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Glancing at the current food recall list on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website can be a sobering and stomach churning exercise.
A smoothy fruit blend containing spinach and kale – recalled due to concerns over possible contamination with listeria. Caramel apples – recalled due to possible contamination with listeria. Apple slices processed by Scotian Gold – recalled due to possible contamination with listeria. Granny Smith and Gala varieties of apples packed by a California company and sold across Canada – recalled due to possible contamination with listeria. Unpasteurized apple cider – recalled due to possible E. coli contamination. Bagged potatoes recalled in Atlantic Canada – due to product tampering.
Food safety continues to be a hot button topic among consumers and Canadian fruit and vegetable producers need to be aware of not only the relative safety of what they’re producing on their own operations but also what is being imported into their local fruit or vegetable packing warehouse. The recent wide-reaching incident involving apples packed by Bidart Brothers of Bakersfield, Calif., is a perfect example of this. Since the first recall notice involving caramel apples hit the U.S. news in early December 2014, 32 people have fallen ill due to listeria monocytogenes, three people have died and one woman has miscarried. One case involving the same strain of the infection has also been reported in Manitoba.
This is not the first time a food borne illness has wend its way through the North American population. And it probably won’t be the last. In light of this, Fruit & Vegetable Magazine has set aside a section of this issue to highlight some of the latest information on food safety, traceability and recalls for fruit and vegetable producers in Canada.
The key to a successful recall lies not just in the ability to recognize when something’s gone wrong and alert consumers, but to also know just how much product is affected and whether all of it is accounted for.
This makes the ability to trace product critical, even for small operations, and know ing the systems put in place to track product works.
According to head of the food technology program at the B.C. Institute of Technology in Burnaby, B.C. Gary Sandberg, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency already requires federally registered processors to have a recall strategy. Now, any plants that ships product to the U.S. will be required to be federally registered and have a strategy, too.
“[If] you’re exporting to the United States, you’re going to automatically now be a federally registered plant, which means you’re under the CFIA’s jurisdiction,” he explains.
While a HACCP protocol can identify risk points and incorporate a simple response process, a proper recall strategy can be far-reaching.
“It’s like doing a disaster planning exercise,” he says. “You definitely want to be able to move through the whole thing and ensure that you can track any product and be able to pull that product back into a centralized location and deal with it accordingly.”
Putting the recall protocol to the test doesn’t mean having to go into full disaster mode and shut the entire plant down. It can be as simple as trying to find out where in the process a particular lot of product is.
“You can do it [by] looking at a lot
number and saying, ‘OK, can we actually find it?’ Then it becomes a paperbased thing.”
Sandberg served as quality assurance manager for T.J. Lipton in Richmond, B.C., prior to becoming an instructor at BCIT. He knows first-hand the difficulties of trying to reach people and also to track product.
One of the measures that Lipton had in place to define the massive amounts of product it was producing was segmenting the production into 90-minute segments. Stock was tagged with an alphanumeric code for each day and time. This allowed Lipton to hone in on a smaller run of product than if it could only identify a single day when the problem occurred.
Smaller processors or farms handling a large volume of fresh produce might find it difficult to track product from field to farm gate, but Sandberg says it’s possible to track produce by row or field and note which runs contribute to particular processing periods.
“If they’re coding their products with a date code on it and some sort of a lot number, and the shipping documents are maintained and you’re recording date numbers and quantities, your regular inventory control system should give you a lot of the information you want,” he says.
A mock recall can put these information systems to the test. Regular testing can highlight areas that require closer attention and may identify opportunities for improving the traceability of product.
“It becomes kind of like an insurance policy – if you’re able to identify, isolate and recover that product without having to get widespread into the trade, then it’s definitely going to be helpful even if there is litigation,” Sandberg says. ❦
question: What could they
Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh & Muskoka Lakes Winery
Sharing delicious bottled innovation with the world
By Treena Hein
Innovation often comes out of a question. In the case of the Johnston’s, the question was: What could we do with our white and light-coloured cranberries? The bright red ones had always sold like hotcakes, snapped up fresh or frozen at the farm gate by the public or shipped to many processors and wholesalers. They’d been making and selling value-added red cranberry products for decades as well. In addition, by 2000, the Johnston’s were also making wine with their bright red berry gems. But could there be a value-added and unique product made from the perfectly good 20,000 pounds of white and pink cranberries that were harvested along with the bright red ones each year, the ones that were unmarketable only because customers perceive that white cranberries aren’t ripe?
Murray Johnston and his wife Wendy
Hogarth are present day owners of Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh & Muskoka Lakes Winery. Murray is the son of Orville and June Johnston, who started the farm in 1950. Orville and June had purchased the land near Bala, Ont., in Muskoka, with plans to grow food, raise a family and make products with the fruit they grew. And all those plans became reality. They experimented with products over the years, and the farm now offers cranberry chutney, sauce, jam, chocolates, mincemeat, honey, tea, mulled spice mix, candles and more. Orville had a dream of establishing Muskoka – and Ontario – as a place where cranberry cultivation could boom, and that dream has come true. The nearby town of Bala is the “Cranberry Capital of Ontario” and has a huge cranberry festival each fall.
As he reached adulthood, Murray
remained keen to continue cranberry cultivation, so he studied agriculture at university. He also had a burning desire to see if his family’s cranberries could be made into wine, and to expand the agri-tourism potential of the farm. He met the perfect partner in Wendy, who had studied recreation and tourism at university and was a certified sommelier with a distillery business as part of her family heritage. As the years passed, they found ways to share the farm’s beauty – 27 acres of heritage cranberry varieties surrounded by 300 acres of protected wetland and forest – by attracting visitors to a gift shop. And all the while, they both studied wine. Murray built on hours spent talking with a friend who was working to get the fledgling Iniskillin Winery up and running. Wendy and Murray spent a lot of time visiting the Niagara region and
Management at Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh & Muskoka Lakes Winery asked themselves the
do with the farm’s white and light coloured cranberries?
Photos courtesy of Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh & Muskoka Lakes Winery.
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watching the exciting growth of the Ontario wine culture. It was in 2000 that they decided to join in, committed to discovering if they could produce an outstanding wine from locally grown cranberries and blueberries. They’ve never looked back.
The initial release of their 2000 vintage Cranberry Wine sold out in 16 days. The following release (2000 vintage Cranberry Blueberry Wine) sold out in just four days. They introduced many more over time, such as a Wild Blueberry Wine and a Red Maple Dessert Wine, made with cranberries and maple syrup. Their wines have won awards both internationally and at every major Canadian wine competition. But at the beginning, none of this was certain.
“We were nervous opening the winery,” Wendy admits with a smile. “We didn’t know what the response would be to cranberry wine, but we were committed to working with the terroir of Muskoka, which means using fruit that actually grew here. At first, the LCBO was only interested in our wines as limited vintages offerings, but the local LCBO stores were interested in carrying our wines more consistently.”
The Johnston’s began direct-delivering to these local stores and, after a while, they’d built the number of stores that carried their wine to a large enough number that the LCBO sent them a request to move their Cranberry and Cranberry Blueberry wines to its general list.
(Above) Every year the operation produced about 20,000 pounds of white and pink cranberries, unmarketable because consumers conconsidered them unripe. (Below) Sorting through the cranberry harvest
“Despite being shelved at the back of the store on the bottom shelf, we’ve exceed our sales targets each year,” Wendy says. “The LCBO has become very supportive and moved our category (Ontario Quality Certified fruit wines) to the front of the store this year. We also direct-deliver some of our other wines to local LCBO stores on a limited basis. Our wines are also available in China, and sold online and at the farm.”
The Johnstons decided to see if a great wine could be made from white and lightcoloured berries that couldn’t be marketed each year. After a lot of experimentation, their creativity and hard work paid off and in 2002 they released the firstever Canadian White Cranberry Wine.
Learning how to produce the wine was a very interesting journey for Wendy and Murray.
“In general, cranberries ferment much more slowly and require a bit more nurturing than grapes to become wine,” Wendy explains. “For the White Cranberry Wine, we use a different pressing method than we use for our regular Cranberry Wine, and we have to coddle the white cranberries a bit more. Learning how each fruit reacts to fermentation, and
discovering the best expression of that fruit as wine have been our biggest challenges –and triumphs.”
So, the 20,000 pounds of former compost are now transformed every year into 6,000 litres of White Cranberry Wine. It has won five awards to date, including one at the international level. Because the Johnstons can harvest a limited quantity of white and pink cranberries every year, the White Cranberry Wine is only available at the winery or through online ordering.
“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive,” Wendy says. “I describe it as slightly sweeter and less acidic than our Cranberry Wine. Because it can vary dramatically in colour from year to year, each vintage is unique. The current vintage is a beautiful apricot colour with a slightly floral cranberry nose. On the palate, the soft sweetness is followed by a lingering cranberry finish. It’s a nicely balanced wine that is ready to drink now as an aperitif or with soft cheeses, poached fish, or lightly-seasoned chicken.”
In addition to all of this, the Johnstons also offer the Bog to Bottle Discovery Tour, which attracts 5,000 to 10,000
An aerial shot of Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh & Muskoka Lakes Winery, located near Bala, Ont.
The Johnstons offer the Bog to Bottle Discovery Tour, which attracts 5,000 to 10,000 participants each year, and has been designated a Canadian Signature Experience.
participants each year, and has been designated a Canadian Signature Experience. Visitors can also shop in the boutique gift store, enjoy nature trails, sample wine and cheese on the patio, and try seasonal experiences like snowshoeing and GPS treasure hunting.
Any business has challenges at any given point, and Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh & Muskoka Lakes Winery is no exception.
“Currently, the price of cranberries is at an all-time low,” Wendy says. “That means we have to work even harder to add value for our customers. We’re working on introducing our wines to new markets, creating new wines and expanding our tourism offerings.”
The Johnstons were delighted to win the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation for the second time for their White Cranberry Wine creation. (They first won in 2012 for exporting cranberry vines to Latvia to help establish cranberry cultivation there.)
“It’s affirming,” Wendy says. “I think the award acknowledges the importance of Ontario agriculture and that innovation is the only way for it to survive and thrive.” ❦
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The recently retired CEO of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) has been recognized for his long-standing commitment and contributions to the industry.
Art Smith, who led the organization from 2003 until mid-2014, was presented with the Industry Award of Merit at the recent OFVGA annual banquet.
“Art has been a tireless advocate on behalf of Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers for decades, first as a grower and board member, and then as a senior staff member of several horticultural organizations,” OFVGA chair Ray Duc says. “It is an honour for me to present this award to such a deserving individual.”
Smith was born and raised on a tender fruit farm in the Niagara Region that has been in the Smith family for more than 100 years; his niece Jennifer, who runs the farm today with her father and son, is the 10th generation.
As CEO of the OFVGA, Smith moved the organization to a strong financial
Ontario Fruit
Former CEO of OFVGA wins Award of Merit
position and, in 2005, led implementation of a policy that saw the OFVGA pay membership dues for all of its member organizations to the Canadian Horticultural Council.
Smith was also instrumental in head-
“We
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ing lobby efforts that have led to ad-hoc payments of more than $200 million to fruit and vegetable growers from successive Ontario governments over the last decade, including the Self-Directed Risk Management (SDRM) program. ❦
Photo
Past
and Vegetable Growers Association president Ray Duc (left) presents Art Smith with the association’s Industry Award of Merit.
Food Safety
Food safety programs
How to get a basic food safety and traceability program up and running
By Treena Hein
As we all have heard many times, there are numerous benefits of having a food safety program in place. Many Canadian fruit and vegetable producers who have implemented a program have accessed new markets, increased their awareness of their overall farm business process and boosted operational efficiencies, on-farm food safety program lead at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Colleen Haskins says. They also “have the best records they have ever had, and feel better knowing they are doing what they can to keep their product safe for the consumer,” she adds.
Haskins recently asked a few producers to share their thoughts publicaly on putting a food safety program in place, and coowner of Peter Jennen Farms Ellen Jennen was happy to oblige. The Jennens use high tunnels and irrigation to grow high-quality strawberries, raspberries and blackberries in Thamesville, Ont.
“I feel it was a good exercise in having great records for the crop, and feeling confident that the product we produce is safe, traceable and this is something we can be proud to have,” Jennen says, “which gives us better opportunities in the marketplace.”
Owner of Berryhill Farm in Watford, Ont., Tony Hogervorst instituted a food safety program some years ago, and achieved Canadian Horticulture Council CanadaGAP certification in 2012. (CanadaGAP is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and involves third-party audits.)
“As a result of our food safety certification, we have gained a substantial new customer, which helps us to justify our food safety investment, and will help to ensure our future viability,” Hogervorst says.
Berryhill Farm ships thousands of pounds of vegetables to wholesale, retail and food processing markets throughout southwestern Ontario and into the U.S.
Adoption of food safety programs for the approximately 15,000 horticultural producers in Canada is still a voluntary process and finding national statistics on what percentages are presently participating is difficult. In B.C., more than 280 farms
have adopted a recognized program, and more than 3,300 producers have participated in food safety education during the past six years, manager of the Agri-Food Safety and Quality Unit at the Food Safety and Inspection Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture Linda Wilson reports. We also know CanadaGAP has distributed more than 5,500 manuals since 2006 and, although only about half that number represents CanadaGAP-certified farms, executive director at CanadaGAP Heather Gale says the manuals are an excellent tool for anyone who wants to get started with food safety.
“The manuals were designed to be used off the shelf to minimize the producers having to write their own procedures or hire a consultant to help figure out what they
need to do to put food safety practices into place,” Gale says.
While a farmer may still need expert advice to assess specific risks, Gale notes that the program materials are “very comprehensive,” and include record-keeping templates and specific guidance on how and when to do various tasks.
A good strategy for someone newly implementing food safety in Gale’s view would be to look through the CanadaGAP manual and identify which sections apply.
“In many cases, all or most will apply,” she explains. “Then, just start working through the applicable sections. The key with food safety is that all of the practices taken together have a cumulative effect on minimizing risk. So we don’t highlight certain sections as being more important
than others.”
On the topic of traceability, which is closely tied to food safety, CanadaGAP provides a complete recall toolkit, which Gale says would be good for someone starting out to implement immediately. Also available within the manuals and other training resources on the CanadaGAP website are specific items like hand washing signs, controlled access signs, checklists and other tools that can be printed ‘as is’ or modified as the user likes.
Beginning the process of implementing a food safety program can seem daunting, but with the right tools, support and time designated to the process, it can be readily achieved
to use this to support your recall procedures,” Haskins adds.
If you don’t understand anything or feel you need more detail, she advises reaching out to OMAFRA food safety staff, a consultant or those within the food safety program itself. Once your policies and procedures are in place, Haskins says the next step is to train all that will be doing the associated tasks and ensure that tasks are done properly.
The first step in setting up a basic food safety program in B.C. in Wilson’s view is to become knowledgeable. Designed especially for small-scale farms that have never had a food safety program is the B.C. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Guide, produced by the Ministry of Agriculture. It offers help to identify food safety risks with self-guided checklists and flowcharts, and tools to minimize those risks.
“Once a producer has become familiar with the B.C. GAP Guide, and has followed all the steps and is maintaining records,” Wilson says, “he or she may decide to become certified from a recognized OnFarm Food Safety (OFFS) Program.” This program is available in national or international format, and the B.C. government offers financial incentives to adopt GAPs and/or to obtain OFFS certification.
Pitfalls and challenges
Among the challenges of putting an on-farm food safety program in place for the first time, cost is the first Gale identifies.
in light of existing programs and support.
“There are significant technical and financial supports currently available to enable producers to learn, adopt and adapt to a recognized…system,” she says. “The many advantages – including expanded market access, recognition of being a safe food producer, and protection of public health – far outweigh any pitfalls. Today, more and more buyers of fruits and vegetables and the general public want to know where their food is coming from and that it is safe. In B.C., most commercial producers recognize that maintaining certification of food safety is essential to marketing their product.”
“Beginning the process of implementing a food safety program can seem daunting, but with the right tools, support and time designated to the process, it can be readily achieved,” Haskins concludes. “Once you have completed the implementation, the reporting and documentation requirements associated with the program will begin to feel routine as they become part of your day-to-day operations.” FS
Haskins councils Ontario growers interested in creating a food safety program within their operations to identify who would like to see you put one in place, or may require you to have one in the future (buyer, retailer, wholesaler?) and the reasons why you’d like to institute a program (increased operational efficiencies, market access?). Then, she advises identifying the program or program requirements you wish to pursue. Enrolling in an official program should be considered, she notes.
“Many buyers look for proof of due diligence or confirmation that you meet the stated requirements. A third party audit is usually required to provide this confirmation.”
The next step is to become extremely familiar with the requirements you are interested in or that exist within the program you’ve chosen.
“Many programs will also include information regarding traceability and how
“But more often, it’s taking the time to work through the program and implement new procedures,” she observes. “Reading the manual and ensuring a good understanding of the terms and concepts takes time and effort.”
Gale notes that a third challenge can lie in achieving buy-in across the business (where everyone understands the necessity for change and is fully on-board).
Haskins identifies a pitfall in not seeking assistance to fully understand the requirements of buyers or of a chosen program.
“When producers have made the decision to work towards program certification, often it is left to when the season is in full production, and therefore does not leave enough time to fully complete the program requirements. Producers need to ensure there is enough time to collect sufficient records (three months’ worth) prior to the scheduled audit.” she says.
In Wilson’s view, there are very few challenges for a farm to become food safe
In Ontario, call 1-877-424-1300, or visit the website: www.ontario.ca/ goodagpractices
B.C. GAP Guide can be accessed in four languagesChinese, English, French, Punjabi and Spanish http://www. agf.gov.B.C..ca/ foodsafety/GAP/ default.html or call 604-556-3001
B.C. funding for implementing traceability is available. Call 604-556-3001 or visit https:// www.bcac.bc.ca/ardcorp/ program/traceability
Navigating the food safety of wash water
By Peter Mitham
An estimated four million people in Canada suffer from food-borne illnesses each year, many associated with the bacteria that also contaminate drinking water.
While a direct connection between contaminated food and a contaminated water supply is difficult to make, the threat of contamination is significant for any farm that uses water in the processing of fresh produce between harvest and shipping.
A recent study of surface water in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, for instance, tested 330 water samples for Verotoxin-producing E. coli, and identified contamination in 19.1 per cent. Contamination in 105 samples of produce being sold at retail was nil, fortunately, but producers nevertheless need to be aware of the risk of contamination via water.
Post-harvest, water can cool, clean, or hydrate produce; it may assist in its movement during sorting and packing; and it may even deliver fungicides to extend shelf life.
“All of these uses of water, of course, could cause contamination concern if the water isn’t of the proper quality,” Greg Komar, who served as quality assurance manager at Earthbound Farms in Salinas, Calif., during the spinach recall of 2006 said.
He is now technical manager for the agriculture division of independent food safety auditor NSF International, and spoke to growers in B.C. in early 2014.
The risk of contamination makes it important to ensure that the water that comes into contact with produce is clean, regardless of its source. Statistics from the U.S. indicate that private plumbing systems account for more than half of all cases of contamination, while one third stem from the use of untreated ground water and deficiencies in distribution systems. All the sources underscore that contamination is possible, even when using treated water, making the sanitizing of water critical in mitigating contamination risks.
“The only reason for sanitizing the water is to prevent that water from becoming a cross-contamination concern,” Komar said.
This is especially important because washing produce doesn’t remove pathogens, it simply makes the produce look better.
“Once it’s on there, it’s on there,” Komar emphasized. “Water does not, repeat, does not remove pathogens in a significant quantity to call it anything other than washing for the sake of getting water on the product. Washing does not remove contamination. It’s critical that you guys know that.”
“To protect produce – and ensure clean water – a more sophisticated Hazard Assessment Critical Control Point (HACCP) program is required – which most operations have.”
Operators should know where they’re water comes from and the potential risks to its cleanliness. Regular testing is also important, not only as a measure of water’s safety but in order to identify and monitor weak points in the supply.
“It may show you something you wouldn’t have thought about,” Komar said. “You definitely want to pay attention to your [critical control points], make sure they’re always effective, because you could be losing a lot of product if you don’t.”
Contaminated produce cannot be sold; it can only be cooked or trashed. Regulations in the U.S. now prohibit the feeding of
contaminated produce to animals.
Komar highlighted two areas where growers can take steps to protect produce from contamination.
One is in cooling systems that use water. These have been identified in the U.S. as a potential source of Legionella contamination. The bacteria is air-borne, and conveniently distrib-
Operators should know where they’re water comes from and the potential risks to its cleanliness.
uted via fanned sprays designed to keep produce cool and hydrated. This water should be sanitized and the system cleaned to ensure freedom from bacteria.
Chlorine presents another set of issues. While chlorine solutions are common for sanitation, its effectiveness depends on several factors.
On the one hand, it’s pH dependent. Combined with water with a high pH, it may not work properly; it will also pose problems if the water is too acidic.
“The germicidal action of your chlorine is only 20 per cent effective at 7.5 [pH],” Komar said. “Between 6 and 7 [pH] is ideal; below 6 [pH], you start getting acidification and off-gassing of chlorine, which is a health issue.”
The effectiveness of chlorine is also compromised by dirty water.
“Chlorine loves organic matter. If you have a lot of organic matter in your water, you use up the efficacy of your chlorine instantaneously, almost,” he said.
Komar recommended changing water frequently to ensureit remains as clean as possible. A settling tank where organic matter can drop out and then be filtered prior to recirculating to rinse produce may be wise.
Above all, Komar recommended a simple system to minimize the risk of contamination.
“Keep it simple: Folks love to get that new line with all the new gizmos and doors and all the cool things – all that does is cause contamination,” he said.
Better yet, growers who can avoid washing should do so.
“In most instances, you don’t need to,” he said. “It won’t affect your quality, it won’t affect shelf life. I’m not sure why people are doing it.” FS
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Premium protection for farm businesses
Trouble may be the last thing business owners plan for when they set up shop. Preparing for a catastrophic event, such as an outbreak of foodborne illness or a product recall, is often the last thing businesses expect to face.
“They go in because they want to make money, they want to create jobs,” an account executive with Reliance Insurance Agencies Ltd., Mark Johnson, said. “But with that comes the risk, and how you manage that risk is very important to your business.”
Some fail to take stock of the threats to their business, others ignore the risks altogether in favour of saving a bit of cash. Some worry but do nothing. Others buy insurance, but aren’t fully aware of what’s covered.
“Get proper insurance, or at least know what’s available and consider the options,” Johnson said.
Some of the key risks farms and food processors face are in the area of food
safety. While many farms have food safety programs in place, the failure of those protocols creates a whole new business environment requiring a whole new set of tools.
A food safety incident will bring significant costs not only in terms of lost sales, but a damaged reputation and even potentially crippling lawsuits.
But it doesn’t have to be that way, thanks to various forms of insurance available to producers. While many business owners think commercial general liability insurance is sufficient, Johnson said this insurance only applies when personal injury or property damage has occurred. It doesn’t cover a recall, which is in a separate category.
Product recall insurance, for example, covers administrative fees related to a recall. Typically, it covers the costs associated with a recall ordered by government rather than a voluntary recall.
By Peter Mitham
Product losses attributed to the recall are not covered.
General recall insurance is triggered by accidental contamination, malicious contamination, and cases of extortion. It also includes government-ordered and voluntary recalls.
The insurance can be structured to cover third-party costs, crisis response costs, rebranding and loss of profit.
Johnson said his agency works with companies to assess their exposure to risk and identify steps they can take to reduce exposure in areas ranging from properties to food safety. Having appropriate preventative measures in place can help reduce exposure, and in turn, insurance premiums.
“If you’ve got all the right things in place, you’ll be paying less for your insurance,” Johnson said.
Focusing on domestic markets can also help reduce insurance costs, he added. FS
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Carrot
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Matures 110-138 days; developed through traditional breeding methods by crossing kale & Brussels sprouts; plants are tall, produce crops of florets on stalks. Courtesy of Johnny’s Select Seeds
Cauliflower
Kale –Darkibor
Matures 55 days; early maturing, easy growing; for late summer, fall harvests; upright plant; finely curled leaves; good field holding. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures 45 days; dark, triple red, mini oak leaf; small frame; excellent flavour. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures 118 days; very nice external, internal colour; excellent uniformity, size potential. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures 55 days; midearly hybrid variety; resistant to uprooting; medium green colour leaves, very curly; sweeten up as weather cools. Courtesy of Norseco
Has taste, texture leaf shape of romaine; makes dark green leaf lettuce; very vigorous, fast growing; handles both heat and cold. Courtesy of Seedway
Matures 100 days; long day, performs well from direct seed or transplant; dark red colour, sizes well; suited to long storage. Courtesy of Seedway
Matures 55 days; smooth bulbs; very erect foliage; easy bunching; easy to cultivate; superb flavour; nice internal structure. Courtesy of Norseco
–
Hybrid, matures early, slotted for summer production; foliage is blue-green; shanks are heavy 10-12 inch length. Courtesy of Seedway
Matures 45 days; mini leaf lettuce; very attractive red colour; sweet taste; crisp texture. Courtesy of Norseco
F1: Spineless pods, 4-inches, dark green colour, high yielding. Courtesy of Agro Haitai
Matures 110 days; large round bulb; medium to dark red exterior with good internal colour; suitable for transplants or direct seeding; medium storage potential. Courtesy of Stokes
F1: baby type; very slow bolting; dark green; good for spring and fall. Courtesy of Agro Haitai
Matures 68 days; produces large fruit; nicely coloured; very firm, good leaf cover; for fresh market and processing; organic seed only. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures 74 days; extra large, blocky dark green to red; smooth, high quality fruit; high disease tolerances. Courtesy of Stokes
Matures 60 days; round; pale green; stunning dark pink interior; sweet, crisp, refreshing; best grown in cool weather. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures 72 days; Syngenta hybrid; large blocky fruit; excellent fruit colour, firmness, shoulder appearance, uniformity, wall thickness; high yield potential. Courtesy of Rupp
Early, mini goldenyellow bell; slightly tapered fruit; sweet flavour; large, sturdy, leafy plants. Courtesy of Johnny’s Select Seeds
Matures 75 days; early; high yield; quality fruit; ideal to start growing season. Courtesy of Norseco
Early maturing, strong plant, excellent fruit coverage, high yields; ideal for fresh market, processing. Courtesy of Siegers
Very uniform in size, shape; high fruit numbers per plant, excellent yield potential; dark green embedded handles. Courtesy of Siegers
Delicious minibutternuts; rich, sweet, starchy flavour; small 1-2 lb.; fruit mature early; limited storage; short, space-saving vines. Courtesy of Johnny’s Select Seeds
Early maturing, extralarge blocky greento-red bell; great yield potential; high resistance to TMV: 0, Xcv: 0-5, 7-9; intermediate resistance to TEV. Courtesy of Sakata
Matures 100 days; dark orange flat/round 20-30 lbs.; widely adapted, large vine; well defined ribs; firm dark green large handle; PM tolerance. Courtesy of Stokes
Matures 92 days; early maturing hybrid; can germinate in cold soil; high yield; round, pointed, orange fruit; organic seed only. Courtesy of Norseco
High sugar content; strong, clean plant; high yields; easier pick compared to others on the market. Courtesy of Siegers
Matures 78 days; excellent germ, vigor; very high yielding variety; nice quality cobs. Courtesy of Norseco
Consistent performer; great eating quality, tenderness; excellent yield potential. Courtesy of Siegers
Superior eating quality with excellent tip fill; good husk cover on a strong, sturdy plant. Courtesy of Siegers
Matures 68-days; bi-colour from Seneca Vegetable; excellent ear length; first early variety; very good eating corn with a dark green husk package. Courtesy of Rupp
Matures 74 days; nice large ear; very white; well filled tip; excellent taste. Courtesy of Norseco
Incredible eating quality; good husk protection and flags. Courtesy of Siegers
Matures 70 days; early variety; vigorous; good emergence; high quality taste; high yielding; uniform full tipped ears. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures: 60 days; vigorous early variety; emerges well in cold soil; taste is tender, sweet; solid tip; sturdy plant. Courtesy of Norseco
Matures 73-day; bicolour from IFSI; provides excellent yield potential, better than average lodging tolerance; superb eating quality. Courtesy of Rupp, Stokes
Great taste; protection for Corn Rootworm, European Corn Borer, Corn Earworm, Fall Armyworm; weed control benefits of Roundup. Courtesy of Siegers
Matures 45 days; widely adaptable, high yielding variety; has strong semiopen plant; excellent disease package. Courtesy of Norseco, Rupp
Read and follow label instructions.
CARROT DISEASE CONTROL 2015 DISEASES
(Rotate groups to manage
tance) (Check label for details)
Maximum of two sequential applications. Use high rate during periods of high disease pressure. First applications should be made when disease first appears.
Read and follow label instructions.
Post plant, pre-emergence application. Apply to the soil 3 days after planting.
S = suppression only * Resistance grouping: The fungicide resistance advisory committee (FRAC) assigns group numbers to identify resistance grouping. M indicates multi-site activity.
= control
NOTES: Check provincial guides or product labels for details and specific weed control ratings. Some provincial guides include control ratings not shown. Some tank-mixes may not be registered in all provinces: additive effects and antagonism may also occur. Some products and tank-mixes are only recommended for certain varieties. Various formulations may be available and additional application rates may be recommended.
IMPORTANT: The Fruit & Vegetable Magazine Disease Control tables are guides only. It is highly recommended that growers refer to local provincial guides and labels as well as with processors and packers.
Alternaria
Cavity Spot
Cercospora
Damping Off
Powdery Mildew
Rhizoctonia
White Mould
BEAN DISEASE CONTROL 2015 DISEASES
is different for edible-podded beans compared to dry shelled beans.
(Rotate groups to manage
(Check label for details)
For protective sprays, apply first application when plants are 15 cm high.
Apply prior to disease development. Make first application at 20-50% bloom stage, before disease symptoms are visible. Make a second application at full bloom (minimum 7-day interval).
only.
One time application at seeding.
Days between applications dependent on pod development.
not apply more than 1.1. kg ai/ha
S = suppression only * Resistance grouping: The fungicide resistance advisory committee (FRAC) assigns group numbers to identify resistance grouping. M indicates multi-site activity.
• = control
NOTES: Check provincial guides or product labels for details and specific weed control ratings. Some provincial guides include control ratings not shown. Some tank-mixes may not be registered in all provinces: additive effects and antagonism may also occur. Some products and tank-mixes are only recommended for certain varieties. Various formulations may be available and additional application rates may be recommended.
IMPORTANT: The Fruit & Vegetable Magazine Disease Control tables are guides only. It is highly recommended that growers refer to local provincial guides and labels as well as with processors and packers.
