Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
More than three-quarters of
Ontarios 10,000 tender fruit
acres will be mapped this spring
with a Fruit Tracker management
program. From spray tracking to
inventory control to CanadaGAP
report filing, this timesaving man-
agement software is widely
accepted yet is still a work in
progress.
This is the most robust
program in Canada, states Phil
Tregunno, chair, Ontario Tender
Fruit Producers Marketing Board
(OTFPMB). With 700 acres of
his own peaches and nectarines
on the Fruit Tracker program, he
shows the speed of accessing
each block of trees from his home
office computer. This month,
hell have his crop scouts
identifying pests in specific
blocks and then emailing the data
in real time using a smartphone.
The seeds of the current
project were sown in the Apple
Tracker and Grape Tracker
programs, both of which started
as a recording tool for spraying.
About eight years ago, apple
growers in Durham-
Northumberland counties spotted
the electronic records of compet-
ing growers in New York State.
A number of apple and grape
growers volunteered to test drive
an Ontario-made program in com-
puter labs, sensing a practical
solution based on evolving
computer technology.
The turning point for Fruit
Tracker was when it became
web-based, recalls Margaret
Appleby, OMAF and MRA IPM
specialist, who has consulted
closely with the growers since
2005. A web-based program
also solved compatibility issues
for different computers.
The program has evolved far
beyond spray regimes. By adding
fertilizer, harvest and other event
data into the system, growers can
track crop protection usage,
pre-harvest intervals, re-entry
intervals and generate reports on
their orchards on a block basis.
With this sophisticated insight,
growers can better manage food
and worker safety, pest
management and production.
As we began applying Fruit
Tracker to recording tender fruit
and apple orchards, we enlisted
the help of a few keen, enthusias-
tic growers, says Larissa
Osborne, OTFPMB marketing
and production analyst. That
focus group added much value to
the evolution of the program.
Generating CanadaGAP
reports in the required format is
great, the group said, but
wouldnt it be even better if at the
same time we could track how
much spray we used and how
much it cost us to spray by
orchard or by block. Thats how
the chemical inventory module
was born. Growers input their
current inventory, record purchas-
es and the program tracks what is
in their spray shed by deducting
quantities from inventories each
time a spray event is recorded.
Appleby agrees that the
pesticide application features are
a key benefit. Each chemical is
linked to the label. The programs
dropdown box shows existing
treatments from OMAFs
publication 360, showing the
name, formulation, rates and
target pest. Growers are then
prompted to answer the when,
why, where and what for each
spray event. With this informa-
tion recorded, the Fruit Tracker
program will then email alerts
when re-entry intervals have
passed or when it is safe to
harvest.
More functionality will be pro-
grammed in the future including
the ability to produce cost of
production reports by block, to
integrate weather data and to
input packing and shipping
events. We are excited to see
the iPad scouting app being
developed too, says Appleby.
To sign up for Fruit Tracker,
growers must agree to
Geographical Information System
(GIS) mapping of their orchards,
best described as a merger
between cartography, statistical
analysis and database technology.
Agricorp, the government agency
that delivers risk management
programs in Ontario, has part-
nered on the project, sending field
agents to enter orchard coordi-
nates whether growers participate
in programs or not.
Agricorps Fruition program
uploads details such as the special
shape mapping files, tree counts,
tree ages and variety type and
links them with the collection of
yield data, explains David
Hughes, of Agricorps program
management and industry rela-
tions department. Agricorp
employees are busy inputting the
data during and following visits
to each growers farm before the
production season is in swing.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
MAY 2013 CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADAS PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 63 NUMBER 05
At this time of year, Phil Tregunno takes pride in walking his peach orchard which he expects to be in bloom in early May near Niagara-on-
the-Lake, Ontario. As chair of the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers Marketing Board, hes an adopter and proponent of the Fruit Tracker
program which provides comprehensive orchard management tools. More than 75 per cent of Ontarios 10,000 acres are signed up.
Photos by Denis Cahill.
TECHNOLOGY
Acreage mapping collects data in record time
INSIDE
CPMA highlights Page6
Washwater results
distilled Page17
Focus: Containers B section
www.thegrower.org
P.M. 40012319
Fruit Tracker is
the most robust
program in Canada.
~ Phil Tregunno
$3.00 CDN
THE GROWER
NEWSMAKERS
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) honoured
several people in the industry at the convention and trade show in
Toronto, Ontario. Congratulations to Adrian Huisman, long-time
general manager of the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers Marketing
Board, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Jane Proctor,
vice-president of policy and issues management for CPMA won the
Canadian Produce Person of the Year Award. Stephanie Lariviere
won the Mary Fitzgerald Award.
Isobel Dopta has left the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
(VRIC) for the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors where she will
be director of communications and industry relations. For the last
four years, she worked tirelessly to put VRIC on the map during its
startup and expansion phase. In her new role, shell be working with
executive director Steve Peters.
The Ontario Tender Fruit Producers Marketing Board for 2013 is
chaired by Phil Tregunno, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Vice-chair is John
Thwaites. Directors include: Jim Juras, Jamie Warner, David
Hipple, Leo DeVries, Rusty Smith, Ken Porteous and Dave
Enns.
Farm & Food Care have launched the Dinner Starts Here initia-
tive in Ontario, identifying commodity-specific young farmers to
blog and tweet about agriculture. Erin McLean, Lakefield will be
representing fruits and vegetables while Stephanie Kowalski,
Glencairn, will be representing potatoes. Brian Gilroy, an apple
grower from Meaford, Ontario represents the fruit and vegetable
sector on Farm & Food Cares 2013 board of directors.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits has been named the winner of this years
BIOTECanada Gold Leaf Award in the category of early stage
agriculture. This category is for companies who have products in
the pre-commercialized stage and are recognized for their potential
market impact. This award reflects significant progress in bringing
nonbrowning Arctic apples to market in the U.S. and Canada. Neal
Carter, president, accepted the award at the BIO international
convention in Chicago on April 23.
Thomas A. Barlow is the new president and CEO of the Canadian
Federation of Independent Grocers, effective June 2013. With a
background in the consumer packaged goods industry, he was most
recently a senior vice-president for Coca-Cola Refreshments,
responsible for the vending and wholesale business for North
America.
Brian Hugli, Huglis Blueberry Ranch is the new president of the
Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association. He operates in
Pembroke, Ontario.
Congrats to Carl Huffman who has been inducted into the Essex
County Agricultural Hall of Fame. He managed Huffman Farms in
Harrow, with his father Charles and son, Andrew, growing more
than 500 acres of vegetables and field crops, including processing
and fresh potatoes.
The Ontario Institute of Agrologists recently recognized members
for outstanding service. Tom Prout, P.Ag. and Barry Fraser,
P.Ag. were presented with Distinguished Agrologist awards.
Joseph Rider and Ernie Hardemann, MPP Oxford, were both
recognized with Honourary Professional Agrologist titles for their
leadership. Rob Saik, P.Ag., representing the Agri-Trend Group of
Companies, accepted the OIA Corporate Award of Excellence.
Also presented were service pins to long-serving members including
50-year pins to Peter Hannam and Bruce Jones.
Congratulations to Kim Cooper of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, who
has been named the 2013 recipient of the Farm & Food Care
Champion Award. Hes the agriculture specialist officer with
Economic Development Services for the Municipality of
Chatham-Kent. For the last 12 years, he has written a weekly
Food for Thought column in local newspapers, shining a light on
agricultural commodities, practices and innovations. He is a speaker
and tweeter, familiar to many audiences in the area. The award
honours individuals, organizations or businesses that are agricultural
advocates.
Condolences to the family of Philip Somerville, 54, who passed
suddenly on April 3. Based in Ancaster, Ontario, he was well-
known in the agribusiness community as MANA Canadas eastern
business manager and new product development manager. The
industry has lost a talented advocate whose sincerity and warmth
will be deeply missed.
AT PRESS TIME
PAGE 2 MAY 2013
Greenhouse veggies
promoted at home
Although 70 per cent of pro-
duction is exported, the Ontario
Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
(OGVG) isnt taking the domestic
market for granted. An Ontario
spring launch promotion is run-
ning from April through mid-May
to highlight product availability,
freshness and quality. The pro-
gram was made possible with the
partnership of retail members on
the Greenhouse Vegetable
Industry Advisory Committee.
We have received unprece-
dented support of this promotion-
al program from the Ontario
retailers, said OGVG General
Manager, George Gilvesy.
Consumers can find fresh,
greenhouse produce from their
local farmers now in stores across
the province.
OGVGs campaign includes:
in-store sampling, point-of-sale
educational material, flyer promo-
tions, radio spots, social media
advertising and a partnership with
Foodland Ontario on the Retail
Display Contest. The Naturally
Fresh Inside emblem is featured
on in-store materials provided by
OGVG.
A picture is worth a
thousand words
. . . and $4,000
During the month of February,
B.C. Tree Fruits Good to Go
contest raised awareness about
healthy eating with apples, but
also rewarded its photo contest
winner with $2,000 cash and a
matching contribution to their
charity of choice. Vu Nguyens
photo received the most votes. He
donated $2,000 to the BC Cancer
Foundation.
Seed of the Year
nominations sought
Agricultural professionals,
commodity boards, researchers
and members of the agricultural
community are invited to partici-
pate in the ninth annual Eastern
Canada Seed of the Year compe-
tition, a joint initiative developed
by SeCan and the University of
Guelph. Deadline for applications
is May 3rd, 2013.
This competition recognizes a
publicly developed Canadian field
crop, forage, fruit, vegetable or
herb variety that has made a sig-
nificant contribution to the agri-
food industry. Any publicly
developed Canadian seed variety
can be nominated for Seed of the
Year. Applications can be found
at: www.seedoftheyear.
ca/east/nominate/
DRC launches new
website
The Dispute Resolution
Corporation (DRC) has launched
a new website: www.fvdrc.com.
The new site is designed to
better align with recent rebrand-
ing and marketing efforts. Easier
to navigate, the site is based on
the core pillars, Education,
Mediation, Arbitration and
Networking. The new site will
now allow industry to quickly call
up reference tools such as DRC
guidelines and templates.
Correction
In the March issue of The
Grower, an incorrect statement
ran on page 28 in the article
titled: The science behind the
next generation of fungicides. It
should have read:
The two modes of action in
Luna Tranquility are Group 7
(fluopyram) and a Group 9
(pyrimethanil).
Both groups have excellent
activity on leaf scab in apples,
including strains that are resistant
to Group 3 and Group 11 prod-
ucts.
Only the Group 7 (fluopyram)
mode of action has activity on
powdery mildew in apples.
OUR TEAM IS PASSIONATE
ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND
DEDICATED TO WORK WITH
VEGETABLE GROWERS
www.seminova.ca
3%-)./6!s20 rue de lIndustrie, C.P. 3640, Saint-Rmi, QC, J0L 2L0
THINKING OF SEED,
THINKING OF SEMINOVA
1-877-337-8423
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The GIS mapping will
improve efficiency in delivering
production insurance for fruit
plans and will assist in future plan
enhancements. Agricorps data is
kept up-to-date on new produc-
tion practices and the planting of
new varieties with the benefit that
growers producing apples and
tender fruit can use the same pro-
gram for both types of produce.
Long-term, the Fruit Tracker
program is expected to be a boon
for all growers, helping the OTF-
PMB with marketing and promo-
tional strategies. With reliable,
variety-specific data only a key-
stroke away, general manager
Sarah Marshall can provide more
accurate and timely information
to the industry.
We have seen this system
grow steadily into a one-stop
window of opportunity across the
value chain, says Marshall.
With abilities to upload data
from scout to grower to marketer
to marketing board, our industry
will be able to predict, project and
promote with more accuracy than
we have ever seen before.
Tech-savvy growers are
embracing Fruit Tracker for
multiple reasons, not the least of
which is guaranteeing food safety
to their customers. Grant funding
was provided through the
Traceability Foundations
Initiative. Down the road, look
for more crops to be added to the
program. Berries are the next
likely commodity.
MAY 2013 PAGE 3
THE GROWER
Acreage mapping collects data in record time
TECHNOLOGY
INTERNATIONAL
resistance as well as traits that
boost yields under cold
conditions.
This acquisition will allow
us to accelerate growth in
strategic high margin vegetable
segments, said Alexander
Tokarz, head of vegetables at
Syngenta. The programs are
targeting the fast developing
markets of Turkey, the Middle
East and CIS and will broaden
our pipeline of new varieties
with further benefits for
growers.
The Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS)
includes the former Soviet
republics.
Syngenta has also announced
that it will broaden availability to
some of its patented traits and
technologies for vegetables. The
e-licensing platform, named
TraitAbility, provides quick and
easy access to patented native
traits of Syngenta commercial
vegetable varieties. It also pro-
vides access to patented enabling
technologies, such as plant
transformation and protein
targeting.
Source: AgriMarketing
CONSUMER DEMAND
Idaho processors cut
potato acres
Flat sales in potatoes are forc-
ing Idaho processors to cut pota-
to acres under contract by about
three per cent for the 2013 sea-
son. McCain Foods and ConAgra
Foods Lamb Weston cut 4,000
acres combined. J.R. Simplot
maintained its full acreage.
Many growers had already
committed to leasing land, fumi-
gating soil, preparing beds and
purchasing seed, prompting the
Southeast Idaho Potato
Cooperative to warn against
freed-up acres being planted for
the open market. Fearing more
depressed potato prices, the
cooperative urged growers to
plant other crops.
The cuts affected growers in
eastern and southcentral Idaho.
Source: PotatoPro Weekly
RETAILING
Suppliers to stop
neonicotinoids
British retailer Waitrose has
asked its fruit and vegetable sup-
pliers to avoid the use of three
formulations of neonicotinoid-
based pesticides on crops des-
tined for the supermarket. The
move is a precautionary measure
until scientists can prove that
these pesticides arent adversely
affecting bees, butterflies and
other important pollinators.
Growers are to cease using
imidacloprid, clothianidin and
thiamethoxam by the end of
2014.
The role of pollinating
insects such as bees is crucial in
sustaining agriculture in the long
term, as part of a thriving
ecosystem that will support food
security, healthy diets and the
wider agricultural economy,
said David Croft, Waitrose direc-
tor of food technology.
Source: FreshPlaza.com
BREEDING
Syngenta beefs up
vegetables
Crop protection and seed
company, Syngenta, is acquiring
MayAgros greenhouse
vegetable breeding programs
including cucumber, pepper and
tomatoes. These comprise all
native traits developed to
improve virus and disease
RESEARCH
Increasing lutein in
broccoli
Enhancing levels of lutein in
broccoli is the focus of new
research at North Carolina State
University. An antioxidant,
lutein is found in leafy greens
such as kale and spinach and is
known for lowering risks for
cataracts and age-related macular
degeneration.
The plan is to develop plant
material through hybridization
with wild broccoli, then evaluate
the new broccoli material to
determine its stability and genet-
ic potential for enhanced levels
of lutein and beta-carotene.
Ultimately, the question is
whether increased levels of these
antioxidants will transfer to com-
mercial production.
Researchers will also evaluate
important quality traits such as
head size, compactness, colour,
uniformity and harvest maturity.
Source: FreshPlaza.com
Grape growers production insurance adds brix to the mix
This year, Ontarios wine
grape growers will have more
precise production insurance
coverage that is based on the
growers average brix production
capability in addition to their
yield. Thanks to GIS mapping by
Agricorp, insured growers may
claim losses that are more
reflective of the grape variety
they produce and its harvest
value.
Were now able to tie yield
and quality back to specific
blocks and vineyard, explains
David Hughes, of Agricorps
program management and
industry relations department,
and to underwrite the producers
production insurance based on
their own results for production
management of quality wine
grapes on their own farm.
Technology is helping finetune
insurance payouts that are
equitable to all.
Were now able to
tie yield and quality
back to specific
blocks and vineyard.
~ David Hughes
is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
Yes, you read that right. Alion
for increased
yields and profitability.
Order Ingredient
Quantity for 500 ml or g of product labeled for
1,000 L of final spray
volume
1. Compatibility agents 5 ml (1 teaspoon)
2. Water-soluble packets, wettable powders
and dry flowables
15 grams (1 tablespoon)
3. Liquid drift retardants 5 ml (1 teaspoon)
4. Liquid concentrates, micro-emulsions and
suspension concentrates
5 ml (1 teaspoon)
5. Emulsifiable concentrates 5 ml (1 teaspoon)
6. Water-soluble concentrates or solutions 5 ml (1 teaspoon)
7. Remaining adjuvants and surfactants 5 ml (1 teaspoon)
Figure 5 Contents of a commercially-available compatibility test kit
Altacor insecticide label
extended to strawberries
Canadian strawberry growers have a new tool to fight common
pests, thanks to an extension that adds strawberries to the label of
DuPonts Altacor insecticide.
Now approved for use on strawberries for oblique-banded
leafroller, three-lined leafroller, climbing cutworm and Japanese beetle
(suppression), the addition will allow more growers to benefit from
the unique toxicological profile Altacor offers.
"Altacor is effective at very low use rates, and it is easy on bees
and beneficials," says Ray Janssen, market segment manager,
horticulture, DuPont Crop "It's a very popular choice in an integrated
pest management program."
Its active ingredient, rynaxypyr, is from a whole new group of
chemistry (Group 28), with no cross-resistance to other chemistries.
As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions
carefully.
Source: DuPont Crop Protection news release
Japanese beetle
THE GROWER
PAGE 16 MAY 2013
MICHAEL T. TESFAENDRIAS, M.
PAIBOMESAI, M. CELETTI AND
MARY RUTH MCDONALD
Summary
Stemphylium leaf blight is a foliar disease
of onions caused by the fungus
Stemphylium vesicarium. Initial symptoms
on leaves consisted of tip necrosis followed
by small, light yellow to brown disoloura-
tions with water-soaked lesions. Leaves
may completely blighted as the lesions
coalesce. Stemphylium leaf blight has been
observed in the Holland/Bradford Marsh
and other onion growing regions of Ontario
since 2008. More infected fields were
identified in 2009, and in 2010 yield losses
were associated with this disease. A survey
of foliar diseases of onion was conducted
in 20 fields in main onion producing areas
in Ontario from July 23 - August 10, 2012.
All of the surveyed fields had stemphylium
leaf blight with severity ranged from 2 to
60%. Of the surveyed fields 14 had purple
blotch with severity ranging 2 to 20%. In
2012, a field trial was conducted in the
Holland/Bradford Marsh region of Ontario
to determine the efficacy of several
fungicides on stemphylium leaf blight
incidence and severity. Treatments were:
Pristine (pyraclostrobin 25.2%, boscalid
12.8%), Bravo 500 (chlorothalonil 50%),
Manzate 750F (mancozeb 75%), Switch
62.5WG (cyprodinil 37.5%, fluodioxinil
25.0%), Fontelis 20SC (penthiopyrad
20%), Inspire (difenoconzole 23.2%), Luna
Tranquility (fluopyram 11.3%,
pyrimethanil 33.8%) and Quadris Top
(azoxystrobin 18.2%, difenoconazole
11.4%). All of the fungicides reduced
disease compared to the untreated check.
Disease severity was lower in Quadris Top,
Fontelis and Luna Tranquility treated plots
than the other treatments. The most
effective fungicides in reducing
stemphylium leaf blight symptoms were
Quadris Top, Luna Tranquility and Inspire
which reduced disease symptoms by 62, 60
and 47% respectively.
Disease survey and fungicide treatments for the management of
stemphylium leaf blight of onion in Ontario
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& Atlantic Provinces
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Tel. : 418.660.1498
Fax : 418.666.8947
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Warren Peacock
Tel. : 519.426.1131
Fax : 519.426.6156
A team of expert s
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SC1102 (SeSh2)
Table 1. Disease ratings for stemphyllium leaf blight symptoms of onions, cv. Patterson,
treated with various fungicides, grown near the Muck Crops Research Station, Holland
Marsh, Ontario, 2012.
1 - Disease rating using a 0-9 scale, where: 0 = 0%, 1 < 2%, 2 = 2-4%, 3 = 5-9%, 4 = 10-24%, 5
= 25-40 %, 6 = 41-55%, 7 = 56-70%, 8 = 71-85% and 9 > 85% foliar area diseased per plot.
2 - AUDPC = area under the disease progress curve.
3 - Numbers in a column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P = 0.05,
Fisher's Protected LSD test.
Table 2. Comparison of marketable yield and size distribution of onions, cv. Patterson,
treated with various fungicides grown near the Muck Crops Research Station, Holland
Marsh, Ontario, 2012.
1 - not significantly different at P = 0.05, Fisher's Protected LSD test
Fig 1. Stemphylium leaf blight of onions
Treatment
Rate
(per ha)
% foliage
with
Symptoms
Plot Rating
1
AUDPC
2
July 27 Aug 7 Aug 17
Quadris
Top
1.0 L 12.0 a
3
1.0 a 1.8 a 2.3 a 43.5 a
Luna
Tranquility
1.2 L 12.8 ab 1.5 ab 2.3 abc 2.8 ab 57.1 bc
Inspire 512 mL 16.8 abc 1.8 ab 2.8 bcd 3.8 cd 70.8 cd
Fontelis 1.4 L 18.9 bcd 1.5 ab 2.0 ab 3.3 bc 56.9 bc
Pristine 1.3 kg 19.8 cd 1.5 ab 2.5 abc 4.0 cde 67.0 cd
Manzate 3.25 kg 20.1 cd 2.0 b 2.8 bcd 4.8 e 78.3 de
Switch 975 g 23.1 d 2.0 b 3.0 cd 4.3 de 78.5 de
Bravo 4.8 kg 23.4 d 1.5 ab 2.5 bcd 3.8 cd 65.8 cd
Check -- 33.0 e 2.0 b 3.5 d 6.3 f 94.0 e
Treatment
Rate
(per ha)
Marketable
Yield
(t/ha)
Size Distribution
% Jumbo
(> 76 mm)
% Large
(64 - 76
mm)
% Medium
(45 - 64
mm)
% Cull
(< 45 mm)
Quadris
Top
1.0 L 56.5 ns
1
0.04 ns
1
12.4 ns 75.7 ns 11.7 ns
Luna
Tranquility
1.2 L 50.9 0.10 13.9 70.0 15.4
Pristine 1.3 kg 50.0 0.00 13.7 73.8 12.6
Bravo 4.8 kg 49.1 0.03 9.2 78.3 12.2
Manzate 3.25 kg 48.7 0.00 10.6 75.2 15.7
Switch 975 g 48.7 0.00 8.6 75.2 16.2
Fontelis 1.4 L 47.9 0.00 13.6 69.6 16.8
Inspire 512 mL 46.8 0.03 10.6 71.9 17.2
Check -- 40.7 0.00 4.0 76.4 19.6
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 17
KAREN DAVIDSON
Bradford, Ontario -- Ontario
vegetable growers with post-har-
vest washwaters are looking for
answers to water quality needed
before discharging, and what will
it all cost?
Water authorities may not pro-
vide adequate advice for solutions
for washwater discharge compli-
ance from Ontario root crop pro-
ducers. If settling ponds are sug-
gested, many of the current carrot
facilities are constrained for space
to build them. Thats why
Deanna Nemeth, OMAF and
MRAs nutrient management lead
for horticulture, is evaluating how
land application of washwaters
could be an alternative option.
Nemeth released results of
studies from three carrot opera-
tions in the Holland Marsh at the
62nd Muck Vegetable Growers
Conference in Bradford, Ontario.
The toplines offer some insight.
During harvest 2012, OMAF
and MRA completed a waste-
water characterization study. For
each of the carrot operations,
washwater was sampled twice
during harvest season and stan-
dard washwater characteristics
were analyzed for water quality
(total suspended solids, biological
oxygen demand), pathogens (E.
coli, coliform, salmonella), nutri-
ents (nitrogen, phosphorous,
potassium), and heavy metals.
This is high-volume, low-
nutrient water, says Nemeth, but
its not irrigation water per se.
Results from the washwater
sampling from carrot operations
showed the washwater may be a
good source of potassium with
levels ranging from 1.4 lbs K2O
per 1000 imperial gallons in car-
rot root washing water, to levels
of potassium at 9.5 lbs K2O per
1000 imperial gallons washwater
from carrot processing operations.
A second washwater study is
in progress in the Holland Marsh
conducted by the Univeristy of
Guelph Muck Crops Research
Station. Due to the physical char-
acteristics of carrots, washwater
has high soil sediments. This
project is to determine if land
application of wash water and
washed off soil poses a risk of
transferring plant diseases:
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum,
Sclerotinia cepivorum and patho-
genic fusarium. They are testing
survival of sclerotia in the ponds
over time.
The environmental issue
becomes what are the best man-
agement practices for disposing
of the water. Measurements are
now being taken to see if dis-
charging that washwater may
impact the water quality of the
receiving river or stream. In the
future, it may need to be treated
before release, or land applied to
other crops as a nutrient source.
Several observations are clouding
the issue. Production and there-
fore washwater quality is not con-
sistent. For example, a limited
amount of soil is on cauliflower
and broccoli whereas root pieces
readily come off root vegetables
such as carrots and parsnips.
That means washwater quality
can change dramatically depend-
ing on the crop. Also, the volume
of water can change depending on
the crop being washed.
The challenge for growers is
to know what washwater treat-
ment or land application options
fit their operations best, says
Nemeth.
The best option is to reduce
the amount of soil on the carrots
when they come out of the field
by dry brushing or mud removal
before the carrots are washed.
After the carrots are washed,
washwater treatment options to
separate solids from the washwa-
ter are settling basins, aerobic
ponds, or mechanical screens to
separate sediment from the water.
Land application options are
spreading or irrigating onto crops,
keeping in mind food safety and
water quality requirements if
overhead irrigating onto fresh
market horticulture crops (exam-
ples such as lettuce, spinach, cel-
ery or herbs).
Nemeth said more work is
required to understand operational
characteristics. She emphasized
that solutions need to have mini-
mal operator input.
Water treatment is not your
main business, she said,
Solutions need to be as simple as
possible.
Wading through washwater options for root vegetables
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THE GROWER
PAGE 18 MAY 2013
POLLINATION
PETER G. KEVAN, SARAH
BATES, AND THOMAS S.
WOODCOCK
Plant breeders have con-
tributed marvellously to yield
increases in agriculture. Cultivars
bred for greater productivity in
seed and fruit crops are a main-
stay of modern farming. One trait
that breeders have incorporated
into many modern crop varieties
is self-compatibility. The flowers
on self-compatible plants can fer-
tilize themselves, getting around
the age-old problem of needing
insects and/or wind to transfer
pollen from plant to plant.
The benefits of self-pollinating
plants have been clear since the
earliest days of agriculture. The
ancient ancestor of the grape
plant (Vitis vinifera) was proba-
bly dioecious that is, it had
male flowers and female flowers
on separate vines. Early farmers
would have kept the vines that
produced fruit and culled those
that did not. Fast forward through
a couple thousand years of selec-
tion, and todays grape cultivars
now produce flowers that are
bisexual and self-fertile.
Similarly, ancient farmers would
have selected various fruit trees,
such as peaches and pomegran-
ates, that set fruit when isolated
from other trees. These trees did
not require a nearby mate for
cross-pollination and could polli-
nate themselves: they were self-
compatible.
Not all crop plants have the
ability to change their sexual sys-
tems and lose the need for cross-
pollination. Apples, pumpkins,
blueberries and alfalfa are exam-
ples of crops for which cross-pol-
lination remains essential. But
for those crops that do have the
ability to change, one can appre-
ciate the advantage of growing a
self-compatible cultivar. They
reduce the need for insect pollina-
tors, whether they be wild or
managed. When self-compatible
sunflowers became widely avail-
able for production in the 1960s,
seed companies advertised that
adding honeybee hives to fields
was no longer needed and that
production costs would be
reduced.
But is it well and truly the case
that pollinators are altogether
unnecessary in self-compatible
crops? Over the years, this
unproven idea seems to have
taken firm hold. The fact that
pollen grains cannot jump by
themselves from an anther to a
stigma, even within same flower,
is frequently overlooked.
Growing evidence also suggests
that even if spontaneous self-pol-
lination takes place, the resulting
seeds or fruits are of lower quali-
ty than if cross-pollination had
occurred. It is the same basic
principle that favours outbreeding
over inbreeding the genetic
diversity introduced by cross-pol-
lination produces bigger and
higher quality fruits and seeds, as
has been demonstrated in canola,
sunflower, strawberry, peppers,
sour cherry, and others. Plants
may invest more in growing supe-
rior outbred seeds and fruit.
The table above lists a few
well-known crop plants that are
commonly believed to not require
cross-pollination by insects, but
for which studies have shown an
increase in yield quantity and/or
quality when pollinators are
added. The simple addition of
pollinators to some self-compati-
ble crops could increase yield by
as much as, for example in
canola, 20 per cent - but strange-
ly, the results of these studies,
even those made in Canada, have
been largely ignored.
Of course, the economics of
managed pollination still needs to
be taken into account. If a farmer
can obtain a boost in yield from a
self-compatible crop cultivar by
adding managed pollinators to
production practices, is the yield
increase enough to make deploy-
ing pollinators economically
worthwhile? With significant
yield increases entirely possible,
it is a question well-worth
answering!
Cultivars that can self-pollinate are no guarantee
of full yield
Crop Plant Pollination System Yield Boost Potential
Tomato Pollination in the field by agitation by
wind and insects. Pollination in green-
houses by managed bumblebees.
For field production, some research indicates
yield boosts with bees deployed on fields.
Managed pollination is required in greenhouses.
Peppers Pollination in the field by agitation by
wind and insects.
Pollination in greenhouses improved by managed
bumblebees.
Soy Bean Flowers can self-pollinate without fully
opening.
Possible for some cultivars.
Plums Some cultivars are self-compatible,
others not
Some research suggests that higher quality fruit
results from cross-pollination.
Canola Role of pollen transfer by wind not
understood.
Several studies show improved yields, quantity
and quality, with managed pollinators present.
Yield increases of up to 20% and more in some
circumstances.
Strawberry The degrees of self-compatibility and
self-incompatibility differ between cul-
tivars.
Even cultivars that are highly self-compatible
benefit from insect pollination for well-formed
and large fruit.
Cherry, sour Self-compatible Adding honeybees to a sour cherry orchard can
increase yields 2 4 fold. Sweet cherry is self-
incompatible
Sunflower Improved yields, quantity and quality,
with managed pollinators deployed
Yes, up to 20 40% increase in tonnes/Ha
Table: Crops where self-compatible cultivars may benefit from the addition of managed pollinators.
Information taken from the Best Management Practices for Pollination in Ontario Crops website
(www.pollinator.ca/canpolin).
Strawberries bloom under plastic tunnels at Jennen Family Farm
Market, Thamesville, Ontario.
During the spring 2012 corn
planting season, 230 separate
incidents of bee kills
were reported in Ontario,
predominantly in the southwest,
involving thousands of bee hives
at different beeyard locations.
These reports have triggered a
re-evaluation of neonicotinoid
insecticides by Health Canadas
Pest Management Regulatory
Agency (PMRA).
With the re-evaluation
ongoing, and the start of this
years corn planting season, the
Ontario Beekeepers Association,
Ontario Federation of Agriculture,
Christian Farmers Federation of
Ontario, and Grain Farmers of
Ontario are working together to
address the concerns of all
farmer-members in relation to this
issue.
In a position statement on the
Ontario Beekeepers Association
(OBA) website, a backgrounder
indicates that planting of corn
seeds treated with the nitro-
guanidine insecticides
clothianidin and/or thiamethoxam
contributed to the majority of bee
mortalities. Clothianidin was
detected in about 70 per cent of
the samples analyzed in Ontario
and clothiandin and
thiamethoxam were detected in
the samples analyzed from
Quebec. On a beeyard basis, these
residues were detected in about
80 per cent of the bee yards
where dead bee samples were
collected and analyzed.
The OBA says that in almost
all cases, there was evidence of
corn planting near affected
beeyards as well as the use of
negative pressure (vacuum)
planters and talc seed flow
lubricants. OMAF and MRA as
well as Agricorp have confirmed
a correlation between the bee
mortalities and location of
Ontario corn growers.
While the Pest Management
Regulatory Agency is re-
evaluating the registration of
these chemicals, there is no
timetable for a decision or criteria
for regulatory action. Concerns
are exacerbated with the release
of Statistics Canada numbers on
April 24 that in Ontario, farmers
expect to seed 2.3 million acres of
corn for grain, up two per cent
from 2012. This is above the
previous record of 2.2 million
acres set in 2012. In Quebec,
farmers anticipate the area seeded
to corn to rise 15.8 per cent to
reach 1.1 million acres.
As OBA notes, acreage
devoted to corn continues to
increase, representing about 25
per cent of Ontarios field crops.
Living in harmony with
commercial fruit production is
important due to farmgate value
of more than $225 million.
The four organizations agree
there is much more work to be
done to clarify the relationship
between neonicotinoid
insecticides and the spring 2012
bee kills. The goal is to ensure
farmers have access to all crop
protection products as they deem
necessary for a successful
growing season. At the same
time, honey bees play an
important role in pollinating crops
and all farm associations are
dedicated to ensuring a healthy
bee population in Ontario.
The four associations are
encouraging the continued
investigation into the cause of the
bee kills, and support existing and
ongoing objective research into
new products and technology that
have the potential to reduce
pesticide exposure.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 19
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Photo by Glenn Lowson
DR. JASON S.T. DEVEAU,
APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY
SPECIALIST, OMAF AND
MRA
BRIAN HENDERSON, SALES
REPRESENTATIVE,
HYPRO/SHURFLO
MURRAY THIESSEN -
CONSULTING
AGRICULTURAL MECHANIC
You should plan for half-a-day
per sprayer for your start-up rou-
tine. It may not take that long, but
pressure gauges snap off, fittings
crack, and bearings seize have a
plan for getting replacement
parts! (see Figure 1) Here are a
few bulleted tips for you to con-
sider as you get your sprayers
rolling for the 2013 season.
Visual inspection, general
cleaning and lubrication. Do an
operational check of the sight
gauge (it should not be opaque),
regulator and valves. Inspect the
frame for corrosion or broken
welds it might even need a
paint job. Test the hitch integrity,
safety chains and the tank mount,
too. Clean and inspect the fan
blades, housing, screen and trash
guard. Be sure to clean and lubri-
cate the power take-off telescop-
ing shafts and the shields. Wheels
bearings and tire pressure should
be inspected. An article on wheel
maintenance can be found here:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/eng-
lish/crops/hort/news/hort-
matt/2012/30hrt12a2.htm
Pump Maintenance. One of the
most common causes for faulty
pump performance is "gumming"
or corrosion inside the pump.
You should get into the habit of
flushing the pump and the entire
system with a solution that will
chemically neutralize whatever
you sprayed that day. This will
dissolve most residues remaining
in the pump and will also leave
the inside of the pump clean for
the next use.
Diaphragm Pumps
Hypro recommends changing
oil after 40 hours of break-in
operation and every 500 hours
after that. Diaphragms should be
replaced every 500 hours and
check valves should be replaced
every 1,000 hours. Generally
Speaking, EPDM (Black
Diaphragms) are a better choice
for airblast sprayers while the
Desmopan (Amber Diaphragms)
are a better choice for lawn care
sprayers.
Centrifugal Pumps
Corrosion is the biggest con-
cern. When you winterized your
sprayer, you should have cleaned
it and flushed it with a 50% solu-
tion of permanent-type automo-
bile antifreeze (Prestone ,
Zerex , etc.) containing a rust
inhibitor. Alternately, you could
have filled the pump with Fluid
Film and then drained and
saved the excess for the next
application. The ports should
have been plugged to keep out air
during storage.
Flush the lines. If they arent
already off, remove the nozzles,
strainers and filters. Run a few
tanks of clean water through the
system with the agitation running.
This is when rust, scale, anti-
freeze and who-knows-what-else
breaks free of the sprayer tank
and lines. Run them until the dis-
charge is clear, then clean and
replace the nozzles, strainers and
filters.
Search for leaks. With the tank
full, check it for leaks. If the agi-
tator shaft is leaking a little, tight-
en the packing. If it has bot-
tomed-out you will have to
repack it. Get the sprayer up to
pressure and look for wet areas
on all hoses and connections. If
your booms drain through the
nozzles when the boom is off,
consider new nozzle bodies with
check-valves. They cost about
$40.00 each (does not apply to
Turbomist).
Check your strainers and fil-
ters. If you dont already have
three levels of filtration (includ-
ing the tank-opening basket) then
consider slotted (not mesh) strain-
ers behind the nozzles in the noz-
zle body. If you dont use them
because they plug up, then look
to your agitation system: If there
sludge at the bottom of your tank
when its empty, then your pesti-
cide is not mixed or staying sus-
pended properly. That leads to
clogged strainers and nozzles. It
may also be your sprayer
hygiene: You should be washing
nozzles and strainers after each
spray day.
Are you sure your pressure
gauges are accurate? The relief
valve should always be in the by-
pass position during sprayer start
up. If you get a pressure spike
during start-up and the needle
buries, then the gauge will always
read high and must be replaced.
An opaque, leaking, or otherwise
old gauge should be replaced.
Consider purchasing a really good
gauge (e.g. www.winters.com)
rather than a $20 dollar version
for a farm supply store. New or
old, test your gauge for accuracy.
A tool to do this can be found
here:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/eng-
lish/crops/field/news/croppest/201
2/06cpo12a3.htm
So, there are lots of other tips
more than we could include
here. Always consult your sprayer
manufacturers manual. Theres
also a checklist at the end of
Factsheet 10-047 Calibrating
Airblast Sprayers. Consider
printing and laminating a copy for
use with a dry-erase marker again
and again:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/eng-
lish/crops/facts/10-047.htm
Happy Spraying!
THE GROWER
PAGE 20 MAY 2013
Airblast sprayer start-up tips
CROP PROTECTION
Figure 1 It takes time and elbow-grease to get seized parts, such as this fan gear box, moving again. Plan
for half-a-day per sprayer when performing your seasonal start-up, and be sure you have a source for
replacement parts.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 21
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DR. JENNIFER DeELL, FRESH
MARKET QUALITY,
ONTARIO MINISTRY OF
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD,
AND MINISTRY OF RURAL
AFFAIRS
Strawberries are one of the
most perishable fruit crops and
are essentially fully ripe at har-
vest. They have a high rate of
metabolism and will destroy
themselves in a relatively short
time, even without the presence
of decay-causing pathogens.
Maturity and Harvesting
The harvest date is determined
based on berry surface color. All
berries should be harvested near
full ripe (> red color), as eating
quality does not improve after
harvest. Appearance (color, size,
shape, and freedom from defects),
firmness, flavor (soluble solids,
titratable acidity, and flavor
volatiles), and nutritional value
(vitamin C) are all important
quality characteristics. For
acceptable flavor, a minimum 7%
soluble solids and/or a maximum
0.8% titratable acidity are recom-
mended.
Strawberries have a relatively
high rate of respiration (50-100
mL of C02 per kg per hour at
20
o
C) and thus are highly perish-
able. They produce very little
ethylene (<0.1 ppm per kg per
hour at 20
o
C) and do not respond
to exogenous ethylene by stimula-
tion of the ripening processes.
Removal of ethylene from storage
air may reduce disease develop-
ment in all berries.
Strawberries are usually hand
harvested and field packed.
Berries are harvested with the
calyxes attached and must be held
loosely in the hand to avoid bruis-
ing injury and discoloration. The
strawberries must be handled with
care and placed gently into the
container, not dropped into it.
Harvest should be as frequent as
needed to avoid over-mature
berries. Harvesting, sorting, and
packing should be done simulta-
neously in the field. Studies of
fruit quality loss have shown that
most damage occurs in the field
during picking and packing.
Therefore, minimizing berry han-
dling is critical to good quality
maintenance and postharvest life.
Cooling and Low Temperature
Good temperature management
is the single most important factor
in reducing strawberry deteriora-
tion and maximizing postharvest
life. The best way to slow
spoilage is to quickly remove
field heat and to maintain the
berries as close to 0
o
C as possible.
Any failure to maintain produce
at low temperatures during han-
dling, storage, and transportation
will result in loss of quality and
marketability. Berries held at
20
o
C have only to the life
expectancy of those held at 0
o
C
and market life will be reduced to
only a few hours if strawberries
are held near 30
o
C, as may occur
in the field.
Berries should be protected
from warming when they remain
in the field after harvest. Due to
their dark color, strawberries in
direct sun exposure will absorb
heat and quickly warm to above
air temperature. Precooling
(rapid removal of field heat) of
strawberries is essential within 1
hour of harvest. Cooling delays
of 2, 4, 6, or 8 hours reduces mar-
ketability by 20, 37, 50, or 70%,
respectively, after holding the
fruit at 25C. The most common
method to precool berries is
forced-air cooling, which is the
most widely adaptable and fastest
cooling method for small-scale
operations. Cold air is forced to
circulate rapidly through the con-
tainers (versus around the con-
tainers as in room cooling),
allowing the cold air to be in
direct contact with the warm
berries. Pallets of strawberries
are positioned so that the cold air
must pass through the package
openings and around individual
berries. The most common
design consists of a tunnel, which
is formed by leaving space
between two rows of loaded pal-
lets, and covering the top and one
end of the tunnel with a tarp.
With the exhaust fan operating,
air is removed from the tunnel
and a slightly negative air pres-
sure is created. Cold air from the
room then flows through package
openings and around warm
berries to reach the tunnel. The
cooling rate and efficiency of the
system depend on a number of
factors: 1) the temperature differ-
ence between the fruit and the
cold air, 2) the air flow rate, 3)
the accessibility of the fruit to the
cold air, and 4) the dimensions of
the air channel. An inefficient
system will increase the cooling
time, thus increasing the operat-
ing cost and reducing the mar-
ketable weight and quality of the
fruit.
Storage Conditions
Optimum storage conditions
for strawberries are 0
o
C and 90
95% relative humidity. In such
conditions, strawberries can have
7 10 days of storage-life.
However, storage-life is very
dependent on the handling of
berries during and after harvest.
The highest freezing point is
0.8
o
C for strawberries, although
berries with high soluble solids
content are less likely to freeze.
Generally, strawberries are not
stored for extended periods of
time. However, some temporary
holding is often necessary to
achieve orderly marketing.
Holding berries under optimum
storage conditions even during
short marketing periods is benefi-
cial to quality retention.
Detrimental processes to berry
quality are reduced at low tem-
peratures, such as respiration,
softening, moisture loss, and
decay development.
Strawberries are subject to
rapid water loss, causing them to
shrivel and deteriorate, as well as
causing the calyx to wilt and/or
dry out. These symptoms will
affect berry appearance before
they affect eating quality. Water
loss is governed by the vapor
pressure deficit between the
atmosphere and the product. The
skin of a strawberry offers little
protection to water vapor move-
ment, and thus readily loses mois-
ture to the surrounding air.
Relative humidity of a storage
room should be maintained at 90-
95%, as strawberries will start to
shrivel when stored below 90%
relative humidity. However,
excessive condensation of free
water on the berries should be
avoided.
This article has been
abbreviated. It can be found in
full at www.Ontario.ca/crops.
Follow the links to berries, then
strawberries.
Source: Our Strawberries, by
Shahrokh Khanizedeh (editor)
and Jennifer DeEll (contributor),
2005
THE GROWER
PAGE 22 MAY 2013
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus in raspberries?
PAM FISHER, BERRY CROP
SPECIALIST, ONTARIO MINISTRY OF
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, AND
MINISTRY OF RURAL AFFAIRS
Do your raspberry plants turn yellow in
spring? Do you see apparent symptoms of
herbicide injury on emerging primocanes?
Is fruit crumbly? These may be symptoms
of raspberry bushy dwarf virus, a pollen-
born virus that affects red and black
raspberries and occurs naturally in wild
raspberries.
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV)
can cause a variety of symptoms, and may
cause no symptoms in some cultivars. One
common symptom is yellow, interveinal
chlorosis on emerging primocanes in the
spring (Figure 1 and Figure 2). These
symptoms are commonly mistaken for
simazine injury. This virus can also cause
crumbly fruit, and a reduction in vigour.
Leaves may exhibit yellow blotches, rings
and lines.
The best way to diagnose raspberry
bushy dwarf virus is early in the season,
when temperatures are fairly cool and
symptoms are most evident. Collect a few
young but fully expanded leaves with
symptoms and send to a diagnostic labora-
tory. ELISA test kits have been developed
to diagnose this virus and most diagnostic
labs will provide this service.
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus is a big prob-
lem because it is spread to new plants in
pollen from infected raspberry plants.
Some varieties are more tolerant than oth-
ers, and some plant breeders have devel-
oped varieties with resistance to this dis-
ease. Primocane fruiting varieties are
prone to RBDV because of their long
bloom period. Management of RBDV
includes the following steps:
Purchase virus-tested plants from an
accredited nursery.
Control wild raspberries around the field
and farm.
Rogue out infested plants.
Remove bloom in the establishment year
of a raspberry planting.
Authors notes: Tomato ringspot virus is
another common virus in Ontario raspber-
ries, and the one I see most often. Tomato
ringspot virus is spread by the dagger
nematode. Symptoms include crumbly fruit,
and a reduction plant vigour. This virus
can also be diagnosed using the ELISA
test.
Postharvest handling and storage
of strawberries
Symptoms of raspberry ringspot virus in
primocane fruiting raspberries. Note the
difference in varieties.
Symptoms of raspberry ringspot virus on
plant foliage, sometimes described as a
calico pattern.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 23
BERRY FOCUS
Biology: Spotted Wing Drosophila in Ontario
LISA EMILJANOWICZ AND
GERALDINE RYAN, SCHOOL
OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF
GUELPH, AND PAM FISHER,
ONTARIO MINISTRY OF
AGRICULTURE AND
MINISTRY OF RURAL
AFFAIRS
Spotted wing drosophila
(SWD) is an invasive vinegar fly
native to southeast Asia. It is a
pest of soft-skinned fruit. SWD
females are able to lay eggs in
undamaged fruit before harvest
due to a large, serrated ovipositor
that is not normally present on
other common vinegar fly
species. Therefore, larvae may be
present in fruit at harvest,
reducing fruit quality and yields.
Additionally, the oviposition
wound acts as a pathway to
secondary infection by other
insects and pathogens causing
rapid deterioration of the fruit.
SWD are of concern as they have
recently invaded the U.S.,
Canada, and Europe, causing fruit
damage and revenue loss.
Life Cycle:
Since SWD has only recently
been found in Ontario, our knowl-
edge of their biology is based on
information from southeast Asia
and western North America,
where they have been established
for a longer period of time.
Research is underway to gather
information more specific to
SWD in Ontario. However, it is
known that SWD have a life
cycle containing an egg stage, 3
larval instars, a pupal, and an
adult stage. Eggs, larvae, and
pupae are present inside the fruit.
Full development from egg to
adult can take between 8 and 25
days depending on temperature.
See figure 1: Life cycle of SWD
The adult lifespan can vary
between 3 and 9 weeks, although
overwintering adults that emerge
in late autumn can survive until
the following spring by seeking
refuge under leaves, between
stones, or in man-made
enclosures. Most SWD move to
sheltered locations outside of crop
fields to overwinter.
Overwintering SWD enter a state
of reproductive diapause and are
then able to lay eggs the follow-
ing spring. Females reach sexual
maturity 1 to 2 days after emerg-
ing, with the ability to produce
anywhere from 380 to 560 eggs
in a lifetime. Populations peak in
late summer and early fall. The
preferred temperature for SWD is
between 20 and 25C, and their
activity is reduced when tempera-
tures exceed 30C or fall below
10C. Given this information, it is
predicted that SWD will be able
to complete 3 to 9 generations in
the Canadian growing season.
Crops affected and wild hosts:
SWD has a wide host range
but is primarily a pest of soft-
skinned berries and stone fruits.
They can infest cultivated crops
and wild hosts that may border
crops. If perimeter hosts are left
unmaintained populations may
increase as SWD adults move
from host to host with different
ripening times. Late season crops
are at a higher risk of infestation
because populations peak after
late July, however early crops can
also be affected. Crops of concern
include: strawberries, blackber-
ries, blueberries, cherries, rasp-
berries, elderberries, mulberries,
nectarines, peaches, pears, and
plums, and possibly grapes. Wild
hosts include: buckthorn,
dogwood, brambles, nightshade,
honey-suckle, black elder,
pokeweed, and pin cherry. SWD
have been found to feed on oak
tree sap, and oviposit on cracked
or damaged tomatoes, and even
flowers, in the absence of ideal
hosts. This is an indication of
their opportunistic behaviour.
Observations in Ontario:
The first detection in Ontario
was in November 2010. In 2011,
SWD adults were not trapped
until the middle of August, and
numbers did not increase until
late September. No commercial
damage was reported.
In 2012, the first SWD were
trapped on June 25th. Larvae
were detected in fruit as early as
July 6 and widespread damage
was evident in mid-late August.
The winter of 2011-2012 was
very mild and spring 2012 was
very early. We expect that these
mild conditions contributed to the
earlier build up of SWD in
Ontario.
Studies on SWD in their native
range of Japan suggest that this
species can survive and overwin-
ter in below-freezing conditions.
It is important to monitor the
activity of adult SWD each year
to determine when the pest is
active. The risk to early-develop-
ing fruit crops, particularly early
varieties, could vary from year to
year, depending on overwintering
conditions. All growers should be
prepared to control SWD in 2013.
For more information on SWD
see: www.Ontario.ca\spottedwing
Figure 1: Life cycle of spotted wing drosophila
Keep in touch with these
OMAF and MRA
resources
The Berry Bulletin will be starting shortly with updates on crop and
pest development in Ontario berry crops. You can have the Berry
Bulletin emailed to your inbox, or sent to you by fax. This service is
provided by the Ontario Berry Growers Association to their members
. . . dont forget to ask for it by contacting the OBGA office.
Although the bulletin is also posted in the OMAF and MRA website,
it is not archived there. You can subscribe to receive an email notice
when a new berry bulletin is posted on line:
www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/updates/berry/index.html
I am also on Twitter! You can follow me on twitter: @fisherpam.
I try to follow many berry growers.
Are you interested in speciality crops and specialty berries like
haskaps, goji berries and sea buckthorn? The ON Specialty Crops
Blog keeps growers up to date with specialty crop news.
www.ONSpecialtycrops.wordpress.com
Label expansion granted for
Command 360 ME herbicide
JIM CHAPUT, OMAF & MRA, MINOR USE
COORDINATOR, GUELPH
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency
(PMRA) recently announced the approval of a
minor use label expansion for Command 360 herbi-
cide for control and suppression of labeled weeds on
field peppers in Canada. Command herbicide was
already labeled for management of weeds on
cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins, sweet
potatoes and soybeans in Canada.
This minor use project sponsored by Agriculture
& Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre
(AAFC-PMC) was submitted in 2004 in response to
minor use priorities identified by producers and
extension personnel in Canada.
This new registration will provide field pepper
growers with a much needed weed management
tool.
The following is provided as a general, abbrevi-
ated outline only. Users should consult the complete
label before using Command 360 ME herbicide.
Command 360 herbicide should be applied before
transplanting peppers and before weed emergence at
a rate of 1.55 2.35 L product per ha in at least 95
L water per ha. Consult the label for soil type
restrictions and other precautions. A maximum of 1
application per season is permitted; do not use on
banana peppers. The pre-harvest interval for peppers
is 70 days.
Command herbicide should be used in an inte-
grated weed management program and in rotation
with other management strategies. Follow all other
precautions and directions for use on the Command
herbicide label.
For copies of the new supplemental label contact
Kristen Callow, OMAFRA, Harrow (519) 738-
1232, Jim Chaput, OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-
3539 or visit the UAP website www.uap.ca
Note: This article is not intended to be an endorse-
ment or recommendation for this particular product,
but rather a notice of registration activity
MINOR USE
On guard against brown marmorated stink bug
KAREN DAVIDSON
While the brown marmorated
stink bug (BMSB) smells, its eco-
nomic bite is worse. Apple grow-
ers in the mid-Atlantic U.S. were
stung for $37 million in 2010.
To date, BMSB has been con-
firmed as established in the
Hamilton-Burlington area of
Ontario. It has not been identified
in the field and there have been
no reports of crop damage.
BMSB has not been found in
other provinces, although there
have been some interceptions in
cargo and vehicles.
I dont want to get bitten by
this pest, warned Hannah Fraser,
technical working group co-chair
who presented at the Alien
Invasive Species Symposium in
March.
So handy at hitchhiking that
its crossed the ocean from its
native Asia, this insect has a
broad appetite for more than 150
plant species, including many
agricultural crops. Its adaptation
to diverse habitats means that
once BMSB is established in an
area, its likely there to stay.
BMSB overwinters as adults in
protected areas that can include
homes and buildings. Its not sur-
prising that the first detections
typically come from people who
notice them making their way
indoors in the fall. The adults
emerge from overwintering sites
in the spring and lay eggs over an
extended period, so that multiple
life stages may be present from
June through September. Given
Canadas climate, theres likely
only one generation per year.
Fraser is urging growers to look
for BMSB in their crops and is
encouraging the general public to
report suspects collected in their
homes or gardens.
BMSB is highly mobile and
moves between crops throughout
the growing season. Crops are at
the greatest risk of injury when
fruit, pods or seeds are present,
but BMSB will also feed on vege-
tative plant parts. Populations can
also build up on unmanaged
woody hosts before moving into
crops.
Its a perimeter-driven pest,
says Fraser. Damage is often
worst near field borders.
BMSB has a very broad host
range that includes tree fruit,
berries, grapes, vegetables, agro-
nomic crops, ornamental trees and
ornamental shrubs. Both nymphs
and adults can cause injury.
Damage results when they insert
their piercing-sucking mouthparts
into fruit, seedpods, buds, leaves
or stems of plants. Symptoms of
stink bug feeding can include dis-
coloured, corky or collapsed fruit,
leaf stippling and shriveled,
stained seeds or punctured ker-
nels. Harvest of field crops may
induce migration into late season
crops such as pome fruit and
grapes.
With unpredictable host use
patterns and no effective natural
enemies, BMSB is proving hard
to kill. Researchers dont know
how long it takes between colo-
nizing new habitats and when
economic damage can be expect-
ed. In the U.S., researchers are
looking at pesticide efficacy tri-
als, monitoring tools, seasonal
dynamics, attract and kill bio-
logical control repellents and
solutions for organic growers.
Insecticides will play a lead
role for the short term, says
Fraser. Of 37 insecticides evalu-
ated, few provided very good
control of BMSB. There are vari-
able results even within classes of
pesticides. One pyrethroid, for
example, didnt work as well as
another pyrethroid. A lot of the
newer reduced-risk chemistries
are not efficacious. There seems
to be limited residual activity of
insecticides against adults.
This discouraging news means
that pesticides are not effective in
preventing initial BMSB adults
feeding on maturing fruit or veg-
etables. It does not take many
BMSB to cause injury. Not every
adult warrants an insecticidal
treatment, but the presence of
nymphs may indicate enough
BMSB are present in the crop to
trigger a spray. With this initial
understanding of the pest, Fraser
predicts that biological control
and other management strategies
will be important in controlling
BMSB in the long term.
Tiny parasitic wasps that
attack BMSB eggs in Asia are
being screened in the U.S. Before
these can be released, researchers
need to ensure these biological
control agents wont cause dam-
age to native stink bugs, many of
which are important predators in
agricultural crops.
With the status of the invasion
in Canada not entirely clear, this
summers research plans include
assessing the distribution and
abundance of BMSB in southern
Ontario and identifying agricul-
tural areas at risk from BMSB.
The intent is to develop an inven-
tory of natural enemies of stink
bugs. This list will provide base-
line data on the potential for bio-
logical control of BMSB in
Canada by native predators and
parasitoids.
Researchers will also be evalu-
ating a new pheromone trapping
system for efficacy and utility in
early detection. Studying cold
tolerance and overwintering phys-
iology is another prong of
research to determine the poten-
tial for establishment of BMSB in
different parts of Canada.
Several products are registered
in Canada for control or suppres-
sion of BMSB including: Lannate
Toss-N-Go, Clutch 50 WGD and
Malathion 85E. Additional prod-
ucts and label expansions are
required to provide adequate
management tools for all affected
crops. Wherever possible, regis-
tering new pest control products
will be harmonized with the
American IR-4 program.
For ongoing research updates,
look to www.stopbmsb.org.
THE GROWER
PAGE 24 MAY 2013
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New Tecumseth, ON
L0G 1A0
Ph: 905-960-0033
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- 3 used potato trucks. 18 - 24, $7,500 each.
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- 12-row Agricola vegetable seeder. Call for details.
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CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR
FULL LISTING OF USED EQUIPMENT!
The brown marmorated stink bug is 14 19 mm long and 8 mm wide.
Its distinguishing feature is the presence of two white bands on each
antenna. Report suspect finds of this pest to local provincial authori-
ties. Photo by D. Galbraith, Royal Botanical Gardens.
Label expansion granted for Prowl H20 herbicide
JIM CHAPUT, OMAF & MRA,
MINOR USE COORDINATOR,
GUELPH
The Pest Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
recently announced the approval
of a minor use label expansion for
Prowl H2O Herbicide
(pendimethalin) for control of
weeds on green onions (mineral
soil), transplanted leeks (mineral
soil) and outdoor ornamentals in
Canada. Prowl H2O herbicide
was already labeled for manage-
ment of weeds on corn, soybeans,
snap beans, adzuki beans and dry
bulb onions in Canada.
These minor use submissions
were sponsored in 2010 and 2011
by the minor use office of
OMAFRA in response to minor
use priorities identified by pro-
ducers and extension personnel in
Canada. Additional data support-
ing these projects was provided
by Dr. Darren Robinson, S. Vink,
U. of G., Ridgetown; Dr. C.
Swanton and K. Chandler, U. of
G. main campus; Dr. J.
OSullivan, R. Grohs, U. of G.,
Simcoe as well as Dr. B.
Zandstra, MSU, Dr. D. Doohan,
OSU and colleagues in Quebec.
Weed control is an important
component of green onion and
leek production and has been
identified as a priority by
producers for several years. The
registration of Prowl H2O
herbicide is an important step
towards improving the weed
management and resistance
management toolkit.
The following is provided as a
general outline only. Users should
consult the complete label before
using Prowl H2O herbicide.
Leeks, green onions:
Prowl H2O herbicide can be
used for control of selected
annual weeds in green onions and
transplanted leeks grown on
mineral soils at a rate of 2.37 L
per ha. Apply after transplanting
of leeks and before weed emer-
gence. Apply at the 2 3 true leaf
stage of green onions after the
crop has emerged. Prowl H2O
can be applied in a minimum of
200 L water per ha.
Do not apply Prowl H2O her-
bicide to green onions and leeks
within 30 days of harvest.
Outdoor ornamentals, including
conifers:
Prowl H2O herbicide can be
used for control of selected
annual weeds in outdoor
ornamentals at a rate of 3.7 L per
ha in a minimum of 100 L water
per hectare. Consult the label for
specific details about established
field and container ornamentals
and newly transplanted field and
container ornamentals. Also
consult the label for details about
tolerant ornamental species and
application restrictions and
precautions.
Prowl H2O herbicide should be
used in an integrated weed
management program and in
rotation with other management
strategies. Follow all other pre-
cautions and directions for use on
the Prowl H2O herbicide label.
March 27, 2013
For copies of the new supple-
mental label for green onions and
leeks contact Kristen Callow,
OMAFRA, Harrow (519)
738-1232, for ornamentals
contact Jennifer Llewellyn,
OMAFRA Guelph (519) 824-
4120 ext. 52671 or visit the
BASF Canada website at
https://agro.basf.ca/basf/
agsolutions/SelectRegion.htm
Engage
Agro to
distribute
Granuflo T
fungicide
Engage Agro has announced
that its the exclusive marketer
and distributor for select
Taminco products in Canada,
including Granuflo T multi-site
fungicide for fruit and vegetable
crops.
In addition to Granuflo T,
there are several other exciting
new chemistries from Taminco
that we believe will help
Canadian growers increase their
production while remaining com-
petitive in the global market-
place, says Michael Brazeau,
business development and mar-
keting manager with Engage
Agro Corp.
Granuflo T, Desikote Max and
Enfuse 510 are all currently
available from Engage Agro
Corp. with additional products to
be launched over the next few
years. Taminco is based in
Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Source: Engage Agro news
release
MINOR USE
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 25
Always read and follow label directions. ELEVATE, the ELEVATE logo, MAESTRO, the MAESTRO logo, KANEMITE and the KANEMITE logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. Go with what works is a trademark of
Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. ORTHENE is a registered trademark of OMS Investments, Inc., exclusively licensed to Arysta LifeScience
Corporation in numerous countries. 2012 Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. ORT-048
Thanks for putting your trust in our products. For more information, visit www.gowithwhatworks.ca or call 1-866-761-9397 toll free.
Growers have some unusual traditions things they do every year to ensure a successful growing season. From
the hula girl one grower pulls out at planting, to the barn dance another grower throws after every harvest, you
go with what works. Just like the products that come through for you year after year, why mess with a good thing?
THE GROWER
PAGE 26 MAY 2013
Be careful what you ask for-
you may get it! We have all heard
such sage advice over the years. It
follows on the footsteps of the
final bidder at an auction is only
one bid dumber than the previous
bidder! When it comes to a big
ticket purchase, how often does
the glitter quickly wear off when
upon further inspection, the item
is not quite what you had thought
it was? Experience is best gained
by seeing and learning from the
mistakes of others, but comes at a
dear price sometimes when it is
your own mistake that caused the
learning!
All of this is to make a point.
A lot of farm land has been
changing hands lately. (City
homes too.) The big keep getting
bigger, and more and more
small(ish) land holdings are dis-
appearing. At one time, a farm
almost never got listed, -- it
was sold by private treaty to a
neighbour or his son, to get him a
start in farming. Occasionally,
when a feud existed, a farm might
get sold to anyone except to a
certain family. Even when they
might be willing to pay a premi-
um, it was never going to happen!
There are still a few original
Century farms about, (pre 1867
ownership and still in the same
family). Often these are held onto
for purely sentimental reasons,
but the farming business on that
land may (likely) be a non-starter
from an economic point of view.
While it may be impossible to
part with them, they do have a
value which means a lot to the
family members who do not get
them! Family fights have started
over the deemed value of grand-
pas farm!
More recently, there have been
farms offered by tender to the
highest bidder. There will likely
be a reserve to ensure that at least
a fair price is achieved, but usual-
ly this becomes moot when the
bidders line up. Sometimes the
value is actually diminished by
the cost associated with removal
of unwanted and unusable build-
ings. (In the past when an older
house could be severed off as an
unwanted farm dwelling, there
may have been some recoverable
value, but this kind of severance
is rare today.)
If a long-term land renter has
been using the farm, he will be
the one who best knows its poten-
tial, and its weaknesses. He will
know what (if any) improvements
have been made, and what the
residual fertility may be. The his-
tory of pesticide use, the weed
problems, and the potential for
crop disease in specialty crops
may be also be factors that he
knows best. Other features may
include the presence of a water-
course, irrigation pond, a forested
area or woodlot, fencing or wind-
breaks. All of these can be looked
upon as a good or bad thing by a
buyer -- it depends upon what
their plans are for the land.
Another bidder may best watch
the former renter and see what
bid they are prepared to offer (in
an open property auction). In my
local area, there are a handful of
legitimate farmer-bidders on any
piece of farmland. They usually
know exactly what its worth, to
them for their business opera-
tions, and they rarely get into bid-
ding wars. When a new (outside)
bidder enters the fray, they are
prepared to back off, and hope
that the land will ultimately come
back on the market, when the
bold bidder realizes their error. I
can count those kinds of proper-
ties around here over the past 30
years, and they almost always
ended up in the hands of previous
bidders! In some areas, bidders
come from far away, and will pay
seemingly outrageous amounts to
buy land. I understand that this is
becoming more common across
the country. It is hard to compete
with endless funds -- just try to
buy a silent auction item at some
charity events!
At one time, the value of a
house you could afford was 2.5
times your annual gross salary. A
farms worth was based on the
value of the number of cattle it
could sustain. The extras such as
a good water source, a good
woodlot for fuel, and the quality
of the buildings determined the
final selling price. Today it is the
value of corn and/or soybeans.
Even the wheat in rotation is seen
only as a necessary evil for land
management purposes, but there
is less of it and almost no spring
grain compared to the past. This
has affected everything in the old
economy. The vegetable produc-
ers have been able to barter for
better prices for their crops sim-
ply because they can switch all
those acres to an easier crop (corn
or beans) leaving the processor
with nothing to sustain their busi-
ness investments. These growers
are still willing to grow these
vegetable crops, knowing that in
the fullness of time, they will see
corn and bean prices moderate.
There is no sense in giving away
any future opportunities by being
greedy today!
I saw this in Scotland back in
1986 when a European subsidy
to grow malting barley had led
growers to rip up long-term pas-
tures to plant barley. They also
ripped out older raspberry and
strawberry fields. Former potato
land grew barley after barley.
Eventually, there was a glut of
barley, and the subsidy ended.
The short-term shortage of berries
had allowed those still growing to
get a better price, but the renewed
crops eventually undermined that
gain as well.
In addition to all of this, some-
times land which is really not
suited to a crop gets planted to it
anyway, as the dream of riches
overrules common sense. We
have much sandy to very sandy
land here which should not grow
row crops without irrigation and
the addition of organic matter at
least biannually. That land may
sell for less than more suitable
land, but there is always that last
bidder!
One sage piece of advice I had
from my great uncle was that you
should only buy the best land
your money will allow. It may be
a smaller piece, but good land
always pays, and poor land
always costs! Never let sentiment
get in the way of good business
sense.
As you go about getting in this
years crop, and have some think-
ing time on the tractor seat, it
may pay to remember at least my
first and the prior paragraphs! Bid
with economics in mind; do not
let your heart get engaged! It
could save you (and your off-
spring) a lot of heartache later on!
CRAIGS COMMENTS
Land costs or pays
CRAIG HUNTER
OFVGA
MINOR USE
engageagro.com 1-866-613-3336 2013 Engage Agro Corporation.
Sponsored by
The vegetable producers have been able to barter for better
prices for their crops simply because they can switch all those acres to
an easier crop (corn or beans) leaving the processor with nothing to
sustain their business investments.
is an extremely systemic
and highly unique fungicide that provides effective,
convenient & flexible preventative protection of late
blight and pink rot when applied during the season
and at harvest.
Now Registered!
Always read and follow label directions
Phostrol is a registered trade-mark of Engage Agro Corporation.
For more information on Phostrol please contact
Engage Agro 1-866-613-3336
engageagro.com
Make them
all count.
STORIES BY
KAREN DAVIDSON
From a growers perspective,
ambling down the centre aisle of
a farmers market is anything but
routine. The mental checklist
includes competitors pricing,
quality and labeling. And
although the scene may appear
bucolic to consumers, growers are
quick to notice infractions.
Are the containers sitting on
the ground where they might be
contaminated by pets?
Are the containers properly
labeled with truthful advertising
about source of produce?
Are the containers of food-
grade quality, appropriate for the
produce being sold?
These are questions that also
concern the food and inspection
branch of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food and
Ministry of Rural Affairs (OMAF
and MRA). Horticultural assis-
tants randomly collect samples of
produce at farmers markets and
direct sale outlets all over
Ontario.
We go out on a complaint
basis, explains Suzete Moniz,
regulatory and standards coordi-
nator for foods of plant origin
program, OMAF and MRA. Risk
management specialists on per-
manent staff also look into con-
cerns. Most complaints deal with
signage or labeling regarding ori-
gin of produce or discrepancies
between signage and individual
container labeling.
As Loree Saunders, compli-
ance programs coordinator
OMAF and MRA, explains, there
are no set container sizes except
for potatoes in Ontario. On the
request of the Ontario Potato
Board, O. Reg 119/11 sets out
specific mandatory package sizes
for potatoes until June 30, 2016.
In addition to labeling issues,
OMAF and MRA staff conduct a
food safety monitoring program.
In total, 867 samples were col-
lected for either chemical or
microbial analysis from roadside
stands, farm gate and farmers
markets. The results were
released in March 2013.
Under microbial analysis, of
657 samples representing 491
Ontario growers, three samples
(0.5 per cent) tested positive for
Salmonella spp. Two were sam-
ples of leaf lettuce and one was a
sample of strawberries. Two sam-
ples (0.3 per cent) tested positive
for generic E. coli above 3,000
colony forming units per gram.
One was a sample of lettuce and
the other a sample of spinach.
Under chemical analysis, of
210 samples representing 183
Ontario growers, four samples (2
per cent) contained residue levels
above Health Canadas allowable
limits. Three of these were sam-
ples of lettuce and one was a sam-
ple of wax beans.
When adverse results were
detected, the grower was notified
immediately and government staff
assisted in determining the source
of contamination. One public
recall of shelled peas was issued
as a result of sampling.
Results from this program are
not statistically valid and cannot
be used to make generalizations
about the state of the industry,
states Nicole Robb, data and
issues management coordinator,
OMAF and MRA, in a March
2013 factsheet.
Containers themselves are not
likely sources of contaminants,
but how they are handled is
important in the analysis of criti-
cal control points.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADAS PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION SECTION B
Labelling and food safety go hand-in-hand
CONTAINERS
FOCUS: CONTAI NERS
MARKETPLACE
Sam Elias Junior, Leamington, Ontario, oversees his stall at the Ontario Food Terminal where clearly labeled, one-use, corrugated cardboard
boxes are stacked on pallets above the ground. Photo by Glenn Lowson.
Types of fresh fruits and vegeta-
bles tested for microbial analysis
in 2012.
Types of fresh fruits and vegeta-
bles tested for chemical analysis
in 2012.
Commodity
Type
Total Number
Tested
Broccoli 41
Green Onion 61
Carrot 99
Strawberry 121
Cilantro 8
Lettuce 120
Parsley 21
Spinach 41
Tomato 139
Other 6
Commodity
Type
Total Number
Tested
Asian
Vegetable
41
Wax Bean 61
Apple 99
Lettuce 121
Tomato 8
Peas 120
Spinach 21
Green Onion 41
The trend towards more Reusable
Plastic Containers (RPC) has opened up
opportunities for customized packaging.
For example, a new 10-pack strawberry
quart has been designed by Phil Short,
owner of Vortex Packaging to precisely fit
an IFCO 08N. For those shipping to
Loblaws, IFCO is one of the approved sup-
pliers of RPCs.
You have to start at retail to design
something that will create sales, says
Short. It may require extra effort for
growers, but it will pay off.
As a grower, retailer and shipper at
Vineland Station, Ontario, Short has carved
out a niche in specialty packaging for pro-
duce. His lidded baskets for peaches were a
breakthrough a couple years ago, and since
then, hes been designing new packaging
that suits retailers large and small. This
year, a new strawberry one-litre container
has a flush mount lock enabling more effi-
cient use of space while protecting perish-
able fruit. The container design reduces the
amount of polypropylene which is a grade
five for recycling. Less material is better.
Short says the new strawberry quarts are
ventilated for faster cooling, and will ship
with less shrinkage. From the growers per-
spective, he says the lead time for packing
is shorter because theres no need to
assemble corrugated containers. About
one-eighth of the space is required to store
this packaging, says Short.
Also new to the market this year is a
one-litre blueberry basket that will hold
three 170-gram clamshells. With blueberry
production ramping up all over North
America, Short thinks these new baskets
with handles will be a useful marketing
size. They are excellent for on-farm
retail, he says, lid on or off.
While growers have not been enthusias-
tic about the labour required for attaching
the handles, these handles provide another
surface for adhering farm logos or
Foodland Ontario symbols. For a con-
sumer, all thats needed is one hand to pick
up a balanced, reinforced basket. Thats a
simple price to pay to make the sale.
With convenience in mind, Short is
introducing a 2.5 pound ziplock handle bag
that will fit small- to medium-sized apples.
Its a better price point than the four-
pound or three-pound bags, explains
Short. Its a gusseted bag that will stand
up on display shelves as well.
These packaging innovations speak to
the current trends in Canadian marketing of
food safety and convenience.
THE GROWER
PAGE B2 MAY 2013
FOCUS: CONTAINERS
Packaging is custom designed for RPCs
Stephanie Dueck demonstrates the new 10-pack strawberry quarts at the recent Ontario
Fruit and Vegetable Convention. Vortex Packaging was also an exhibitor at last months
Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade show in Toronto, Ontario. Photos by
Denis Cahill.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE B3
FOCUS: CONTAINERS
As the spring season kicks into gear, here are
some grower tips:
1) all produce containers must have name of packer
or producer, full municipal address and postal code.
2) the name of the commodity must be on the pack-
age if its not readily visible
3) in the case of potatoes, the grade name must be
identified.
4) a retail sign is necessary at the farmgate or farm-
ers market indicating what produce is for sale,
country or province of origin, price per unit of
weight, if applicable. In the case of peppers, they
must be labeled sweet or hot
5) any advertising print, email or broadcast must
indicate the country or province of origin of the pro-
duce, the quantity in the package if applicable and
in the case of potatoes, the grade.
6) In Ontario, price cards are available from
Foodland Ontario. Go to www.ontario.ca/produce-
safety for a retail display sign toolkit. Any further
questions can be directed to 1-888-466-2372 or
Suzete Moniz, 519-826-4655 ext 64655.
Six tips for proper labeling of produce
containers
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This container of basil appears to have no
edible parts contacting the ground. Its not exposed to
a hazard, but because of the location, it is at risk of
contamination (e.g. dog) and would be better if the
bushel was on a table. Where producers get into trou-
ble is when they take containers that have been sitting
on the ground, stack them one on top of another and
the bottom of the stacked container contacts food.
Thats exposed to a hazard.
~ Suzete Moniz, regulatory and standards coordinator for
foods of plant origin program, OMAF and MRA.