KAREN DAVIDSON

Mark Twain once wrote:“Everyone talks about the weath-er, but no one does anythingabout it.”

Grape grower Trevor Falk isthrowing those century-old wordsto the wind, literally. This spring,he’s installing 34 wind machinesin his Niagara-on-the-Lake vine-yards. In fact, the upgradedreplacements have satellite moni-toring devices that when connect-ed to a smartphone, will allowhim to start or stop the machineson a dime. At an operational costof up to $50 per hour in fuel, he’sdetermined to be as precise as theweather is unpredictable.

“Clearly, the weather seems tobe more erratic,” observes Falk,noting extremes in recent years ofhot and dry, hot and humid, coldand wet, and winter injury fromtemperatures north of minus 20Celsius. “I’m doing everythingpossible to negate the negativeeffects of climate change.”

These new machines havelarger blades that will providefrost protection for up to 15 acres,rather than 10, explains JoePillitteri, owner of LakeviewVineyard Equipment. Poweredby diesel, they look much likeolder models. However, the dif-ference is the computer link thatallows real-time monitoring ofwind speeds, temperatures andengine variables such as fuel lev-els. “If you have a block that getscolder earlier than others, you can

activate a specific machine basedon data,” says Pillitteri.

Grapes are a high-risk, high-value crop that warrants thecapital investment. It’s notenough to depend on crop insurance, increasingly viewed asa fall-back position.

Last year’s unprecedentedspring frost has forced otherOntario farmers to the same conclusion. Apple growers, whousually tally a $65 million crop,lost 90 per cent in 2012 and thenlearned that insurance premiumswould be prohibitive this year.That’s why seminars at theOntario Fruit and VegetableConvention were so popularabout how new technologies canprotect against frost.

Apple grower Dan DeVriesshared the family farm’s challenges using frost fans atFenwick, Ontario. His recordsshow a cost of $5,000 to run onemachine. That’s an unexpectedlyhigh cost, he cautions, due to theextreme conditions last year. Hecalculated $32 per hour for 158

hours to protect 12 acres. He ranhis frost fans 15 to 20 times, onaverage from four to six hours,but as many as eight hours.

Frost fans are not perfect butthey are better than no coverageat all. DeVries suggests investingin a solar panel so the battery onthe machine stays charged. Healso observed that frost fans willnot warm up an area in five minutes. Fans must be activatedfor 30 to 45 minutes. He’slearned to start his fans at 1.5degrees above zero Celsius.

“We saved 50 to 75 per cent ofthe crop depending on variety,”he says. “We hope that the weather situation last spring wasabnormal.”

Hope is not a managementstrategy. That’s why DeVries isinvesting in better temperatureand wind speed data for eachorchard location. He’s convincedweather patterns are changing andfor that reason, he’s got six frostfans in operation and two moreon order.

For berry growers, the weatherchallenges are equally daunting.Mark Longstroth, an extensionberry specialist with MichiganState University, summarized hisin-depth knowledge. With blueberries, for instance, growersmust know the critical tempera-tures depending on each stage ofdevelopment: tight clusters tolerate -6 to -5 C; bud swell tolerates -9 to -7 C, and bloomstolerate -2 C.

Longstroth is especially waryof a radiation freeze. That’s whenthe winds are calm with a clear

sky and a cool air mass. Underthese conditions, overhead sprin-klers work well for blueberriesand strawberries. The goal is tocapture the energy from thechange of state of water. “It takesenergy to melt ice or boil waterinto steam or vapour,” explainsLongstroth.

“Freezing water to ice or con-densing water is a warmingprocess. Once you make ice andkeep it wet, everything is right atthe freezing point and no damageoccurs. If you use water for frostprotection, understand what’sgoing on. Improper use of watercan increase cooling causinggreater damage than if you haddone nothing at all.”

In blueberries, Longstrothadvises not to protect bud burst,only when there’s white blooms.Apply water fast enough to keepice wet all the time. Uniformity isneeded for effective frost protec-tion. Don’t shut water off untilwater is melting, that is whenbubbles form under the ice.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

APRIL 2013 CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 63 NUMBER 04

This is one of 34 wind machines that Trevor Falk is installing this spring to protect against unseasonable frosts. With 500 acres of high-risk,high-value grapes at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, he’s backing up crop insurance with hardware and software that allow remote monitoring of wind, temperatures and diesel engine variables. Photo by Denis Cahill.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Weather-proofing the farm

INSIDEAlien invasive speciesworry growers Page 6

Potato roundup Page 15

Irrigation B section

www.thegrower.orgP.M. 40012319

We saved 50 to75 per cent of thecrop depending on apple variety.”

~ Dan DeVries

“

THE GROWER

NEWSMAKERSThe board of directors of the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC)has elected Keith Kuhl as incoming president. He’s a Winkler,Manitoba potato grower. First vice-president is Alvin Keenan(Atlantic-PEI) and Brian Gilroy is second vice-president (Ontario).

Left to right: 2013 president Keith Kuhl is pictured here with federal ag minister Gerry Ritz and outgoing president MurrayPorteous. Minister Ritz opened the 91st annual meeting of theCanadian Horticultural Council in Ottawa, ON. Photo courtesy ofAnne Fowlie.

The CHC committee chairs are: Murray Porteous, HumanResources; Claude Laniel, Research and Technology; MarkWales, Finance and Marketing; Ken Forth, Trade and IndustryStandards; Charles Stevens, Crop Plant Protection and theEnvironment; Joe Brennan, Potato; Brian Gilroy, Apple and Fruit;Jack Bates, Blueberries; Phil Tregunno, Tender Fruit; AndrePlante, Vegetables; Linda Delli Santi, Greenhouse; Paul LeBlanc,Food Safety.

At the CHC’s banquet, the Doug Connery Award was presented toKen Forth, president of the Foreign Agricultural ResourceManagement Service, for years of dedicated service to the labourfile. The award honours exemplary passion, commitment and dedi-cation to advancing the interests of Canada’s horticultural industry.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has re-elected Ron Bonnettfor another two-year term. One of his key goals is a national foodstrategy.

Terence Hochstein takes over the position of executive director ofthe Potato Growers of Alberta. Former executive director HelmutLeili has retired.

Summerhill Pyramid Winery has announced Willem Semmelink asits new vineyard manager in Kelowna. He brings years of organicand biodynamic farming expertise from South Africa to theOkanagan area in British Columbia.

The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards recently recognized 68 grocery retailers for creatively showcasing and promoting Ontariofood in their stores. This year, judges reviewed more than 3,400 photographs from more than 1,100 entries. The four FoodlandOntario Award of Excellence recipients are: • Hurley's Your Independent Grocer, Ingersoll• Stewart's Town & Country Market, Mildmay• Morello's Your Independent Grocer, Peterborough • Andrew and Emily's No Frills, Picton A new award category - the Vision award -- honours the retail banners (head office) for their corporate support. The first winnersof this award are Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. and MetroOntario Inc.

As the growing season gets underway, the Ontario Association ofFood Banks (OAFB) reminds producers that food donations arealways welcome. If you are a food producer, manufacturer or dis-tributor and wish to make a donation, please contact CarolynStewart carolyn@oafb.ca or 416-656-4100 x2935 with the follow-ing information: company name, product description, quantity (pal-lets), quantity (cases), expiry date, reason for donation, storagedetails. “The OAFB is always in need of large, surplus food donations fromgenerous food industry partners across the province, and we trulythank you for your contribution and support of hunger reduction inOntario,” says Carolyn Stewart, manager, operations and finance.Any company or individual who makes a donation to a food bank orthe OAFB, in good faith, is covered by Ontario's Food DonationAct, 1994.

AT PRESS TIME…

PAGE 2 –– APRIL 2013

Facts behind contaminated salads

Results of a study on samplescollected in 2009 and 2010 ofpre-packaged, pre-washed saladsgrown in Canada, the U.S. andMexico raised considerable mediacoverage early in March. Thereport by Health Canada in theJournal of Food Protection foundthe presence of food-borne para-sites and pathogens includingGiardia, Cryptosporidium andCyclospora.

The Canadian ProduceMarketing Association respondedwith the following facts: - in total, 544 samples were taken- Of the 544 samples taken, 507were products of the U.S., 23were products of Canada and 7were products of Mexico (the balance were multiple or otherorigin). - Of the 544 samples, 50 werelabeled as organic. • Contaminated samples included:46 of U.S. origin, three ofCanadian origin and zero ofMexican origin. • The results showed that neithergrowing methodology (conven-tional or organic) was more heav-ily contaminated than the other.

CPMA is in direct contact withsenior officials from HealthCanada. No illnesses were report-ed in association with the samplesincluded in the study. Althoughthe samples which confirmed thepresence of Cryptosporidium andGiardia contained oocysts of theparasites, they did not confirmtheir viability (i.e. that the para-sites found could reproduce andactually cause illness when consumed).

Second food terminalsuggested

Ontario’s Conservative leaderTim Hudak is suggesting aregional food terminal be built inaddition to the existing OntarioFood Terminal in downtownToronto. In a Paths to Prosperitydocument, he proposes that a sec-ond terminal could offer one-stopaccess to smaller grocery chains,restaurants, convenience storesand garden centres for wholesaleproduce from Ontario farms.

“It’s time for a second, region-al food terminal to help connectour farmers with small foodprocessors, restaurants and retail-ers, and to augment the Torontofacility – so successful, it’s called‘the stock exchange’ for Ontarioproduce,” Hudak said.

Tech X-Change showcancelled for 2013

Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change trade show has been can-celled for July 2013, but plansremain underway for a biennualevent in 2014. While exhibitorsfrom the fruit and vegetableindustry supported the show in St.Williams, Ontario, it was poorlyattended in its trial years ofAugust 2011 and July 2012.

“After two years of puttingeverything we have into this spe-cialized event spanning almost 20acres, we feel we miscalculatedthe size of the event, relative tothe size of the industry,” JordonUnderhill, general managerCFVTX told stakeholders. “Wehave delivered a qualified audi-ence, however, not adequate

numbers of producers to sustain athree-day, 20 acre, annual event.”

Underhill plans to change theevent from three to two days,Wednesday and Thursday. Thesite grid will be condensed. Fourtrade show buildings will bereduced to three. Educationalseminars will be moved from theconference hall to a special eventstent. An optimal timing for theevent is still to be evaluated.

Carbon tax creditsrenewed

The British Columbia govern-ment is renewing its carbon taxcredits for greenhouse growers. In2012, it was billed as a one-timeinitiative for growers who had2011 sales of more than $20,000,owned at least 455 square metresof commercial production andprovided fuel receipts. The industry estimated that carbontaxes for all floral and greenhousevegetable growers in the provincetallied $7.6 million.

“Moving into an election period scheduled for May 14, thisis a welcome announcement forus,” reports Linda Delli Santi,executive director, B.C.Greenhouse Growers’Association.

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The Big Crunch

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Last year’s spring frosts damaged one-third of Michigan’s blueberry crop.Simply put, some farmers didn’t get upearly enough to turn the pumps on. Somefields couldn’t be protected due to lack of pumping capacity.

Wind machines will work well if theinversion is low enough. They can provideprotection of three to five degrees in alarge area depending on the strength of theinversion. “Every freeze is different,”Longstroth warns.

These farmer experiences are not newsto Don MacIver, a farmer himself andretired Environment Canada climatologistwho used to head the Adaptation andImpacts Research Division. Now mayor ofAmaranth, a township in potato-growingDufferin county, he advocates that farmersbecome more self-reliant in managing risksfrom weather.

“The climate is changing with temperatures increasing in southernOntario from 1.2 to 1.8 degrees Celsius inthe last 30 years,” says MacIver. “That’ssignificant.”

He adds that not all areas of Canada arechanging at the same rate, so it’s importantto consult a climatologist who has analyzed

the historical records, the trends and a sub-set of the global climate change models foryour region. While there are opportunitiesfor new varieties with an extended seasonof two to three weeks, there are also risksto sensitive crops from extreme events.

Not only is the climate changing, butthe political climate as well. Ontario’sClean Water Act requires local communi-ties to study existing and potential threatsto municipal drinking water and to strike aplan to reduce those threats. MacIver saysthat farmers could inadvertently becomevictims of that legislation.

“Dig those wells,” he says. “Createthose ponds. Secure those water sources,especially for irrigation.”

Then make sure there’s a climate stationon your farm. Keep daily track of tempera-tures and set up a precipitation gauge as anearly warning system. The loss of regionalclimate stations means that more local datais needed for farmers to make real-timedecisions.

Ironically, while many growers areinvesting heavily in frost protection thisspring, MacIver observes that early frostsaren’t happening as often. When they do,as in 2012, frosts are devastating to thehorticultural industry. MacIver acknowledges, “Rogue events will continue to happen.”

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 3

THE GROWER

Weather-proofing the farmCLIMATE CHANGE

INTERNATIONAL

TRADE

New Zealand rampsup exports

The Honeycrisp apple, developed at the University ofMinnesota, has found a place toflourish: New Zealand. Its temperate climate has encour-aged Waipopo Orchards to plantone-third of its 80 hectares to thevariety. With favourable harvestconditions anticipated until mid-April, it plans to export 650tonnes (30,000 cartons) ofHoneycrisp apples to the UnitedStates this season.

The brand sells for the equivalent of NZ $12 a kilogramon the American market.

Honeycrisp NZ has the commercial licence to grow theapple. Apple growers areresponding to the demand cuesfrom the United States, withhopes of expanding to Asia later.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

HEALTH

Radicchio gainssuperfood status

Radicchio, a member of thechicory family, has been certifiedby a third party as a superfood.The vegetable joins an elitegroup including spinach, blueberries, broccoli and pomegranates. These foods mustmeet or exceed high levels ofbioflavonoids.The certification was conductedby SCS Global Services of theRoyal Rose Radicchio varietybased in Salinas, California.Purple radicchio adds not onlycolour but crunch and contrast tosalads.

Source: The Packer

DISEASE

Potato psyllids survive Idaho winter

Entomologists report thatpotato psyllids, insects thatspread zebra chip disease, haveoverwintered successfully inBoise, Idaho. The discovery issurprising given one of the coldest Januaries on record.

Zebra chip, which createsbands in tuber flesh that darkenwhen fried, first arrived in thePacific Northwest in 2011. It’scaused by the Liberibacterbacterium, which can be harbored by aphid-like potatopsyllids.

A regional research directorfor Idaho, Washington andOregon potato commissions,found the insects.

Source: PotatoPro Weekly

NUTRITION

Role of white vegetables promoted

The Alliance for PotatoResearch and Education (APRE)is holding a special session onApril 19 at the American Societyfor Nutrition’s annual meeting inBoston. “White Vegetables:addressing the nutrition gap” willaddress the role that potatoes andother vegetables make as sourcesof nutrients and micronutrients.

According to Maureen Storey,APRE’s CEO, seven leadingnutrition scientists will giveexpert insight on:• Metabolic response and healthbenefits associated with consumption of white vegetables• How science-based advances inpreparation methods and processing technologies affectthe nutrient profile of white vegetables• How the food group classifica-tion of white potatoes aligns withdietary guidance and policy

Source: Alliance for PotatoResearch and Education

MARKETING

Bonduelle packscorn-gherkin mix

Bonduelle is catering to theGerman palate with an inventivemix of corn, crispy gherkins andmustard.

The crisp vegetable combocan be used for both cold andwarm meals. The quality Dijonmustard seeds add a sophisticat-ed bite in a salad or sandwichwrap. The mix is also used as aside or snack.

The global vegetable proces-sor had an earlier success storywith a corn-olive mix. As aFrench company, Bonduelle hasdone well in Germany adjustingits recipes for local tastes. Forexample, the juice for cannedpeas is less sweet. It currentlyholds 40 per cent market share oftinned vegetables in Germany.

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Photo courtesy of Brookside Farms, Gobles, Michigan

Freezing water to ice or condensing wateris a warming process. Once you make ice andkeep it wet, everything is right at the freezingpoint and no damage occurs.”

~ Mark Longstroth, extension berry specialist, Michigan State University

“

KAREN DAVIDSON

For the first time, the CanadianHorticultural Council (CHC) officially registered to lobby ministers of the crown last year.Politics have evolved in Ottawa,and that means winning face timewith ministers. Sometimes it’s aserendipity meeting in an airportas past-president Murray Porteousrecalls how he met OppositionLeader Thomas Mulcair. Or it’sthe sought-after corner officemeeting with agriculture ministerGerry Ritz. No matter how therelationship is cemented, it’s thedialogue that matters. And Ritzdelivered by opening the CHC’s91st annual meeting talking about

a done deal: Growing Forward II. Horticulture has been luke-

warm to the five-year frameworkthat kicks in April 1, but never-theless growers will be applyingfor their share of funds under thenew programs of AgriInnovation,AgriMarketing andAgriCompetitiveness.

If anything, Ritz is one of themost well-travelled ministers,respected for knocking on inter-national doors for livestock,grains and oilseeds. He told grow-ers that he’s going to China thisspring and will work to open themarket for cherries.

One of the biggest issues onthe table this year will be workingon Maximum Residue Limits(MRL). “It’s generally not hard to

get access, but to maintainaccess,” Ritz commented, referring to exported crops andthe increasing difficulty of

meeting a hodge-podge of standards across countries.

Encouraged by Ritz’s answerson some issues, delegates turnedto debating a number of resolutions during the conference.They passed: • Support for a national marketingtask group • Development of a new insur-ance-based product to mitigatethe cost of product recalls • Call for competitively pricedcrop protection products

Incoming president Keith Kuhlshared his personal story of grow-ing up hoeing sugar beets, beforeturning his hand to potatoes aspart of the family farm nearWinkler, Manitoba. Today sonsMarlon and Jeremy manage the

3,500-acre operation. He evokedthe tough times of growing up inthe 1950s, and compared thatexperience with the tough finan-cial decisions facing the CHC.The board of directors passed afunding increase of 17 per cent toall member organizations for the2013 calendar year.

Given the positive experienceof lobbying efforts last year, Kuhlpromised to lead on a number offiles that range from harmoniza-tion to health.

“Healthy eating needs to be thenumber one priority for government as this is the key tobalancing the budget,” he said.“The cost of our Medicare pro-gram continues to be the highestcost area in the budget and it isthrough healthy eating that wecan best move to reduce theamount that is needed for healthcare. Our industry is the knight inshining armor as we provide thehealthiest food in the fruits andvegetables produced on farmsacross Canada.”

The 2014 annual general meeting is slated for Kelowna,British Columbia. In 2015,Quebec City will play host.

PAGE 4 –– APRIL 2013THE GROWER

Hello Mister Minister: Hort leaders learn how to lobby

The topic of research wasrobustly debated at CHC, mostlydue to the discouraging cuts inAgriculture and Agri-FoodCanada research positions acrossthe country. To name just a few,they include the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research Station inQuebec, the Delhi ResearchStation in Ontario and severalpositions in British Columbia. Aresolution was passed to supportreplacing those specific positions. However, the discussion focused on the business case needed for theresearch, not the positions per se.

As Murray Porteous articulat-ed, “The reality is that it’s notour job to tell government howto allocate its resources, but totell them what we need andbefore the position is cut or a station is closed.”

“We will encourage the needfor government to be more heavily invested in basic researchand platform development fornew and existing commodities,technologies and products andwill be prepared as an industry toinvest in applied science and thecommitment to commercializediscovery.”

CHC has resolved to continueits research committee under theleadership of Claude Laniel fromQuebec.

Researchcommitteerenews itsmandate

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“

CHC’s greenhouse committeeis not satisfied that complaintsabout sanitation issues forReusable Plastic Containers(RPC) have been resolved. Infact, members are demanding thatthe RPC Task Force commissionthe science to prove that visiblematerials or invisible contami-nants cannot survive the sanita-tion procedures put in place bythe RPC suppliers.

“It’s hard for growers to haveconfidence when plant residuesare visible,” said Don Taylor,chair of the Ontario Greenhouse

Vegetable Growers. “We are notopposed to the use of RPCs, butwe are not aware of any con-trolled studies to give us comfort.Moving RPCs between farmswithout clear evidence that sanita-tion procedures will ensureagainst the introduction of anypossible harmful organisms iscounter to the protocols of infec-tion protection.”

The issue rankles when allRPCs must go to the U.S. forcleaning. Committee membersreported that some containers aresent back to the U.S. with pro-

duce still in them. That’s a prob-lem of undeclared goods goingback with improper manifests.Not only are RPCs a Canadianissue, but an American issueinvolving the American PlantHealth Inspection System(APHIS).

“Our concerns are about viralcontamination, not soil,” addedGeorge Gilvesy, general manager,OGVG. “It’s the things we can’tsee. A virus could easily decimateour industry.”

CPMA’s Jane Proctor said thatthese concerns would be relayed

to the RPC task force which hasbeen on hiatus since last

September.

Sanitation issues not resolved for RPCs

A total of 27 new active ingre-dients were registered in the lastfiscal year reported Marion Law,chief registrar, Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA). Ofthose, 18 were of agriculturalinterest: nine registered via jointreview, six under global jointreviews and three were underNAFTA. Currently, 13 newactive ingredients are underreview of which nine are conven-tional chemicals and four arebiopesticides. Law anticipatesseven new active ingredients tobe registered by 2015.

Re-evaluations of 11 activeingredients were initiated last fallaccording to Margherita Conti,director general, HealthEvaluation Directorate, PMRA.This includes three neonicotinoidactives which have been implicat-ed in pollinator deaths. In 2013,decisions will be issued on man-cozeb and linuron. From an applegrower’s perspective, BrianGilroy said that single-site modeof action fungicides aren’t enoughto control some diseases.Blueberry grower Bill Parks ques-tioned whether regulators were“too over-exuberant in takingaway some of these tools fromfarmers.”

The PMRA’s plan is to reviewthe pyrethroid class of chemicals,anticipating decisions in 2016.Conti indicated that transitionstrategies are part of that work,outlining steps to alternative pes-ticides. “Can we look at reducedrates or number of applications?”she asked rhetorically.

The issue of harmonizingMaximum Residue Limits(MRLs) is becoming more thornyas growers seek to export cropsoutside Canada’s borders to mul-tiple countries and to emergingcountries. This is particularly truefor crops such as wild blueberries,from the Maritime provinces, andhigh-bush blueberries fromBritish Columbia. Cherries areanother crop that could go toChina, if MRLs were standard-ized.

“This is a very complex sub-ject,” says Charles Stevens, newlyelected chair of the CHC cropprotection committee. “Trade isgoing to emerging countrieswhich don’t have the regulatoryframeworks. To get alignment of

MRLs on pesticides on every-thing from canola to lentils willbe complicated.”

MRLs are now at the top of

the list of problems for Canadaand the U.S because of theRegulatory Cooperation Councilpushing the agenda for harmo-

nization. Canada is sending a con-tingent to CODEX meetingswhich includes a new commodi-ty-organized committee led by

Pulse Canada.

What’s new, what’s under review in crop protection

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGTHE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 5

Photo by Herb Sherwood

KAREN DAVIDSON

American entomologistHannah Burrack has her ownname for the newest invasivespecies: spotted wing devil fly.

She is, of course, referring tospotted wing drosophila (SWD)or D. suzukii which first debutedin California in 2008 and hassince invaded Texas, Coloradoand most recently the NewEngland states in 2012. The storyis the same for Canada. Theexpert from North Carolina StateUniversity briefed attendees tothe Alien Invasive SpeciesSymposium which was held inconjunction with last month’sCanadian Horticultural Councilmeetings in Ottawa.

“It took folks a few months tocorrectly identify when they werefirst found in 2008,” Burrackexplained. “We could not identifythe larvae and match it with theadult. The bottom line is it’sactive in all horticultural cropsduring the growing season.”

What’s just as worrisome isthat the date of first detection hasbecome earlier every year. Withthe help of a volunteer monitoringnetwork, positive identificationhas occurred all winter through-out many states. Adults can liveup to one month, and it takesabout 10 to 15 days for a newgeneration to develop dependingon temperatures.

“Damage is cryptic,” saidBurrack. “Berries can appearsound until harvest.”

Then the ugly surprise is thatlarvae will appear in harvestedfruit. In one example of blackber-ries, 125 acres were impacted bythis pest for a total cost of$777,000. She estimated thatSWD has the potential to destroy40 per cent of blackberry andraspberry crops in the easternU.S. Chemical tools, costly at alltimes, have unclear benefits withthis pest, especially with pre-harvest intervals limiting their usein soft fruits. To date, the pest’s

damage in grapes is not well-known but grapes don’t seem tobe as affected.

More research needs to bedone on monitoring methods. Amulti-state study showed highertrap capture with yeast and sugarbait traps rather than apple cider vinegar traps. “The yeast traps area bear to work with,” saidBurrack. “They need to bechanged weekly. When you catchmore flies, you catch other flies.They are not specific lures.”

Burrack concludes that commercially available trapsdon’t outperform homemadetraps. While red traps seem to bemore attractive than yellow ones,they only indicate the presence orabsence of SWD flies. There isno validated treatment thresholdfor SWD based on trap captures.

Burrack reported that infesta-tion rates vary between hosts.Raspberries are very attractive toSWD because of their soft fruit.“The firmer the fruit, the fewereggs laid,” she said. “Infestationrates may differ when flies have achoice between hosts.”

Under laboratory conditions,researchers have detected higherrates depending on sweetness andfirmness of fruit. For growerswith high tunnels, there is a glim-mer of good news in that lowerinfestation rates have been found.

“Rain is a problem in manag-ing this insect,” said Burrack.“Pyrethroid, spinosyn andorganophosphates are effectiveagainst SWD but their efficacy isreduced under rainy conditions.”

Clean picking is a must.Timely harvest and destruction ofsoft, bruised fruit may help control.

Tracy Hueppelsheuser, entomologist for the BritishColumbia ministry of agriculture,agreed with her American col-league’s assessment.

“Damage in blueberries iscryptic,” she said. “We see bruis-ing, but it’s harder to see thedamage. The worst time for blue-berries is mid-August. Blueberry

variety Elliott seems less susceptible.”

Blueberry grower Bar Hayrehas been dealing with SWD for anumber of years at hisAbbotsford, B.C. farm.

“Get over your denial,” Hayreadvised. “If you have ripe fruit,then there will be SWD flies andrisk to your crop.”

He has used Malathion andRipcord, paying close attention topre-harvest interval times whenactively harvesting. These treat-ment methods are unsatisfactory,facing a regeneration of pestsevery seven to 10 days.

That’s why Hayre has turnedto cultural practices, eliminatingor reducing potential feeding andbreeding sites. That meansremoving wild blackberry patchesaround the perimeter of fields. Hekeeps equipment and processingarea clear of old or discardedfruit. He’s aware of his neigh-bour’s management practices. Heis surrounded by raspberry fields– a number one target of SWD --as well as blueberry fields that aremachine harvested at late maturity dates.

“We pick for the fresh market,so harvest as quickly as possiblewhen the fruit is ripe,” he said.

The B.C. Blueberry Councilissues a newsletter on a weeklybasis reporting trap counts.Hayre consistently compares hisown trap counts to this referencepoint.

In British Columbia, trapshave been baited with apple cidervinegar and checked weekly.Hueppelsheuser’s recommenda-tion is not to skimp on the sugar

in these traps. No commercial impact has

been recorded in grapes in theOkanagan or on the B.C. coast,confirming earlier evidence thatfirmer fruit are less attractive tothe adult flies depositing eggs.

In the panel discussion onSWD a number of key pointsarose. Doug Park, CanadianFood Inspection Agency reported,“We’re not aware of any para-sitoids for SWD.”

Charles Stevens, chair ofOFVGA’s crop protection com-mittee, asked about the PestManagement RegulatoryAgency’s (PMRA) mandate toreduce the use of insecticides.“This pest will increase their useand disrupt our integrated pestmanagement plans. Will there bea policy change to softerchemistries which aren’t workingon these insects? Will there bemovement to register another

product, perhaps something thatcan be sprayed once rather thanmultiple times?

Heather McBrien speaking forPMRA reported: “We’re activeon emergency registrations forSWD. A new DuPont product,Cyazypyr, may have some activi-ty. We’re not recommendingorganophosphates. We lack thetolerances for pyrethroids oncrops which are exported.Harmonization of MaximumResidue Limits (MRLs) would beextremely helpful now that wehave a globally distributed organ-ism. Our hope is that field prac-tices could mitigate pressure onthe fruit.”

Gary Brown, summing up theAlien Invasive SpeciesSymposium concluded, “Youhave educated me and frightenedme.”Editor’s note: See brown mar-morated stink bug report in May.

The devil is in the spotted-wing drosophila fly ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM

THE GROWER

PAGE 6 –– APRIL 2013

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THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 7

JIM CHAPUT, OMAF ANDMRA, PROVINCIAL MINORUSE COORDINATOR,GUELPH

Agriculture and Agri-FoodCanada, Pest Management Centre(AAFC-PMC) hosted the 11thnational minor use priority settingworkshop in Gatineau, QuebecMarch 18 – 21.

This meeting brought togethera wide range of participants fromacross Canada including universi-ty and federal researchers, cropextension specialists, provincialspecialists, minor use coordina-tors, registrants, PMRA represen-tatives, growers and grower orga-nization representatives, process-ing companies and other stake-holders. In addition several indi-viduals from the U.S. IR-4 pro-gram, Brazilian departments ofagriculture and health, NewZealand growers association andChinese department of agriculturealso attended the meeting.

The purpose was to review thetop minor use priorities identifiedby each of the provinces for allcrops including ornamentals andto establish the top priority pro-jects for the new Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada, PestManagement Centre (AAFC-PMC) to work on in 2014. The first day covered biopesticidepriorities for all crops, the secondday covered entomology priori-ties, the third day covered pathol-ogy priorities and the fourth daycovered weed science priorities. Eight biopesticide projects arechosen during the first day ofmeetings. On the remaining minoruse days and for each of the threemain pest management disci-plines, only 10 top priorities(ranked as As) are chosen from along list of identified crop protec-tion product solutions. Additionalsecondary priorities (ranked asBs) were also chosen for eachdiscipline each day.

The provincial minor use coor-dinators could also add fiveregional upgrade projects at theend of the process and the organicindustry could also add two prior-ity projects to the list of chosenprojects.

Additional top crop/pest issuesthat did not have any identifiablesolutions were also chosen to bepart of minor use screening trialsdesigned to find some usefulsolutions for growers. At thisyear’s meeting the top prioritieschosen for this group (calledAPWS) included white pine wee-vils on outdoor grown conifers,broadleaf weeds on hemp, weedcontrol on opium poppy, root roton dry peas and powdery mildewon greenhouse ornamentals.

The discussions, collaborationsand decisions made at this meet-ing demonstrated not only poten-tial challenges for the minor use

system in Canada, but also high-lighted the many needs our grow-ers have. Growers, researchers,registrants, provincial specialistsand other stakeholders workedvery hard to reach consensus andnegotiate needs. Overall theprocess was a success and nowthe next step is for AAFC-PMCto complete the minor use sub-missions that were agreed upon.Additionally the provinces alsohave to follow up on a number ofpotential submissions and ratio-nales for minor use needs.For a table that summarizes thetentative projects agreed upon asthe top 10 for each discipline, goto www.thegrower.org. These

projects will be submitted to thePMRA by AAFC-PMC, and thedata requirements completed in2015-2016. Registration decisions

for these will likely occur in late2016 and 2017. A final version ofthe top projects will be availablethis summer on the AAFC-PMC

website: www.agr.gc.ca/env/pest/index_e.phpPhoto courtesy Randy Fletcher,AAFC

Highlights from the National Minor Use Priority Setting Workshop

MINOR USE

Know yourRMP

Get a head start on SDRM in 2013Participation packages for the 2013 self-directed risk management (SDRM) plan for edible horticulturewill be mailed to producers in the fall, but there are things you can do now to prepare:

Agricorp mailed information and a calendar to help you plan your participation in

SDRM for 2013 and meet important deadlines.

The package you receive this month can help

you plan for your 2013 deposit.

Click Online tools at agricorp.com or call us.

Participation in AgriStability is required.

Contact Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999 or visit .

CPMA’s 88th annual conventionand trade show will be held April17 to 19 at the Direct EnergyCentre, downtown Toronto.Here’s a look at the numbers todate: 521 - The number of exhibitspaces (10x10 ft) on the CPMAtrade show floor in Toronto thisyear –an increase of almost 29per cent (or 116 booths) over thelast visit to Toronto in 2009. Thiswill be CPMA’s largest tradeshow to date. 272 - The number of exhibitingcompanies 148 – The number ofInternational exhibitors 125 – The number of Canadianexhibitors, including 67 Ontarioexhibitors 56 - The number of first-timeexhibitors50 - The number of new CPMAmembers, exhibiting for the firsttime in 2013. 55 – The number of companiesparticipating in the New ProductShowcase.Over 26% - The percentage oftotal attendance at CPMA’s 2012trade show that represented retail-ers, wholesalers and foodserviceAlthough exhibit space is soldout, there is still time to register

to attend the event at www.convention.cpma.ca.

Retailers open doors

This year’s retail tour on April17 features Metro, Costco,Longo’s and Loblaws in

downtown Toronto. Each storehas been chosen for its unique-ness and target market. TheLoblaws store, for instance, islocated at the famous hockeyaddress of Maple Leaf Gardens.The recently opened Longo’sstore is in a rehabilitated

warehouse which used to servicesteam locomotives for CanadianNorthern Railway. Each store hasa different produce footprint.

Coming to the fore is evidenceof more produce packaging, saysCPMA tour organizer MarioMasellis, M.L. Catania Inc.

“There’s a lot of value-addedand user-friendly packaging,”says Masellis. Prepared saladsand cut-up veggies are main-stream while the art of building aproduce display is slowly beinglost. The produce department isincreasingly full of ready-to-eatitems.

Be aware of the companieswho are branding. Andy Boy outof Salinas, California consistentlypacks rapini with larger florets.Zespri kiwifruit out of NewZealand has made a name for itsfruit although Italy produces bigger volumes.

Watch for different retailingtactics depending on the targetaudience. For conventionalstores, produce is the most important section. For otherstores, a bell pepper that’s seenbetter days ends up in a soup atthe prepared food counter.

“Take kiwi fruit as an example,” says Masellis. “Theyused to be put out rock hard andcouldn’t be eaten for a week.Taste, not just appearance, matters now.”

For CPMA delegates wishingto take the retail tour, purchasingtickets online in advance isstrongly recommended.

THE GROWER

PAGE 8 –– APRIL 2013

CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION

Toronto hosts annual convention and trade show

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 9

BayerCropScience.ca/Alion or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.Always read and follow label directions. Alion® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

Yes, you read that right. Alion®, the new Group 29pre-emergent herbicide is anything but exciting towatch. Why? Because you’ll never actually see itdo anything – and that’s the point. Spray it in yourorchard for season-long control of annual grassyand broadleaf weeds. Not to mention glyphosate,triazine and ALS-resistant weeds, too. It’s literallyas exciting as dirt. Until you see the results.

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There has become a greatdivide in this province and neverwas it more obvious than after thelast election when the governingparty failed to win a seat in ruralOntario. Some blamed farmers forthat loss but personally I don’tthink they made much differencein the outcome. After all, thereare only about 50,000 farm families in all of Ontario. Theissues were rural issues not justfarm issues.

Kathryn Wynne is our newPremier and it is no small

coincidence, at least in my mind,that she is also the minister ofAgriculture and Food. The reasonis obvious and it is to makeinroads in rural Ontario.

I would suggest the greatestway to do this is to listen to ruralOntario and let them participatein the decision-making process ofthose issues which affect them.Another way is to ensure thatrural Ontario has the capacity togrow and flourish and this willrequire modernized or updatedinfrastructure. Governments of allstripes and colours are concernedabout job loss and more impor-tantly job creation and once againmodernized infrastructure is oneof the greatest ways to create orat least allow for the creation ofnew jobs.

Government must provide foran adequate infrastructure systemif it expects businesses to contin-ue to invest in the rural part of theprovince. It also needs to stream-line business and get rid of thoseregulations that curtail growthand threaten sustainability ofOntario agriculture. Regulationsthat add cost without benefit need

to be eliminated and instead putin achievable policies to get uswhere we need but that can bedone in a cost effective manner.

We are at a place in time with-in our own sector where outdatedhydro grids and lack of access tonatural gas supply is curtailinggrowth. The greenhouse vegetablesector is looking at expanding bytwo to three hundred acres insouthern Ontario. Unfortunatelythe hydro grid is so outdated andnon-dependable in theLeamington area that new green-house construction is severelyhampered. We would expect thisin a developing country but cer-tainly not here in Ontario. Everynew acre of greenhouse produc-tion directly creates two to threenew jobs on farm and then ofcourse there are the additional offfarm jobs as well. The opportuni-ty is there but due to inadequacyof the infrastructure, these jobsare not being created

When Dalton McGuinty tookoffice in 2003 he promised toclose down all the coal-fired electricity plants in the provincebut they were never adequately

replaced. Here is a great opportunity to do so. Co-generation in greenhouse facilitieswould provide greenhouse operators an additional source ofincome thereby reducing the costsof production of their vegetablecrops; it would be a source ofclean dependable electricity and abenefit to our environment as theCO2 given off during the burningof the natural gas would be utilized by the plants themselvesand not released into the environ-ment. This would be a win-winsituation. (As a point of interest20 per cent of electricity in theNetherlands comes from green-house co- gen facilities.)

To do so, however, requiresthe availability of natural gas inrural Ontario. Probably every newhouse in urban Ontario has accessto natural gas but it is my understanding that there has notbeen a new main line built inrural Ontario in many manyyears. So now when natural gas isselling for all time low pricesmany of our farmers as well asother rural businesses cannotaccess this energy product.

It is estimated that the energysavings on a chicken barn alonecan amount to $75,000 a yearwhen using natural gas. Thatmoney could be reinvested in thefarm or other business whichwould create jobs in ruralOntario. For co-generation, anupdated electricity grid is alsonecessary -- one that can handlethe inflow of energy into it andone that does not suffer from frequent brownouts.

It’s not just greenhouses thatneed access to a good grid butalso bio-digesters. These can go along way to serving Ontarianswith reliable clean alternativeforms of energy; but it meanshaving access to adequate moderninfrastructure.

Farmers have answers to manyof Ontario’s problems from jobcreation to supplying healthylocal food to providing alternativeforms of energy but without theinvestment in rural Ontario it cannever happen.

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

THE GROWER

PAGE 10 –– APRIL 2013

STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-252-7337, kdavidson@ecomente.caProduction: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, production@thegrower.orgAdvertising: 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 nextissue. No compensation will be given after the first running of the ad.Client signature is required before insertion.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is thesole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressedin The Grower are those of the newspaper’s editorial staff and/orcontributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publicationmay not be reproduced either whole or in part without theprior written consent of the publisher.

P.M. 40012319

OFFICE355 Elmira Road North, Unit 105

Guelph, Ontario N1K 1S5 CANADATel. 519-763-8728 • Fax 519-763-6604

The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to allmembers of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year forthe paper through their commodity group or container fees.Others may subscribe as follows by writing to the office:

$30.00 (+ G.S.T.) / year in Canada$40.00/year International

Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues withinfour months. If the issue is claimed within four months, butnot available, The Grower will extend the subscription byone month. No refunds on subscriptions.

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEChair Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeVice-Chair Jason Verkaik, BradfordFruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginVeg Director Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownDirector Brian Gilroy, Meaford

BOARD OF DIRECTORSApples Brian Gilroy, MeafordFresh Vegetable - Other Mary Shabatura, Windham CentreTender Fruit Fred Meyers, Niagara-on-the-LakeON Asparagus Grws’. Mkg. Brd. Jason Ryder, DelhiGGO/Fresh Grape Growers Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeFresh Vegetable - Muck Jason Verkaik, BradfordON. Potato Board Mac James, LeamingtonSmall Fruit/Berries Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginON. Ginseng Growers’ Ken Van Torre, BurfordGreenhouse Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownGreenhouse Don Taylor, Durham

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

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

I recently attended theCanadian Horticultural Council’s(CHC) annual conference anddirectors’ meeting in Ottawa. Theconvention is attended by grower

representatives from everyprovince in Canada as well as agood cross section of governmentofficials and industry reps fromall levels of the value chain. Theconference offers a good opportunity to network with government officials, scientistsand stakeholders that can influence our livelihoods as horticultural producers.

The work at annual meetings isa small part of what is done in themonths between these annual conferences. The executive andstaff of CHC are a dedicated teamthat work on issues that arenational in scope. Internationaltrade, food safety, crop protectionand a domestic food policy arejust some of the files addressedby CHC. Issues of priority this

year will be harmonization of pes-ticide registrations and MaximumResidue Limits (MRL), standardcontainer regulations and finan-cial protection for growers sellinginto the United States. PresidentObama And Prime MinisterHarper highlighted these issues aspriorities that should and could beresolved in an open border initia-tive.

This all sounds encouragingand it appears we are getting traction on some of these veryimportant matters. However lobbying on a national and international scale is very expensive. Provincial farm organizations fund CHC based onfarm gate value, however inrecent years the current fundingmodel has fallen short. CHC does

not have the financial resources tofully confront all the issues withthe vigour they would like. Afterfive years of consecutive deficits,the executive must be very strategic and frugal when assess-ing their lobby priorities. At theannual directors‘ meeting, a fund-ing increase of 17 per cent wasapproved by the directors to allowfor a balanced budget for the2013 calendar year. A secondmotion was passed to maintainthe increase for 2014 pending areview of CHC activities. Anoversight committee was formedto review the finances, operationsand governance of CHC andreport back to its members beforeany further funding adjustmentsare made. The committee, consisting of grower reps from

across the country, is chaired byAdrian Huisman.

Moving forward, we need astrong national voice to meet thechallenges we will face in a global marketplace. Our nationalorganization must be able to focuson the issues. They cannot spendvaluable time and energy onfundraising. A legacy fund hasbeen established to deal directlywith the matters raised by Obamaand Harper with good initial support from industry and growers but sponsorship moniesare increasingly difficult to find intoday’s economy. There is noeasy fix for this problem, but aresolution must be found. A horticultural industry without astrong national voice is not anoption.

A strong national voice

RAY DUCCHAIR, OFVGA

ART SMITHCEO, OFVGA

Investing in rural Ontario

These organizations have contributed to the Canadian Horticultural Council's legacy fund.

THE GROWER

Ontario fruit – particularlyapples -- are known, loved andsold by their distinctive brands,such as Honeycrisp andAmbrosia. So why not peaches?To most consumers, peaches aregeneric fruit. They taste wonder-ful but they lack identity.

However, that’s about tochange. This spring three newOntario branded peach varietieswill hit nurseries, and be readyfor producers’ orchards in 2014.The three are Vee Blush, a

much-desired new early variety;White Knight, Canada’s first orig-inal white-fleshed peach (ANDthe most consumer-branded of the

lot); and a late-season peachnamed Virtue.

Some growers are alreadyordering them. Last summer, theyviewed the trees growing in testplots during an open house at theVineland Research andInnovation Centre, where theywere developed as part of theUniversity of Guelph tender fruitbreeding program.

Now, they’re ready to say yesto branded peaches. “We’re hoping these new vari-eties, as well as others currentlyin the pipeline, give growersvalue-added fruit,” says LanaCulley, the centre’s director ofbusiness development. “Therehasn’t been much market differ-entiation for the consumer withtender fruit, or with branding.Now there will be.”

The three peaches have dis-tinctly different traits, designed sogrowers can capitalize on themost lucrative markets. Culleysays they were selected with aneye towards current gaps in themarket, such as early and late sea-son, and growing consumer inter-ests in niche products.

“We went from the start to theend of every project with the con-sumer in mind,” says Culley. The first, Vee Blush, is an early

variety, bred to be available in thefirst harvest period, around thesecond week of August (withintwo days of Harrow Diamond, thecurrent early peach). Culleydescribes it as having a slightlybetter blush than HarrowDiamond.

The second peach, WhiteKnight, seizes on the growingpopularity of white-fleshed

peaches and nectarines with con-sumers. In fact, White Knight isthe first of what Culley says willbe a white-fleshed “Royal Series”of peaches and nectarines comingout of the University of Guelphbreeding program.

And finally, the third new vari-ety, Virtue, is a late season peachwith global potential. Culley saysthat besides being popular in

Ontario, she expects it to catch onabroad in peach-growing coun-tries and regions such as Franceand other parts of Europe.

While the buzz is significantover the new varieties about tocome on the market, Culley saysit’s just the beginning for a steadyrun over the next four years. Shepredicts at least two – and asmany as six or eight – new fruitvarieties will be introduced dur-ing that period, owing to a back-log in licensing. The new vari-eties had been developed over thepast several years, but hadn’tgone through the licensingprocess until the centre gotinvolved. Now it’s working close-ly with nurseries to make sure thefield stock will be available togrowers. Watch for more newvarieties of peaches, sweet cher-ries, plums and nectarines.

Once the bottleneck clears,things might slow down a bit.After all, it takes 10 years todevelop most new varieties.Releases are expected to be lessnumerous.

So the centre is being proac-tive. A technician is scouting theglobe – particularly the U.S., NewZealand, South America andEurope -- for consumer demand,for new markets and for new vari-eties that could be adapted toCanadian climates and environ-mental conditions.

“We're very excited atVineland to work with our breed-ing partners, both here in theregion and around the world, tointroduce new varieties to helpdiversify and update the tenderfruit options available to Ontariogrowers and consumers,” saysCulley. “With these new peacheswe can offer our markets producethat is not only locally grown, butalso locally developed. There isgreat value in that.”

Branded peaches first of new variety wave from Vineland

OWEN ROBERTSUNIVERSITY OFGUELPH

PERSPECTIVE

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 11

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Samples of white-fleshed peaches developed at the VinelandResearch and Innovation Centre.

April 2 Farm & Food Care Social Media Communications Workshop, Hanlon Convention Centre, Guelph, ON

April 3 Farm & Food Care 2013 Annual General Meeting, Hanlon Convention Centre, Guelph, ON

April 3, 4 62nd Annual Conference Muck Vegetable Growers, Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre, Bradford, ON

April 5 B.C. Greenhouse Growers’ Association Annual General Meeting, White Rock, B.C.

April 6 Garlic Growers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, OMAF office, Woodstock, ON

April 10 Ontario Agri-Food Education Annual General Meeting, University of Guelph Arboretum, Guelph, ON

Apr 17 – 19 Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention and Trade Show, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON

May 30 4-H Canada 100th Anniversary Gala Celebration, Fairmont Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB

July 2013 Federal-Provincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting, Halifax, NS

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

COMING EVENTS 2013

We’re hopingthese new varieties,as well as others currently in thepipeline, give growersvalue-added fruit.”

~ Lana Culley

“

While in the Toronto area inmid-March, I made a point of vis-iting the new Target store inMilton, Ontario. After visitingstores in the U.S., I have a pre-conceived idea of what Targetwill be in Canada. It is obviousthat working within the confinesof the previous tenant haverestricted Target in making animpressive first impression. Theexterior is non descript and thelocation must have been tired as aZellers. With the traffic thatTarget will generate, the sur-roundings will change. Trafficwill bring new tenants and revi-talize the location.

The interior of the store isbright and the customer walksinto seasonal offerings and cloth-ing. The Easter seasonal wassmall compared to the competi-tion but you have to give themthe benefit of the doubt. They aresaying “soft” opening and there isnot much point investing in toomuch inventory and too manyskus for a soft opening.

The food is on the extremeright side of the store. The gro-cery, household and pet sectionsoccupy approximately 18,000 sqft. They have a broad cross sec-tion of categories without a lot ofdepth in each category. There isa minimal fresh section, whichhas some bakery, deli andprepackaged meat.

Merchandising

The merchandising is simpleand there is not a lot of room forinventory. Ends are narrow andnot built for power. There weresome off shelf displays betweenthe food and the housewares sec-tions however the number of skuswas limited. While Walmart gen-erates a lot of sales from their offshelf merchandising units, Targethas not embraced this philosophyyet.

I am of two minds about thedistribution deal they have withSobeys. The positive side is thatthey can hit the ground runningwith food. The in stock positionin food was better than non-foodwhich is because the warehouse isalready stocked for Sobeys.Likely it required fewer resourcesto get started. The negative forme is that they are constrained bySobeys listings. I was hoping to

see more of the unique itemsTarget is known for. I saw veryfew items that are not available atother stores. This is one of theirbiggest points of differentiation inthe U.S. Hopefully it will comeand perhaps the priority was toget the private label listed and instock.

The private label assortmentand pricing are impressive. Notmany unique items but a verygood cross section of categories isrepresented. The pricing relativeto the national brands is veryaggressive. Significant discountssuch as:- Green Giant frozen veg 1kg

$2.99- Market Pantry frozen veg 1kg

$1.99- Minute Maid refr Orange juice

1.75L $3.99- Market Pantry refr Orange juice

1.75L $1.67

It is a big job to develop thepackaging for private label inCanada. Bilingual packaging canbe a challenge and they havedone a good job getting the itemsready to go. I am sure they willcontinue to look for moreCanadian suppliers to produceitems; this could be an opportuni-ty for producers and processors.One big gap in the present offer-ing is imported or global foods.The competition all have signifi-cantly more linear footage devot-ed to these products. TheLoblaws Superstore would offerthe largest selection. The presentoffering will not suffice in ourchanging market place, nor inMilton’s ethnically diverse popu-lation.

There were some local itemsbut not many. The depth in eachcategory does not give themmuch room for local items. Itwill be interesting to watch ifthey expand this and if the cus-tomer puts pressure on them to doso. My expectation would be thattheir target market would be morevocal about having some localselection.

It is interesting to look at lin-ear footage in the market. Thefollowing table summarizes thestores I visited. They are not rep-resentative of all stores but theydo indicate how the retailers arelooking at categories and whothey are trying to appeal to. I didnot include end aisles or off shelfmerchandising. For example Idid not include floor refrigeratedspace or walk around merchandis-ing units.

Staff

I was surprised at the approachthey are taking to labour in thestore. There were very few if anytactics employed to reduce labourin the food sections. Productfrom the back room was comingout on a cart after it had beenremoved from the original cartonmeaning it was touched twice to

get to the shelf. The dairy all hasto be loaded from the frontthrough doors and there was a lotof hand-stacked product. Withthe high cost of labour in Canadathis could be a challenge as theywork to control expenses downthe road. Where food should behigh turns the back room did notlook to be close to the retail sec-tion, forcing the employees tobring it further, another costlyventure.

The staff were very friendlyand engaged. That many newpeople can be a challenge for exe-

cution. I heard one employee tella customer they opened early “togive Walmart and Loblaws timeto get in and do price checksbefore they really drive the trafficwith the Grand Opening inApril.” Interesting comments andthere is no doubt there were a lotof food industry people in thestore. It is not hard to tell who isshopping and who is working.

Pricing

I did some price checks com-pared to the Milton Walmart

SuperCentre and a Metro store.All of these stores would be inthe same trade area and no morethan a 10-minute drive from eachother. In the categories whereyou would expect Target to com-pete aggressively, you can findlaundry detergent, household, andthe staples such as soup, mayon-naise, ketchup etc. The big dis-count for the private label wasmost interesting. This could be anintroductory investment to givethe customer incentive to try theitem. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Target is on the move!

PETER CHAPMAN

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Target Walmart Superstore Metro

Dairy 495 712 691 704

Frozen 495 1,800 1,710 1,080

Core grocery 2,574 3,592 5,292 3,524

Pop/chips/watersnacks

1,176 1,844 1,454 1,068

Household 1,680 1,692 1,376 880

Imported 144 504 852 320

Total 6,564 10,144 11,375 7,576

Linear footage by store

THE GROWER

PAGE 12 –– APRIL 2013

FO

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03/13-20810_MPT1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Walmart was the cheapest in themarket. Target and Superstorewould be close and Metro is obvi-ously higher. Currently, Targethas no ad and once they gainsome critical mass they will likelyhave an ad. They did have“Temporary price reductions” onitems that would be close to adretails in other stores.

They do post a guarantee thatthey will match any advertisedprice. For the customer willing tomake the effort this will reducethe need to cherry pick the tradi-tional stores for the front-page

items. And here’s a note aboutthe changing consumer –- awoman pulled out her iPad toshow the Target employee thecompetitor’s ad on line. You nolonger need a piece of paper toget the lower price!

Overall

One thing Target has is greatcarts. It’s easy to push around.As a symbol of what Targetstands for, they are effective. Iwatched the front end of the linefor a while and customers weremoving through relatively easily.Very few if any items were notscanning or causing problems. In

the orders I could see, 16 of 27had grocery store items in theorders. That is a big number con-sidering that there was really nobig loss leaders or promotion.

The soft opening is a goodstrategy to get their feet wet witha few stores. They can rotatestaff in to give them some experi-ence and also give the employeesfrom the three test stores a bit of abreather. This is possible in mar-kets where they have the criticalmass.

The 15,000 square feet of gro-cery and household at $10 persquare foot in 125 stores will givethem approximately $1 billion insales in the first 12 months of

operation. Not a bad start and asthey improve assortment, execu-tion and develop pricing modelsand an ad they will grow. Thebiggest strength they will have isthe traffic and the opportunity tosell food.

I remember when Walmartopened the first pantry stores andsome in the food industry thoughtthey were not a serious player.

Now they have a 15 per centshare nationally and competitorsuse them as the yard-stick forpricing. Target will get there andsooner than later. Regardless ofwhether you will supply them ornot, they will impact your busi-ness. If and when you have achance, grab one of those big redcarts and go for a walk in thestore.

Target is on the move!

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• Agri-mek 1.9% ECInsecticide/Miticide (PestControl Product #24551) - Agri-mek 1.9% EC Insecticide/Miticide (U.S. EPA #100-898)

• Force 3.0G Insecticide (PestControl Product #23917) - Force3.0G Insecticide (U.S. EPA #100-1075)

• Citation 75WG (Pest ControlProduct #24465) - Trigard 75W(U.S. EPA #100-654)

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• Dimilin 25% Insecticide (PestControl Product #13816) -Dimilin 25% Insecticide (U.S.EPA #400-465)

• B-Nine WSG (Pest ControlProduct #17465) - B-Nine WSGPlant Growth Regulator (U.S.EPA #400-478)

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• Nufarm MCPA Ester 600Liquid Herbicide (Pest ControlProduct #27803) - DaggerSelective Herbicide (U.S. EPA #228-267-71368)

• ASSURE II Herbicide (PestControl Product #25462) -Assure II Herbicide (U.S. EPA #352-541)

• REGLONE DESICCANT(Pest Control Product #26396) -REGLONE DESICCANT (U.S.EPA # 100-1061),

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• BASAGRAN LIQUID HER-BICIDE (Pest Control Product#12221) - BASAGRAN T/OHERBICIDE (EPA # 7969-45)

The list of approved products andinstructions on how to use theprogram are available under thisURL: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/agri-commerce/import/_grou-piapda/index-eng.php

GROU: Approved products for import in 2013

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THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 13

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Following are highlights fromthe OFVGA board meeting heldMarch 21, 2013. This brief is tokeep you up to date on the issuesthat the OFVGA is working on,as well as projects and initiativesthe organization is involved in.

Property

Property section chair BrianGilroy reported that theHorticulture Value Chain RoundTable (HVCRT) labour sub-com-mittee has engaged the VinelandResearch and Innovation Centreto conduct a benchmarking studyon labour innovation in horticul-tural production. The report is dueat the end of March.

Industry members of theEnergy Environment WorkingGroup (EEWG) of the HVCRTare conducting a survey on theEnvironmental Performance ofCanada's Horticulture ValueChain. Understanding the activi-ties and priorities of the horticul-ture industry will better equip thesector to develop information andtools for the sector, to meet theenvironmental demands of themarket. The survey is available atwww.surveymonkey.com/s/7PL5

ZGS.Gilroy will be participating in

the second annual Canadian FoodSummit next month in Toronto.The event is being hosted by theConference Board’s Centre forFood in Canada and will engagedelegates in refining the draftCanadian Food Strategy it isdeveloping. Information is avail-able at http://www.conference-board.ca/conf/foodsummit/default.aspx.

The provincial government iswrapping up a study on washwater for potatoes and other muckvegetable crops; results areexpected by the end of the month.This is part of ongoing efforts tohave horticulture regulated underthe Nutrient Management Act(NMA), similar to other agricul-tural sectors in Ontario.Regulations are now being devel-oped to address nutrient feedwater in the greenhouse sector,which encompasses any nutrient-containing solution that will notbe used in a greenhouse opera-tion. A discussion paper outliningsome of the technical detailsrelated to land application of“nutrient feed water” under theNMA is currently available on the

Environmental Registry for publiccomment(http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/).

Research

The OFVGA/VinelandResearch and Innovation Centrepriority planning session for edi-ble horticulture was heldFebruary 13. The goal was tobring together producer groupsand representatives from acrossthe value chain to define priorityareas for research and innovation.The ultimate outcome will be alist of research needs for the sec-tor; a committee will be review-ing the priorities that werebrought forward at the session.

Berry breeder Prof. AdamDale retired from the Universityof Guelph last year and there iscurrently no one conducting berrybreeding work. The Ontario BerryGrowers Association has askedthe university to ensure berryresearch continues by replacingDale and has also requested itcontinue to maintain the berrybreeding facility in New Liskeard,where all nuclear stock is current-ly housed.

Canadian Horticultural Council

The CHC has adopted a 17 percent membership fee increase for2013 at the organization’s recentannual general meeting. An over-sight committee has been estab-lished to review the operationsand finances of CHC and to makerecommendations moving for-ward. Potato grower Keith Kuhlof Manitoba became president ofCHC, replacing Murray Porteous,a tender fruit, apple and asparagusgrower from Ontario. Ontario’srepresentatives to the CHC areAdrian Huisman and BrianGilroy. Porteous will stay on aspast president of the organization.

Tire tax

Mark Wales reported a newfee structure for tire taxes willcome into effect in Ontario onApril 1st. Previously, taxes wereassessed according to tire use; thenew staggered fee is based on tireweight, which will result in sig-nificant cost increases for agricul-tural tires. Under the new struc-ture, for example, a farm use tirein the range of 70 to 120 kg willbe assessed a tax of $47.04 andtires weighing 120 to 250 kg willbe taxed at $117.60 each. It isestimated that up to 70 per cent offarm tractor and implement tiresare expected to fall into the $47category and the rest into the$117.60 category. Previously, themaximum fee per tire for off-roadpneumatic tires was $16 each.The fees are to be used to safelydispose of used tires going for-ward as well as clean up existingpiles of discarded tires.

Rural energy infrastructure

Through the Ontario pre-bud-

get consultation process, OFVGAhas asked the provincial govern-ment for investment into ruralenergy infrastructure, includingnatural gas distribution and hydrogrid upgrades. Energy is a criticalcomponent of doing business inagriculture, but is also one of itsleading costs. Only 15 per cent ofOntario farms have access to nat-ural gas. The Ontario Federationof Agriculture (OFA) estimates,for example, that a single poultrybarn can lower its operatingexpenses by approximately$75,000 per year simply by usingnatural gas. The OFVGA is work-ing in conjunction with the OFAand the Ontario GreenhouseVegetable Growers to develop alobbying strategy on this issue.

Agri-food sustainability systemsproject

The OFVGA board approvedfunding support for a project thathas been submitted to theAgricultural Adaptation Council(AAC)’s Canadian AgricultureAdaptation Program (CAAP)focused on agri-food sustainabili-ty. It aims to review existingglobal programs for the certifica-tion of agricultural sustainabilityby assessing their strengths andweaknesses and suitability forOntario/Canadian farmers andbuyers of farm produce. The pri-mary purpose of the project willbe to determine if one of theseprograms could be suitable forOntario producers – or if not suit-able, what should be included inan all-crop-agriculture certifica-tion program for Ontario. A deci-sion on funding is expected fromAAC in the spring.

The next OFVGA board meet-ing will take place Thursday,April 25th, 2013 at the OFVGAoffice starting at 9:00 a.m.

THE GROWER

PAGE 14 –– APRIL 2013

On behalf of CPMA, the organizing committee and

the produce industry, we would like to express

sincere thanks to all of our sponsors for their

support of CPMA’s 88th Annual Convention

and Trade Show.

Our sponsors are an integral part

of this annual event, going above

and beyond to assist with the

business, social and companion

programs, and more. Their

active participation ensured

that the Canadian Produce

Marketing Association’s 2013

Convention & Trade Show was

memorable for all.

THANK YOU!

88th

ANNUAL

Visit cpma.ca to see the full list of our sponsors!

Board briefsOFVGA

POLLINATOR HEALTH

Associations search foranswers on bee kills

During the spring 2012 corn planting season, 230 separate incidentsof bee kills were reported in Ontario, predominantly in the southwest,involving thousands of bee hives at different beeyard locations. Thesereports have triggered a re-evaluation of neonicotinoid insecticides byHealth Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

With the re-evaluation on-going, and this year’s corn planting sea-son fast approaching, the Ontario Beekeepers Association, OntarioFederation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario,and Grain Farmers of Ontario are working together to address the con-cerns of all farmer-members in relation to this issue.

The four organizations agree there is much more work to be doneto clarify the relationship between neonicotinoid insecticides and thespring 2012 bee kills. The goal is to ensure farmers have access to allcrop protection products as they deem necessary for a successfulgrowing season. At the same time, honey bees play an important rolein pollinating crops and all farm associations are dedicated to ensuringa healthy bee population in Ontario.

The four associations are encouraging the continued investigationinto the cause of the bee kills, and support existing and ongoing objec-tive research into new products and technology that have the potentialto reduce pesticide exposure.

More information on the re-evaluation by PMRA can be found at:www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cpsspc/pubs/pest/_fact-fiche/pollinator-protection-pollinisateurs/index-eng.php.

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 15

EUGENIA BANKS, ONTARIOPOTATO SPECIALIST

The potato is one of the more complexcrops to grow, and potatoes requireintensive management to ensure success.Mother Nature plays the biggest role indetermining what pests appear; in wetyears, diseases like late blight, whitemold, Botrytis grey mold and pink rotare major problems. By contrast, insectpopulations develop faster in dry years.Readiness is everything, and readiness ishelped by implementing managementpractices that reduce the incidence ofpests. What follows is a list for growersof the 20 things they should not forget inthe Spring

Field Selection

1. Practice crop rotation. This is one ofthe best management practices toreduce several important diseasesand insects.

2. Drainage, soil texture, soilcompaction and soil organic mat-ter all have a significant impacton pest development. Varietiesvery susceptible to late blightshould be planted in the lightest-textured field because sandy soilsdo not remain saturated for longperiods after heavy rainfall. Soilcompaction reduces soil drainageand favors nematode infestation.Identify compacted soil areas bychecking root growth and soil texture in a 3-foot deep trench.Look for excessive clod forma-tion, slow water infiltration, dis-torted root and tuber growth andpremature crop death. These areall signs of shallow rooting.

3. If soil organic-matter is low,incorporate cover crops and/ormanure. Cattle manure fromlarge operations is usually free ofscab because the cows are not fedcull potatoes. In Ontario, soilshigh in organic matter rarely haveproblems with common scab.

4. Check for nematodes, wire-worms and white grubs beforeplanting. These pests can causeserious economic losses. Takesoil samples for nematode counts,and use baits to trap wireworms.White grubs are usually easy tosee when plowing the soil in thespring.

5. Take soil samples to be analyzed for Verticillium beforeplanting. If Verticillium levels ina field are medium to high, donot plant early or susceptible varieties like Superior, Pike orGoldRush.

6. If the field is infested withcommon scab, grow only resistantvarieties.

7. If you are renting land, beaware of previous crops and prob-lem weeds. Some herbicides per-sist in the soil for several yearsand damage potatoes.

8. Conduct complete soil tests. Nutrientdeficiencies can encourage diseases andlimit yield. Soil tests will also allow yousave money by applying the right rate ofthe fertilizers needed.

Field Preparation

9. Aim for soil of good tilth without dry-ing out the soil or producing soil clods.Tillage should produce enough loose soilto allow the planter shoe to penetrate tothe desired depth and to provide thehiller discs with enough loose soil toconstruct a proper hill over the seed.Tillage that dries out the soil surfacereduces plant vigor. Also, sufficienttillage is required to properly incorporatepre-emergence herbicides

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Potato production: The 20 things to remember in the springPOTATOES

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THE GROWER

PAGE 16 –– APRIL 2013

KAREN DAVIDSON

EarthFresh Foods, a Toronto-basedcompany, is marketing potatoes to Sobey’sunder a variety by usage program.Launched last fall, the program streamspotatoes into four categories of baking,boiling, roasting and mashing.

“We found that a 10-pound bag of

potatoes could have a lot of variability intaste, depending on its end use,” explainsLen Brackenbury, field manager,EarthFresh Foods. “So we had ourSobey’s client taste test our various varieties and make their own picks.”

The results are Russets for baking,Klondike Gold Dust for boiling, KlondikeRose for roasting and Elegance for mash-ing. Some of those varieties might be new

for consumers used to familiar names suchas Yukon Gold.

“In France, 90 per cent of the potatoesare sold by variety like apples,” saysBrackenbury. “The majority of Canadianconsumers don’t buy by variety, but couldhave an entirely new view of this staple ifthey tried new varieties.”

Last fall, EarthFresh launched the GreenGiant branded Cook the Right Potato pro-

gram in 98 Sobeys stores and 13 UrbanFresh stores in Ontario. The program edu-cates customers about different potatoesand matches potato varieties to cookingmethods. Each store has its own potatosection for bulk and bagged product withsignage denoting the proper cooking usage.

Here’s how Stephanie Cutaia,EarthFresh marketing manager, describesthe four picks.

Digging deeper for the potato variety story POTATOES

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

Marc AndréLaberge (QC)514-984-4589

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

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

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

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

Laura Caralampides (QC)514-984-0662

~ Quality Seed Since 1881 ~

Quality Seed Quality Service Quality Information

www.StokeSeeds.com

Klondike Rose Best for Roasting & Grilling

• The Klondike Rose is a luscious rose-skinned potato with a bright gold-colouredinterior. • Its taste is simply delightful – a nice balance of nutty and cream flavours withno hint of bitterness.• Its texture is very unique – almost melting in your mouth, with a butterysmooth and rich “feel.”• Discovered in Germany, the KlondikeRose has become one of the best sellingpotatoes in North America since its introduction in 2001. • Best for roasting and grilling

Klondike GoldustBest for Boiling, Soups, Stews and Salads

• This unique new yellow potato, heraldingfrom Holland, has become one of thebiggest selling new varieties in Europe andSouth America.• Its very smooth, bright golden skin andits delicate flavour separates the Goldustfrom all others.• The flavour of the Goldust is unique -very mild, and “fresh,” tasting like it wasjust harvested a few hours earlier.• The Goldust texture is a little more to“firm,” so it holds up well in soups, stewsand salads, but many just love it boiledwith a little butter.

RussetBest for Baking

• The Russet Burbank, first discovered byLuther Burbank in 1872, is the most popular potato of all time • It is characterized by its brown, netted, orrusseted skin finish which crisps up wellduring baking or roasting• Its bright white flesh becomes fluffy anddry when cooked, making it a perfect baking potato• It also stays firm and golden after frying,making it ideal for fries, hash browns, andchips. • Russet Burbanks are great baked, fried,roasted, mashed and in potato pancakes,but they are not recommended for soups,stews, salads or boiling since they arefluffy, and will fall apart in preparation.

ÉléganceBest for Mashing

• The Élégance has a bright smooth, elongated appearance, with a distinctivedeep yellow interior. • The Élégance is known for its sweet, buttery flavour, and its fluffy yellow texture.• The Élégance is a newer variety in NorthAmerica and it continually surpasses allother yellow potatoes in colour, taste, andflavour scores. • Its fluffy texture makes it ideal for mashing, but you will also love it baked,fried, or roasted.

Potato production: The 20 things to remember in the springCONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Seed Quality and Handeling

10. Plant healthy seed. Always check seedupon arrival. You have only 48 hrs to con-tact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency(CFIA) if you detect seed problems.

11. Calibrate the seed cutter. Sharpenknives and sanitize cutting equipment atleast once a day and/or when changingseed lots to avoid spreading diseases likedry rot, blackleg and soft rot.

12. Warm seed tubers to 50-550F beforecutting. This reduces bruising when handling, promotes rapid healing of cutsurfaces and initiates sprouts before planting.

13. Set aside samples of suspicious tubers.Contact your potato specialist or crop con-sultant if you are uncertain of the cause.

14. Apply the fungicide/insecticide seedtreatment you know will be cost effective.

15. If possible, use B-size seed for earlyplanting. Whole seed tolerates cool, wetconditions better than cut seed and is more

resistant to soft rot.

16. Destroy slivers and any tuber wasteleft after cutting.

Planting

17. Make sure the planter is in good condi-tion.

18. Try to schedule planting to coincidewith favorable soil and weather conditions.Ideally seed and soil should be the sametemperature at planting. Do not plant coldseed in warm soil. The seed will sweat,and this creates favorable conditions for

soft rot.

19. Apply seed treatments and in-furrowpesticides depending on anticipated prob-lems.

20. Check the depth and spacing of seedpieces at the beginning of planting andthroughout planting. Skips and clumpedseed pieces reduce yields. Doubles reduceaverage tuber size. Plants adjacent to skipsdon’t fully compensate for their missingneighbor.

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 17

What’s the critical weed-freeperiod in potatoes? That’s thequestion for potato growers asthey juggle timing of hilling and arange of soil-applied pre- andpost-emergent herbicides, saysKristen Callow, OMAF and MRAweed management program lead,horticulture.

“Since many herbicides in potatoes are soil-applied, they donot control emerged weeds,” saidCallow. “It’s important to incorporate with the appropriateamount of water shortly afterapplication into the weed seedgermination zone to activate theherbicide before weeds emerge.”

The timing of hill applicationis important to take advantage ofresidual activity of applied herbicides. Building the hill atplanting does not provide weedcontrol as late into the season asbuilding the hill two to threeweeks after planting, then apply-ing herbicide as soon as possibleafter hilling.

Most growers choose to hill atplanting and after the potato cropcracks through the ground, rehillthe field and immediately sprayafter their second hilling opera-tion. At this time the best strate-

gy is to apply a pre-emergenceherbicide. A post-emergence her-bicide may not be necessary

Another alternative is to buildthe hill at planting, and two tothree weeks later, just beforepotato emergence, apply a mix-ture of a non-selective herbicidethat destroys emerged weeds, plusa pre-emergence herbicide thatprovides residual control.

A fourth control strategywould be to hill just before potatoemergence and follow with apost-emergence herbicide afterpotato and weed emergence andbefore row closure. The herbicidewould have to control emergedweeds and provide residual con-trol until row closure.

For best weed control, be sureto properly identify the weeds inyour fields. If you have resistantweeds or suspect resistance, mod-ify herbicide treatments accord-ingly.

“Resistance to herbicidegroups 2, 5 and 7 is fairly wide-spread in potato-growing areas ofOntario,” says Callow.

For that reason, tank mix mul-tiple modes of action or at leastuse more than one mode of actionper year in each field to delay

resistance. Herbicide tank mixesare recommended over singlemodes of action to control abroader spectrum of weeds. Theyoffer more consistent perfor-mance under varying soil andweather conditions, reduce thepotential for crop injury andreduce selection pressure for her-bicide-resistant weeds. If you aretargeting a specific resistantweed, make sure each tank mix

partner has efficacy on the resis-tant weed for optimum control.

Callow provided action plansfor various weed scenarios thatmight be encountered in potatofields.

1. Broadleaf Weeds Only – NoNightshade• Tank mix combinations including:

– Dual Magnum, Eptam,Lorox, Sencor, or TreflanIf you have Group 2 resistant pig-weed and / or lamb’s-quartersORIf you have Group 5 or Group 7resistant pigweedBEST: Use any combination ofthe above to manage Group 2resistance. BEST: Not to use Sencor orLorox when trying to manageGroup 5 or Group 7 (or both)resistant pigweed

2. Broadleaf Weeds IncludingNightshade• Tank mix combinations includ-ing:

– Chateau / Reflex (submittedto PMRA) in two or three waycombinations• Mix Chateau with the other her-bicides based on the other weedpopulations present:

– Light infestations: Chateau +one other herbicide

– Heavy infestations: Chateau+ two other herbicides with dif-ferent modes of action

– Chateau must be tank mixedwith a grass herbicide.• Post application of Prism (how-

ever, some nightshade popula-tions confirmed to have Group 2resistance)• Note: Chateau is only recom-mended by the company for usein Western Canada

3. Yellow nutsedge• Tank mix combinations includ-ing:

– Dual II Magnum + Eptam• In the future pre applications ofReflex (fomesafen) will add toyellow nutsedge control whentank-mixed with Dual II Magnum(U.S. research)• Frontier/Outlook will also be abeneficial herbicide to increaseyellow nutsedge control.

4. Grassy Weeds• Dual Magnum, Eptam andTreflan can effectively controlbarnyardgrass and green foxtail.Sencor also has activity on thesetwo grasses.• Eptam, Treflan and Sencor willcontrol wild or volunteer oat andvolunteer wheat.• Eptam can control quackgrasspre-plant.• Poast Ultra, Select, Venture andExcel can be applied POST onlyand will control most annualgrasses and volunteer grains.Apply to actively growing smallgrasses (1-6 L).• Do NOT tank-mix Select withbroadleaf herbicides, this willreduce control.• Do NOT apply broadleaf herbi-cides within four days of Selectapplication or within three daysof Venture application.

Tips to increase herbicide effectiveness in potatoes ONTARIO POTATO CONFERENCE

NEW MODE OF ACTION

CITED IN APHID DEATHS.

www.uap.caWestern Canada: 1-800-561-5444Ontario & Maritimes: 1-800-265-5444Quebec: 1-800-361-9369British Columbia: 1-604-534-8815

Photo courtesy WeatherInnovations Inc.

SEAN WESTERVELD,GINSENG AND MEDICINALHERBS SPECIALIST ANDMELANIE FILOTAS, IPMSPECIALIST FOR SPECIALTYCROPS, OMAF AND MRA

We often hear that most herbscan be used to repel pests in thegarden, but herb growers knowthat they are susceptible to manypests as well. Unfortunately, thereis very little information availableto herb growers on pests and thestrategies that can be used to con-trol them. Just knowing whatpests to look out for is half thebattle, because it allows for pestcontrol strategies to be imple-mented before pests become aproblem.

Over the past two years,OMAF and MRA staff have beensurveying culinary herb crops insouthern Ontario to determine themajor pests of herbs and eventu-ally develop pest identificationresources to assist herb growers.The project was initially fundedthrough the OMAFRA/Universityof Guelph Undergraduate StudentExperiential Learning Program,and summer student Alex Harriswas hired to survey herb fields.

There are numerous culinaryherbs that can be grown in

Ontario, and most of them fallinto two families: the mint family(e.g. mint, basil, rosemary, sage,lavender, oregano, thyme, lemonbalm) and the carrot family (e.g.parsley, cilantro, dill, fennel,anise, chervil). Chives, tarragon,and fenugreek (methi) are themain herbs not included in thesefamilies. Insect pests tend toaffect most of the herbs in a cer-tain family, while diseases can bemore specific to an individualherb.

Listed below are the majorpests identified over the past fewyears:

INSECTS

Four-Lined Plant Bugs attackmost members of the mint family.Since they lay their eggs onperennial plant tissues, they are

not usually an issue on annualherbs such as rosemary and basil.Nymphs and adults pierce theleaves and stems with suckingmouthparts in June and July caus-ing circular brown lesions.Affected leaves are often unmar-ketable. Insecticidal soaps usedearly when nymphs are small canreduce populations. Populationscan also be reduced by control-ling susceptible weeds and rotat-ing mint-family herbs to differentareas of the farm.

Leafhoppers are an importantpest of virtually all herb crops.Many carrot-family herbs are sus-ceptible to aster yellows, a

mycoplasma disease transmittedby the aster leafhopper. Affectedplants are distorted with multiplebranches and are unmarketable.Leafhoppers cause hopper-burn,dieback of leaves from the tips,

on several herbs, especially fenu-greek (methi). Leafhopper feedingcauses a stippling on leaves ofmost other herbs, which canreduce marketability, but rarelyrenders them completely unmar-ketable.

Japanese Beetles are a majorpest of basil in certain areas ofOntario. The adult beetles emergein late July and feed for one totwo months at the top of theplant, causing ragged holes. Theyare more of a problem if basil isgrown near a perennial grass, onwhich the immature grubs devel-op. Japanese beetle traps areavailable on the market but havenot proven effective to controlthis pest and may actually attractmore adults to the area.

Two-spotted spider mites canbe a significant problem on manyof the mint-family herbs. Mitesusually feed on the underside ofleaves causing leaves to turn mot-tled and silvery. Fine webbing isusually present on the undersideof the leaves. They are more of aproblem in dry years when infest-ed transplants are moved from agreenhouse to the field.

Other insect pests of herbsinclude aphids and garden flea-hoppers (most herbs), leafrollersand spittlebugs (mint family),parsleyworms (carrot family),thrips (chives), and tarnishedplant bug (most herbs). Thesepests do not occur in every yearor field, but can build up to dam-aging levels, especially whenlarge acreages are grown.

DISEASES

Basil downy mildew is a newdisease in Ontario, first identifiedin the field in 2010. It appears aschlorotic (yellow) sections of theleaves defined by the veins, oftenwith grey spores underneath.Once initial symptoms are foundin a field the crop can be com-pletely destroyed within a coupleof weeks. Control of this diseaseis only possible through the useof a rotation of the registered pestcontrol products Ranman andConfine. On-going research sug-gests that the cultivar ‘Medinette’is slightly less susceptible to thedisease than other cultivars. Thedisease may be delayed by grow-ing basil in an open location withgood airflow, with wider plantspacing.

Phomopsis has been identifiedon oregano/marjoram in Ontarioand may also affect sage. Lesionsdevelop on the leaves and stem,causing rapid senescence and col-lapse of individual stems. Little isknown about this disease, andmore research is required on itsbiology and management.

Septoria leaf spot is a signifi-cant disease on parsley inOntario. It appears as roundlesions on the leaves with smallblack specks (pycnidia). It usuallyaffects the crop when extendeddew periods occur, often later inthe summer. It is especially a con-cern when the plants are weak-ened by another factor such asdry conditions, nutritional defi-ciencies, or root damage.Avoiding these issues will help toreduce the impact of the disease.An unrelated Septoria leaf spotalso affects lavender, but has lessimpact on the crop because leavesof lavender are not harvested.

Bacterial blight often affectscilantro in Ontario. It is character-ized by small circular lesions witha darker border. Bacterial diseasesare usually spread by rain or irri-gation-splashed spores or bymachinery or field workers.Sanitation is important with thisdisease, since there are no prod-ucts registered for its control.

Other significant diseases ofculinary herbs include Phomablight on dill, rust on mint,anthracnose on basil, powdery

mildew on most mint-familyherbs, and various Alternaria andCercospora leaf blights on manymint and carrot-family herbs andfenugreek. Numerous soil-bornediseases also affect herbs, but inmost cases have not been identi-fied. Rhizoctonia and Fusariumare the most common fungi asso-ciated with crown and root rots.Root knot and root lesion nema-todes also affect a wide range ofherbs and can build up to signifi-cant levels if herbs are not rotatedwith unsusceptible hosts.

Management of pests of herbsis particularly challengingbecause few pest control productsare registered for use on thesecrops. Growers should continuallyscout fields to identify problemsbefore they get out of hand. Somepest issues can be more easilycontrolled at an early stage whenthey are isolated to one or a fewplants. Sanitation, crop rotation,proper site selection, and fertiliza-tion are essential to reduce thechances of a pest developing todamaging levels.

OMAF and MRA staff areworking on resources to assistgrowers with identification ofthese pests. Information on pestsof culinary herbs along with pho-tos of the significant pests areavailable in the new SPECIALTYCROPportunities module, whichwas made available on the OMAFCrops website in March 2013. Formore assistance with identifica-tion and management of herbpests, growers should contact anOMAF and MRA specialist.

THE GROWER

PAGE 18 –– APRIL 2013

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Pests enjoy culinary herbs too!

Four-lined plant bugs and damage on lemon balm

Initial symptoms of basil downymildew

Japanese beetles on basil Septoria leaf spot on parsley

THE GROWERAPRIL 2013 –– PAGE 19

VEG FOCUS

New resource for specialty crop growers

SEAN WESTERVELD, EVANELFORD, MELANIE FILOTASAND JIM TODD, OMAF ANDMRA

Growers in Ontario have anew resource to help choose andgrow a wide range of specialtycrops. The resource, called“SPECIALTY CROPportunities,”will be launched on the OMAFwebsite this month.

There are literally hundreds ofspecialty crops that can be grownin Ontario including culinary andmedicinal herbs, specialty/ethnicvegetables, specialty fruits andnuts, specialty grains andoilseeds, and industrial crops.Due to limited research and expe-rience with many of these crops,there has been very little writteninformation available to Ontariogrowers looking for a new crop togrow. The research that has beenconducted on these crops inOntario has often been forgottenover time without a permanentdatabase to provide those resultsto the public – until now.

Agriculture DevelopmentBranch staff along withUniversity of Guelph colleagues,assembled a team of researchersfrom the University of Guelph,Agriculture and Agri-FoodCanada, Erie Innovation andCommercialization, and VinelandResearch and Innovation Centreto pull together all of the avail-able research on specialty cropsand provide a single resource forgrowers. Initially the resourceincludes specific information on

100 specialty crops,which will be expandedover the next few years.

Growers looking forinformation pertaining toa specific crop can usethe crop category selec-tion or alphabetical croplist to locate a profile onthat crop. Each profilesummarizes backgroundinformation on the crop,its growth habit, andspecific agronomicinformation such asplant spacing, fertility,irrigation, soil type, har-vest, and storagerequirements. It alsoincludes information onpests of that crop, suchas a listing of existingand potential pests,notes on potential pestimpacts, and how to findmore information onpest management.Finally, the profile lists anyresearch projects conducted onthat crop in Ontario and other ref-erences used to create the profile.

If growers are unsure of whatthey want to grow, they can usethe Crop Selection Tool to narrowthe list of specialty crops to thosespecifically suited to their prefer-ences and growing conditions.The selection tool asks four ques-tions and the end result is a listingof crops that match the selectioncriteria along with an indicationof labour, irrigation and special-ized equipment requirements.Crops not included in the listcould still be grown, but may

require some additional site modi-fications. Just because a crop canbe grown, doesn’t mean there is amarket for it. Growers still needto find a market before growingany specialty crop.

The resource also includes a

wealth of general information onspecialty crops including crop fer-tility, pest management, on-farmresearch, business planning andmarketing, food safety, and anintroduction to organic crop pro-duction. A particular challenge

for specialty crop growers is alack of fertility recommendations.The resource provides suggestedapproaches for fertilizing cropswhen there are no recommenda-tions. Another challenge is pestmanagement, since it is oftenunknown what will attack thecrop and how to control thosepests. The resource discusses inte-grated pest management, providesinformation on the major types ofinsects and diseases, providesalternative managementapproaches, and discusses how todetermine which products are reg-istered for use on the crop.

The resource will be availableon the OMAF Crops page atwww.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/ listed under “specialtycrops.” We encourage growers tocontact us if they have sugges-tions for new crops to include inthe resource or have informationto add from their experiencesgrowing and selling any of thespecialty crops. Contact informa-tion is provided in the resource.

This project was funded byAgri-Food and Rural Link, a pro-gram of the OMAFRA/Universityof Guelph Partnership.

Manage cover crops tostop wind this spring ANNE VERHALLEN, OMAFAND MRA SOILMANAGEMENT SPECIALIST– HORTICULTURE

If it is April, it is going to bewindy in Ontario. Last spring wesaw a lot of soil changing fields.Cover crops can help to stop that.The key is to keep the soil cov-ered as long as possible and tobreak up the sweep of the windacross a field.

Leave cover crops intact – thatis undisturbed by tillage as longas possible, particularly if thecover crop winter killed. Thatresidue is quite fragile and easilydestroyed. If the cover crop isstill living, certainly use a burnoffherbicide to kill or start a slowkill of a cover crop but leave thesoil undisturbed as long as youcan to prevent soil from moving.

Consider strip tillage – striptillage creates tillage zones forthe emerging seeds or youngtransplants while leaving the restof the inter-row area undisturbed.This can be the best of bothworlds – great ground cover forwind protection and the benefits

of tillage in the early crop rootzone. As an added bonus, theresidue in the inter row can helpto retard weed growth and pre-serve soil moisture. Michiganresearch has shown that this prac-tice can help to preserve moistureand moderate soil temperaturesmid summer by two to fivedegrees or more.

Create wind strips – selective-ly till or burn off existing covercrop to create wind strips in field.They will reduce the sweep ofwind across the field while allow-ing normal tillage and planting inbetween. Research in Ontario hasshown a one to two degree soiland air temperature advantage inthese areas in early spring.

Get planting – if you havesome time i.e. six weeks beforeplanting your main crop, you dohave time to fit in a short seasoncover crop such as oats, barley,oilseed radish, mustard or otherfast growing cover crops. Theycan be no-till seeded to avoid dis-turbing the soil any more thannecessary. Caution: consider howand when to terminate the covercrop and any pest implications.

DuPont Canada briefs industry on new insecticide

KAREN DAVIDSON

DuPont Canada is expectingthe registration of cyantraniliproleto be known by the trade nameCyazypyr in the near future.According to Priscila Vansetti,director, DuPont Canada’s cropprotection business, there will bethree new insecticides launchedwith this active ingredient:Benevia, Exirel and Verimark.

In a technical briefing toindustry key influencers, BillyAnnan, global technical lead,explained that this new insecticide controls a wide spectrum of pests: whiteflies,leafminers, fruit flies, beetles,weevils, psyllids, thrips andaphids.

“It’s the second active ingredi-ent in the anthranilic diamideclass, and the first to control across-spectrum of chewing andsucking pests,” explained Annan.Used early in the season, thisinsecticide protects the youngseedlings from insect feedingdamage, helping the crop get ahealthy start so it can reach itsfull yield potential. The mortalityof affected insects is observed

typically within four to sevendays after exposure to the product. This is a new mode ofaction to kill sucking pests, whichmay be responsible for some pest-transmitted plant diseases.

The product is selective forbeneficial arthropods and is there-fore a strong fit for integratedpest management programs.Canada and the U.S. are the firstOECD countries expected to register this insecticide with moreregistrations expected globally in2013 and 2014.

Benevia

Used in potatoes, Benevia as afoliar treatment controls chewingand sucking pests such asColorado potato beetle, Europeancorn borer and potato aphid. Itcontrols group 4, neonicotinoid-resistant Colorado potato beetle.

Exirel

Used in bushberries, pome andstone fruit, tree nuts as well asbulb, leafy, brassica, fruiting andcucurbit vegetables, Exirel showsrapid cessation of insect feedingby preventing muscle contraction

at the cellular level. It controlspests at all life stages due to itsovi-larvicidal, larvicidal and adulticidal activity. However,optimal control is achieved at theegg hatch or young larval stages.

The pest list is broad: applemaggot, blueberry gall midge,blueberry maggot, cabbage looper, cherry fruit fly, codlingmoth, Colorado potato beetle,]cutworms, diamondback moth,European sawfly, European cornborer, green peach aphid, import-ed cabbage worm, Japanese

beetle, leafrollers, Oriental fruitmoth, plum curculio, rosy appleaphid, spotted tentiform leafmin-er, Swede midge, thrips, westerncherry fruit fly, western tentiformleafminer and white appleleafhopper.

This product provides a newmode of action for thrips andsucking insects with no cross-resistance to other chemistries.

Verimark

Used as an in-furrow and seed

treatment for potatoes and soilapplications for vegetables,Verimark protects tenderseedlings from feeding damage. Ithas fast root uptake throughtranslocation as well as systemicmovement in the plant for resid-ual control. This product controlscabbage looper, Colorado potatobeetle, diamondback moth,imported cabbage worm, potatoflea beetle and Swede midge.This product provides a newmode of action for soil-appliedColorado potato beetle control.

Managing black root rotin strawberries

JIM CHAPUT, OMAF ANDMRA, PROVINCIAL MINORUSE COORDINATOR,GUELPH

The Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof a minor use registration forScholar 203SC fungicide (flu-dioxonil) for suppression of blackroot rot (Rhizoctonia) on straw-berries in Canada. SCHOLAR®230SC was already registered onpome fruit, stone fruit, ginsengand sweet potatoes for control ofa number of important diseases.

Black root rot has been a dev-astating new disease of strawber-ries in Canada in recent years.

For suppression of black rootrot of strawberry Scholar 230SCcan be applied at a rate of 1.2 Lper hectare (6.5 mL per 100metres of row) applied as a

drench or high volume foliarapplication. Consult label for spe-cific details. On new strawberryplantings apply within one weekof transplanting when plants havethree to five leaves unfolded andapply a second application whenplants are setting axillary buds.On established plantings apply inthe spring when new leavesemerge and apply a second appli-cation after renovation. Up to twoapplications per season can beapplied and do not apply withinone day of harvest of strawber-ries.

For copies of the new minoruse label contact Pam Fisher,OMAFRA Berry CropsSpecialist, Simcoe (519) 426-2238, Mike Celetti, PlantPathologist, Horticulture Crops,OMAFRA, Guelph (519) 824-4120 ext. 58910 or visitwww.syngenta.com

THE GROWER

PAGE 20 –– MARCH 2013

MINOR USE

Whitefly Thrips Aphids

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 21

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Movento® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

THE GROWER

PAGE 22 –– APRIL 2013

A long time back, (it seemsjust like yesterday to me) therewas a difference betweenHorticulture and the Grains andOilseeds sectors when it came totheir priority for pesticides. G&Owanted price competition,(because they were getting all thenew pesticides they needed any-way) and Hort. needed access tonew technology (MinorUses/Tech Gap), so pricing camesecond on their list.

Times have changed!The price competition for pes-

ticides had faltered from 1977(when the border was closed tothe movement of pesticides) untilthe original OUI (Own UseImport) program was put in placecirca 1991. It became almostmoribund until a massive amountof glyphosate came in under itsprovisions in 2003. The upshot of

this was a new ‘program’ operat-ed (it still is) under a “gentle-men’s” agreement, called theGROU (Grower Own Use) importprogram. There is a plan currentlyunderway to put these provisionsinto law, (since not everyone outthere is a ‘gentleman’!).

The monitoring of pesticideprices between Canada and theU.S. has been carried out for anumber of years, and continues tothis day. For many products, theprices may vary as much betweendealers here as they do there.Inter-country differences that doexist show very few ‘better’prices in Canada, many that areclose, but a goodly number thatare significantly to obscenelyhigher here. Last year an un-weighted average showed a 56%higher price here in Canada!

That is where Horticulturecomes in today. It seems thatmost of these price hits affectHorticulture more than other sec-tors. Furthermore, the Minor Useand Tech Gap issues that domi-nated our agenda in the past,while not all resolved, appear tobe ‘under control,’ so the growerpassion has switched to pricinginequities. In some cases with avengeance!

There are some ‘games’ thatappear to be getting played herethat need revelation. One that hasbeen going on for a long time isto get a new product formulation

registered in the U.S. first, andthen wait for an interminable timebefore getting it here in Canada.Often that new formulation maybe better, safer, easier to use. Itmay allow a lower rate, and maybe cheaper to formulate and thusreduce the growers’ costs. (This isnot usually the case as any sav-ings usually accrue to the regis-trant!) However, while the U.S.producer gets access, (and newMinor Use work there may belimited to the new formulationthus freezing us out of possiblejoint projects) our Canadian pro-ducers only have access to the oldversion. Does that mean we arethe ‘dumping ground’ to use upall the old stuff before reluctantregistration of the new stuff?

Another off-shoot of this (andwe have examples of this) iswhen the old version here hasbeen the basis of a request underGROU for product equivalence,and thus possible importation tolevel the price gap. While theU.S. part of a company stops thesale of the old product there, itmay stay ‘on the books’ but justnot be available for sale. Thisstymies our attempts for price dis-cipline, since the product ownermust be the same both sides ofthe border under the current pro-gram rules, in addition to product‘equivalence.’

The other ‘game’ (almost aspectator sport!) is selling offolder products to third parties.Under the current ‘GROU’ rules,this then precludes the ability toaccess those for consideration inthe program. A conspiracy theo-rist might think all of these aredeliberate. A much more plausi-ble explanation is that these prod-ucts may be at or past their dataprotection deadline, so possiblemarket entry and competitionfrom generics may reduce thegravy train pricing anyway, so thedecision is made to cut these infavour of new actives with alonger ‘bonus price’ structure.

Until the GROU programallows (once again) cross compa-ny product access for importation,all of these products will remainoutside the program.

When the original GROU pro-gram was agreed to, there wasconcern expressed that such‘games’ could happen.

Now they have.Perhaps the program needs ful-

some changes to bring about alevel playing field. It seems thathorticulture producers are gettinga raw deal on some prices. Weare not talking chump changehere: differences of up to 700%can be shown on individual prod-ucts! Maybe the whole legislativepiece needs to be redrafted withsome real teeth.

Here is what I ‘really feel’ onthe issue.

Way back when, it was moreexpensive and it took a longertime to get a pesticide registeredhere. In today’s world, joint regis-trations with the U.S. and globalregistrations are saving registrantsmillions of dollars, and time-frames are less. Data protectionrules here now allow even longerpossible exclusive sales than inthe U.S. Much of the new minoruse work is done here for thecompanies by AAFC. (The com-pany-inspired ones are for themto gain extra data protectiontime.) There is less differencenow in the ‘costs of business’here, so the prices should bemuch more closely aligned.There are even provisions like aNAFTA label that very few haveused, even though it could savethem a lot of money. (Maybe theyjust don’t want to try?)

However, in fact, for manycompanies, the prices are veryclose all the way down their prod-uct lists, and they may have noneor only a single product named tothe GROU lists. I laud these ‘fairtraders.’ Their fairness certainlyhighlights the predatory pricing ofsome others.

Some companies take a differ-ent view- gouge as much as youdare. As an example, a productthat may have been 250% morehere had been ‘awarded’ a 10%price drop and they were amazedthat we appeared to be ‘ungrate-ful.’ (After all, it is now ‘only’225% higher here!)

Horticulture is in a buyer’smarket when we sell our crops,but when it comes to inputs, weare in the seller’s hands. G&Ohave enjoyed better crop priceslately: in fruit we have seen a oneper cent increase in the past 20years, and a loss of 4% for veg-etable returns in the market overthat same time. While G&O donot want to see inflated prices fortheir pesticide inputs, at least theircrop returns can absorb more thancan horticulture. If the net resultof all government programming isto doom us to the losses of mar-ket price, the only room left togain is to lower input costs. Forexample, labour costs are fixed bygovernment rule: the last wagerate increase in Ontario was 28%,but growers have not seen anymarket price adjustment toaccommodate that. Pesticide pric-ing should not be contributing toour inability to compete, or tomake a fair living.

That is what I really think! Ialso believe there will be a lot ofbacklash from some companiesover this. I only ask that theyopen their books on pricing toshow that they are not a part ofthe problem! I would be pleasedto see them!

CRAIG’S COMMENTS

Let’s talk price

CRAIG HUNTEROFVGA

MINOR USE

The Pest Management RegulatoryAgency (PMRA) recently announced theapproval of several minor use label expan-sions for Callisto 480SC herbicide(mesotrione) for control of weeds onsorghum, pearl millet and flax grown ineastern Canada and rhubarb in Canada.Callisto herbicide was already labeled formanagement of weeds on corn, mesotrione-tolerant soybeans, cranberries, blueberriesand asparagus in Canada.

The minor use project for rhubarb wassponsored by Agriculture & Agri-FoodCanada, Pest Management Centre in 2008in response to priorities identified by pro-ducers in Canada.

The following is provided as a general out-line only. Users should consult the com-plete label before using Callisto 480SCherbicide.

Rhubarb

Callisto herbicide can be used pre-emer-gent to rhubarb at 0.3 L per ha in 200 Lwater per ha. Apply to dormant (prior tospring green-up) rhubarb. Applications ofCallisto to rhubarb that is not dormant willresult in crop injury. Rainfall or irrigationafter herbicide application may alsoincrease the risk of injury to emergingrhubarb. Only one application per year is

permitted and do not harvest rhubarb with-in 42 days of Callisto application. Consultlabel for more details.

Callisto herbicide should be used in anintegrated weed management program andin rotation with other management strate-gies. Follow all other precautions anddirections for use on the Callisto herbicidelabel.

For copies of the new supplementallabel Kristen Callow, OMAFRA, Harrow(519) 738-1232 or visit the SyngentaCanada website at www.syngentafarm.ca/ -Labels/Default2.aspx?&src=syngentaca

Callisto controls weeds in rhubarb

Managing mites on blueberries and hops The Pest Management

Regulatory Agency (PMRA)recently announced the approvalof minor use label expansions forEnvidor SC miticide (spirodi-clofen) for control of two-spottedspider mites on hops and blueber-ry bud mite on blueberries inCanada. Envidor 240 SC miticidewas already labeled in Canada formanagement of mites on pomefruit, stone fruit, tree nuts andgrapes and has a proven record ofefficacy and safety.

The minor use project for hopswas sponsored by the minor useoffice of OMAFRA and submit-ted in 2011 in response to minoruse priorities identified by pro-ducers and extension personnel inCanada. The minor use projectfor blueberries was co-sponsoredby Agriculture & Agri-FoodCanada, Pest Management Centreand the U.S. IR-4 program in2006 in response to prioritiesidentified by producers in boththe U.S. and Canada.

HOPS:

Envidor 240 SC miticide canbe applied as a foliar spray at0.75 litres per hectare for controlof mites. Apply in 500 – 1000 Lwater per ha and consult localexperts for treatment threshold.Use a maximum of one applica-tion per growing season and donot apply within 21 days of har-vest of hops.

BLUEBERRIES:

Envidor 240 SC miticide canbe applied as a foliar spray at 1.3litres per hectare for control ofbud mites. Apply in 100 – 1000L water per ha and consult localexperts for treatment threshold.Use a maximum of one applica-tion per growing season and donot apply within seven days ofharvest of blueberries.

Envidor 240 SC miticideshould be used in an integratedpest management program and inrotation with other managementstrategies. Follow all other pre-cautions and directions for use onthe Envidor 240 SC miticidelabel.

For copies of the new

supplemental label for hops con-tact Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA,

Simcoe (519) 426-4434, for blue-berries contact Pam Fisher,

OMAFRA, Simcoe (519) 426-2238 or visit the Bayer

CropScience website athttp://www.bayercropscience.ca

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE 23

MINOR USE

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 24 –– APRIL 2013

TM

Sure, let’s compareapples to apples.

BayerCropScience.ca/LunaTranquility or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.Always read and follow label directions. Luna Tranquility™ is a trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

Learn more at BayerCropScience.ca/LunaTranquility

You want the best for your apples. And so do we. Introducing Luna Tranquility™, an outstanding new fungicide fromBayer CropScience. Spray it preventatively throughout your orchard for complete control of both apple scab andpowdery mildew. Benefit from multiple modes of action, including both a unique Group 7 and proven Group 9 fungicides.Your apples deserve the best. And so do you.

C

KAREN DAVIDSON

Research funds are flowing to a numberof Ontario commodity groups this springso that they can better understand how tomanage and conserve water. In fact,$381,000 have been award to horticultural-related projects according to Bruce Kelly,Farm & Food Care, coordinator of theWater Resource Adaptation andManagement Initiative (WRAMI).

The timing of the joint Canada-Ontarioinvestment is welcomed after a droughty2012 Ontario season that challenged allfruit and vegetable growers. The GrapeGrowers of Ontario (GGO), for example,organized an irrigation committee lastAugust, inviting apple and tender fruitgrowers to the table.

“Some growers don’t have access towater, but could benefit from a whole farmwater management plan,” explains DebbieZimmerman, CEO, GGO.

That’s why GGO considers their$70,000 grant a perfect opportunity todevelop best management practices for irri-gating grapes, some of which are situatedon vulnerable landscapes near the GreatLakes. As Mary Jane Combe, GGO marketanalyst explains, irrigation for deep-rootedgrapes has often been viewed as an emer-gency management tool, but has become anincreased priority due to climate changeand a more rigorous water permit process.

Whole-farm water management andefficient irrigation use first requires anunderstanding of how irrigation is beingused, sources of water, methods of deliv-ery, current water usage, outflow or run-off, and strategies currently employed byviticulturists. The research project willassess efficiency of vineyard water usethrough the installation of water flowmeters on different farms and soil types.Comparisons will be made between over-head and trickle systems.

Growers will be specifically looking atthe research results on efficiency, accuracy,

cost and user-friendliness of various typesof soil moisture sensors. This information,combined with a survey on irrigationsources, will develop a more refined under-standing of how to conserve water, reduceoperating costs and assess future needs. The Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’Marketing Board will be working in tan-dem with grape growers on soil moisturemonitoring devices as well, with $22,000in funding. The peach industry will alsoreceive a boost with $31,000 in funding toJohn Zandstra, University of Guelph’sRidgetown Campus, who will investigateuse of ground covers and remote soil mois-ture monitoring equipment to maximize

water use efficiency. The Ontario potato industry, spanning

38,000 acres, has high demand for irriga-tion. Funding for two projects, worth$95,000, will drill down into specifics ofvariable rate irrigation and technology-dri-ven models for strategic water manage-ment.

“Showcasing variable rate irrigationtechnologies is something new for us,”says Don Brubacher, general manager,Ontario Potato Board. Growers commonlyuse centre pivot irrigation, but a variablerate system could allow them to applywater according to soil types that varyacross a field. The idea is to take soil sam-

ples and then to calibrate variable rates ofwater according to the need. Sandy soilsneed more water, for instance, than loamysoils. That project will be demonstratednorth of Allison, Ontario this summer.

“Water is such a valuable resource,”says Brubacher. “We don’t want to usemore than we need.”

Inside hydroponic greenhouses, con-serving water is equally important. In a$27,000 project, the Ontario GreenhouseVegetable Growers (OGVG) will be look-ing at precision fertigation, according toJustine Taylor, OGVG environmental pro-jects specialist.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE B1

APRIL 2013 CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION SECTION B

$381,000 is more than a drop in the bucketIRRIGATION

FOCUS: IRRIGATIONMARKETPLACE

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Potato growers depend on irrigation for much of the 38,000 acres grown in Ontario. Photo courtesy Ontario Potato Board.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Many Ontario greenhouse vegetables aregrown hydroponically in inert media andare fed the nutrients they need to grow in asolution through drip irrigation.

Typically, a 25 per cent over fertigationis applied to the crop to maintain the idealnutrient and water content around the rootzone. Excess nutrient feedwater is capturedin troughs, treated, balanced and

recirculated back to the crop.Taylor explains that the nutrient feed-

water is tested every one or two weeks andtherefore only infrequentadjustments are made to correctly balance thedepleted nutrients. Thisdelay can result in anoversupply or undersupply of specificnutrients causing adecrease in productivity

and limiting the usefulness of the nutrientfeedwater. In this study, nutrient analysiswill be conducted onsite using rapid FTIRspectroscopy. Using this feedback system,instant adjustments can be made to theinput nutrient feedwater to ensure all elements are correctly balanced, reducingany fertilizer waste and tailoring feed watercomponents to the plant’s needs.

At the University of Windsor, BulentMutus will be investigating biopolymer/biofilters to remove nutrients and micronutrients in greenhouse wastewaster.

That project grant is $66,000. Finally, a $70,000 project conducted by

Ann Huber will evaluate pathogen removalby DE nitrification bioreactors and constructed wetlands in an Ontario demon-stration to promote water reuse and goodwater management.

Water is the lifeblood of the horticultureindustry. Stay tuned as these WRAMI-funded projects progress this summer.

THE GROWER

PAGE B2 –– APRIL 2013

FOCUS: IRRIGATION

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from 140 mtr to 650 mtr • No soil compaction

Raised troughs are used to collect and recirculate nutrient feedwater.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Shortt, OMAF

THE GROWERAPRIL 2013 –– PAGE B3

Ontario is providing grants tohelp communities protect andrestore the Great Lakes and St.

Lawrence River Basin. The GreatLakes Guardian Community Fundis issuing grants for projects that

take place within Lake Erie, LakeHuron, Lake Ontario, LakeSuperior, the St. Lawrence River,

the Ottawa River, their connect-ing channels, and their water-sheds. Examples of projects thatcould qualify include:• Planting trees to restore streambanks• Protecting and restoring sensi-tive and degraded natural habitatsby managing the flow of stormwater runoff• Protecting traditional harvestingareas from invasive species byusing traditional ecologicalknowledge

Grants of up to $25,000 areavailable with smaller projectsencouraged. Applications forfunding will be accepted untilApril 26, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.E.D.T.

Information on the fund,including the application guide,form, frequently asked questionsand 2012 grant recipients, isavailable at www.ontario.ca/GreatLakesFund.

Teleconferences and webinarsare scheduled to learn more aboutthe fund and the applicationprocess. These information ses-sions will take place at 1:00 p.m.E.D.T on April 10 and April 18.For more details about the fund orto sign up for an information session email GreatLakesFund@ontario.ca or call 416-325-4000,toll-free 1-800-565-4923.

FOCUS: IRRIGATION

Apply for Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund

KAREN DAVIDSON

Ontario’s greenhouse growers are inch-ing closer to changes that would regulatenutrient feedwater under the agricultureministry’s Nutrient Management Act. Theterm ‘nutrient feedwater’ refers to thehydroponic nutrient solution that can nolonger be recirculated in the greenhouse,but that still has significant fertilizer valuefor field crops.

The proposed regulations are postedunder the province’s environmental andregulatory registries for public commentuntil mid-April. Concurrently, a series ofpublic meetings are being held inLeamington, Niagara and Toronto for fur-ther input.

“From our reading of the proposed areasof regulation, it’s fairly close to what weproposed,” says Don Taylor, chair, OntarioGreenhouse Vegetable Growers. “Eachfarmer will develop farm-specific nutrientmanagement strategies and plans for the

production, storage, transportation and utilization of nutrient feedwater, similar towhat is done by livestock farmers formanure.”

Feedwater samples from greenhouseshave been analysed showing that they

contain adequate levels of plant nutrients tomake their use in growing field crops aviable economic proposition. The study hasalso determined that all areas of green-house production in the province have adequate production of field crops in

reasonable proximity to allow for the useof the nutrients.

Once finalized, the regulations will provide detail on such things as requiredstorage, application limits based upon soiltype and receptor crop, and permissibledates of application, in a similar mannerthat current regulations do for livestockmanure.

If enacted, the new regulations will bepreferable to the costly environmentalcompliance approvals under the environ-ment ministry which viewed feedwater aspart of an industrial disposal issue ratherutilizing it for agricultural production. Thecurrent schedule of legislative and regulatory changes aims to finalize word-ing in time for approval later this year.

Scientific studies are underway to measure the nutrient status of washwater inpotato and other vegetable farms. Pendingthose results, it’s too early to predictwhether washwater may be regulated underthe Nutrient Management Act as well.

OMAF proposes regulations for utilizing greenhouse ‘nutrient feedwater ’ for agricultural crops

CALL ABE FIRSTFOR BETTER PRICES, MORE

CHOICES, FAST, AND FRIENDLY SERVICE. BUY A DIESEL ENGINE

PUMP UNIT FROM THE DIESEL MECHANIC.

NEW IRRIGATION PUMPUNITS ON TRAILER

• Cummin 4 cyl, 80 HP• Cummin 4 cyl turbo, 105 HP • John Deere, 4 cyl, 80 HP• Cummin 6 cyl, 165 HP-5.9L• Iveco/Cummins, 4cyl, 105HP • Iveco/Cummins, 6cyl, 173HP

Etc., Etc.

Rovatti PumpsBerkeley Pumps, etc.

And many more new or used up to 550 HP.

We build them all big or small.Also couplers, hoses, clamps, forsuction, camlock, ringlock, bauer

etc.

A. KOOLMEESR.R. 1, Otterville, ON N0J 1R0

(519) 879-6878 Fax: (519) 879-6319

This system is typical of greenhouses in the Leamington Ontario area, where nutrientfeedwater is recirculated.

KAREN DAVIDSON

Weather InnovationsIncorporated (WIN), a companythat provides weather-based advisories for agriculture, has avery extensive rainfall data base.WIN put together an Ontario mapseries for the summer of 2012based on the cyclical droughtyperiods. Ian Nichols, president,explains that three of these mapsgraphically show the regional differences in weather patterns.Key areas of horticultural interesthave been circled.

It is particularly interestingthat areas A & B, Essex-Kent andNiagara did not get much relieffrom extremely dry conditionsduring early and mid June whenmuch of the province was gettingsome relief. Norfolk(C) andPrince Edward County (D) didget some relief, but with sandysoils and the bone-dry conditionsin Norfolk county, the soil moisture situation was equallychallenging if not worse.

Also the Grand Bend (E) andHolland (F) Marsh areas had significant droughty conditionswith a bit of relief in that mid toearly June period. The impactdepends on crop and crop stagewhen the rains stop, but for mostof the horticultural areas, 2012

was a very busy irrigation season. Are these maps predictive for

2013? Not really, but last year’sexperience has persuaded manygrowers to consider additionalmonitoring and keeping on top ofthe soil moisture situation.

As the above spread graphdemonstrates in a potato field, thesensor produces the blue line at a10 cm depth. It’s clear thatbetween July 23 and 24th, the soilis very dry. The potatoes areworking hard, taking water from a40 cm depth. If fertilizer is available only in the top 30 cm,the plant is not getting the nutri-ents it needs. The concept appliesto tree fruit farmers who wantshallow roots to take up fertilizer.

On the 25th, a 30-minute rainfall of 11.8 mm wets the topprofile of the soil. “Look at theblue line,” says Nichols.“Hallelujah, the plant is startingto drink water from the upper soilprofile. The plant doesn't have towork quite as hard and the soilnutrients are more predominant inthat zone.”

On the 26th, there’s anotherlong soaking rain wetting theentire soil profile. But by the31st, the rainshower has onlymoistened the top 10 cm of soiland at the rate of water consump-tion that you can observe, this

will be used up in about two days.After that, the potato plants willbe getting thirsty again.

“Without knowing the soil

holding capacity or anythingabout the potato plants, this graphwould indicate it’s time to irrigate,” says Nichols. “In less

than five days, the plant has gonefrom surfeit to the beginning ofstress. In this case, a picture isworth a million dollars.”

THE GROWER

PAGE B4 –– APRIL 2013

FOCUS: IRRIGATION

Monitoring soil moisture reveals depth of water needs

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

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

The 'AQUA Wetland System' is operated out of doorsand can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of waste-water. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetlandconsists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically from cell 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 EnvironmentalCompliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of 'smallflow' winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals includeHealth Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include:1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett's Apple and Cider in Ancaster2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm

Winery in Niagara3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking waterFor additional information please Contact LloydRozema at: cell. 905-327-4571email. lrozema@aqua-tt.com

Images courtesy of Weather Innovations Incorporated

KAREN DAVIDSON

Two years ago, water qualityengineer Rebecca Shortt was fortunate enough to attend aweek-long course in California onmobile irrigation laboratories, astandardized approach to measuring the distribution unifor-mity (DU) of an irrigation system.The specialist with the OntarioMinistry of Agriculture and Foodis now exploring whether the con-cept is transferable.

The assessment requires ahalf-day to run an irrigation system, measuring pressures,water volume and diagnosingwhether there’s a good distribu-tion pattern. The goal is to ensurethat the irrigation system is delivering the same amount ofwater to every plant; this is calledgood distribution uniformity(DU). Ensuring each plant getsthe same amount of water meansyou don’t have to over irrigate inone area just to ensure all plantsget the minimum water theyrequire. By assessing and improving the DU you can optimize the use of fuel, labourand water. Part of the assessment

judges whether fuel costs are inline with the amount of water distributed.

With a standardized approachto measuring DU, now producerscan track the effect of improve-ments made to their systems oroperating procedures. For exam-ple, DU can be improved byincreasing sprinkler or gun

overlap. The system assessmentwill measure how much the DU isimproved and this allows the producer to understand whetherthis management change is costeffective (considering both capitaland operational costs). Also producers can compare the DU ofdifferent systems. Drip and centre pivots have the potential to

provide the greatest DU. Howeverevery system’s DU can beassessed and improved.

In a test case in California, afarmer knew his system wasn’tworking properly due to hisstressed nursery trees. Water pressures were low and the pumpdidn’t seem to be working proper-ly. The problem was traced to asupplier who did not build thepump properly. Using theCalifornia troubleshooting format,Shortt looked at two drip irrigation systems and one sprin-kler system in Ontario in 2011:strawberries and beets. In 2012,her colleagues from Agricultureand Agri Food Canada looked at centre pivots in potatoes.

In the case of the drip system,the line was clogging and the distribution uniformity was below

average. Maintenance wasrequired to flush the line. Witholder systems, Shortt says thatcomponents wear out, emittersand lines clog and pumps may notbe working up to par.Troubleshooting isolates thecause. Perhaps something as simple as a new nozzle set willsolve the problem.

This year, Shortt plans to domore assessments but can’t ser-vice every grower. Her test casein California was an irrigationsystem covering 278 acres.“There are issues of scale,” shewarns. “There needs to be caution in bringing these ideas tosmaller operations.” Measuringand then improving dstributionuniformity makes sense. It optimizes irrigation costs andwater use.

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE B5

FOCUS: IRRIGATION

How well does your irrigation system work?

3211 - 8th Line Bradford, ON

L3Z 2A5Ph: 905-960-0033sales@agriveg.cawww.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, TTT warranty. Call for price.- 2 row Spudnick potato harvester, $30,000.- 4 row mechanical transplanter with water tank, $3,500.- Lockwood 5000 4 row, windrower, field ready, $20,000.- 4 row Lockwood pick planter, $4,500.- 12-row Agricola vegetable seeder. Call for details.- Grimme GB1700 potato harvester. Call for details.- Grimme DL1500 2-row windrower, $8,000.- Better Built seed cutter with 3 cut and duster, $7,500.- 6 row Lockwood pick planter, [parting out].

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR OURFULL LISTING OF USED EQUIPMENT!

Photos courtesy of Rebecca Shortt

THE GROWER

PAGE B6 –– APRIL 2013

Water conserved through booms on center pivots FOCUS: IRRIGATION

KAREN DAVIDSON

Idaho’s potato country may have someuseful lessons for Canadian growers whenit comes to saving irrigation water. Theidea is to widen the footprint of the irriga-

tion system in such a way that the waterhas time to absorb into the soil. For medi-um-textured or heavy clay soils that tend toform a crust, this spray pattern is particu-larly beneficial in preventing run-off.

The system was profiled at lastJanuary’s Idaho Irrigation Equipment

Show. Jon Johnston, owner of IrrigationAccessories Company, explained that thesystem started with carrot growers. InCalifornia, they had a germination problemwith carrot seeds that must be planted shal-lowly yet are washed away before estab-lishment. Not only did the gentler spraypattern solve the germination issues, butthe growers noticed savings in water. Thatdiscovery led to the booms that can beused on onions, sweet corn and potatoes.

Howard Neibling, an extension watermanagement engineer with the Universityof Idaho, confirms that spreading the waterapplication is a more important factor thandrop size or sprinkler type. The goal is notto have a peak water application rate but apeak infiltration rate. Water doesn’t doany good if there’s run-off.

“I’m aiming for more robust plants that

will be forgiving of one- or two-day spikesin temperature,” says Neibling. “A veryshallow root zone won’t help the plants.”

“This system is feasible and a good ideaon heavier ground,” comments Ontariopotato grower, Homer Vander Zaag. “Ihave seen them installed on a few pivotsaround here. But primarily used on sodfields to help keep the wheel tracks dry. Itreally is a function of soil infiltration ratesbeing matched to the nozzle design beingused.”

Adopting this technology will be basedon factors such as soil texture and econom-ics, concludes Ontario potato specialistEugenia Banks.

Ontario growers plan ahead for water shortages A pilot project to determine the best

way to manage limited water supplies during a drought has been undertaken bythe Innisfil Creek Water Users Association(ICWUA) in partnership with theNottawasaga Valley ConservationAuthority (NVCA).

"Drought has serious impacts on theecosystem and agricultural production,"says the NVCA's Hydrogeologist, RyanPost. "When we encounter a low water situation it has to be managed carefully toensure that protecting the natural

environment is balanced with the need foragricultural and other products that dependon irrigation."

The project will be undertaken using thebest water management science, includinga 3D model that simulates various wateruse and water shortage scenarios. Theresults will be used to develop a droughtmanagement plan for the Innisfil Creekarea and will have the potential to beapplied to other subwatersheds across theprovince.

The plan will also help inform decisions

made under the Ontario Low WaterResponse program. This program is managed by the provincial government andcomes into play whenever a serious lowwater situation occurs. The plan will makerecommendations on how water might bebest allocated and how water requirementsshould be prioritized during periods ofdrought.

The Innisfil Creek area in south SimcoeCounty is noted for its vast agriculturalfields and exceptional crop production ofpotato, sod, carrots and onions, which

require an extensive irrigation network.This area has also experienced periods ofsevere drought, which impacted agricultural production, ecosystem healthand the local economy.

Pipe& Fittings

for Water Systems• PVC, ABS, Poly, Copper

• Stainless, Brass, SteelProduct Lines

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

Winona Concrete & Pipe Products Ltd.

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

info@WinonaConcrete.com

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

or call toll-free

1-800-361-8515

Courtesy Howard Neibling, extension water management engineer, University of Idaho.

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE B7

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

AUCTION

FARM CLEARING AUCTIONSaturday April 20 - 10 a.m.

(Preview Friday 12 – 4)

For Stratford - Anderson Ginseng Ltd.

Located: 45 King Street North (old 24 HWY) Oakland.Approx 8 miles south of Brantford

Consisting – 17 farm tractors, 50 - 125 h.p. - Case 680 I.L.B., 3forklifts - 3 trucks, irrigation pipes and pumps - Ginseng plantingand harvesting equipment - 3 P.T.H. P.M.T. Mini - Tile Plow -

Stone windrower and picker - good line of tillage farm equipment -J.D. riding mowers - shop equipment - Good selection of

miscellaneous equipment.

(This is a full auction, most items have been shedded)For full list of photos check www.auctionsfind.com/mccartney.

Terms - cash - cheque, interac, visa day of auction.

Jim McCartney Auction Service Ltd.905-689-8778 Waterdown

Auction SaleOf

Green houses, vegetable equipment & related items, tractors, farm machinery and miscellaneous items,to be held at 169 Katherine St. North bordering Winterbourne, for Jesse Gingrich, on

Saturday, April 6th @ 9:30 a.m.

GREENHOUSES: 117 X 137ft. – 5 bay “Gutter Connect” greenhouse with steel frames, fans, work tables & dripsystem for hanging baskets – good condition. Note – Drip system selling separately. 3 – 20 X 48ft. steel framedgreenhouses with fans & work tables. Boiler Smith 3.3 million btu natural gas steam boiler.

VEGETABLE RELATED: Stanhay 4 row 3ph belt planter with Grandy insecticide boxes. Planet Junior 3 row 3phplanter. RJ 4 row transplanter. Asalift 3ph root harvester. Rain-Flo 2550 plastic mulch layer with auto Ro-Trak– excellent. Rain-Flo 1600 “Series 2” water wheel transplanter. CHE 80in. 3ph roto tiller. Wilsey 30in. 3ph ptopotato digger. 250 gal pto pull type sprayer with 32ft. single boom with hyd. lift (up to 7ft.). Large hyd. drive hosereel with quantity of 1 1/2, 2, 3, & 4in. lay flat hose (hose selling separately). Rovatti 4in. pto pump. Bauer irriga-tion wheel with 3 1/2in. X 1100ft. hose. Irrigation gun on wheels. “Air Blast” sprayer. Challenger 1800 plasticlifter. 24ft. tandem steel flat bed trailer with pick-aids – good. Soil mixer/flat filler with motors. Drum vegetablewasher. Easy Grade 48WW produce washer/brusher. BCS 948 – 32in. rear tine tiller with Honda engine.Electric and hyd. conveyors. 8 X 12ft. platform scale (10,000 lb.). 4 large greenhouse fans. Hyd. plastic rollwinder (loader attachment). Ground cover & drip system (for approx. 10,000 “moms”). 3 rolls shade cloth (20X 125ft.). 25ft. tube conveyor on wheels. 30 plus greenhouse carts. Irrigation fittings. Row cover wires. Rollsof plastic row cover.

MACHINERY: CIH MX110 – 4wd open station diesel tractor with creeper & duals. JD 5210 diesel tractor with“collarshift”. Landini Atlantis 70 – 4wd diesel tractor with creeper, 1500 hrs. Farmall 140 tractor with scuffler.Note – All tractors in good running order. NH 782 harvester with pickup. JD 2600 – 5 furrow semi-mountplow. CIH 800 Cyclo air 4 row corn planter with Market cross auger, insecticides & monitor. NH 316 balerwith thrower. 2 new 24ft. steel racks on Horst 10 ton wagons with safety rails for people moving (easily con-vertible). 3 - 18ft. steel bale thrower racks on wagons. MISC. ITEMS: 5 – 48ft. highway storage trailers (1 insu-lated). 2 – 40ft. highway trailer frames.

Note – Partial list only!! No reserves. Loading of purchased items is available. See www.auctionsfind.com/gerberfor photos & complete list. Proprietor and auctioneers not responsible for accidents day of sale. Lunch booth.

Terms – Cash or cheque with I.D.Proprietor – Jesse Gingrich 519-664-3826 (days) 664-3501 (evenings)

Auctioneers – Gerber Auctions Ltd. 519-699-4451 or 698=01382827 Hutchison Rd., R#1 Millbank (Crosshill)

FOOD SAFETY

IRRIGATION

BLUEBERRIES

THE GROWER

PAGE B8 –– APRIL 2013

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

EQUIPMENT

DON ARTHUR ORCHARD EQUIPMENT(519) 599-3058 donarthur3@gmail.com Clarksburg, ON

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

Turbo-Mist 600 gal, Used 3 Yrs, Like New , Myers Pump . . . . . . $16,800Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Used 3 Yrs, Centrifugal, Mint Cond . . . . . . . COMINGTurbo-Mist 500 gal, Diaphram Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,500Turbo-Mist 500 gal, Tall Stainless Steel Spray Tower . . . . . . . . . $11,500Turbo-Mist 400 gal, Electric Controls, Split Boom, Low Hours. . . .$8,500 Turbo-Mist 500 gal, New Myers Centrifugal Pump . . . . . . . . . . . COMING John Bean/FMC 500 gal, Stainless Steel, Piston Pump, A-1. . . . . $6,900 Hardi 3 P.H., 400 Litre, Exc Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,500 Perfect KG220 H.D. Flail Mower, New Hammers . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,900 Perfect Heavy Duty Brush Mulchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN STOCKSeppi Flail Mowers for Grass & PruningsNew Holland TN95F 90H.P., Cab, 4 x 4, 2200 HRS . . . . . . . . . . $22,500

PARTS AND SERVICE 7 DAYS/WEEK IN SEASONTRADES, CONSIGNMENTS, LEASING, DELIVERY ANYWHERE

WANTED NOW: CLEAN USED

SPRAYER TRADES Made inCanada

ALL STAINLESS STEEL

WARWICKORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD.

R.R. #8 Watford, Ontario N0M 2S0Tel: (519) 849-6730 Toll free: 877-550-7412

Fax: (519) 849-6731 Email: warwickorchards@brktel.on.ca

Munckhof Orchard SprayersVotex Shredders and MowersOrchard Equipment and SuppliesPruning Tools

• VEGETABLE SEEDERS

Planet Jr. Gaspardo Cole

• CASH CROP PLANTERS

Conventional – Pneumatic (Air)

• FERTILIZER ATTACHMENTS

(SideDressers)

• ROW CROP WEEDERS, ETC.

• DISC HILLERS

• SPECIALIZED ROW CROP EQUIPMENTCultivator Steels, Sweeps, Hoes, Furrowers,Hillers, Etc.

JOHN C. GRAHAM CO. LTD.DISTRIBUTORS

88 Erie Street North • P.O. Box 13Leamington, Ontario • N8H 3W1

Tel:(519) 326-5051 Fax: (519) 326-0480

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

• Johnson Carrot Bedder,6row, updated heavy duty T-box an driveshafts, extrahanger bearings, assistwheels.• Monosem PrecisionVacuum Seeder 3-pt ultra narrow twin row 12 units, c/w carrot, onion, and redbeetplates.• Univerco Onion Harvesterand Lifter, low acres.• Onion grading line and sizing chains.• Guarasi Tomato Harvester,self propelled, electronic sort.• Wooden tote boxes,approx. 400.• Irrigation pumps, pto driven.

All equipment stored insideand in excellent condition.Contact: billvink@kent.net

or call 519-809-0485Can send pictures

and more info.

FOR SALE • 5 bin orchard bin carrier,single large tires, hydraulicremote outlets $2,750. obo. • Mechanical mid-size nurserytransplanter for planting bareroot nursery rootstocks,blueberries, raspberries etc.two chains 12" and 15",$2,500. obo.

Call Casper 519-670-1830 or

519-773-5635 Aylmer, ON

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE B9

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

CONTAINERS

LOUTH & NIAGARA ORCHARDSP.O. Box 43 • Virgil, Ontario • L0S 1T0 • 905-468-3297

4000 Jordan Road • Jordan Station, ON • 905-562-8825

Supplying Fruit and Vegetable Growers with:

• Baskets • Berry Boxes• Masters • Waxed Cartons• Fertilizer • Crop Protection Material• Vineyard Trellis Supplies

P: 519-326-8200 F: 1-888-567-1297www.madleyglobal.com

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

Vacuum Coolers, Refrigerated Dehumidifiers.KOOLJET®

Reliable Refrigeration Systems

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

Custom Built Designs • Domestic and International Markets

REFRIGERATION

We buy plastic!

Mel Tech buys plasticand can recycle all

your industrialwaste.

Food production containers, pails, barrels, unused plasticpellets and bins.

Contact:James Burns519-682 2900info@meltechplastics.com

VEGETABLE SEED

Oriental Vegetable Seeds

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

seed@agrohaitai.com• www.AgroHaitai.com

Super Mama

Spring WhiteKorea Green - F1

Imperial Jade

REAL ESTATE

FOR SALE – Farm Equipment:-RJ Transplanter, with 1000 galtank, set-up for any spacing forup-to 9 units (included)-Ramsay Vegetable Harvest Aid,can be used for various crops,was used for broccoli, 11 bunch-ing machines included.-Kneverland airseeder, with 9twin row units, very good condi-tion, plates and spare partsincluded.-Pik Rite 190 Tomato Harvester,fully loaded, well maintained,high capacity machine- Front mounting platform har-vest aid, used for broccoli/cauli-flower etc. Pictures available via email.Contact ryan@serkka.com or(519) 809-0615

Soil sled bedder, Kennco style,3pth, markers, plastic lined,shapes a 4-6” bed, 35” wide inpreparation of mulch laying,$1250. Vegetable washer, 18"wide with 4' receiving belt,medium brushes, spongeabsorber, variable speed. Bestoffer. Jacobs greenhouse walk-way, $4 per foot. Wooden binsslatted for aeration, 44” x 40” x27”, $45. Rotating packing table,6 ft., $975. Call 519-768-1590 orrgrow@rogers.com

CLASSIFIEDS

PAGE B10 –– APRIL 2012

THE GROWER

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

NURSERY AND ROOTSTOCK

Howard A. ColcucNursery Manager

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

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

howardcolcuc@rogers.com

SPECIALIZING IN FRUITTREES & GRAPE VINES &

ELDERBERRIES. VARIETY AND PRICE LISTAVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Alpine

Nurseries

(Niagara) Limited

STRAWBERRY PLANTS***CERTIFIED***

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

Nova Scotia Certification Program. Shipping across North America.

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

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

ph. 902-678-7519 fax: 902-678-5924Email: sales@gwallennursery.com www.gwallennursery.com

KEDDYC.O.

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

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

Contact us for a FREE brochure!

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

Email: keddynursery@xcountry.tv

ASPARAGUS ROOTSJersey Giant

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

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

ORCHARD SUPPLIES

ASPARAGUSCROWNS

Available for Spring 2013Millennium

Mary WashingtonSweet Purple

Sandy Shore Farms Ltd.(519) 875-3382

www.sandyshorefarms.caken@sandyshore.ca

Secure the varieties youneed for 2013 and

2014 planting.Call now for quality:Apple, Pear and

Peach trees.

WARWICKORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD

7056 Egremont Rd. R.R. #8Watford, Ontario

N0M 2S0warwickorchards@brktel.on.ca

Tel: (519) 849-6730Toll free: 877-550-7412

Fax: (519) 849-6731

Wholesale cedar forest products• Small orchard posts • Fence posts & poles

• Cedar landscaping mulchRoger Hayes 519-534-2067Wiarton, ON cell: 519-373-1891

THE GROWER

APRIL 2013 –– PAGE B11

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

Strawberry &Raspberry

Plants

Strawberry &Raspberry

PlantsEstablished 1939

yyrrwberwberStraStraStrrawberryy &y &y &rrRaspberRaspber

PlantsPlantsRRaspberr

Pllantsyyrrry

NURSERY AND ROOTSTOCK

TOP QUALITY VEGETABLE, HERB AND STRAWBERRY PLUG TRANSPLANTSCERTIFIED ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL PLANTS AVAILABLE

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

THE ONLY LICENSED COMMERCIAL PROPAGATOR IN ONTARIO SELLING STRAWBERRY PLUG TRANSPLANTS

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

CONTACT US NOW TO RESERVE SPACE FOR YOUR 2013 CROP NEEDS

CARTHER PLANTS “MAXIMIZING YOUR PROFIT POTENTIAL”30627 Jane Rd., RR5 Thamesville, ON N0P 2K0Office 519.695.5445 Cell 519.359.2130Fax 519. 695.5452 scarther@ciaccess.com

Licensed by the University of California. Not recognized under the guidelinesof the Ontario Plant Propagation program due to origin of stock.

H RAF RO CA

YD F TIUR TRNAIDANA C IL

SEERSETAMI

F RO CA

NAIDANA C IL

SETAMI

PEACH & NECTARINE TREES

Still available for Spring 2013:Harrow Diamond, Harrow Dawn, Garnet Beauty,

Harrow Fair, Redhaven, Allstar, Harblaze, Fantasia

1903 RD 5E Ruthven ON N0P 2G0Phone: 519-326-9330 • Fax: 519-326-3083

gwfarm@wavedirect.net

Scott-Whaley Nurseries

Farm equipment for sale:- 6 row mechanical plug trans-planter, frame, shade andadjustable $4500 OBO.- 2 rainflow single unit plasticmulch planters $1000 each.- 2 row flame thrower for organ-ic crop weed maintenance $750.Call (519) 429-1183 or email bcknight2001@yahoo.com

For sale: 2003 Williams 2head/four row fully automatictransplanter. Comes with 1200plug trays (338s). Please call(519) 446-2277 for more info.

Custom vacuum cooling avail-able in Scotland. We can coolleafy greens, broccoli, mush-rooms and some berries. Call(519) 446-2277 for more info.

For sale: 917H Ford flail moweroffset 92” cut, $1000. Asparagusroot digger, $500. 5000 usedBlackmore cell trays, $500.Phone (519) 586-2159

For Sale: TurboMist sprayer, 400gal, Turbo steer, excellent condition. IH140 tractor w/cultivator and side dresser. Bothalways stored inside. (905) 765-2027

2001 SFM Samson bush berry harvester,excellent shape,wellmaintained, low hrs, $50,000 orobo. Call (403) 886-4120 or (403) 396-9262

CLASSIFIEDADS

1-866-898-8488x 221

CLASSIFIEDS

MAY 2013 AD DEADLINE: APRIL 15

THE GROWER

PAGE B12 –– APRIL 2013

A SWEEPING STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS.

DuPont™

Altacor®

DuPont™ Altacor® insecticide delivers long-lasting insect control in blueberries, caneberries, grapes, pome

and stone fruits and tree nuts. Say goodbye to oblique-banded leafroller, codling moth, grape berry moth,

climbing cutworm, oriental fruit moth and others. Powered by Rynaxypyr®, Altacor® sweeps away these

damaging pests, with minimal impact on bees and beneficials to protect your high-yielding, high-quality crops.

Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit altacor.dupont.ca

As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, Altacor® and Rynaxypyr® are registered trademarks or trademarks of

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada.

© Copyright 2013 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.