KAREN DAVIDSON

Not everyone gets to start fromscratch. A year ago, EarthFreshwas fortunate in moving into a60,000-square foot facility inBurlington, Ontario, leavingbehind an outdated plant on theoutskirts of Toronto.

This is the right size fortoday, says Tom Hughes, president of EarthFresh. It tookyears of planning from 2009 to2015.

The company hails back to1963 when Toms father andDavid MacKay started the business under MacKay andHughes. Its evolved over theyears with both name and own-ership changes -- until the present location in an industrial park. Onething hasnt changed: a legacy offood safety culture.

Hughes attributes this sensibility to the fact that thebusiness has packed produce forGreen Giant since 1998. GreenGiants exacting standards haskept EarthFresh ahead of othercompetitors. Some of the farmerswho contract to EarthFresh werethe first to be on the CanadaGAPfood safety program. The plant

itself subscribes to the PrimusGFS program.

Food security will be moreimportant as we go forward, saysHughes. Preventing nails in oursystem is just the start.

To that point, the new plantdesign accommodates six metaldetectors on each of the packinglines. This is more than a peace-of-mind investment, saysHughes, pointing out that theP.E.I. potato tamperings are stillunsolved after more than a year.

This investment reflects thatwe live in a different world, saysHughes. We have to make surethat anyone who wants to doharm cant do it in our facility.

The metal detectors are justone part of a mindset that protectsfood safety. Anyone arriving atthe warehouse must check in withthe receptionist. The new plantwas built so that truck drivershave access to a lounge only andare physically barred from entering the floor premises. Off-site human resources consultantsvet any new employees, checkingbackgrounds and references.Once hired, employees takehealth and food safety training.

Everyone has a role in food

safety, says Colleen Wilcox,food safety coordinator. Her ownjob starts with contracted farmersand extends to co-packers all overCanada where she regularly conducts audits. If she spots aworker chewing gum, she knowsthat more is required than askingfor the gum to be removed. Its acase of going to the root problemand sending employees for arefresher training course.

Sanitation programs are one ofthe most important elements. Itseasier, perhaps, in a new building,but that doesnt preclude that thecity water must be tested everyday and that equipment must besanitized every day, all withappropriate records being maintained.

A recall team is in force in

case of a mishap. Every department has its assigned person with a backup, and cellphones on hand for around-the-clock coverage.

Sustainability of a processingoperation that uses a lot of wateris a key next step. EarthFresh hasidentified a working group tointegrate best management practices without an impact onquality or safety.

Food safety programs makeyou a better manager, saysHughes. The hard work is worthit. Were proud to bring ourclients to see the plant.

In the next decade, Hughesforecasts greater harmonization offood safety programs acrossNorth America: The rules maybe tougher, but well be better.

JANUARY 2016 CELEBRATING 137 YEARS AS CANADAS PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 66 NUMBER 01

INSIDE THE PACKING HOUSE

Making high grades in potato food safety

INSIDEOntario grape growersbank on quality Page 7

FOCUS: Food safety Page 14

Identify theseflowers Page 19

www.thegrower.org

P.M. 40012319

$3.00 CDN

EarthFresh built a new potato handling facility a year ago in Burlington, Ontario. New technologies protect workers from injury and food from tampering. Six new processing lines sourced from Weening Brothers Manufacturing have improved productivity. Worker Anthony Griffin keeps an eye on the fast-moving line. Photos byGlenn Lowson.

Everyone has a role in food safety.

~ Colleen Wilcox

Dow, DuPont tomerge in $130 billiondeal

Two giants of agribusiness, interms of size and history, haveannounced a blockbuster deal thatwill see Dow Chemical Co. andDuPont merge by the second halfof 2016. The newly formed entity,DowDuPont, is expected to splitinto three independently tradedcompanies focused on agriculture,chemicals and materials, and spe-cialty products. In the December 11announcement, the companies sug-gested that process could take until2018.

DuPonts chief executive EdBreen will be CEO of the newcompany, and Dow Chemical CEOAndrew Liveris will be executivechairman. With DuPonts executiveheading up the spinoff of the agand specialty businesses, its clearhes leading the new agriculturecompany. DuPonts ag businesshad more than $11 billion in saleslast year compared to Dows $7billion. Breen has alreadyannounced cuts of $300 million toresearch and development in theagriculture business.

A strong portfolio in all threeareas of seed, seed traits and cropprotection products is seen as thecompetitive edge. As such,DowDuPont will be a formidablecompetitor to BASF, Bayer,Monsanto and Syngenta. Any positive impact on farmers remainsto be seen in the months to come innew product offers and competitivepricing.

OFVGA welcomesguest speakers

Start your brain! Or mayberewire your brain. The latest discoveries from the fields of neuroscience, learning and communication suggest that ourbrains are capable of much morethan we ever previously thoughtpossible. On January 12, banquetdinner speaker Brian Thwaites willspeak about brain training. He saysthat applications are virtuallyunlimited and include the way wethink, learn, innovate, solve problems, read, speak, listen, write,organize, advertise, sell products,market services along with amultitude of other day-to-day tasks.For a preview, go to: www.brainspeaker.com.Other guest speakers include: Elizabeth Mills, president andCEO, Workplace Safety andPreventive Services, at the laboursection meeting Crystal McKay, Farm and FoodCare Canada Jaye Aitkens, ACC Financial, atthe safety nets section meetingTo register for the OFVGA annualgeneral meeting, January 12-13, inNiagara Falls, go towww.ofvga.org.

OFVC highlightsMeet the Buyer session

The February 17-18, 2016 edi-tion of the Ontario Fruit andVegetable Convention promises asold-out trade show including 20new exhibitors, according toGlenna Cairnie, executive

coordinator. Registration is nowopen and early pricing discountsend February 9 at 6 pm.

Be sure to register and guarantee a spot for the Meet theBuyer event on February 18 at 8:30am. There is no charge for thisfirst-come, first-served event,which is open to OFVC registeredattendees only.

Last years inaugural eventrecorded more than 90 growersmeeting with buyers from Costco,Gordon Food Services, Loblaw,Longos and Walmart Canada. Aspeed-dating style is the formatallowing one-on-one meetings withbuyers to explore potential supplyopportunities.

As always, educational sessionsare a draw. Some samples: The future of farmers markets The high cost of low employeeengagement Getting a birds eye view withUAVs LCBOs thoughts on the Ontariocider market

Popular competitions continue.BASF is sponsoring the GreatOntario-Hopped Craft BeerCompetition. Ontarios FinestSweet and Hard Cider Competitionwill announce its winners at theshow. The Innovation Award, thebest new product or service introduced by an exhibitor in thelast two years, is always eagerlyanticipated.

The Grower is the officialmedia sponsor of the Ontario Fruitand Vegetable Convention. Go tothe website (www.ofvc.ca) for in-depth information on sessions,competitions, trade show exhibitorsand more. And register soon.

NEWSMAKERS

THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME

PAGE 2 JANUARY 2016

Peter Quiring, president, NatureFresh Farms, has announced thatthe first crop of OhioRed branded tomatoes will be harvested in mid-February at a new greenhouse in Delta, Ohio. We will be heading into 2016 with 130 acres in Leamington, Ontario and 15acres in Delta, Ohio for a total of 145 acres under glass, he said.Construction is underway for another 30 acres in Ohio to be completed by mid-summer. The company grows and markets anextensive variety of tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers.

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has announced that Hon.Lyle Vanclief is the new chair of the board of directors, succeedingoutgoing John F.T. Scott. Vanclief is well-known in federal politicsas a former agriculture and agri-food minister. New directors areGreg Devries, president of Truly Green Farms and CedarlineGreenhouses, a grower of peppers and tomatoes. Allan Visser alsojoins the board as president of Visser Holdings, a principal and manager in developing and operating residential and commercial realestate.

At the Ontario Potato Boards annual general meeting in earlyDecember, Glen Squirrell was re-elected chair, Harry Bradley asvice-chair. Homer VanderZaag joins as a new board director.Re-elected directors are Shawn Brenn, Jack Murphy, IsaiahSwidersky.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable GrowersAssociation announces the appointment of DanTukendorf to the position of project manager.Hell be responsible for the Northern SchoolFruit and Vegetable Program and the Fresh fromthe Farm program. As a former Loblaw produceprocurement category manager, his logisticsskills are well suited to these growing programs.

CanAgPlus, the corporation that owns and operates the CanadaGAPfood safety program, announces newly elected directors for the2016-2017 term. They are Keith Kuhl, Peak of the Market;Stephanie Lariviere, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers; DeanThomson, Thomson Orchards; Scott Wright, Star Produce. Currentchair is Jack Bates, a potato and blueberry grower from Delta,British Columbia.

Ontarios Agriculture Adaptation Council has announced its 2015-2016 board of directors. Judy Dirksen, chair, represents the livestock industry. Ray Duc, tender fruit grower and BrendaLammens, asparagus grower, represent horticulture on the board.

The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers has announced its2015-2016 board of directors. The following directors have beenelected to a two-year term: Kevin Safrance, Envirofresh ProduceLtd.; Hilco Tamminga, Truly Green Farms; Naunihal Gill, eNatureGreenhouses; Marco Hoogenboom, Hoogenboom Farms; JamesNeven, Neven Produce. Jan VanderHout has been elected directorfor a one-year term. They are joined by James Cornies (CorniesFarms); Paul Mastronardi (Mastron Enterprises Ltd); Jim Slater,Sunsation Acres; Mike Vanderzwet, St. Davids Hydroponics.James Cornies and Jan VanderHout will serve as vice-chairs.Chair of the board is George Gilvesy.

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board has a new executive. Alex Docherty of Skyeview Farms Ltd, Elmwood was re-elected fora second year as chair. The new vice-chair is Rodney Dingwell, MoDhaicdh Farm Ltd, Morell. The third member of the executive com-mittee is Darryl Wallace of Wallace Family Farms, Cascumpec. Also joining the Board are three new directors: Jason Hayden ofCherry Valley, Wayne Townshend of Fortune Bridge, and FultonHamill of Searletown. Returning board directors are DonaldGodfrey, Kirk Shea, Owen Ching, David Francis, John Hogg,and Glen Rayner.

Every grower knows there is a roving pack ofpathogens ready to contaminate produce. They are alldeadly, but which one is the most frequent? Listeria monocytogenes, norovirus, E. coli 0157, Cyclospora,Clostridium perfringens and Salmonella have all been inthe news. The answer is Salmonella.

In a recent government report, An overview of food-borne outbreaks in Canada reported through OutbreakSummaries: 2008-2014, Salmonella topped the list withthe most frequency. That statistic aside, all of thesepathogens can do grave harm. In that six-year time frame,there were 115 investigations, 3301 cases and 30 deaths.

In the future, expect to see smaller outbreaks butmore of them, predicts Jeff Farber, now director of theCentre for Research on Food Safety, University ofGuelph. Before he took up the position six months ago,Farber had spent a decade as Health Canadas director ofthe Bureau of Microbial Hazards. His expertise is so highly regarded that he was recently appointed as an

expert advisor to the Food and Drug Administration in theU.S. to help shape policies regarding Listeria, especiallyas it relates to ready-to-eat foods. He speaks with authority about history and the future.

Listeria hasnt historically been associated with produce, says Farber, but he remembers a major outbreakrelated to coleslaw back in the 1980s. In Colorado,Listeria-tainted cantaloupe in 2011 killed more than 30people and resulted in criminal charges. And this pastyear, Listeria was fingered as a culprit again in caramel-coated apples. More of these whodunit cases arebeing solved because of improved traceability and sensitive molecular typing methods.

Thats why the food safety science is ever evolving.Low-moisture foods are becoming an emerging issue.Farber says, We used to think that foods such as peanutbutter, spices, seeds and nuts were unlikely to be microbial hazards. But now we know that they can contain pathogens. In fact, there have been a number of

outbreaks involving peanut butter, and weve recentlyseen Salmonella in a wide variety of tree nuts, including arecent recall involving Macadamia nuts.

Researchers like Farber are also studying the microbiome of nuts to see how pathogens survive for solong under these conditions. Another area of research isthe use of bacteriophages to detect such lethal pathogensas E. coli 0157 in spinach.

Until recently, laboratory-based methods such as cellculturing and immunoassays have been cumbersome inidentifying food pathogens. They are not in real-time anddifficult to use in-field. However, lab-on-a-chip biosen-sors could revolutionize food safety. If they can be miniaturized and automated, they may become the firstline of defence on farms and in packing houses.

Lets trust the science to find a better way forward onfood safety.

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 3

THE GROWER

COVER STORY

Making high grades in potato food safety

The history -- and future -- of food safety

Food safety coordinator Colleen Wilcox takes a moment with workers on the potatograding line at EarthFresh, Burlington, Ontario.

Quality control technician Amir Mazidi regularly records temperatures in potatototes with a sensor. The acceptable range is between 40 and 50F. If potatoes aretoo cold, they will suffer damage on the mechanical packing lines.

This one-year-old facility incorporates the latest in technology including six metaldetectors. One more unit will arrive in 2016.

This semi-automatic vacuum palletizer was custom-made to swing in a six-footradius with two working arms. Robots are too expensive, says EarthFreshs plantmanager Ashour Albazi,so we designed a prototype based on the auto industry,but tested the head only. The size of the head is designed to pick up potato bagswith capacity of 50 to 100 pounds. For a cost of $15,000, this is a good solution forslow output lines allowing a worker to move four masters per minute.

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PAGE 4 JANUARY 2016THE GROWER

FOOD PROCESSING

Farmers, processors and consumer trust whats the real story?CHER MEREWEATHER

At Provision Coalition - wherewe take the lead on sustainabilityissues for Canadas food and bev-erage processors we recentlystarted working with EarthFresh.Why? Consumer trust.

EarthFresh is an impressiveCanadian company located inBurlington, Ontario. Specializingin supplying the retail and food-service industries with premiumfresh potatoes, carrots and onions,the company prides itself in main-taining successful relationshipswith growers and buyers. To dothis, EarthFresh needs to stay onestep ahead of consumer trendsand expectations. Key words forEarthFresh are trust and trans-parency and for good reason.

The Center for Food Integrityin the U.S. recently released aninsightful report on consumertrust after many years of research.A Clear View of Transparencyand How it Builds ConsumerTrust takes a hard look at howdifferent categories of consumersrespond to food production andsupply chain issues. The reportstarts with a simple statement thatnicely summarizes the matter.

If you increase transparency,you will increase trust.

The report is clear - consumershave an increasing expectation fortransparency in the food supplychain. And transparency is

important for both positive andnegative issues. On the latter,consumers want to know how acompany is addressing a problemwhen it arises. Consumers identified trust-building transparency on farm to retailissues of food safety, environmental impact, animalwell being, impact of food onhealth, labour/human rights andbusiness ethics

The report found that consumers rate transparency infood safety and impact of food onhealth as the two most importantcategories. In terms of generalcommunications, consumers arelooking for straightforward accessto information through productlabeling or on a companys website.

In terms of environmentalimpact, consumers want theopportunity to ask questionsabout environmental performance,again through easy to understandcommunications on a companywebsite. Similarly, consumerswant the opportunity to ask questions about labour practicesand human rights directly of anemployer company.

When it comes to animal wellbeing, the report indicated thatconsumers expect results of third-party audits on animal careto be shared openly. And ethicalbusiness practices and responsi-bilities should similarly be sharedin a transparent manner with

consumers.

What is so interesting fromthis report is that communicationto consumers does not have to becomplicated. In fact simple language and easy-to-accessinformation are what count.

Of course we know in the agri-food industry that communicatingpractices is one thing; makingproduction and processingchanges are another. Developinga sustainability action plan at thefarm or processor level takesresources and dedication, but itspart of a continuous improvementcommitment that all good

businesses strive for. At EarthFresh, Provision is

working with the team to integrate sustainability into theirbusiness strategy, operations,decision-making and culture. Forexample, within their operationsEarthFresh is considering how tobetter monitor, track and reporton key performance indicatorssuch as waste, water and electricity. These decisionsdemand a business case forchange and a clear return oninvestment. But with the growingconversation around positive consumer relations and food

chain transparency, it is changecompanies like Earth Fresh areembracing.

To learn more about ProvisionCoalition go to www.provisioncoalition.com orcontact Cher Mereweather atcmereweather@provisioncoali-tion.com

Provision is funded in partthrough Growing Forward 2, afederal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Cher Mereweather is executivedirector, Provision Coalition.

CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION

Responding to memberrequests for industry training, theCanadian Produce MarketingAssociation (CPMA) has facilitated the development ofonline programs for the produceindustry. CPMA has engagedmembers nationally and internationally in the developmentof meaningful and cost effectivetraining for the knowledge, skills,and abilities needed for success inthe produce industry. The firstcomponent of the program, theProduce Basics Certificate, is nowavailable at elearning.cpma.ca.

Certificate topics, deliveredthrough online modules, include:Professionalism,Communications, The ProduceSupply Chain, Storage andHandling, Produce Identification,Product Knowledge, Food Safetyand Food Safety Initiatives. The

Produce Basics Certificate alsoincludes evaluation through afinal online exam to ensure certificates are issued only upon ademonstrated knowledge of content.

The broad scope of the modules allow each learner todevelop core competencies andapply that learning to their specific work context, noted EricBiddiscombe, CPMA director andsenior category director, LoblawCompanies. This program is per-fect for newcomers to the industry, and I can see it becoming a key introductorypiece for new hires.

Our industry deals with highly perishable goods on adaily basis, and this introductorycertificate will educate industryon best practices to ensure produce is always the best quality

for consumers, added RonLemaire, CPMA president. Atonly $150 per participant, thisprogram is a cost-effective wayfor companies to train staff on theunique needs of our industry. Welook forward to expanding thisprogram as we move forwardwith this initiative.

Building on this introductory

certificate, the CPMA is develop-ing additional credentialing forvarious career levels. These newprogram elements will be intro-duced in 2016.

End-of-year podcast

The CPMA organized a year-end podcast on December 10 with

editors of several produce publications in Canada, theUnited States and Chile. The topics and assignments were asfollows: Sustainability John Groh, TheProduce News, U.S. Food Safety and Regulation Tom Karst, The Packer, U.S. Food Trends Karen Davidson,The Grower, Canada Trade Agreements and Sanitaryand Phytosanitary Measures Matthew Ogg, Fresh Fruit Portal,Chile Changing Technologies KarenJames, Grocery Business, Canada Marketing Trends roundtable

All participants had the oppor-tunity to comment on all subjects.The podcast was chaired by RonLemaire, president, CPMA. Go towww.cpma.ca and click on podcasts.

Industry education and training launched in 2016

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THE GROWER

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 5

CHINA

Lettuce consumptionis rising

Conventional Chinese cuisineis hailed for its focus on shortlysteamed or fried vegetables. Butas Western influences growthrough fast-food chains, Chinesetastes are favouring more rawvegetables. Lettuce fits this trendin Chinas largest centres.

Hefei Wangjia, a lettuceexporter to South Korea andTaiwan, reported a five per centincrease in demand in 2015.However growth has been hin-dered by drought, flooding anddiseases such as downy mildewand leaf miner.

Whole-lettuce crops are pre-ferred by consumers. Ready-to-eat or fresh-cut salads have yet totake off.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

INTERNATIONAL

EUROPE

Roundup probablydoesnt cause cancer

The European Food SafetyAuthority (EFSA) has concludedthat glyphosate, the active ingre-dient in Monsantos weed killerRoundup, is unlikely to causecancer in humans. The organiza-tion, which advises EU policy-makers, proposes a higher limiton the daily amount of residue ofthe weed killer that people cansafely consume.

This recommendation will beconsidered by the EuropeanCommission which must decidewhether to extend the currentapproval for glyphosate whichended Dec. 31, 2015. EFSA sci-entists looked at glyphostate-onlystudies, not groups of relatedchemicals. For the first time, theyare proposing a limit on the max-imum safe daily dose of 0.5 mil-ligrams per kilogram of bodyweight.

Source: www.efsa.europa.eu

NETHERLANDS

Robot ready to harvest sweet peppers

SWEEPER, the first-genera-tion, market-ready sweet pepperharvesting robot is set to launchin the Netherlands in earlyFebruary. The Netherlands-basedWageningen University andResearch Centre has coordinatedthe research with partners fromSweden, Israel and Belgium.

The Netherlands, facing askilled labour shortage, is aleader in agricultural robotics. Ifthis technology works well, itwill be adapted to other green-house crops. Currently, morethan 1.3 billion kg of sweet pep-pers are harvested in Europeannually.

Google An AutonomousHarvesting Robot for Sweet-Pepper in Greenhouses for theYouTube video.

Source: Hortidaily.com

TURKEY

More trade strains inMiddle East

Turkeys downing of aRussian fighter jet which invad-ed air space during the ongoingSyrian war has provoked puni-tive trade action. On December7, Russia introduced phytosani-tary conditions for the import ofvegetables via Belarus. Thesemeasures further complicate thefood embargo against EuropeanUnion countries.

Turkeys fruit and vegetableprices are under pressure withdisrupted trade patterns.Normally a supplier of citrus,persimmons and pomegranates,Turkey cant find a home for itsproduce that would normally goto Ukraine, Russia and Poland.Greenhouse-grown vegetableshave also been affected.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

WASHINGTON

Cherry disease onradar in Canada

A Washington state scientistis warning Okanagan cherryfarmers in British Columbia thatLittle Cherry Disease may belurking. U.S. farmers have rippedout large numbers of trees.

Andrea Bixby-Brosi says thatthe affected fruit is unmarketablefor two reasons. The fruit issmaller than normal and thecherries taste bitter. The virushas been documented in everycounty across Washington statewhich borders Canada.

The disease, spread by applemealybugs, can be controlledonly by cutting down the infect-ed trees and destroying the roots.If Washington state growersdont replant their affected cher-ry orchards, they may switch togrowing apples or pears.

For more B.C. detail: go to http://ow.ly/VYLz0

Source: FreshPlaza.com

PAGE 6 JANUARY 2016THE GROWER

HARVEST STATS

KAREN DAVIDSON

Productivity is going up andprices are going down for Ontariopotato farmers. Frustrations areboiling over regarding thedepressed state of fresh pricing aswell as eroding government support for safety nets. The farmgate value of the 2014-2015crop was $63.9 million, the lowest receipt in the last fiveyears and down significantly from$77.6 million the previous year.

We need to remember that weget more productive every year,said Glen Squirrell, chair of theOntario Potato Board at theDecember 2 annual general meet-ing. More irrigation, fumigation,better varieties and improvedplant protection materials as wellas the ability to harvest vast

quantities of product in a hurry,have all contributed to our produc-tivity. Mother Nature has alsobeen kind. We havent had a reallybad growing season since 2007.

These comments laid theground for a harsh review of themarketplace. Provinces in easternCanada, particularly Quebec, areselling summer potatoes inOntario during the height of thefresh-market season or chip pota-toes below the Ontario contractprice. Unsold crop from the 2014growing season made its way intoOntario markets in the summer of2015 further heightening tensions.Some of that old crop resultedfrom market disruptions causedby Russias embargo of vegeta-bles from the European Union.

With these geopolitical trendsstill in play, Squirrel is warningthat Ontario growers must rethink

their 2016 planting plans. Storageholdings in eastern Canadapromise a repeat of 2015.

We have only one market forour fresh potatoes and we allknow this is the local market,said Squirrell. We have to constantly defend our marketfrom outside competition mainlyfrom east of us.

Telephone conversations

between Ontario and Quebecgrower groups are ongoing inefforts to prevent a similar situation in 2016. However, a resolution was passed asking thatthe Ontario Potato Board investigate the issue of predatorypricing in the Ontario potato market. The plan is to seek legalcounsel as a first step.

The Ontario Potato Process

Council, chaired by HarryBradley, will be negotiating allagreements for the 2016 crop yearwith Frito Lay, Super Pufft, OldeYork, Pre-Peel and Soups &Stews. The hope is that the weak-ening Canadian dollar will putimported product from the U.S. ata disadvantage while increasingthe value of Ontario potatoes contracted for the U.S. market.

Potato growers to investigate predatory pricing in the Ontario market

GUELPH ORGANIC CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOWJan 28 - 31 / Guelph University Centre

'WHERE FARMERS & CONSUMERS MEET'

Major workshop streams include organic cropping,soil/weed management, livestock, pastures, etc.

Also, greenhouses, orchards, compost, family farmsuccession, food safety on the organic farm.

4 days, 42 workshops (paid admission).

Sat Jan 30 Sun Jan 31

FREE 2-day Trade Show/Sampling - featuring 165 booths

Meet organic ag. & equipment suppliers. Leading vendors: Willsie, Echo Equipment/BCS,

Homestead Organics, Organic Meadow, SunOpta, HarmonyDairy, Pfenning's, Global Repair, Nature's Path

Fri Jan 29th Organic Food & Wine Dinner

Brochure, info & prices: (519) 824-4120 X56311Registration, full brochure & exhibitor list

www.guelphorganicconf.ca

Recommended Board Price Per Cwt. Tablestock Lows and highs set each month 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011

July 16.00 - 26.00 18.75 - 28.25 15.75 - 29.25 18.00 - 22.50 19.25 - 31.50August 19.25 - 22.50 19.25 - 24.75 21.50 - 24.75 18.00 24.75 - 29.25September 15.75 - 19.25 18.00 - 19.25 18.00 - 21.50 18.00 18.00 - 24.75October 15.75 18.00 - 16.00 18.00 18.00 18.00November 15.75 - 16.00 18.00 15.75 - 18.00 18.00December 16.00 18.00 15.75 18.00

2016 2015 2014 2013 2012January 16.00 18.00 13.50 - 15.75 18.00February 16.00 18.00 13.50 18.00March 16.00 18.00 13.50 18.00April 16.00 18.00 13.50 18.00May 16.00 18.00 - 18.75 13.50 - 15.75 18.00June 16.00 18.75 15.75 18.00

Photo by Glenn Lowson

We need to remember that we get more productive every year. Moreirrigation, fumigation, better varieties and improved plant protectionmaterials as well as the ability to harvest vast quantities of product in a hurry, have all contributed to our productivity.

~ Glen Squirrell

THE GROWER

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 7

With two tough winters at their backs,Ontario grape growers are positive aboutthe quality of the 2015 crop. At aDecember 4 news conference, Bill George,Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) chair,announced 52,888 tonnes of grapes harvested with a farmgate value of morethan $62.38 million. Included in this tonnage are juice grapes and 4,317 tonnesleft hanging on the vine for premiumicewine.

These numbers are down significantlyfrom the 2013 record harvest of 80,548tonnes. However, individual grape

growers are sharing stories of the qualityof not only white varietals but the reds.Technologies such as wind machines andvineyard pruning are helping growers fightclimate change.

Grape Growers of Ontario represents500 active grape growers in three designated viticulture areas: NiagaraPeninsula, Lake Erie North Shore andPrince Edward County. The industry hashigh levels of volunteerism and civicengagement, with calculations of 79,000hours annually to the benefit of local communities. The statistic was sourced

from a study by Betsy Donald, QueensUniversity and Donald-Morrow Researchtitled The Growers and the Vines: peopleand places behind Ontario wines.

Several grape growers Bill Schenck,Jamie Slingerland and MatthiasOppenlaender testified to the involvement in their communities. Theseindividual stories speak to the leadershipskills gained in various volunteer activities

which are then shared with agriculture.

Did you know?

10.6% of wine sold in Ontario is VQAmade of 100% Ontario grapes 32.0% of wine sold in Ontario isInternational Canadian Blend On average, it takes the juice of 107grapes to make one glass of wine

HARVEST STATS

With volumes down, Ontario grape growers are banking on quality

157TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGJANUARY 12 & 13, 2016 CROWNE PLAZA NIAGARA FALLS, ON

AWARD OF MERITNOMINATIONS

The award is our way of recognizing the outstanding contributionmade by an individual ororganization to our fruit andvegetable industry.Is there someone you would like to nominate?

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2015

Registration information, Agenda and Award of Merit Nomination form available at

www.ofvga.org

TWO-DAY FORMAT

with meetings Tuesday andWednesday, banquetTuesday night.

NEW ONLINE REGISTRATION

visit www.ofvga.org to findthe link to register online.

Ken Hunter, Hunter Farms, Niagara-on-the-Lake, delivers Cabernet Franc grapesto the crush pad of Fielding Estate Winery, Lincoln, Ontario on October 30, 2015.Photo by Glenn Lowson.

THE GROWER

PAGE 8 JANUARY 2016

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

Reflections from 2015 and looking ahead to 2016

Register for CHC 2016 AnnualGeneral Meeting

Online registration in now available for the 2016 AnnualGeneral Meeting to be held from

March 8 10 at the Westin Ottawa.The AGM is a highlight in theCanadian horticultural industryscalendar and is an important opportunity for industry membersand stakeholders to meet to discuss

a way forward for our industry inthe upcoming year and beyond. TheAGM will again follow a shortenedthree-day format, but new this yearis that registration can be done viathe CHC website.

As in past years, we are extending an invitation to members,stakeholders and partners to consider sponsoring the event. Thepopular Companion Program willagain be offered for spouses andpartners who wish to join us inOttawa.

Royal Agricultural Winter FairPotato Competition 2015

Randy Visser of Orwell CovePE entered the variety Krone in theYukon Gold, Fabula or OtherYellow Flesh Class of the TableStock Potato competition at theRoyal Winter Fair in November,winning this Class and also beinghonoured with the Ontario PotatoBoard Award as Champion StockPotatoes. Jim Black of ShelburneON won both the Gemstar,Goldrush or Other Russet SkinnedClass and the Norland, Red Mariaor other Red Skinned Class andwas also honoured as ReserveChampion Stock Potatoes. TheCommercial Feature Exhibit Classof the Table Stock Section waswon by Patricia Tupling ofShelburne ON. In the NovicePotatoes Section, the Championand Reserve Champion awardswere both won by Ed Valdes,Guelph ON.

CHC trophy awarded at RAWF

This years winner of theCanadian Horticultural CouncilTrophy for new apple varieties(Honeycrisp) was Verger Francoiset Luc Turcotte from La Cte-de-Beaupr et l'le d'Orlans, Qubec.

This competition was resurrected in 2008 after a 44-yearabsence. Its supported by severalsponsors including: Ontario AppleGrowers, Canadian HorticulturalCouncil, British Columbia FruitGrowers Association, QuebecApple Grower Federation andGeorgian Bay Fruit GrowersAssociation.

Arbitrator issues report inCOOL case between US,Mexico and Canada

On 7 December, a WTO arbitra-tor issued the report on the level ofretaliation that Mexico and Canada

can request in their dispute with theUnited States over country of origin labelling (COOL):DS384, DS386: United States Certain Country of OriginLabelling (Cool) Requirements

The WTO arbitrator ruled thatCanada can impose retaliatory surtaxes on $1.054 billion of U.S.exports to Canada as a result of theeconomic harm caused by the U.S.COOL policy, once final WTOauthorization is obtained. TheUnited States cannot appeal the ruling.

In a joint statement HonourableChrystia Freeland, Minister ofInternational Trade, and theHonourable Lawrence MacAulay,Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food noted: If the U.S. Senatedoes not take immediate action torepeal COOL for beef and pork,Canada will quickly take steps toretaliate.

Statistical overview of theCanadian fruit industry 2014

AAFC has released its annualStatistical Overview of theCanadian Fruit Industry. The 31page report contains information onproduction, innovation, trade,imports, consumption and worlddata. Download information atwww.hortcouncil.ca/uploads/file/English/What's New/2015/FruitReport_2014_EN.pdf

Statistical overview of theCanadian veg industry 2014

The Horticulture and CrossSectoral Division of the SectorDevelopment and AnalysisDirectorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is pleased topresent the latest report: StatisticalOverview of the CanadianVegetable Industry - 2014.

The report provides a comprehensive statistical overviewof the vegetable industry statistics.It contains tables and charts aboutCanadian vegetable production,farm gate value, new vegetableproducts, consumption, trade statis-tics as well as world production ofvegetables. Download info at www.hortcouncil.ca/uploads/file/English/What's New/2015/VegetableReport_2014_EN.pdf

NOTICE of MEETINGis hereby given that the 157th Annual Members and

Directors Meeting of the

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

will be held in

Niagara Falls, Ontario at The Crowne Plaza Hotel

January 12 & 13, 2016Election of Directors of the Association will take place as

well as dealing with resolutions and any other business thatmay arise.

One of the entries from Brad Fraser, Wheelbarrow Orchards, Milton, ON.

The OFVGA Board ofDirectors meeting took place onThursday, December 10, 2015.The following items, organizedby section chair, are reflective ofthe boards work on safety nets,research, crop protection, andproperty. The board briefs forJanuary include reminders onSDRM funds, Cap & TradeProgram design options, and theuse of drones for precision agriculture.

Safety Nets Mark Wales

SDRM now has $4 million inaccount balances sitting there; itgenerates zero interest and shouldhave been withdrawn. When thereis zero activity by a participantfor three years, Agricorp willbegin to issue cheques.

The 2015 Fresh VegetableAcreage Loss Program has beensuccessful. The deadline forapplications to the program in2016 is May 1.

Crop Protection CharlesStevens

Craig Hunter and CharlesStevens attended the CropProtection Advisory Committee(CPAC) annual meeting, including meeting with PestManagement Regulatory Agency(PMRA), Pest ManagementCentre (PMC) in November.PMC gave an update on the invasive species working groupwhich continues to work with theSpotted Wing Drosophila andMarmorated Stinkbug. TheStinkbug has been found in anOntario orchard. Ontario doessignificant monitoring. Work isbeing done to ensure funding forthese activities going forward.

We heard that Marion Law,Chief Registrar at PMRA hasmoved into another section ofHealth Canada. The current acting Chief Registrar is NeildaSterkenburg of PMRA. There hasbeen a positive increase in correspondence between CPAC

and the horticultural industry.Items coming out of the

PMRA meeting include an updateon the Grower Requested OwnUse (GROU) program, helping tocombat non-compliance withinthe crop protection industry,product re-evaluations, and anupdate on the Codex process.

Craig and Charles went to theGrow Canada Meeting in Calgaryin December. Laura Dawson, anexpert on Ontario/Canada/U.S./NAFTA international tradeissues, spoke at the meeting.Craig put her in touch withOntario ginseng producers toassist with problems created intrade.

Research Harold Schooley

The annual EmergencyManagement Research Expo wasrecently held at 1 Stone Road,Guelph. Emergency issues in theanimal sector typically outnumberplant issues in this theme and thisyear was no exception.

Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton (anepidemiologist with theDepartment of PopulationMedicine at the University ofGuelph) is conducting a baselinestudy on producer stress andresiliency in response to traumaticdisease epidemics experienced byswine and poultry producersrecently. The researcher wasencouraged to include horticultur-al growers in her study. Fruit andvegetable growers deal with thevagaries of weather, markets, andcrop losses, as well as rising inputcosts in labour and energy and aburdensome regulatory environment. Stress is no strangerto them. Producers of any commodity are encouraged toparticipate in the producer stressand resiliency survey by dedicating 15-20 minutes to ananonymous survey at www.producerwellness.ca. Your input would add to theweight and breadth of this study.

The Muck Crops ResearchStation in the Holland Marsh is

experimenting with drones to further precision agricultural technologies. Specifically, theresearch station is able to monitorcrop disease from the air quicklyand thoroughly, givingresearchers the ability to respondsooner. It is unlikely that foodcosts would be lowered, but in aworld where climate change isbecoming an increasingly impor-tant issue, drones allow for better management of crops by helpingto better collect data on weatherevents and to spot the constants inweather patterns that are increasingly unpredictable.Calibrating drones for use in anumber of other precision agricultural uses is underway.

OMAFRA recently commis-sioned a consulting agency toconduct focus groups for inputinto the future trends in researchand knowledge transfer.OMAFRA is cognizant of quicklyemerging innovations in agricul-tural research and has concern forwhich methods are most appropri-ate for transferring these newtechnologies to producers. Yourresearch chair participated in thisexercise.

Property Brian Gilroy

Farm and Food Care Canada isup and running. It will house theCanadian Centre for FoodIntegrity. Crystal Mackay is moving to Farm and Food CareCanada (FFC) but will continueto work closely with FFC Ontarioas it works to hire a new execu-tive director with an estimatedstart date of January.

Municipal PropertyAssessment Corporation (MPAC)is updating the information it usesto calculate values for farmlandand buildings for tax purposes.Only sales to bona fide farmerswill be included in MPACscalculation. Information from1984 is being used along with theDouglas cost guide so an updateis due. From the informationreceived, 40 per cent of farms andfarm structures will not see anincrease. The remaining 60 per cent will see an increase. Thegreenhouse sector will likely bethe most affected.

Ontario Cap and TradeProgram Design plans have beenreleased and Ontario Federationof Agriculture (OFA), OFVGAand Ontario GreenhouseVegetable Growers (OGVG) arepreparing responses due onTuesday, December 15, 2015.This response will be made

available on the OFVGA website.There is talk of agriculture beingexempt, however, alternativeindustries such as transportationwill have inadvertent effects onmany industries, agricultureincluded. The understanding isthat credits will not be given fornormal farm practices, only forinnovative projects.

Ontarios Waste ReductionStrategy was released at the endof November and looks at a zero-waste proposal that would reallocate the financial responsibility of waste disposalfrom municipalities to the originator of the waste. Aresponse is due in February;OFVGA has formed a workinggroup and a response is in theworks. Agriculture will see somecost-effective measures in placefor tire recycling, which couldresult in a positive for this industry. There is a questionwhether or not the municipaltaxes allocated to waste disposalwould result in fewer taxes orsimply reallocating that budgetitem to other municipal activities.There will be a heavy requirement for organics to notend in a landfill.

THE GROWER

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 9

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS ASSOCIATION

Board briefs

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Harvesting ginseng in Ontarios Norfolk County. Photo by Glenn Lowson

THE GROWER

PAGE 10 JANUARY 2016

STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, editor@thegrower.orgProduction: Carlie Melara, ext. 221, production@thegrower.orgAdvertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, advertising@thegrower.orgThe Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Anyerrors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compen-sated at our discretion with a correction notice in the next issue.No compensation will be given after the first running of the ad.Client signature is required before insertion.The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is the soleowner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed inThe Grower are those of the newspapers editorial staff and/orcontributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the associa-tion.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication maynot be reproduced either whole or in part without the priorwritten consent of the publisher.

OFFICE355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADATel. 519-763-8728 Fax 519-763-6604The 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.

P.M. 40012319

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERSASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEChair Jason Verkaik, BradfordVice-Chair Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownFruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginVeg Director Mac James, LeamingtonDirector John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-Lake

BOARD OF DIRECTORSApples Charles Stevens, NewcastleFresh Vegetable - Other Kenny Forth, LyndenTender Fruit John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-LakeON Asparagus Grws. Mkg. Brd. Neil Reimer, ViennaGGO/Fresh Grape Growers Bill George Jr., BeamsvilleFresh 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 George Gilvesy, Tillsonburg -

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

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

The best way to know whereyou are going is to understandwhere you have come from.

Several years ago, the actionsof the governments in Canadaaffecting horticultural growerswere primarily done through theprovincial ministry or federaldepartment of agriculture. Thedirect interaction with the government was, relatively speak-ing, done with fewer governmentrepresentatives than it is todayand the complexity of these interactions was simpler.

Two years ago, at thePremiers Summit on Agriculture,Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynnechallenged agriculture to doubleits annual growth rate and create120,000 jobs by the year 2020.Horticulture does have a role to

play in this challenge, and supplying food for domestic consumption and supportingexports. We have seen growth insome sectors, notably greenhousevegetables. We have seenincreased value of the productionof horticultural products, howeverthis may be as a consequence of adeclining value of the Canadiandollar rather than a direct increasein production. Horticultural producers in Canada need to beable to retain and expand theirmarket share, edge out competingimports and expand exports, andcontribute to meeting the premiers challenge to agri-food,ensuring a secure food supply forOntarians.

The government of Ontarioover the past two years has comefrom a very strong position ofactivism, controversial policies,questionable value in consulta-tions, and strong potential forimpacts on the cost of productionand return on investment for horticultural farmers. We haveseen unprecedented activity interms of consultations, primarilydriven by the Ministry of theEnvironment and Climate Change(MOECC) and the Ministry ofNatural Resources and Forestry(MNRF).

In the past, the key ministrythat has worked with the OFVGAhas been the Ontario Ministry of

Agriculture, Food and RuralAffairs. In the more recent pasthowever, the MOECC hasgrabbed the lions share of attention with policies on neonicotinoids, climate change,water quality and quantity and theproposal for additional new auditsand assessments. It is clear thatenvironmental considerations aregoing to play a major role in horticultural production goingforward. In Quebec, the proposalsfor restrictions of crop protectionproducts will no doubt have animpact on growers in thatprovince. With the election ofLiberals at the federal level, it isclear that climate and the environment will also be part oftheir agenda.

But policies being developedby the government that negativelyimpact the competitiveness offruit and vegetable farmers mustbe challenged vigorously.Currently, the major costs of production for our sector arelabour and energy, followed byinputs. The government has beenvery active on these files over thepast two years. Growers are alsofacing challenges from the supplychain to meet ever-increasingdemands on how fruits and vegetables are produced and supplied to the marketplace.

The OFVGA is also concernedabout the availability and

sky-rocketing prices of energy,including fuel (for example, natural gas) and electricity. Ourability to both access and pay forthese essential components of thebusiness will be compromised ifwe are not able to remain compet-itive and innovative. Further, ourability to produce electricitythrough combined heat and power(CHP) systems is limited by ourinfrastructure to carry power. Toresolve these issues, continuedpresence and working with theMinistry of Energy is essential.

International pressures willcontinue to impact the domestichorticultural sector. While thedecline in the Canadian dollardoes make exports more attractive, it also increases thecosts associated with innovationand expansion since many tech-nologies come from outside ofCanada. Agreements such as theTrans Pacific Partnership, in aglobal trading world, also havethe potential to impact growersand their ability to get to market.

Agreements can be made topositively impact the export ofCanadian produce. For example,an agreement for the sale ofgreenhouse product to China fromOntario was made during the lastOntario-led agricultural trade mis-sion. Resolution of the financialprotection for produce sellers atthe federal level will result in a

more favourable market for U.S.export and domestic sales. Thework just recently completed atthe Paris Climate ChangeConference will place limits oncarbon use, and drive those energy-intensive businesses tolow carbon economies.

So the question remains as towhat will be coming in the future.In 2016, it is anticipated thatthere will be continued pressurefrom many different and diversestakeholders in the business.Policies being brought forth bymany sections of the government,including environment and others,will continue to impinge producers ability to do business.The development of supply chain-related components, including sustainability measures(including environmental, socialand economic) and food safety,are going to increase. Theconcept of social licenseapplied to farmers is going toenter the conversation with growers. It is anticipated that theBuy Local market will alsocontinue to grow. Vegetable andfruit growers must be aware ofthe multitude of challenges andopportunities in front of them,and determine the best way totake advantage.

Reflections of the past, visions of the future

JOHN KELLYEXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA

Social licensing is a term thatcontinues to gain traction and willbecome more prominently spokenin our on-farm vocabulary. Sociallicence refers to the level of public trust granted to a corporateentity or industry sector by thecommunity at large and its keyconsumer base. Public trust is thebelief that activities are consistentwith social expectations and the

values of the stakeholders, andearned through industry engage-ment, operating practices andexpressed values. Social licensingis slow to build and quick toerode. Industry tactically garnerspublic trust by doing what isright. Simply put, it's todayssociety and its acceptance orrejection -- of the way things aredone.

On my family farm, my sisterruns a direct-to-consumer seasonal, local fruit and vegetablefood box program. This programis subscription-based and runsover 20 weeks starting mid Juneto beginning of November. Thebusiness has grown to supplymore than 500 families a varietyof seasonal, local, conventional,organic, sustainable, environmen-tally conscious, socially responsi-ble, all-natural, gluten-free, farm-fresh produce all placed togetherwith balanced symmetry in areusable plastic container. Okay,we really don't advertise that way,

however a strong case can bemade for each of those adjectives.

What does it all really mean orinsinuate? Is it just marketing?Who determines what is right?Who is driving the interpretationof information? Debate of any ofthose terms can lead to divisionsand subdivisions. These divisionsand subdivisions can take conversation from moderate disagreement in methodology topassion-fueled activism. Back atthe farm, the three most common-ly asked questions are: Is the produce organic? Do you useMonsanto seed? Do you useGMOs? Having the advantage ofdealing directly with the end consumer, we are able to engagein an honest conversation abouthorticulture. During the conversation, I find that oftenconsumers of produce are notentirely sure why they ask a particular question or what theyare really asking, however theyfeel socially compelled to ask.

I am not insinuating the consumers lack of ability to reason. After a sincere conversation, the majority of ourcustomers feel good about thetheir food system and confident intheir choice. We are at a time inhistory where information is overly accessible and fraught witha myriad of marketing and competing agendas. Two percentof our North American populationfarms. Societys disconnectedrelationship with the land and thepeople who produce our food is atan all-time high. This disengage-ment along with polarizing information overload has led to asociety that still trusts andrespects farmers, but are confusedand suspicious about the businessof agriculture. Unfortunatelythere are many myths and half-truths being driven by realms outside of agriculture that areleading to knee-jerk reactions indeveloping policy and legislation.This type of response challenges

our competitiveness and risks ourability to meet the premiers challenge to grow our industry.

The effectiveness of our lobbying will depend on our ability to inform and re-establishsocial expectations around modern agriculture. We have agood story to tell. Globally,Canadian agriculture is highlyrespected. Let us reinforce thismessage at home. Farmers arehighly educated men and women.They understand the dynamics ofthe environment in which theywork and sustain it well. They areextremely innovative, highlytechnical, yet very practical. Theyhave a diverse skill set. They areconstantly learning, adapting andimplementing. It is time now forfarmers to add to their resumeand become story tellers and educators. Farmers need to drivethe information. If we want toearn and maintain our sociallicence to operate, we have toactively tell our story.

The power of perception

JASON VERKAIKCHAIR, OFVGA

THE GROWER

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 11

The New Year is bound tobring a new focus on farm safetyacross Canada, based on whatsgoing on in Alberta right now.

In mid-November, the Albertagovernment brought forward afarm safety bill called TheEnhanced Protection for Farmand Ranch Workers Act (Bill 6).It would result in farms andranches being subject toOccupational Health and Safetylegislation. It would also provideWorkers Compensation Boardinsurance coverage so that work-ers can support their families ifthey are injured on the job, andprotect farm and ranch owners

against the impact of workplaceinjuries and illness. And finally, itwould include farm and ranchesin Employment Standards andLabour Relations legislation.

Some of these measures wereto start as early as January 2016.

Many Alberta politicians wereexpecting the passage of the farmsafety bill to be a slam dunk.After all, Albertans are still reeling from two separate incidents that had claimed younglives on farms there. Anothertragedy occurred in Ontario,which may not have directlyimpacted Alberta -- but whenpeople die on farms, headlinesappear across the nation.

In any event, the new NDPgovernment thinks it has a role inmaking farms there safer.

But many farmers (includingmany in other provinces) thinkagriculture is already legislatedenough. If you follow the news,youll have seen photos orfootage of Alberta farmers 500of them, in some cases -- protesting the governments proposals outside the legislaturein Edmonton and in rural communities.

Ultimately, after farmerspushed back hard, the province

admitted it did a poor job ofexplaining the intent of the pro-posed legislation. It then decidedto take its foot off the gas andconsult with farmers, who maintain that farms cant belumped in with other sectorswhen it comes to safety legislation.

You may be familiar with thearguments the Alberta producersare putting forward. Despiteprotests, theyre not against farmsafety. Many farms have farmsafety plans. Farm safety associa-tions are active in Alberta, as theyare in all provinces. They offertraining and courses for thosewilling to take them.

Rather, they are against whatthey say is the way legislationcould change the culture of farming, and ignore some of therealities.

For example, a lot of farmfamily children work on the farm.Farmers, of course, dont knowingly put them at risk. ButAlberta farmers worry that provisions in the proposed Bill 6would make it illegal for farmkids there to be active in the operation like they are now (eventhough the Alberta premier hassaid the bill is not intended to

take away opportunities such as4-H).

Farmers also say they havesome unique needs when it comesto wage-earning or salaried workers. When a crop needs to beharvested, they have to work longhours to get it off. Otherwise,theyll lose it or have it signifi-cantly devalued. Likewise, whena cow decides to calve, its notwatching the clock.

No one, including the farmersthemselves, suggest safety shouldbe sacrificed.

But if legislation exists thatsays employees can only workeight-hour days, who then canfarmers count on?

Society will have something

to say about all this too. It wontstand for the government totallybacking down, as some farmerswant it to. And I can foresee atime when farm safety is used asa marketing point: This produceis grown on Canadian farms thatare local, sustainableand safe.What Canadian wants to buy any-thing from people they think areputting their workers or worse,their kids in harms way?

Theres little doubt some formof the farm safety bill is goingthrough this winter. Expect it tohave some impact on the rest ofthe country, and more supportfrom consumers than farmersthink.

Alberta-style farm safety legislation will ripple across Canada

OWEN ROBERTSU OF GUELPH

PERSPECTIVE

Photo by Glenn Lowson

PAGE 12 JANUARY 2016

THE GROWER

BRUCE KELLY

As we close the books on2015, the International Year ofSoils, lets look back at the eventsrelated to weather and water thatimpacted our cropping year.

The weather at planting wasalmost ideal. As we finishedplanting, we were looking forsome rain but instead many areaswere hit hard by a late May frostthat killed off buds and shoots ongrapes, along with apples andsome soy fields. Some of theseareas experienced nearly 80 percent losses.

And when it did start to rain, itfelt like it wouldnt stop. Here inGuelph, we got nearly seveninches of rain and there was evenmore in areas to the southwestand in eastern Ontario. It was thewettest June that Windsor hadseen in 75 years. But for mostother areas, it wasnt nearly aswet as the spring of 2010.

July brought with it nearly perfect growing conditions, eventhough we lagged in heat unitsand were concerned about the

lack of warm nights that the cornlikes so much.

Our fears of an early frostfaded with a beautiful Septemberthat finished most crops off naturally. When can you remember attending CanadasOutdoor Farm Show when all theshow days were as nice as theywere this year? And after somedamp stretches in October, awarm November allowed us plenty of opportunity to harvest,and even time to clean the equipment.

This years weather has beengood to most parts of Ontario, butour concerns about weather,water and nutrients never wentaway as some new issuesemerged this year.

This year, the InternationalJoint Commission on the GreatLakes challenged southwesternOntario to reduce the amount ofphosphorus lost into the GreatLakes by 40 per cent, with a keenfocus on Lake Erie. This will be atall order for agriculture as we donot yet understand all the pathways that phosphorus takesto enter the lake. We do know

though that the majority of phosphorus runs off in the springthaw and in major storm events,both of which are inevitable.Because we cannot control theweather, we will need to controlour timing and placement ofnutrients. Easier said than done.

In other water news, theMinistry of the Environment andClimate Change (MOECC) madean announcement on October 5ththat they will be enhancing thePermit to Take Water (PTTW)program to ensure water takingsin Ontario are managed to thestandards of the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence River BasinSustainable Water ResourcesAgreement. Even though thesechanges were not intended todeter agricultural uses, they maymake it more difficult for farmersto get a PTTW in areas of highuse or deemed higher risk.

Twenty-two source protectionplans have been developed todate by Source ProtectionCommittees. These plans cover19 regions within the provinceand contain more than 12,500proposed policies designed toreduce or eliminate threats tosources of drinking water, and ata cost of more than $240 milliondollars. The provincial auditorhas pointed out that no plan hasyet been established to fund theimplementation of these sourceprotection plans, many of whichoccur on farmland.

It should also be noted thatthere is no plan for funding theimplementation of Bill 66, passedearly this fall. Bill 66, betterknown as the Great LakesProtection Act, governs activitiesin the Great Lakes Basin and willcertainly extend to agriculturalactivities, though we arent yetsure what that will look like.Apparently, the provincial auditoris not impressed withOMAFRAs policy to educateand inform farmers, but seems tothink that agriculture needs to beregulated in aspects of our waterand nutrient usage, without anyseeming consideration for thecosts of implementing such programs.

So you can see that there aremany environmental issues thatwill continue into 2016 and likelywell beyond. Please stay involvedin your associations efforts andwith Farm & Food Care as wecontinue to engage stakeholdersin discussion on environmentalissues surrounding water andnutrient usage.

Bruce Kelly is environmental program manager for Farm &Food Care.

Ontario environmentalissues: a year in review

January 7 British Columbia Grapegrowers Association Pruning Workshop, Red Rooster Winery, Penticton, BC

January 7-9 North American Strawberry Growers Association, in conjunction with the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Savannah, GA

January 12 Ontario Apple Growers Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Niagara Falls, ON

January 12 Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Niagara Falls, ON

Jan 12-13 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Annual General Meeting, Crowne Plaza, Niagara Falls, ON

Jan 12-14 Potato Expo 2016, Las Vegas, NV

Jan 19-21 Empire State Producers Expo, Oncenter, Syracuse, NY

Jan 26-27 Nova Scotia Horticultural Congress, Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, NS

Jan 26-27 Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association Annual Convention, Replant, Renew, Refocus, Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich, NS

Jan 26-28 Manitoba Potato Production Days, Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB

Jan 28-30 Pacific Agricultural Show, Tradex Trade and Exhibition Centre, Abbotsford, BC

Jan 28-31 Guelph Organic Conference and Trade Show, Guelph University Centre, Guelph, ON

Jan 29-30 B.C. Fruit Growers Association Annual General Meeting, Ramada Inn, Kelowna, BC

Feb 2-3 Ontario Processing Vegetable Conference, Four Points by Sheraton, London, ON

Feb 3-5 Fruit Logistica, Berlin Germany

Feb 6-12 59th Annual Conference International Tree Fruit Association, Grand Rapids, MI

Feb 10 Potato Selections Release Open House at AAFC, Guelph, ON simulcast with Fredericton, NB and Lethbridge, AB

February 16 Ontario Berry Growers Association Annual General Meeting, Embassy Suites Hotel, Niagara Falls, ON

February 17 Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association Annual General Meeting, Scotiabank Convention Centre Ballroom B, Niagara Falls, ON

Feb 17-18 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Scotiabank Conference Centre, Niagara Falls, ON

February 24 B.C. Tree Fruit Horticultural Symposium, Trinity Baptist Church, Kelowna, BC

March 1 Ontario Potato Conference and Trade Show, Delta Hotel and Conference Centre, Guelph, ON

March 2-4 North American Raspberry and Blackberry Conference, Williamsburg, VA

COMING EVENTS 2016

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

Marc AndrLaberge (QC)514-984-4589

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

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

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

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Mat Shetler, Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, samples awatercourse in efforts to reduce phosphorus runoff. Photo courtesy of Farm & Food Care.

THE GROWER

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 13

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Working with difficult category managers

Category managers can have asignificant impact on a suppliersbusiness. They determine whowill be on the shelf and whichitems will be promoted. Categorymanagers are people too and theyare all different. Some are great towork with and others can be achallenge. Regardless of the per-sonality, you have to work withthem.

Focus on the business

When you run up against acategory manager who wants tobe difficult it is important tofocus on the business. Dont takeit personally. Often we spendtime trying to assess why they areso tough to work with or that theyhave an issue with me.Chances are they are trying to dotheir job and one way to do that isto push you and challenge yourbusiness. Their approach mightbe different than yours but try tofocus on the business, not the personal.

Present a clear plan

Often the gap starts to widenbetween a category manager anda supplier when there is a perceived or real performanceissue. This happens when youhave a different definition ofsuccess or what the originalobjectives were. In your businesswhere you have challenges suchas weather or labour, your abilityto service 100 per cent of theorder may drop to 80 per cent.The category manager has thebelief that anything less than 92per cent is a real problem so theystart to be difficult to work with.If you had agreed on the numbergoing into the season, then youhave a benchmark to judge your-self against. The conversation isthen about the gap as opposed toletting the retailer down.

When you are presenting theplan, focus on the basics. Onceyou get this right and begin tobuild the relationship, you canmove on to more complicatedissues.

Determine the cause of the issue

The best method of improvinga bad situation is to determinewhat caused it in the first place.

Ask the questions and figure outwhy they are not happy with youor your business. Often a conversation will alleviate a lot ofproblems. Technology is great butit does not always replace a conversation on the phone or inperson. If you are not able tospeak directly with the categorymanager then try one of the otherpeople at the retailer. Often theywill be able to help you understand the situation.

Perhaps they are just busy

Category managers have a lotof pressure and demands. It ispossible they are tough to dealwith because they are just toobusy. Find out what is causingthem pain and assess if you canalleviate any of it. Often you canprovide information, change leadtimes or communicate in a differ-ent manner. Offer to changethings to make them better.

Be proactive

When you are working with adifficult category manager it iseasy to take the approach nonews is good news. When thephone calls and emails are alwaysnegative it is tough to see it anyother way. My experience hasbeen that if you are proactive andinitiate the conversation it is bet-ter, than to wait for them. If thereis an issue, get it on the table,find a resolution and move on.The only way this will happen isif you are proactive. As tough asit is, pick up the phone and getthe conversations started.Category managers are peopleand we all have bad days or getfrustrated with certain issues. Youhave to continue to work on therelationship and get it to the pointwhere you can trust each other. Ifyou have some stories and ideasabout difficult category managersor if you have any questions youcan contact me atpchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

RETAIL NEWS

Sobeys Extra opens inTantallon, Nova Scotia

Sobeys opened a new SobeysExtra store just outside Halifax inTantallon. The store is similar totheir model in Ontario and probably has its roots in Quebec.The fresh departments are verydifferent from a traditionalSobeys with new fixtures, dcorand focus. The selection is broadand there is a real determinationto execute Better Food for All.

In the opening flyer they claimto have three chefs on staff. Thisis an interesting investment toreally reinforce the food positioning. There is no doubt theassortment of prepared foods isimpressive. You can never judgea new format during the openingas every retailer puts in the

resources to make it work. As aconsumer I do hope that shoppersrespond so that we continue to getthis level of choice in the market.The biggest challenge for Sobeyswill be to get the return from theinvestment. If you are in the market, it is worth a visit to seewhere Sobeys is going.

WHATS IN STORE?

Store has a simple, yet effectivemessage

During my days with LoblawCo, we worked with some great

growers. Judy and Lee Thompsonand their daughter Meghan atForest Glen Greenhouses weresome of the best. They reallymade an effort to understand theneeds of the retailer and they builta significant business on theseprinciples. I was in a store lastweek and this sign caught myeye.

Often we believe things needto be pre-printed and done by anadvertising agency. This sign wasdone in-store and the message issimple. We have a great localgrower who takes pride in grow-ing poinsettias for you to enjoy in

your home. This says more thanthe item and price to me. -Peter Chapman is a retail consultant, professional speakerand the author of A la cart-A suppliers guide to retailers priorities. Peter is based inHalifax NS, where he is the principal at GPS BusinessSolutions. Peter works with producers and processors to helpthem navigate through the retailenvironment with the ultimategoal to get more of their items inthe shopping cart. pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

PETER CHAPMAN

THE GROWER

PAGE 14 JANUARY 2016

HEATHER GALE

CanadaGAP is a food safetyprogram for companies that produce, pack, repack, store,wholesale and broker fruits andvegetables. It is designed to helpimplement effective food safetyprocedures within fresh produceoperations. Audit and certificationservices for the program aredelivered by third party, accredited Certification Bodies.The program has been benchmarked and officially recognized by the Global FoodSafety Initiative (GFSI) for certification options B and C.Benchmarking of option D forrepacking and wholesaling is currently in progress.

2015 marks the seventh complete season of CanadaGAPoperations. The program has seenremarkable growth this year, asrepresented by a 14 per centincrease in enrolments. Thisgrowth was achieved despite thevoluntary cessation of audit andcertification services by one certification body, QMI-SAIGLOBAL, in September 2015.The remaining three CanadaGAPcertification bodies have benefit-ed from their partnership withCanadaGAP, and have showncommitment, professionalism andflexibility in taking on the clientsaffected by SAIs departure.

Were pleased to highlight thefollowing key achievements for2015: Surpassed 3,000 enrolmentssince the CanadaGAP certification program was introduced in 2008 Brokerage added to scope ofCanadaGAP program Progressing with GFSI benchmarking of Option D forrepacking and wholesaling Completed GovernmentTechnical Review of programmanagement system In progress with implementationassessment towards achieving fullCanadian Government recognition Underwent third-party audit of

the national office to assess theeffectiveness of program delivery Began monthly publication ofconsolidated list of CanadaGAP-certified companies Registration of trademark forCanadaGAP and design of theCanadaGAP logo In progress with plans to cooperate with the NorthAmerican Potato SustainabilityInitiative (PSI) to offer verification audits for growersparticipating in the Potato IPMSurvey.

PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

Directory of CanadaGAP-Certified Companies

In early 2015 CanadaGAPbegan publishing a list on theCanadaGAP website of compa-nies who are certified, or whosecertificates have been suspendedor withdrawn. This list draws oninformation provided toCanadaGAP by the certificationbodies. While the searchable PDFcan help buyers identifyCanadaGAP-certified companies,it is important to note that the certification bodies remain thedefinitive source to confirm asuppliers certification status.More information can be found atwww.canadagap.ca underCertified Companies.

Participation Trends

Close to 3,000 producers arenow participating in CanadaGAP.A substantial increase in participation was seen over thepast year, evidenced by a healthygrowth rate of 14 per cent. Thisfigure stands out from previousyears where increases were more modest, for example, a 3.5 percent increase in 2014 and 9 percent in 2013. Notably, the annualprogram fee has not increasedsince the program was launchedin 2008. The following participation trends are significantfor 2015: The fastest-growing area of participation continues to be at

the farm level, as certified packinghouses request food safetycompliance from growers. The program saw continuedincreases in enrolment by BritishColumbia, Quebec and Ontarioproducers. The strongest sector growthcomes from the BC small fruit(mainly blueberry) industry,where enrolments increased bymore than 30 per cent. Participation among Quebec treeand vine fruit producers climbedby nearly 25 per cent, whileOntario greenhouse enrolmentfigures jumped another 20 percent in 2015. Growth in the participation ratesby vegetable producers wassteady across all provinces. Enrolment among potato producers in Quebec, Alberta andPEI is growing. The trend continues away fromthe four-year audit cycle options(A1 and A2), which fell againslightly in 2015 to 28 per cent.This compares to 30 per cent ofprogram participants choosingoption A1 or A2 in 2014, and 50per cent of all CanadaGAP enrolments in 2011. A high proportion of enrolmentscontinue to occur among individuals choosing Option C(annual audit), which now comprises 46 per cent of all certified companies. Last yearsproportion was 40 per cent. ManyOption C program participantswho are producer/packers werepreviously on the four-year auditcycle, but driven by customerdemands, are now having annualaudits because of their packingoperations. Participation in group certification has decreased relative to individual certificationoptions, and now stands at 23 percent of enrolments. (Was approxi-mately 30 per cent in 2014) This year again saw higher thanaverage retirements as the established farming populationages. However, the growth inenrolments more than offset withdrawals from the program in

2015. For the purposes of analyzingparticipation trends, enrolmentfigures are broken down by fivecrop groupings:

o Tree and Vine Fruito Field Vegetableso Potatoeso Small Fruito Greenhouse o Total participation in

CanadaGAP is 100%. The proportion of that total

occupied by each crop groupingis presented above. The Tree Fruitindustry continues to lead enrolment figures.

Addition of Brokerage FoodSafety Requirements

On April 1, 2015 CanadaGAPcertification became available tofresh produce brokers underOption D. The first brokerageoperation enrolled in the programthis summer. Also under OptionD, the program now has nearly 40companies enrolled from therepacking and wholesaling sector.This level of participation is consistent with first-year targetsset by the Board with the introduction of Option D in 2014.

Random Audit Programme

CanadaGAP offers certification on a four-year cycleto companies participating inOption A1 and A2. To becomecertified, companies undergo a

scheduled audit in the first year ofthe four-year cycle. To be recertified in the subsequent threeyears, they may be randomly chosen for an audit in any or allof the three years. If they are notrandomly selected, they mustcomplete a self-declaration andself-assessment and submit it tothe certification body to demonstrate their continuingadherence to program requirements.

After six years of running theCanadaGAP random audit programme for Option A1 and A2participants, the statistics showsome interesting trends (see tableabove).

Random audit scores, with aminor exception in 2013, are consistently higher than thescores achieved on scheduledaudits. This encouraging trendsuggests that companies are doinga good job maintaining their programs consistently and areready to demonstrate complianceto their auditor even in yearswhen they may not be expectingan on-site visit.

These trends bode well forresults we can expect when unannounced audits are introduced to the CanadaGAPprogram for all certificationoptions. That development isanticipated for 2017, due to newGFSI requirements that are scheduled for announcement in2016.

CanadaGAP reports 14 per cent increase in enrolmentsFOCUS: FOOD SAFETY

Proportion of CanadaGAP Participants represented by crop grouping:

Audit Trends: Number of CanadaGAP Audits

CanadaGAP Random Audit Results

Based on # of producers

Tree andVine Fruit

FieldVegetables

Potatoes Small Fruit Greenhouse TotalCanadaGAPParticipation

Percentage ofCanadaGAP participants

33% 23% 18% 18% 8% 100%

2015 2014 2013 2012 2011

No. of auditsreported

1270 1037 1031 771 557

Year Average Audit Score for Option A1 andA2

Average Audit Scorefor Random Audits

2010 93.85 95.94

2011 91.28 93.67

2012 87.56 92.57

2013 91.85 91.18

2014 90.14 91.04

2015 91.03 92.75

Report on Certification Bodies

CanadaGAP has three licensedcertification bodies. These auditing firms are approved tooffer CanadaGAP audits: Bureau de normalisation duQubec (BNQ) NSF-GFTC (including sub-contractor Gestion Qualiterra inQuebec) SGS CanadaA fourth certification body, QMI-SAI GLOBAL, voluntarilywithdrew its services toCanadaGAP clients in September2015, after seven years of offering audits and certificationfor the program. CanadaGAP successfully transitioned manyformer SAI clients mid-season tonew certification bodies. We wishto thank our three partner certification bodies for theirresponsiveness, efficiency andcooperation in taking on manynew clients on short notice. Thetransfer of clients to a differentcertification body will continueover the coming months asCanadaGAP certificates issued bySAI expire.

CanadaGAP Auditors

The auditor pool consists of 44active and qualified CanadaGAPauditors (currently working for aCertification Body).This represents 19 per cent of thosewho have taken the CanadaGAPauditor training course and 29 percent of those who passed thecourse.

OTHERACCOMPLISHMENTS IN2015

Progress achieved towardsCanadian GovernmentRecognition

CanadaGAP has been participating in the CanadianGovernment Food SafetyRecognition Program for morethan a decade.

In 2014, the CanAgPlus Boardmade the decision to proceed withthe next steps towards achievingfull Government Recognition. In2015, CanadaGAP successfullycompleted technical review of themanagement system, the phaseknown as Technical ReviewPart two.

The final step in the process isthe Implementation Assessment,which involves a third partyassessment of the administrativeeffectiveness of program delivery.CanadaGAP completed a third

party audit of its national office inAugust 2015, and is currentlyunderway with third-party assessment of the delivery of on-site audits. It is anticipatedthat the process will be completein 2016, which may coincide withthe coming-into-force of newfood safety regulations in Canada.The outcome of these effortswould be the achievement of FullGovernment Recognition of theCanadaGAP Program. Currently,the only other food safety programs to reach the recognitionstage are the Chicken Farmers ofCanada On-Farm Food SafetyAssurance Program, and theDairy Farmers of CanadaCanadian Quality Milk Program.

Whats Ahead for 2016?

GFSI Benchmarking of OptionD anticipate completion in early2016

Canadian GovernmentRecognition anticipate completion in 2016

Launch new program participantsurvey

Expected introduction of GFSIAuditor Competency Scheme

Refresher testing of auditors andauditor trainers

Changes to 2016 Manuals some of the key revisions to comeinto effect April 1, 2016 include:

o New exemptions for cucumbers and peppers sent forpickling.

o Section 2 new bullet: Theperson responsible does not useproduction sites where sewagesludge has been applied.

o Section 6 MRL requirements will apply to the

person responsible for exporting.o Section 19.1 requirement

will apply to producers sendingtheir product to stand-alone storage facilities (i.e., storagefacilities will be expected to havean audit/certification under anindustry-recognized food safety program).

Heather Gale is executive director of the CanadaGAPProgram, CanAgPlus

THE GROWER

JANUARY 2016 PAGE 15

FOCUS: FOOD SAFETY

CanadaGAP reports 14 per cent increase in enrolments

Auditors by region

West Ontario Quebec Atlantic U.S. Total

# auditors 14 10 13 5 2 44

Percentage 32% 23% 30% 11% 5% 100%

Photos by Glenn Lowson

Spinach grower converts CanadaGAP manuals into GAP AppSaves data input and retrieval costs

KAREN DAVIDSON

So much has happened on thefood safety front since the E.coli-contaminated spinach crisisof 10 years ago, that the U.S. casehistory is just that ancient history. Fast forward to 2016 andconsider that spinach grower JimSheehan has just won aLeadership in Innovation awardfor his GAP App. Hes convertedthe hard-copy CanadaGAP foodsafety manuals into a mobile-friendly app that can record routine events in real-time.

Growing spinach hydroponically at Durham Foods,Port Perry, Ontario is unusual

enough, but Sheehan has de-risked contamination through-out the seed-to-harvest process.Their well water is tested beforeit comes in contact with spinachseeds and a mechanical harvesterhas been developed so that nohuman hands touch the produce.From planting large spinach seedsinto rafts that float on nutrient-rich water, Sheehan canmonitor plant health over the 18days until harvest. From several900 square-foot pools, he canreap 500 pounds of spinach.

Safety oversight

Spinach is highly perishableand as a leafy green, needs plenty

of safety oversight. Growingspinach in soil has its own hazards, but water also presentsits own hurdles.

No templates exist in growingspinach hydroponically, so Jimand his wife Shelley have

innovated from the ground up.That started with an OMAFRAcourse in food safety and traceability initiatives in 2011.Since then, they credit workingrelationships with a number offunding agencies such as NSERC,Ontario Centre of Excellence(OCE), CONII, NRC-BIAP,Niagara College, DurhamCollege, University of OntarioInstitute of Technology, and theconstant support and guidancefrom the team at CanadaGAP toachieve the programs translationto an electronic format.

When the Sheehans wanted tojoin CanadaGAP in 2012, therewas no category for hydroponicspinach. So they engagedresearchers at Niagara College toreview the CanadaGAP manualsand identify specific growingsteps that were not included.These physical tasks have beenadded to the roster of safety steps.

We created an electronic format of the CanadaGAPforms, says Sheehan so that wegot paperwork out of the greenhouse and made food safetypart of the everyday work flow.

Instead of documenting anincident at the end of the workday in an office removed from thegrowing area, the incident isrecorded on a mobile phone ortablet. A photo can be taken andadded to the record along withhow the problem was resolved.

Electronic trail

If an employee finds a broken

lamp in the greenhouse, forexample, the worker notes itimmediately on the smartphone.The event is recorded automati-cally into spreadsheets that anauditor can see once on thepremises. There is no paper trail,just an electronic trail.

The really great thing is thateverything relates back to theauditors forms, says Sheehan.We dont deal with a huge paperbeast every day, but rather a moreengaging format.

Record-keeping costs time andmoney. Sheehan claims savingson both inputting data and retrieving data. Auditing time isreduced. In fact, the auditor canreview the electronic records inadvance of the farm visit andspecify the few things which areto be the focus.

The mechanics of the GAPApp work smoothly for DurhamFoods. The next step is to havethe University of Ontario Instituteof Technology researchers test foradaptability to other commodities.GAP App is a piece of intellectual property that maysave tens of thousands of dollarsfor the horticulture industry. Thatcommercial venture is underwayat the start of 2016.

When Durham Foods won oneof Ontarios Agri-InnovationFo