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KAREN DAVIDSON

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

Anne Fowlie joined the


Canadian Horticultural Council
(CHC) in March 1999 and hit the
ground running, as the saying
goes. I drove to Ottawa from
New Brunswick in a snow storm
on a Sunday and on Monday flew
to Winnipeg for my first CHC
Annual General Meeting as a
member of the CHC team.
Many know Anne as a part of
the CHC for the past number of
years, but who is she and what
path brought her to Ottawa?
Growing up in Quebecs east-
ern townships, she doesnt
remember whether she first spoke
English or French. The two
languages and cultures were
always closely linked. My father
was an only child of Irish descen-
dants and my mother was one of
a dozen francophone siblings. It
certainly made for interesting
family gatherings and a richness
of cultural and culinary delights.
Once done high school she left
la belle province and headed to
Mount Allison University in
Sackville, New Brunswick
thanks to a high school principal
from the Annapolis Valley who
had attended Mount A. It was
good advice, likely some of the
best I ever received, and I am par-
ticularly delighted to see my
grandson, Alex, finishing up his
second year there.
It was pure serendipity that led
her to agriculture. People often
ask me if I grew up on a farm and
although I did not, I often feel
that I could have. In 1978 I built a
house and that was the beginning
of a lifetime career in
agriculture.
What does building a house
have to do with horticulture? In
this case, everything. I was
working for Day and Ross at the
time and was also building a
house. Two potato farmer broth-
ers, whose diversification was a
construction company specializ-
ing in concrete work, installed the
foundation. They were involved
with five other farmers who had
formed a co-op to build a packing
warehouse and just happened to
be looking for someone bilingual
to set up and manage the office. I
took the job and that was the
beginning.
From 1978 up until the time
she joined CHC she worked in
the potato industry in a number of
capacities, including sales and
marketing for the grower cooper-
ative which hired her, a large
family-owned potato and grain
farming operation and then for
the provincial potato association
as director of communications
and marketing and eventually as
assistant executive director. With
opportunities to gain experience
in buying and selling, plant health
emergencies, border closures,
countervail and anti-dumping and
much more, the training for lead-
ing a multi-commodity, national
organization was thorough
indeed. I was fortunate to have
had outstanding mentors and
opportunities over the years. The
experience I gained serving on
various boards, including two
terms as a ministerial appoint-
ment to the Agricultural
Development Board whose loan
portfolio was subsequently taken
over by Farm Credit Canada and
ACOAs Community Futures was
priceless and has served me very
well.
In 1998 the CHC was undergo-
ing significant change. The long
standing relationship with the
CPMA was evolving. The two
groups had co-shared staff for
many years, including executive
vice president a position
previously occupied by Danny
Dempster.
Stephen Whitney was also
with CHC and at that time the
groundwork for establishing the
Dispute Resolution Corporation
was developing. As his interest in
that new venture grew and the
need for dedicated leadership for
each of the groups increased, an
opportunity presented itself. The
rest is history. Danny Dempster
took on the leadership role at
CPMA and Anne joined CHC.
Today there are numerous
challenges and opportunities fac-
ing horticulture and developing
strategies to ensure a sustainable
future for farmers and their orga-
nizations is paramount.
The Regulatory Cooperation
Council is providing an opportu-
nity to resolve an issue which has
long been a point of contention
for her. During my years on a
sales desk my market of choice
was the U.S. and not Canada
because I had recourse if there
were problems getting paid the
Perishable Agricultural
Commodities Act. I know all too
well the consequences of not get-
ting paid. If we are unsuccessful
at achieving a made-in-Canada
outcome that provides a similar
protection for Canadian farmers
as that which is available through
the PACA it will be the biggest
disappointment of my career. I
will be working for several more
years yet and remain optimistic.
With a demanding job, there is
often little time for outside inter-
ests. Growing up in the eastern
townships, I love to ski and have
enjoyed an opportunity to volun-
teer with a local ski team for a
number of years. It is exciting to
watch the young men and women
compete in downhill events and
being on the course with them as
a gate judge or in other course
crew positions. I am a music
junkie and always look forward to
volunteering at Bluesfest, but
what I enjoy most of all is time
on my daughters sail boat with
my children and grandchildren.
PAGE 4 MAY 2013
THE GROWER
Marking 15 years at the Canadian Horticultural Council
WHATS YOUR STORY?
Anne Fowlie, executive vice-president of the Canadian Horticultural
Council is pictured here with former agriculture minister Eugene
Whelan. With his passing on February 19, 2013, Whelan is remem-
bered for his colourful years as agriculture minister in Pierre
Trudeau's cabinet from 1972-1984.
Regulatory Cooperation
Council reports progress
On April 4, a progress statement on the RCC Financial Protection
for Produce Sellers action item was released.
The Canada/U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) is help-
ing our respective agricultural industries by aligning regulatory sys-
tems, reducing trade barriers and preventing misalignments in the
future. The RCC process has allowed us to make solid progress in
finding common ground to protect fresh fruit and vegetable growers
and other sellers on both sides of the border from financial risk associ-
ated with issues involving payment.
At this point, Canada agrees to consider the development of a one-
licensing approach. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is
intending to initiate a process to publicly consult on new food regula-
tions for Canada. This consultation will cover licensing requirements
for produce dealers for the purposes of fair and ethical trade. These
consultations are expected to be launched later this spring and will
provide an opportunity for comments to be submitted.
The Government of Canada also recognizes the possibility for
greater risk mitigation in the fresh produce sector. For this reason, we
are undertaking further analysis on risk mitigation measures beyond
licensing changes. We fully expect the outcome of this process will
lead to improvements to the financial risk mitigation tools available to
fresh produce sellers.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
With the best harvest ever in the
fermenting barrels, the Grape
Growers of Ontario (GGO) are
counting their blessings: 66,014
tonnes harvested for farmgate
value of $88.6 million.
Thats short-term progress but
not enough to reach long-term
targets of owning the Ontario
industry.
Gaining market share contin-
ues to elude us, said Bill George,
chair, GGO, at a recent media
day. Vinters Quality Alliance
(VQA) wine sales which include
100 per cent Ontario grapes,
account for 9.5 per cent of all
wine sold in Ontario. When these
sales are combined with the
International Canadian Blends
(ICB), which include at least 25
per cent Ontario grapes, Ontario
wines make up just 38.3 per cent
market share.
We are local growers, so its
only natural that local growth be
our priority, George added.
Thats why the association is
setting 2020 as a target date to
capture 50 per cent of the Ontario
wine market. Part of the problem
is a bottleneck at the LCBO
which carries only 585 wines of
the more than 3,000 produced in
Ontario. In response to a question
about the value presented by
French, Californian and Chilean
wines in the $12 to $15 range,
George said hes not worried
about that competition.
Thats our wheelhouse,
where George said Ontario wines
can best compete. Hes more
worried about the $7 to $8
Chilean wines.
Consumer access to wines is
also a problem. Statistics
comparing Ontario and British
Columbia outlets show that
Ontarians are under-served by
LCBO outlets. Whereas there are
a total of 1,319 outlets in Ontario
(630 LCBO stores, 219 agency
stores, 470 winery retail stores) ,
there are 1,396 stores in British
Columbia (BC Liquor
Distribution Branch Annual
Report 2011/12). That's a huge
difference given Ontario's popula-
tion of 12.85 million and B.C.'s
4.4 million.
The only way our industry
will maintain its momentum and
continue to be a strong economic
driver is for Ontario wines to
replace French, California,
Australian, Chilean and Italian
wines in the shopping carts of
Ontario consumers, noted
Debbie Zimmerman, CEO, GGO.
Ontario grape growers are com-
mitted to working with our part-
ners to make that a reality.
With a global wine shortage
and the imminent roll-out of
LCBO Express stores and desti-
nation boutiques, the GGO is cau-
tiously optimistic about improv-
ing distribution at favourable
prices.
The LCBO is the biggest big-
box wine retailer in the world.
Ontario grape growers think they
can do better in those stores.
Bottleneck in LCBO distribution constricts Ontario wine sales
Toronto, Ontario Always a
hub of activity, the Ontario Food
Terminal will be more frantic as
a $5 million refurbishment pro-
ject gets underway in May.
All the second-floor office win-
dows at the terminal will be
replaced for energy efficiency
The buyers court docks will be
enclosed
A canopy cover will be built
over the existing buyer courts
centre strip loading area
The enclosure of the buyers
court docks will be a major
improvement on the conditions in
which trucks are loaded at the
terminal, says Bruce Nicholas,
general manager. This enclosure
will improve the cool chain by
ensuring that produce loaded onto
trucks are completed within a
controlled building not subject to
the elements of weather.
The canopy over the current
open ground level loading area in
the centre of the buyers court
will be a major improvement for
buyers. Currently they are subject
to weather conditions of rain and
snow. This canopy cover will
provide protection from those
elements.
Ontario Food Terminal
to improve
infrastructure
MARKETING
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 5
Grape Growers of Ontario have targeted 2020 to capture 50 per cent of the Ontario wine market. This
picture shows how much more wine that represents than their current 38.3 per cent market share.
Photo courtesy Grape Growers of Ontario.
EXPANSION
Photo by Glenn Lowson.
KAREN DAVIDSON
Timed for spring, the annual
Canadian Produce Marketing
Association Convention and
Trade Show is something like the
French amuse-bouche a single,
bite-sized hors-doeuvre that
prepares us for the smorgasbord
of fresh produce to come.
Translated literally as mouth-
pleaser, thats the taste of this
years 88th event.
What makes this convention
stand apart? Decision-makers
attend witness the retailers from
Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart
and others. Canadian innovators
showcase their new products and
packaging alongside international
competitors. Delegates attend
business sessions to be challenged
and inspired. Its intimate enough
that delegates can actually see the
trade show and feel that theyve
had meaningful conversations
with business owners.
The Canadian fruit and veg-
etable industry views the show as
its kick-off venue for products yet
to hit grocery shelves. From Nova
Scotias bloo juice to Ontarios
squeezable fruits, theres no
shortage of samples.
Boothmanship is a critical
aspect of the show with annual
awards. This years winner,
EarthFresh Foods, tipped the
scales with a martini bar that
served spiced, mashed potatoes in
martini glasses against a dropback
of the Toronto skyline. A dining-
room table served as a focal point
for real-time meetings. For a case
history on how to strategize and
execute such an interactive booth,
search out Stephanie Cutaia, mar-
keting manager.
Beyond the sizzle, exhibitors
were prepared with sell sheets,
itemizing features, benefits and
skus. This professionalism was
also reflected in packaging that
contained nutritional facts as well
as QR codes. In fact, packaging is
becoming a major feature of the
show as vendors wrap traditional
produce in innovative ways.
Clifford Produce, for instance,
debuted a grill kit that contained
all the vegetable ingredients for a
barbecue in an aluminum pan.
American vendors are also in
hot pursuit of the Canadian mar-
ket. Take Duane Norton, for
example, who was looking for
contacts and distribution channels
for Vidalia Brands Sweet Onion
Petals. Made from real Vidalia
onion puree harvested by Bland
Farms, its a melt-in-your-mouth
snack. Puree and corn meal are
mixed to form a base, then the
base is pushed through an
extrusion head. Next, the product
travels over a conveyer belt
where sweet onion seasoning is
sprinkled over top before it
arrives at the oven where it is
then baked, fusing the flavours on
the inside and the sweet onion
seasoning of the outer portion.
Its just one more example of
innovation from a root vegetable.
International vendors also
consider the CPMA trade show
event an important showcase for
their produce. Mexico, Chile and
Columbia mount impressive
exhibits, reminding Canadian
producers of the southern
hemispheres prodigious output.
While Canadian producers
head into their busiest season,
take a moment to mark next
years calendar for CPMA: April
2 4, 2014 in Vancouver.
522 exhibit spaces sold out for graze and schmooze event
CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
THE GROWER
PAGE 6 MAY 2013
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Earth Fresh Foods, Toronto, Ontario, won honours for the best exhibit of the show.
Exhibitors at the Columbian booth were aggressively meeting visitors in the aisle.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 7
Developed in Nova Scotias Annapolis Valley,
Country Magic Bloo juice will be sold in the refrigerated
juice section in the produce department at large retailers
and specialty stores. The taste is the result of blending
several blueberry varieties. Its blueberry pie in a bottle.
Each 250mL serving contains 125mg of anthocyanins
and 245mg of polyphenols. The product is 100 per cent
juice, and is not from concentrate. There are approximate-
ly 600 blueberries in every bottle of the 100 per cent
blueberry sku. Two other skus are also available:
blueberry strawberry and blueberry citrus.
Martins apple chips are all-natural, dehydrated slices
of apple with no additives or preservatives. With all the
health benefits of an apple, these super crispy chips are a
hit with health-conscious consumers. They are now avail-
able in a number of Ontario locations.
Arthurs Fruit Crush is described as the perfect on-
the-go fruit. Each squeezable pouch has one full serving
of fruit, is all-natural, with no concentrates, flavours,
colours or preservatives. Its a brand extension of Arthurs
Smoothies.
Innovation knows no borders
CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
FRUITS
VEGETABLES
Clifford Crunchies are a cocktail cucumber that appeal
to everyone from school-aged kids to baby boomers.
Produced at Ruthven, Ontario greenhouses, it comes in a
perforated, re-sealable bag which extends retailer shelf-life
and provides customer convenience. Its a cocktail cucum-
ber variety that is crisp, crunchy and perfect for snacking
at 8 to 10 cm long.
Mastronardi Produce Eco-Peppers were launched at
the CPMA trade show. Grown at its EnviroFresh Farms
greenhouse near Sarnia, Ontario, these peppers are the
product of the first carbon friendly greenhouse of its kind
in North America, using waste heat and CO2 from a
neighboring fertilizer facility. The Eco-Pepper is available
in various formats including bulk and packaged in a
unique and completely reusable crisper bag. The Eco-
Pepper was one component of the exhibit which won sec-
ond place for best show exhibit.
NatureFresh Fried Green Tomatoes
The first in North America, Leamington-based
NatureFresh has launched Fried Green Tomatoes in an
easy-to-carry kit that includes batter. Just add water to
start, so you can adjust batter thickness to taste. Leftover
batter can be used for dill pickles, shrimp, okra, eggplant
or zucchini. The package directions suggest that the green
tomatoes be stored at room temperature and prepared
preferably, while they are still crisp and green. Serving
tips include using fried green tomatoes in bacon, lettuce
and tomato sandwiches or lasagna. The two-tomato size
package is just right for small households.
The Best New Product Award went to Paramount Farms' three new pomegranate-
based juices branded under POM. Each mixes pomegranate juice with additional
flavours: Hula (pineapple and apple juices); Mango (mango and pear juices); and Coconut
(coconut water and pear juice). The juice category continues to expand with new entrants
taking advantage of superfruit health claims and the trend of busy twenty-year-olds as
liquid fuellers.
Canadians are showing their mettle with successful launches of new products in both
fruit and vegetable categories. Here are six.
Peter Chapman spent 20 years as a Loblaws merchan-
diser and marketer in Atlantic Canada. Hes now a retail
consultant as well as Retail Navigator columnist for The
Grower. Editor Karen Davidson spent some time with
him at the CPMA trade show, learning what he sees as
instructive for the industry.
First, he pointed out Sunkists stand-up, family-sized
grape packages. They cradle the fruit from bruising while
offering portions that wont spoil easily. We are starting
to see more packaging in produce as consumers are more
concerned about food safety and the technology improves
for storage and protecting the product, says Chapman.
If you are considering a package for your product, com-
municate with your retail customers to understand the opti-
mal size. If the current average purchase by the consumer
is one pound, you might try for 1.2 lb in your package.
This provides you and the retailer with a 20 per cent
increase in tonnage. There is also a lot of room on these
packages to communicate with the consumer. People want
information so take advantage of every opportunity to
provide it.
Providing grocers with bins that serve as wings or free-
standing merchandisers are both wins. Sunkists lemon
bin offers in-depth information on nutrition facts, QR
code, storage and cues for social media. All of these
opportunities are there with these off-shelf units. You
never get this kind of communication with the consumer
when your product is in line on the table. These bins work
to drive incremental sales. Any time you can extend the
linear footage in the store it should be well received by
your retail customers. Communicate with them early to
plan the arrival of these displays to ensure it fits with their
plans.
Think of packaging as a surface to communicate mes-
sages not only to consumers but to store employees.
Chapman points out the inside lid of a corrugated box and
suggests an opportunity to remind produce managers about
proper cooling and storage. Employees in the store can be
your biggest advocates. Retailers are challenged with
fewer training hours all the time. As a supplier you can
help with improving product knowledge, which results in
your product being treated properly. Do not ever assume
the employees at store level know everything and that they
will keep the product at the correct temperature. One of
the most common complaints from growers is that their
product does not look as good as it could in the store.
Take a proactive approach and share some of your
knowledge with the staff. If you have a great point of
differentiation remember to communicate it to the staff
and the consumer. It always helps to say thank you for
their proper care.
Growers can always learn from the leaders in the cate-
gory. Retailers visit other stores to get ideas and watch the
trends. Many of your retail customers will visit stores in
Europe and the U.S. to see what they are doing. If youre
a berry grower, then he suggests checking out the leaders
in the category. Driscolls, for example, had a large booth
with strawberries and blueberries in low profile clamshells.
If the leaders are moving in this direction then it is worth
exploring the option in your business. Any time you are
making changes make sure you have the capability and
remember to communicate to your customers in advance
to ensure a smooth transition.
If youre a greenhouse vegetable grower, then theres
lots to see. Naturesweet, based in California, introduced a
peel-off package that serves to preserve food safety as well
as convenience. The consumer can peel off the bottom for
a simple rinse of the product.
Quebecs cole crops are well-known and are displayed
innovatively in a refrigerated stand on mirrored glass.
Association des jardiniers maraichers du Quebec makes
standard fare look fresh. It is important to remember
consumers buy with their eyes in produce and simple
merchandising that really showcases the product is most
effective. Trade shows such as the CPMA are
opportunities for producers to showcase their product to
their customers: the retailers.
THE GROWER
PAGE 8 MAY 2013
CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
Lessons to be learned through a retailers lens
Peter Chapman
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 9
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as exciting as dirt.
Recently I was at an event
where the Ontario premier spoke
about the importance of the Local
Food Act, agricultural sustainabil-
ity and the need to ensure a viable
competitive agricultural sector.
She also spoke about the need to
fight poverty. The question is
how will the government propose
to fight poverty without negative-
ly impacting our farmers in what
is the most labour-intensive sector
in all of agriculture. Should the
wrong method be chosen then the
impact will be devastating for
many of our growers.
It is my fear the government
will resort to the old standby of
raising the minimum wage rate.
Its quick, relatively painless to
government and will get credit
from those whose wages go up.
But is it the right tool to use?
While it may be a convenient
tool it is nonetheless, the wrong
tool. If eliminating poverty was as
simple as increasing the minimum
wage, then we would have
accomplished that years ago.
There are a number of ways to
fight poverty, but the best ways
are to create employment
opportunities not to restrict them.
Ontario is a very diverse
province made up of major cities
and rural communities where
living expenses are different. It
cannot be assumed that the needs
and opportunities are the same
everywhere. It also consists of a
myriad of employment opportuni-
ties and job types. Some indus-
tries and sectors need to be
extremely competitive with goods
from outside of Canada such as
food, both fresh and processed
and as well manufactured goods.
Much of Ontario employment,
however, is in sectors that do not
compete internationally or even
interprovincially and these sectors
have the ability to recover any
additional wage cost from the
marketplace. Unfortunately the
fruit and vegetable sector is in the
first category and our farmers
need to meet that foreign
competition.
According to Statistics
Canada, Canadian consumers are
paying less for vegetables today
than ten years ago and only one
per cent more for fruit. What
greater proof than our fruit and
vegetable farmers cannot recover
additional expenses could there
be?
The way to fight poverty is not
by placing further burdens on this
sector. It is by encouraging
employers to hire more people.
The marketplace will dictate what
the appropriate wage should be.
In 2003, the poverty rate in
Ontario was 6.9 per cent. In 2007
it was 11.2 per cent and during
the time of the largest minimum
rate increase in Ontario history,
the poverty rate jumped to 13.1
per cent by the end of 2009.
Using minimum wage
increases as a tool to fight
poverty does not work. If the
policy makers assume there will
be no job loss then they are
wrong. If they assume that all
employers can easily absorb or
pass on the additional expense
then again they are wrong. How
many food processing plants have
we lost in the past few years?
How many manufacturing plants?
These facilities didnt close
because the owner wanted to
retire. They were forced out of
business because they were no
longer competitive.
If we believe that the best way
to fight poverty is through the
creation of jobs and opportunity
then implementing policy to help
that happen is a must. Just as
companies have adapted to new
methods of doing business in a
global environment, so must
government. Policies need to be
forward thinking and in this case,
they need to be about creating
opportunity, creating jobs and not
stifling them.
For what it is worth, its the
way I see it.
THE GROWER
PAGE 10 MAY 2013
STAFF
Publisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
Editor: Karen Davidson, 416-252-7337, kdavidson@ecomente.ca
Production: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.org
Advertising: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, hsherwood@cogeco.ca
The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
Any errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be
compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the 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
sole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed
in The Grower are those of the newspapers editorial staff and/or
contributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.
All rights reserved. The contents of this publication
may not be reproduced either whole or in part without the
prior written consent of the publisher.
P.M. 40012319
OFFICE
355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105
Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADA
Tel. 519-763-8728 Fax 519-763-6604
The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to all
members of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers
Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year for
the paper through their commodity group or container fees.
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Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues within
four months. If the issue is claimed within four months, but
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one month. No refunds on subscriptions.
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS
ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Chair Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Vice-Chair Jason Verkaik, Bradford
Fruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin
Veg Director Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown
Director Brian Gilroy, Meaford
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Apples Brian Gilroy, Meaford
Fresh Vegetable - Other Mary Shabatura, Windham Centre
Tender Fruit Fred Meyers, Niagara-on-the-Lake
ON Asparagus Grws. Mkg. Brd. Jason Ryder, Delhi
GGO/Fresh Grape Growers Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Fresh Vegetable - Muck Jason Verkaik, Bradford
ON. Potato Board Mac James, Leamington
Small Fruit/Berries Norm Charbonneau, Port Elgin
ON. Ginseng Growers Ken Van Torre, Burford
Greenhouse Jan Vander Hout, Waterdown
Greenhouse Don Taylor, Durham
OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS
Crop Protection Charles Stevens, Newcastle
Research Harold Schooley, Simcoe
Property Brian Gilroy, Meaford
Labour Ken Forth, Lynden
Safety Nets Mark Wales, Alymer
CHC Murray Porteous, Simcoe
Over the last several years
many government initiatives have
been downloaded on the
horticultural industry for the
betterment of society.
Environmental regulations,
Greenbelt, increased minimum
wage and traceability are a few of
the additional burdens put on us
as growers. Monies have been
available to help growers with a
portion of the costs to achieve
compliance with new environ-
mental regulations but the
ongoing costs are borne by
farmers. The amount of paper
work to stay compliant can be
overwhelming. Add to this
inspection costs, additional labour
and the farmer is being squeezed.
The Greenbelt was implemented
with no compensation for the loss
of retirement lots nor the loss of
any speculative value lands may
have had.
It is hard to argue that these
initiatives are not beneficial for
the province as a whole, but it
doesnt change the fact that there
is now a cost to do what we were
doing already. It was always in
our own interests to protect our
lands for future generations, we
have been good stewards of the
land for many generations and
have delivered a safe food supply
to Canadians for well over a
century.
I recently got a call from a
grower regarding a small annual
food safety audit fee. My first
thought as I listened was that the
fee is minimal and this fee would
have no effect on the growers
bottom line. As I listened I could
hear the frustration of a grower
whose profit margin had been
squeezed to zero with losses on
the horizon. My thoughts changed
as I realized that the small fee is
the straw that could break the
camels back. We are price takers
not price setters. In todays
competitive global market place
we cannot just raise our prices to
cover these increased costs. Even
with the buy local movement
getting traction, price remains the
biggest factor when a consumer is
deciding which product to buy.
There are now faint signals
coming out of Queens Park that
the Ontario provincial
government is considering raising
the minimum wage to help fight
poverty -- a noble fight but not
one that can be placed on the
backs of fruit and vegetable
growers. The last increase in
minimum wage cost the
horticultural industry in Ontario
$70 million annually. Further
increases would simply force
farmers to reduce the amount of
workers they employ or get out of
business all together.
The Greenbelt, environmental
regulations, traceability, and an
increased minimum wage are all
good initiatives for society,
however my concern is that we
cannot take any more government
imposed costs. There are many
good government programs in
place to help growers stay
competitive through research,
innovation, promotion and capital
expenditures. If the minimum
wage does increase it will negate
all the gains made by beneficial
programs and will be the straw
that breaks the camels back.
The camel and the straw
RAY DUC
CHAIR, OFVGA
ART SMITH
CEO, OFVGA
The folly of raising the minimum wage
WEATHER VANE
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
~ From Shakespeares Sonnet XVIII.
Photo by Glenn Lowson
THE GROWER
You don't normally see stories
about alfalfa in Canada's premier
fruit and vegetable sector newspa-
per.
But last month's protest over
genetically modified (GM) alfalfa
merits discussion here, if for only
one reason: the protest was more
about limiting farmers' access to
new technology than it was about
growing hay. And to me, thats
something that concerns every
farmer, whether you grow alfalfa,
apples or asparagus.
The Canadian Biotechnology
Action Network, which despite its
name is actually against geneti-
cally modified crops, lead the
charge against the GM alfalfa. It
was trying to convince the public
that farmers neither want nor
need Roundup Ready alfalfa,
because its an environmental
hazard, and in their words, it will
contaminate the countryside. It
cannot possibly coexist with con-
ventional alfalfa, they said.
Reporters dutifully reported
what the protesters said about
contamination by GM alfalfa.
Front-page photos of people
dressed in cow costumes (I sup-
pose, to show a connection to
livestock) appeared in some of
the 30 communities across
Canada, where peaceful shows of
resistance occurred against GM
alfalfa.
On the flip side was, and is,
agri-business -- particularly
Monsanto -- which created the
technology, and a company called
Forage Genetics International,
which is commercializing it in
Canada.
They want the public to
believe farmers do indeed need
and want Roundup Ready alfalfa.
They claim its one more tool in
farmers toolboxes, just like the
other GM crops that are widely
used in Canada.
Farmers were mostly quiet on
the issue. Quentin Martin of
Cribit Seeds was an exception.
On the contamination issue, he
noted only a handful of alfalfa
acres in Ontario are harvested as
seed, nearly all of it harvested as
whole plant hay or haylage and
fed to livestock.
Even if a bee were to buzz
around a genetically modified
alfalfa plant, take some pollen
and fly to a field of conventional
or even an organic field of alfalfa
and pollinate a plant there, it does
not change the genetics of that
plant which is harvested for hay
several times in a summer and for
several years, he said.
If an alfalfa plant were left to
set seed, he added, it is most
probable that it would be pollinat-
ed by the nearest plant of the
same genetics.
And finally, this from Martin:
The key to coexistence is farm-
ers must buy the varieties of seed
they desire. In Canada that is
easy, we have a pedigreed seed
system that has provided variety
verification for over a century.
It seems to me that when it
comes to pollination, the public
should hear from fruit and veg-
etable farmers too. And nows the
time to speak up -- about this
issue, and in general, about who
should be dictating what tools
farmers are allowed to use. I don't
believe a lot of Canadians would
march a metre, let alone a city
block or two, because they're up
in arms about alfalfa. I doubt if
many people who were carrying
protest signs at last months
demonstration even know what
alfalfa is.
And while its certainly their
right to demonstrate, are these the
people you want making policy
for farmers? Even urban politi-
cians are cozying up to the pre-
cautionary principle, the wait-
and-see approach, which is really
another way of saying lets wait
and see which way the proverbial
wind blows, then make policy. It
casts research results and science-
driven policy to the wolves.
Farmers traditionally support
research. Huge gains in produc-
tion have been realized because
of research. Further advances
depend more and more on public
support. Trusting that support will
just naturally happen, or wont be
driven in an unhelpful direction,
is a major risk.
GM protest was not really about alfalfa
OWEN ROBERTS
UNIVERSITY OF
GUELPH
PERSPECTIVE
MAY 2013 PAGE 11
N
EW
M
ODE
OF
ACTION
CITED IN APHID DEATHS.
www.uap.ca
Western Canada: 1-800-561-5444
Ontario & Maritimes: 1-800-265-5444
Quebec: 1-800-361-9369
British Columbia: 1-604-534-8815
Photo by Amanda Brodhagen
Ontario garlic field day
set for June
Get set for local Ontario garlic! The Garlic Growers of Ontario are
hosting a field day June 8 at the farm of Brant County Garlic
Company, Scotland, Ontario. On-site, there will be a crop tour of the
University of Guelph test plots.
Weve got a great agenda with all the experts in the field, says
Bob Romaniuk, host. These include: Michael Celetti talking about
bulb and stem nematodes; Marion Paibomesai talking about leek moth;
John Zandstra talking about bulbil research; Becky Hughes talking
about clean seed; Sandra Jones talking about Foodland Ontario promo-
tions, Al Spicer talking about Cangrow Foliar Nutrient Products, Ted
Shelegy talking about 20 years of organic farming.
Equipment manufacturers will showcase their wares including:
Agri Distribution J. M. Inc demonstrating Erme garlic equipment from
France; Dubois Agrinovation demonstrating plastic culture containers;
Packing Corporation of America demonstrating corrugated containers;
NNZ Packaging Network demonstrating packaging; Sylvite Agri
Services demonstrating fertilizer and chemicals; Wiltsie Equipment
Sales demonstrating vegetable equipment; VandenBussche Irrigation
demonstrating irrigation equipment, drip units, mulch machinery,
Checchi and Magli Italia planting equipment.
Lunch is provided if attendance is confirmed by June 4. Contact
Bob Romaniuk at 519-751-9200.
THE GROWER
PAGE 12 MAY 2013
LILIAN SCHAER
Thanks to social media,
everybody not only has an
opinion, but they can also easily
spread that opinion far and wide.
Unfortunately for agriculture,
many of those are promoting
misconceptions about food and
farming.
But farmers can leverage those
same tools to help tell the real
story of Canadian food and
farming, in real time from their
own farms, said farmer and social
media advocate Andrew
Campbell at a recent workshop
for Farm & Food Care members
about the whys and hows of
social media.
Groups that are against
agriculture are extremely good at
using these tools. Our challenge is
that when theyre presenting their
messages on social media, they
are impacting a lot of people,
said Campbell, known as
@freshairfarmer on Twitter.
Social media determines where
we find the news, and if we dont
speak up and use social media
tools, others will do it for us.
People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA),
for example, has more than 1.5
million likes on their Facebook
page; by comparison, the most
popular Canadian agricultural
group on Facebook is Dairy
Farmers of Canada, with
approximately 20,000 likes.
Social media brings out
emotions in people and creates
connections and many people
like celebrities who are incredi-
bly passionate about agriculture
and are speaking out about it, yet
have no understanding of it.
Popular tools include
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest
and others, which allow users to
share information instantly from
anywhere. Social media users can
either create their own content to
share or share materials posted by
others.
For Campbell, the easiest and
best way to communicate is
Twitter, a social network built on
140-character updates called
tweets. He advised using the
tool on a smart phone for
real-time updates many farmers
on Twitter post updates and
photos about life on the farm, for
example.
Users follow each other,
retweet each others posts and
use hashtags to group tweets or
put them into a single feed.
Popular agriculture hashtags are
#westcdnag (tweets relating to
western Canadian ag) and #ontag
(Ontario).
Information
sharing is one of
the reasons
activists are so
successful.
People are
passionate to
share their infor-
mation and they
make it easy to
do so, he said.
As farmers, we
have to become
better at talking
about what we
do.
To be effec-
tive in social
media, Campbell
advised users to
think of who
theyre trying to
reach, whether
its other farmers
or consumers, and
why. Look at what
others are doing,
keep a consistent
presence and think
about how what
youre posting may be interpreted
by people outside of agriculture.
Social media is like tooth-
paste. Once it comes out of the
tube, it doesnt go back in, so
think before you post, he said.
Everybodys not going to go
meatless on Monday because of
one tweet, but the more times
people see a message, the more
likely it is to stick. Ask a seal
hunter today about what it means
if you ignore public opinion.
Check out Farm & Food
Cares social media guide or a
good resource produced by the
Ohio Farm Bureau for more
information:
www.farmfoodcare.org/images/
pdfs/SocialMediaFactSheets.pdf.
http://ofbf.org/uploads/Social-
Media-Guide-V2_single-pages-
PRESS.pdf
Spreading some
#FarmerLove - why
farmers should bother
with social media
May 14 16 United Fresh, San Diego Convention Centre,
San Diego, CA
May 25 Taste of the Food Terminal, Ontario Food Terminal,
Toronto, ON
May 30 4-H Canada 100th Anniversary Gala Celebration,
Fairmont Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB
June 8 Garlic Growers of Ontario Field Day, hosted by Bob
Romaniuk, Scotland, ON
July 28 31 Potato Association of America Annual Meeting,
Quebec City, QC
July 2013 Federal-Provincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers
Meeting, Halifax, NS
Aug 13, 14 North American Strawberry Growers Association
Summer Tour, Vermont, U.S., info@nasga.org
October 5 Soupfest, Ansnorveldt Park, Bradford, ON
October 24 Ontario Harvest Gala, Guelph, ON
Nov 1 10 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre,
Toronto, ON
November 7 American Agri-Women Conference Canadian Tour,
Holiday Inn & Suites, Parkway Conference Centre,
St. Catharines, ON
Nov 12 17 Canadas Outstanding Young Farmer Awards,
Regina, SK
Nov 19 21 Potato Growers of Alberta Conference and Trade
Show, Calgary, AB
Dec 10 12 Great Lakes Expo, Michigan
COMING EVENTS 2013
Social media is like toothpaste.
Once it comes out of the tube, it
doesnt go back in, so think before
you post.
~ Andrew Campbell

The April 23rd issue of The


Packer newspaper reports that
despite the United States
Department of Agriculture
(USDA) report earlier this year
that said fresh produce from the
U.S. does not pose a safety con-
cern based on pesticide residues,
the Environmental Working
Group(EWG) again released its
Dirty Dozen produce shopping
guide. I have copied excerpts
from the article as follows:
In its ninth year, the guild ranks
pesticide residues on 48 fruit and
vegetables based on thousands of
samples tested by the USDA and
the Food and Drug
Administration, according to a
news release from the group.
The Washington, D.C. based
EWG reported that apples again
topped its annual list of the most
pesticide-contaminated produce,
followed by strawberries, grapes
and celery. The remaining fresh
produce items on the Dirty Dozen
list, released April 22, were
peaches, spinach, sweet bell
peppers, imported nectarines,
cucumbers, potatoes, cherry
tomatoes and hot peppers. The
EWG also issued what it calls the
Clean 15 list which includes
corn, onions, pineapples,
avocadoes, cabbage, frozen sweet
peas, papayas, mangoes,
asparagus, eggplant, kiwi,
grapefruit, cantaloupe, sweet
potatoes and mushrooms.
The industry-backed Alliance
for Food and Farming,
Watsonville Calif., countered the
Dirty Dozen with a dozen reasons
why consumers should eat more
conventional and organic produce
commodities. One of the reasons
is the USDAs statement on food
and pesticide residues.
Health professionals and
nutritionists agree that eating
more of both conventional and
organic fruits and vegetables will
improve health, according to the
Alliance.
Scientists who have reviewed
so-called shoppers guides and
good producer/bad produce lists
targeted toward consumers have
found the methodology used to
re-interpret government data did
not follow any established
scientific procedures, that risk
was not examined and therefore
these lists/guides should not be
used when making purchasing
decision.
The amount of pesticide residues
that an average person ingests
throughout an entire year is even
less that the amount of these
harmful substances in one cup of
coffee, Bruce Ames, professor of
biochemistry and molecular
biology at the University of
California-Berkley, said in the
Alliance release.
The comparison with one cup
of coffee was startling to me as
an eight-cup-a-day consumer but
that it was an excellent observa-
tion to put things into perspective.
I also found it strange that the so
called Environmental Working
Group keeps issuing these
releases especially when it has
been refuted by both the
government and industry (for
good reason). They are obviously
an environment activist organiza-
tion which continue to use scare
tactics for their own purposes.
Dirty dozen list again issued and refuted
ADRIAN HUISMAN
ONTARIO TENDER
FRUIT PRODUCERS
Prepared foods are not new.
We are all familiar with the
Hungry Man dinner. The real
opportunity lies in delivering the
next evolution of prepared foods.
There are really three areas of
focus that drive sales in prepared
foods.
Health and wellness
Culturally diverse items
Innovation
As we have discussed in previ-
ous issues, health and wellness is
becoming more important to
todays consumers. They read the
labels and they will not purchase
a prepared meal that has 47 per
cent of the recommended daily
amount of sodium.
If you have the ability to pro-
duce prepared items that offer the
convenience of reduced prep time
and health and wellness you
might have a winner. Remember,
if you do have such an item,
make sure you are very clear
about the benefits. Explore the
category and shout about your
points of differentiation. A food
solution does not always have to
be a full meal. There are many
dips available today that save
time and provide an instant solu-
tion that tastes great. Many are
made with fresh ingredients to
appeal to the health conscious
consumer.
The second area where food
solutions are growing very quick-
ly is food that appeals to cultural
diversity. Consumers have so
much more exposure to different
tastes and types of cuisine. Sushi
is now something you will see in
every province and, in some of
the bigger cities, it will rival Tim
Hortons for outlets on a busy
street. If you have the ability to
deliver culturally diverse items
prepared or partially prepared you
might have a big opportunity. I
would suggest testing the item
with different consumers to
ensure it has the right attributes
and is easy to prepare. As con-
sumers become more educated
and exposed to new meals, they
also become more demanding in
the products.
Prepared items are one of the
areas in the grocery store where
we continue to see innovation.
Whether it is packaging, produc-
tion process or cooking methods,
there are many examples of inno-
vation. Your retail customers like
to be on the leading edge of this,
so if you do have some new
exciting opportunities, get them to
market as quickly as you can,
providing you do all your due
diligence on continuity of supply
and food safety. Usually the first
person to market with these new
ideas is the most successful.
To understand where your
retail customers are investing
shelf space and resources, explore
the store and their websites. The
store is constantly changing to
make room for new items and
even new categories. Frozen skil-
let dinners were not even avail-
able 10 years ago. Now they are a
16-foot section in many freezers.
The websites have significant
space committed to food solu-
tions. Perhaps you have items or
ideas the retailers can use. More
than likely it is the marketing
department, so you will have to
get a referral from the merchan-
dising employees you work with.
Remember you are always slight-
ly more valuable if you bring
these ideas to the table.
Food solution opportunities are
available throughout the store.
You can provide innovation in
every department and it does not
always have to be complicated.
One of the best examples I
remember of a food solution is
Cedar Bay planked salmon. This
was not a complicated idea, but a
great one because it made cedar-
planked salmon available to
everyone. The plank is pre-
soaked, the product is prepared
and ready to cook, plus salmon is
healthy. In 12-15 minutes the
consumer has a great tasting item
they might have been intimidated
to try or unwilling to soak a piece
of wood for six hours. If you
haven't seen this in the store, you
can see the different items at
www.cedarbaygrilling.com.
When is your next cedar planked
salmon?
Food solutions
PETER CHAPMAN
RETAIL NAVIGATOR
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 13
DR. JASON S.T. DEVEAU,
APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY
SPECIALIST, OMAF AND
MRA
JAMES D. REISS, VP AG
CHEM, PRECISION
LABORATORIES, LLC
HELMUT SPIESER,
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER,
OMAF AND MRA
Are you considering a new
tank mix this year? Perhaps two
new fungicides, or an adjuvant
you want to try? Be sure you
know what youre doing before
you risk an untested tank mix.
Users of commercial class pest
control products for crop protec-
tion or vegetation management
are permitted to apply unlabelled
tank mixes of registered pest con-
trol products as long as:
each partner is registered for use
in Canada on the crop,
the tank mix only includes an
adjuvant when specifically
required by one of the mix part-
ners,
the application timing of each
partner is compatible with crop
and pest staging,
each partner is used according
to the product label,
no partner is specifically exclud-
ed on any other partner label.
The order in which you add
each product to the tank or induc-
tor is critical. Making sure you
have the right mix, in the right
order, is made easier with the free
app from Precision Laboratories
(www.mixtankapp.com) which
works on Android and
iPhone/iPad systems.
At the start-up screen, select
Mix Guide (see Figure 1).
Then, select the category of the
product you wish to tank mix (see
Figure 2) and then select the
product(s) from the alphabetized
list. The app analyzes your selec-
tions and suggests the best order
to add them to the tank. Note that
these are U.S. products, which
means they may have different
names in Canada, if they are reg-
istered at all. The app has other
appealing features you can
explore, such as saving your
mixes for future reference, and
accessing instructional videos.
Always check the product
labels for information on compat-
ibility of spray materials.
Compatibility refers to the
physical and/or chemical compat-
ibility of two or more products in
a solution. If you are concerned,
you should perform a jar test.
Always wear personal protective
equipment and do it in a safe and
ventilated area, away from
sources of ignition.
1. Measure 500 ml of water into
a one litre glass jar. This should
be the same water you would fill
a spray tank with.
2. Add ingredients according to
Table 1, stirring after each addi-
tion.
3. Let the solution stand in a
ventilated area for 15 minutes and
observe the results. If the mixture
is giving off heat, these
ingredients are not compatible.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
THE GROWER
PAGE 14 MAY 2013
Tank mixing and pesticide compatibility:
The jar test
CROP PROTECTION
FO
A
FUM
Try ne
03/13-20810_MPT1
Figure 1 Precision Laboratories Tank Mixing
App Start-Up Screen
Figure 2 Select from five categories and choose
up to 19 tank mix partners
Figure 3 Physical incompatibility in the tank
Figure 4 Gelatinous mess made by using an inductor as a mixing vat
for incompatible products
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 15
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
If gel or scum forms or solids
settle to the bottom (except for
the wettable powders) then the
mixture is likely not compatible
(see Figures 3 and 4 for examples
of physical incompatibility).
4. If no signs of physical
incompatibility appear, test the
mixture using a spray bottle on a
small area where it is to be
applied. Look for phytotoxic
indications, such as plant damage,
and monitor efficacy (which is
hard to do unless you actually fill
the sprayer and try it on a few
plants).
Commercial compatibility kits
are available, such as the kit from
Precision Laboratories. This kit
contains three plastic jars and
five disposable micropipettes (see
Figure 5). By following the
instructions included with the kit,
you can easily reduce large
labelled volumes (such as 1.0
kilogram of product in 500.0
litres) of multiple products to
small volumes at the same ratio.
These kits can be purchased for
~$20.00 (including delivery) by
calling 1.800.323.6280.
Remember: a compatibility
test will only reveal physical
incompatibility between prod-
ucts in a tank mix they will
not reveal any other form of
antagonism, such as products
inactivating one another, or the
potential for phytotoxicity. The
only way to know for sure is to
apply the mix to a few test plants
and keep an eye on them over the
season.
Tank mixing and pesticide compatibility: The jar test
CROP PROTECTION
MINOR USE
OR MORE INFORMATION: mptmustardproducts.com
ARE YOUR SOIL
MIGANTS FACING
EXTINCTION?
ew MustGrow

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
MUCK VEGETABLE GROWERS 62ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
REPRESENTATIVES
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
North & South shores of Montreal
Michel Gratton
Tel.: 450.781.6045
Fax : 450.682.4959
Gilliane Bisson
Tel. : 450.781.6049
Fax : 450.682.4959
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Central, Eastern Quebec
& Atlantic Provinces
Yves Thibault, agr.
Tel. : 418.660.1498
Fax : 418.666.8947
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ontario
Warren Peacock
Tel. : 519.426.1131
Fax : 519.426.6156
A team of expert s
Top -notch seeds
order@norseco.com
Te|. : 514.332.2275 To|| Iree : 800.561.9693
Fax : 450.682.4959 To|| Iree : 800.567.4594
www.norseco.com
Ltoe||ert yie|d ir oo|d soi|
Hid-ear|y variety t|at |as t|e appeararoe ard site o| ar ir seasor oorr
8uperior yie|d oorpared to ot|er varieties Wit| sare raturity
Lar We|| proteoted by a deep greer ooverirg
0e|ioious, etquisite taste, sWeet ard terdre
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
MUCK VEGETABLE GROWERS 62ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
With a unique mode of action, pests cant escape the
crosshairs of Closer SC insecticide. Andnot only does it
control aphids in vegetable, fruit and potato crops but other
sap-feeding insects, as well. Try it and see how quickly
Closer SC zeros in on and takes out unwanted pests.
TM
Trademark of The DowChemical Company
(Dow) or an affiliated company of Dow.
02/13-19846TGWR
INTRODUCING
CLOSER

SC
INSECTICIDE.
TARGETED APHIDCONTROL
WITH UNMATCHED SPEED
AND EFFECTIVENESS.
Washwater quality can change
dramatically depending on the crop.
~ Deanna Nemeth.
Photo by Glenn Lowson

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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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
ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM
6285 - 12th Line
New Tecumseth, ON
L0G 1A0
Ph: 905-960-0033
sales@agriveg.ca
www.agriveg.ca
VEGETABLE EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
- 3 used potato trucks. 18 - 24, $7,500 each.
- Thomas WR944 4 row windrower, field ready, $26,500.
- Thomas C91 2 row harvester, field ready SOLD
- 2 row Spudnick potato harvester, $30,000.
- Lockwood 5000 4 row, windrower, field ready, $20,000.
- 4 row Lockwood pick planter, $4,500.
- 12-row Agricola vegetable seeder. Call for details.
- Grimme GB1700 potato harvester. Call for details.
- Grimme DL1500 2-row windrower, $8,000.
- 6 row Lockwood pick planter, [parting out].
NOW offering mobile service in Southern Ontario
Call Albert 905-960-0505
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.

Photo by Glenn Lowson


JIM CHAPUT, OMAFRA, MINOR USE
COORDINATOR, GUELPH
Arysta LifeScience North America and
the Pest Management Regulatory Agency
(PMRA) recently announced the
registration of Kasumin (kasugamycin)
bactericide for several crops in Canada.
This is the first registration for this active
ingredient in Canada and marks an
important milestone in addressing some of
the most important diseases affecting pome
fruit, fruiting vegetables and tree nuts. This
product and the diseases it controls have
been identified for many years as an
important disease management tool needed
by Canadian producers.
Kasumin bactericide is registered for
control or suppression of fireblight of
pome fruits (apples, pears, quince),
bacterial spot and stem canker of field and
greenhouse fruiting vegetables (tomatoes,
peppers, eggplant) and walnut blight of
walnuts. The following table provides a
summary of the crop registrations on the
new Canadian Kasumin bactericide label.
Consult the full product label for detailed
instructions, precautions and restrictions.
Follow all other precautions and
directions for use on the Kasumin
bactericide labelcarefully. Consult
individual crop and disease control
recommendations on the Kasumin bacteri-
cide label for additional use restrictions.
Kasumin bactericide should be used in
an Integrated Pest Management program
and in rotation with other management
strategies to adequately manage resistance.
Consult provincial guidelines and local
extension specialists for monitoring
protocols and disease management
recommendations.
For copies of the new Kasumin
bactericide label contact Jim Chaput,
OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 826-3539 or visit
the Arysta Canada website at
www.arysta-na.com/ca-agriculture/prod-
ucts.html
Kasumin bactericide granted Canadian registration
Potato
herbicide
co-pack
Western Canadian potato
farmers and Canadian processing
tomato growers now have a new
tool for powerful, flexible weed
control and more convenient
resistance management. Titus
PRO is a new DuPont post-emer-
gent herbicide solution that com-
bines DuPont Prism SG (rimsul-
furon) and a 75% DF metribuzin
into one convenient co-pack.
"Titus PRO provides excep-
tional post-emergent control of a
broad spectrum of grassy and
broadleaf weeds, and its multiple
modes of action make it an
excellent resistance management
tool," says Ray Janssen, market
segment manager, horticulture,
DuPont Crop Protection.
Packaged in a convenient,
easy-to-use 40-acre case, DuPont
Titus PRO delivers multiple
modes of action - Group 2 and
Group 5 - in one co-pack, pro-
viding the industry with a proac-
tive resistance management tool.
"Growers have always appre-
ciated the superior control of
annual grasses they've achieved
using Prism SG. Now with the
additional power of metribuzin,
they'll see enhanced residual
control of a far wider range of
broadleaf weeds as well," says
Janssen.
Titus PRO controls grassy
weeds such as barnyard grass,
quackgrass and lamb's-quarters
and broadleaf weeds such as
cocklebur, common chickweed
and post-emergent stinkweed. A
full listing of registered uses is
available on the product's label.
For more information about
Titu PRO or any other DuPont
product, ask your retailer, call 1-
800-667-3925 or visit croppro-
tection.dupont.ca
Source: DuPont Crop
Protection news release
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE 27
MINOR USE
Fireblight on apple tree
THE GROWER
PAGE 28 MAY 2013
Phostrol

helps maintain the quality of your


potatoes while in storage so you can get the most
out of your crop. Phostrol

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.

Photos courtesy of Mopani Communications


Corrugated is first choice for food safety
THE CANADIAN
CORRUGATED AND
CONTAINERBOARD
ASSOCIATION
Periodic reports of E. coli,
salmonella and listeria in food
make news because they can
cause serious illness and death.
Recent reports, including the
horsemeat scandal in Europe,
have raised warning flags about
what we are consuming. The
bottom line is that Canadians
want to know their food is safe.
Their trust is wavering.
One way to build trust is to
have high standards and maintain
them in the field, during
transportation and in retail
environments. Packaging and
handling play a significant role in
maintaining product integrity and
the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency has specific rules for
packaging meat, poultry, fruit and
vegetables. For example, fish
must be packed in new, clean,
sound containers. Containers for
fresh fruits and vegetables must
not be stained, soiled, warped,
broken or otherwise damaged as
to affect the shipping quality.
In short, the regulations
prohibit selling food from a
package that could contain
substances harmful to people.
Canadian growers have whole-
hearted respect for these regula-
tions. They are committed to pro-
ducing and distributing the safest
food possible, from the farm to
our tables. As such, packaging
and shipping is always top-of-
mind. Some retailers mandate the
use of one kind of shipping con-
tainer over the other, while some
allow the farmer to choose. The
two most prevalent options are
the corrugated box and reusable
plastic containers (retrippers).
The most widely used and
trusted option is the corrugated
box. Growers have voiced
concerns over the sanitary
standards of retrippers, as they
have to come from the U.S. and
periodically arrive at Canadian
farms soiled. This raises questions
about the quality of the cleaning
process.
Corrugate has a long history of
safe use in the food industry,
across a wide range of applica-
tions. The industry has been
around for more than a century
and is continuously updating its
food safety standards and proce-
dures. Corrugate is always new,
manufactured using high tempera-
tures that eliminate bacteria.
Certifications acquired by cor-
rugated industry members include
American Institute of Baking
(AIB) and Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Points (HACCP).
HACCP is a systematic preven-
tive approach recommended by
the United Nations to find,
correct, and prevent hazards
throughout the production
process. Corrugated manufactur-
ers are also subject to strict third
party and customer audits.
Preventive measures
undertaken by the corrugated
industry ensure accountability at
the source.
The objective of the grower,
the packaging industry, and the
retailer is to provide the safest
food possible and corrugated
products are the best way to
arrive at their destination. For
more information about the
corrugated industry, visit
www.cccabox.org. To learn more
about the CFIA and food
packaging regulations, visit
www.inspection.gc.ca.
One of the hottest trends in the
produce industry is packaging
fruit and vegetables in convenient
containers to make them more
accessible. Most of these contain-
ers urge consumers to snack on
fresh produce in the hopes that
the product will appeal to
children and their parents. On
first look, AMCOs new product
looks similar, but it's the target
market that sets it apart.
We're trying to go for older
couples with this, said AMCOs
Mitchell Amicone, referring to
their mini cucumbers and grapes
which are packaged together.
There is definitely a market for
children, some of which we take
part in, but we feel it has already
been utilized. While he thinks
that the convenient packaging and
snacking appeal of their mini
cucumbers and grapes will still
appeal to children and their
parents, he also thinks that the
simplicity of the product and
quality ingredients will appeal to
older customers who want
something to add to their meals.
You can easily snack on this
at work, add to salads, or any
other kind of meal, it is also easy
to take on the go, said Amicone.
It has enough in there for a
couple of meals. He noted that
the appeal of getting two meals'
worth out of one package can also
appeal to deal-savvy consumers.
The product can be available
year round and it will be grown in
AMCOs Ontario greenhouses.
Amicone noted that they will
make sure that the entire product
is grown in Ontario, as it helps
with ease of tracking, quality of
product, and helps to reduce han-
dling of the produce which ulti-
mately results in fresher product.
The grapes are slightly bigger
than your average grape but they
are just as sweet, he said. We're
using two main specialty items
that we know people really like,
its been proven, and so we're just
trying to keep it simple. In that
vein, he added that the packaging
was designed to be visually
appealing, sturdy and convenient
for consumers. That's all part of
their strategy of keeping things
simple with a quality product they
know will sell well.
Source: FreshPlaza.com
THE GROWER
PAGE B4 MAY 2013
FOCUS: CONTAINERS
AMCO Produce aims for older
demographic with new packaging
LOUTH & NIAGARA ORCHARDS
P.O. Box 43 Virgil, Ontario L0S 1T0 905-468-3297
4000 J ordan Road J ordan Station, ON 905-562-8825
Suppl y i ng Fr ui t a nd Ve ge t a bl e Gr o w e r s w i t h:
Baskets Berry Boxes
Masters Waxed Cartons
Fertilizer Crop Protection Material
Vineyard Trellis Supplies
P: 519-326-8200 F: 1-888-567-1297
www.madleyglobal.com
We buy plastic!
Mel Tech buys plastic
and can recycle all
your industrial
waste.
Food production
containers, pails,
barrels, unused plastic
pellets and bins.
Contact:
James Burns
519-682 2900
info@meltechplastics.com
VINELAND STATION
P: 905-562-4857
F: 905-562-4291
E: SALES@VORTEXPACKAGING.COM
ADVERTORIAL
KAREN DAVIDSON
For Loblaw, the debate is over
on the cost benefits, improved
produce quality and environmen-
tal sustainability of using reusable
plastic containers (RPC). Grading
their pilot project using three
million RPCs in 2011 a success,
Canadas largest grocer brought
more commodities and suppliers
into the program upping usage to
15 million boxes in 2012. That
number is expected to double
again to a target of 30 million in
2013, bringing in produce from
the entire NAFTA trading region.
Now that we know what the
process looks like, we will be
expediting the program at a
quicker pace, says Stuart Rogers,
project manager, retail enable-
ment for Loblaw. He expects to
add Canadian apples, cabbage,
lettuce and cauliflower to the
program this growing season.
This summer will include local
Ontario strawberries.
The benefits of packing highly
perishable berries and tender fruit
in RPCs are clear to Loblaw.
Ontario peaches were a signifi-
cant success last summer, says
Eric Biddiscombe, senior director
planning for Loblaw Companies
produce business unit. One of
the key wins is pallet stability.
When youre loading and storing
pallets, there is less damage to the
fruit as the RPCs go through the
supply chain. The case is rigid.
In a brief to their top 40
produce suppliers in conjunction
with the Canadian Produce
Marketing Association meeting,
Loblaw reported that 7,005 metric
tons of waxed corrugated board
did not go to landfills due to the
RPC program and 6,807 metric
tons of corrugated board moved
to RPCs for a total of 13,812
metric tons.
For growers, the logistics of
converting to RPCs have not been
without anxiety. In many cases,
its not a straight conversion from
corrugated to RPCs. Growers
must store and manage both sys-
tems at once to fulfill orders for
several customers. To date,
Loblaw and Safeway in western
Canada are the only two grocers
requiring that produce be
delivered in RPCs.
In the U.S., some American
growers have been using RPCs
for almost a decade now and are
still challenged to keep both cor-
rugated box and RPC inventory.
Some say the RPCs dont ride as
well in trucks as corrugated,
causing bounce issues. However,
Loblaw reports no ride damage in
their 2011 and 2012 RPC
programs.
Loblaw acknowledges that
change is never easy.
Biddiscombe says their approach
has been to understand the impact
on operations at grower meetings
across Canada. For Loblaw, there
are five criteria for success.
RPCs must maintain or
improve quality of produce
Cost of RPCs must be compet-
itive or lower than corrugate
Freight costs must be
maintained or lowered with units
per trailer load
Potential case-pack change
needs to be understood and
applied to the Loblaw supply
chain processes as it relates to
listing new items in the distribu-
tion centres and ordering product
through terminal markets
Grower operations must be
taken into consideration. Pilot
testing allows perspective on
quality/cost and impact to
operational process.
As reported in the April issue
of The Grower, a motion was
passed at the Canadian
Horticultural Council annual
general meeting to review the
sanitation protocols of RPCs.
Some growers who are using
RPCs are worried that residues
harbouring silent plant viruses
or soil-borne pests might be intro-
duced to the Canadian industry.
We are not opposed to the use
of RPCs, but we are not aware of
any controlled studies to give us
comfort, said Don Taylor, chair,
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable
Growers. Moving RPCs between
farms without clear evidence that
sanitation procedures will ensure
against the introduction of any
possible harmful organisms is
counter to the protocols of
infection protection.
The Canadian Produce
Marketing Association (CPMA)
is now in the throes of reinstitut-
ing its RPC task force says Jane
Proctor, vice-president of policy
and issues management, CPMA.
As we understand, RPC
manufacturers have protocols in
place but the industry needs to
have a more in-depth understand-
ing of what they are, Proctor
says. The RPC task force is
chaired by Alan Newton, Duda
Farm Fresh Foods based in
Florida. Other members include
retailer representatives, RPC
companies and a cross-section of
grower-shippers as well as the
Canadian Food Inspection
Agency.
During the next RPC Task
Force meeting, there will need to
be a clear articulation of outstand-
ing issues by those who have
noted ongoing concerns, says
Proctor. That meeting will be
held in the next few weeks.
Nevertheless, the conversion to
RPCs will escalate with Loblaw
estimating 43 million boxes by
end of 2014. Those numbers beg
the question of when Canada will
be ready for its own washing
facility. Currently, the closest
facilities to Canada are in
Chicago, Illinois and Portland,
Oregon. Both are operated by
IFCO, one of three vendors
approved by Loblaw. The other
two are Polymer Logistics and
Tosca (formerly Georgia Pacific).
Its estimated that 30 million
RPCs are likely the critical mass
needed to trigger a decision. The
next question to be answered is
where is the most logical location
in eastern Canada. And will there
be a station in western Canada.
As implications of the RPC
system reverberate within the
supply chain and as growers,
packers and shippers come to
better understand this North
American phenomenon, the issue
of branding comes to the fore.
Corrugated boxes currently offer
growers their best opportunity for
produce aisle branding. So it
stands to reason that as RPC use
increases, the job of individual
growers building consumer
loyalty becomes harder. Within a
global system, how can local
produce continue to effectively
compete? Thats just one of many
questions to be answered in the
future.
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE B5
FOCUS: CONTAINERS
Loblaw plans to double number of
reusable plastic containers in 2013
Vineland Growers Co-operative Ltd.
www.vinelandgrowers.com
Vineyard Supplies Custom Colored & Printed Handles
Aluminum Picking Ladders & Repairs Bahco & Felco Pruning Tools
Fertilizer & Micro Nutrients Trucking & Transportation
Complete Line of Fruit Containers Custom Packing of Fruit
Food Safety Programs Fruit Sales & Marketing
Greenhouse Supplies Cold Storage & CA Facilities
Irrigation Supplies Crop Protection Products
Strawberry Packaging, Corrugated & Plastic
Email: info@vinelandgrowers.com
A Tradition of Family Farming
Head Office
905-562-4133
Jordan
905-562-4642
Virgil
905-468-3234
THE GROWER
PAGE B6 MAY 2013
Something tried and true
. . . and some things new
FOCUS: CONTAINERS
Crown Storage supplies plywood bins
made from western Douglas fir and eastern
hemlock. Based in Ontario, the company
ships a lot of product to British Columbia,
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the U.S.
The bin parts are all dipped individually in
food-grade stain, making them eligible to
cross the border with no problems. While
plastic might be a new trend, wood has
never gone out of vogue.
Government regulations both present
and future are weighing on everyones
mind, says Don Sheridan, owner Crown
Storage. At present, there are no studies
to support plastic over wood with regards
to food safety. Personally, I like plywood
boxes. They dont slide on the forks and fit
into storage better. Storages were designed
for a standard 48-inch by 42-inch bin. The
wood bins dry out much faster, eliminating
mold problems.
All food commodities fruit and veg-
etables work well with plywood. A half-
bin is also available for soft or delicate
commodities that cannot withstand a lot of
weight.
Dubois Agrinovation carries a new line of CenterFlow con-
tainers ideal for transporting and dispensing seed,
granular/pelletized materials and small manufacturing compo-
nents.
The smooth, funnel-shaped interior has a 35 angle for effi-
cient flow of contents and complete emptying in as quickly as
30 seconds. According to the company, users can expect the
following:
Handles loads up to 2,500 lbs.
Side access door allows one person to control the flow and
safely remove all or part of the contents
Tight-fitting lid provides extra protection against contami-
nants
Strong, reinforcing crossbars evenly distribute load
Latches lock ring securely to the base
Compatible with forklifts and pallet jacks
Solid oak base rails provide added traction for forklift tines
Stack and nest for shipping and storage - 1.6:1 return ratio
Structural foam molded HDPE construction resists impact,
moisture and most chemicals
Will not rust, peel or splinter
Use with temperatures of -20 to 120 F
Customization and identification options available
Backed by a one-year limited warranty
100% recyclable
For more information, go to:
http://www.buckhorninc.com/products/specialty-boxes/center-
flow.aspx
Industrial Bags Inc.
Durable Ecolo-Clamshell
Reusable and cleanable fruit
and vegetable containers
Made with a transparent
sturdy lid to showcase your prod-
ucts
Made with a maximum
airflow to minimize moisture and
preserves the nutritional qualities
and freshness of
containers
Perfect to keep product refriger-
ated
Re-closable optimizes hygiene
and
conservation of products and
promotes consumption outside
the home;
Break resistant, ideal to pack
products when wet
Great package to-go, take-out,
and for todays families
Norampac
Conventional fruit baskets are usually provided with rigid handles
(for example, plastic or wood), and are therefore relatively
difficult to stack or to store in an
efficient manner. These compo-
nents are not always locally
available and delivered sepa-
rately to a customer, who
must then assemble
the components to
make the baskets.
This step requires
time, equipment and
labour.
With this new
basket with a pop-
up handle, these
issues are no longer of any con-
cern for producers. This one piece
basket is fully assembled, using less space
for a larger quantity of trays. Without wood or
plastic, this basket is now fully recyclable at the end of its life cycle.
Norampac is proud to introduce this basket as the ideal solution for
the need to be more efficient. We could design and adapt your actual
packaging for sizes from 1 liter to larger sizes. Used for strawberries,
blueberries, peaches, pears, apples or any other fruits or vegetables that
is normally offered with this type of packaging.










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THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE B7
In praise of containers
FOCUS: CONTAINERS
The produce industry would
not survive without containers. A
tour through the Ontario Food
Terminal is a reminder that mil-
lions are spent to get fruit and
vegetables to consumers every
day.
Ian MacKenzie, president of
the Ontario Produce Marketing
Association, recalls the 1970s and
1980s when standard containers
for both wholesale and consumer-
size packages were the norm.
The idea was to stop the prolifer-
ation of container sizes to control
inventories and therefore costs.
Those rules exist no more with
only six commodities regulated
for container size, i.e. carrots,
onions, beets, parsnips, rutabagas
and potatoes.
Its really difficult and
expensive -- to maintain invento-
ries when there are too many con-
tainer sizes, says MacKenzie.
But consumers are changing
how we package and sell to them.
They are looking for convenient
size packaging and the industry is
adapting quickly. Single house-
holds and aging demographics are
playing a role.
Its really difficult and expensive -- to maintain inventories
when there are too many container sizes. But consumers are changing
how we package and sell to them.
~ Ian MacKenzie

Photos by Glenn Lowson


THE GROWER
PAGE B8 MAY 2013
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 866-898-8488 x 218 Fax: 519-380-0011
EQUIPMENT
DON ARTHUR ORCHARD EQUI PM ENT
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THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE B9
MARKETPLACE
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mushroomfarmleachate water (i.e. manure pile
leachate) and high strength winery washwater.
The 'AQUA Wetland System' is operated out of doors
and can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of waste-
water. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetland
consists 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 & biological degradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells,
cycling nutrients while preventing algae growth. There is no production of sludge.
The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental
Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of 'small
flow' winery washwater I.e. <10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include
Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include:
1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett's Apple and Cider in Ancaster
2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm
Winery in Niagara
3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water
For additional information please Contact Lloyd
Rozema at: cell. 905-327-4571
email. lrozema@aqua-tt.com
WATER TREATMENT
FARM MARKET
Gateway Niagara Welcome Centre
Looking for fruit vendor for our existing
seasonal 1,500 sq. ft. enclosed outdoor
kiosk. Special consideration given
to members of the Ontario Fruit
Growers Association.
Please call Paul Dominick at 905-931-9549
Other market type entrepreneurial
ventures will be also be considered.
IMPORTANT POTATO FARM AUCTION!!
MONDAY JUNE 24 @ 10:30 A.M.
SARANAC LAKE, NEW YORK
Five LOW HOUR Cab Tractors: JD 8220 MFWD, 500 hrs!; JD
7430 MFWD Premium; JD 7520 MFWD; JD 7600 MFWD; JD
7710 2WD; JD 160C LC Excavator;
Kverneland UN 3200 4-row planter; Better Built 2963 seed cutter;
Thomas B88 2-row harvester with JD air head; Thomas 4 and 2
row windrowers; Air Tech 90 air boom sprayer; Full line of
Tillage Tools; Six potato body trucks including 1995 Mark R 10-
wheeler with Haines 22 belt unload body; 2009 Kauffman (48 ft. x
102) 25 ton drop deck trailer; Haines double tote bag filler with
scale; Haines single bag filler; 48 in. and 36 in. portable graders;
Haines 49 ft. bin piler; etc.! Complete Dispersal!
NOTE: Special Open House at CornellUihlein Research Farm at
Lake Placid also on Auction Day for your convenience from 8:00
a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.! Sponsored by Empire
State Potato Growers Inc.
See full ad with details on webpage: www.pirrunginc.com
Owned by Ron and Beth Edgley
PIRRUNG AUCTIONEERS, INC.
585-728-2520
AUCTION
J
U
N
E

2
0
1
3
Special Focus:
GREEN TECHNOLOGY
Editorial:
Plasticulture proves
profitable
Moving to energy
independence in
greenhouses
ONVegetables
BOOK BY MAY 15
PAGE B10 MAY 2012
THE GROWER
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 866-898-8488 x 218 Fax: 519-380-0011
NURSERY AND ROOTSTOCK
Howard A. Colcuc
Nursery Manager
R.R. #4 Creek Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. L0S 1J0
Tel: (905) 262-4971
Fax: (905) 262-4404
howardcolcuc@rogers.com
SPECIALIZING IN FRUIT
TREES & GRAPE VINES &
ELDERBERRIES.
VARIETY AND PRICE LIST
AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
Alpine
Nurseries
(Niagara) Limited
Strawberry &
Raspberry
Plants
Strawberry &
Raspberry
Plants
Established 1939
yy rr wber wber Stra Stra Strrawberryy & y & y &
rr Raspber Raspber
Plants Plants
RRaspberr
Pllants
yy rr ry
TOP QUALITY VEGETABLE, HERB AND STRAWBERRY PLUG TRANSPLANTS
CERTIFIED ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL PLANTS AVAILABLE
Tomatoes, Peppers, Brassica/Cole crops, Cucurbit/Vine crops,
Lettuces, onions & leek
T H E O N LY L I C E N S E D C O M M E R C I A L P R O P A G AT O R I N
O N TA R I O S E L L I N G S T R AWB E R R Y P L U G T R A N S P L A N T S
***Bank on the benefits of using top quality ACTIVELY growing berry plants***
CONTACT US NOW TO ORDER YOUR STRAWBERRY PLUGS
FOR AUG. & SEPT. PLANTING
CARTHER PLANTS
MAXIMIZING YOUR PROFIT POTENTIAL
30627 Jane Rd., RR5 Thamesville, ON N0P 2K0
Office 519.695.5445 Cell 519.359.2130
Fax 519. 695.5452 scarther@ciaccess.com
Licensed by the University of California. Not recognized under the guidelines
of the Ontario Plant Propagation program due to origin of stock.




























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F R O CA




























Y D F T I U R TR
N A I D A N A C I L




























S E E R
S E T A M I




























F R O CA




























N A I D A N A C I L




























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ASPARAGUS ROOTS
Mary Washington
Jersey Giant
Millenium
Wrightland Farm
RR 1 1000 Ridge Rd.
Harrow, ON N0R 1G0
Keith: 519-738-6120
Fax: 519-738-3358
Phyt oc ult ur es Field Day, July 13
at 1:0 0 in ClydeRiver , PEI.
Our average
visit duration is
9 minutes.
Imagine the
advertising
potential.
www.thegrower.org
Herb Sherwood
@ 519-380-0118
THE GROWER
MAY 2013 PAGE B11
MARKETPLACE
To advertise phone: 519-380-0118 866-898-8488 x 218 Fax: 519-380-0011
ORCHARD SUPPLIES IRRIGATION
TREE STAKES
TREE TIE MATERIAL
REMA BRANCH
SPREADERS
TWIGFIX ELASTICS
TREE GUARDS
LOPPERS
PRUNING SHEARS
LADDERS
PICKING BUCKETS
SEE US FOR ALL
YOUR ORCHARD
SUPPLI ES
WARWICK
ORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD
7056 Egremont Rd. R.R. #8
Watford, Ontario
N0M 2S0
warwickorchards@brktel.on.ca
Tel: (519) 849-6730
Toll free: 877-550-7412
Fax: (519) 849-6731
Pipe
& Fittings
for Water Systems
PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper
Stainless, Brass, Steel
Product Lines
Drip & Micro Irrigation
Septic & Sewer
Drainage & Culverts
Berkeley Water Pumps
Winona Concrete
& Pipe Products Ltd.
489 Main St. W., Grimsby, ON. L3M 1T4
info@WinonaConcrete.com
Phone (905) 945-8515
Fax: (905) 945-1149
or call toll-free
1-800-361-8515
P: 519-326-8200
F: 1-888-567-1297
www.madleyglobal.com
SALES
SERVICE
SUPPORT
LABELS &
LABEL MACHINERY
LABELS
For Sale: TurboMist sprayer, 400
gal, Turbo steer, excellent
condition. IH140 tractor w/
cultivator and side dresser. Both
always stored inside.
(905) 765-2027
For sale: 917H Ford flail mower
offset 92 cut, $1000. Asparagus
root digger, $500. 5000 used
Blackmore cell trays, $500.
Phone (519) 586-2159
FOR SALE Farm Equipment:
- Ramsay Vegetable Harvest Aid,
can be used for various crops,
was used for broccoli, 11
bunching machines included.
- Kneverland airseeder, with 9
twin row units, very good condi-
tion, plates and spare parts
included.
- Pik Rite 190 Vegetable
Harvester, fully loaded, well
maintained, high capacity
machine
- Front mounting platform
harvest aid, used for broccoli/
cauliflower etc.
- Trimble hydraulic platform kit
for JD4X55 series or older or
JD8X60 series, $1,500
Pictures available via email.
Contact ryan@serkka.com or
(519) 809-0615
For sale.15 yr old 1600 litre Ocll
orchard sprayer, Last used 2 yrs
ago, worked great. Parts still
available. 3500.00, call (226)
268-1975
Estate sale - 75 hp MF 3340F
Orchard Tractor 4WD, 1300hr
- Industrial Rotovator 4'
-18' farm wagon
-GB 1500 litre sprayer
-Steel roll up garage door 16' x 9'
Phone (905) 682-3062
CLASSIFIEDS
cl a ssi f i ed
a d s
866-898-8488
x 221
Follow our editor:
@karenthegrower 17 Apr
Good to meet Rob Gerlsbeck,
editor, @CanadianGrocer today
in advance of Canadian Produce Marketing Association trade
show opening tomorrow
THE GROWER
PAGE B12 MAY 2013
www.cccabox.org
Proud supporter of the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC)
ITS WHATS
INSIDE
THAT COUNTS
Unlike retrippers, corrugate
is always new. It does not
need to come from or return
to washing stations in the
USA. Corrugate is the food
industrys packaging of choice
because you can focus on
what matters whats in the
box.
BRANDED, NEW AND TRUSTED.

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