Bridging the gap
A glimpse into what agricultural engagement looks like in Chatham-Kent. | 8
Organic Standards review What matters for fruit and vegetable growers? | 14
New tech helps Maritime apples travel south How Ocean Crisp preps their product. | 18
March 2020 fruitandveggie.com
{ They’re bugging out. }
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Always read and follow label directions. AgSolutions, INSCALIS, and
BY ANDREW TOMPSETT
BY TOM PIEKARSKI
RONDA PAYNE
How do you choose wine? Do you stick to a trusted name and never stray? Do you opt for wine from local vineyards? Or do you show up in the store aisle and pick whatever grabs your attention?
Darcen Esau was a master’s candidate at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus who conducted research on the branding and design of wine labels. His research was published last year in a CBC report. The gist: people want wine that matches their personal identity.
Esau conducted experiments to see if a wine’s label had any influence over a consumer’s choice. He tested wine labels that fit into four categories: personality, design type, narrative and conveyance of luxury. He found it wasn’t as simple as gravitating to the most luxurious brand of wine. “Regardless of what wine was in the glass, if somebody identified with the label they thought the wine tasted better,” Esau told the CBC. He noted that a label’s appeal, and thus the
designs appeal to different people, and there is no one design that will appeal to all. You don’t have to stick to classic designs, but your brand does matter. Sometimes it pays to stand out with a unique label in a wine market that’s saturated with thousands of products. As Esau’s research found, some consumers will judge a wine by its label.
In the spring of 2020, Sustainable Winegrowing B.C. (SWBC) will allow vineyards and wineries in the province to participate in a third-party audit and certification process that will brand their products as “certified sustainable.” You can read more about this initiative on page 10. For consumers who identify “sustainability” as part of their personal identities, this label will speak to them. But it’s more than just a label: there is some teeth involved. Participating vineyards and wineries will have to meet certain sustainability goals that include everything from water and energy efficiency to social equity.
“People gravitated toward labels that matched their identities.”
perception of how it tastes, has more to do with branding than if it appears expensive or not.
So what does this mean for vineyards, or anyone who sells directly to consumers? Different
Nowadays it’s easy to slap a label on a product to appeal to a consumer, but it’s important – for our industry and for consumers –that there’s something beyond the label that is tied to action.
Editor STEPHANIE GORDON sgordon@annexbusinessmedia.com 437-688-6107 Associate
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COO SCOTT JAMIESON
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The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN) has developed and published standards for a long-term grapevine certification scheme. This is done with the intent to establish multiplication blocks based on material tested by and held at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Centre for Plant Health in Saanich, B.C. CGCN is a Canadawide not-for-profit organization promoting certified disease-free grapevines. Member nurseries who have signed an agreement with CGCN have access to the CGCN material in Saanich. The short-term testing
of propagating material for participating nurseries is ongoing. All vines used for collecting propagating material are tested for Leafroll 1 and 3, Red Blotch and Pinot Gris viruses before they are released for collection of wood. This testing is also available to growers who want to test their own material before using it for custom propagation. CGCN currently has access to funding that reduces the cost of testing by 50 per cent.
More details on long- and short-term programs can be found at www.cgcn-rccv.ca under certification.
Saskatoon berries get a boost as a project from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) hopes to use the berries in antioxidant-rich nutritional supplements. The berry project is among 30 other university research projects that have been awarded a total of more than $8 million through Saskatchewan’s Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), a program jointly supported by the federal and provincial governments and supplemented by industry partners. The project will see haskap (also known as edible blue honeysuckle) and Saskatoon berries turned into antioxidantrich nutritional
0.3%
supplements. USask food scientist Nicholas Low will identify phenolics, compounds known to have antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, in the pulp of Saskatchewangrown and bred haskap berries. The phenolics have many potential commercial applications,
the top five wine exporters by value are France, Italy, Spain, Australia and Chile.
Canada is ranked 35th globally in export value.
ranging from health supplements, to food additives and colorants, to fighting cancer.
The ADF program is supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year $388 million investment by the federal and provincial governments in strategic initiatives for Saskatchewan agriculture.
CANADA IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST PRODUCER OF ICEWINE, WITH ANNUAL HARVEST TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO -8 C AND COLDER
ONTARIO is Canada’s largest exporter of icewine valued at $18.6 MILLION followed by BRITISH COLUMBIA at $3.2 MILLION
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Editor’s note: In late November, Darrin Canniff, the mayor of Chatham-Kent, Ont., joined Larprise Farms during their brussels sprout harvest. Canniff posted a short video of his experience on social media and it was met with an abundance of engagement. His post started with, “Hey CK! Did you know that ChathamKent produces virtually all of the brussels sprouts consumed in Canada?” This visit to a farm is not a one-off, but part of larger series the mayor is doing covering different agricultural businesses in ChathamKent. We asked the mayor to share his thoughts about the experience and what it could mean for producerconsumer relationships down the line.
Located in southwestern Ontario, ChathamKent is referred to as the banana belt of Canada and for good reason. The municipality has one of the highest number of growing days in Canada and agriculture represents a more than $3-billion economic driver for the region.
Over the past year, Chatham-Kent’s mayor Darrin Canniff has been travelling across the region, exploring some of the 2,450 square kilometers of rich farm soil to meet with farmers, agricultural leaders, and food processing companies.
Canniff took office on Dec. 3, 2018 and comes from a finance and accounting background.
Chatham-Kent already grows more than 70 different types of crops and is Canada’s number one producer of tomatoes, carrots, seed corn, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, and pumpkins. The municipality is also working closely with the Ridgetown Campus to see if ginger can become a viable option for farmers in the area.
The mayor has also been meeting with food processors in the municipality including ConAgra Foods (Dresden), Harvest-Pac Products (Chatham), and Weil’s Food Processing (Wheatley) to understand their needs and to learn how Chatham-Kent can further support their development.
“People know that we are processing crops that reach major chains like Sobeys, Loblaws, and Costco. One of the things people may not know is that we have a chocolate factory that is running at 100 per cent capacity with four shifts,” Canniff said. “Not only that, but engineers at the Chatham facility have developed innovations that are being shared internationally across other plants the company owns.”
“It’s helped from a brand perspective and to attract employees.”
When talking to producers in the region, Canniff recognized the significant developments of local agriculture.
“I’ve discovered that our region is a hub for agribusiness innovation through advances in smart farming technology, robotics, automation and AI, and cutting-edge value-added food processing,” Canniff said. “Our greenhouse sector has doubled in size over the past several years and thanks to recent investments in important resources such as natural gas, it is ramping up for even more growth.”
The climate in Chatham-Kent is also well suited to newer field crops. This past fall, Canada’s first commercial rice crop was harvested in ChathamKent by a partnership between Ontario FangZheng Agriculture Enterprises and the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus.
When it comes to sharing information, we asked Mayor Canniff what strategies he would recommend agribusiness use when communicating with their communities.
“I’ve heard time and time again that the successful producers are finding ways to engage directly with the community. For example, Whyte’s Pickles, which has recently launched the first phase of their new plant in Wallaceburg and is set to launch the second phase in 2020, has taken a proactive approach and has already attended several major community events over the past year,” Canniff said. “It’s helped them from both a brand perspective and it’s accelerated their employee attraction efforts.”
Andrew Tompsett is the marketing and communications officer for economic development for the municipality of Chatham-Kent in southwestern Ontario.
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says the process involved a lot of dialogue about fulfilling the standards, and Pease says that’s what they want. “We are eager to have a friendly audit, a conversation about different opportunities.”
Severine Pinte, winemaker and viticulturist for Le Vieux Pin and Lastella Wineries, also took part in the pilot and admits that it was daunting at first. “I am strong on record-keeping and I have traceability, but a lot of it is either on my computer or in in my head,” she says. “My goal is to have it all in one binder.”
That is just one example of how certification can promote sustainability practices. “Certification is not an end goal where you stop - it is a path,” Pease says. “We have minimum critical criteria that must be met, but the overall goal is continuous improvement over time.”
it done,” she says. They will be looking to train third-party auditors in the new year. There will be an all-in cost based on the size of an operation.
Resources to support producers in their on-going sustainability learning and implementation is important, Pease says. “But it is a challenge for us right now; we are launching this on a very shoestring budget,” she says. “We will be able to offer workshops throughout the year on topics such as water, soil, energy and waste, to help people monitor those things on their site.”
“We want to tell the story about the quality of B.C. wine,” Pease says. “And back that story by a standard that enhances the quality of the wine product, but also helps to maintain and enhance the quality of our environment.”
Producers can choose how they wish to add certification to their own story. “It can be a note on their label or a sign on their farm,” Pease says. “We will have our own campaign showcasing our product and our environment through the B.C. Wine Institute, but our members will do the best job at telling the story.”
Pinte elaborates, “When we receive certification and can communicate it to our customers that is good, but for me it is not the top priority. The top priority is to do my operation, my everyday work, with that sustainable factor in mind.” She says, “Being a better steward of the vineyard by practicing regenerative agriculture, or saving energy, managing waste water
Both Quail’s Gate and Le Vieux Pin have been key members of the SWBC committee, so they are familiar with the language of the outcomes. But Pinte says it is important to not get too bogged down in the process. “We all keep records of varying detail, and as a producer continues along the process it will get easier,” she says. “It is helping you to structure things, and in the end your business will get a lot easier.”
“What I like is that across the industry we are all going to be able to exchange practices and support each other to move forward,” Pinte says. “This is a very good instrument to bring the wine industry in the Okanagan to the next level.”
Pease says SWBC will offer certification audits starting in April of 2020. “The industry has told us that they want to get
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but increases in starch and decreases in proteins are anticipated in all broadleaf plants. These modifications will also result in certain responses from insects to the plants’ nutritional quality. For example, chewing insects will be more prominent in leaves with high carbon and low nitrogen levels.
What can be done
It’s all happening right now. We’re seeing longer growing seasons and milder winters which means lower winter insect mortality rates. Furthermore, reduction in snow packs means insects can penetrate deeper into the soil. Higher temperatures result in more insect activity and reproduction, and with higher insect populations comes the need for more food.
Growers around the world are already having to think about adjusting their planting dates and locations with the shift of climate change. On an even more global scale, the struggle to fight off insects will make it harder and harder to sustain our ever-growing human population.
Other than regular scouting, crop rotation, sticky traps and making more environmentally-friendly decisions to manage the effects of climate change
Data source: NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) Credit: NASA/GISS
Source: NASA, 2018. 2 GLOBAL LAND-OCEAN TEMPERATURE INDEX
on their farms, what’s important is for growers to find a control system that works in their field.
An ecological option is to keep an eye out for beneficial insects such as the ladybeetle, the damsel bug, the green lacewing, hoverfly larvae, minute pirate bugs, aphid midge larvae and parasitic wasps. These predator insects feed on aphids and can be effective at controlling aphid populations. However, if aphid economic thresholds for your crop are exceeded then an insecticide should be considered. With CO 2 levels increasing at about 2 ppm per year, we can anticipate a greater demand for insect control agents.
“Canadian growers have been battling aphids for years, and research like Dr Delucia’s demonstrates the additional negative impact this pest could have on crops in the future.” says Andrew Geerligs, senior brand manager for insecticides with BASF. “That’s why BASF has been developing insecticides to give growers new tools to quickly manage aphids and to prevent yield loss and virus transmission - even in resistant populations.” Versys® insecticide, powered by Inscalis®, delivers effective control of aphids in horticulture crops. To learn more about Group 9D insecticides, visit AgSolutions.ca/ horticulture.
1 J.A. Zavala, E.H. Delucia, C.L. Casteel, M.R. Berenbaum, “Anthropogenic increase in carbon dioxide compromises plant defense against invasive insects”, Research Gate, 2008, https:// www.researchgate.net/publication/5476360_ Anthropogenic_increase_in_carbon_dioxide_ compromises_plant_defense_against_invasive_ insects
2 NASA, “Global Temperature”, Global Climate Change, Vital Signs of the Planet, 2019, https:// climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/
3 B.F. O’neill, A.R. Zangerl, E.H. Delucia, C.L. Casteel, J.A. Zavala, M.R. Berenbaum, “Leaf temperature of soybean grown under elevated CO 2 increases Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae) population growth”, Semantic Scholar, 2011, https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ Leaf-temperature-of-soybean-grown-underelevated-O%E2%80%99Neill-Zangerl/22f099e6 3edd80e08b3b7ec07546252da6795a90
4 J.A. Zavala, P.D. Nabity, E.H.Delucia, “An emerging understanding of mechanisms governing insect herbivory under elevated CO2”, Illinois Experts, 2013, https://experts.illinois.edu/ en/publications/an-emerging-understanding-ofmechanisms-governing-insect-herbivor
TOM
PIEKARSKI
| Policy and research coordinator @orgcouncil
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The Canadian Organic Standards are updated every five years to respond to changes within and outside the sector.
The Canadian Organic sector has worked hard to earn its reputation as an international leader in organic regulation. One reason for this reputation is the countless hours organic stakeholders have dedicated to understanding, debating, reviewing, and updating the Canadian Organic Standards (COS).
The COS are industry standards that guide the organic production and certification process through a set of organic principles and management practices as well as permitted substances lists. While the standards are owned and enforced by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) respectively, they are written in collaboration with organic industry stakeholders and eaters. Therefore, the organic sector determines the standards that best reflect the principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care that guide organic agriculture.
The COS must be updated every five years to clarify standards that were causing confusion, to respond to changes within and outside the sector, and to conform with best practices from trading partners such as the United States and the European Union.
In June 2018, the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC) initiated the review process by inviting farmers, members of the public, and industry
stakeholders to submit their proposed changes to the standards in the form of petitions.
From September 2018 to March 2019, various working groups, made up of volunteer experts, met to discuss and debate the petitions.
The working groups forwarded their recommendations to the Canadian General Standards Board’s Technical Committee on Organic Agriculture. The Technical Committee is comprised of voting members representing various interests within the organic sector, including producers, members of the public, regulatory groups and more. The Committee reviewed the recommendations, and the CGSB released a draft of the proposed changes to the Standards for public consultation in summer 2019.
Many of the revisions to the COS have been definitional. For example, the words “synthetic” and “non-synthetic” have been mostly replaced in the COS by terms that better specify substances that are allowed in production.
Similarly, definitions and terms related to the treatment, priming, pelleting, and coating of seeds were added, replaced, or clarified. This change added more clarity and transparency to the definition of seed treatments acceptable under organic principles. The definition of genetic engineering has also been modified to reflect new technological advancements
such as gene editing that are prohibited under organic production.
More directly, the Permitted Substances List for crop production now specifies in greater detail the extent to which microbial products, struvite, synthetic preservatives for seaweed extracts, synthetic micronutrients, silicon, silica and silicates can be used. Changes in the presentation of lists were also made for ease of use and interpretation.
Proposed changes to parallel production were among the more controversial in the working group discussions. Previously, parallel production of visually indistinguishable crops (i.e. organic kale grown alongside conventional kale) was only allowed in exceptional cases such as already planted perennial crops, seed, transplants, and vegetative propagating materials, and agricultural research facilities. The new proposal reflects a compromise in which parallel production is allowed for “annual crops harvested during the last 24 months of the transitional period, when fields are added to existing farms” (Section 5.1.4). The change is meant to allow operators to expand production by adding a transitional field to their certified organic
farm, without having to introduce a new, different crop to their rotation, or having to set up a separate business entity to manage this land. With this change, the operator can maintain organic certification for their operation as long as they satisfy the special conditions described in the standard, including maintaining the identity of the crops at all stages of production, and being subject to additional inspections and audits.
By far the most controversial propositions belonged to the greenhouse working group. Some changes were introduced in the form of specifications to hydroponic and aeroponic prohibition, such as clear soil volume requirements for all crops as well as minimum levels of minerals.
Where previously, artificial light was only allowed as a supplemental source of light, a proposed provision for 100 per cent artificial light for crops harvested within 60 days was submitted to the Technical Committee. This proposal reflected the opinion of those who questioned the viability of using just sunlight in settings that are more urban or in the North.
As part of the public review process, La Filière Biologique du Québec launched
These hands could just as easily be juggling.
Brad Oakley heads family operated B&T Oakley Orchards, as well as Goldsmiths Orchard Market, a country market that offers everything from fresh produce to locally sourced meats and fresh baked goods, including the best apple pies you’ll find in the Georgian Bay area.
Brad grows over 15 varieties of apples including Salish and Ambrosia, in an area where the soil and climate are particularly suited for tree fruit.
When it comes to caring for a great crop Brad trusts products from Belchim like Cueva for effective, safe protection.
Belchim Crop Protection Canada Here to lend a hand.
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a petition in September of 2019 to make known their concerns with proposed modifications that “would make it possible to grow vegetables, herbs, and berries in closed warehouses, in small volumes of soil, with 100 per cent artificial lighting.”
The petition garnered the support of over 11,000 signatories by the public comment deadline. Due to the overwhelming response, and after more discussion, the greenhouse working group has asked the Technical Committee to remove the proposal. However, an exemption has been added for those who wish to start annual seedling transplants in spring or winter to be transferred outdoors in later months.
With a proposed publication date of November 2020, the OFC, working groups and the Technical Committee are hard at work to resolve any outstanding issues and to ensure that the revised standards reflect the best that Canadian organic has to offer. Keep an eye out for more COS review updates on the OCO website, through OCO’s #YourStandardsYourSay series and on the OFC website: organicfederation.ca.
Growcer manufactures modular hydroponic systems that enable commercial food production in plugand-play 40-foot modules. Its vertical farming technology enables customers to grow fresh vegetables in virtually any climate. Growcer has empowered conventional farmers, entrepreneurs, communities and institutions across Canada and the United States to grow food locally all year round. One Growcer container can produce the annual seasonal equivalent of two acres of land.
Containerized farming also provides growers the opportunity to diversify crops and harvesting times to complement and expand on current production practices with the ability to customize the growing environment and nutrient mix. Growcer’s Customer Success team and the system’s environmental automation helps growers who are not experienced in growing in controlled environments or hydroponically. To learn more, visit: www.thegrowcer.ca
The new stemming machine from Atlas Pacific Engineering securely removes the calyxes and stems from strawberries. With a speed of five berries per second and conveyor belt, the machine is particularly fast and, according to the manufacturer, processes 6,000 pounds of strawberries per second with its twelve conveyor belts. The fruits are fed into the machine with a gentle and automatic filling system. Wheels transport them along track rollers. Each berry is scanned, then individually divided up and stemmed in order to ensure optimal yields. The machine is made from stainless steel and food-safe plastic. Atlas Engineering Pacific Co. offers numerous additions for enhancing production lines.
For 2020, AgroFresh is marketing FreshCloud Storage Insights, an analysis instrument for the storage potential of fruits. It is currently available for apples and pears. FreshCloud Storage uses multiple sampling points for multidimensional storage diagnostics with modern analysis technology so that producers can detect problems early on and react accordingly. The data retrieved are accessible via the FreshCloud platform. They help monitor the vitality of the fruit, optimise their market value, and reduce waste. With access to regional average values, users can compare the potential of their stock and make strategic marketing decisions on this basis. Automated notifications inform the user of potential storage problems.
Your crop is your masterpiece.
We just bring the tools. The unmistakable red formula of Emesto® Silver fungicide seed treatment protects your potato seed-pieces from seed and soil-borne diseases. With two modes of action against fusarium, it even safeguards against current resistant strains. But what insecticide you choose to combine it with is completely up to you – because when it comes to art, the artist always knows best.
Pre-sorting and packing equipment enable Ocean Crisp to detect defects and conserve water while sharing resources with other Nova Scotia growers.
BY RONDA PAYNE
It has been said that an apple led to the downfall of the Garden of Eden. Hard to believe that such a delicious, humble and diverse fruit could cause such mayhem, but apples have led to other significant changes. At least in this case, it’s for the better rather than the worse.
There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples worldwide and just a few more than a dozen have been chosen as the most commonly cultivated for commercial production in Canada. Some of those varieties (like Honeycrisp and Ambrosia) aren’t typically grown in the U.S. and this is a prime market point that Ocean Crisp Apple Company identified prior to the company’s launch in 2018. New equipment allowed for pre-sorting and packing of Ocean Crisp’s 2019 crop to ensure the freshest exports to the U.S. market.
Ocean Crisp’s facilities and growers are located in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, currently producing 10 per cent of the province’s apple crop. David Cudmore, vice president of the Ocean Crisp Apple Company, says they expect to reach 20 per cent of the province’s apple industry crop when growers are in full production by 2024.
“It is a company primarily focused on export of premium fruit into the U.S. market,” he explains. “Currently Honeycrisp, Ambrosia and Gala.”
The orchards also grow a small percentage of local and cider apple varieties and the company produces some bulk and pre-packaged fresh-pressed juice.
Ocean Crisp Apple Company works with three main orchards: Sarsfield Farms, High Point Orchards and Centreville Orchards.
(along with Ambrosia and Gala) are the primary focus of the more than 200-acre site.
High Point Orchards is owned by Sarsfield, two of his family members, Cudmore and his daughter Lee-Ann. Here, the owners started planting 250 acres of high-density apples in 2017 by GPS. They are expected to be in full production by 2024.
“High Point Orchards is over 100 acres in production and another 200 acres in new plantings,” Cudmore says. “The new plantings are premium variety Honeycrisp, Ambrosia and Gala.”
Traditional varieties like McIntosh, Cortland, Jonagold, Red and Golden Delicious are grown in another High Point orchard.
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Honeycrisp and Ambrosia aren’t typically grown in the U.S. and this is a prime market point that Ocean Crisp Apple Company identified prior to the company’s launch in 2018.
Sarsfield Farms is the home of Blake Sarsfield, the president of Ocean Crisp. He runs the farm with his son Alex, whose children will become the orchard’s fourth generation. As one of the first farms to plant Honeycrisp in the Maritimes, the variety
At 90-acre Centreville Orchards, high density Honeycrisp and Ambrosia apples are the focus. This was the first orchard in Nova Scotia to use concrete posts for trellis systems. In 2017, Cudmore and Sarsfield approached the family who owned the land decades ago (the Sterling family of Sterling Mountainside Farms) and with Nova Scotia Apple Sales, they bought the site together, thereby bringing a new generation of Sterlings back to it.
Growing apples is one thing, but packing, marketing and shipping is quite another. There have already been both successes and challenges in the young life of Ocean Crisp.
Prior to the 2018 launch, the company chose U.S.-based Rice Fruit Company as its partner and saw the benefits of the relationship almost immediately.
“They were integral to our success last year. They have a great relationship with their customers and are passionate about selling high-quality fruit and providing excellent service,” Cudmore says. “They launched our unknown Canadian brand with ease and quickly made Ocean Crisp a recognizable brand.”
Apples from the 2019 crop were offered through even more U.S. retailers and in addition to the Honeycrisps, there were limited Ambrosias available.
One of the setbacks the company experienced was the devastating frost in 2018 that destroyed High Point Orchards’ crop. All of the orchard’s fresh fruit was lost and just two per cent of the crop was salvageable for processing.
“We had a reduced crop, essentially half of what was expected,” he explains. “A smaller crop was challenging, but it also gave us a chance to hyper-focus on our launching strategy.”
Another success is the investment of nearly $2 million from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriInnovate Program and a further $500,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA) Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program to enable Ocean Crisp’s purchase of automated pre-sorting and packing equipment from MAF RODA. Jay Witherbee, communications officer with ACOA notes the automated and robotic equipment increases capacity, improves efficiency and quality and reduces water usage.
“The MAF line is a state-of-the-art system that has technology that is the first of its kind in Canada,” Cudmore says. “The camera system detects internal and external defects and the water filtration system is part of that first-in-Canada technology.”
Cudmore explains that MAF built Ocean Crisp a system that requires a smaller footprint.
“The flumes for the fruit are half as long as what you would typically see,” he says. “And we will be able to double-stack our fruit in the flumes to reduce the building footprint.”
Treating apples gently is key to longevity and shipping. The new system is designed to achieve this without adding to resource use. Cudmore notes that water is often taken for granted in a place like Nova Scotia, but conservation was a “vital part” of the company’s decision-making process for the new system. This new system filters the water, so instead of needing regular flushing and refilling of thousands of gallons of water, Ocean Crisp will only be refilling once or twice a season.
“Facility upgrades include advanced apple sorting and packing equipment to make the apple packing process more efficient and a modernized controlled atmospheric storage line to ensure apple longevity meets required international standards,” Witherbee, who helped fund the purchase with ACOA, says. “Other Atlantic apple producers will benefit by being granted access to the advanced equipment, which will support the province in sending premium apple varieties, such as Honeycrisp, to high-value export markets.”
Rice Fruit Company uses a similar system, so Ocean Crisp saw how the new technology would help the economic growth of Nova Scotia growers. The presort aspect of the system spots both internal and external defects, allowing Ocean Crisp to spot the internal browning common with Honeycrisp poststorage. Electronic sorting is done through scanning the apple’s exterior and selecting for diameter, colour and shape, then interior scanning ensures detection of browning, watercore and border defects in addition to measuring BRIX; 100 per cent of the fruit is analyzed. The presort and packing system provides automated feed, traceability packing and palletizing to Ocean Crisp’s specifications. This technology also allows the company to consider markets beyond North America.
Fruit from other area growers will help bring the presorting
and packing line up to capacity which creates efficiency, cost savings and better Maritimes-grown Honeycrisp apples for everyone. It delivers more accurate block performance data to make changes in the orchard. Plus, it allows packers to customsort the fruit based on needs and market demands.
“During harvest, there is a limited window of time and finite resources and labour,” Cudmore explains. “With a presort, if we want to, we can pick the whole tree and let the sorting be done through automation. After weather events… it is positive to know that the defect detection cameras can fully assess the quality and grade of the fruit.”
This allows growers to sort out the good apples rather than assuming an entire block or segment is lost.
“To compete on a global market, we in the Maritimes need to be efficient and share resources so we can prioritize cash flow into our orchards to grow more fruit,” Cudmore says. “The U.S. is a large market and there is a lot of room for growth with Honeycrisp. Additionally, we have seen the agriculture and fisheries sectors in Nova Scotia and the Maritimes have positive growth by entering into the Asian market. We collectively, in the apple industry, need to increase production if we ever want to attempt supplying even a small region in the Asian market.”
The team at Ocean Crisp believes in working with other growers to support and benefit the industry as a whole. With Maritimes growers differentiating themselves from other area’s orchards with their “best Honeycrisp in the world” apples, they can work together to create efficiencies through sharing infrastructure and equipment that allows them to put their best apples on the world’s stage.
