KAREN DAVIDSON

Waterford, Ontario – Scratchthe surface of this calendar-worthy shot and there’s a grittystory underneath. Ontario’s fledgling lavender industry hasjust endured its second harsh winter and then was tarnishedwith frost in late May. The agronomists are saying to cut theplants back to the base to encourage new growth and secondary bloom.

“Staggered bloom is rarely agood thing,” says SeanWesterveld, OMAFRA’s ginsengand medicinal herbs specialist.“The plants will be under stresslonger. This is a bit of a realitycheck. We’re growing lavender inless than an ideal climate.”

Fortunately, these new lavender enterprises aren’t run byfledgling farmers. The NorfolkCounty Lavender Festival will goahead July 4 and 5. Not to worrysay Anita and Steve Buehner whotransformed their tobacco farm in2010 to launch BonnieheathEstate Lavender and Winery.They have built considerableinfrastructure – gift boutique, oildistillery, gazebo and parking – to

accommodate large groups of visitors to the farm. It takes a lotof hardscaping for soft sellingagriculture.

Soft selling is story telling. It’snot just about the retail store, butthe experience of the farm – itssetting, its history, its food. Thequestion is whether this ‘teaching’ moment can become a‘paying’ moment for the Buehnerfamily and others. They hopetourists will still come to seelavender fields, whether it’s anInstagram moment or not.

As a hedge, they have diversified with a vineyard so thatthey’re not quite so reliant onfinicky lavender. Just in time forthe 2015 season, they launchedFolkin’ Hard Ciders made from100 per cent Norfolk County-grown apples and tart cherries.

In five years, the Buehners’have put their reputations on awebsite (www.bonnieheathes-tate.com) and on the map, literally. The destination wasnamed one of Norfolk County’sTop 10 Amazing Places in 2014.Earlier this year, the farmreceived the Sustainable TourismAmbassador Award from theLong Point World BiosphereReserve Foundation.

With about a thousand visitorsduring the two-day LavenderFestlast July, two thousand for theremainder of the month and manymore during the year, the plan isto double that number in 2015.An analysis of the business statsshows a shift from lavender tomore sales on the beverage side.

“We’re on track, but the futureis uncertain,” says Anita Buehner.

This year’s event is fortifiedby the Norfolk Lavender CulinaryTrail, says Melissa Schooley, aco-organizer of the event. Twelverestaurants and specialty foodshops throughout the county areinfusing lavender into cocktails,sauces and desserts. It’s a truecelebration of the lavender harvest throughout the month ofJuly.

If lavender doesn’t light up thefield this year, other attractions inNorfolk County beckon. Whenweather crimps one crop, thenthis is where a critical mass ofdestinations close to each othermakes sense. A few kilometresaway, for example, is Ramblin’Road Brewery Farm which isopen year-round for tours and atipple.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

JULY 2015 CELEBRATING 136 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 65 NUMBER 07

AGRITOURISM’S GROWING PAINS

How to make the Instagram moment a paying moment

INSIDEManitoba scores biggerpotato acreage Page 5

Focus: Agritourism andfarmers’ markets Page 13

Berry Focus Page 16

www.thegrower.org

P.M. 40012319

$3.00 CDN

Lavender fields forever? Jack Frost nipped that question in the bud in late May, freezing tender shoots which had emerged after another harsh winter. Anita and SteveBuehner along with lavender festival partners Jan and Harold Schooley are recalculating their options for what should be peak season in July. Their story offers insightinto the tenacity required for agritourism ventures. Two years ago on a hot July day, this Waterford, Ontario photo shows the ephemeral beauty of what BonnieheathEstate Lavender has to offer tourists. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

“We’re on track,

but the future is

uncertain.”

~Anita Buehner

Health claimsallowed for fruitsand vegetables

On June 13, Health Canadapublished the Proposed RegulationsAmending the Food and DrugRegulations – Nutrition Labelling,Other Labelling Provisions andFood Colours in Canada GazettePart I. Included in this proposedregulation are changes to the nutri-tion label and the listing of ingredi-ents.

Of particular significance to thefresh fruit and vegetable industryare the proposals to:• amend the regulations to permit,the claim “A healthy diet rich in avariety of vegetables and fruits mayhelp reduce the risk of heart dis-ease”• permit the above claim and otherapproved health and nutrient con-tent claims to be made for eligibleprepackaged fresh fruits or vegeta-bles without a requirement for anutrition facts table.

In addition, Health Canadaannounced new public education

tools to encourage healthy eating,including a new “Eat Well Plate”visual. This aligns well with theHalf Your Plate program launchedby the Canadian ProduceMarketing Association (CPMA),the Heart and Stroke Foundation,the Canadian Cancer Society andthe Canadian Public HealthAssociation in January 2015.

“We are thrilled that HealthCanada has shown leadership onthis issue,” says Ron Lemaire, president, CPMA. “When we beganresearching this campaign,Canadians were unanimous in stating that serving sizes could be confusing and that the suggestionto fill half of their plate with vegetables and fruit at every mealand snack was clear and simple tounderstand and follow. This alsotranslates well to the grocery store,where we suggest that half of theircart be filled with vegetables andfruit so that they have healthieroptions to choose from at home.”

The 75-day comment period onproposed regulatory changes to thenutrition information on food labelsends August 26.

Rocky finds fame inThe Furrow

Earlier this year, The FurrowMagazine published a photo essayand story about a seasonal workerat the broccoli farm of Ken Forth,Lynden, Ontario. If you’re notfamiliar with this publication, it’san agricultural journal now published in 14 languages for JohnDeere GmbH & Co KG. With stellar photography, it provides amix of current issues in farmingwith both local and international

perspectives, as well as best practice examples.

Lorne McClinton’s exemplaryreporting documents the dual life ofa Jamaican worker who has workedfor Ken Forth for 30 years. AtRock River, Jamaica, he’s DonaldLloyd Dyer. For seven months ofthe year, he’s Rocky in Canada.The story peels back the layers toshow how his hard work has supported a family of four and howhis daughter is the first to graduatefrom college. The story also highlights how well the SeasonalAgricultural Workers Program(SAWP) works in term of legalemployment, housing and healthbenefits.

Ken Forth, president of ForeignAgricultural Resource ManagementServices (FARMS) gave unparalleled access to the photographer and journalist. Forthe entire story, go to:http://ow.ly/OfvJg

Reprinted with permission of JohnDeere's The Furrow magazine.Copyright (c) 2015 Deere &Company. All worldwide rightsreserved.

NEWSMAKERS

THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME…

PAGE 2 –– JULY 2015

The Ontario ProduceMarketing Association(OPMA) has announcedVirginia Zimm will be takingover the position of OPMApresident from the retiring IanMacKenzie in January 2016.She will start job shadowing inmid-August to prepare for thetransition. Zimm brings 25years of experience leadingFaye Clack Communications, amarketing and PR firm thatspecializes in promotion offresh food.

OPMA also elected its new board of directors. Steve Bamford,Fresh Advancements Inc. is chair and Chris Streef, Streef Produceis past-chair. They are joined by these directors: Frank Bondi,Sobeys Ontario; Chris Cockle, POM Wonderful LLC; AngelaCollins, Willson International Limited; Joe Didiano, Tomato King;Joe Dutchyn, Niagara Orchard & Vineyard Corp.; Paola Guarnieri,Toronto Wholesale Produce Association; Houman Madani, MetroOntario Inc.; Greg Maffey, Walmart Canada; Dave Overall,Windmill Farms; Derrick Rayner, EarthFresh Foods; FrankSpagnuolo, Loblaw Inc.

Alberta’s new NDP, 12-member cabinet welcomes Oneil Carlier,MLA for Whitecourt-Ste Anne as the minister of agriculture andforestry. Born in Val Marie, Sask., he was raised on his family’s cat-tle and grain farm. Before moving to Alberta in 2002, he spent 20years with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as a geotechnical tech-nician. He has 20 years of experience in the labour movement as arepresentative for the Public Service Alliance of Canada

British Columbia welcomes Carl Withler as its new tree fruit andgrape sector specialist based in Kelowna. He’s worked for severalprovincial ministries. He brings practical experience working in hiswife’s family orchard and vineyard near Osoyoos.

Congratulations to the Johnston family from Bailieboro, Ontariowho are featured on the cover of the 15th edition of Harvest Ontario.They sell fruits and vegetables from their on-farm market as well asthe Peterborough Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. They are membersof the Ontario Farm Fresh MarketingAssociation and are MyPick VerifiedGrowers with Farmers’ MarketsOntario. L-R: Nathan, Elizabeth,Craig, Melissa, Doug Johnston andDuke the farm dog.

The Harvest Ontario guide includesan exhaustive list of agritourismattractions. They are available freewhile quantities last at Ontario HomeHardware, Home Building Centresand Home Furniture locations as wellas select Ontario Travel InformationCentres. For a digital version, go towww.harvestontario.com

Ontario MPP for Huron Bruce, Lisa Thompson, launched her pri-vate member’s motion during Local Food Week. Called “GrowingAgri-Food Jobs in Ontario,” the motion encourages agriculture andfood literacy by ensuring the ministry of education includes amandatory component of career opportunities associated withOntario’s agri-food industry in the grades nine and 10 guidance andcareer education curriculum. Thompson’s motion will be debatedfor second reading on October 8.

Amanda Green is the new tree fruit specialist for the OntarioMinistry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs based out of theSimcoe office. She will be responsible for crop production mattersfor apples and pears. Most recently, she held the position of tenderfruit and grape specialist and weed management program lead, bothwith OMAFRA’s Agriculture Development Branch.

Food and Beverage Ontario elected a new board of directors recently, with Michael Burrows, Maple Lodge Farms, becoming thenew chair. Board secretary is Dave Shepherd, The Ippolito Group.Horticulture is well represented among the 15-member board including: Rob Anderson, Bonduelle North America, Paul Speck,Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery.

Photo courtesy OPMA.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

John Picard -- of Picard Peanuts’ fame -- is a pioneer in pointing out that bottles ofbeer don’t pour out of a factory without starting as agricultural ingredients.His four acres of hops comprise 11 bittering, flavouring and aromatic varieties.Visitors can roam the grounds with a glassof beer in hand. If they time their visit forlate August, they can see a home-builtcombine inverting the vines and strippingthe cones.

“I’m really excited about where

agriculture is at right now,” says Picard.“Farmers are good innovators and they areinnovative at developing food products.”

His line of farm-fresh beer includes aCountry Lager, Country Pilsner and aDakota Pearl Ale. He’s mined the name ofa chipping variety of potato and transplanted it to a beer made from potatostock. A line of kettle chips made fromNorfolk-grown potatoes rounds out theoffering.

The next frontier is marketing directlyto consumers. Picard has a good start withhis entertaining website(www.ramblinroad.ca) that promotes his

“new crop of cans” and “Twitter on tap.” Picard’s business model is to sell beerthrough local licensees in southwesternOntario. This strategy reinforces theuniqueness of a local product. To grow thebusiness, he’s hired an account manager toexpand the list of licensees farther afield.The LCBO is not a target for mass sales,he says, due to the long list of craft beersalready available.

Michigan growers, he notes, fulfill 20

per cent of the craft beer market whileOntario growers own only three per cent ofthe craft beer market. When the first hopswere planted in 2006, Ramblin’ RoadBrewery Farm was the 40th microbreweryto start in the province and now there aremore than a hundred. He says there’s plenty of room to grow new beers. AsPicard says, “You may get lost gettinghere, but we’re in the middle of somewherespecial.”

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 3

THE GROWER

COVER STORY

How to make the Instagram moment a paying moment

CHINA

All U.S. apples welcomed

All varieties of U.S. appleshave been cleared for shipmentto China. In a reciprocal dealreached earlier this year, Chinawill allow more than Red andGolden Delicious apples to arriveon its shores. The Red Deliciousvariety has been popular due toits red colour signaling wealthand prosperity. This is goodnews for Washington state grow-ers who produced 46 millionboxes of Red Delicious apples in2014 and were stymied withexports due to port disputes.

According to the Good FruitGrower, the Chinese no longercall for cold treatment forcodling moth since the pest isnow present in China.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

INTERNATIONAL

UNITED STATES

U.S. pear crop to be2% higher

Growers from the northwest-ern United States predict the2015 fresh pear harvest at almost20.4 million standard boxes,about two per cent higher thanthe five-year average. Harvest isexpected to start in late July, fiveto seven days earlier than nor-mal.

Green Anjou pears are esti-mated to make up 54 per cent ofthe crop with Bartlett expected tofulfill 21 per cent market shareand Bosc at 15 per cent. Certifiedorganic pears will compriseabout five per cent of the total:974,115 standard boxes.

Top export markets for USAPears are Mexico, Canada,Columbia and the UAE, as wellas China and India.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

UNITED KINGDOM

Cider gains popularity

The global market for cider isexpected to grow by about fiveper cent a year to three billionlitres by 2020. The CanadeanGroup, specialists in the bever-age sector, says that the UnitedKingdom is still the largest mar-ket with 41 per cent of the globalmarket share. However, theUnited States, Australia andSouth Africa are posting stronggrowth.

Craft production and sensoryfusion are the next steps for ciderbrands. Younger adults are inter-ested in artisanal brands that arepositioned around purity, highquality ingredients and extra carein the production process.Another marketing trend is tofuse cider with other alcoholicbeverages.

Source: BeverageDaily.com

MICHIGAN

Late frost nicks cherries

Michigan’s cherry crop maybe down 40 to 60 per cent due toa late frost May 20. Grapes andapples may not fare much betteraccording to the NorthwestMichigan Fruit Regional Report.

Authors Emily Pochubay andNikki Rothwell reported that thesweet cherry crop is variable.“Unfortunately, we have seenfrost scars on some of our sweetcherries here at the station,” theywrite. Growers were advised tokeep developing fruit covered,with warm and wet weather inthe forecast which is conduciveto American brown rot develop-ment.

Tart cherries were also vari-able, but growers were moreoptimistic that there is a 50 percent crop.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

CALIFORNIA

Record employmentfor farm workers

Contrary to what economistspredicted in the midst of an epicdrought, California employed arecord number of farm workersin 2014. That’s because farmershave shifted production to morelabour-intensive – and lucrative -- crops such as strawberries,nuts, wine grapes and some veg-etables.

About 417,000 workers, onaverage, were employed which isup by 6,000 from the previousyear. Average pay is about $9US per hour. The SacramentoBee reported May 19 that farmlabour has increased by 30,000since 2004.

Farmers fallowed only fiveper cent of the state’s irrigatedcropland according to federalstatistics and satellite photos.

Source: Hortidaily.com

Harold Schooley and his daughter Melissa, a co-organizer of the Norfolk CountyLavender Festival, look forward to welcoming visitors to the immaculately prunedfarm of Apple Hill Lavender, gift store and Raging Bowl Pottery near WindhamCentre, Ontario. “One of the biggest challenges is to get the traffic here,” saysHarold Schooley. “While the farm is located just 0.6 kilometres from a majorthoroughfare, we can’t get permission to erect a sign on that highway.”

The Ramblin’ Road Brewery Farm website offers an entertaining twist on wherebeer comes from.

“I’m really excited about where agriculture is at rightnow. Farmers are good innovators and they are innovativeat developing food products.”

~ John Picard

PAGE 4 –– JULY 2015THE GROWER

CROSS COUNTRY DIGEST

CANADA

Canadian Senate endorses multi-pronged approach to bee health

Canadian-based Serres Toundra has partnered with AAB, aNetherlands-based horticultural service provider, to build a 40-hectarecucumber greenhouse in Saint Felicien near Quebec City. Tenders forthe first phase are worth $40 million with three more phases to followfor a total of $100 million.

The location is strategic due to its proximity to a local paper millwhich will supply waste heat to the greenhouse. When completed, thebuilding will include a section for propagation.

Financing will be provided by banks as well as a pension fund andthe government of Quebec according to the AAB’s news release.Cultivation expertise and propagation management will be outsourcedto Dutch companies. The announcement was made during a Dutchtrade delegation to Canada, which ran parallel to the visit of MajestyKing Willem-Alexander and Majesty Queen Máxima.

Canada’s National Bee HealthRoundtable, formerly known as the BeeHealth Forum, applauds the StandingSenate Committee on Agriculture andForestry’s May 27 report on bee healthwhich acknowledges that the issue is com-plex and multifactorial.

“The standing committee consultedextensively on this important topic beforedelivering nine specific recommendations.Much like the Bee Health Roundtable(BHRT), the committee recognizes thatmany things contribute to bee health andonly by addressing those factors broadlywill we improve bee health in Canada,”says Rod Scarlett, co-chair of the BHRTand executive director of the CanadianHoney Council.

The senate committee report recommends:• Bee importation from the U.S. beallowed, with an emphasis on improvingthe inspection of such imports• The bee health surveillance project (jointly funded by government and industrypartners) be implemented on a continuousbasis• Accelerating implementation of theNational Bee Farm-Level BiosecurityStandard in hives

• The PMRA accelerate its conditional registration process in order to reduce thecurrent number of conditional registrationsgranted to neonic active ingredients• The Commissioner of the Environmentand Sustainable Development conduct afollow-up audit of PMRA• Improving access to new pesticides whichcould be safely used in beehives• PMRA continues to monitor bee mortali-ty and concludes, without delay, its re-evaluation of the three neonic insecticides• Increasing the amount and the duration ofresearch funding targeting pollinator health• Improving management practices of bee-keepers and growers while minimizing theuse of chemical products and ensuring theavailability of untreated seeds• Improving pollinator habitat by enhanc-ing planting of wild flowering plants

The BHRT appreciates the committee’srecognition of the work it is doing toimprove best management practices forboth beekeepers and growers, and improving pollinator habitat and is gratefulfor the call to increase research funding inareas already supported by many round-table members. The BHRT is up to thechallenge of the recommendations taskedto it in the Senate report and looks forward

to delivering results.“The senate committee report is very

complementary to the recommendationsthat came out of the White House lastweek,” said Scarlett. “There appears to bereal momentum behind the idea that only awell-rounded approach can make a truedifference for the future of bees.”

“We’ve seen a lot of engagement from

stakeholders on this issue willing to worktogether to ensure the continued prosperityof the beekeeping industry here in Canada.It’s these kinds of collaborative approachesthat will result in real solutions to beehealth challenges,” says Scarlett.

Source: Canadian Honey Council newsrelease

QUEBEC

Tenders to be issued for40-hectare cucumbergreenhouse

More cases of potato tampering were reported in May,triggering an Atlantic recall bythe Canadian Food InspectionAgency for some Loblaw andStrang’s Produce potatoes. OnJune 22, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announcedthat funding of $1.5 millionwould help Prince Edward Islandgrowers to acquire and installmetal detection equipment to protect the food safety record ofthe industry.

Since the incidents started inthe fall of 2014, no arrests havebeen made in the case of foodtampering involving the deliberate insertion of sewingneedles into potatoes.

The Prince Edward IslandPotato Board has extended itsreward for information untilOctober 31. Up to $100,000 isoffered for information leading tothe arrest and conviction of theperpetrator. Anonymous tips areeligible for the reward.

MARITIMES

Potato tampering perplexes industry

Figure 1: Comparison of the unique number of Ontario yards reported at plantingover the last four years - as of June 11, 2015. During planting period there was~70% decrease in the number of reported yards affected in 2014 compared to 2013,and in 2015 the reduction was ~80% compared to 2013. Source: PMRA

Honey Bee Incidents Reported to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency

Manitoba

Statistics for Canadian potato plantingswon’t be available until mid-July, but somepatterns are already emerging for 2015.Manitoba’s acreage is up, returning tomore traditional levels with contracts withSimplot, McCain Foods and CavendishFarms.

“My best guess is that we’ll be over70,000 acres,” says Dan Sawatzky, generalmanager, Keystone Potato Producers’Association, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.“Although contract volume is up 18 to 20per cent, acreage will likely be up by only15 per cent due to an early start to planting. Acreage will likely return closeto 2013 levels but will remain below thoseof 2012.”

While contract prices went down 1.5per cent in the U.S., our contract priceswent up three per cent due to currencyexchange contributing to higher inputcosts. The attitude of growers was morepositive with volumes returning closer to2012 levels.”

Manitoba plantings were timely in lateApril and early May, lending credence tothe expectation for higher yields. InManitoba, the potato industry is 79 percent processing and 21 per cent fresh tablepotatoes. The three-year provincial average yield is 295 cwt/acre.

“Processing companies kept volumesclose to the same as last year in NorthAmerica with some shifts within both theU.S. and Canada,” says Sawatzky. “Thereis additional volume in Washington, NewBrunswick and Manitoba and less in Idaho,

Wisconsin and Alberta.” “While consumer demand is flat to

down in North America, it is growingglobally. Europe captured most of thegrowth last year due to strong productionand the U.S. Pacific port worker slow-down. North America, however, should bepositioned to regain export demand thisyear barring productions problems.”

Alberta

A good chunk of Alberta’s potatoes aredestined for five processors: CavendishFarms, Lamb Weston, McCain FoodsCanada, Hostess Frito-Lay and Old Dutch.“We were two weeks early in planting andestimate 52,600 acres,” says TerenceHochstein, executive director, PotatoGrowers of Alberta. “About 40,000 ofthose acres are destined for processing.”

As of June 22, the irrigated acres wereat row closure, but seed potato acres incentral Alberta were in desperate need ofrain.

Prince Edward Island

The long arm of the 2014-15 winterdelayed planting into mid-June on theisland. The estimate is for the sameacreage as last year, about 90,500 acressays Ryan Barrett, communications coordi-nator, Prince Edward Island Potato Board.

Ontario

In Ontario, plantings are stable at35,500 acres says Kevin Brubacher, field

manager, Ontario Potato Board. Despitelate frosts in some areas, most crops haverecovered, especially with plentiful rain inJune.

With half of the crop destined for processing, growers were heartened withthe news that PepsiCo is investing $12 million to update its Frito-Lay plant inCambridge, Ontario. The provincial gov-ernment will contribute $3 million throughits Rural Economic Development Program.High-speed packaging systems are expected to improve competitiveness forits line of potato chips and other snackfoods. These brands include Lay’s,Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos and Ruffles.

Potato Storage Holdings Report

Agriculture Canada released its PotatoStorage Holdings Report for the 2014-15season on June 5. The balance of the over-all crop remaining in storage is up 7.8 per

cent compared to one year ago says KevinMacIssac, United Potato Growers ofCanada. In his recent newsletter he offersthe following analysis.

The 18.6 million cwt compares to 17.2million cwt in June 2014 and is the highestsince 2007. Maritime holdings are up 32per cent while western Canadian holdingsare down 10.2 per cent. Central Canada isdown as well, at 5. 4 per cent in Quebecand 11 per cent in Ontario, compared to2014.

The largest increase is in potatoesintended for utilization in the fresh market.If all potatoes that are available for thiscategory get packed, there will be about 70per cent more available than last year (2.9million cwt vs. 1.7 million cwt). This pat-tern has intensified as each month has pro-gressed throughout the marketing season.Western provinces have seen acceleratedmovement in the fresh market, whileprovinces such as Prince Edward Islandand New Brunswick have experienceddecreased movement. In the month ofMay, however, fresh disappearance insome provinces actually picked up.Quebec, for example, had record May disposition of their fresh potatoes goingback almost 15 years. Ontario has alsolowered its stocks on hand dramaticallywhich will allow room for the new crop tocome to market.

The supply of potatoes destined for processing is up 5 per cent compared to ayear ago.

Source: Agriculture Canada PotatoStorage Holdings Report, 2014-15 season.

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 5

Bright spots reported in potato processing with new contractsPOTATO INDUSTRY

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Overall crop remaining in storage is up7.8 per cent compared to one year ago.Photo by Glenn Lowson

The Potato Sustainability Initiative brings togetherpotato growers, processors, distributors and retailers undera single program to improve sustainability in the potatosupply chain in the U.S. and Canada. In 2014, 242Canadian growers participated as a requirement to serviceMcDonalds processors. The Canadian Potato Council hastwo representatives on the steering committee: VernonCampbell, Summerfield, Prince Edward Island and MikeWind, Taber, Alberta.

The project started in 2010 to develop an integratedpest management (IPM) practice survey for potato growerssupplying McDonald’s. The goal was to promote, track,and report adoption of IPM and other best practices thathelp reduce pesticide use and risks. A group includinggrowers, three potato processors— ConAgra Foods LambWeston, McCain Foods and Simplot—McDonald’s, theNational Potato Council (NPC), the Canadian HorticulturalCouncil (CHC) and the IPM Institute agreed on atimetable.

Over four growing seasons, the group perfected anonline practice survey with more than 400 North Americanpotato growers. Each grower responded to questions abouta variety of best practices including crop rotation to helpmanage Colorado potato beetle and other pests, weathermonitoring for forecasting diseases, and the need forfungicide applications and scouting and trapping for insectpests.

Each practice was categorized as Basic, Steward,Expert, or Master reflecting a low-management to high-management level of implementation. Participating

growers were able to benchmark their farm performance,practice by practice, to the average for their region, country or market segment (i.e., frozen, chip, fresh andseed). Individual data was secure, visible only to the grower or accessible by sharing to selected business

partners, while aggregated industry data was accessible forpublic inquiry.

“The program has really evolved from pesticide practices to include soil stewardship, health and safety,and community involvement,” says Eric Ritchie, agriculture manager North America for food safety, sustainability and policy at McCain Foods in Florenceville–Bristol, New Brunswick. “The potato industry is out infront on sustainability initiatives and has a lot to sharewith other commodities.”

The program’s benefits have been so compelling thatcompanies such as H.J. Heinz/Ore-Ida Foods, CavendishFarms and Basic American Foods have joined. A consoli-dated set of questions and improved user functionality wasrolled out across North America in late 2014 as the PotatoSustainability Initiative (PSI) Survey. Moving forward,Ritchie says the survey will implement metrics such asnutrient use efficiency, water usage, waste reduction,worker health and safety, pesticide reduction in risk due toIPM and greenhouse gas/energy efficiency. Surveyresponse validation by food companies is scheduled forlate 2015 and third party auditing is to begin in 2016.

Trends have shown a steady improvement in scores. In2013, 97.7 per cent of surveyed growers achieved at leasta basic level of IPM stewardship, with 48 per cent at theMaster level of IPM practitioners. The annual overall rat-ing index has steadily increased over four years, starting at2.83 in 2010 and improving to 3.11 in 2013. Surveyresults can be found on the CHC and NPC websites.

Potato industry is out in front on sustainability initiative

A remarkable genetic discovery hasbeen made in sweet potatoes by researchersfrom Belgium, Peru, China and the U.S. Ina scientific paper published in March 2015,they report that among 291 tested accessions of cultivated sweet potato, all

contain one or more transfer DNA (T-DNA) sequences. These sequences, whichare expressed in a cultivated sweet potatoclone (Huachano), suggest that anAgrobacterium infection occurred duringits evolution. One of the T-DNAs is

present in all cultivated sweet potatoclones, but not in the crop’s close wild relatives, suggesting that T-DNA provideda trait or traits that were selected for duringdomestication. This finding underlines theimportance of plant-microbe interactions,

and given that this crop has been eaten formillennia, it may change the paradigmgoverning the “unnatural” status of transgenic crops.

Genome found in sweet potatoes could temper GMO debate

CHC is partnering in a newcampaign entitled Bees Matter(www.beesmatter.ca). Canadianagricultural organizations are

focusing on bee health in a posi-tive, science-focussed approach.As part of the campaign, theBuzzing Gardens program offers

Canadians a free seed kit to planta pollinator garden along with aleaflet about the factors that affecthoneybee health.

CHC partners in Bees Matter campaign

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCILTHE GROWER

PAGE 6 –– JULY 2015

The ‘AQUA Wetland System’“A new breed of constructed wetland”

AQUA Treatment Technologies Inc. designs and installs the ‘AQUA Wetland System’ (AWS) for tertiary treatment of many types of waste water including sanitary sewage, landfill leachate, dairy farm & abattoirwastewater, greenhouse irrigation leachate water &mushroom farm leachate water (i.e. manure pileleachate) and high strength winery washwater.

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

The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 EnvironmentalCompliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of ‘smallflow’ winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals includeHealth Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include:1) treatment & re-use of greenhouse irrigation leach water at greenhouses in Niagara & Haldimand2) treatment of winery wastewater at Greenlane Estates Winery & numerousother in Niagara 3) treatment of landfill leachate at sites in Pembroke, Niagara and Alabama

For additional information please Contact LloydRozema at: cell. 905-327-4571email. lrozema@aqua-tt.com

Photo by Glenn Lowson

THE GROWER

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JULY 2015 –– PAGE 7

THE GROWER

PAGE 8 –– JULY 2015

STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, kdavidson@ecomente.caProduction: Carlie Robertson, 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 newspaper’s 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 GROWERS’ASSOCIATION 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 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

Listening and hearing. Theseare not the same thing.

No matter what the occupationor circumstance, there will alwaysbe times when one needs to get amessage across which is difficultfor the listener to hear. In thesame vein, delivering the messagein the right way can make it morepalatable on the recipient of thatmessage. The consequences ofdelivering a message in a waythat completely alienates therecipient often leads to the clo-sure of further opportunities to beheard. This is why it is necessaryto craft messaging about seriousissues carefully, and to under-stand the potential consequences

that could result.Communication, as most

know, is a two-way endeavor. If amessage is delivered but notheard, its usefulness is severelylimited. If the recipient does notwant to hear the message, thenagain, it is not very useful. Themost useful communicationinvolves a message that is clearlyarticulated to a willing recipient.The recipient does not have toagree with the message, but mustbe willing to hear it.

In the business of workingwith the government, with somany compounding issues andsignificant consequences, strongpersonalities and diverse commu-nities, it is clear that deliveringthe message has to be done withconsideration and thoughtfulness.While we may not always agreewith the government of the dayabout an individual policy or regulation, it is necessary to con-sider the impact of one positionon the ability to work with thegovernment in other areas. Wealways need to be able to communicate our position on themany varied issues of the day inorder to remain relevant.

More and more, it is crucial tokeep these lines of communica-tion open. Understanding the

pressures that face the govern-ment is an important step indetermining the communicationstrategy with these stakeholders.In Ontario, the current govern-ment is very focused on meetingthe urban agenda as this is wherethe majority of their votes camefrom. It is with this in mind thatthe OFVGA works very hard atmaintaining current lines of communication and developingnew ones, to advocate and lobbyon behalf of the grower.

And it is not only with theOntario Ministry of Agriculture,Food and Rural Affairs, withwhom the horticultural sectorneeds to be close to. The Ministryof Environment and ClimateChange has an immense effect onthe activities of farmers, fromwater and land use policies tonewer controversial pesticide initiatives. The Ministry ofNatural Resources, Ministry ofLabour, Ministry of Energy,Ministry of Finance, Ministry ofEducation, and Ministry of Healthand Long Term Care, among others can influence the successand profitability of horticulturalgrowers. And certainly communi-cating effectively with thePremier’s office is essential to thefuture of production in Ontario.

So with all of these diversegovernmental stakeholders, howis it possible to effectively com-municate with all of them. TheOFVGA does not always agreewith government direction and wehave to let the policy makers andpoliticians know our position onpolicy, and it is up to the growersto drive those conversations.The Board of Directors of theOFVGA is made up of growerswho understand the pressures horticulture faces and have beenvery active in putting forth posi-tions to promote the perspectiveof fruit and vegetable farmers.

It is obvious the governmenthas an interest in our sector. InJune the OFVGA, along withmany other horticultural organiza-tions, participated in a “market”at Queen’s Park. In a small way,hundreds of government workers,including some elected officials,were able to see the impact thatthis sector can have in Ontario.This was a very good opportunityto have people listen and to beheard. Indeed the Minister ofAgriculture, Food and RuralAffairs and his ParliamentaryAssistant both made strong effortsto speak to all participants in theevent, and it is evident that theyhave a strong desire to listen.

We want the other ministries tohave the same level of interest inlistening to the concerns of thesector and we must continue tocommunicate effectively acrossgovernment.

The growers of fruits and vegetables have had a lot to sayto the government over the pastseveral months. Growers havehad significant input into discus-sions on climate change, water,agricultural land use, pensionplans and other major governmentinitiatives. All submissions madeto the government by the OFVGAare online (www.ofvga.org) andwe encourage all interested parties to get engaged with thesedocuments. It takes a lot of effortto evaluate positions and input onvarious policies, consult withstakeholders and to developappropriate responses to govern-ment legislative proposals. It iscrucial that growers continue tobe vocal and to make the government hear our issues.

While we know we have delivered a lot of messages, thequestion that remains to beanswered: Is the government listening and are we being heard?

How do we get heard and are we listened to?

JOHN KELLYEXECUTIVE VP, OFVGA

In Ontario, this spring hasgone from dry to wet, using thesame pipe to put water on thefield to save plants from certaindeath, only to pump water off thefield four days later to prevent theplants from drowning. As thingschange the goal stays the same: agood yielding and high qualitycrop with a fair market price.Good farmers, despite the variations in weather, manage toproduce quality and yields. Goodgovernments should help usmaintain a fair market place.

We are on the verge of apotential historic change. The climate is beginning to showsigns of variations and sometimeserratic patterns. More models arewarming up to the new possibilities. There have evenbeen multiple shifts felt across thelandscape, which has shaken whatprevious predictions and parameters would never allow.Some people may argue that thisis history repeating itself; othersmay say we are in for somethingwe have never seen before.

I am referring here to politics,and like weather, we as farmersneed to monitor future forecasts,understand the trends and respondto the outcomes, whether predicted or not. We need to usethe knowledge we have gainedand the tools in our possession.

We have seen a historicchange in Alberta, with its newprovincial government changingfrom blue to orange. The Ontarioprovince is painted red. In someareas, green is slowly becomingmore of a presence. Our countryright now is under a blue banner.The OFVGA must bring its

message to all levels of government – provincial, federaland interprovincial. We have federal files such as PACA, cropprotection and trade, to name afew, that are being woven intoprovincial policy. This now creates differences between theprovinces and provincial policeswhich are not aligned with thefederal government. In Ontario,for example, the government hasimplemented a change in neonicotinoid usage, while thefederal body, the PestManagement Regulatory Agency,

has a different set of guidelines.Also, carbon cap and trade inOntario is being modeled afterQuebec and California. In yetanother divergence, Alberta’s proposal for a $15 minimumwage by 2018 could create competitive imbalances for farmers between the provinces.

As each political party has different agendas, the OFVGAmust continue to be engaged andwork with the entire kaleidoscopeof political colours both federallyand provincially. We must be ableto adapt to the changing of the

guard if and when it happens.We must understand how the different governments relate toeach other. A federal election isnot far off; there are rumblingsand forecasting of a historicchange. Is it possible that we gofrom blue to orange, or will redcome through? Or will it stay thesame in the end? What influencewill green have? Maybe thecolours will combine. As werespond to the variations of theweather, so also must we respondwith the changing of the fourshades of colour.

Four shades of colour

JASON VERKAIKCHAIR, OFVGA

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 9

When it comes to food, it’sincreasingly clear where Ontariois headed. The province believeslocal food is what consumerswant, and it’s reactingaccordingly.

Its current course is not theway a lot of modern mainstreamfarmers want it to proceed. Theyfeel their needs aren’t being metby the province, and that consumers see them as environmentally insensitive.

The reality is that farmers are,and continue to be, the best environmentalists. Farmers mustremind the public it’s them, notself-interest groups, who lookafter the countryside on theirbehalves, day after day, season inand season out.

People who suggest farmers

are acting irresponsibly are looking after their own interestsand ideologies, not that of mostOntarians.

But unfortunately for farmers,when it comes to this issue, thehorse has left the barn...and didso very quickly. The culture inOntario has changed dramatically,and farmers need to find ways toco-exist with a movement thatsees them differently.

Education is vital. One of thebest approaches is to show howall farmers, not just a select few,are purveyors of local food.Studies in the U.S. have shownconsumers care that farmers feedthe local community (more sothan the global one). In Canada, Isuspect the same thing appliesand I’m sure it won’t be longbefore a study emerges showingthat.

Declaring yourself a local foodproducer -- and explaining theneed for flexibility and elbowroom to do what you do -- istruthful. Almost all commoditiesgrown on Ontario farms end up asfood. Those commodities aregrown locally. It’s an easy connection.

That won’t make the differences between the provinceand mainstream farmers go away.But it might move both sidescloser to what they want – whichis, appearing responsible to

consumers. I believe that to make the best

of where the province is headed,farmers need to have their ownlocal food strategy, however itlooks. That became clearer lastmonth, when Ontario released itsfirst Local Food Report.

The report stems from theLocal Food Act of 2013, the firstof its kind in Canada. Under thisact, the minister is obliged toestablish goals and targets forimproved local food literacy,increased use of local food by thepublic sector, and increasedaccess to local food.

One way to increase access tolocal food is to produce more it,more of what consumers say theyare looking for. This is the kindof production likely to receivenew support from the province, asis the research that makes itmeaningful.

Then there’s the Local FoodStrategy, which picks up onFoodland Ontario’s 92 per centconsumer recognition. FoodlandOntario was visionary. It was promoting local food even beforethe term was coined.

Another local food featuresupported by the province is a taxcredit program, introduced toacknowledge farmers who donatelocal food to food banks. Noteveryone can afford food, local orotherwise. This program helps

food banks offer up local food,some of the best food available.

Then there’s Local FoodWeek, which is now proclaimedas an official week in theprovince the first week of everyJune, just as local asparagus andberries are coming into season.

One of the clearest local foodsuccess stories is what’s hap-pened with University of Guelphfood services. At a recent GuelphChamber of Commerce breakfast,the university’s chief food procurement official Mark Kennyhit a home run with a presentationabout what he called the institution’s local food revolution.It operates a local vegetable processing facility, and will soon

start making its own sausage. Aswell, this fall it will open a PanAsian grill, featuring Ontario goatmeat, among other commodities.

The university, and everyoneelse, is looking to Ontario farmersfor local food. This is a greatopportunity to assimilate into achanging culture – without reallyhaving to make too much of achange, other than underline toOntarians what you do.

And what you do is grow thelocal food they crave. Sure, onthe ground, it’s more complicatedthan that. But from consumers’perspective, it’s as simple as that.They crave it, you grow it. Doneand done.

Look to Ontario farmers for local food

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Saskatoon berries are novelty at Ontario farmers’ markets

KAREN DAVIDSON

While frost crisped the blossomsof apples, strawberries and blue-berries in some parts of southernOntario this past spring, theSaskatoon berry has thrived.Thanks to its heritage in westernCanada, these bushes haveproved their winter hardiness nearWaterford, Ontario. About 2.5acres are in production at RowenFarms, operated by John andBarbara Rowen.

“Saskatoon berries are easy togrow, but, because of the southern location and the lack ofany added chemicals on theRowen Farm, it takes 10 to 11years before a serious crop is produced,” says Barbara Rowen.She demonstrates how the flexible branches can be bentdownwards to strip the stems of

the fruit clusters. While they arenot certified organic growers onpaper, they do not use crop pro-tection products in their orchard.

By the first of July, harvestwill be underway. UnderRowen’s watchful eye, a contrac-tor manages his labourers throughthe hand-picking process. Rowensupervises the sorting process.Pick-your-own, pre-picked retailor wholesale saskatoons are available

About 50 per cent of the production is frozen for use inpies and jams, while the remainder is sold fresh.

Saskatoon berries are relatively rare in Ontario, but certainly a welcome novelty atfarmers’ markets. Local demandis such that the Rowen’s haveplanted another eight acres whichshould come into production inthe next couple years.

Bridget Visser, Holland Marsh Growers' Association at theFarmers' Market, Ontario legislature.

PAGE 10 –– JULY 2015

THE GROWER

BRUCE KELLY

Following last month’s articleon food waste, I thought I wouldcheck with the Canadian BiogasAssociation to see how its thirtyplus, on-farm digesters are work-ing to use organic waste to pro-duce biogas and energy.

Although it has been reportedthat 40 per cent of food is wasted,biogas system operators have towork hard to find sources oforganic materials to supplementmanure which is the primaryfeedstock for on-farm digesters.Materials high in fats, oils andsugars are highly desirable to sup-plement the manure feedstockthough any organic material canbe blended into the feed-streammix.

The 40 per cent waste valuewas defined in the 2010 FoodWaste in Canada report by theValue Chain Management Centreas “the quantifiable difference invalue between what is producedon farms, then processed, distrib-uted and sold every year, com-pared to what is consumed.”

Although this may be an econ-omist’s definition of food waste,it is highly misleading as itimplies that the waste at eachlevel of the system is retrievable,usable and safe to consume.

Product is indeed lost at manysteps along the processing systemincluding through harvesting loss-es, trim, imperfect products andfood safety. However, it is naiveto assume that thesebyproducts/waste are or ever werefit for consumption.

The largest amount of loss --almost 20 per cent of the total --occurs at the consumer level, con-sisting of spoiled food, pastexpiry dates, etc. Municipalitiesindicate that participation rates ingreen bin programs can be as lowas 30 per cent because apartmentsand businesses do not have theability to sort waste streams.

The food system has a proventrack record and long history ofefficiency. Diverting and sellingwhat might appear as waste (e.g.bakery waste) to other industriessuch as the livestock feed indus-try has always been good busi-ness.

Secondary products from ren-

dering, bakery, milling, andethanol production can all be usedby other industries and divertmaterials from landfill. The foodprocessing and animal processingsectors sell everything possibleout of their facilities to virtuallyeliminate organic waste that goesto landfill.

There are three main sourcesof organic material for farm-based biogas plants: farm-basedinputs (including manure), cropresidues and organic materialfrom commercial and industrialsectors (including food and bever-age processors).

Diverting organic waste to abiogas plant instead of a landfillis good for business and good forthe environment as it significantlylowers greenhouse gas emissions,returns nutrients to the soil,reduces risks to ground water,generates renewable energy, cre-ates jobs, and increases energysecurity. If your operation pro-duces organic materials you don’tuse, the Canadian BiogasAssociation can connect you withthe closest biogas system to youroperation. There are more than 30farm-based systems in Ontario.

Closing the Loop is a collabo-rative initiative of the CanadianBiogas Association, working withmunicipalities, food processorsand organic generators to directorganic material to biogas sys-tems and where possible, producerenewable natural gas (RNG). Forfleets switching to compressednatural gas (CNG), the RNG canbe blended with conventional nat-ural gas – which further reducesfleets’ greenhouse gas emissions.

Using modern technology, andorganic material no longer suit-able for consumption, Closing theLoop builds on visionary work byleading municipalities that have asustainable focus and are movingto reduce emissions and trans-portation costs, while recyclingorganic materials. As an example,a vegetable processor could con-tribute organic waste to a biogasfacility and consider using RNGas a delivery vehicle fuel (orwork with their trucking compa-ny). This would contribute to thesustainability objectives of thecompany, lower its greenhousegas emissions and contribute to

renewable fuel production.One such project here in

Ontario is with the innovativeagricultural engineering firmFaromor in Shakespeare, wherelocal trucking and transport com-panies will soon be able to fill upwith compressed gas made fromrenewable local sources.

“There is a lot of greatmomentum building,” saysStephanie Thorson of theCanadian Biogas Association.“No one had heard of RNG untilrecently and now municipalitiesacross the country and some pri-vate companies understand thecompelling case for closing theloop on organic materials.”

How can you close the loopfor your company? Farms withorganic waste products or proces-sors who generate organic by-products should talk to theirwaste management companyabout sending material to biogassystems to improve their sustain-ability record. Interested partiescan also talk to their waste man-agement company about fuelingwith CNG and RNG. Visit www.biogasassociation.ca/CTL for more information, orcontact sthorson@biogasassocia-tion.ca orbruce@farmfoodcare.org.

Bruce Kelly is environmental pro-gram manager, Farm & FoodCare.

Closing the loop: Using farm and processing-generated waste to produce biogas

July 4-5 Lavender Festival, Prince Edward County Lavender Farm, Hillier, ON

July 4-5 Norfolk County Lavender Festival, Apple Hill Lavender and Bonnieheath Estate Lavender and Winery, Windham Centre and Waterford, ON

July 8-9 Canadian Horticultural Council Summer Tour, Niagara region

July 9-10 Canadian Potato Council Meeting, Richmond, BC

July 11 Phytocultures Ltd Technical Information Haskap Session, Clyde River, PE

July 12-17 International Farm Management Association & Congress, Quebec City, QC

July 14 Ridgetown Vegetable Open House, Ridgetown Campus-University of Guelph, Ridgetown, ON

July17-19 International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration, Vineland, ON

July 21 Ontario Apple Tour, Harrow, ON

July 22 Summer Visit for New Apple Cultivars and Rootstocks, St. Joseph-du-Lac, QC 1:30 pm

July 22-23 Fresno Food Expo, Fresno Convention and Entertainment Centre, Fresno, CA

July 27 – 30 World Potato Congress, Yanqing, Beijing, China

August 1 Food Day Canada

August 4 Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association Summer Tour, Kentville, NS

Aug 8 -9 Perth Lions Garlic Festival, Perth, ON

August 12 Elora Research Station Potato Day, Elora, ON

August 13 Peak of the Market 17th Annual Family Fun Day, Winnipeg, MB

August 20 Ontario Potato Field Day, HJV Equipment, Alliston, ON

August 20 Processing Vegetable Field Day, New York State Agricultural Experimental Station, Geneva, NY

Aug 20-21 U.S. Apple Crop Outlook and Marketing Conference, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Chicago, IL

COMING EVENTS 2015

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 11

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Cost increases should not be surprises

Cost increases are a necessaryevil in our industry. They are alsoone of the most difficult messagesto deliver to retailers. Nobodywants costs to go up and it canlead to a strain on the relationshipbetween suppliers and retailers.This month I will share someinsights on how to manage yourcost to the retailer and how tomaintain a positive relationshipthrough cost increases.

Work in advance

You should be talking aboutyour costs throughout the year toplant the seed for an increase. Ifyou talk about costing during different meetings it does notseem like such a difficult discussion when you need to takeit up. Educate the retailer on thedifferent cost components of yourbusiness.

You should make sure youunderstand the category you compete in. There are some commodities where costs changeevery week and others where thecost increases are implementedduring certain times of the year.There are also times in the yearwhen the retailers will not accepta cost increase on value added orconsumer packaged goods items.They want their employeesfocused on selling during the keyholiday period so do not expectany movement leading up toNovember and December.

Share the good news and thebad news

A cost increase should neverbe a surprise to the retailer. Keepthem up-to-date on what is happening in your industry. Ifyou are starting to experiencecommodity cost increases for rawmaterials or packaging costincreases let them know inadvance. This will prepare themfor the conversation to come in afew months. It never hurts to say“we are able to hold the line forsix months as we had a contractprice.”

Most retailers spend considerable time to understandwhat is happening in the produceindustry. Chances are if yourbusiness is experiencing increasing costs of productionother growers are as well. Theydo respect you for being informed

about your industry.Labour is always a good topic

of conversation. Retailers arevery familiar with the increasingcosts of labour. It is a challengefor many businesses. Focus onhow your company is beingproactive to find the right peoplehowever there is a cost and thefacts are that minimum wage isincreasing which drives up allsegments of the organization.

You should always think ofthe good and the bad. Not everycost is increasing so you need topresent a realistic picture.Recently we have seen fuel costsgo down and retailers know this.If you were in the same chair lastyear looking for a cost increasedue to the cost of fuel you knowthey will remember the conversation.

Keep your increases regular

It is never great to deliver costincreases but do not put it off.Your business will be strainedand at some point you will haveto catch up. It is better to keep thecost moving in line with your costof production as opposed torequiring a 10 per cent increase tostay in business.

You can influence the retail

Most cost increases result in aretail price change. Do the mathto understand what your retailwill be. Use the category marginthey are making on your producttoday and calculate where theprice point will go with the newcost. You might be better toincrease by a few pennies moreand the retail will still be thesame. The pennies add up!

Don’t procrastinate

Your category manager knowsyour business has to be profitableand maintain the ability to supplytheir stores. They will never tellyou but they do need successfulsuppliers. Big beautiful storeswith no products are not success-ful. It is true there will be some-one in line to take your shelfspace but if your product doescontribute to their offering and isa part of the category strategythen they do need you there.

Make sure the cost increase ispart of the overall presentation.Maintain a balance of where yourproduct is going in the future andwhat you are doing to drive traf-fic and sales in their store. If youhave been talking about cost allyear it is easier to say that youhave an increase if you delivereda message six months ago aboutthe cost of packaging going up.

Understand your categorymanager. Some will always pushback on cost -- you need to knowthat -- and build it into your start-ing point. Others will accept whatyou have been sharing all year.The most important thing is tohave the conversation and agree

on what the cost will be goingforward.

If you have any stories aboutyour cost increases with your cus-tomers it would be great to learnmore. You can send them to meat pchapman@gpsbusiness.ca.

RETAIL NEWS

Blacks to disappear from theretail landscape

One thing is constant aboutretail, it is always changing.Blacks photography storesannounced they would be closingthis year. It is no surprise as con-sumers print photos at home orshare them on their phone.

When I read the news itreminded me of how importantthe photo-finishing department

used to be when I was at Loblaw.The sales in this department werehigher than the seafood depart-ment. Overnight it just evaporatedas the technology evolved. Theretailers had to find new initia-tives to replace these sales.

WHAT’S IN STORE?

How do you look from below?

A number of retailers storetheir extra inventory on the topshelf on the retail floor or in somecases it returns to the back shop.You should think of your case asmuch more than just a box to shipin.

Make it easier for people tofind your product. If your productis out of stock you want it to beeasy to find. Look at the photo

here from the employee’s point ofview. It is not hard to tell whichproduct might get worked back tothe shelf and which one will siton the top shelf until an employeehas time to look in the boxes.

It’s more than a cardboardbox!

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

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THE GROWER

PAGE 12 –– JULY 2015

The Ontario Fruit andVegetable Growers' Association(OFVGA) board met on June 18,2015. Topics included safetynets, upcoming consultations onlabour and crop protection.

Safety Nets

Eight states and two provinceshave signed the Great LakesAnnex Agreement. The targetsannounced include a 20 per centnutrient loading reduction. In thelong term, a larger reduction isconsidered. Highlights of theagreement include recognition ofpoor sewage treatment on theother side of the lake and poorstorm water management. Theagricultural focus is on the bestmanagement practices that needto be adopted to meet targets.There is concern that there wereno definitions of nutrients represented.

The Ontario Ministry ofEnergy is focusing efforts onlong-term energy conservationand is looking at buildings usingpower. In 2015 any buildingmore than 250,000 square feetwill have to report annually itswater usage, energy usage, andgreenhouse gas emissions calcula-tion. By 2017, anyone with a

building more than 50,000 squarefeet will need to report on monthly energy uses (gas, hydro,etc.), and water usage, using anonline database used to calculategreenhouse gas emissions. Inagriculture, this can capturegreenhouses, packing sheds, grading sheds, value-added buildings, feedlots, and dairy. AnEnvironmental Bill of Rights(EBR) posting is expected soonwith a regulation to follow. Dataneeds to be captured immediately,especially for 250,000 square footoperations and over since theymust report this year. It is proposed that reporting be annual,however, every five years a consultant must review processesto make sure that information isaccurately obtained. A commentperiod is to be decided once theEBR posting comes out.

It appears that SDRM enrolment has not been impactedafter the requirement for Agri-Stability was removed. It is recommended that anyone withfunds still remaining should consider withdrawing them to beplaced elsewhere.

The frost in May will impactthe payout on Crop Insurance.While there is no information onthe effects yet, $1 million in

claims for reseeding mostly insoybeans and corn is projected.

Labour

The Labour IssuesCoordinating Committee (LICC)is participating with OntarioFederation of Agriculture (OFA)in consultations with Ontario government representatives“Changes in the Workplace” todiscuss the uniqueness of agriculture, without specificallytouching on specific labour acts.By September 18, 2015 OFVGAcan submit a response to the consultations.

LICC also has meetings withMinister of Labour, Kevin Flynnin July and with Minister ofCitizenship, Immigration, andInternational Trade, MichaelChan. A temporary worker registry is going to be set up. Theimpact on the SeasonalAgricultural Workers’ Program isyet undetermined.

It is recommended that farmersparticipating in the SeasonalAgricultural Workers’ Programmake a photocopy of their workers’ contracts once workcommences.

Crop Protection

The Minister of theEnvironment and Climate ChangeGlen Murray has appointed twobeekeepers to the Ontario

Pesticide Advisory Committee(OPAC). The appointments didnot go through the normal nomination process forappointment/selection; they weresimply appointed. The total committee size is now at 17.

The Maximum Residue Limit(MRL) global database is up andrunning. This information can beshared amongst commoditygroups and there is no costinvolved this year. Four of sixspots have been taken up, but itshould be noted that spots can beshared.

Property

Sustainable food productioncontinues to be a topic that anumber of organizations areworking on. The HorticultureValue Chain Roundtable’sSustainable Working Group isbringing together best manage-ment practices for a number ofkey farming activities. TheCanadian Horticultural CouncilSustainability Committee’s firstmeeting took place on June 15.The Ontario Farm SustainabilityGroup will be holding an updatesession on June 23. Discussionsinclude revising theEnvironmental Farm Plan tobecome the sustainable farm plan.A survey / questionnaire has beendeveloped by United Fresh tolook at an operation’s sustainability.

Developing a Canadian Centrefor Food Integrity is a priority forFarm and Food Care (F&FC).The need to build consumer trustin today’s food system is the primary mandate of this organization. The need for farmers to be involved in the conversation about how food isgrown has never been moreimportant.

Canadian Horticultural Council

A definition for reusable plastic containers (RPCs) has nowbeen refined and there is a requestfor a pilot project to conduct sampling on RPCs to see what’soccurring in practice. The costsfor conducting this project shouldbe borne by the RPC sector.

Health Canada will permit thepromotion of healthy diets rich ina variety of fruits and vegetablesto reduce risk of heart disease.This will occur in five years.

Agri-Science Cluster 2 – Year2 interim reports on the apple andpotato projects have now beenposted online and include:

• Activity 3 – Apples – ImprovingTree Fruit Storage Using WeatherBased Predictors• Activity 12 – Apples – NewBiological Control Agents forPostharvest Diseases• Activity 1 – Potato – Nitrogenfor Improved Yield, Quality andProfitability

Board briefs

WAYNE DU

Ontario Ministry ofAgriculture, Food and RuralAffairs (OMAFRA) has devel-oped a series of Good AgriculturePractices posters that are avail-able free of charge to producers. Attention livestock producers –we’ve now revised the originalposter on Proper Animal HealthProduct Use and added a new oneon Mixing Medicated Feed. The posters are 8 ½ x 11" in size

and available in English/Spanishor French/Spanish. They are ripand weather resistant makingthem durable enough to use inand around your farm.

The posters provide visualinstructions for best practices ona variety of topics including: • Hand washing• Food handling• Proper use of hand sanitizers• Proper toilet use• Food storage and packaging • Vehicle inspection for foodtransportation

Food safety practices con-tribute to competitive, productiveand sustainable agri-food busi-ness. For more information andto see our posters, visit theOntario Ministry of AgricultureFood and Rural Affairs website atwww.ontario.ca/goodagpracticesor call us to order your posters, 1-877-424-1300.

Wayne Du is food safety advisor,OMAFRA.

Posters for on-farm food safety

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THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 13

Farmers’ Markets Ontario provides many resources toits members, including the marketing talents of TracyLamb, Mopani Communications. She presented an arrayof tips to the annual general meeting held at last winter’sOntario Fruit and Vegetable Convention.

Pricing is always a key debate. Price your produce too

low and you’ll run out of product too soon. Price it toohigh and people will just browse. Promote value, notprice: freshness, quality, flavour, picked at peak.Customers usually look for quality first, then price. Useodd numbers: $1.89. Offer volume discounts -- $5 eachor three for $12. Package and price to fit customers’

needs: small (singles), medium (couples) large (families). For more illustrated tip sheets, go to

www.farmersmarketsontario.com or call 1-800-387-3276.

Photos courtesy of Tracy Lamb

Eight tips to freshen your market stall display FOCUS: AGRITOURISM AND FARMERS’ MARKETS

Shelter that welcomes• Protection from sun, rain• Canopy to brand your stand

Flow that works• Customer-friendly: easy to get up close and move around• Vendor-friendly: room for all• Bags at start, cash at end

Packaging that meets customers’ needs• Pre-package some products; let customers bag others.• Have a quick and easy grab-and-go section.• Bundle products (e.g., stir-fry medley, soup veggie pack,salsa-making kit).

Sense of abundance• Use baskets of different sizes (each one piled high).• Keep displays looking full.• Restock constantly.

You are on display, too!

• Be visible and identifiable (name tag).• Be friendly and welcoming: SMILE!• Lose the sunglasses – make eye contact.• Know your products – be ready to answer questions.• Share recipes and tips (quick prep, storage, usage).• Look involved – constantly tidy your stand and signs.• Make info announcements every few minutes.• Create sales opportunities: suggest other products tocomplement a recipe.

Use all three dimensions• Use the width, depth and height of your stand.• Customers shop from the hip up; low or ground levels getmissed.• Easy reach: keep everything within three feet of the customer.• Use as much table frontage as possible.• Use tiered displays and shelves.• Have produce spilling out of boxes and barrels.• Show off your awards.• Keep displays piled high.• Keep products spaced out neatly and evenly.

Colour, colour, colour!• Use colour to create a mood.• Use contrasting colours for interest (but not too busy).• Coloured tablecloths should enhance produce colours.

Signage: Label everything!• Use colour.• Make all type legible from three to five feet. i.e. formaximum impact, each inch of letter height equals onefoot of reading distance. • Laminate signs to weatherproof them.• Use a chalkboard, not a whiteboard.• Be descriptive: don't just tell - sell!• Use three bullet points per product.• Provide cooking info/recipes for unfamiliar products.• Offer samples: people want to try before they buy.• Show your prices (customers shouldn’t have to ask).• List one to three sizes and prices per sign.• Use pictures (farm logo, produce, aerial view of farm,farm activities).

JESSICA KELLY

Local means different things todifferent people. Recognize thatfor some consumers “buy local”is not about distance, local canalso mean the personal connec-tion with the individual or familythat grew or produced their food.

For ‘locavore’ consumers, it isessential to bring your farm storyto your market stall. Photos ofyour farm, maps to show yourlocation, signs to share your farmhistory are all great relationship-building tools. If you have hiredstaff working at farmers’ markets,they should be trained to tell yourfarm story just like they are fami-

ly! For customers who visit yourmarket stall but may not have theopportunity to visit your farm,social media can be a great toolfor sharing your story and day-to-day farm activities.

Team up

There is a deeply rooted

network of local food enthusiasts,so team up and work together toamplify the voice spreading theword about buying local. Youcan do this by selling at a marketof like-minded farm vendors whoare committed to sharing the “buylocal” message and regularlywork together to plan specialevents or promotions.

Look beyond your farmers’market community and ask your-self: who else is in the local foodgame? Seek out opportunities tocollaborate with restaurants, gro-cery stores, on-farm markets, andschool programs. You may findunexpected partners in organiza-tions that don’t work directly withfood but with related causes suchas rural economic development,education, or health and well-being. Collaborations with busi-nesses and organizations can helpto build your farm brand, drawnew customers to the market, oropen up new business opportuni-ties for your farm.

Capitalize on existing local foodbrands

It is a big investment, in timeand money, to develop a well-known brand. If you’re showcas-ing your local products at yourfarmers’ market, be sure to capi-talize on the recognition of exist-ing local food brands or initia-tives. For example, when a ven-dor uses the Foodland Ontariologo, they are associating them-selves with a highly-recognizedbrand that 94 per cent of shoppersknow as a promoter and supporterof local food. You may also wantto consider connecting to localfood initiatives in your city, coun-ty or region such as the SavourOttawa, Niagara Culinary Trail,Prince Edward County’s Taste ofthe Country, Savour Toronto,Savour Stratford, or SavourMuskoka.

Jessica Kelly is direct farm mar-keting specialist, OntarioMinistry of Agriculture, Food andRural Affairs.

THE GROWER

PAGE 14 –– JULY 2015

FOCUS: AGRITOURISM AND FARMERS’ MARKETS

Agritourism is flourishingacross Canada, often taking inspiration from its local history.Nova Scotia is a laudable example with this spring’s launchof the Good Cheer Trail,Canada’s first winery, craft brewery and distillery trail.

The Good Cheer Trail references the province’s richculinary history dating back to1606 when Samuel de Champlainestablished the Order of GoodCheer in Port Royal. As the firstgastronomic society in the New

World, the feasts raised the spirits of the early settlers.

Running from June 1 toOctober 31, this new culinarytrail (www.goodcheertrail.com)includes 14 wineries, 12 craftbreweries, five distilleries, fivebrew pubs and two historicalexperiences at Port Royal andFortress of Louisbourg. To visitall destinations would take atourist from Yarmouth to CapeBreton. A digital passport isavailable on the website.

Raise spirits, invest profits

Do these global trends have traction in Canada?KAREN DAVIDSON

Subscribing to John Stanley’s e-newsletter is a goodway to travel the world for new marketing ideas without

spending any air miles. The Australia-based retail consul-tant spoke at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Conventionthis past winter as a guest of the Ontario Farm FreshMarketing Association.

Since then, he’s been to Milan, Italy, the site of thisyear’s World Expo with the theme of food and food pro-duction. He shares some of the trends which he feels willsoon migrate around the world.

The Italian Co-op built a supermarketof the future, complete with degradableshopping carts. Is this an idea whichcould work at farmers’ markets?

John Stanley offers advice to membersof the Ontario Farm Fresh MarketingAssociation.

Food trucks designed for special purposes are moving up-scale. Is this an idea whichwould work at an on-farm market? Could you try a food truck fair?

Tips for selling “local” at farmers’ markets Know your story and use it to connect with consumers

guelph.ca/farmersmarket

Located at the corner of Gordon Street and Waterloo Avenue.

Free parking available at the Fountain Street lot.

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KAREN DAVIDSON

When Logie Cassells’ drinksto the success of LaHave NaturalFarms, it will be to the colour ofdusky blue of haskap berries. It’snot far-fetched with a locallymade haskap gin in the works bySteinhart Distillery.

Based in Blockhouse, NovaScotia, the upstart business hasgained quick traction since 2010with its novel member of the honeysuckle family. Adapted toboreal Siberian climates, thehaskap has survived theMaritimes’ long winter with easeand will be ready for harvest thismonth. The berry’s uniqueflavour -- akin to a blueberry-raspberry cross -- is further boost-ed by its high levels of vitamin Cand antioxidants.

“Agriculture is natural the-atre,” says Logie Cassells, man-aging director, LaHave NaturalFarms. “We work to connect con-sumers with nature and offerbeautifully branded and displayedproducts.”

The timing of these locallyproduced juices, jams and jelliesunder LaHave’s haskapa brandhas intersected with the local foodmovement. It also doesn’t hurtthat the Nova Scotia products fitinto the “buy local” mantra ofSobeys Canada. Headquartered inStellarton, Nova Scotia, the grocery chain has supported thehaskapa line in 150 of its

Maritime stores. Plans are to expand the

LaHave and investor orchards tomore than 300 acres with theircarefully selected varieties by2020 and the Haskap Growers’Association of Nova Scotia isactively recruiting members forfurther acreage.

Cassells thinks the industry isan exciting one to lure youngfarmers back to agriculture andvalue-added enterprises.

“Longer term, agritourism isvery important to Nova Scotia,”

says Cassells. “Look at how powerful the grape industry has

turned out to be.” In the meantime, LaHave

Natural Farms will open a haskapa shop in the nearby resorttown of Mahone Bay this sum-

mer. For more information, localscan attend the LaHave NaturalFarms Open House on July 11.

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 15

FOCUS: AGRITOURISM AND FARMERS’ MARKETS

Haskap adds unique flavour to the local food market

Close-up of haskap berries, jammed full with antioxidants.

Haskapa products were proudly displayed at the Ontario Fruitand Vegetable Convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario earlier thisyear. Pictured are Phil Oswald and Lynn Pettypiece from LaHaveNatural Farms. Photo by Denis Cahill.

“Agriculture is

natural theatre. We

work to connect

consumers with

nature and offer

beautifully branded

and displayed

products.”

~ Logie Cassells

THE GROWER

PAGE 16 –– JULY 2015

Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii),or SWD, is an invasive insect pest that has thepotential to damage many fruit crops, includingberries and other soft fruit. SWD is a matter of concern for growers because the flies lay their eggsin fruit and larvae develop inside the fruit, making itunmarketable.

In addition to attacking crops, SWD feeds onmany kinds of wild fruit found in the landscape.These wild hosts are often present in wooded areasnear fields or in hedgerows between fields. SWDcan lay eggs in wild hosts that produce fruit early inthe season, and then spread into crops when the wildhosts are done fruiting.

It is important to recognize these wild hosts sothat you can monitor for SWD on your farm. Placetraps in wild hosts in early spring. Be aware that thefirst SWD infestations on your farm will probablybe adjacent to these wild hosts, so look for cropdamage in these areas first.

Identification of wild hosts

Some of the most common wild hosts of SWDyou may encounter are listed below. This is not acomplete list; information on other wild hosts canbe found in the links listed under “Additional information.”

Wild hosts of Spotted WingDrosophila

1. Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.): Originally introduced as an ornamental, this bush is abundant alongwoods and lanes and railway tracks. It is one of the earliest wild fruits in the area. Research fromNew York suggests that more SWD per gram of fruit emerge from wild honeysuckle than from anyother fruit. Produces fruit mid-June to mid-September.

4. Pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica): Hardwood deciduous treeswith fruit ripening in August.

8. Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica): A thorny bush that grows inhedgerows, field edges, and unmanaged areas. Buckthorn is also ahost for soybean aphid and brown marmorated stink bug.Buckthorn is a noxious weed species and should be removed fromfield edges where possible. Flowers in May and June, with berriesripening in early August.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

5. Elderberry (Sambucus spp.): This bush with very showy whiteflowers blooms in July and fruits in August. The fruit is highlyattractive to SWD.

6. Dogwood (Cornus spp.): There are many different types of dog-wood, including those with blue berries and white berries. Wehave found SWD in both, which fruit in August and late summer.

7. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana): This tall succulent weed withfuchsia coloured stems produces dark berries in mid- to lateAugust and is a good late season host for SWD. 2. Brambles (Rubus spp.): Wild raspberry and blackberry species can be found in hedgerows and

uncultivated areas near fields. They produce fruit from early June to late September.

3. Mulberry (Morus rubra): Mulberry trees are mostly found in southwestern Ontario and otherareas where Carolinian forest species thrive. They fruit in late June and early July and are potential-ly another early season host for SWD.

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 17

BERRY FOCUS

PAM FISHER

After four years of monitoringfor Spotted Wing Drosophila(SWD) at 50-100 sites each yearin Ontario, we think this pest ishere to stay. Every year we capture the first SWD flies in lateJune or early July, around the endof June strawberry harvest and

the time of summer raspberry harvest. Every year the trap cap-tures quickly escalate, with SWDpressure being extremely highduring blueberry and fall raspber-ry harvest. We have consistentlyfound damage in all the berrycrops except early strawberries,and suspect cherries have beendamaged as well. Our message togrowers is to protect susceptible

soft fruit crops if they are ripen-ing when SWD flies are active.

However, we have noticed thattrap captures on individual farmsdo not predict the potential forcrop damage on that same farm.We sometimes find damagebefore SWD are caught in traps atthat site. We think it is more useful to consider trap captures inan area, rather than an individual

farm. We also think that growersshould focus their efforts on recognizing the first signs ofdamage to fruit. Immersing fruitin salt water to float out SWD larvae is also a good tool forgrowers to assess their SWDmanagement programs.

To support berry growers intheir management of SWD, theOntario Berry Growers’Association (OBGA) andOMAFRA have teamed up to runa regional SWD monitoring program in 2015. The project willbe coordinated by Erin Hanna,who works for the OBGA. Trapswill be placed at approximately30 representative sites across theprovince, from Harrow toGeorgian Bay to Ottawa.Volunteers from agribusiness, private consultants and OMAFRAstudents will pick up the traps andsend them to Vineland, whereOMAFRA students will processthe trap contents. Weekly reportson SWD activity will be sent toberry growers through the BerryBulletin, and available to allgrowers on ONfruit@wordpress.com as well as in Hort Matters.

Pam Fisher is OMAFRA’s berryspecialist.

Spotted wing drosophila project for 2015

Wild hosts of Spotted Wing Drosophila

Management strategies

Since crops adjacent to wild

hosts are at highest risk for earlydamage, it is important to beaware of nearby wild hosts that

could support build-up of SWDpopulations. Do not attempt tospray wild hosts with an insecti-cide. This futile exercise could domore harm than good (since wildhosts are also an important refugefor beneficial insects, insectpredators and other pollinators)and it is also illegal. As well,because wild hosts for SWD areso abundant we do not think it ispractical to try and remove themfrom your farm. However, it isprobably beneficial to controlwild brambles around the edgesof your fruit crops.

Be aware of the timing offruiting of wild hosts. SWD maymove into crops when wild hostsare done fruiting, so this is a key

time to focus on monitoring andpesticide application on crops.

SWD has many wild hostswhere it probably completes oneor more generations. The role ofthese wild hosts is not completelyunderstood. We expect that someof these hosts support early generations of SWD which thenmigrate to susceptible fruit crops.On the other hand, wild hostsoften provide habitat for beneficial insects that help to control crop pests, includingSWD.

More information on wild hostsof SWD

“Non-crop host plants of the

spotted wing drosophila in NorthAmerica” (Oregon StateUniversity):http://www.ipm.msu.edu/uploads/files/SWD/em9113.pdf

“Controlling weed hosts of spotted wing drosophila”(OMAFRA):http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/allontario/ao0213a4.htm

“Buckthorn species are wild hostsof spotted wing drosophila”(OMAFRA):http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/allontario/ao0213a5.htm

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9. Yew (Taxus spp.): A coniferous shrub or tree with red berriesand small seed cones.

Figure 3: Pattern of SWD fruit infestation in Ontario on 2014. Marketable fruit was collected andheld at room temperature until SWD flies emerged.

Figure 2: SWD flies trapped in Ontario, by region, 2014.

County # of sites

Essex 4

Kent 2

Lambton 1

Huron 1

Grey 1

Elgin 2

Middlesex 1

Oxford 1

Brant 1

Norfolk 2

Haldimand 1

Niagara 5

Wellington 1

Halton 1

Durham 2

Prince Edward 1

Kawartha 1

Northumberland 1

Quinte West 1

Stormont 1

Ottawa/Carleton 1

Table 1: Regional monitoringlocations for SWD traps in2015

THE GROWER

PAGE 18 –– JULY 2015

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VQA wines available atmore farmers’ markets

As part of Ontario’s strategyto increase awareness of localfoods and beverages, the provincelaunched a first-of-its-kind pilotprogram last year to allow VQAwines to be sold at farmers’ markets. Since launching in 2014,78 wineries and 172 farmers’markets across the province haveparticipated in the pilot program,with sales of more than $1 million dollars.

This season, Ontarians can

look for VQA wines at their localfarmers’ market by looking for apurple VQA sign or by using amobile-friendly map to find amarket participating in the program.

Photo right: Christine James,Greenlane Estate Winery.Photo courtesy of GrapeGrowers’ of Ontario.

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A vegetable for (almost) every letter of the alphabet KAREN DAVIDSON

Disclosure: I’ve come to knowauthor Rose Murray in the last decadeand treasure her cookbook “Hungryfor Comfort” for so many useable,no-fail recipes. So it’s with pleasureto introduce her latest publishing ven-ture: Rose Murray’s A-Z Vegetables.

Released June 8, this 220-recipecookbook is well-timed for many rea-sons. It’s at the forefront of the farm-ers’ market season and would make astunning addition to any market stall.How often do customers wrinkle theirnose at a bunch of beets, not knowingwhat to do with this earthy vegetable?

But it’s also in keeping with theCanadian Produce MarketingAssociation’s initiative, Half YourPlate. Fill half your plate with fruitsand veggies for a healthier diet. Oneof the challenges is reminding consumers of the earthy flavours ofvegetables that emerge with differentcooking techniques such as roastingand grilling.

Rose Murray has been a fixture ofCanadian Living for decades, however she’s very current with modern tastes. Roasted eggplant soupwith mascarpone swirl sounds delicious. And she’s totally hip tousing savoury spices such as cumin.It’s these updates to classics that put

vegetables at the centre of the plate. “I did lots of research at the farm

museum in Milton,” says Murray.“How did vegetable seeds first cometo Canada?”

Murray answers that question withlots of historical references, quotingfrom pioneer Catharine Parr Traill.Happily, consumers don’t need rootcellars anymore, but they do need todig into a vaster repertoire of recipes.This is a straightforward book thatraises the humble onion to newheights, gives kudos to kohlrabi andends with zest on zucchini.

The hard copy book is available inlocal retailers and at Chapters/Indigofor $24.95.

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 19

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THE GROWER

PAGE 20 –– JULY 2015

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

EQUIPMENT

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Duties:• Services existing accounts, obtains new orders, and establishes new accounts by planning and organizingdaily work schedule to call on existing and potential sales customers• Keeps management informed by submitting activity and results reports, such as daily call reports andmonthly sales volumes.• Resolves customer complaints by investigating problems, as well as working with Quality Control, tomeet customer specifications.• Works with Production Manager to help facilitate scheduled delivery, correct packaging and delivery.• Requires some travel on a regional basis

Education/Background:• College diploma • 3-4 years outside sales experience• Must be results-orientated and able to work both independently and within a team environment.• Computer knowledge with proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel• Strong verbal and written communication skills• Strong organizational skills

Contact: Please respond by email to ddelaere@baygrowers.com. No later than July 31st.

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THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 21

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THE GROWER

PAGE 22 –– JULY 2015

Most of us spend some time ata “local”, be it a diner, a café, aTim’s or its equivalent. At mostof the ones I have dropped intothis spring, discussions are on-going amongst groups of ‘regu-lars’ who appear to know eachother very well. These locationsact like the old sign posts that theRomans would put up wherethree roads would intersect. Theinformation shared on the signsbecame known as ‘trivia’ mean-ing where three roads meet: (tri=three, via= road) Maybe we needto coin a new word for the outputof the modern version.

On the first Tuesday of June Ioverheard some excellent ideas.The first one concerned a localboat owner. He apparently had aleak in his boat and has had it fora couple of years with no successin finding and fixing it. This yearthe leak is worse. The solution tohim was quite simple- buy a big-ger pump to keep up with thewater ingress. This in fact may bethousands of dollars cheaper thanan actual repair, and allows himto continue to enjoy the use of hisboat. What a novel approach!

Perhaps the take-home mes-sage from this one is to look out-side the box to find an answerthat suits you, and ignore ‘con-ventional’ wisdom when itdoesn’t suit your needs (or pock-etbook).

In another conversation, agrower (apparently) was bemoan-ing certain policies of the currentMinister of Environment andClimate Change. Knowing howpolitics work, he recognized thatsince the minister was appointedby the Premier, and since she

could not be seen to openly dis-agree with (his) policies, then per-haps she could/should reward himfor the efforts to date by givinghim just Climate Change to dealwith as a minister, and to thenappoint a new minister just forEnvironment. This would allowthe existing minister to have allhis time to focus on climatechange. This could be a hugetask, and involving the federalgovernment as well as otherprovinces and indeed a globalapproach. There would be lots ofscope to be incredibly busy. Anew minister for environmentcould begin the healing processwith growers by working along-side the agriculture minister.There is a lot of fence mending tobe done, and opportunities towork together once again with theagriculture community.

I am not sure where his ideacame from but this sounded likehe had done some deep thinking.Once again, the coffee and donutacting as brain food seem to be awinner.

The big rains that finally camein late May created some prob-lems that could be consideredcomic if they weren’t so expen-sive. I saw a loaded spreaderostensibly being pulled by a100HP tractor that had mired intosoft wet sand. It in turn waschained to a 250HP tractor thatlooked like it too had dug itselfin. I guess the idea of at leastlightening the load on the spread-er had been rejected because ofthe hand labour that might havebeen entailed. Further, the idea ofunhitching the spreader was also(apparently) dismissed. The factthat a useful tractor was currentlyun-useful for some time aheadwas likely overlooked. Obviouslythere was only one rigid waybeing looked at to solve the prob-lem, where other approachesmight have got it all done. I amnot sure how or if they finallyresolved the mess.

The reason this scene seemedso comical was that over 30 yearsago I saw much the same thingoccur in the field behind myhome at that time. A small tractorwith a mower was cutting grassand weeds when it got stuck in awet-hole that the driver was likely

unaware even existed. The driverleft and came back about an hourlater with a school bus to tow outthe tractor. You guessed it- thebus got bogged down too. Nextcame a much bigger tractor andchain. Yes, it got bogged downtoo! They had never disconnectedthe school bus from the first trac-tor and created an almost impos-sible task for tractor number two.The mess was cleared up whenthe biggest tow truck from townarrived. The driver anchored itwell away from the bog, and pro-ceeded to haul out the threebogged units one at a time using along cable. I am sure the billcame to hundreds of dollars. Allthis because they had not plannedwell ahead, had not looked at theproblem with an open mind toresolve the problem, and in theend had to pay for a big job whenthey shouldn’t have had to.

We can apply all of theseexamples to dealing with currentproblems. The first and mostimportant step is to be very inclu-sive in setting about solving theproblem. The next step is to con-sider all input BEFORE takingany action or creating anything onpaper. Having everyone includedand committed to finding a solu-

tion ahead of time saves a hugeamount of time in the long term.Any alienation along the waymakes everything harder to do.

One last example of how badplanning and lack of foresightends up costing (the taxpayer inthis case) a lot of unnecessarymoney is also near to home.Railways have been abandonedall over the province, and in ourcounty they are almost all gone.To the north on our main NShighway there was an overpassover a now-abandoned rail-bed.This overpass was built in the1950s because of many accidentsat a level crossing. To the southof it, a mere seven kilometresaway was an underpass fromanother railway that had onlybeen constructed in 1969, for thesame reason. With the railwaysgone, the county decided to elimi-nate the two bridges to save onmaintenance. Both had costlyprice tags, so compromise was theconsidered (only) way to go. Thebridge at the north end was elimi-nated, but the large amount of fillon site in the long highway lead-up ramps was deemed too costlyto haul away. The top six feet ofthe embankment was pushed intothe former gap where the railway

had once run, and the highway re-paved albeit with a stupid up anddown ramp of 30 feet accom-plishing nothing. The debate onthe southern underpass renovationtook another three years! Finallythey have opted to only fill in halfof the depth of that underpass.You guessed it- the cost of bring-ing in all that fill would push upthe cost by another $1million.Now they plan to do the workduring this summer so as to createthe maximum inconvenience formotorists. At the end of the daythere will still be a dip in theroad, but it may be smaller thanthe ones who agreed on this plan!

There must be a right and leftbrain thing going on where “pileof dirt seven kilometres north canfit into underpass gap to thesouth” never got considered. It isnot like a lot of well-paid engi-neers are not at work here: just alack of planning and foresight,and the deep pockets of taxpayersto cover the extra costs.

Let us hope that the basiccommon sense of the coffee shopintelligentsia can be brought tobear on what should be simpleproblems to resolve.

The cost of the coffee is wellworth the wisdom heard.

CRAIG HUNTEROFVGA

MINOR USE

CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Source of the rumour

engageagro.com 1-866-613-3336 Assail is a registered trade-mark of Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. © 2013 Engage Agro Corporation.

Trusted, proven control.

After a spring of coffee shop talk, starting out fresh sounds like a good idea. Photo by Denis Cahill.

THE GROWER

JULY 2015 –– PAGE 23

CROP PROTECTION

Sprayers 101: New applicationresource launched for #spray15

Pesticide applicators have anew friend inwww.sprayers101.com. The web-site was launched in mid-June bytwo Canadian sprayer specialists:Tom Wolf and Jason Deveau.

“Applicators want to do thebest job possible and are alwayslooking for information andadvice,” says Jason Deveau,application technology specialist,Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,Food and Rural Affairs(OMAFRA). “We recognized aneed to provide that informationmore effectively. That’s why wedeveloped a site that combineshorticultural and field crop information.”

Tom Wolf is a sprayer specialist based in Saskatoon withmore than 25 years of researchexperience in field sprayers. Hiscompany, Agrimetrix Research &Associates, reaches thousands ofapplicators across Canada throughpresentations and workshops. Helaunched the new website atCanada’s Farm Progress Show inRegina, Saskatchewan.

“Each year, producers spendmore time in their sprayers thanalmost any other piece of equipment. Most of my clients’fields are now treated three tofive times per year. The invest-ment and the stakes are high,”says Wolf. “Applicators deservethe best information on how tomaximize pesticide performanceand minimize environmentalimpact. Sprayers 101 is the idealmeans to provide that information.”

Deveau and Wolf use a varietyof approaches to get their mes-sage out, relying on Twitter to

invite applicators, agronomistsand educators to Sprayers 101.Facts, often spiced with humour,are delivered via stories, images,videos and apps. Internationalsprayer specialists have started tosubmit information to post on thesite, creating an unparalleledresource for all things pertainingto sprayers. The site is mobile-friendly and scales to the phonesthat applicators rely on for infor-mation gathering.

At present, there are more than75 articles, 25 videos and 25

powerpoint presentations on thesite plus countless tables andillustrations. The website issearchable by key words. Inrecent years, Deveau has devel-oped significant resources for air-blast sprayers, however only fiveto 10 per cent of horticulturistsare spraying bushes, trees andvines. By teaming with Wolf,expertise in field spraying is nowadded to the mix.

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TE logo, KANEMITE, KAATE, ELEVAAAlways read and follow label directions. MAESTRO, MAESTRO logo, ELEVAtrademarks of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. SHUTTLE is a registered trademark of Agro-Kanesho Cthe METTLE logo are trademarks of ISAGRO S.p.A. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are re©2014 Arysta LifeScience North America Corporation, LLC. CDNH-1301

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Jason Deveau, OMAFRA’s application technology specialist, offersspraying tips at a potato sprayer clinic.

THE GROWER

PAGE 24 –– JULY 2015

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