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Alittle over six years ago, I received a phone call from the manager of an agricultural organization asking me if I would be interested in serving on the group’s board of directors as a representative of the trade businesses that served the organization.
I thought about the request for about two seconds and responded with an enthusiastic yes. Six years later, I’m still enthusiastic about serving that organization, which I have watched grow and blossom over those years.
Unfortunately, as with all structured organizations, board policies must be followed, and this month I step down as the representative of the trade businesses. I will miss serving and sharing with the many board members I have met and worked with over the years. I have learned much in my tenure and I hope I have provided the group with some form of service in return.
The entire experience has made me realize just how short six years has become for a middle-aged codger like myself. I can remember as a 10-year-old bemoaning the chasm of six years that echoed between myself and possession of a driver’s licence, or as a 13-year-old watching the slow shuffle of time as I waited to turn 19 so I could have a real pina colada.
Now, six years seems as long as a short nap. Six years ago, I had a precocious five-year-old daughter and adorable two-year-old son; now I have a tyrannical tween and a video-obsessed lump. In the past six years, I have buried a beloved fourlegged companion, a cherished pet horse, a couple of cats and numerous guinea pigs (don’t ask). I have helped put 6,000 bales of hay in the barn and shovelled tons of manure. I have read at least 500 books (that’s my rough estimate, I won’t list them here), completed half of an honours degree in journalism (part-time) and edited and published about 100 magazines – encompassing several different titles and subject matters. I have changed my cell phone style three times but not my carrier.
In the past six years, I have washed, dried and folded hundreds of loads of laundry; scrubbed the same plates, cups, pots, pans and cutlery thousands of times; plus vacuumed, swept and scrubbed the same sections of carpet, hardwood and tile ad nauseam. In the past six years, my husband and I have still not agreed on what colour to paint our bedroom, have the same cheap faux-leather couch (great
Preparing for an audit – Do you have what it takes?
By Colleen Haskins
The short answer is: “Yes, you do.”
Knowing what it takes, however, may be a bit more challenging.
Whether you are considering implementing an on-farm food safety program, or know you will be participating in a third- party audit, there are some key things you should do, to help navigate and assist you with this process.
1. Know your food safety program. Obtain the corresponding manual and checklist.
Six years
for cleaning up spills and baby spit-up), and haven’t replaced the ugly carpet in our family room (it came with the house when we bought it 13-years ago!).
In the past six years, I know I’ve drank WAY TOO MANY cans of Coke – be it diet, regular or cherry-flavoured – and ingested WAY TOO MUCH food. I’ve put at least 200,000 kilometres on two different mini-vans, taken more than 40,000 digital photos, and travelled to California, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, British Columbia, Nebraska, Michigan, Florida, New York, Illinois, Alberta, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Idaho plus almost every square mile of Ontario – all on business.
That six years has flown by and except for the drudgery work, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Well, maybe there were about 45 minutes in there that weren’t stellar… or maybe a day or 10. Anyway, the six years I have spent working with the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association’s board of directors have been a pleasure. And I will miss it very much. All the best, guys, and I’ll see you at the annual meetings.❦
2. Ensure all areas of the program are complete. Write your procedures and records.
3. Prepare and organize required information. Properly train workers and keep organized records.
4. Have product traceability. Practise a mock recall and keep documentation.
5. Annually review your food safety program and practices. Review, update and sign off on program documentation. If the above items are still leaving you with questions on how you start to implement a food safety program or prepare for an audit, contact OMAFRA at 1-877-424-1300 or visit www.ontario.ca/goodagpractices for more information and food safety resources.
Ron Gerold, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) sector development and analysis directorate, believes Canada’s apple-growing community can learn something from the nation’s potato growers.
He told the apple working group of the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC), which met this past summer in Greenwich, N.S., that the federal government is willing to help growers enhance their apple value chain.
According to Gerold, the AAFC arranged a meeting between potato producers and retailers in the spring of 2011 to establish a potato working group composed of the Canadian Potato Council, Costco, Sobeys, and Loblaws. The working group’s mandate is to identify and address challenges and steps to improve the value chain for potatoes through better communications and increased competitiveness.
He said the new potato working group identified three opportunities: increasing the effectiveness of value chain communications, increasing the availability of information on markets and consumers, and influencing governmental policies and legislative changes.
Gerold believes what the potato working group has already done has potential for other commodities, including apples, and says the AAFC has a new domestic branding initiative that has a mandate to spend $3-million over the next three years.
A subcommittee has already been set up within the potato working group, he said, to develop options for growers, share insights on consumers, host field days, promote market information sharing, and to develop positions on and proposed modifications to grading regulations and health legislation. The next step, Gerold continued, will be to include other major retailers in the potato working group, develop an action plan for the working group’s priorities and hire a co-ordinator to tackle them.
He proposed a forum be established for
Building an apple value chain, potato-style
By Dan Woolley
Officials believe the value chain development work already done by Canada’s potato industry can also be applied to other commodities, such as apples.
collaboration among apple growers, marketers and retailers that could help build stronger relationship among the value chain stakeholders and promote fresh apple consumption.
Joe Sardinha, chairman of the CHC’s apple working group, said he has observed a trend among retailers to buy only four to five sizes of apples, leaving growers with edible apples they cannot market.
“It would be interesting to sit down with the retailers’ representatives and ask [if] this trend’s going to continue,” said Sardinha, an apple grower in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.
“What is irritating [is] New Zealand grows a lot of small apples and they end up here.”
Andrew Bishop, a Greenwich, N.S., grower, felt the growers needed the perspective of the packers. He also noted the CHC is working with the George Morris Centre to determine why consumers buy what they do.
Sardinha said he believes that by collaborating with retailers and getting “consumers on-side, you can generate your profits in the domestic market.”
Bishop said that consumers ultimately drive retailers.
“What people buy at my farm market
is what I must produce in my orchard,” he said, adding that stagnant consumption can quickly be changed by “producing the varieties consumers want to buy.”
While the CHC apple working group showed interest in value chain enhancement, Sardinha wondered how the group should move forward.
Gerold speculated that AAFC could facilitate a meeting between the apple producers and the retailers as it did for the potato industry, possibly by early 2012.
“Your concern is why aren’t they buying our apples?” he said. “The retailers’ concern is why are they not growing what we are asking for?”
Major retailers are buying imported apples in bulk, un-graded, unpolished and un-inspected for food safety, said Sardinha.
“This has to change,” he said. “Pressure has to be put on these suppliers to level the playing field in the stores.
“The two big segments we want to target are those that are interested in buy local and those that want top-notch quality with a Canadian label on it,” he said.
Sardinha suggested the group conduct a “scoping exercise” at their next meeting “to get the ball rolling,” with hopes they can meet with retailers after March. ❦
Preventing premature leaf drop in Golden Delicious trees
Research at Applied Plant Research (PPO), part of Wageningen UR, has succeeded in preventing large-scale premature leaf drop in Golden Delicious trees.
In tests performed in the Netherlands, trees treated against the Alternaria fungus remained almost free from leaf lesions and premature leaf drop. This means a solution may have been found for a problem that has resulted in significant economic losses for tree nurseries since the 1960s. With further research, PPO aims to optimize the control of Alternaria to such an extent that only a minimal application of crop protection products is required.
Premature leaf drop in the Golden Delicious apple variety is a global issue that received a great deal of attention in the Netherlands in the 1960s and 1970s. It often (but not always) goes hand in hand
with leaf lesions, which means the leaves of seemingly healthy trees suddenly present brown necrotic blotches and yellowing of leaves.
The lesions and yellowing become visible between mid-July and mid-August, and are most common on older leaves. While the damage caused by leaf drop is manageable for apple growers, in tree nurseries the problem can cause a considerable loss of quality of the produced trees.
Previous research into leaf drop has failed to find a solution. Scientists have sought ways to tackle the issue over the decades without success. Research by the diagnostic centre of PPO in Lisse (NL) from 2009 to 2011 showed that the leaf lesions are caused by Alternaria. The new studies performed by PPO this season show that spraying against the pathogen
works very well against premature leaf drop.
The trees in the tests treated with the fungicide against Alternaria remained almost free from leaf lesions and premature leaf drop, while the untreated trees still had lesions and experienced the usual substantial leaf drop (greater than 80 per cent).
The results represent a breakthrough in the research into the approach towards leaf drop in Golden Delicious. Further
of young
research should show the actual cause of the leaf drop, as it appears that Alternaria is only an indirect cause. It is likely that Alternaria affects the hormone regulation in the trees, which eventually leads to yellowing and premature leaf drop.
The research was financed by the Dutch Product Board for Horticulture (PT). ❦
Untreated trees exhibiting leaf lesions and yellowing.
A group of healthy, treated trees.
A group
trees showing signs of yellowing.
Controlling moisture to maximize productivity in the root zone
By Dan Woolley
Scott Anderson, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s regional agroclimate specialist for Atlantic Canada, has a formula for soil-water management – maximize productivity in the root zone.
This is a bit more difficult than it sounds, says Anderson, as the root zones of plants can vary from less than 12 inches to four feet deep, with most of their water intake occurring in the top half of their root zone. There are published guidelines to help growers manage soil-moisture levels or they can use soil-moisture probes, he advises, adding that he encourages farmers to have a soil-moisture probe in their truck. He also recommends that growers track the rate of evapo-transpiration from their crops.
During the past 10 to 15 years, three of the driest and two of the wettest summers on record have occurred in the region, says Anderson. “Extreme events are really hard to deal with. One hundred millimetres of rain at one time is not ideal.”
A way of removing uncertainty regarding moisture delivery is to shift to irrigation.
It’s a view shared by growers in the Atlantic region.
“Most of us can agree that we are seeing more extreme events,” says Greg Webster, a berry grower from near Cambridge, N.S.
“It is extreme events that cause crop losses,” says Rolf Meier, a strawberry
producer from Kingston, N.S., adding he feels most growers can adapt to long-term climate change.
An example of that adaptation is the fact “tile drainage is making a comeback,” says Anderson. “We tend to get more wet than dry periods.”
He recommends spacing tile drainage
to get the desired water table level and fitting drainage outlets with controls to maintain the soil-water level. He also suggests using tillage equipment – such as a furrow dammer – to control erosion and retain soil moisture.
“Have the ability to control moisture,” says Anderson. “Take the uncertainty out of the weather.”
A way of removing uncertainty about moisture delivery is to shift to irrigation.
“I see more irrigation if summers continue warmer,” says Anderson.
Used correctly, irrigation can provide optimum productivity, but he cautions growers to be careful not to overwater, which can lead to leaching.
Anderson says trials have shown that drip irrigation at the surface has a 110 per cent increase in productivity, while underground drip has a 176 per cent increase in productivity in potato trials.
Anderson has put forward project proposals to fund drainage trials on a few farms in all four Atlantic Provinces. ❦
An example of farmers adapting to long-term climate change is the resurgence of field tile drainage.
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New plantings and new players in the Annapolis Valley tree fruit industry were prominently featured during the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association (NSFGA) annual orchard tour, held this past summer in conjunction with the Canadian Horticultural Council’s mid-summer apple meeting.
Luckett Farms Ltd.
Pete Luckett, Nova Scotia’s best-known green grocer, bought an 100-acre farm 11 years ago on the Grand Pre Road in Wallbrook, Kings County. Since then, he has replaced the property’s large pasture and old orchard, replanting all but eight acres with blocks of Royal Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Royal Cortland apples, plus new plantings of cherries, peaches, pears, plums, grapes and highbush blueberries.
Luckett started planting blueberries eight years ago and now has three acres of them under cultivation and on drip irrigation.
He also has 15 acres of grapes and says, given Nova Scotia’s humid summers, he generally doesn’t need irrigation. At the start of the growing season, he has a crew of 15 workers in the vineyard trimming back the rows and plucking leaves to open up the vines for more airflow and sunlight to ripen the grapes.
The red Alsatian cultivar Leon Millot was his first grape planting and in 2010 he planted Traminette, crossbred from the Gewürztraminer and the French American hybrid Joannes Seyve. This is believed to be the first planting of the U.S.-developed variety in Canada.
This past July, Luckett Vineyards and Luckett Farms Ltd. opened its new winery.
Peill Farm
Several years ago, Robert Peill took over his late father’s orchard at Lower Starr’s Point. He removed the old apple trees, replanting with Ambrosia and Royal Cortland on M9 rootstock. Peill also planted three hectares of sweet cherries, a block
Learning the latest in Nova Scotia orchards
By Dan Woolley
of Staccato in 2007 followed by a second planting on Mazzard rootstock.
He also planted on Gisela rootstock but reports he had trouble getting growth on it. In 2010, he discovered that by extensively pruning his trees in May, his tree growth improved. He also began to revert from an open centre pruning technique to a central leader system in 2010, which gave him
more tree canopy close to the trunk.
Besides Staccato, Peill has also planted Sweetheart, Lappin, and Rainier sweet cherry varieties. His goal is to have a later harvest after Washington State and British Columbia have picked their fruit.
Bill Craig, tree fruit specialist with Agra Point, says cherries have been “hit and miss” in Nova Scotia, cycling through increased and decreased production.
Nova Scotia hosts the only site in Canada for the international NC 140 cherry rootstock trial at the Atlantic Food and Horticultural Research Centre in Kentville. Charles Embree, a tree fruit researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), says the centre is currently trialling the cultivar Skeena on G3, G4 and G5 rootstocks, and using three training systems: tall spindle, the UFO system and the KGB system.
AAFC researchers are also doing trials comparing use of a Haygrove tunnel system to no-tunnel for NC 140 cherry rootstock production.
RJ Farm
At RJ Farm, near Welsford, N.S., owner Rene Penner moved to Nova Scotia from
Pete Luckett describes his new grape plantings.
In July 2011 Luckett Vineyards and Luckett Farms Ltd. opened its new winery.
the western provinces with no prior experience of orchard management. Since then, he has demonstrated how to reclaim marginal land for apple production.
In 2004, after buying the farm, Penner began draining the land for an orchard. The property consisted of pasture with 18 acres of old apple orchard. He tore some of the old blocks out, planting a six-acre block of mostly Honeycrisp each year.
Penner prepared the land for his extended orchard by ripping the soil, then ridging and tiling it 16 feet apart down each orchard row.
His most recent block, acquired through the Scotian Gold Cooperative, is the club apple Sweet Tango.
“The growth is much more than I expected,” he says.
“It is performing so well,” says Craig, noting, “ Nova Scotia [through Scotian Gold] is one of the few areas of Canada licensed to grow Sweet Tango.”
remainder is planted with apples. Walsh recently received a research grant to evaluate the N. Blosi self-propelled orchard platform for use in Nova Scotia. He says its diesel engine is very fuel-efficient, has auto steering and can work in a row as narrow as 12 feet wide. The platform can also be widened to work in an 18-foot-wide row spacing. It performs well on pruning and clipping, Walsh says. As the price of conduit has increased, he hopes to convert to a tree wall system on a five-wire trellis.
Sarsfield Farms
At Sarsfield Farms in Medford, N.S., Embree and Doug Nichols, an NSFGA research technician, are continuing their evaluation of new thinners. They are conducting their trials in a block of Honeycrisp on M26 set out by Blake Sarsfield in 2007. Since growers are losing the use of 7XLR, Nichols says they want to look at alternative thinners, their efficacy and application rates.
Birchleigh Farm
At Waldo Walsh’s Birchleigh Farm in Rockland, N.S., he has a showcase 10-acre block of various cultivar and rootstock combinations, including Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp on Malling 26; Honeycrisp on CG 30, Malling 4 and Malling, plus Gala and Pacific on Malling 26.
Walsh has a 90-acre orchard with eight acres of cherries, plums and pears. The
“We are looking at early petal treatment to see what results in subsequent bloom.”
While it is very early in the trials, Nichols is pleased with the performance of a combination of Fruitone and Maxcell. The mix appears to be a very promising alternative to 7XLR.
Embree observed there were a lot more blossoms in 2011 that growers had to manage.
“So, do we go back in and hand thin?” he asked. “As growers, [you] must walk through the orchard and decide. When you put it in the tank and thin; it’s a big decision. You don’t want to make a mistake with Honeycrisp.”
“If you have a heavy bloom and good pollination, you will probably have more fruit than you need,” says Nichols. “If you are using Maxcell, it is better to go with the recommended rate rather than the reduced rate. Or, use Maxcell with Fruitone.”
In future, the team plans to apply thinning treatments to Cortland and Ambrosia to check their effect on maturity. ❦
Photos by Dan Woolley
Robert Peill describes his newly planted cherry blocks.
Doug Nichols (left) and Charles Embree (right) discuss thinning trials at the Sarsfield Farms.
Bill Craig (left) and Pene Penner (right) discuss Penner’s new apple blocks.
The wild blueberry industry needs to maintain the difference between wild blueberries and other fruits in the market as some berries from the Pacific Northwest and China are claiming to be wild blueberries.
The Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (WBPANS) is looking to the future.
The organization has put together a functioning committee to oversee the industry’s long-term sustainability. Known as the Industry Sustainability Committee, the group has met five times since March 2011 in response to recommendations passed at the organization’s 2010 annual general meeting, reported Jeff Orr, a committee member and WBPANS board director.
Since its inception, the group has formed a market and pricing committee and compiled a brief report on prices, explained Orr, adding the sustainability committee plans to support more research into cost-effective production methods, which will be communicated to WBPANS members. The committee will also be lobbying government to enhance existing program and make governmental policy makers aware of the industry’s concerns about crop insurance and the Agri-Stability program.
“Our committee chairman Allan Bonnyman has said we are price takers, not price makers and no one has any idea how to change this,” said Orr.
It’s hoped the sustainability committee will engage with WBPANS on the formation of best management practices (BMP) for the industry. As well, the WBPANS
strategic plan, drafted in 1998, needs updating and the committee will work on the revision over the next year, said Orr.
The WBPANS held its annual general meeting in the fall of 2011. The group concluded the gathering by splitting into three discussion groups. The groups looked at examples of cost-effective production methods WBPANS members could share with each other and also discussed ideas that could be presented in the future WBPANS BMP Manual and on the organization’s website.
The three discussion group facilitators –Dale McIsaac, Jeff Orr and Peter Burgess – took the best ideas from the three groups back to WBPANS and the sustainability committee.
Burgess, an extension specialist with AgraPoint, is developing a Best Management Plan for the WBPANS over the next 12 months.
“[It] will provide a road map for new growers and guide posts for existing growers,” he said.
The BMP will give the industry an opportunity to tell its story to the public while creating a proactive approach to cropping practices, said Burgess, adding the BMP will include information pertaining to pest management, nutrient management, whole farm management, business risk management through Agri-Invest and Agri-Stability, field management: pruning, mowing, burning and harvesting.
“We are not re-inventing the wheel,” Burgess said. “It will bring information all together in one spot.”
Peter Rideout with the N.S. Department of Agriculture (NSDA) expressed concern with the province’s wild blueberry industry’s continued profitability and productivity, noting in recent years, yield has declined compared to other eastern provinces and states.
WBPANS president John Quinn added that a large variation in annual berry production leads to a wide variation in field prices growers receive.
In 2009, growers received the lowest field price ever at 35 cents per pound compared to
77 cents per pound as of August 14, 2011.
Growers need pricing information to make informed field management decisions, said Quinn, adding information is important in deciding what fields to harvest or leave untended, the intensity level of field management, whether to buy or sell land, or to not harvest a specific field.
“There is no way you can predict the price; but you can predict a trend,” he said.
Processors need an ongoing supply of wild blueberries and the berry field price can affect the berry supply availability, said Quinn.
He says the factors affecting the 2012 field price of wild blueberries will involve the level of berries in cold storage from the 2011 harvest, the price of processed berries, the total volume of cultivated (highbush) blueberry production in 2012, and the total yield next year of wild blueberries.
There is a cycle in the frozen storage level of wild blueberries, Quinn said, with the volume decreasing from January to June, increasing in July and peaking in August, then decreasing until the end of the year. Cold storage stocks have now returned to 2006 levels, he said.
“Early in 2011, it became clear the level of frozen berries would come down to reasonable levels.”
Quinn said he feels there is room for an additional price increase for growers, noting the frozen processed berry price increased from $1.65 to more than $2.00 per pound by the end of the harvest in September, to around $2.15 per pound by November 14, 2011, FOB at the Maine processing plants.
Rideout insisted current research efforts be sustained to maintain the industry’s sustainability, especially considering the influx of new growers entering the industry through inter-generational transfer.
He also stressed the industry has to maintain the difference between wild blueberries and other fruits in the market, noting some berries from the Pacific Northwest and China are claiming to be wild blueberries. ❦
Raspberry production under cover
By Dan Woolley
Many growers are adopting production using poly tunnels without enough information about the types of crops they should be growing according to Dr. Jean-Pierre Prive.
The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist from Bouctouche, N.B., has been conducting research trials on rain shelters and reflective cloths for raspberry production. His goal is to “try to make production systems more ecologically sound.”
Dr. Prive notes Canadian annual red raspberry production, worth $35 million, totals 12 million kilograms with B.C. accounting for 86 per cent of Canadian production and Atlantic Canada just more than one per cent.
The average yearly rainfall in Abbotsford, B.C., is 62 inches while in Bouctouche the average annual rainfall is 45 inches. Despite this difference, the timing of Bouctouche precipitation results in
more rain during the fruit-bearing season, creating increased disease pressure on the berry crop, says Dr. Prive.
He adds that the climate is also getting warmer in all four seasons – perhaps more so in the winter than the summer –resulting in more precipitation and a longer growing season with more frost-free days. As a result, plants need more energy to grow under these conditions because they respire more and pests, insects and disease will tend to increase, says Dr. Prive, using the European corn borer as an example. For every centigrade degree increase in the temperature, the pest will move 500 kilometres further north.
To help combat these issues, growers can consider using a poly cover or rain canopy, says Dr. Prive. The cover can be used to prevent water falling on plants and propagating disease. Dr. Prive uses a Belgian-designed rain shelter in his research projects that can be placed over a new or existing planting and opened to admit sun-
Above: Poly covers can help promote cane growth, adding more dry weight in fruit and canes. As a result, growers may have to develop ways of increasing the height of their trellises to accommodate the added fruit mass.
light when “sunlight is at a premium.”
He also uses Extenday reflective coverings under the rain shelter, tied to the trellis. Both the shelter and ground cover work together to modify the environmental components of temperature, moisture and humidity to impact productivity, Dr. Prive says.
Under Maritime conditions, the poly cover will not extend the growing and fruiting season but the Extenday row cover creates a significant difference on soil temperature and moisture, he says, adding he has seen no negative effect on the rate of photosynthesis with the rain shelter. Dr. Prive has also observed much higher yields with the Extenday row covering and the poly covers used alone and in combination. With just the Extenday row covering, there was an increase in marketable fruit of 10 per cent while the use of the poly cover alone resulted in a 90 per cent increase.
The poly cover also helps with storage issues says Dr. Prive, adding that when there is no rain shelter and no cold storage used, there is a 50 per cent spoilage rate in the berries two days after harvest. With berries grown under the poly cover, three days of storage were possible before 50 per cent spoilage rates occurred, he says.
The poly cover also helps with cane growth and when combined with Extenday row covers, adds more dry weight in fruit and canes, says Dr. Prive. As a result, he suggests growers may have to develop ways of increasing the height of their trellises to accommodate the added fruit mass. And, while the canopies should result in less disease and a reduced need for fungicide applications, Dr. Prive says he observed an increase in the presence of ground beetles (carabidae) because of the use of Extenday row covers.
Dr. Prive and his research colleagues at AAFC Bouctouche are now calculating an economic analysis of their research results. ❦
Photo by Margaret Land
Cornell releases new strawberry variety, Herriot
Strawberry lovers will soon have Herriot – a strawberry featuring a flavour reminiscent of historic varieties and a slight pineapple overtone – to look forward to, thanks to a new variety of large, heartshaped fruit developed by Cornell.
Its high yields, vigour, disease resistance and eye appeal should also make it a sweet option for growers, said breeder Courtney Weber, associate professor of horticulture.
“Herriot is one tough plant,” said Weber. “Many of our trials are in the worst possible soil conditions, and Herriot is always one of the last varieties standing. And it tastes good, too.”
Herriot produces large – up to 25 grams (a bit more than a half ounce), averaging about 11 grams – heart-shaped, shiny red berries with a bright green calyx (the berry’s green leafy top).
“Herriot really draws the eye because of the nice shine on the fresh berries. That makes them very attractive to farm-stand and pick-your-own customers,” Weber said.
February 24-25, 2012 – International Potato Technology Expo, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetwon, P.E.I. www.potatoexpo.ca.
By Craig Cramer
In trials and with commercial growers in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota and Ontario, Herriot yielded as much as 60 per cent more than Jewel, the predominant midseason variety for perennial mattedrow production that was also developed at Cornell.
At the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y., Herriot harvest consistently began two days before Jewel, blooming in mid-May and avoiding most damaging frosts.
It also shows good resistance to common leaf diseases and holds up well to summer renovation stress (the mowing, fertilizing and loosening of soil to prepare for next year’s bed, which can be stressful to the plants), allowing for wider adaptation to variable soils, Weber said.
In development for 12 years, the variety is named for the one of Weber’s favourite authors, James Herriot, the author of All Creatures Great and Small Weber’s small fruits breeding program at
Coming events
March 1-2, 2012 – B.C. Tree Fruit Horticultural Symposium, Trinity Baptist Church, Kelowna, B.C. www.bcfga.com.
March 1-2, 2012 – Alberta Farm Fresh School, Red Deer, Alta. www.albertafarmfresh.com.
March 7-8, 2012 – 2012 Northeast Potato Technology Forum, Wells Conference, Center, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.
March 9-10, 2012 – Manitoba Direct Farm Marketing Conference, Gimli, Man.
March 13-16, 2012 – 2012 Canadian Horticultural Council Annual Meeting,
Small fruit breeders at Cornell University have released a new strawberry variety, Herriot.
Cornell is focused on developing improved strawberry and raspberry varieties for New York growers. Previous releases – including L’Amour and Clancy strawberries and Prelude, Encore and Crimson Giant raspberries – have shown wide adaptation throughout New England, the mid-Atlantic states and the Midwest, as well as temperate regions of Europe.
Weber worked closely with the Cornell Center for Technology Enterprise and Commercialization to license the variety, and a patent will be filed later in 2012.
Growers interested in trying Herriot this season can purchase plants from the licensed nurseries Krohne Plant Farms at www. krohneplantfarms.com or 269-424-5423, and Daisy Farms at www.daisyfarms.net or 269-782-6321. ❦
April 2-4, 2012 – International Sympsium on Mechanical Harvesting & Handling Systems of Fruits and Nuts, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Fla. http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/harvest.
April 11-13, 2012 – 2012 Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention & Trade Show, Stampede Park BMO Centre, Calgary, Alta. www.convention.cpma.ca.
August 16 –18, 2012 – Quebec Produce Marketing Association Annual General Meeting, Hilton Lac Leamy, Gatineau, Que. www.aqdfl.ca/en.
Blossom end rot transport protein identified
largely unknown before.
In order to settle these questions, the scientists examined the cultivated plant Brassica Juncea, commonly known as brown, or Indian, mustard, and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, or thale cress. The researchers identified a specific transport protein that advances calcium ions from the root into the shoot.
Blossom end rot on tomatoes and cucumbers, spotty apples – these unpleasant blemishes on fruits and vegetables not only compromise the flavour but cause significant harvest losses every year.
The characteristic blotches and spotting can be traced back to insufficient calcium uptake or faulty calcium transport within the plant. Consequently, the damage can occur even if the soil provides sufficient calcium. A team under the leadership of scientists from the University of Zurich and Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea, has for the first time identified a protein responsible for the calcium transport from the root to the shoot.
“Without this transport protein, plants exhibit stunted growth,” explains Enrico Martinoia, professor of molecular plant physiology at the University of Zurich.
Calcium provides stable cell walls for plants and transmits signals within the cells. Calcium concentration varies within the plant depending on area, which requires complex regulation and transport mechanisms. How and from which tissue calcium ions are taken up by the roots and transported to the shoot of the plant was
In their article, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they also show that the calcium uptake occurs via the root epidermis and not through the endoderm as earlier presumed. The identification of the transport protein for calcium is a first step in eliminating the deficiency symptoms in food plants.
Steve Peters honoured by OFVGA
Former provincial agriculture minister Steve Peters was recognized for his contributions to the Ontario horticulture sector with the Award of Merit presented during the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) recent annual meeting.
“Steve is a very deserving winner of this award,” said Art Smith, CEO of the OFVGA. “During his time as Minister of Agriculture, he was very proactive in helping to advance our sector in numerous ways, including research and innovation.”
Peters was first elected as Member of Provincial Parliament for ElginMiddlesex-London in 1999, following three terms as mayor of the city of St. Thomas, Ont. He was appointed
Minister of Agriculture and Food in 2003, and moved to the Labour portfolio as minister in 2005. Peters served as Ontario’s Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, and decided not to seek re-election last year.
During his tenure with the agriculture ministry, Peters was instrumental in the creation of a $17.5 million research and development fund for horticulture under the CORD IV program. He also launched the now popular Taste of Ontario event held annually at Queen’s Park to showcase Ontario-produced foods, and throughout his time in government, was a strong voice for agriculture.
“Steve was a tireless advocate for Ontario agriculture during his time in politics and we appreciated his ongoing efforts to promote our industry,” said Smith. “He was a real champion of food, farming and farmers and we wish him well as he moves to new endeavours.”
The OFVGA Award of Merit is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the fruit and vegetable industry.
New apple resources added to Pomology
The website Pomology.org has upgraded its content with information on the production of apples, including cultivation, pests and diseases, harvest, post harvest and storage. With more than 7,500 known cultivars for temperate and subtropical climates, the apple (Malus domestica, Rosaceae) is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits.
One significant resource in the apple category is information on the U.S. Apple Association, which provides to all segments of the U.S. apple industry the means to profitably produce and market apples and apple products. It represents the industry on national issues, increasing the demand for apples and apple products, and provides information on matters pertaining to the apple industry. Pomology also covers the Washington Apple Commission, which was created by an act of the Washington State Legislature in 1937 at the request of the apple industry, making it one of the oldest and largest commodity commissions in the U.S.
Blossom end rot on tomatoes.
Spotty apple as a consequence of poor calcium distribution.
Photos by Agroscope
Besides links to commercial institutions, the site also features a wide range of scientific information and links to papers, research articles and other scholarly literature on apple research. This section features resources on asexual propagation by grafting and descriptions of important commercial cultivars which combine desired fruit qualities including fruit shape, skin colour, flavour, absence of russeting, disease resistance, ease of shipping, extended storability and high yields. Pomology.org was launched in 1996 and has emerged as a comprehensive aggregator of websites and science references in the applied life science pomology. The site is now under new management. The enhanced website may be found at www.pomology.org.
New chair at Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association There’s a new leader in place at the On-
tario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA). Potato grower Mac James was elected chairperson at the organization’s annual general meeting held in early January. He succeeds Brian Gilroy who stepped down after serving two years as OFVGA’s chairperson.
“Fruit and vegetable growers are faced with many issues that affect the viability of our farms, from labour, research and crop protection to safety nets and property issues,” said James. “The need for horticulture to have a strong voice has never been greater and as the OFVGA’s new chair, I’m looking forward to working with our government and industry partners on behalf of our members.”
James is a lifelong farmer from the Leamington area, where he grows potatoes, peppers and other horticultural crops on a century farm. He has been on the OFVGA board for seven years, most recently serving two one-year terms as vice
chairperson of the organization. James is also currently a director with the Ontario Potato Board.
The OFVGA’s 2012 board also includes directors Brian Gilroy (apples) who is also serving as chair of the property section, Norm Charbonneau (small fruit/berries), Jason Verkaik (fresh vegetable – muck), Ray Duc (grapes), Jason Ryder (asparagus), Fred Meyers (tender fruit), Jan VanderHout (greenhouse), Don Taylor (greenhouse), Ken VanTorre (ginseng) and Mary Shabatura (fresh vegetable). Ex-officio board members are section chairs Ken Forth (labour), Mark Wales (safety nets), Charles Stevens (crop protection), Harold Schooley (research) and Murray Porteous (Canadian Horticultural Council).
“We have a strong and dedicated board team at the OFVGA and it’s an honour for me to have been elected as their chair,” said James.
controller that uses local environmental sensing to remove the guesswork involved in determining watering times, resulting in more efficient water use and “set and forget” automation for the end user.
“This product is perfect for achieving desired crop performance and growth characteristics for agricultural irrigation,” said Ron Hartman, CEO of iDUS Controls Ltd. “The user sets the desired soil moisture setting, and the proper irrigation regime is then automatically maintained by the controller. The automation provides comfort that watering is being correctly taken care of, frees up farm labor and reduces costs.”
According to the company, the reasonable cost of the units and their custom user-determined soil moisture calibration and control features allow for installation of multiple zones in a vineyard, orchard, or row-crop operation tailored to the needs of the crop in each specific zone.
“The G-100 irrigation controller is one of the most innovative irrigation controllers on the market,” said Hartman. “Its smart watering system results in more efficient water use, and avoids the waste of water that typically occurs due to over watering.”
iDUS introduced the G-100 at Irrigation Show 2011, held in early November in San Diego, Calif.
www.iduscontrols.com
New Bauer travellers provide irrigation efficiency
Innovative and easy to handle, optimal for small irrigation surfaces and equipped with state-of-the art technology: these are the outstanding characteristics of the Rainstar A models of Bauer Group.
With its A-Class, Bauer sets a step toward communal technology. You often meet them on sports grounds, in parks, schools or on golf courses, where these small Rainers provide the necessary irrigation. The models A1, A2 and A3 shall furthermore be used in horticulture.
“The Rainers impress with their flexibility and cost-performance ratio,” said product manager Franz-Peter Roll.
These small Rainstar models are available with the Bauer special PE pipe in lengths of 110 m to 170 m with a pipe diameter of 40 mm and 63 mm. In one irrigation run, the machine can cover a strip width of up to 70 m and a length of up to 200 m. In developing these irrigation machines, Bauer has placed special emphasis on user-friendliness. Operation of the Rainers is as simple as possible so that even laymen not working with the machines every day are able to handle them easily.
The technical design of the small Aseries Rainers comprises all the standards of the big models: All steel components are hot-dip galvanized, modern plastic covers ensure safety and an appealing design. The irrigation machine can be relocated very easily by one person as the Rainer changes automatically to transporting status once it has finished the irrigation run. Hence working time and costs can be saved. Speed control and layer compensation during rewinding are carried out automatically.
As optional equipment, a speed indicator and an over-pressure shut-off valve are available.
Wide-range guns and booster pumps are available for a surcharge. This power booster allows irrigation with water taken from the local main pipes at low pressure.
“With A1, A2 and A3 we offer an optimal product for a new target group,” Roll said.
www.bauer-at.com
Two new DuPont fungicides registered DuPont™ Fontelis™, a next-generation fungicide, has received approval last December for registration in Canada to protect pome and stone fruits, blueberries and vegetable crops from diseases.
Fontelis contains the active ingredient penthiopyrad, a next-generation SDHI fungicide that provides protection by locking onto the fungus to halt progression of key plant diseases. Fontelis is a new
molecule that is classified as a Group 7 fungicide.
“Fontelis provides growers with a powerful new tool for managing diseases such as apple scab, powdery mildew and botrytis in their high-value fruit and vegetable crops,” says Dave Kloppenburg, fungicide launch manager for DuPont. “Fontelis has inherently stronger activity than other fungicides on many important pathogens, including those diseases resistant to other fungicides, while providing excellent crop safety.”
Potato growers also have access to a new product with the registration of DuPont Vertisan™, a next-generation fungicide that protects potatoes plus other field crops. It also contains the active ingredient penthiopyrad and delivers protection by locking tightly to plant diseases and stopping infection.
For more information about Fontelis™, Vertisan™ or any other DuPont product, contact your local crop protection retailer or DuPont representative, call 1-800-6673925.
www.cropprotection.dupont.ca
Protecting melons
Combating cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus
By Stephanie Yao
Organic potato growers may want to consider planting resistant varieties as an additional tactic in their efforts to control late blight.
E.S. Cropconsult has been running trials on late blight resistant potato varieties in combination with organic fungicides, yielding promising results.
Late blight is the number one threat for potato growers in British Columbia, particularly organic growers who only have one registered control. Many growers will either harvest right away or take the crop out if they find late blight in their potatoes because it is so difficult to treat.
“What we are trying to do is expand the integrated pest management toolbox to control disease,” says Brock Glover, the vegetable IPM co-ordinator for E.S. Cropconsult. “We are trying to add to farmers’ options.”
The 2010 study examined Island Sunshine (yellow) and Krantz (russet), varieties reported to have late blight resistance, against Norkotah Russet as an industry standard. In an effort to find alternatives to copper-based fungicides, each variety was treated with organic fungicides Parasol, Actinovate, and Sonata.
Parasol is a copper-based fungicide commonly used in organic potato production.
Actinovate (Streptomyces lydicus) is registered as a biological fungicide for some crops in Canada, but not for potatoes. Sonata (Bacillus pumilus) is not currently registered in Canada, but is labelled for use on potatoes in the United States.
“We didn’t see a lot of results with Actinovate and Sonata,” says Glover. “If we were going to do it again, we would double the rate of application.”
Eliminating the Actinovate and Sonata
Above: A melon plant with early symptoms of cucurbit yellow stunting disease.
Left: Sweet potato whiteflies covering melon leaves even after numerous insecticide treatments.
trials allowed a specific comparison of the resistant potato varieties treated only with Parasol. The incidence of late blight was measured at harvest, and then again after six weeks of storage.
At harvest, levels of late blight were significantly higher in the Norkotah Russets, than in the resistant varieties. After six weeks in storage, late blight levels in Krantz increased, Norkotah stayed the same, and Island Sunshine actually decreased.
When evaluating yield, Island Sunshine could not measure up to Krantz and Norkotah. Despite the high levels of late blight in Norkotah, it yielded very well, and was comparable to Krantz. Overall, the severity of late blight was significantly lower on Parasol-treated Krantz and Island Sunshine potatoes, compared to that on Parasoltreated Norkotah.
Glover and his team plan to continue their work on alternative fungicides and resistant varieties, and are planning to expand to other potato varieties.
“We took a step in the right direction,” Glover says, looking at the results of the resistant varieties. “There is something we can build on.” ❦
Fruiting Quince
Manitoba potato producers sing the praises of fertigation
By Myron Love
The Wiebe family has been growing potatoes near McGregor, Man. in the southern area of Manitoba since 1966. The family produces Ranger Russet, Russet Burbank and Innovator varieties, largely for the Carnation Foods plant in Portage La Prairie, Man. Seven years ago, the family decided to relocate their operation. The new growing location had coarser soil.
“We found that we were running out of nitrogen late in the season,” explains Sheldon Wiebe. “That was affecting our yield and quality due to leaching. We had to do some late season rescue work.”
In 2010, the Wiebe family was approached by David Rose and Wade Gerner with Simplot to see if the Manitoba growers would be interested in implementing a fertigation program – the application of fertilizers, soil amendments, or other water soluble products through an irrigation system – that Gerner, a potato grower from North Dakota, had been using with much success on his operation.
A year later, Sheldon Wiebe had the opportunity to share his fertigation experiences as part of a panel discussion on the pros and cons of using fertigation to enhance potato production. Other panel participants included Wade Gerner and Brent Metcalfe of WM Ventures near Treherne, Man.
Metcalfe and his partner, Barry Watson, began growing potatoes – mostly Russets with some Umatilla – in 2003.
“We began experimenting with fertigation in about 2006,” says Metcalfe. “We used to do broadcast nitrogen. We would get some nitrogen from the planter fertilizer and then top dress at hilling.”
He and Watson became serious about fertigation in 2008 and have adopted an “aggressive planned fertigation program. It makes agronomic sense to me to match nitrogen application to when the plant actually needs it,” says Metcalfe. “Fertigation increases nitrogen efficiency. The results are smaller, more compact plants which are less susceptible to late blight and other diseases.”
He adds that fertigation spreads out the
fertility bill throughout the season. The process also provides the option of pushing the crop in a long growing season or saving expenses in a short growing season.
Wiebe says he begins to fertigate when the tubers are a dime to nickel in size with about 10 to 14 tubers per plant.
“We start with an application of 30 pounds per acre and add another 15 to 30 pounds weekly – depending on the recommendations from Wade or Doug – until the end of July or the first week of August and considering plant heath and crop stage,” he says.
Among the factors to consider are plant health through visual appearance, petiole checks and soil tests, says Wiebe.
“We used some of the tools that Doug, Wade and Andrew Ronald (at McCain Foods) suggested,” he says. “I also listened to my employees that were looking after the irrigation and were in the fields every day. We have a great team of employees who do a great job.”
Metcalfe says he and Watson try to have all passes done by the first week of August. “We look to try to have petioles at about 7,500 ppm to 10,000 ppm and soils at about 60 pounds of nitrogen at August 1,” he notes. “We want petioles and soils trending downward as the season moves forward. An upward trend toward the end of the season can lead to delayed maturity and decreased gravities.”
Metcalfe adds that for fertigation, growers will need a high capacity pump and tank at each pivot so the pivots can be spun quickly and timely application can be achieved.
The Wiebe farm purchased three 50gallon-per-hour pumps to add to its existing 30-gallon-per-hour pump to help fertigate with six pivots.
“We place a 1,200-gallon tank at each pivot centre,” explains Wiebe. “Timing isn’t too hard to achieve as long as you stay ahead with irrigation.”
Wiebe says that early in the 2010 season, because of the excess moisture, his team ran their pivots as fast as they could to put the nitrogen on.
“Moisture can also be an issue for servic-
Some Manitoba potato producers are achieving promising results by using fertigation to deliver nutrients and fertilizers to their potato crops.
ing the fertilizer tanks,” he says. “We needed a front wheel drive cart that had a lot of flotation.
“It is also important to have a good nozzle package and the right nozzles for fertigation and irrigation.”
Overall, Wiebe is very happy with the results he achieved after using fertigation.
“We saw some amazing yields … from those fields we fertigated,” he says. “Our size profile was very nice and solids were right in the sweet spot. We usually have trouble in the sand to keep solids from going too high.”
In 2011, Wiebe and his crew fertigated every field “because of the great efficiency and results we saw from [the 2010] season.”
Metcalfe says that while fertigation is beneficial, “it is not an exact science. Determining application by appearance of crop is somewhat of an art.
“You have to ensure enough nitrogen up front to get the crop started and growing until the tubers are round. You have to be done with applications by the first week of August. And you shouldn’t go from applying 10 pounds to 30 pounds abruptly at the end of the fertigation season.”
For 2011, Metcalfe increased the total amounts of nitrogen applied through the pivot to 80 pounds on Russets as compared to 65 pounds on Russets (and 85 pounds on Umatilla) in 2010.
He also considered used fertigation to apply phosphorus and sulphur. ❦
