President Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com
PuBLicAtioN MAiL AgReeMeNt #40065710
RetuRN uNDeLiVeRABLe cANADiAN
ADDReSSeS to ciRcuLAtioN DePt., P.o. Box 530, SiMcoe, oN N3Y 4N5 e-mail: subscribe@fruitandveggie.com
Fruit & Vegetable Magazine is published six times a year January/ February, March, April, May, october, November/December by Annex Publishing & Printing inc., P.o. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, oN N3Y 4N5
Occasionally, Fruit & Vegetable Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.
April – that wonderful month full of promise. Spring is finally here and it’s time to put to work all that information and knowledge that has been gathered and shared over the winter months during grower group annual meetings and commodity conventions.
The willingness to share and help one another with production issues is the aspect of Canada’s fruit and vegetable industry that I most admire and respect. In business, not everyone is willing to offer a helping hand, but in agriculture, assistance is never withheld or withdrawn.
Case in point: during the recent 2013 Ontario Berry Growers’ Association’s annual meeting held in Niagara Falls, Ont., I listened with great interest as Nate Nourse, sales director with Nourse Farms of Whatley, Mass., shared his family’s experiences managing spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in their strawberry and raspberry plantings.
Dear Editor,
“This isn’t a friendly topic; it’s not a fun topic,” he admitted. “But we’re dealing with it head on and it’s been working. Ninetynine per cent of the science we’ve seen is helping us. It’s what [has] helped us make a strategy. We’ve been paying attention to this pest since we found out about it in 2009. We knew it was coming. It was just a matter of when. Once it’s here, it’s not go ing away.”
Nourse willingly shared his operation’s strategy and philosophy on dealing with SWD, mapping out picking and spraying timetables to other growers, based on the fruit being managed. He shared the learning moments experienced on the farm over the past few seasons and urged other growers not to make the same mistakes they made.
I have some serious trouble with the article by yourself, Margaret Land re: Hive density: Are you getting enough pollination? (March 2013, pg. 8) It is stated that some blueberry varieties had a fruit set deficit of 10 per cent and that deficit translates into a loss of just less than 4,000 lbs per acre or the equivalent of approximately $6,000.00 per acre. In my calculations that would mean that the production level per acre, if 10 per cent loss is 4,000 lbs, that full production is at 40,000 lbs per acre and a value of $60,000 per acre. I have yet to talk with anyone in the industry that can claim a blueberry production rate of 40,000 lbs per acre or a gross income of $60,000 per acre.
I think there is some serious error in how the data is interpreted or that the writer is not interpreting the information properly. Please revisit this information and provide more realistic and accurate data.
Sincerely,
Erich Schulz
Bear Hill Blueberry Farm Victoria, BC
In light of Mr. Schulz’s concerns, copies of the article in question were forwarded to Dr. Elle and Lindsay Button for review and comment. The following is the response from Dr. Elle.
Hello Marg,
We’ve reviewed your article, and you did capture the main points of what we presented. In the presentation, we explained things like which calculations included fruit number only, or additionally included weight, and some of these details got lost in your translation.
“The first year we found [SWD], we deviated one week from the pick schedule and every fruit was unmarketable when we went to pick it,” he said. “Letting fruit go for longer than that third day, you’re going to see a lot more first and second instars. The fourth day, they’re going to be loaded up pretty good. You’ve got to be very careful.”
Growing and producing in an information vacuum is almost impossible, especially when dealing with a community pest like SWD, which doesn’t respect line fences or surveyed boundaries. It’s only by sharing experiences and working together that Canada’s fruit and vegetable industry grows stronger.
Keep up the good work and have a safe and prosperous 2013 season. ❦
@FruitVeggieMag
The 10 per cent (for Bluecrop) and 5 per cent (for Duke) pollination deficit was based on reduction in fruit number. However, when we did our economic analysis, we also included additional information on weight – as it is weight, rather than berry number, that a grower is compensated for. We compared open pollinated groups of flowers to flowers that we additionally pollinated by hand. Adding pollen increased fruit number by 5 to 10 per cent, depending on cultivar. It also increased fruit weight – because berries with more seeds (the result of pollination and fertilization) are heavier. When we include weight as well as number, the deficit is even higher –close to 22 per cent for Bluecrop and 12 per cent for Duke.
Regarding the total lbs/acre and dollars earned – Mr. Schulz is correct that we have no fields with yields of 40,000 lbs/acre – that would be an amazing yield. But, the values as presented are correct. On average, the Bluecrop fields we studied have yields of approximately 16,000 lbs/acre. This is certainly close to the industry average, as was communicated to us by the (B.C. Ministry of Agriculture). Our analysis indicates that yields could increase to 20,000 lbs/acre on these fields, using on-field measures of bush size, fruit number per bush, and our estimates of the pollination deficit including both fruit number and fruit weight. I am rounding the numbers, of course, but increasing yield by 4,000 lbs/acre in this instance is an increase of over 20 per cent (close to 25 per cent) from the current average of 16,000 lbs/acre of our study sites.
I hope that helps.
Best, Elizabeth Elle
Burn baby burn
How important is cane burning in raspberry yield and cane management?
By Margaret Land
Tim Miller knows all about square pegs.
The horticultural weed scientist from Washington State University likens his job to taking “the square peg of herbicides that were developed for soybeans, corn, cotton, and wheat, and hammering it into the round hole that is berries,” he said.
“Sometimes they do fit and sometimes they don’t. There’s a lot of square pegs that we’re trying to fit and hopefully some of those will end up in that round hole as a registration.”
Miller recently discussed cane burning in raspberry production and weed management at the Lower Mainland Horticultural Improvement Association (LMHIA) grower short course, held during the 2013 Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford, B.C. He was involved in a three-year research trial that examined the practice in large-scale commercial production fields in Washington State.
“What brought this to a head is we did a trial down in Vancouver, Wash., and we didn’t see a statistical response in yield,” Miller said. “Over three years, we didn’t see any of the cane-burning products statistically making a difference in yield.”
Cane burning came into fashion in raspberry production during the late 1970s and early 1980s to burn off firstyear primocanes as a way of increasing yield, controlling cane blight, cleaning up the raspberry canopy, providing an opportunity for cane pruning and training plus providing some short-term weed control, he explained.
But according to Miller, much has changed in raspberry production since that time, including a shift away from growing the very vigorous cultivar Latham and the use of the herbicide dinoseb, which ceased production in the mid-1980s.
“I got the idea that maybe we want to test [this] because we are using different herbicides and we’re using different cultivars,” he said. “Let’s see whether we currently see that benefit that we used to see
Washington State University weed scientist Tim Miller examined how important cane burning is for modern-day raspberry production.
[with cane burning].”
For the three-year trial, Miller used small research plots of Meeker and Cascade Bounty based at a Washington state research station plus large plots of Meeker, Coho and Cascade Bounty in commercial, farmerowned fields.
“We wanted to look at herbicides on commercial fields because we use small plots, and small plots, if you sneeze wrong, the yield can change,” said Miller. “We wanted to get a sense in commercial fields, using grower equipment, whether we see this response or not.”
The trial involved several treatments, including cane-burning products Aim or Goal alone, Aim or Goal in combination with the residual herbicide Sinbar, Sinbar alone, and an untreated check.
In 2010, the trial was based on two farm sites near Bow, Wash., involving fields of Meeker and Coho, explained
Miller, adding that for the final two years of the trial, the Coho field was dropped and a planting of Cascade Bounty near Lynden, Wash., was added instead.
“We wanted to [use] this different cultivar – a fairly recently developed cultivar – and see whether we got that the same response,” he said.
The commercial-scale plots studied were at least 100 metres long and received all of the different treatments.
The second trial using the small plots examined side-by-side plantings of Meeker and Cascade Bounty. These plots were used only to examine the cane-burning product treatments of Aim or Goal alone plus an untreated check.
According to the recorded results, only one plot – the commercial-scale planting of Meeker – showed a statistical difference in yield from the different treatments, including cane burning.
The wait is over.
NEW multi-site fungicide with a broad range of labeled diseases.
Virtually dust free formulation.
Combines readily with dormant oil sprays.
GranuFlo® T offers proven, economical control of a broad range of diseases. It’s a dry formulation that is virtually dust free, safe on beneficials, compatible with other fungicides and combines readily with dormant oil sprays to offer growers more flexibility. And less waiting.
Registered crops
Apples
Strawberries
Peaches
Plums
Celery
Sweet potatoes
For more information on GranuFlo T please contact Engage Agro 1-866-613-3336 engageagro com
“[They all] statistically increased yield, including just Sinbar alone,” said Miller. “Based on this … cane burning did pay off for us. If you’re growing Meeker, there’s probably no reason to expect a difference in the way that plant responds [to cane burning], at least up in this part of the country.”
For the Coho farm-based plot “we did not see a statistical difference in the single year,” said Miller. “Numerically, these different treatments did increase yield but, statistically, we didn’t see that response. In other words, there’s enough variability in that data that we’re unsure to say the difference was due to the herbicide treatment. Cane burning may or may not help but with Coho, we did not see a yield response.”
For the farm-based Cascade Bounty plot, no statistical difference in yield between the different treatments was observed in either year, said Miller.
“In fact given the tightness of [this data], we didn’t really see much, even a numerical difference on these,” he added.
The trend continued in the small-scale research plots. While there were numerical differences in yield between the different cane-burning treatments in both Cascade Bounty and Meeker, there was no statistical difference on either variety in any of the years and the three-year average still did not have a statistical response, said Miller.
“The three-year average of just yield between the two varieties –not taking into account cane burning at all – did show that Meeker’s average (yield) was higher than Cascade Bounty,” he said. “Cascade Bounty just didn’t yield quite as well as Meeker but in light of the herbicide we were using for cane burning, we did not see a statistical response.”
What about weed control in the different research plots examined?
Miller explained that the individual plot treatments were kept the same each year: same plot, same treatment.
“So after three years, we’ve had three cycles with these applications,” he said.
The cane-burning treatments that also included an application of Sinbar showed no statistical difference in any year and not much difference year to year.
“In other words, Sinbar has done a pretty good job of weed control,” said Miller. “If we had Sinbar in the mix, it really didn’t matter. Sinbar took care of things.”
But in the treatments that received just cane-burning products alone, a statistical response was observed that Aim and Goal were not doing as good a job at weed control as they had been when mixed with Sinbar.
“No big surprise there,” said Miller, adding that the product applications were done in April and the weed control was recorded in August. “You wouldn’t expect it to last very long and that’s exactly what we saw.”
When examined year-to-year-to-year, the results showed that weed control by the cane-burning products applied on their own went down. By 2012, Goal was providing only 18 per cent weed control.
“We had a lot of chickweed,” said Miller. “Is that a big factor on yield? It probably wouldn’t affect it too much.”
But he added that by the end of the three years, “the plots were definitely not doing as well” as they had been at the beginning of the trial.
When it came to cane pruning and training, cane burning played a significant role in the first year of treatments on Meeker, said Miller.
“With Meeker, we saw an increase in pruning time if we didn’t use cane burning or, if you prefer, a decrease in pruning time if we did cane burning,” he said. “This is what you would expect –you’re not going to have some of those primocanes, it’s going to take less time to do the pruning and training in the dormant season because you’ve done that cane burning.”
But in both years of treatments on Cascade Bounty, and in subsequent treatments on Meeker, no statistical difference was observed in the amount of time needed for pruning and training.
“It took just as long, cane burned or not, with Meeker, and it took just as long, cane burned or not, with Cascade Bounty,” said Miller.
So, what’s a grower to do?
“If you’re growing Meeker, I’d say situation normal, drive on, thank you very much,” said Miller. “With Coho and Cascade Bounty, you may want to think about it. Is [cane burning] really doing what you hope it will be doing with those other cultivars, particularly the newer cultivars that may have a different growth action?”
He added that if a grower plans to do cane burning, they will have to use residual herbicide to get the weed control.
“You’d probably get by with just a year or two of just cane burning but by that third year, you’ll have really fallen off on that weed control,” he said.
“Am I saying don’t cane burn? No, I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that if you’re doing something just because you’re used to doing something with other cultivars, you might want to evaluate a row or two just to see if you do have that same response.” ❦
Weed scientist Tim Miller used commercial-scale, on-farm raspberry plots located in Bow and Lynden, Wash., for part of his research project.
Learn more at
You want the best for your apples. And so do we. Introducing Luna Tranquility™, an outstanding new fungicide from Bayer CropScience. Spray it preventatively throughout your orchard for complete control of both apple scab and powdery 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.
Spotted wing drosophila
The B.C. berry experience
By Margaret Land
When it comes to spotted wing drosophila (SWD), flies plus ripe fruit equals risk.
That is what B.C. Ministry of Agriculture representatives are using to explain to their growers how to help balance the risk associated with the newly emerging fruit pest.
Tracy Hueppelheuser, an entomologist with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, recently spoke to members of the Ontario Berry Growers’ Association (OBGA) about SWD and the management steps being taken by fruit growers on the West Coast to control the pest. Key management areas included monitoring, hedgerow management, spray timing, sanitation and harvest.
“The objective is to incorporate chemical and non-chemical approaches to break the life cycle, keeping them from completing a generation, preventing hosts for egg laying, and preventing breeding and feeding sites,” explained Hueppelheuser.
Monitoring
In B.C., scouts and researchers use small cup traps baited with apple cider vinegar to monitor for SWD.
“You want something that works easy,
is fast for the scouts to handle and is easy to count flies in,” said Hueppelheuser, adding that many researchers are currently working on developing the perfect SWD monitoring trap. “We don’t want to catch all the flies out there. We just want to look at the curves and how the numbers change over time. This works for us and we’ve been using it since 2009 when we first had the fly.”
Trapping occurs year round in the province with peaks and valleys of insect pressure occurring at somewhat regular intervals, particularly in the later months of the year. According to Hueppelheuser, current models show B.C. experiences about four generations of SWD per year.
“We don’t have winter that knocks them out the same as you,” she said.
Besides checking the field traps, growers also monitor for SWD in harvested fruit using incubation bins and larval float methods. With the incubation bins, growers put a sample of harvested fruit into a sealed plastic bin and leave it for several weeks. They can then pop the lid and count the hatched flies.
“It’s not really practical for growers and packers but it is good for research,”
said Hueppelheuser.
With the float method, which is used by most berry packinghouses in the coastal B.C. area, the fruit is put into a plastic bin and a salt or sugar solution is added. The fruit and solution are swished around and stirred up, then left for five to 15 minutes. The larvae pop up to the top and growers count the larvae and know what the infestation level is.
“It’s really important that you have enough sugar or salt in there,” advised Hueppelheuser. “Don’t skimp on the sugar or the salt. We like salt because it’s cheaper, less messy and it’s easier to work with.”
This particular monitoring method works well on blueberries and raspberries but is less effective on strawberries, she added.
While research on insect pressure and monitoring is ongoing, Hueppelheuser said, data so far shows a direct correlation between trap catches and fruit infestation.
“Though we don’t exactly know all the ins and outs of what the trap numbers tell us, I can say with certainty, if you have a lot of flies in your traps, you will have fruit damage,” she said. “Drops [in
Cull piles such as this are a thing of the past in B.C. Even in Ontario, agriculture officials are urging growers to clean up cull piles within 24 hours.
Photo courtesy of OMAFRA
insect trap catches] happen when there isn’t much fruit left in the field.”
Hedgerow management
When SWD isn’t in the fruit fields of B.C., it can usually be found in nearby non-crop hosts, including hedgerow vegetation. Research to date has found more than 15 wild and non-crop plants that are positive for SWD infestations. The most attractive wild plant for the fruit pest is Himalayan blackberry.
“What we’re saying to our growers is manage non-crop hosts when reasonable to do so,” said Hueppelheuser. “If you’ve got a big bush full of wild fruit behind your property, obviously you’re not going to be able to manage that. But if you have a hedgerow of invasive blackberries, maybe you can manage that.”
She explained the best way to manage hedgerows is through pruning.
“We don’t spray hedgerows. I don’t believe there’s any insecticides actually registered for that,” Hueppelheuser said. “If you prune to prevent flowering … make it so they don’t produce fruit, then you’re going to affect the longevity and the population build up there.”
Spray timing
Crop advisors in B.C. are urging growers in the province to base their sprays on numerous factors, including crop stage, date, pest pressure and weather. The current recommendation in high pressure is spray intervals between seven and 14 days, said Hueppelheuser.
“Your objective with the sprays is to kill the flies before they lay eggs,” she explained. “That’s a tall order, I know, but you cannot control those larvae once they get into the fruit.”
Harvest
Spraying intervals will also have to be managed and timed around harvest, said Hueppelheuser.
“Pick early, pick clean and pick often,” she said, adding that growers shouldn’t be tempted to leave fruit on the plant to ripen. In a research trial using Bluecrop blueberries, which have an optimal picking date of eight to 10 days after colouring, fruit was marked as it started to colour. The fruit was then picked at four, eight, 12 and 16 days after colouring. The picked fruit was then incubated in the bins based on the day it was picked.
The fruit that was picked four days
after it had started to colour showed no SWD infestation. The fruit picked on day eight had a few SWD but numbers were pretty low.
“But once we got to day 12 and day 16, the fruit just got smacked,” said Hueppelheuser. “There was lots of SWD in those late fruit.
“If you think leaving it to hang longer makes it sweeter, that is not the case,” she added. “In the same trial, at day eight, we hit Brix of 12 and then it stayed at 12, eventually moving up to 13 around day 16. You really didn’t gain anything by leaving that fruit hanging there.”
Postharvest treatments, such as freezing, will kill SWD larvae and flies. But refrigeration will not eradicate the pest.
Using late-season Elliot blueberries, samples of nice-looking fruit were placed in refrigeration and kept at 0.5 C for one to five days. According to the results, SWD numbers did decline based on the length of time the sample was kept in refrigeration, resulting in a 75 per cent decrease in SWD numbers from the first sample to the last.
“But refrigeration does not eradicate SWD,” said Hueppelheuser. “You cannot use this tool to completely clean up your fruit.”
Sanitation
The way growers manage cull piles has changed immensely since 2009 when SWD was first discovered in B.C. Even windfalls and dropped fruit in the field needs to be managed.
“The flies will complete their development (in the dropped fruit) and move up into the ripening fruit on the plants,” said Hueppelheuser, adding that growers need to find a way to minimize the amount of fruit left on the ground.
“SWD is very susceptible to dehydration so anything you can do to bring down that humidity in the base of the plants or on the ground, consider doing it.”
She said in some cases, growers are burying culls (needs to be at least four feet down), crushing them or even solarizing the off-spec fruit in clear garbage bags. ❦
An example of a monitoring trap used to catch spotted wing drosophila.
An example of a female spotted wing drosophila.
Photo by Bob Koch, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Atlantic Canada strawberry rookies learn the ropes
Trial and error is how Kent and Cindy Thompson made their first foray into strawberry production – along with some helpful advice from a berry extension specialist.
In 2008, Kent and Cindy decided to return to their rural roots, buying her parents’ farm located near Oxford, N.S.
The couple decided they wanted to grow strawberries. So they bought used equipment, and borrowed or hired any machinery they did not have.
The Thompsons recognized they had a steep learning curve ahead of them, so they contacted berry crop extension specialist John Lewis of Perennia. He advised them to soil sample the farm and then apply compost.
“There is no Welcome Wagon for new entrants,” said Cindy.
With the compost applied and their initial three acres prepared, the couple ordered their first 15,000 plants.
The Thompsons both emphasize it is essential to prepare the soil properly and also to learn how to correctly do all of those important tasks. They say that among other jobs, it’s important to learn about spraying, when
to buy straw for the berry beds, how to pack the harvested fruit, how and when to use frost protection and protect against sun scald, how to scout for and control pests and how to do post-harvest renovation.
Cindy and Kent Thompson returned to their rural roots in 2008, purchasing the family farm in Oxford, N.S. They are now growing strawberries and have established a roadside market.
Since their return to the farm, the Thompsons have embraced strawberry production and shared some of their production practices.
Kent favours the use of close row spacing – 42 inches – for improved yield and better disease control.
Because of their farm’s light, sandy soils,
ABy Dan Woolley
the Thompsons recognized the importance of timely irrigation. Building on their irrigation system, they plan to install an automatic tem perature monitor to trigger the system if frost is imminent.
They use Sinbar and 2,4 D as their herbicides, said Kent.
“We spend a lot of time hand weeding and we spot spray frequently,” he added.
Pre-harvest, the couple monitor diligently for cyclamen mite. Once berry harvest be gins, they employ offshore workers and try to get their picked berries out of the field every hour and into the cooler.
Following harvest in the fall, the Thomp sons till their beds to get rid of the daughter plants.
Cindy recommends growers keep a journal of everything they do in the field.
“We find it helps,” she says.
Kent said operating the berry farm would be impossible without establishing strong partnerships with people like John Lewis.
The Thompsons hope to continue straw berry production this season, providing more roadside sales from the farm market they es tablished in 2012. ❦
Wild blueberry sustainability report
By Dan Woolley
committe was established in 2012 by the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (WBPANS) to investigate the prices growers receive for their berries will continue its probing.
“We can’t change prices … but we can work to inform how prices are set,” says Jeff Orr, chairman of the WBPANS Industry and Sustainability Committee.
His committee also commissioned a cost of production study, which was reviewed over the winter and will be presented at
regional grower workshops in 2013.
Orr says the sustainability committee is also working on best management practices (BMPs) for WBPANS members to help sustain the industry. They are expected to cover whole-farm management, occupational health and safety, on-farm food safety, fuel and herbicide storage plus safe handling, pest management application, record keeping, herbicide use, pest identification, pruning, mowing and liquid fertilizers.
“Best management practices will be an ongoing part of our work,” he says.
The committee will continue to work with the Nova Scotia government on a risk management program for wild blueberry growers, says Orr. The committee was unsuccessful in its lobby of the Crop and Livestock Commission for a crop insurance premium cut.
The committee has already done some work on wildlife damage to blueberry crops and fields.
“We will continue to work on this … to move ahead in a practical way to reduce wildlife damage,” Orr says. ❦
Photo by Dan Woolley
Twenty years of raspberry production equals constant change
The Webster family has been farming in Nova Scotia for eight generations. In the past 20 years of raspberry production, the brothers who currently operate the farm have seen many changes, including the provision of wholesale marketing and you-pick sales.
Nova Scotia berry grower Greg Webster believes that the four main factors influencing berry crop success are variety selection, field management, irrigation technology developments and pest management.
Webster and his two brothers – Chris and Brian – have been involved in raspberry production in Atlantic Canada for the past 20 years. And during that time, they have experienced almost constant change.
In the late 1980s, the brothers’ adventure in raspberry growing started with the planting of a half-acre trial plot of three red, summer fruiting raspberry varieties: Nova, Festival and K81-6. While disease issues eliminated K81-6 from the mix, over time, Nova proved to be a more consistent performer than Festival. In the early 1990s, the Websters decided to focus production exclusively on Nova.
It was a smart move on the part of the Websters. Over the past 20 years, the brothers have experienced a three-fold increase in Nova yield, a change Greg credits to being open to adjusting those four crop inputs – variety, management, irrigation and pest control.
In the beginning, the Websters ran mostly a you-pick operation. Over time, they have shifted toward limited wholesale of berries
packaged in pints and plan to move toward packaging using plastic clamshells.
Production management has also shifted over those 20 years. At the start, the Websters grew raspberries using a T-trellis system with 10-foot spacing. Eventually, they changed to a fixed V-trellis system while orienting their raspberry rows to a north-south direction to give equal sun exposure to both sides of the canes.
The brothers also established windbreaks around their raspberry fields to provide shelter for the berry crops from wind and winter injury. Over time they also changed their raspberry cane density, thinning to a one-foot maximum. The brothers also tip their canes and tie them after thinning. Greg said the farm is moving away from full suppression to a modified biennial system.
Irrigation was initially provided using a high-rise sprinkler system. The system was considered labour intensive so they decided to try overhead water application using hose reels. Not satisfied with disease control and picking access, the Webster brothers switched to trickle tape wire mounted 14 to 16 inches above the ground to permit mowing of the berry rows.
The operation’s plant nutrition program started in the 1990s with a granular fertility
By Dan Woolley
program. In the early 2000s, the Websters switched to a foliar feeding program using Agro K products.
Due to disease pressure, Greg said he would not want to grow berries without fumigation. The Webster brothers also follow an IPM program for the pesticides they use.
“Be careful with pesticides, especially when and how you apply,” said Greg. “The new products are more selective and there are new pests.”
In the early 1990s, the Websters modified their pesticide sprayers and again, 15 years later, modified them to improve their spray coverage. They recently replaced their spray nozzles with a ceramic, hollow-cone model for longer life.
Weather changes have also played a role in raspberry production on the Webster farm. In 2012, the crop experienced ultraviolet scalding four times, which manifested itself in berry colour variability.
“Every year presents a different set of weather issues,” said Greg, adding that food safety issues and weather shifts have also meant a shift to pre-cooling the berries immediately after picking to get them successfully to the retailers.
Also, Employment Insurance rule changes over the years have caused changes to farm labour requirements. Canadian seasonal workers have disappeared on the Webster farm, replaced instead by 24 Mexican migrant labourers.
“We have had to move to offshore labour,” said Greg.
The Websters introduced honeybees to help pollinate their strawberry fields in the mid-1990s. While the rented bees helped solve an irregular pollination and yield problem in the brothers’ Cavendish fields, they also helped out in the raspberry fields.
“I typically bring in 20 hives for both berry crops,” explained Greg, adding he doesn’t typically use bumblebees for pollination. “I am not overly enthusiastic about bumblebees. They are prohibitively expensive, although they work harder in cold, wet weather.” ❦
Temporary foreign workers
Examining impacts of drawing workers from dozens of countries, high Canadian unemployment rates, work permit restrictions and more
By Treena Hein
Participation in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program is very static according to Ken Forth, president of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS), the non-profit organization that oversees SAWP. There are about 27,000 participants annually, with 15,000 in Ontario.
The landscape of the agricultural workforce is changing in Canada, affecting Canadian workers, workers from other countries and employers as well. More than 190,000 temporary foreign workers are employed in Canada each year and about 40,000 of those are in the agricultural sector, says Dr. Kerry Preibisch, a sociologist in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph.
Dr. Preibisch’s look at changes in the Canadian farm labour market over the past decade was recently published in the International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food and one major change she’s noticed relates to how many countries migrant farm workers now hail from.
“People from an increasingly wide range of countries are finding jobs on temporary visas in Canada’s food system due to government policy changes in 2002,” notes Dr. Preibisch.
Back in 1966, Canada instituted the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP), a temporary migration program based on bilateral agreements with 13 different countries, with most from Mexico and Jamaica. Since 2002, however, the government has allowed employers who could demonstrate they face a labour shortage for any low-skilled occupation including
agriculture to hire migrants on temporary visas from anywhere in the world. (This program created in 2002 is called the Pilot Project for Occupations Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training, National Occupational Classification C & D, and was formerly called the Low Skilled Workers Pilot Project.)
Dr. Preibisch notes that by 2008, the Canadian agricultural sector had employed foreign workers from almost 80 countries. And the type of work they are hired for, she observes, has also broadened, from picking bait worms to vaccinating chickens.
However, as unemployment stays high or worsens in some areas of Canada, the question arises as to whether as many temporary migrant workers will be needed in the country’s agricultural sector. Dr. Preibisch asserts that even though unemployment here has risen in some provinces, Canadians avoid many agricultural labour jobs as they are difficult and seasonal.
“Many employers do want to hire Canadians, but migrants can become a preferred source of labour,” she notes. “They also find it hard to retain Canadians in some cases.”
To be able to hire migrant workers, employers currently have to advertise and show they can’t fill the positions with Canadians
Photo by Dan Woolley
Change the way you look at
Only one of these potato seed-pieces is protected from the broadest spectrum of insects and diseases. Only one is safeguarded with two new fungicides. Only one takes fusarium protection to the max — even against resistant strains. And only one is covered with Titan ™ Emesto ™, the rst and only coloured liquid seed-piece treatment. It’s easy to use and even easier to see the difference it makes. And you’ve never seen anything like this before.
Learn more at BayerCropScience.ca/TitanEmesto
(a labour market opinion report), but Dr. Preibisch notes there are ways around this requirement.
“The employer might do limited advertising, and it’s also plausible that some Canadians are hired,” she explains. “But the first day of work is made so hard and unpleasant that they quit, and word spreads.”
Participation in SAWP is very static, says Hamilton-area broccoli grower Ken Forth, president of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS), the non-profit organization that oversees SAWP. There are about 27,000 participants annually, with 15,000 in Ontario. Forth says SAWP does not track demand for labour in different sub-sectors, such as the fruit and vegetable industry.
When asked to comment on the difficulty or ease of the SAWP process for Canadian farmers, Forth says: “It’s fine. That’s speaking for Ontario. We’ve fixed it over 46 years, and it works pretty smoothly. You do have to plan eight to 10 weeks ahead of time, and submit your labour market opinion, which is eight to 10 pages, and then send to Service Canada, and in Ontario, you get it back in one to 10 days. I don’t know how you could call that cumbersome. There are many aspects to the process – there are logistics involved, finding the workers in the other country, and so on.”
FARMS was recently recognized for its contributions to the Ontario horticulture sector, receiving the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) Award of Merit (see article on page 20).
With regard to working conditions, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) dictates that all foreign workers and their employers must sign a contract that (as stated on the HRSDC website) “provides details about the worker’s job and conditions of employment, including the maximum number of hours of work per week, the wage rate for those hours, and the amount of money that will be deducted from the worker’s pay.” The HRSDC website also describes government liaison officers of source countries in Canada who can intervene on a foreign worker’s behalf, and “confirm that workers have acceptable housing, ensure that workers have health insurance and Workers’ Compensation coverage, gather details of worker injuries, collect pay records from employers, approve worker transfers, and consult
with employers who wish to terminate a worker’s contract.”
Dr. Preibisch notes there is a formal role for sending countries in the SAWP, but not so under the new 2002 program (Pilot Project for Occupations Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training, National Occupational Classification C & D), further weakening the protection afforded to migrants.
Permits
Work permits given to temporary foreign agricultural workers are employerspecific (which means a person coming to Canada is permitted to work for only one employer), and Dr. Preibisch notes that in the eyes of many, this is an urgent issue as it accords employers disproportionate power in the employment relationship. She also notes that the ability of Canadian employers to pull from a ballooning number of countries hasn’t had a positive impact on temporary workers in many cases.
“While workers in processing plants are, for the most part, in unionized environments with standardized working conditions, overtime pay and so on,” she says,
“those on farms are more vulnerable.
“Simply put, the increased competition from workers from many other countries puts pressure on people to accept unreasonable working conditions,” Dr. Preibisch says. “If they don’t agree to working longer hours, for example, workers can be threatened with being replaced with those from other places. Many Mexicans are now being replaced with Guatemalan people, not so much because they’ll take less pay, but because Guatemalans are perceived as willing to work longer hours and work harder in comparison.”
While most of Canada’s temporary foreign agricultural workers still come from Mexico, followed by Jamaica, Guatemala is now in third place, Dr. Preibisch notes.
Migrants from many areas of the globe are more desperate than previous groups of workers, she asserts: “They face less political freedom and more marginalization, and are willing to work very hard here.”
In her study, Dr. Preibisch also observes a significant lack of regulation and monitoring of migrant recruitment and employment in Canada.
“This can and does result in abusive
practices by employers, and some conditions which could be considered close to slavery,” she states.
While employment standards are provincial – employees in Ontario, for example, must be given two 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch period within an eight-hour shift – Dr. Preibisch says there needs to be more co-operation between federal and provincial labour agencies to ensure all workers are treated according to legal requirements.
These concerns are echoed by many other academics in a new 2012 book of essays called Legislated Inequality: Temporary Labour Migration in Canada, coedited by University of Ottawa professors Patti T. Lenard and Christine Straehle. In an October article on the CBC news website, Lenard said, “The book clearly documents what had long been suspected: temporary workers in Canada are vulnerable to abuse.”
This vulnerability is due in part, she says, to a condition of temporary labour in Canada that creates systemic inequality: workers “are not permitted to change employers, which means they are denied one of the main ways in which employees can protect their rights.”
With the current employer-specific permits, if an employee wants to leave his or her employer for any reason, Dr. Preibisch says, a process does exist to have the permit applied to another employer, but it is too lengthy to have any impact.
“Therefore, some are calling for sector-specific permits,” she notes. “So workers are able to work at any employer in the sector within the time frame of the work permit.”
However, there is also the perspective among Canadian employers in the agriculture industry and other industries who hire migrant workers that if employers live up to their commitments to their employees, they do not want them leaving for another employer after they have gone through all the hoops and time and effort to bring them here and train them. Speaking with regard to SAWP, Forth does not support the idea of sector-specific permits.
“The worker has responsibilities and so do the employers,” he says. “The employers have the legal responsibility to provide proper housing, a minimum number of hours of work, and so on. The housing is government-inspected and if it fails to meet the standard, the SAWP employer
Are your soil fumigAnts fAcing extinction?
can be kicked out of the program for two years. I have never heard a call for sectorspecific workers from my members, from our government, from the workers or from representative of foreign governments, and I meet with them all the time. It’s not on the table.”
Other trends
High unemployment numbers may mean that more Canadians turn to farm labour jobs. In addition, the Canadian government announced in April 2012 that preparations are being made to link the federal Employment Insurance program to the Temporary Foreign Worker program. This could mean employment insurance benefits could be restricted or denied to people in areas where foreign workers have been hired in the past, thereby encouraging the Canadian workers to take the jobs.
In addition, it could mean that employers in these areas could be denied access to foreign workers. Response from agricultural employers has been mixed; the thought of hiring Canadians to take jobs under duress seems rife with difficulty to some.
Skilled labourers are a different matter. They usually seek to immigrate permanently to Canada instead of applying as temporary workers – tens of thousands do so annually. The huge number of applications has led to a seven-year processing backlog, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada has dealt with this by destroying applications from more than 280,000 people. The $130 million in fees paid by applicants with unopened files is being refunded and they will be able to re-apply under new criteria. However, those who had files that were just about to be processed are upset, and have launched a legal challenge.
The federal government is making other changes with regard to immigrant workers. The Provincial and Territorial Nominee programs will be expanded, allowing provincial/territorial governments to go through current applications and highlight those that match their needs. In addition, the creations of the “Canada Experience Class” will mean that the best and brightest foreign students and skilled workers who already have experience here will no longer have to leave the country in order to apply for permanent residency. Lastly, the federal government is expected to make an announcement soon regarding changes to the immigration point system. ❦
FARMS honoured by OFVGA
The organization that manages the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) has been recognized for its contributions to the Ontario horticulture sector.
The Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Service – commonly known as FARMS – was named the recipient of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) Award of Merit, which was presented at the organization’s annual banquet Jan. 14.
“The service of FARMS to our industry is invaluable and the organization is a very deserving winner of this award,” said Art Smith, CEO of the OFVGA. “Our industry depends very strongly on the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program as our core labour program. Without the work of FARMS, this program wouldn’t be in place and Ontarians would not be able to enjoy many of our great locally grown fruit and vegetable crops.”
In order to ensure fruit and vegetable farms had a steady work force, SAWP was launched in the 1960s when a group of Jamaican workers arrived in Ontario to work on horticulture farms.
In 1987, FARMS was formed to manage the program’s administration. This includes looking after transportation of workers to and from Canada, negotiating their terms and conditions of employment with both the Canadian and host governments, as well as dealing with any other issues that could affect the continued success and longevity of the program. Approximately 20,000 workers come to Canada every year through SAWP and many have been working on the same farm for 20 or 30 years.
“FARMS is a tireless advocate for labour issues in Ontario horticulture, and both farmers and the many thousands of people who come here every year to work depend on their efforts to keep the program going,” said Smith. “If Canada had no workers under SAWP, over one half of the Canadian horticulture market would be lost to imports – and many popular but labour-intensive crops could no longer be grown here.”
The OFVGA Award of Merit is presented annually to an individual or an organization that has made outstanding contributions to the fruit and vegetable industry.
Grapevine red blotch found in red wine grapes
Grapevine red blotch is a newly recognized disease of certain red wine grape varieties and has so far been identified in California, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Canada.
A graft-transmissible DNA virus was consistently associated with the symptoms and has been identified by virologists in New York and California.
The virus was given a proposed name of grapevine red blotch-associated virus (GRBaV). A similar virus originally named grapevine cabernet franc-associated virus has been found in vineyards in New York and Pennsylvania, and an identical virus has been discovered in Canada. A molecular assay is used to detect the virus.
The virus was first identified in Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines grafted on rootstock 101-14 in research plots at UC Davis’ Oakville Station. Symptomatic vines have been found in commercial vineyards planted to varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The canopy symptoms on the infected vines are somewhat similar to those seen with leafroll virus. More importantly, fruit clusters have reduced sugar content, which is also characteristic of leafroll, but no leafroll viruses could be detected in samples sent for laboratory tests. Other symptoms included increased acidity and poor colour development of clusters.
A new grapevine red blotch disease brochure with photographs and additional information about symptoms and diagnosis of grapevine red blotch disease, developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, is available for download.
Ontario farmers can go online for pesticide safety certification
The program that educates and trains Ontario farmers and pesticide vendors in the responsible and safe use of pesticides has gone online.
In the past 25 years, the Ontario Pesticide Education Program has trained more than 21,000 farmers and more than 1,100 pesticide vendors in best management practices for pesticide use. As well, the course has trained 273 certified farmers who now provide on-farm pesticide safety training to their assistants and employees. More than 220
courses are planned for this winter and more than 3,000 farmers will either renew their certification or certify for the first time.
Susan Kelner, program coordinator, says this year farmers have an additional way to certify rather than attending face-to-face, day-long courses. Farmers may take the course and certify online. The first online participants were very satisfied with the new format. One participant noted: “I am very happy to have the pesticide course offered this way. It definitely makes it more accessible to people.”
Much of the success of the program lies with the local instructors. Many of them are farmers who have taught pesticide safety for more than 20 years.
Kelner notes a key course topic this year is how to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds. In Ontario, three weeds have been confirmed resistant to glyphosate: giant ragweed, common ragweed and Canada fleabane.
Environmental protection is another topic that will emphasize ways to protect non-target plants and animals by reducing spray drift.
For a list of online or face-to-face courses available this season, visit www.opep.ca.
BASF Canada, Monsanto Canada working together
BASF Canada and Monsanto Canada have teamed up for a new program that promotes best stewardship practices for improved weed control and sustainable weed management.
Working together with retailers across Eastern Canada, BASF Canada and Monsanto Canada are offering farmers a $1-peracre rebate when Roundup WeatherMAX herbicide is purchased with matching acres of Integrity, Eragon, Marksman or Armezon herbicides.
“Using multiple modes of action is a recommended way to improve the control over higher rates of glyphosate alone, and is a proven way to help delay the development and spread of herbicide resistance,” says Sean Chiki, brand manager for herbicides at BASF Canada. “Adding these new modes of action to your herbicide program is an important step for improved weed control and sustainable weed management.”
As tank-mix partners, Integrity, Eragon, Marksman and Armezon complement Roundup WeatherMAX by providing additional modes of action for weed control.
Together, they can also combat glyphosateresistant weeds such as Canada fleabane, common ragweed and giant ragweed.
“We’re very pleased to be working together to provide farmers with the best solutions for their fields,” says Sean Dilk, weed management technical lead at Monsanto Canada.
“Using a tank-mix partner with Roundup WeatherMAX helps provide control of glyphosate-resistant weeds while offering residual weed control. Tank-mixing multiple modes of action is an important part of sustainable weed management.”
The off-invoice discount is applicable on products sold between Nov. 15, 2012, and June 30, 2013. In addition, farmers are eligible for AgSolutions® Rewards on their Integrity, Eragon, Marksman and Armezon purchases.
For additional information on the program, farmers should contact their local BASF and Roundup brand herbicide retailers.
More Canadian farmers suspect herbicide-resistant weeds
According to a second herbicide resistance poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of BASF Canada Inc. (BASF), more Canadian farmers (63 per cent, up seven points from last poll) believe weeds in their fields are getting tougher to control and more (43 per cent, up six points) suspect they have weeds resistant to herbicides.
The most recent telephone poll includes a sample of 500 farmers in Western and Eastern Canada with minimum acre thresholds. The first poll was conducted in March 2012.
“The needle is moving,” says Joel Johnson, BASF brand manager for Western herbicides. “Resistance is an issue and it is not going away. More and more growers are becoming aware and their perceptions are changing.”
More interestingly, fewer growers indicate using multiple modes of action to combat the problem. Fewer Canadian growers (67 per cent, down 10 points) “strongly agree” that they use herbicides from more than one group to manage their weeds. But more (47 per cent, up seven points) agree glyphosate alone is no longer effective at controlling weeds.
Glyphosate resistance has been most prevalent with the discovery of glyphosateresistant kochia in the Prairies, and Canada fleabane and giant and common ragweed in
Ontario. However, resistant weeds have been a nuisance to control throughout Canada for decades, and continue to rob farmers of yield.
“Rotate your crops and your herbicide chemistry groups, use herbicides with multiple modes of action and use full label use rates whenever possible,” says Johnson. “It is not too late to address resistance with sustainable Canadian farm best practices.”
Full tabular results of both polls are available at www.ipsos.ca.
Outlook for Canadian agriculture sector positive
Three new reports released by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada show a positive outlook for farmers in 2013.
The three reports – the Farm Income Forecast for 2012 and 2013, the Medium Term Outlook, and the Farm Income, Financial Conditions and Government Assistance Data Book 2012 – provide an overview of the financial and market outlook for the sector and offer a benchmark for producers, industry stakeholders, and governments as they plan for the years ahead.
Highlights include:
· The Farm Income Forecast report highlights that farmers are prospering from continued high commodity and livestock prices. The sector will once again report record-high income levels for 2012 and can count on a continued positive outlook for 2013.
· When the final figures are in for 2012, net cash income for the entire sector is expected to rise 14 per cent to $13.1 billion, which is a new record income level, and remain at a near record in 2013 of $12.9 billion.
· While performance varies by sector, the average net operating income for Canadian farms is expected to reach a new record of
$74,190 in 2012, 17 per cent greater than the 2011 level and 50 per cent above the 2007–11 average. The net worth of an average farm is forecast to grow by eight per cent in 2012 to reach $1.8 million.
· Average total income of farm families, which includes family income from all farm and non-farm sources, is projected to reach $127,106 in 2012, eight per cent above 2011 levels.
· Over the medium term, strong global demand, particularly from major emerging economies, will underpin continued strong prices and growth for the sector.
· Assuming normal weather conditions, Canadian grains and oilseeds prices are expected to moderate from 2012 peaks but remain at higher than historical levels over the medium term. While cattle and hog sectors will see modest growth, a strong Canadian dollar and higher feed grain prices will remain challenges going forward.
For more information on this topic, visit www4.agr.gc.ca.
New Products
Case Farmall C tractors
From the feedlot to the pasture, the Case IH Farmall C tractors delivers the power and performance utility tractor owners expect, all in a superior interior environment. Three new utility powerhouses meet the demand for rugged, comfortable and easy-to-operate equipment to get day-to-day jobs done:
· Farmall 85C with 75 PTO HP
· Farmall 95C with 85 PTO HP
· Farmall 105C with 95 PTO HP
The new Farmall C models use Tier 4A-compliant Case IH FPT 4-cylinder 3.4L turbocharged and intercooled engines. Precise electronic metering of fuel delivered with electronic high-pressure common-rail fuel injection provides a more efficient combustion process.
Glow plugs warm the engine prior to a cold-weather start, eliminating the need to use ether for more reliable starting in freezing temperatures.
Proven 12-speed forward, 12-speed reverse transmissions are designed with operator productivity in mind. The three Farmall C units use a synchronized, mechanical shuttle, wet- or dry-clutch transmission. If the application demands it, upgraded transmission options are available.
The newly designed Case Farmall cab includes:
· Easy-to-read instrument cluster tilts with the steering column
· Integrated position for loader joystick
· Remote valves in a more accessible position
With the optional high-visibility roof panel, visibility to the loader and other attachments is unmatched among tractors in this class. The optional instructor seat comfortably allows two adults to be in the cab together. The driver’s seat can be upgraded to air suspension with a 15-degree swivel to make repetitive tasks less monotonous.
The new climate control system includes
an improved HVAC system in the flat-deck floor and has 10 adjustable vents.
For operators who prefer a wide-open platform with zero obstructions, the Farmall C models are also available in ROPS configurations.
Owners can choose between standard factory-installed regular or heavy-duty loaders with either non-self-leveling or mechanical self-leveling 72- or 84-inch Skid Steer style buckets. A standard grille guard is included for added protection. The Farmall C is also available in ROPS/cab and 4WD/2WD configurations.
Tackle loads with the standard 12.5-gpm hydraulic pump. If more flow is needed, upgrade to 16.9 gpm. Up to two rear remotes offer quick connections for a variety of functions requiring hydraulics.
www.caseih.com
Closer registered for potatoes
Potato growers in Canada now have access to Closer, a new insecticide for the control of aphids.
Aphids transmit viruses and can reduce marketable yield. Aphid control is particularly critical in potato seed production where the tolerance for total virus levels is extremely low.
Canada’s regulatory authorities have approved Closer for the control of several important species of aphids in potato crops.
The active ingredient in Closer is Sulfoxaflor, an insecticidal molecule developed from a new class of insecticides called sulfoximines.
Effective at low use rates, Closer is fast acting and provides extended residual control. Closer provides systemic and translaminar activity. The molecule is effective on insect populations resistant to other insecticide classes such as neonicotinoids, organophosphates and pyrethroids and can be a rotational partner with other chemistries.
“Seed potato growers have to be absolutely diligent about controlling aphid populations,” says Jerry Olechowski, marketing manager with Dow AgroSciences, maker of the insecticide. “This novel mode of action provides super-fast knockdown of insect pests. Closer exhibits complex and unique interactions with important
receptors in the insect’s central nervous system different from those observed with neonicotinoids. It exhibits no cross-resistance in insects that are resistant to neonicotinoids, a tremendous advantage for managing resistant populations.”
Ritron PT Series portable radios
PT Series portable radios from Ritron, Inc. can be used for virtually any two-way radio use. Ultra small and lightweight, these ergonomically designed radios are easy to hold and use. They feature narrow frequency channel steps for clearer communication with less interference. Nine programmable function buttons allow the PT series to be customized to particular application requirements. These FCC narrow band compliant radios feature 255 channels with channel scan, priority scan and scan resume functions. Built-in selective signalling alerts the user to priority messaging automatically. Loud one-watt audio output makes the PT radio easy to hear, even in noisy locations.
Weighing 10 ounces, the radios are tested to Mil-STD 810 F for temperature, humidity, shock and vibration, and are IP65 rated for resistance to dust and water. Each PT series radio includes DTMF encode, an Emergency Call Button, status icons, and an alphanumeric LED display. A 13-hour 1,800 mAh li-ion battery pack provides power for shiftplus operations while a low battery alert indicates time to recharge. Each radio includes a spring-action belt clip, flex antenna, longlasting battery, and rapid rate charger. Options include remote speaker mic, ear hook earset and gang chargers.
All PT series radios are compatible with other Ritron products such as Liberty Repeater, radio callboxes, and wireless PA systems so customers can add other radios to the system as their needs grow.
www.ritron.com
NASGA delegates tour NS strawberry nursery grower
Jeff Allen received a mid-August visit from some of his customers.
The 65 delegates of the North America Strawberry Growers Association stopped by the G.W. Allen Nursery in Centreville in the Annapolis Valley on the first day of their two-day visit to Nova Scotia.
The Allen Nursery produces certified nursery growing stock from its southern and northern strawberry and raspberry fields.
The NASGA delegates – from 12 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces – toured Allen’s nursery packing house, which has 6,000 feet of refrigerated storage and his northern variety screen house.
Allen, who took over the nursery nine years ago from his father, Gilbert Allen, told his visitors it is hand-intensive work and off-shore workers are essential. Jamaican workers do most of the harvesting, sorting, packaging and shipping of the certified nursery stock grown under the regulations of the Nova Scotia Strawberry Nursing Stock Program.
Allen explained there is a three-year production cycle for strawberry nursery stock, with the acquisition in the first year of newly bred lead stocks from the Atlantic Food and Horticulture
Research Centre, followed by the foundation year for the growing nursery plants, and in the third year, harvesting of the certified strawberries for growers in Florida, the northern U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
Southern plants harvested throughout September to meet the demand from Florida growers are shipped in October.
“It is a challenge to get the plants to Florida growers when they want them,” said Allen.
After harvest, the the Florida-bound plants are hand-sorted on a table in the packing house. The pickers and sorter on the table remove the mother plants, small plants and vines, and discard them.
The Florida plants are then packed and wrapped in plastic in a box so they will not dehydrate during the trip. The plants are cooled to 2 C and will be shipped within
By Dan Woolley
two days, Allen said.
Northern plants are harvested in November and are then placed in cold storage at 2 C for later shipping. Allen has found that the refrigerated plants grow better for producers.
Before refrigeration, the pickers and sorters remove the leaves of the northern plants, place them in bundles of 25 plants and pack them in plastic or wood boxes, 500 plants to a box.
“We find we have to have an air flow around them at all times,” once they are in storage, Allen explained.
“We try to harvest as many plants as we can in the fall but they have to be dormant before we are able to harvest 100 per cent.”
Once the plant is dormant, it is less susceptible to stress, he said.
“Most years, we can get 50 to 70 per cent off in the fall.”
Any unharvested plants are mulched well in November and harvested next spring, he said.
Florida berries are short-day varieties, while northern strawberries are long-day plants. Florida cultivars are also either developed in that state or California, said Allen.
He added that nursery strawberries should be planted in light soil, so when
they are lifted, their roots will come clear of the soil.
His plantlets come from his own farm or other certified nurseries.
“As a nurseryman, we have to decide three years ahead what to plant,” Allen said.
In 2012, he needed only 50 per cent of the southern cultivar, Treasure, so he ploughed down the rest on its eight-acre plot, noting that he will not grow any more than two acres of any given northern variety.
In 2012, Allen grew three southern varieties on 60 acres, planting Treasure about April 20 for harvesting between Sept. 20 and 25. Southern varieties he has grown over the years include Festival, Radiance, Winter Star, Camino Real and Treasure.
Allen practises a three-year crop rotation, followed by fall rye that he ploughs down as a green manure.
Allen harvests two to three acres of nursery plants every day and then spends five weeks packing for Florida growers, followed by another six weeks for northern producers.
Following their visit to the G.W. Allen Nursery, NASGA delegates stopped at the strawberry nursery of Charles Keddy near Kentville, N.S., for supper. Keddy is a pastpresident of NASGA. ❦
Jeff Allen explains his field management practices to his NASGA visitors.
Photo by Dan Woolley
INTRODUCING CLOSER™ SC INSECTICIDE.
TARGETED APHID CONTROL WITH UNMATCHED SPEED AND EFFECTIVENESS.
With a unique mode of action, pests can’t escape the crosshairs of Closer™ SC insecticide. And not only does it control aphids in vegetable, fruit and potato crops but other sap-feeding insects, as well. Try it and see how quickly Closer SC zeros in on and takes out unwanted pests.
