest in Nova Scotia

On December 13, Keith Kuhl represent-ed the CHC at an Ottawa meeting hostedby AAFC Minister Gerry Ritz , Minister ofState (Agriculture) Christian Paradis andCFIA President, George Da Pont, to updateon the path forward with the regulatory

process and to further discuss factors, irritants and opportunities for improvementrelated to overall Canadian industry competitiveness. A primary objective ofthe session was to listen to industry concerns and position regarding the

proposal to repeal standard container regulations.

“Government is keenly interested inindustry suggestions with respect to actionwhich could assist in mitigating the impactof the decision to repeal standard container

regulations” noted Kuhl. The CHC isdeveloping a comprehensive brief for usewith government officials and in theCanada Gazette process.

THE GROWER


CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

Proposal to repeal standard container legislation

23,000 FARMERS CAN’T BE WRONG, YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS!

ALL NEW FEATURE

CANADA’S LARGEST INDOOR FARM SHOW – COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF AGRIGULTURE

See show website for details…

•

Agricultural * Commercial * Industrial

50 Years of Excellent Service

Refrigeration (All Types)

Heating, Air Conditioning

Controlled Atmosphere

18 Seapark Drive, St Catharines ON, L2M 6S6

905-685-4255

www.pennrefrigeration.com

[email protected]

In 2014, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) andAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) plant pestresearch activities and expertise will be consolidated atone facility in Summerland, B.C. This will allow forgreater science collaboration to support the grapevine andtree fruit industries.

The CFIA's Centre for Plant Health in Sidney, B.C. currently conducts plant pest research, oversees the quar-antine of plants following entry into Canada, and providesrelated plant pest diagnostics. The Centre also maintains arepository of virus-free plant material. Certain high riskactivities will continue to remain at the Sidney facility.

This move will ensure the important plant pest researchbeing done by the CFIA is carried out in closer collaboration with AAFC.

Representatives from the CFIA are scheduled to make apresentation on the consolidation at the CHC AnnualGeneral Meeting in March 2013.

Plant pest research facilities to consolidate in Summerland, BC

The CHC and the Ontario GreenhouseVegetable Growers (OGVG), through funding provided by AAFC’sAgriMarketing Program, have recentlycontracted the George Morris Centre toconduct market research and exploreopportunities for Canadian greenhousevegetables in East Asia.

The AgriMarketing Program aims toenhance the marketing capacity and competitiveness of the Canadian agricul-ture, agri-food, fish and seafood sectors.The program helps industry associations toidentify market priorities and equip themselves for success in global markets.

The greenhouse vegetable productionsector is one of the greatest success storiesof Canadian agriculture over the past twenty-five years. The sector has expandedand now exports over $600 million ofgreenhouse vegetable products annually(including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbersand lettuce), primarily to the United States.Working with the George Morris Centre,CHC and OGVG hope to gain knowledgeand access to new and emerging international markets, mitigating the risk ofdependency on the U.S. market. This project is currently underway and will be completed by March 31, 2013.

Market research starts on greenhouse vegetable exports to Asia

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the U.S.Agricultural Marketing Service have completed the information gathering phase of a process to develop Canadian industry tools supported by regulation for sellers of fresh produce that are compara-ble to those available in the United States. Fresh produce industrystakeholders in both countries have been engaged in the identificationof options to secure more effective contract management and licensingof fresh produce buyers, as well as regulatory measures that could beadopted to better ensure industry payment to fresh produce sellers incases of buyer bankruptcy and insolvency. AAFC, in consultation withthe Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Industry Canada, will nextundertake an analysis of the feasibility of those options including thenecessary measures that would be required to implement them. TheGovernment of Canada will continue to engage stakeholdersand will announce its decision by March 2013.

Financial protection toproduce sellers

KAREN DAVIDSON

Last month’s retirement ofAdam Dale, a berry scientist atthe Simcoe Research Station,should not go unmarked like thesilent falling of timber in a forest.The problem is that too manymature oaks have fallen to the axeof university and governmentcuts. His position is not beingreplaced by the University ofGuelph.

“That’s significant,” saysHarold Schooley, research chairfor the Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers’ Association.“We used to have four berrybreeders in Nova Scotia, Quebec,Ontario and British Columbia.We’re down to Andrew Jamesonin Nova Scotia and by 2016, therewill likely be no berry breeders inCanada.”

One new strawberry varietywill be announced in Februaryand of eight varieties in thepipeline, only a couple might bereleased in the next few years.After that, there’s an impendingcliff, an unknown future forimproving berry varieties thatflourish in Canada’s temperamen-tal climates.

Dale’s legacy will be how heovercame those weather and pestchallenges with June-bearingberry varieties that also burst withflavour. As far back as 1986, hestewarded the release of theGovernor Simcoe variety, andmore recently, the varieties ofSummer Dawn and SummerEvening.

Just as importantly, he workedwith the University of Florida’s

Craig Chandler on day-neutralstrawberries which are now tak-ing off in Canadian markets. Backin the 1980s, no one believed theycould be commercially viable.

As Dale himself wrote in a1989 factsheet, still listed onOMAFRA’s website today, day-neutral nursery stock is difficultto propagate as plants producefew runners and need to be start-ed from tissue culture to get thebest multiplication rates. Sincethen, he’s worked on seed-propa-gated day-neutrals to overcomethe issues of vegetative reproduc-tion. To this day, he has trial plotsat the Gulf Coast Research andEducation Centre in Florida forfour months of the year acclima-tizing to shorter day-lengths, thentransfers the seed to Ontario to betested in the humid summers.

Curiosity led to a discoverynot normally associated withberries. When Dale spent a sab-batical in Portugal researchingraspberries, he became familiar

with white crowberries, literally anew crop for Canada.

“There’s no pull for thesecrops,” admits Dale. “It takes achampion to push these crops intothe marketplace.”

What may come to fruition is ahazelnut industry. “This is the onenew crop which I can see suc-ceeding because of the pull fromthe Ferrero Rocher candy factoryin Brantford.”

Always thinking outside thebox, Dale has looked at the possi-bilities of sea buckthorn, a cropwith berries very high in vitaminC content. While male plantsdon’t set fruit, their nitrogen-fix-ing capabilities make them goodcandidates for restoring soil in areas such as mine tailings orother soils contaminated withheavy metals.

“Ultimately, the challenge for

horticulture is that there’s short-term funding for perennial crops,”Schooley points out. “The funding is now directed towardsprojects and not programs.”

At the University of Guelph,the chair of the plant agriculturedepartment says that the fate ofberry research remains in thehands of industry. “There hasbeen a 40 per cent reduction inteaching budgets at the OntarioAgricultural College in the lastfive years,” says Peter Pauls.“Those cuts are being realizedthrough attrition of faculty.Collectively, we are open to

industry funding chairs and sug-gesting new business models towork more closely together.”While Dale will continue in anunpaid capacity with projects atSimcoe, he underscores the poten-tial for horticulture. In Ontario,horticulture represents five percent of the acreage but 50 percent of the farmgate value and 80per cent of the crop speciesgrown. With strawberries gross-ing $15,000 per acre, the questionbecomes why a second soybeanbreeder is being sought and noreplacement is on the books forberries.

THE GROWER


Short-term research projects don’t make sense for perennial crops

RESEARCH

Turn our top quality seed into the most productive crop possiblefor your area, your climate, your soil, your conditions.

Researching the best for our customers since 1881

Contact your local Stokes Sales Representative!

Rob Hovius Paul Banks MarcAndr LabergeON, PEI, NB ON, NS QC

519-580-3231 905-688-4300 514-984-4589

é

Inspiration56 day, highquality, darkcolor 3-4 sievebean withexceptionaltaste.

Adaptor95 day, our bestlate season, freshmarket, bluegreen, highyielding cabbage.

Primus81 day, TripleSweethybrid bicolor. Longslightly taperedears. Fresh marketuse. Good diseasepackage.

®

SpinelessPerfection45 day, squashhybrid withspinelesspetioles. Darkgreen withrefined flecking.

Henry Zomer LeahErickson Jim Robinson LauraCaralampidesON, MB, SK

905-308-4396 604-957-2359 905-715-8595 514-984-0662AB, BC ON, MB QC

Toll free: 1-800-263-7233 Fax: 1-888-834-3334

Box 10 Thorold ON L2V 5E9www.StokeSeeds.com

Stokes SeedsTrial Evaluation

32ND ANNUAL GUELPH ORGANIC CONFERENCE & EXPOJanuary 31-February 3

Guelph University Centre"Organics… What's The Buzz?"

Major workshop streams includes organic crops, organic livestock, permaculture, marketing & community building

Expanded 40-workshop program over 4 days, includes GMOImpacts Forum, Pollination, etc. by paid admission.

Free 2-day Expo/Tasting Fair, 155 booths (Feb. 2-3 only)+ The Organic Food & Wine Dinner $55 (Feb. 1)

EXPO: meet ag. suppliers, certifiers, organic grain trade.Leading names: Field Gate, Willsie, Organic Meadow,Homestead Organics, SunOpta, Harmony Dairy, Pfenning,Global Repair, Keystone Grain + dozens more.

Brochure, info & prices: (519) 824-4120 X56311Full brochure & exhibitor list: www.guelphorganicconf.ca

Adam Dale, (L) berry researcher, has just retired from the Universityof Guelph/Simcoe Research Station. He’s pictured here with HaroldSchooley, research chair, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’Association. Since 2000, the University of Guelph has lost a net of 20faculty members in agricultural research. Eleven of these scientistswere devoted to horticulture. Photo by Denis Cahill.

Craig Chandler, (L) University of Florida, worked closely with AdamDale on day-neutral strawberries for Canada.

THE GROWER


The poster session attracts the latest reports in horticultural research.

The OFVC is the site of many product launches. Last year,The Cider Keg, based in Vittoria, Ontario tested its BlushTwist sparkling cider to rave reviews.

Cathy Bartolic, executive director of the Ontario FarmFresh Marketing Association, has organized an excitingspeaker roster for the annual meeting. She’s shown here(right) at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centretalking to a grad student last summer.

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention preview EVENTS

January 7 Lecture on “The way it was: a history of Ontario’s vegetable and fruit canning industry,” Rittenhouse Hall, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Vineland, ON 2 pm.

Jan 14 – 16 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Niagara Falls, ON

January 15 Ontario Apple Growers Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Niagara Falls, ON 8:00 am to 9:45 pm

Jan 11 – 27 Niagara Icewine Festival

Jan 21 – 24 Empire State Producers’ Expo, Oncentre, Syracuse, NY

January 24 Environmental Sustainability Research Expo, Guelph Legion, Guelph, ON

Jan 24 – 26 Pacific Agricultural Show and Horticultural Growers’ Short Course, Abbotsford, BC

Jan 28 – 30 North American Strawberry Growers’ Association and North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association Annual Conference, Doubletree by Hilton Inn, Portland, Oregon

Jan 28 B.C. Fruit Growers Association Annual Convention, Penticton Lakeside Resort, Penticton, BC

Jan 29 – 31 Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association Annual Convention, Old Orchard Inn, Wolfville, NS

Jan 31 – Feb 3 32nd Annual Guelph Organic Conference & Expo, University Centre, Guelph, ON

Feb 1 – 6 North American Direct Farm Marketers Association Conference, Doubletree by Hilton Inn, Portland, Oregon

Feb 6-8 Fruit Logistica, Berlin, Germany

Feb 5 – 7 Canadian International Farm Show, International Centre, Mississauga, ON

Feb 20, 21 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls, ON

February 20 3rd Annual Ontario Sweet Cider Competition, Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls, ON

Feb 23 - Mar 3 6th Annual Conference, International Fruit Tree Association, Intensive Workshop and Tours, Boston, Mass., USA

COMING EVENTS 2013 The 11th annual Ontario Fruitand Vegetable Conventionpromises a deep program onFebruary 20 and 21 at theScotiaBank Centre, Niagara Falls.

Wednesday, February 20VegetablesWineryClimate Change and Dealing withAdverse WeatherBeer Competition

CiderCider CompetitionTender FruitHerbsGrapesBerriesFarmers' Markets OntarioDirect Farm Marketing Summit

Thursday, February 21VegetablesAirblast 101

ApicultureHealth and Safety for GrowersOrganicFuture Challenges andOpportunitiesTender FruitBomb-proofing your SoilGrapesApplesFarmers' Markets OntarioDirect Farm Marketing Summit

THE GROWER


STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-252-7337, [email protected]: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, [email protected]: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, [email protected]

The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Any errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the 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 2012

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEChair Mac James, LeamingtonVice-Chair Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeFruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginVeg Director Jason Ryder, DelhiDirector Jason Verkaik, Bradford

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

2012 was a year of many chal-lenges to the fruit and vegetableindustry in Ontario. Spring frostsdevastated portions of the fruitand vegetable sector. Randomareas of low moisture and exces-sive heat took its toll on manycrops.

On a world scale there havenot been any major disasters, thusa sufficient or over supply of pro-duce soon puts pressure on pricesfor some commodites. It seemslike fresh produce can be shippedhalf way around the world overnight.

Many of us are glad to see theend of 2012.

On the brighter side, lookingforward there is always optimismwhen we start planning for thenew year. After many hours ofdiscussion and consultation, wehave a new SDRM/RMP programalthough considerably reduced invalue with a cap of $100 millionfor all of Ontario agriculture. It isthere to work with.

There will be many new minoruse crop protection productsavailable for 2013. Watch forthem!

After much lobbying, there issome hope that some of the waterissues we are facing may bemoved from the Ministry ofEnvironment to the Ministry ofAgriculture’s NutrientManagement Act.

With the potential increases inproduction that are appearing onthe horizon it is going to take asharp pencil to remain viable in2013.

Goodbye 2012, greetings 2013

MAC JAMESCHAIR, OFVGA

Sometimes in life things areeither taken for granted or simplynot thought about, either throughcomplacency or sometimesbecause we know no different as“It has always been this way.”Many young farmers among uswill not remember a time whenwe did not have access to depend-able quantities of farm workers.The older ones most certainlywill.

As a kid growing up on a fruitfarm I remember all too well theturnover in help that we experi-enced. I remember my fatherlamenting that he did not knowfrom one day to the next howmany workers would be there topick fruit. In an industry so heavi-ly dependent on manual labor,consistency and quality of thework force are essential. I remem-ber as well my parents vacation-ing in Jamaica and upon returninghome dad saying: “We have allthis work and nobody to do it andthey have all those people and nowork for them to do.”

In 1966, the first offshorelabour program took place but itonly lasted for one year. It was atime of growing unemployment inCanada, a time of easier access tounemployment insurance. Manyfolks in Ottawa thought that theseon-farm jobs should be filled withworkers from areas of high unem-ployment. Programs were put inplace to transport farm workersfrom the east coast and the north

to the farms in the south. In manyways it made sense but it did notwork as satisfactorily as it neededto. In 1968, after much lobbypressure, the offshore programwas back, but there were restric-tions. The greater problem wasthe unknown factor as to whetheror not the program would surviveto see another year. There was anongoing sense or opinion thatthese jobs should be used to getpeople off unemployment -- afterall, those numbers were growingand costing tax payers hundredsof millions of dollars annually.This organization and a numberof its leading directors lobbiedhard over many years to keep theprogram running.

Over time, problems croppedup and farmers were concernedabout the cost of running the pro-gram and in particular the cost ofair transportation.

To address the concerns ofOntario fruit and vegetable farm-ers, the OFVGA created theForeign Agricultural Resource

Management Services or FARMSin 1987. They celebrated their25th anniversary this past year.

There are approximately20,000 workers that come into thecountry under the Seasonal

Agriculture Worker Program ofwhich about 15,000 come here toour farms in Ontario. It did nothappen easily -- it took a lot oflobbying and even more dedica-tion on the part of a number ofpeople. From 1987 to today therehas been but three chairmen ofFARMS: Gary Cooper, HectorDelanghe and Ken Forth. Theyhave all done a remarkable job ashave the various boards and staff.

The program started as a con-cept of a few; they pushed hardand got Ministerial support in atime when the political situationwas not in their favour. Therewere certainly many bumps alongthe way, but this program -- firstseen by some as taking jobs awayfrom Canadians -- has in fact cre-ated many, many more both herein Canada and in the host coun-

tries alike. It is one of the bestinternational sponsorship pro-grams going.

From its humble beginnings inthe mid ‘60s through to today, theprogram has provided our farmerswith a stable core of farmemployees.

The program is held up inter-nationally as a program thatworks. It works for our farmers,it works for the men and womenthat come up here and it worksfor the host countries.

As a farming sector so depen-dent on labour, I believe we owethis organization a great deal ofgratitude.

Without this program, withoutFARMS, our fruit and vegetablesector would be little more than acottage industry instead of the$1.5 billion dollar sector that ithas become today.

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

ART SMITHCEO, OFVGA

The importance of our labour supply

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THE GROWER

It’s too bad that domestic pro-duction disasters in one countrylead to export opportunities forothers. Without a doubt, in thisequation, someone loses andsomeone else inadvertently gainsat their expense.

In agriculture, that’s just theway it is, particularly now thatwe’re firmly ensconced in a glob-al market. A crop or productionfailure somewhere creates anopening elsewhere. Inevitably,farmers fortunate enough to havea harvest fill the vacuum createdby those who don’t. Crop or live-stock woes be damned -- peoplestill need to eat.

And that’s the way it is thisyear, in the world of wine.Production woes be damned --people still want to drink.

But who will fill their glasses?Weather damage to vineyards insome of the world’s largest wineregions is severe. Italy, Argentina,Spain, New Zealand and Hungary

have all been hit. Production isdown 20 per cent in France.Increases have been realized onlyin Portugal and Greece.

That’s impacting the globalsupply of wine, draining what thesector calls the “wine lake.” Andit’s predicted this situation willultimately raise prices of winefrom the affected countries.Corroborating this story is theInternational Organization ofVine and Wine, an intergovern-mental organization which dealswith the technical and scientificaspects of viticulture and wine-making. It’s estimating globalwine production will fall to itslowest level in nearly 40 years,with production said to be downthe equivalent of 1.3 billion bot-tles.

That’s massive. Experts arewarning of a wine shortage. Now, shift your thoughts toCanada. Against the murky globalbackdrop of shortages and failedharvests emerges Ontario, whichis wonderfully positioned as thedarling of the 2012 global winecrop.

In late November, the GrapeGrowers of Ontario announced itsmembers would realize a record2012 grape harvest. The Niagara-region based organization report-ed that the near-perfect hot anddry summer produced some of thehighest-quality grapes ever seen. All this, despite a growing seasonthat started with one of the earli-est springs in memory and therisk of severe spring frost dam-age.

Ontario was extremely lucky.

The 2012 harvest is reported at arecord 65,800 tonnes of grapes,valued at more than $88.3 mil-lion. And fruit quality continuesto exceed all industry standards,say the grape growers.

“Our expectations…are high,as we expect a stellar 2012 vin-tage,” says Curtis Fielding ofFielding Estate Winery inBeamsville, the 2012 Grape King.So besides there being an abun-dance of Ontario wine, quality

should be superb, as well.It's a perfect storm. Grape

Growers of Ontario Chair BillGeorge says this harvest, alongwith the global wine shortage, hasproducers optimistic that 2013will bring more wine lovers thanever to superb Ontario wines.

Publicly, I suspect Mother Naturewill get most of the credit for the2012 Ontario harvest and thegrapes that vintners turn intowine. But the reality is thereprobably wouldn't have been aharvest this year without researchand innovation. That’s whathelped protect and improve theharvest's quality, at a crucial point-- early warning systems andwind machines buffered Ontario’svineyards from a killer late springfrost.

As well, speaking of warmth,it looks like the chill betweengrowers and the LCBO may final-ly be easing. In announcing therecord harvest, grape growers’CEO Debbie Zimmerman saidproducers can thank their ongoingsuccess “in large part to our part-nership with the LCBO.” She alsocited provincial government fore-sight in maintaining its per bottlecontent regulation, the strength innumbers needed to negotiate fairminimum prices with multination-al global buyers, as well as theestablishment and promotion ofOntario VQA wines.

That’s quite a list, and timely,too. Cooperation is essential if theprovince and the Ontario winesector is going to take full advan-tage of the global opportunitybeing laid at its feet in 2013. Itcould be awhile before there’sanother perfect storm like this.

Wine sector has good reason to pop the cork in 2013

OWEN ROBERTSUNIVERSITY OFGUELPH

PERSPECTIVE


Debbie Zimmernam (L) is lauding the Grape Growers of Ontario part-nership with LCBO while Curtis Fielding, Grape King, is expecting astellar 2012 vintage.

The Annual “Muck” Conference is moving!!!!61st Annual Muck Vegetable Conference and Trade Show

will be located at the . . .

Bradford & District Memorial Community CentreMarch 28th and 29th

125 Simcoe StreetBradford, ON L3Z2A8

Contact: Matthew Sheppard Phone: (905) 775-3317 Fax: (905) 775-3318

http://www.uoguelph.ca/muckcrop/muckconference.html

NEW LOCATION

Fruit Logistica announces nomineesfor Innovation Award 2013

Fruit Logistica, the world’s best known freshproduce forum, has announced its candidates for theInnovation Award. The jury is comprised of expertsfrom production, quality management, wholesaledistribution and retail, as well as from the packagingand service sectors.• Tag e.V. Servicebüro, Germany: “Frische istLeben” – a three year, internationally-based campaign supported by the EU for the generic promotion of the consumption of fresh fruit andvegetables in Germany under the headline “Fresh isLife” • Abracad Technoworks BV, Netherlands: “Highspeed counting and packing device” – a fast andflexible feeding system which packs small bags intocartons • Banken Champignons BV, Netherlands:“Mushrooms to combine” – Four different freshmushroom mixes with recipes for the consumer • Behr AG, Germany: “Schwarzwurzeln/Steckrüben- küchenfertig geschält” – An attractive and convenient presentation of ready to cook black salsify and turnips • Ben-Dor Fruits and Nurseries Ltd., Israel:“Colored Apricots” – A colourful range of new,sweet and juicy apricots with different skin and

flesh colourings • Elbe-Obst Fruchtverarbeitung mbH, Germany:“Apfel-Schiffchen” – Cut dried apple slices produced using a special new technique to maintaincrispness and avoid browning • GreenWatt SA, Belgium: “On-site biogas plantturning organic waste into energy” – Small-scale,cost-saving installations suitable for locations suchas wholesalemarkets, packhouses etc. • Sofruileg, France: “Nergi” – A sweet tasting berryfruit derived from the kiwi with green flesh and asmooth, thin edible skin • Staay Food Group, Netherlands: “City-Farming” –A production concept for urban locations using LEDlighting to grow seedlings in 35 days under safe,controlled conditions • Tozer Seeds Ltd, UK: “Flower SproutTM” – Anew, small vegetable with attractive, green and purple frilly leaves, a cross between Brussel sproutsand kale

It’s expected that up to 55,000 visitors from 130countries will vote on the nominees at FruitLogistica. The winner will be announced onFebruary 8.

KELLY DAYNARD

Canadians continue to have anincreasingly positive impressionof Canadian agriculture, with 88per cent of those polled ranking itpositive or neutral, up from 81per cent in 2009 and 75 per centin 2006. That’s one of the keyfindings from the new 2012 Farmand Food Care “CanadianAttitudes Study towards Food andFarming” study.

“Our research shows thatalthough food and farming isn’t atop of mind issue for mostCanadians, most have an overallpositive impression of our food,how it’s grown and the peoplewho produce it,” says CrystalMackay, executive director, Farm& Food Care. “Canadians rankedfarmers as warmly and favourablyas their own family and friends,just slightly above doctors andother medical professionals.”

This year’s research, whichbuilds on previous studies datingback to 2001, was expanded toinclude gathering public opinionon the five pillars of sustainablefood: food safety, environment,farm animal health and welfare,human health and economics/foodaffordability.

Canadians feel they are gener-ally better informed about foodand farming than they were eventhree years ago, and more than

half of them are interested inlearning more. Approximately 70per cent of Canadians have visiteda farm at least once before. Otherfindings demonstrate thatCanadians are concerned aboutrising costs – including the cost offood – and many try to buy localby purchasing Canadian foodproducts when possible.

“This tracking research goes along way in helping farmers andpeople in the agri-food businessto understand what Canadiansbelieve, both today and in monitoring trends over time, asthey relate to the importance ofagriculture, interest and what people would like to know moreabout how their food is produced,” says Mackay.

Study highlights include thefollowing:

What’s top of mind?• When asked unaided, healthcareand the economy are the top ofmind issues facing Canadians. • Canadians are concerned aboutrising costs, particularly healthcare costs, food costs, and energycosts.

Overall impressions of agricul-ture and farmers• 56% of Canadians have a veryor somewhat positive impressionof Canadian agriculture, 32% areneutral. This is an increase from2009 at 52%, and 41% in 2006.• 61% of Canadians rated farmerswith a very warm and favourableimpression, at the top with familyand friends. Next on the list weredoctors/nurses and medical pro-fessionals at 54% and grocerystores/food retailers at 46%. • When asked to rank the five pillars of sustainable food, thesafety of the food Canadians eatand the overall health ofCanadians came out as the toptwo priorities, followed by foodaffordability, the environment andfarm animal welfare.

Knowledge of farming and food• 52% of Canadians know at leasta little about farming practices.

That’s an increase from 48% in2009. • 59% said they want to knowmore; specifically, abouthealth/safety issues, farm products and farming techniques.• 70% of Canadians have visited afarm at least once before.

Surveys were conducted onlineusing Ipsos Reid’s I-Say OnlineHousehold Panel in mid-Augustamong 1229 Canadian adults thathad no household connection toagriculture. Investment in thisproject has been provided by several agri-food industry

partners and by Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada through theCanadian Agricultural AdaptationProgram (CAAP). In Ontario,this program is delivered by theAgricultural Adaptation Council.

You can see more comprehen-sive results from the study onFarm & Food Care’s website. Goto www.farmfoodcare.org andclick on the “What’s New” button.

Kelly Daynard is the communications manager forFarm & Food Care Ontario.

Canadians are increasingly positivetoward food, farming and farmers inCanada, new study says

THE GROWER


Ron Mandryk offers eggplant and peppers at the farmers' marketlocated at the Ontario Food Terminal. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

Our researchshows that althoughfood and farmingisn’t a top of mindissue for mostCanadians, most havean overall positiveimpression of ourfood, how it’s grownand the people whoproduce it.”

~ Crystal Mackay

“

THE GROWER


The supply chain, representingabout 10 per cent of the retailer’sexpenses, can have significantimpact on sales and store condi-tions.

Retailers include three majorareas in supply chain: buying,warehousing and distribution.Remember-- buying is part of thesupply chain, not merchandising.Suppliers work with the merchan-disers or category managers, how-ever the buyer is in a differentpart of the business where theactual purchase order is initiated.Obviously they work together but,as retailers move to more centralprocurement, the buying decisionsare made from forecasting sys-tems as opposed to actual catego-ry knowledge and experience.

Many departments, especiallyproduce, have unique seasonaltrends that are very complex withthe product origins changingthroughout the year. You do notnegotiate with the buyers but youcan be a tremendous resource tothem. Buying too much, too little,or at the wrong time can have ahuge impact on the stores andsuppliers.

After the product is purchasedit usually goes into a warehouse.Some product goes direct to thestore if it is bulky, high volumefor an ad, or date sensitive. Costlyto operate, the warehouses andtheir inventory get a lot of focuswithin the supply chain.

Today, warehouses areextremely automated and it is

common for the people pickingthe orders to really have no ideawhere it will be going or what isgoing there. They are beingdirected by the system and it isreally just a number.

Some retailers are consideringflow systems by which the prod-uct comes from the supplier instore specific amounts and onlygets cross-docked as opposed tobeing entered into inventory. Ifyou go to the Sobeys website, youcan see a video of their ware-house in Vaughan, Ontario.

The final job for supply chainis to get the product to the store.Retailers are always figuring outhow to get more on a truck andsend the truck to the store fewertimes per week. It is always a tugof war. In departments like pro-duce, we would like to get a truckevery day at the store to ensurewe have the freshest product. Thisdrives sales and reduces shrink.The supply chain part of the busi-ness would prefer to add six pal-lets of hard lines to the back ofthe truck to fill the space. Theywould say we might sell more ifwe have more and we will proba-bly order it the next day anyway.

Trucking efficiencies representmillions of dollars to Walmart. Intheir simple yet effective businessmodel they strive to "deliver moreand drive less." This is a quotedirectly from the Walmart web-site:

Walmart U.S. Logistics is anindustry leader in the develop-ment and testing of advancedfleet technology as we worktoward our goal of doubling ourefficiency by 2015. We’re already69% more efficient, compared toour 2005 baseline. -Since 2007, the Walmart fleet

has delivered 361 million morecases while driving 287 millionfewer miles."Many retailers have back-

haul programs - they pick up sup-pliers' products after they deliverto the store. These can be mutual-ly beneficial to reduce costs anddeliver sustainability dividends.Re-usable plastic containers

(RPCs) are being used or investi-gated by many retailers. Thisimpacts suppliers, supply chainand retail.

Your business should befocused on the three major areas:bu ying, warehousing and distribu-tion. Make sure to develop goodrelationships with the buyers. Donot negotiate with them but helpthem with seasonality, lead-time,data integrity and ad volumes.They are buying what the systemtells them to buy. You have expe-rience and a much more narrowfocus. Don’t question every order

but, when you know something iswrong, make sure you help them.They are doing it for a reason -don’t assume they do not care,just work with them to understandyour perspective. If the buyerchanges, you might have to goback to the basics. Usually, assoon as you get them trained theywill get promoted, so accept thatand make it part of your businessplanning.

Learn as much as you canabout the warehouse. Any time atour is offered, take advantage ofit. Do not walk around and stare

up at the racking. Look at what ishappening and how they aredoing it. Is your label on the boxeasy to read? Do your cases stackproperly on the pallet? What canyou learn from other suppliers?

Many retailers use world lead-ers as models. Determine whatthese people do for warehousing -chances are it might be comingyour way.

As a supplier, understand yourcustomer’s supply chain system.This can have a significant impacton your business. Challenge youremployees to articulate what yourretail customers are doing and theimpact it will have on your busi-ness. You should do this at leastthree times per year. There is a lotmore to the retailer than just thestore!

Peter Chapman, a retail foodconsultant and professionalspeaker, is principal of GPSBusiness Solutions, based inHalifax, Nova Scotia. Peter workswith producers and processors tohelp them navigate through theretail environment with the ulti-mate goal of getting more itemsinto the shopping cart. [email protected].

Supply chain is critical

PETER CHAPMAN

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

For those of us in the food business, the holidays are one of thebusiest times of the year but also one of the most rewarding. It takes alot of work, planning and execution to succeed during the holidays. Iencourage you to get into the stores and check out the different pro-grams that the retailers have implemented.

Sobeys have their Inspired program, which is a combination ofCompliments items and food preparation ideas. They have a good pro-gram with more emphasis on providing information to customers onhow to prepare different items. I did not find any revolutionary newitems but there is lots of good information in the 56-page magazinethat is free.

Loblaws have the traditional Insider's Report with more emphasison President’s Choice items than preparation. There is some innova-tion here with the cake pops and taking the same concept into horsd’oeuvres as well. I have not tried them yet but the chocolate coveredpotato chips sound good!

Other retailers have similar programs that you should be familiarwith. Get into the stores before the good items sell out and try them.Perhaps you could have a tasting session with your employees, theymight get some inspiration from your customers and enjoy some timetogether around the holidays.

Holiday programs

KAREN DAVIDSON

Veg-Pak Produce Limitedtakes food safety seriously. Itmust.

Up to 10,000 pounds ofspinach are washed and packagedevery day in its Toronto, Ontarioplant. No matter where thespinach originates – Mexico,Texas, New Jersey or Ontario –the end product goes into a Pop-i package. That brand mustbe protected, not only for theCarnevale family owners but forthe entire food chain.

“We’ve got a lot of competi-tion from other leafy greens,”says Danny Carnevale, plant man-ager. “We have been following aHACCP-based program since2005 to meet the requirements ofthe major chains. Our commit-ment to food safety is one of thereasons we have been so success-ful in this business.”

To meet those standards,Taylor McCarthy’s full-time jobis quality assurance, taking watersamples every hour and makingsure that the spinach is in the per-acetic acid bath for a minimum of45 seconds before proceeding to adrum dryer.

“This sanitizer has proven tobe very effective,” saysMcCarthy. “We are an industryleader in using this productinstead of chlorine. It’s not ascorrosive on the stainless steelequipment.”

While half of McCarthy’swork day is on the plant floorenforcing hair net rules and prop-er handwashing, the other half isrecord-keeping. Procedures andmeasurements are meticulouslyrecorded for premises inspectionby the Canadian Food InspectionAgency and for third-party audits.For every new employee,McCarthy is the first stop fortraining.

Leafy greens such as spinachare particularly prone to contami-nation from E. coli or Salmonellabecause they are harvested closeto soil or exposed to substandard

irrigation water, a more commonproblem in Arizona andCalifornia. Infamously, a U.S.outbreak of food-borne illnesswas traced to organic spinach in2006 – an event which killedthree and sickened 31. Sincethen, food safety scientists havemade a concerted effort to pin-point management practices thatwill lessen the risk.

“Contamination can’t beremoved completely by washing,”states Keith Warriner, Universityof Guelph’s program director forfood safety quality assurance. “We lack effective decontamina-tion strategies post-harvest.”

With funding from theUniversity of California-Davis,Warriner is supervising a waterrecycling trial at the Veg-Pak

Produce plant. A common prob-lem in fresh-produce processingis that water quality deterioratesrapidly with the build-up oforganic matter and microbialloading. This can lead to reducedefficacy of sanitizers, as well ascross-contamination.

Warriner and his team arelooking to refresh and recyclewater, not just replace water. Theconcept is to coagulate organicmaterial in the water, then filterand decontaminate the water as itflows over ultraviolet lights. Thescience is relatively simple butthe task is far more challenging toramp up from the lab to factory-scale in a cost-effective way.Warriner’s system costs about$10,000 compared to the$100,000 price tag of currently

available water recycling systems. “Water management will be

the big buzz word for the nextfew years,” predicts Warriner.“We need to use less water andclean water better before releasing it.”

Other field research is under-way at Cornell University, NewYork using the GeographicInformation System (GIS). PhDstudent Laura Strawn and colleagues are checking producefields to see if they can predicthot spots for emergence of foodborne pathogens. If they aresuccessful, a more science-basedapproach will be developed toreduce the chances of bacterialcontamination. Farmers may beable to prevent problems bydraining standing water or

choosing to plant crops thatshould be eaten cooked ratherthan raw.

Listeria monocytogenes andSalmonella were found moreoften in water from irrigation tapsor streams, while E. coli wasequally prevalent across all sample types. Researchers hope tocombine this knowledge withGIS-generated, colour-codedmaps of any field with a historyor prevalence for a pathogen.Because spinach has been in thespotlight for product recalls,researchers are determined to findbetter management practices.Food safety lessons learned inspinach will be practical elsewhere in horticulture.

THE GROWER


Post-harvest and in-plant technologies may reduce foodborne illness

FOCUS: FOOD SAFETY

Thirty-pound totes of curly leaf spinach from eitherMexico, the U.S. or in the summer – Ontario and Quebec– are dumped onto a conveyor by an employee with glovesand a beard net.

Inspection workers clothed in lab coats, gloves and hairnets remove any debris or discoloured leaves before thespinach enters a peracetic acid bath for a minimum of 45seconds.

A strong food safety culture at the Veg-Pak Produce plantprotects the widely known brand of Pop-i spinach.

Veg-Pak Produce Limited has hired Taylor McCarthy to be a full-time quality assurance person inspecting spinach. Every hour, she takes awater sample at a critical control point where the peracetic acid sanitizer comes in contact with the spinach. The Toronto plant handles 10,000pounds of of spinach daily. Photos by Glenn Lowson.

THE GROWER


BEN CHAPMAN, AUDREYKRESKE AND DOUG POWELL

Editor’s note: The most recentexample of major food-borne illness in Canada is E. coli conta-minated beef from XL Foods.Food safety experts in the U.S.offer their perspective on how todo better.

Recent outbreaks, especiallythose with high-profile nationalstories demonstrate that publicconfidence in risk managementapproach can lead to financialimpacts. In 2008, U.S. tomatogrowers, wholesalers, and retailers in Florida lost an estimat-ed $250 million when they couldnot sell their product after aninvestigation of possibleSalmonella spp., outbreak linkedto their product resulting in anational health advisory.Consumer confidence in the safety of tomato products eroded,while food safety practices onfarms and throughout the supplychain were called into question.Other producers were also affect-ed by this health advisory andfound themselves answeringquestions about growing condi-tions, the safety of inputs (includ-ing water) handling and distribu-tion of products.

Recent fresh produce-relatedoutbreaks have created an environment where commoditygroups and producers are evenmore concerned about managingthe fallout after a foodborne incident.

Crisis management in the foodindustry has four phases:

• Prevention: Employing a goodfood safety culture, includingstaying current on risk factors• Preparation: Proactively planning for a problem and monitoring public discussion risk• Management: Implementing theplan using multiple messages andmedia• Recovery: Reassessing riskexposure and telling the story ofchanges

PreventionFood safety culture is how anorganization or group approachesfood safety risks, in thought andin behavior, and is a componentof a larger organizational culture.Creating a culture of food safetyrequires application of the bestscience with the best managementand communication systems. Firmowners and operators need toknow the risks associated withtheir products and how to managethose risks. Having technical staffin place to stay abreast of emerging food safety risks andconduct ongoing evaluations ofprocedures, supplier requirementsand front-line staff practices provides a necessary foundationfor a good food safety culture.

PreparationCrises will happen. Companies

who understand this, and are prepared to deal with them willsurvive. Those who are not risklosing their market – and oftendo. While proactively managingmicrobiological risks, organiza-tions with a strong culture of foodsafety also anticipate that outbreaks of foodborne illnessmay occur despite the use ofsound food safety systems.Industries strong in crisis man-agement including, informationsharing, monitoring and reactivecrisis communication skills, candrastically reduce the impact ofdeleterious and harmful media ifan outbreak arises (Jacob et al.,2011). Being prepared to speakopenly speaking about risk reduction strategies and demonstrating risk managementpractices can reduce financialimpacts and allow public trust tobe regained quicker than if afirm/industry had not planned.

ManagementAn increasing number of consumers seek food safety information from Internet sources,including one in eight Canadianconsumers and one in fourAmerican consumers.

Following 2006 (E.coli O157in spinach) and 2008 (SalmonellaSaintpaul in Serrano peppers)news spread through the Internetin an unprecedented fashion.Producers, processors, retailersand regulators of agriculturalcommodities must now pay particular attention to evolvingdiscussion and engage in the public discussion while the crisisis occurring. A firm or industrythat is not forthcoming with information of who knew what,when, and what decisions weremade sets itself up for loss oftrust because media and Internetdiscussion goes towards thesequestions.

During a crisis it is necessaryfor a company or industry to talkabout the science, discuss risks

and tell an interested public aboutwhat is known, what is unknownand on what evidence decisionsare made. Being available andunderstanding how media func-tions are also necessary skills forfood industry members.Withoutrecognizing deadlines or tellingsuccinct stories of risk manage-ment, individuals risk the chancethat others will fill the informa-tion vacuum with inaccurateinformation.

RecoveryA firm employing the best crisismanagement practices starts therecovery phase as soon as notifi-cation of a problem. Publicly,

producers must address the problem, apologize to affectedindividuals; and, reach out to themedia about risk-reductionchanges. It is best to establish adialogue with groups to demon-strate theorganization’s opennessand commitment to public safetyand health. Internally a firm plansfor reentry to the market, logisticsand how new risk-managementstrategies will impact other business activities. If there wasmedia attention around the crisisevent, the one-year anniversarywill often garner further coverage.An organization must be able todemonstrate that they havelearned something/changedprocess in response and assessinternally whether the same risksto public health exist by asking,“would we havethe outbreak again today?”

Ben Chapman is assistant pro-fessor, food safety extension spe-cialist with North Carolina StateUniversity. Along with his col-league Audrey Kreske and DougPowell, Kansas State University,he gave this talk at the GreatLakes Fruit, Vegetable and FarmMarket Expo in December 2011.

How to do a better job in managing crises in fresh produce FOCUS: FOOD SAFETY

Crises will happen.Companies whounderstand this, andare prepared to dealwith them will survive. Those whoare not risk losingtheir market – andoften do.

THE GROWER


FOCUS: FOOD SAFETY

Food safety keeps retailers up at nightPETER CHAPMAN

Food safety issues are neverpositive and they undermine a lotof good work done by a lot ofpeople. Food recalls happen everyweek. Recently, XL Foods wasin the news for many weeks dueto E.coli-contaminated beef.

When there is a food recall itis the retailer’s store which getsmentioned as often or more thatthe offending supplier. Forbranded items, the specific SKUis included but the retail storesalso have to be mentioned in therecall and in the media.

Retailers have purchased theproduct in good faith but now areassociated with the food safetyissue. For perishable productsthat are not branded, the retailer is

associated even more as the head-line will read “spinach or toma-toes from store ABC.”

Product recalls cost everyone alot of money. One factor that canget lost is the cost to the retailerwhose first task is to remove anyof the product from the store shelfand then to remove it from thedistribution system. This is verycostly as retailers have alreadypaid to distribute it to the store,put the product on the shelf andthen the tasks have to be reversed.Recalls also force retailers to putresources into tasks that do notadd anything positive to the shop-ping experience.

Almost every food safety issuecan be traced back to an incorrectprocess or a process that was notfollowed properly. This is frus-trating for retailers who purchase

product in good faith. There is nodoubt these breakdowns are notdone maliciously, however it isthe responsibility of the produceror processor to maintain safepractices. When issues arise, itputs significant strain on the rela-tionship with the retailer and theproducer.

The retailer’s expectation isthat the supplier will take foodsafety as seriously as they do.This has to be one area where theretailer and the supplier are work-ing effectively together.Knowledge in this area hasincreased significantly in recentyears and there is no excuse fornot building internal capabilities.There are many resources avail-able to assist in the developmentand implementation of food safe-ty programs.

When working with retail cus-tomers there is nothing worsethan saying: “No one has diedyet.” Producers and processorswho do not take food safety seri-ously will not be successful intoday’s environment. This mighthave worked in the past but it willnot work any more.

Employees should report to theleaders in the business to ensurethat they are not influenced bypeople focused on sales or pro-duction efficiencies. Challengeyour employees to stay currentwith retailers’ expectations forfood safety. Direct your foodsafety and sales people to updatethe management team at leasttwice a year on this topic. Theupdate should include what theretailer is demanding, how yourcompany is doing and also wherethe retailer is going. These foodsafety requirements add costs andif you do not prepare properlythey will add even more costs. If you do have a food safetyissue, make sure that you are upfront and honest. Many retailerslived through the Maple Leafissues with sliced meats. Thiswas a devastating incident andmany people across Canada wereimpacted with loss of life orsevere illness. One of the posi-tives to come out of a very terri-

ble situation was that the peopleworking at the highest level ofMaple Leaf Foods worked toresolve the situation with theretailers. The recent issues at XLFoods have resulted in fingerpointing between industry and theCanadian Food InspectionAgency. This does not build con-fidence with retailers or con-sumers. There are issues thatneed to be corrected and there isan immediate need for ownershipand accountability for allinvolved.

Food safety should keep us upat night because it is a very seri-ous issue. Our ability to providesafe food is a partnership and theonly successful partnerships arethe ones where all buy into theprocess and execute it flawlessly.Everyone in the value chain mustrespect each other’s roles with theultimate goal being to providesafe food.

Peter Chapman, a retail foodconsultant and professionalspeaker, is principal of GPSBusiness Solutions, based inHalifax, Nova Scotia. Peter workswith producers and processors tohelp them navigate through theretail environment with the ulti-mate goal of getting more itemsinto the shopping cart. [email protected].

As a follow up to the recentFresh Vegetables Growers ofOntario’s annual general meeting,OMAFRA’s food safety staffhave provided answers to somefrequently asked food safetyquestions and a sample ofresources that are available tohelp with all your food safetybusiness needs. You can findOMAFRA material online at:www.ontario.ca/goodagpracticesand for one-on-one help, call theMinistry’s Food Safety Staff at 1-877-424-1300.

Q: I need to write an SOP forcleaning my packing house.Where do I start?

A: Every farm has its own rou-tine. Standard OperatingProcedures (SOPs) simply meansthat you have written instructionsfor daily, weekly or monthly rou-tines. It provides information onhow to perform the job properlyand consistently. In farming, theroutines are likely similar buteach farmer may do them a littledifferently at different times ondifferent days. That is why it isimportant to have written instruc-tions that are specific to yourfarm.

OMAFRA can help you writeyour standard operating practices;the who, what, when and wheredetails of your routines. You canfind a template for creating SOPson the ministry websitewww.ontario.ca/goodagpractices.

OMAFRA staff can review yourSOPs to make sure you are head-ing in the right direction. Theonly thing they can’t do is writethem for you. SOPs are yourroutines and only you know how

you want them done. Having awritten document of your routinedirects workers to use the methodyou feel works best. Otherwise,you leave it up to chance that theemployee is doing the activity toyour expectation.

Q: Do I have to replace thewooden shelves in my agricul-tural chemical storage withnon-porous materials prior tomy first CanadaGAP audit?

A: No, but there is value in usingnon-porous materials.CanadaGAP requires that agricul-tural chemicals are stored in anarea that maintains the integrity

of the container and does not posea risk of contamination. If achemical spill occurs in the stor-age area, you will have to recordthis as a deviation on theCanadaGAP Form R (Deviations& Corrective Actions). This willthen require you to identify anymaterials that may have been con-taminated and dispose of themproperly (e.g. replace a woodshelf in order to prevent anychemicals that had soaked intothe shelf from contaminatingother products). Employeeswould then need to be retrainedon proper storage of agriculturalchemicals to avoid a reoccurrencein the future.

Q: My buyer wants to seemicrobiological test results ofmy irrigation pond. How do Isample?

A: It’s best to sample directly outof the irrigation line because irri-gation water is not homogenous --if you stir up sediment or takesamples too close to the edge itcan drastically alter your results.Most laboratories will provide asterile sample container onrequest. Let the irrigation linewater run for several minutes andthen take a sample from the endof the drip line or sprinkler head.Refrigerate the sample immedi-ately and transport it to the labunder refrigerated conditionswithin 24 hours. Ensure that thelab is aware that the sample is

irrigation and not drinking water.Following these steps will ensurea representative sample of yourirrigation pond water.

The Ministry of Agriculture,Food and Rural Affairs is com-mitted to safe food in Ontario.OMAFRA’s Food Safety staffcan help guide you through anyfood safety program. If you’re

not sure what you need, where tostart or who to call; contact theMinistry’s staff at 1-877-424-1300, and visit the Ministry’swebsite atwww.ontario.ca/goodagpracticesto get your resources today.

Resources available for on-farm food safety

CPMA would like to remindall members exporting to, or con-ducting business in the US, thatunder Food Safety ModernizationAct (FSMA), registration renewalof food facilities (food for humanor animal consumption) is a bien-nial requirement.

Please note the following

important information relative toregistration and registrationrenewal requirements:

The following information canbe found at the FDA Registrationwebpage:• New Registration Mandatesunder the FDA Food SafetyModernization Act

• Frequently Asked Questions• Sections of the Law Relating toRegistration• Guidance and Rules

UPDATE:FDA issued a guidance documentstating that because there was adelay in FDA’s implementation

of biennial registration renewalfor the 2012 cycle, and registra-tion renewal did not becomeavailable until October 22, 2012,FDA intends to exercise enforce-ment discretion with respect toregistration renewals submitted toFDA after December 31, 2012 fora period of 31 days, until January31, 2013. See Guidance forIndustry: Questions and AnswersRegarding Food FacilityRegistration (Fifth Edition)1.

More information: • As part of the provisions ofFSMA all domestic and foreignfood facilities that manufacture,

process, pack or hold food forhuman or animal consumption(including produce waste sold asfeed) in the U.S. must registerwith the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) and allregistered food facilities, includ-ing foreign facilities, are requiredto submit registration renewals toFDA during the registrationrenewal period. • Biennial Registration Renewalfor Food Facilities began at 12:01AM on October 22, 2012 andends December 31, 2012.

Lianne Wand is communica-tions director, Canadian ProduceMarketing Association.

Registration renewal of food facilities

LIANNE WAND

Royal Assent was recentlygiven to the Safe Food forCanadians Act [SFCA] (S-11)which will trigger regulations andpolicy designed to strengthengovernment’s role in food safety.

At recent meetings attended byCPMA, representatives of theCanadian Food InspectionAgency (CFIA) outlined howefforts will move forward withthe recent passage of S-11 including the following:• New regulations, which are currently over-prescriptive, willconsolidate 12 existing regulations into one (1), bestreamlined and gaps in regulated

products will be addressed• The SFCA enables the use of“Incorporation by Reference”which allows reference to otherdocuments (e.g. industry stan-dards) which can be amendedwithout regulatory change to anAct. • Preventative controls will berequired by everyone who islicensed (all involved in interna-tional and interprovincial tradewill require licensing)• Once CFIA have completed adraft of a simplified regulatoryframework there will be publicconsultation – anticipating con-sultation in Fall 2013 • The “Coming Into Force Date”of the regulations and the Act willbe synchronized

CPMA is pleased that govern-ment’s approach thus far hasincluded the intent to considerand align with the U.S. FDAFood Safety Modernization Act(FSMA) and its regulations, rulesand policy wherever possible.

More information: The CFIA webpage entitled SafeFood for Canadians Act states:“The Safe Food for CanadiansAct consolidates the authorities ofthe Fish Inspection Act, theCanada Agricultural ProductsAct, the Meat Inspection Act, and

the food provisions of theConsumer Packaging andLabelling Act”

The Act:• implements tougher penaltiesfor activities that put health andsafety at risk; • better control over imports; • a more consistent inspectionregime across all food commodi-ties; and • strengthening food traceability

For the complete content ofthe above site and other links,including Backgrounders, NewsReleases etc., please visit the following website: www.inspection.gc.ca

THE GROWERJANUARY 2013 –– PAGE 15

FOCUS: FOOD SAFETY

Royal Assent for the Safe Food for Canadians Act

PAM FISHER, DENISEBEATON, HANNAH FRASER,OMAFRA, AND ANNEMCDONALD HORST, SWDPROJECT COORDINATOR.

Spotted wing drosophila(SWD) was detected in Californiain 2008 and spread rapidlythrough the west coast berry pro-ducing regions in 2009-2010. Itquickly invaded the south-easternU.S., up the east coast in 2010-2011 and is also moving through-out Europe. In Ontario SWD wasfirst detected at a single locationin 2010, and by the end of 2011,SWD was present in traps in 60per cent of the sites monitored byOMAFRA .

Nevertheless, in 2012, therapid spread and build-up ofSWD in Ontario and neighbour-ing regions was a shock.

In this article, we will brieflyoutline our SWD monitoring pro-ject in 2012 and what we learned.For more details, and a fullreport, please visit the OMAFRAwebsite at www.ontario.ca/spot-tedwing . Our project was fundedby the Ontario Berry GrowersAssociation with funding from

Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.The Agricultural AdaptationCouncil assists in the delivery ofseveral Growing Forward pro-grams in Ontario. Apple cidervinegar was donated by the H.J.Heinz Company in Leamington.We also had assistance from theOntario Fruit and VegetableGrowers Association, and manycrop consultants, scouts and farm-ers.

We made our own SWD trapsusing 500 ml deli cups, trimmedwith red duct tape and punchedwith 17 3-mm holes around therim ( Figure 1). Apple cider vine-gar was used as a bait. Traps wereplaced at 110 sites, at the edges offields, in wild hosts and withincrops of strawberries, raspberries,blueberries, specialty berries, treefruit, grapes and tomatoes. Thebait was changed weekly and trapcontents were identified byOMAFRA students or at the PestDiagnostic Clinic in Guelphthrough our OMAFRA-Universityof Guelph lab agreement. Resultswere posted weekly on our SWDwebsite.

The first SWD was captured intraps collected on June 29, 2012,

six weeks ahead of last year. ByAugust, SWD had been trapped at90 per cent of the sites and in allthe counties monitored, fromLeamington toOttawa to Barrie andeven in NewLiskeard.Populations startedto increase at theend of raspberry har-vest and climbeddramatically into thefall. (Figure 2: SWDtrap catches inOntario 2011 and2012).

In 2012 we founddamage in all theberry crops, includ-ing raspberries,elderberries, dayneutral strawberries,blueberries, black-berries and evensome of the special-ty berry crops such as goji-berryand sea buckthorn. We reared thefirst flies from fruit collectedaround July 11, indicating thatdamage was occurring in the fieldat this time. First fruit damage inthe field was observed July 25, inboth raspberries and blueberries.

Significant damage occurred atsome sites before flies werecaught in traps. By August 14,damage was easy to find in blue-berries, raspberries and fall bear-ing raspberries where sprays hadnot been applied.

We also reared SWD adultsfrom many, many different wildhosts, such as wild brambles,dogwood, pin cherry, pokeweed,buckthorn, mulberry and night-shade. This indicates that SWD isa landscape-level pest that is allaround, not just in susceptiblecrops.

How to manage SWD in 2013:Management of SWD will requireexpensive and major changes tohow you manage your berry

crops, and it will also requireadditional insecticides to controlthis pest. Insecticides: Plan to protect yourfruit from SWD while it is ripen-ing and throughout harvest. In2012, there were five insecticidesregistered through the EmergencyUse Registration Program thatcould be used on berry crops. Wehope for similar registrations in2013. Spray strategies for berrycrops will be posted on our web-site. Meanwhile think about howyou can improve spray coverageby pruning or trellising blueber-ries and raspberries this winter.You might need to purchase newspray equipment. Wild hosts: Think about thelocation of wild hosts aroundyour fields. It is not possible, noris it a good idea, to rid your landof these wild hosts, but youshould know where they are.This will be important for earlydetection of SWD next year. Frequent harvest: The mostimportant part of an SWD controlprogram is harvesting on a tightschedule. Pick early, clean andoften. This is challenging forraspberries and strawberries, andeven more difficult in blueberries,but it is really critical. Plan onharvesting every two days inraspberries, blackberries andstrawberries. Think about thechanges which will be required tomanage labour and your pick-your-own customers. Monitoring: Learn as much asyou can about SWD. Make sureyou know what to look for andwhat the damage looks like in

berry crops. Monitoring for lar-vae is more important than moni-toring for adults in traps. It willshow you how well your pestcontrol program is working.Learn how to do the salt test, asoutlined on our website (Go towww.ontario.ca/spottedwing then

follow the links to monitoring andthen fruit sampling).

SWD meetings in 2013 Information for Ontario growersis updated frequently atwww.ontario.ca/spottedwingPlan to attend these meetings andconferences to learn about SWD.

February 19, 2013, OntarioBerry Growers AssociationAnnual Meeting, Embassy Suites,Niagara Falls• Guest speaker: Nate NourseFebruary 20-21, 2013: OntarioFruit and Vegetable Conference,Scotiabank Convention Center,Niagara Falls Guest speakers: • Tracy HueppelsheuserEntomologist, British ColumbiaMinistry of Agriculture• Susanna Acheampong,Entomologist, British ColumbiaMinistry of Agriculture Visit the OMAFRA booth in thetrade show for demonstrations onmonitoring, trapping and pestidentification. For more informa-tion and registration, visitwww.ofvc.caMarch 16, 2013: OntarioHighbush Blueberry GrowersAssociation Annual Meeting, PortElgin Guest speaker: Rufus Isaacs,Michigan State University.Contact Bill Parks (chair) [email protected] 2013: IPM TechnicalUpdate, Date TBA. ContactMargaret Appleby [email protected]

THE GROWER


Spotted Wing Drosophila in Ontario:what did we learn in 2012?

Figure 1: SWD traps used in 2012

Figure 2: SWD trap catches in Ontario 2011 and 2012.

THE GROWER


THE GROWER


New detections of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in OntarioHANNAH FRASER,ENTOMOLOGY-HORTICULTURE PROGRAMLEAD, OMAFRA

The brown marmorated stinkbug (BMSB) is an invasive alienspecies native to China, SouthKorea, Taiwan and Japan. It wasintroduced to North America inthe mid 1990s, and was firstdetected in Allentown,Pennsylvania in 2001. WhileBMSB is capable of naturalspread, the pest is also an excel-lent hitchhiker and can be movedover large distances in cargo andvehicles. At present it has beenfound in 39 states, though manyof these are simply detectionsrather than confirmed as estab-lished in the field.

BMSB has a very broad hostrange that includes tree fruit,berries, grapes, vegetables, agro-nomic crops, ornamental trees andornamental shrubs. Damageresults when nymphs and adultsfeed on either vegetative or fruit-ing plant parts. Adults overwinterin sheltered areas that mayinclude homes and other heatedbuildings. As they can aggregate

in very large numbers, the BMSBhas become a considerable nui-sance pest for home ownerswhere established. Aggregation inartificial structures is not commonamong stink bugs, and is a behav-iour that provides an early warn-ing of where BMSB has becomeestablished.

Following several homeownerfinds from 2010 and 2011, anestablished population of BMSBwas identified by OMAFRA dur-ing the summer of 2012 inHamilton, Ontario. There havebeen numerous homeowner findsscattered all over Burlington,which most likely indicatesBMSB is established there aswell. Adults were also collectedat two locations in Toronto, andthe same homeowner fromNewboro who had submitted aspecimen in the spring foundadditional specimens this fall.Despite province-wide surveys in2011 and 2012, BMSB has notyet been detected in crops.

BMSB tend to become estab-lished in urban areas first thendisperse to agricultural crops.The abundance of suitable land-scape hosts and proximity ofBMSB populations pose a serious

immediate risk to adjacent agri-cultural areas in Brant, Halton,Hamilton and Niagara counties.Growers in these areas should be

particularly vigilant about moni-toring for BMSB.

Malathion 85E has been regis-tered for suppression of BMSB in

berry crops. A national technicalworking group has been estab-lished to prioritize research needs,including potential managementsolutions.

Early detection is important tothe long term success of manage-ment programs. We need to havea better understanding of wherethis pest is and how well it isestablished. There is a monitoringnetwork for this pest and we hopeto conduct surveys in 2013/2014;however, we have a better chanceof finding pockets of small popu-lations if more people are activelylooking. Tracking the distributionand spread is essential.

Many of those reportingBMSB indicated they’ve beenseeing them for three or fouryears; they just didn’t realize theywere looking at something new.If you think you have foundBMSB, contact the AgricultureInformation Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or [email protected], andwe will provide you with instructions on what to do withthe sample (Note that high resolution pictures are useful foridentification).

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

Marc AndréLaberge (QC)514-984-4589

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

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

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

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

Laura Caralampides (QC)514-984-0662

~ Quality Seed Since 1881 ~

Quality Seed Quality Service Quality Information

www.StokeSeeds.com

Strawberry aphids and their management in Ontario strawberry farmsRACHEL DE JONG, SUMMER ASSIS-TANT, AND PAM FISHER, BERRYCROP SPECIALIST, ONTARIOMINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOODAND RURAL AFFAIRS, SIMCOE,ONTARIO

The strawberry aphid (Chaetospihon fragaefolii) is one of several aphid speciesthat are found in strawberry fields.Sometimes, aphids cause damage due tothe formation of sooty mould, which devel-ops on the honeydew secreted by aphids,and occasionally causes damage to leavesand fruit. More significantly, strawberryaphids can transmit viruses from onestrawberry plant to another. Viruses whichare spread by the strawberry aphid includestrawberry yellow edge virus, strawberrycrinkle virus, strawberry mottle virus, andstrawberry vein banding virus.

When magnified, strawberry aphids canbe distinguished from other aphids by thepresence of small hairs with knobbed endsall over their body. They are pale green toyellow in colour, and range in size from0.8-1.1mm for nymphs to 1.3-1.5mm for

adults. Adults have long antennae, as longas, or longer than their body. They preferto feed on the underside of leaves wherethey are usually found.

To scout for strawberry aphids examinethe back of new leaves which have not yetuncurled (Figure 1) . Use a handlens ormicroscope to confirm the presence of theknobbed hairs, which is characteristic of

the strawberry aphid.It is important to control strawberry

aphids to prevent the spread of virusesfrom one plant to another. Strawberryaphids are active early in the season, andpopulations generally peak in May or Junein Ontario. Therefore, early season control

is important. Start with an early seasonapplication of Admire, followed up if nec-essary by applications of Assail orThionex. Do not neglect new plantings.See OMAFRA publication #360 and theproduct label for complete details.

BERRY FOCUS

Figure 1: Aphids (species not determined)on new growth of strawberry plant

Product Rate Comments Pre-harvest

interval

Admire 240 F

(Group 4)

850 mL – 1.3 L /ha

Apply as a soil drench when newgrowth begins in the spring, or shortlyafter transplanting. Apply to soil in2,000 L water/ha over the plant row.Maximum number of applications peryear = 1.

30 days

Assail 70 WP

(Group 4)

56-86 grams/ha Apply as a foliar spray. Use the highrate under heavy pressure, and repeatapplication if necessary.

1 day

Thionex 50 W

(Group 2A)

2.0 kg/ha Apply as a foliar spray in 2000 L ofwater per hectare. Maximum number ofapplications per year = 2.

7 days

Thionex EC

(Group 2A)

2.5 litres/ha Apply as a foliar spray in 2000 L ofwater per hectare. Maximum number ofapplications per year = 2.

7 days

Figure 1: BMSB adult. Look for two obvious white bands on other-wise dark antennae, inward-pointing white triangles between darkmarkings along the edge of the abdomen, and a smooth edge along thepronotum or “shoulders.” They are mottled brown-grey dorsally anda have a pale underside. Legs have faint white bands.

THE GROWER


New caneberry production manualfrom the University of California

The University of California,Agriculture and NaturalResources is pleased to announcethe new Fresh Market CaneberryProduction Manual. This caneber-ry production manual is designedspecifically for Western freshmarket growers, but has points ofinterest for eastern growers. Chapters include:• Plant description• Flowering and fruit production• Plant varieties• Macro-tunnel and field manage-ment• Pest management• Irrigation, water quality, andfertility• Training and pollination• Harvest methods• Post-harvest handling

Manuals are available for $25

in the California online catalog atucanr.edu/caneberry. Volume dis-counts may apply. For moreinformation please feel free tocontact Marissa Palin, University

of California, Agriculture andNatural Resources, 1-530-754-3934. [email protected]. Placean order anytime at http://anrcata-log.ucanr.edu

BERRY FOCUS

The 2013 Becker Forum theme is “Managing Human Resources in Agriculture: Creative Steps when Public Policy Fails.” This day-long session focuses on navigating the new political landscape, addressing current H2A challenges and human resources challenges. The Becker Forum will be hosted at the Doubletree Hotel, East Syracuse, NY. Just off the thruway. (Pre-registration is required.)

The 2013 Expo is three full days of fruit, vegetable, flower, marketing and labor sessions. Breakouts include labor, tree fruit, berries, flowers, marketing, vine crops, potatoes, and direct marketing. Jim Prevor, “The Perishable Pundit” will be this year’s keynote speaker. And don’t miss Don Frantz’s, The American Maze Company, inspirational talk on making little ideas pay off in a big way during the Direct Marketing session on Thursday, January 24, 2013.

The Expo Trade Show just keeps getting bigger and better! Check out the newest products, services, and specialized equipment for the fruit, vegetable, and direct marketing industries. The trade show will be open all three days in the exhibit. Stop by the trade show Tuesday afternoon for a little “Taste of Syracuse.” Area restaurants will offer tasting. On Wednesday, be sure not to miss the afternoon complimentary Ice Cream Social.

2013 Empire State Producers Expo

January 21-24, 2013

3 E120 epirEm eatte S oducPr s Excer xpo3 E120 epirEm e atte S oducPr s Excer xpo

Janu y 2uar 4, 21-2 3120

COMING EVENTS

January 14, 15, 16: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’Association Annual Meeting, The Crowne Plaza Hotel , NiagaraFalls, Ontario www.ofvga.org

January 22-24: Empire State Producers EXPO, OnCenter, SyracuseNY. Day-long berry session Tuesday 1/22/13 and blueberry intensiveWednesday morning 1/23/13. To register: http://nysvga.org/expo/info

January 27-30: North American Strawberry Growers AssociationAnnual Meeting, Portland OR. Kevin Schooley, 613-258-4587,[email protected] or www.nasga.org

January 28-30: North American Raspberry andBlackberry/Strawberry Growers Association Annual Meeting,Portland OR. More information: 919-542-4037, [email protected]

January 29-31: Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention,Hershey, PA. More information: William Troxell, 717-694-3596,[email protected] or www.mafvc.com.

February 19: Ontario Berry Growers Association Annual Meeting,Embassy Suites, Niagara Falls, Ontario [email protected]

February 20-21: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention–Scotiabank Convention Center, Niagara Falls. www.ofvc.ca

February 27 – March 1: US Highbush Blueberry Council SpringMeeting, in Savannah, GA. More information: 916-983-0111 orwww.blueberry.org

March 12-15: Canadian Hort Council Annual General Meeting,Westin- Ottawa. http://www.hortcouncil.ca/

March 16: Ontario Highbush Blueberry Growers Association AnnualMeeting. Port Elgin. Contact [email protected]

December 4-7: Joint North Carolina Strawberry GrowersAssociation and North American Strawberry Growers AssociationConference, Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, North [email protected] or www.ncstrawberry.com

On-farm food safety: receiving inputsWhen inputs arrive on the

farm, it is always a good foodsafety practice to check that itemsare not damaged or showing signsof tampering, and that thereceived items match your order.Mistakes can happen during ship-ping and using the wrong productor a damaged product can lead to

a food safety risk. After you have confirmed your

order, sign and date the invoices,bill of lading or packing slips andkeep them on file for future refer-ence or a potential food safetyaudit.

Food safety practices con-tribute to competitive, productive

and sustainable agri-food busi-ness. For more information, visitthe Ontario Ministry ofAgriculture Food and RuralAffairs website atwww.ontario.ca/goodagpracticesor call us at 1-877-424-1300.

THE GROWER


BITS AND BITES

Five reasons why producers should use social mediaFarm Credit Canada (FCC)

says being active on social medianetworks such as Twitter andFacebook can provide businessvalue to producers and agri-busi-nesses.

“Social media is here to stayand it’s a natural fit for the agri-culture and agri-food industry,”says Kellie Garrett, Senior Vice-President, Strategy, Knowledgeand Reputation. “Since manyfarms and agri-businesses arelocated mostly in rural areasacross Canada, social media is aconvenient tool that makes it easi-er to build relationships and stayon top of the latest information.Current smart phone technologyputs social media right in yourpocket, allowing you to maximizeyour valuable time.”

Five reasons producers andagri-businesses should use socialmedia:

1. Stay informed about industrynews and trendsMost news organizations andmany agriculture experts are onTwitter and Facebook. By follow-ing or liking their social mediaaccounts, links to the latest arti-cles and videos come to you.

2. Research best practicesIn social media, distance is mean-

ingless. It has never been quickeror easier to share knowledge andbest practices, no matter whereyour networks and sources arelocated.

3. Build stronger customerrelationshipsSocial media is a great way tofind new markets and customers,and strengthen relationships withthe customers you already have.You can also ask them what theywant from you and your business.

4. Connect with suppliers andservice providersThe companies that you deal withare likely on social media.Equipment manufacturers anddealers, fertilizer companies,grain handlers and even lenders,including FCC (@FCCagricultureon Twitter), provide news andinformation to their customersand offer customer supportthrough their social media chan-nels.

5. Promote the agricultureindustryThe agriculture and agri-food sys-tem is Canada’s largest employerand Canada is the fifth largestexporter of agri-food and seafoodproducts in the world. Yet despitea promising future, mispercep-

tions about the industryexist. Social mediamakes it easy for youto advocate for yourindustry by engaging indialogue with others.For example,Agriculture More ThanEver is an industrycause that makes iteasy for those in agri-culture to share theirpositive ag storiesthrough social media(www.agriculture-morethanever.ca or onTwitter@AgMoreThanEver).

“Start with the mostpopular social medianetworks, such asTwitter(www.twitter.com) andFacebook (www.face-book.com),” saysGarrett. “You don’tneed to tweet or postcontent every day torealize the benefits.Follow influential people and organiza-tions in the ag industry and tryretweeting or sharing posts thatinterest you. As you follow othersand share content, your own fol-lowing will grow.”

Find accounts to follow by

looking at who others follow. Forexample, on Twitter, FCC hasmore than 1,300 English andFrench followers and followsabout 200 organizations and indi-viduals who are influential inCanadian agriculture.

OMAFRA specialists to follow:Kristan Callow @weedprofeshJanice LeBoeuf @ontariotomatoLeslie Huffman @ontapplelady

THE GROWERJANUARY 2013 –– PAGE 21

BITS AND BITES

�� !��"#��!��

��

��

$� ��%��&�� &�#'()"*")*+",-��.�� &��

�� &�"'/)+*')"++0

1��2��1�� 3��2��222!��2��!4 �+**)/"0)5,,,

�678�%6��4��%�� 9��:��4� 4�� 4;�!�� <��4� 4��2��2��=��4;��>� ��?�� !�� !"�#�$%&��'��

��

$�86@�%$��A�� 4��4 �� =��4;�� @��2��2��!�� !��()*+#�,�-�.��

B�1%�@%�6@-��4� ��2 �� 4�� >� �?��C�� !�'"�)�'+��!�B ��4�� 4�� 4��-�� ++��!

��!#%��!#%

��

��

Seasonal workers saluted in painting The Migrant Worker

Community Program (MWCP)has presented the OntarioGreenhouse Vegetable Growers(OGVG) with a painting titledThe Migrant Worker to honourthe financial and moral supportthey have given over the years.

The painting was presented atlast fall’s Fiesta Patrias:Celebration of Two CulturesFestival, one of the many events

that MWCP coordinates each yearin Leamington, Ontario.

The Migrant Worker is bylocal Leamington artist, HaroldBurton and it was selected notonly for its obvious affiliationwith the local farm industry, butfor its deep symbolism of themigrant workers. The image ofthe migrant worker dominates thepainting and the attention to detailthe worker is putting into his

work parallels the care and detailthe migrant workers put into theirwork everyday. This work ethichas contributed greatly to the suc-cess of the greenhouse industryand the Ontario Greenhousegrower community.

Bee Care Center to open in Research Triangle ParkBayer CropScience has announced plans

to break ground in February on its NorthAmerican Bee Care Center, which willserve as a gathering place for researchers,bee experts, students and other visitors tomeet regularly with leading Bayer scientists. The Bayer Bee Care Center isdedicated to promoting and protecting beehealth so that these hard-working, beneficial insects can continue to providehive products as well as pollination services.

The center is to be located at the BayerCropScience North America headquartersin Research Triangle Park, North Carolinaand is scheduled for completion in July2013.

The North American Bee Care Centerwill include:· Full laboratory and research apiary, aswell as honey extraction and workshopspace needed to conduct bee health

research and to support a practical apiculture. The research will focus onIntegrated Pest Management for the multiple causes affecting bee health, suchas parasites, like the Varroa mite, predators, diseases, seasonal management,and environmental stressors· The active promotion of bee-responsibleuse of Bayer products along with communication activities worldwide· State-of-the art meeting, training and presentation facilities for beekeepers, farmers and educators to provide resourcesand an interactive learning center

Bayer’s new North American Bee CareCenter is the second established by thecompany to promote bee health. In 2012,its global Bayer Bee Care Center wasestablished at the joint headquarters campus of Bayer CropScience and BayerAnimal Health in Monheim, Germany.

Lorraine Gibson, (L) chair and program supervisor, The MigrantWorker Community Program presents “The Migrant Worker” paintingto James Cornies, Ontario Greenhouse Growers Association.

THE GROWER


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

EQUIPMENT

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

FALL is the best time to buy, lease, or trade for best pre-seasonpricing and more time to recondition, advertise, and sell your trade.

** LOW DRIFT SPRAY TOWERS to fit any TURBO-MIST - IN STOCK NOW**

Turbo-Mist 600 gal, Used 3 Yrs, Like New , Meyers Pump . . . . . $16,800Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Myers Centrifugal Pump, Nice Clean. . . . . . $11,500Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Diaphram Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,500Turbo-Mist 400 gal, Electric Controls, Split Boom, Low Hours. . . . $8,500 Turbo-Mist 400 gal, Electric Controls, Tall Spray Tower . . . .. . . . $10,300 Turbo-Mist 400 gal, Hydraulic Controls, Split Boom, Low Hours. . $12,700 Turbo-Mist 400 gal, Hydraulic Controls, Tall Tower, Almost New . $14,500 John Bean/FMC 500 gal, Stainless Steel, Piston Pump, A-1. . . . . . .$7,500 Good Boy 600 Litre, Low Hours, Looks Like New . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,600Hardi 3 P.H., 400 Litre, Exc Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,500

SEE OUR NEW APPLE BIN CARRIER & TURBO-MISTDISPLAY AT NIAGARA CONVENTION FEBRUARY 19, 20

WANTED NOW: CLEAN USED

SPRAYER TRADES

Pipe& Fittings

for Water Systems• PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper

• Stainless, Brass, SteelProduct Lines

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

Winona Concrete & Pipe Products Ltd.

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

[email protected]

Phone (905) 945-8515 Fax: (905) 945-1149

or call toll-free

1-800-361-8515

Made inCanada

ALL STAINLESS STEEL

Heavy Duty Construction6 Cup Carousel for Faster SpeedsDeep Square Cups for Bigger Plants17” Wavey Coulter is StandardCushion Seat is StandardQuick Change Plant SpacingQuick Change Plant DepthSpecial Unit for Onions is Available

RJV 600 TRANSPLANTER

Available in 1 to 10 Row ConfigurationsMinimum and No-Till options are available

Plant spacing Down to 4” and Up to 36”Please call if you have Customized Planting Needs

75 Industrial Ave., PO Box 1180, Blenheim, ON, N0P 1A0 • Ph: (519) 676-4110 • Email: [email protected]

Read the paper online atwww.thegrower.org

CASPER’S ORCHARD EQUIPMENTAll equipment is in perfect working order and can be

seen at location in Aylmer, ON Tel. 519-773-5635 E-mail: [email protected]

FOR SALE: • Allis Chalmers WD45 tractor $2,450. • 1100 lb. 3pth weight box for loader tractor $600. • 6’ Benn crowfoot packer $500. • Tandem auto trailer 8 ½’ x 12 ½’ c/w straps (holds 6

bins) $1,500. • H.D. 3pth nursery tree digger, 20” blade $1,450. • Mechanical model 1980 nursery tree & raspberry

planter $2,850. • Josef Kihlberg air stapler & staples for wooden handle

fruit baskets $675. • Honda 4hp 2” transfer pump (Kodiak) non China –

brand new, still in box $375.• Oxy/propane cutting torch c/w cart (as new) $350.

[email protected] EQUIPMENT

OUR SPECIALITY

NEW . . USED . . SERVICE

YOUR SOURCE FORJOHN BEAN AND

DURAND-WAYLAND

YOUNOW

have beento the rest,

call theBEST!!P

HIL

LIP

SFA

RM

SU

PPLIE

S

FOR SALE - Farm Equipment- Holland Marsh- Irrigation Pumps plus 3", 4",5" Wade pipes and fittings- 2 x 165 Massey tractors- 8 x Horst 8 ton wagons w/ 16'platforms- 3 x Horst 10 ton wagons w/ 20'platforms- FMC sprayer w/60 gal per minpump, 500 gal. ss tank, Ravencontrolled, 62' boom- FMC sprayer w/60 gal per minpump, 500 gal. ss tank, electron-ic control, 72' boom- Allis Chalmer 500 forklift w/21' mast, excellent condition- various other equipment forvegetable farmingContact - JOHN - 905-955-5811

CLASSIFIEDS

ATTENTIONVEGETABLE GROWERS

VISIT US AT THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL FARM SHOW, HALL 3

PHONE 705-458-4003 [email protected]

Specialized Planting Equipment from Checchi & Magli, Sfoggia and Stanhay

Scova Diesel Pumps Ocmis Hard Hose Reel

Full line of Checchi & Magli Multivator

THE GROWER



CONTAINERS

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

REAL ESTATE

POLLINATIONBLUEBERRY PLANTS from rooted cuttings. Virus and disease tested. In 1 gal, 5 gal and 7 gal pots. Over ten different varieties. Price discount on large order.

Bleuetiere & Pepiniere de Parisville.Parisville Blueberry Farm & Nursery

819-287-5707www.bleuetsparisville.ca

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

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

persimmon, pawpaw, fig & more.

Proprietor Ernie Grimo

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

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

GLADIOLUS BULBSWide variety selection for retail sales and

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

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

NURSERY AND ROOTSTOCK

Wanted: TEW donut dryer forapple grader, 16” or 24” model.I am located in NS. [email protected] or call 1-902-678-7301

CLASSIFIED AD?866-898-8488

x 221

CLASSIFIEDS

THE GROWER



Good Reasons to Contract Your Pruning:

• Experienced crew• Exact costing• Free estimates• Job completion on time• No additional costs

associated with general labour• Improved quality• reduced harvesting and

maintenance costs

Available anywherein Ontario!

Simply the best approach tothis important factor of fruit

production

Call Dave (519) [email protected]

PRUNING


R.R. #4 Creek RoadNiagara-on-the-Lake, ON. L0S 1J0

Tel: (905) 262-4971Fax: (905) 262-4404

[email protected]

Howard A. ColcucNursery Manager

SPECIALIZING IN FRUIT

TREES & GRAPE VINES &

ELDERBERRIES.

VARIETY AND PRICE LIST

AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

AlpineNurseries(Niagara) Limited

Strawberry &Raspberry

Plants

Strawberry &Raspberry

PlantsEstablished 1939

yyrrwberwberStraStraStrrawberryy &y &y &rrRaspberRaspber

PlantsPlantsRRaspberr

Pllantsyyrrry

STRAWBERRY PLANTS***CERTIFIED***

RASPBERRY CANESProducers of Quality stock for 46 years. Grown under the

Nova Scotia Certification Program. Shipping across North America.

Contact us for more information and a free brochureG.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD.

7295 Hwy 221Centreville, N.S. B0P 1J0

ph. 902-678-7519 fax: 902-678-5924Email: [email protected] www.gwallennursery.com

KEDDYC.O.

• Certified Strawberry Plants & Raspberry Canes• All popular varieties available

• Grown under the Nova Scotia Certification program. Plants shipped across North America.

Contact us for a FREE brochure!

982 North Bishop Road, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 3V7Ph: (902) 678-4497 Fax: (902) 678-0067

Email: [email protected]

ASPARAGUS ROOTSJersey Giant

Wrightland FarmRR 1 • 1000 Ridge Rd. Harrow, ON N0R 1G0

Keith: 519-738-6120Fax: 519-738-3358

ASPARAGUSCROWNS

Available for Spring 2013Millennium

Mary WashingtonSweet Purple

Sandy Shore Farms Ltd.(519) 875-3382

[email protected]

THE GROWER



IRRIGATION

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

Vacuum Coolers, Refrigerated Dehumidifiers.KOOLJET®

Reliable Refrigeration Systems

1-866-748-7786 www.kooljet.com Visit our website to view our complete line

Custom Built Designs • Domestic and International Markets

REFRIGERATION

VEGETABLE SEED

Oriental Vegetable Seeds

AgroHaitai Ltd. Ph: 519-647-2280 • Fax: 519-647-3188

[email protected]• www.AgroHaitai.com

Szechuan Red

Black Pearl

Korea Green - F1

Dan Fong


TOP QUALITY PRODUCERS OF Custom seeded ORGANIC and CONVENTIONAL vegetable plug transplants

Tomatoes, Peppers, Brassica/Cole crops, Cucurbit/Vine crops, Lettuces, onions & leek

THE ONLY LICENSED PROPAGATOR IN ONTARIO PRODUCING STRAWBERRY PLUG TRANSPLANTS

***Bank on the benefits of using top quality ACTIVELY growing berry plants***

CONTACT US NOW TO RESERVE SPACE FOR YOUR 2013 CROP NEEDS

CARTHER PLANTS & PRODUCE“MAXIMIZING YOUR PROFIT POTENTIAL”

30627 Jane Rd., RR5 Office 519.695.5445Thamesville, ON N0P 2K0 Cell 519.359.2130

[email protected] Fax 519. 695.5452

CHANGE OFADDRESS?

CLASSIFIEDAD?

866-898-8488 x 221

Our average visit duration is 9 minutes.

Imagine the advertising potential.www.thegrower.org

Herb Sherwood @ 519-380-0118

THE GROWER


How does a country manage tonegotiate a “Good Deal” whenbartering its trade with all theother countries around the world?How can any trade negotiationsoccur amid the distractions surrounding the delegates? Howcan the interests that “are notnegotiable” be kept off the tablewhen all the other countriesdemand that they BE on thetable?

So it is when the Trans PacificPartnership (Trade) Agreementfolks meet WHEN in ‘The Cityof Sail.’ Auckland New Zealandhas one sailboat for every threecitizens, plus thousands more thatbelong to visitors. On top of that,there are literally thousands ofinteresting sights to see, visit, orexplore. The dining opportunitiesrival Quebec City or someEuropean capitals. How then canthe delegates get their job done?

The answer is that many ofthem do NOT expect to get itdone! Some of these negotiatorshave met dozens of times before.

They play the game, live a goodlife, see much of the world, andknow they can always meetagain! It is a fact of life that tradeis extremely complicated andinvolves a great many interests(most of which the average Joecould never have thought of) thatmust be taken into account. Theblockbuster deals (like the one theBlue Jays pulled off this winterwith Miami) just almost neverhappen. It is the first time thatCanada and Mexico have beeninvited to attend, so I am surethey have ‘lots to learn’ in catch-ing up to the others for whom thisis the 15th meeting.

Just as an aside, most of thesefolks are really nice people intheir own right. Its just that theyare being asked to accomplishsomething beyond most peoples’grasp.

Local New Zealand papers arefull of local demands, such as thatCanada and the U.S. revoke alldairy protection measures or nodeal on anything else. They arealso leery of the inter-countrylegal ramifications and cite hugepenalties levied against countriesunder other deals when a partnerdoes not follow the ‘rules.’ Thereare many other countriesinvolved, and they all have theirlist of demands and needs.Sounds just like NAFTA onlymore-so, doesn’t it?

It might be interesting if onewas allowed inside the actualnegotiating sessions. I, for one,would like to see something ‘simple’ like a Pan Pacific version of CODEX be set up

where all participating countrieswould agree to one set of residuelimits for all pesticides and for alltradable commodities. Since mostor all of the countries involvedalready participate in globalreviews of new active ingredients,it would be a very simple step onthose ones. A cross-comparisonon all the other registered activesis simpler than many realize--itonly takes the will to do it. Thesavings would be great for allcountries, and the payback enormous with freer trade movement of food-- a strongpolitical reason to do so. (To saynothing of the political pressure itcould put on CODEX to getEurope moving faster than at asnail’s pace!)

I suppose the delegates at thesemeetings only work at the highestlevels of detail, and such a ‘concept’ is beneath their workinglevel. Too bad, because agree-ment on something like this couldopen more doors for the big dealthey are all looking for. Just likewhen the Blue Jays entered discussions on one player, andended up in a 12-player swap, sotoo a trade deal could happen.

Am I the only one who wonders who and how countrydelegates for such talks are chosen? Does agriculture havesomeone who actually knowswhat happens on a farm? Do theyhave a plethora of contacts whoactually KNOW the significanceand importance of the outcomesof each ‘chess-board move’ thatmay be happening? What wouldhappen if they made a ‘bad deal’

for our farmers? Would they losetheir job, or get promoted fordoing a deal? Is ‘ANY’ deal agood deal as far as they are concerned?

It is no wonder that our majorexporting agriculture commoditygroups have representatives hereto ‘play the hallways’ and to provide backup information. Eventwo provinces – British Columbiaand Alberta -- have official delegates. All those not here runthe risk of being put up as ‘trade-bait’ to help other sectors.The worst part is in not knowingthe political motivations of theactual delegates. Only time willtell if anything comes out of themeetings – good or bad.

It may be that such meetingsshould be held in awful places inthe dead of winter when they allmust stay indoors and not enjoythe distractions. Auckland is sucha great place to visit, (and it’ssummertime there) I can onlyhold out hope that only good outcomes arise, but I won’t holdmy breath!

All of this is a mere happenstance for me, as a resultof being asked earlier to make apresentation to a working groupof the Organization of EconomicCooperation and Development(OECD) working group in another New Zealand town downin the South Island. This groupalso moves meetings around theglobe, to enfranchise all participating countries. It wasmuch more of a ‘working group’and our discussions revolvedaround measuring the uptake of

Integrated Pest Management(IPM) programs, and the riskreduction evaluations. Manycountries, and especiallyEuropean ones, have moved boldsteps ahead in legislating for IPMto be THE only pest controlapproach. There were representa-tives of the organic and bio-dynamic proponents presentto add their voices to the discussions, and their needs canbe easily encompassed in the IPMapproaches. It was interesting tosee the varying degrees of IPMuptake, the levels of governmentsupport in various countries, andthe differing approaches that havebeen made.

I was able to raise a key pointabout the need for a workableminor use program to provide thetools, be they conventional chemical or biological, which areneeded to support these programs.This is even more important aswe all face increasing threats ofinvasive species, or resistantstrains of pests we have formerlybeen able to control. Not all thecountries have such a program,and much interest was raised. Oursuccess in these areas stands us ingood stead, and we may see moreforeign delegates at our MarchPriority Meetings, looking to seehow we do it!

As nice as this setting hasbeen, I think Canada should offerto host it next time--in a placelike Kapuskasing! There wouldbe few distractions in January anda better chance to force discus-sions throughout the meetings!

What a concept.

CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Who negotiates for you?

CRAIG HUNTEROFVGA

MINOR USE

Airblast spayer courseopen for 25 participants

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention will be the site of aninteractive airblast sprayer course developed by Jason Deveau,OMAFRA’s application technology specialist. It’s scheduled forFebruary 21 from 9:30 am to noon, room 203 of the ScotiabankConvention Centre, Niagara Falls.

Deveau has designed the course to introduce new airblast operatorsto the basics of spraying, and to refresh seasoned veterans by teachingnew technologies and management practices. Upon completing thisworkshop, participants will be better able to:- Calibrate airblast sprayers- Match sprayer settings to various crops, sizes and growth stages- Optimize spray distribution and quality to achieve the “right” amountof coverage with minimal waste- Diagnose spray coverage using water-sensitive paper

Participants will receive the new 2013 Airblast 101 course work-book, which illustrates the most current practices in airblast applica-tion. The session is limited to the first 25 participants to ensure aninteractive experience. The workshop fee is $25.

To register call Nancy Gonsalves: 416 622 9771 ext 2221 or email:[email protected]

JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA,MINOR USE COORDINATOR,GUELPH

The Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof URMULE registrations forTorrent 400SC Fungicide for con-trol of late blight on field toma-toes and suppression of downymildew on Brassica vegetables,

crop group 5 in Canada. Theactive ingredient cyazofamid wasalready labeled on potatoes,cucurbits, spinach, basil, lettuce,beans and carrots for severalimportant diseases.

These minor use projects weresponsored in 2011 and early 2012by the minor use office ofOMAFRA as a result of minoruse priorities established bygrowers and extension personnel.The minor use label expansionsfor Torrent 400SC Fungicide area significant step towards devel-oping an improved pest manage-ment toolkit for these diseases inCanada.

The following is provided asan abbreviated, general outline

only. Users should consult thecomplete label before usingTorrent 400SC Fungicide.

For a copy of the new minoruse label for tomatoes contactJanice LeBoeuf, OMAFRA,Ridgetown (519) 674-1699; forBrassica vegetables contactMarion Paibomesai, OMAFRA,Guelph (519) 826-4963 or visitwww.engageagro.com

THE GROWER


Fungicide label expanded to control diseases on field tomatoesand Brassica vegetables

MINOR USE

BUGS OR BILLS?TAKE THE BITE OUT OF BOTH.

Here’s the latest buzz: Get the same active ingredients at a fair price.

MANA Canada offers four insecticides to protect your fruits and vegetables and maximize your production.With MANA Canada, you receive fair pricing and still achieve the results you expect. MANA Canada insecticides,

herbicides and fungicides are available from leading retailers. Support choice and fair pricing – ask for yourMANA Canada product by name.

Insecticide

Silencer®

120 ECLambda-cyhalothrin

Same active as Matador®Same active as Lorsban®

Insecticide

ChlorpyrifosPyrinex®

480 EC Apollo®

SCInsecticide

Clofentezine

Exclusive to MANA Canada

Alias®

240 SCImidacloprid

Insecticide

Same active as Admire®

®Alias, Apollo, Pyrinex and Silencer are registered trademarks of Makhteshim Agan of North America Inc. All others are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Always read and follow label directions. 12078 12.12

Fair Price. Brand Results.manainc.ca

herbicides anWith MANA Ca

MANA Canad

Here’s t

MANnd fungicides are available fronada, you receive fair pricing da offers four insecticides to p

the latest buzz: Get

NA Canada product by name.om leading retailers. Support

and still achieve the results yprotect your fruits and vegeta

the same active ing

choice and fair pricing – ask fyou expect. MANA Canada inables and maximize your prod

gredients at a fair pr

for yoursecticides,duction.

ice.

®Same active as Lorsban

®Alias, Apollo, Pyrinex an

inc.camana

®Same active as Matador Exclu

Always rend Silencer are registered trademarks of Ma

sive to MANA Canada

12078 12.1ead and follow label directions.khteshim Agan of North America Inc. All oth

Same active

2hers are registered trademarks of their respe

®e as Admire

rBair Price. F

ective companies.

esults.Rrand

Crop(s) Pest Rate (L/ha)No. apps /

yearPHI

Field tomatoes Late blight 0.1 – 0.2 5 1 day

Brassica vegetables, crop group 5 (includesbroccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower,Chinese broccoli [gai lon], rapini, nappa cab-bage, bok choy, gai choy, mustard greens, kale,kohlrabi, mizuna, etc)

Ranman400SCfungicideapprovedfor twonew uses

The Ranman 400SC fungicidelabel has expanded once againproviding even greater pest pro-tection for vegetable growers.Ranman can now be used for thecontrol of late blight on fieldtomatoes and the suppression ofdowny mildew on brassica veg-etables after recent PestManagement Regulatory Agency(PMRA) approvals.

The addition of downymildew suppression to the prod-uct label is also welcome newsfor brassica crop growers. Thedisease thrives in wet weatherconditions and can significantlyreduce crop yield and quality.The contact fungicide, whichalready has a strong track recordof controlling downy mildew incucurbits, offers excellent rain-fastness once dry.

David Strilchuk, CanadaCountry Manager with FMCCorporation, notes there havebeen a total of seven UserRequested Minor Use LabelExpansions (URMULE) forRanman in 2012. These includethe control of downy mildew andcottony leak, and the suppressionof phytophthora blight on snapand lima beans; the suppressionof downy mildew on head andleaf lettuce; and the control ofdowny mildew on basil (field andgreenhouse).

“Ranman is quickly becominga valuable and trusted fungicidefor many growers in the horticul-ture sector,” says Strilchukadding that the product hasdemonstrated excellent activityon all stages of oomycetes andrelated lower fungi (watermoulds) in carrots, cucurbits andpotatoes in past years. Theunique fungicide contains theactive ingredient cyazofamid andis the only product in the FRACGroup 21 of cyanoimidazoles.Source: UAP news release

THE GROWER


Grapes worth celebratingPURE PROTECTION LEADS TO PURE PERFECTION

PureSpray™ GREEN Spray Oil 13E. Protection at its purest –

CAS# 8042-47-5

Introducing PureSpray GREEN Spray Oil 13E, from the largest

producer of white oils. It’s proof that not all spray oils are created

equal. It is an innovative isoparaffin oil that offers the highest

purity levels on the market with CAS# 8042-47-5. This means it’s

formulated with 99.9% pure isoparaffin base oils and is guaranteed

to be free of aromatics, which harm the food chain. And since

it’s suitable for organic production, both organic and traditional

growers can benefit from its many strengths.

PureSpray GREEN Spray Oil 13E effectively protects your high value

grape crop by quickly controlling pests and disease, and providing

extended protection within your IPM program. All without any

resistance, phytotoxicity or burning issues, when used as directed.

So use it early to avoid the need for traditional toxic chemicals later.

As many pesticides are being delisted, your choices are limited and

becoming more so every day. So when you have a choice to make,

be sure to choose the purest – PureSpray GREEN Spray Oil 13E.

It’s an effective choice with unlimited possibilities. For more produc

information visit www.purespraygreen.com/grapes.

TMTrademark of Suncor Energy Inc. Used under licence.

TM k ofrademarTTr

y Inc.f Suncor Energ Used under lic

cence.

the grower january 2013

Documents

farm caf

emotions of farm succession

ian parker

thenext generation

stevens isnow

years tounderstand

blueberry business

business togrow