FV - November - December 2010

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November/December 2010 Volume 66, No. 7

Editor Margaret Land mland@annexweb.com

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How the mighty have fallen … for the hype

Many, many years ago, when I was a young, idealistic, earnest university student, my friends and I used to climb aboard the Bloor subway line and make our once-a-week trip west to Roncesvalles Village, home to Toronto’s largest grocery store.

The place was enormous and staffed by a skeleton crew of harried, overworked cashiers, stock clerks and cleaners who never stopped moving – ever. Despite this, the place always looked disorganized and very dingy in the corners. The staff was continually cleaning up aisle spills and never seemed to have enough time to sort through the stock before new items were piled on top.

We didn’t mind. The store had amazing sales and we were poor students, willing to fork out subway fare to purchase the 50cent bologna and hotdogs or the $2 cases of Kraft Dinner and Mister Noodle. Actually, the poor maintenance and management of the store, particularly the meat department, led to one of our favourite shopping games – who could find the bluest meat. Inevitably, it was usually my friend Justin, an aerospace engineering student from Saskatchewan, who would win the contest, patiently spending half an hour digging through four feet of hotdogs to find the festering packages at the bottom.

I admit it was a weird game. My only excuse is we didn’t get out much.

Anyway, as can be imagined, that particular grocery model proved to be unsustainable and the store chain eventually went belly up.

Let’s return to the present day. Bigbox grocery shopping is back with a vengeance. Once a week, I’m back to hiking the miles of aisles in search of the deals, which basically don’t exist. The difference is, instead of Toronto, I’m shopping in my local small town. It’s also (thank goodness) a lot harder to find blue meat. Big business eventually found a way to make the model work and we’re stuck with it.

Now big-box business has locked on to another new business fad: sustainability. Recently, Wal-Mart announced it is launching a “new global commitment”

designed to promote sustainable farming techniques among its suppliers. The new scheme will be based on these three areas:

• Supporting farmers and their communities,

• Producing more food with less waste and fewer resources, and

• Sustainably sourcing key agricul tural products.

At first glance, the commitment seems a noble gesture. There is talk of increasing farmers’ incomes by 10 to 15 per cent and a movement within Canadian stores toward sourcing 30 per cent of produce locally by Dec. 31, 2013 – welcome news.

But much of the focus appears to be on emerging markets.

“More than one billion people around the world rely on farming and hundreds of millions of them live on less than $2 per day,” says Mike Duke, president and CEO of Wal-Mart.

“Our efforts will help increase farmer incomes, lead to more efficient use of pesticides, fertilizer and water, and provide fresher produce for our customers.”

Wal-Mart is not alone in its embrace of the sustainable agriculture movement. Five days after the big-box store chain made its announcement, PepsiCo announced its plans to “revolutionize farming” with its new, web-based, i-crop precision farming technology,

launched initially in the United Kingdom.

“I-crop has the potential to revolutionize the way we farm, enabling our farmers to save costs and water and carbon consumption, while at the same time improving their yields,” says Richard Evans, president of PepsiCo UK and Ireland.

As well, the company is trialling lowcarbon fertilizers and plans on replacing more than 75 per cent of its U.K. potato stock with varieties that use less water and have increased yields.

You have to hand it to these companies – they sure make it sound like they understand farming. But, let’s be honest, what do corporate Walmart and PepsiCo really know about producing food? Do they really think some big announcement hailing a new approach to corporate management is going to lead to more “sustainable” farming practices? After all, wasn’t it big business demand for cheap produce that led to these alleged unsustainable agricultural practices? Now they suddenly know better?

Here’s an idea: leave the farmers alone. Through their own know-how and skill set, they’ll find the most economical and hardy varieties to grow, the ones that require fewer pesticides, fungicides, water and fertilizers but still produce the best yields. In return, you buy more from them at a fair price. ❦

Farm food safety standard recognized internationally

After a comparison process spanning almost a year, CanadaGAP has been successfully benchmarked against the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) requirements.

GFSI approval means CanadaGAP is recognized as equivalent to other GFSIbenchmarked programs for the primary production sector, such as SQF 1000, GlobalGAP and PrimusGFS, which many buyers require, both in Canada and abroad. CanadaGAP has been recognized by GFSI for certification options B and C and the recognition covers the common food safety requirements that run through the six different commodity specific modules.

This recognition will allow farmers who are certified to CanadaGAP to remain competitive and have continued access to markets, which are increasingly demanding that companies implement a recognized food safety program.

Leaving behind ladders

Ontario apple producer creates apple-harvesting machine

Even today, apple harvesting is a ladder-ridden activity. Apple pickers are constantly moving ladders; trying to find firm footings so that they can scramble up the rungs, remove the fruit and then scramble back down again to dump their harvest. The work is hard, tiring and dangerous when poorly placed ladders fall over.

Aylmer, Ontario, fruit farmer Maurice VandenBorre is no fan of apple harvesting’s old ways. This is why the owner of VandenBorre Fruit Farms decided to come up with something different over 20 years ago. His answer: working with a German engineer, VandenBorre designed and built a oneof-a-kind self-propelled apple harvester. Equipped with two hydraulically controlled

Working with a German engineer, Maurice VandenBorre of Aylmer, Ont., designed and built a one-of-a-kind self-propelled apple harvester.

platforms, VandenBorre’s apple harvester allows the pickers to mechanically raise and lower themselves to get at the best apples. The result is a much safer and more productive workflow – and no ladders.

For his efforts, VandenBorre received a 2008 Premier’s Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Award from the Province of Ontario. “Less jostling of both the operator and fruit results in fewer bruised apples and elbows,” says the award citation. “The unit has helped speed up harvesting and is used by the farm seven months of the year.”

“The apple harvester is propelled by an engine we salvaged from an old estate wagon,” says VandenBorre.

The machine

Maurice VandenBorre’s self-propelled harvester is one of the most unusual farming implements you will likely ever see. Imagine a four-wheeled truck chassis; just the wheels, engine and frame – no chairs, doors, or windows included. Onto this chassis is built a tall, steel frame. The frame provides support for a wide, flat platform across the chassis. This is

Submitted photos

where the driver stands, and anyone else who needs to walk along the steel running boards on either side. The platform also supports wooden harvest bins, where the harvesters can offload their apples. The gasoline-powered engine is mounted in the centre of the chassis.

The frame reaches up vertically, both to provide structural strength and to support a wide overhead roof to protect the two harvesters. They ride on two platforms attached to backhoe-style hydraulic arms; one mounted on either side of the vehicle, and based at the rear for balance.

The apple harvester is propelled by “an engine we salvaged from an estate wagon,” says VandenBorre. “Given the need to drive the hydraulics, the engine has been set up such the harvester only travels about two miles-per-hour, maximum.

“There is a small motor mounted below the steering wheel that controls the cylinder that actually turns the wheels,” he adds. “It’s not quite power steering, but it’s close.”

In practice, the harvester tends to roll forward at about an eighth of a mile per hour, to give the apple pickers lots of time to move about. It is controlled by a field foreman, who steers using a steering wheel mounted on one of the vertical supports. He also controls the hydraulics for the pickers, so they can focus on the apples. Meanwhile, the bins are offloaded to nearby trucks when they are full, without the harvester having to leave the orchard.

Why a harvester?

As mentioned earlier, Maurice VandenBorre doesn’t like ladders. “They’re just too dangerous for apple picking,” he says. But why did this aversion lead to the creation of VandenBorre’s self-propelled apple picker? There are a few good answers to this question.

The first answer is ease of use. A selfpropelled and controlled apple harvester allows VandenBorre’s crews to work from a single integrated platform, one that glides nicely between his rows of wiredmounted apple branches.

“I grew up using wires in Belgium, and then found that the North American model allowed too much shading on the lower apples,” he says. “By training the branches along wires, I can reduce the shading and thus ensure that lower apples get the right amount of colour. I can also increase the density of my orchard – we have about 36,000 dwarf trees on 33 acres – while

Top: Maurice VandenBorre’s harvester travels at about an eighth of a mile per hour, to give the apple pickers lots of time to move about.

Middle: The apple harvester allows pickers to mechanically raise and lower themselves to get at the best apples.

Bottom: Apple pickers ride on two platforms attached to backhoe-style hydraulic arms; one mounted on either side of the vehicle, and based at the rear for balance.

Above: Full apple bins are offloaded to nearby trucks when they are full, without the harvester having to leave the orchard.

Top right: The platform also supports wooden harvest bins, where the harvesters can offload their apples.

Middle right: On their hydraulically controlled platforms, the pickers can go after the ripest apples only, whatever height the apples might reach.

Bottom right: The apple picker is controlled by the field foreman, who steers using a steering wheel mounted on one of the vertical supports. He also controls the hydraulics for the pickers, so they can focus on the apples.

ensuring that the apples are easy to pick.”

The second answer is flexibility: On their hydraulically controlled platforms, the pickers can go after the ripest apples only, whatever height the apples might be at. This allows VandenBorre to pick apples when they are ripe, and to do so during multiple pickings. The result is a better quality harvest that commands a better price at market.

Product protection is the third advantage offered by the apple harvester. “With this system, the pickers can return to the harvester platform and gently put their apples into the collection bins,” says VandenBorre. “This means less bumping and bruising, which again results in a better quality harvest.”

The fourth big plus of the self-propelled apple harvester is productivity. It may not look pretty, but this machine is far more efficient than a crew of pickers toting ladders.

“We can pick a lot more apples, yet do so more safely and with less product damage than the traditional method,” he says. “Without this machine, there is no way we could harvest all of our trees with the people we have.”

Why you can’t buy a VandenBorre at your local dealer

Maurice VandenBorre’s self-propelled apple picker has become a bit of a legend in apple circles.

“People come and visit me from all over the world – especially from Africa – to see how it works,” he laughs. “They always have lots of questions. They want to know where they can buy their own apple harvester.”

So why hasn’t VandenBorre got into the apple harvester manufacturing business?

“I did build a larger version of this machine that carried 12 people, but it cost me too much money,” he replies.

“As for launching a manufacturing company? I am 79 years old and I don’t need that kind of headache. I am happy with what I’ve got and I like being an apple farmer. If someone else wants to set up a company, I’d be happy to show them the plans.”

In the meantime, Maurice VandenBorre’s apple harvester will continue to trundle its way down his orchard rows in Aylmer. The machine isn’t elegant – in fact it is rusty and angular – but 20 years on, the self-propelled apple harvester does its job like nothing else on earth.❦

Submitted photos

Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention

Regist R ation Fo R m

February 23 & 24, 2011

Pre-registration deadline February 16, 2011 Canada’s premier horticultural event featuring informative sessions, workshops and trade show with close to 150 exhibitors!

Pre-register by February 16, 2011, and receive a chance to WIN an overnight stay at GREAT WOLF LODGE in Niagara Falls plus a $100 Gift Card to be utilized at the Lodge!

All pre-registrations include a FREE lunch and admission to the Farmers and Friends Evening Event on February 23, 2011. On-site registration includes admission to the trade show and all sessions only. After Feb. 16, we will only accept on-site registrations.

REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE: Complete the online registration form and make a credit card payment at www.ofvc.ca.

REGISTER BY MAIL: Please complete and mail with cheque to: NPF & VGA, 104-155 Main St. East, Suite 135, Grimsby, ON L3M 1P2

REGISTER BY FAX: Complete the registration form (including credit card information) and fax to: 905-945-5386

HOTEL INFORMATION: Rooms have been reserved at five local hotels. In order to receive special convention rates, mention the “Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention.” Complimentary shuttle bus service will run from 4 hotels to the convention.

Days Inn St. Catharines

89 Meadowvale Drive

St. Catharines ON L2N 3Z8

1-877-688-2324 ext 4

$83/night + tax

Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Convention Centre (Formerly Quality Inn)

327 Ontario Street

St. Catharines ON L2R 5L3

1-877-688-2324 ext 2

$83/night + tax

Best Western St. Catharines (Formerly Holiday Inn)

Four Points by Sheraton St. Catharines Niagara Suites

Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls

2 North Service Road

St. Catharines ON L2N 4G9

1-877-688-2324 ext 3

$83/night + tax

3530 Schmon Parkway

St. Catharines ON L2V 4Y6

905-984-8484

$117/night + tax

Completed form and payment must be received by February 16, 2011 to be eligible for the early bird Bonus Offer. Badges will be available for pickup on site at the Registration Desk. Pre-registration Costs (Register by February 16, 2011)

Feb. 23, 2011

On-site: Single day $75 + HST = $84.75 (no lunch included) • Two Days $105 + HST = $118.65 (no lunch included)

Name: ________________________________________________________________ Company/Farm:

3950 Victoria Avenue

Niagara Falls ON L2E 7M8

1-888-878-1818

$129.99/night + tax (no shuttle service available)

Credit Card Payment: Card # ___________________________________________________________ Expiry Date: __________________________

o VISA o MASTERCARD If paying by cheque, please make payable to: NPF & VGA

Signature: ______________________________________________________________

Using chlorophyll fluorescence to measure early blight of tomato

As photosynthesis is the underlying basis for plant growth and development, estimating the efficiency of photosynthesis in plants is important. Chlorophyll fluorescence is a highly sensitive approach to making nondestructive estimates of photosynthesis. The principle behind it is that when light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll molecules, it can either be used to create sugar for the plant, lost as heat or lost as light. The latter process results in chlorophyll fluorescence and can be measured if leaves are exposed to particular wavelengths of light by then measuring the light that is reemitted by the leaf. Imaging of chlorophyll fluorescence is done by including a type of camera that records a digital picture of the chlorophyll fluorescence and measures it pixel by pixel in the image.

Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging is a relatively recent way of examining photosynthesis and has been used by scientists to estimate the effects of damage or stress on photosynthesis in various plants. An example of a stress that can affect chlorophyll fluorescence would be water stress that affects gas exchange by causing the stomata to close. This leads to reduced photosynthesis because there are reduced levels of CO2 available inside the leaf that can be incorporated into sugar. Another example is magnesium deficiency. As magnesium is an essential component of chlorophyll, a lack of it will also decrease photosynthesis, leading to altered chlorophyll fluorescence.

There are several producers of equipment that can perform chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. Models come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different types of plants, but all work is done under basically the same principles. In our study we used a chlorophyll fluorescence imager from Qubit Systems (http://www.qubitsystems. com). It consists of a chamber with light panels composed of LEDs to illuminate the plant at specific wavelengths for specific time periods, a digital camera to

capture the fluorescence coming from the plant, plus electronics and software to process the information. The plant is placed into the machine, settings are determined, the plant is illuminated and then a fluorescence image of the plant or plant part is captured. The level of chlorophyll fluorescence within the plant is shown through different colours in the image. These false colour images are used to measure the chlorophyll fluorescence in different areas of the plant.

Imaging of chlorophyll fluorescence is particularly useful in examining plant diseases. Pathogens typically cause symptoms where only a part of the plant is initially affected. A good example is leaf diseases where localized spots of yellowed or dead tissue are observed. Images allow one to observe how photosynthesis varies in a spot, where the surrounding tissue may not be affected. It also allows for quantifying just the areas that are showing disease symptoms. A few plant diseases have been studied thus far using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. They have shown that the method can be used to detect localized spots and its high sensitivity enabled the scientists to detect infections before visible symptoms had appeared.

We used chlorophyll fluorescence imaging to measure damage due to the common disease of tomato – early blight – that results in cankers on stems, large dead areas on leaves and rotting of fruit. For example, one may first see older leaves with small brown to black spots and the area surrounding it often becoming yellow. The lesions get bigger and frequently form concentric rings giving it the appearance of a target-spot. The entire leaf may then turn yellow, wither, and drop, and heavy infections can in result large losses of leaves and low yields of undersized fruit. Early blight is caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. Once the spores of the fungus land on a plant, it takes about 30 minutes to two hours for the spores to germinate (the shorter time is related to warmer

temperatures). Then, the fungus will penetrate the plant surface in about three to 12 hours, depending on the temperature. When it is inside the plant, the fungus kills the plant tissue producing dead areas (lesions) in one to three days. Large numbers of spores are produced from infected tissues that are spread by water, such as rain, mist, fog, dew or irrigation. If the pathogen becomes established, fungicides are essential for control. While fungicides are highly effective, the rapid development of the disease shows that timely application is important to make sure that they are effective and an epidemic does not occur.

The chlorophyll fluorescence imager that we used enabled us to measure a number of different parameters of chlorophyll

fluorescence. The parameter that we chose is also commonly used by other researchers and is a ratio of different values. It represents the maximum proportion of the light that is absorbed by the leaf that can be used for photosynthesis. Using a ratio of values has the advantage of giving less variation within a sample as small differences, such as distance to the camera, are cancelled out during the calculation. The machine measures these values in each pixel of the image to generate false-colour images showing black as no chlorophyll fluorescence and red, orange, yellow and green representing chlorophyll fluorescence values from highest to lowest.

Figure 1 shows several randomly selected tomato leaflets before and after inoculation with spores of the fungus that causes early blight. In figure 1A, a leaflet is shown before inoculation. The leaflet is healthy and has no visible signs of disease. The chlorophyll fluorescence images show a relatively uniform leaf with a red to orange color (figure 1B). Figure 1C shows what a leaflet looks like at about 16 hours after inoculation. It appears to be healthy, but the chlorophyll fluorescence image shows small grainy yellow spots indicating spots of reduced chlorophyll fluorescence (figure 1D). This was always observed prior to the appearance of symptoms. In figure 1E, one can see early symptoms of early blight, which are small dead spots that one typically observes at about 24 hours after the leaflet was inoculated under laboratory conditions. At that point, the chlorophyll fluorescence images shows the yellow spots more clearly indicating that the chlorophyll fluorescence values have dropped further but has still not reached zero (figure 1F). Figure 1G shows a leaflet at about 36 hours after inoculation. The fungus has grown further into the leaflet killing more tissue resulting in progressively larger dead spots. Chlorophyll fluorescence images of the

Figure 1. Examples of healthy tomato leaflets and leaflets infected with the early blight pathogen. Parts A, C, E, G and I are black and white images of the leaflet. Parts B, D, F, H and J are the corresponding chlorophyll fluorescence images shown with false colours representing the level of chlorophyll fluorescence. Red, orange, yellow and black represent the values from highest to lowest. Parts A and B show a leaflet that had not been inoculated. Parts C and D, parts E and F, parts G and H, parts I and J show leaflets at approx. 16, 24, 36 and 48 hours after inoculation, respectively.

Figure 2. Changes in amount of healthy, affected and dead tissue in a tomato leaflet inoculated with the early blight pathogen. Parts A, C, E and G are black and white images of the leaflet at 0, 16, 22 and 42 hours after inoculation, respectively. Parts B, D, F and H are the corresponding chlorophyll fluorescence images shown with false colours representing the level of chlorophyll fluorescence. The arrows in parts C, E and G show an individual dead spot as it develops. The arrows in parts D, F and H show the same dead spot as it causes changes in chlorophyll fluorescence in the leaf.

leaflet clearly show the dead spots as areas with no chlorophyll fluorescence (black), but also show that they are surrounded by zones of damaged tissue, shown as yellow, even though that tissue is not yet dead (figure 1H). Figure 1I shows what is usually observed for a leaflet that had been inoculated about 48 hours earlier, and the dead spots have expanded so that they have started to merge together. The areas with no chlorophyll fluorescence are larger and are surrounded by yellow zones (figure 1J).

Because chlorophyll fluorescence measurements are non-invasive, it is possible to take repeated images of the plant material so that the development of the disease can be observed. Figure 2 shows a tomato

leaflet that has been imaged before inoculation and then at 16, 22 and 42 hours after inoculation. The white arrow shows an example of a dead spot first visible at 16 hours after inoculation that becomes progressively larger at 22 and 42 hours after inoculation. The green arrow shows the same area in the chlorophyll fluorescence images demonstrating the increasing effects of the pathogen on photosynthesis over time. Analysis of the chlorophyll fluorescence images made it possible to quantify the amount healthy tissue (red to orange), affected tissue (yellow) and dead tissue (black) separately in each chlorophyll fluorescence image of this leaflet. The results are shown in figure 3 revealing the speed of the decline in healthy

Figure 3. Quantification of healthy, affected and dead tissue in the tomato leaflet shown in figure 2 (as a percentage of the leaflet area) at varying times after inoculation with the early blight pathogen.

tissue (which had chlorophyll fluorescence values like a healthy leaf) and the corresponding increases in the amount of

disease-affected and dead tissue. This work shows the type of information that chlorophyll fluorescence imag-

Coming Events

December 7-9, 2010 – 2010 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market Expo, DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.

www.glexpo.com

January 24-25, 2010 – Scotia Horticultural Conference 2011, Old Orchard Inn, Wolfville, N.S.

www.hortns.com

January 25-26, 2011 – 2011 Ontario Processing Vegetable Industry Conference, London Convention Centre, London, Ont.

www.opvg.org

January 26-27, 2011 – Manitoba Potato Production Days, Keystone Centre, Brandon, Man.

www.mbpotatodays.ca

January 27-29, 2011 – B.C. Agriculture Show 2011, Tradex Trade & Exhibition Centre, Abbotsford, B.C. www.agricultureshow.net

February 2011 – B.C. Horticultural Forum & Trade Show & the Okanagan Packinghouse Fieldsmen’s Group Seminar,

date and location still to be determined. www.bcfga.com

February 4-10, 2011 – 2011 North American Direct Farm Marketing Association Convention, Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Baltimore, Md. www.nafdma.com

February 8-11, 2011 – 2011 North American Strawberry Growers Association Annual Meeting, Doubletree Hotel, Tampa Westshore, Tampa, Fla. www.nasga.org

February 8-11, 2011 – North American Strawberry Research Symposium, Doubletree Hotel, Tampa Westshore, Tampa, Fla. www.nasga.org

February 10, 2011 – 2011 New Brunswick Potato Conference, E.P. Sénéchal Centre, Grand Falls, N.B. www.potatoesnb.com

February 23-24, 2011 – Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ont. www.ofvc.ca

ing can give about a diseased leaf. The false colours based on the chlorophyll fluorescence values gave images that consistently represented dead spots as black, damaged areas as yellow, and apparently healthy tissue as red to orange. Plant tissues could be monitored repeatedly, and even the effects of the pathogen in small areas of a leaflet could be quantified with high sensitivity and accuracy. While chlorophyll fluorescence imaging is currently primarily a research tool, its applications to measuring diseases as well as a wide range of plant stresses gives it great potential as a monitoring tool in production systems. ❦

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The author wishes to thank Moez Valliani and Weihong Gao for their technical assistance.

Dr. Paul H Goodwin is a professor with the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph, in Guelph, Ont.

Farm to fork

Mandatory Canadian traceability is moving forward

Traceability is currently voluntary in Canada, except for those who ship products to the U.S. But mandatory compliance with new laws regarding your produce and other farm products is coming. The good news is that although it comes with operational adjustments and some costs, there are many benefits to a fully functional food traceability system for those in all parts of the food system, including you.

Traceability is defined as the ability to trace the current and historical location of harvested produce and other food products from one point in the supply chain to another. There are three parts: product identification, premises identification and movement tracking. The point of having a traceability system is first and foremost to be able to efficiently handle food safety emergencies – to isolate, investigate and rectify problems as quickly as possible, so that the impact on human health and life is minimized. Many believe that just having a traceability system in place will give added motivation for everyone in the system to ensure their food safety practices are adequate.

Managing disease outbreaks, administering animal health programs and minimizing the economic fallout from food recalls will be easier and less costly. In addition, “(Traceability) also decreases the risk of unfounded liability claims by documenting who is and who is not part of the particular problem that has arisen,” says Allen Tyrchniewicz, president of Winnipeg-based Tyrchniewicz Consulting. “(Traceability also) becomes a tool for marketing and creates brand identity and loyalty for products.”

The Canadian government has set traceability policy goals and provincial governments, commodity groups and other agencies have taken preliminary steps to investigate which technologies and methods should be used. While most initiatives occurring across the country involve livestock, much progress is also being made in the produce sector.

If farmers are selling produce under their own farm brand and/or exporting produce to the U.S., they must produce their own bar code.

Sponsored by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, and the U.S.based United Fresh Produce Association and Produce Marketing Association, the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) is designed to help the industry maximize the effectiveness of current trace-back procedures, while developing a standardized industry approach to enhance the speed and efficiency of traceability systems for the future.

“The PTI outlines a course of action (7step ‘Action Plan Implementation Toolkit’) to achieve supply chain-wide adoption of electronic traceability of every case of produce in the U.S. by the year 2012,”

says Jane Proctor, CPMA vice president of policy and issue management. “These things will evolve, so keep checking our website (www.producetraceability.org).”

Mandatory programs to come

No national traceability regulations have yet been put forward here, simply because it’s too early in the process to do so. “To us, this is a partnership and we have to make sure it is possible for industry to meet regulatory requirements,” says Susie Miller, director general of the Food Value Chain Bureau (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Market and Industry Services Branch). Mandated federal traceability goals do

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exist for 2011, but Miller admits complete food systems traceability might not happen by then. “The members of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors feel they have adequate recall procedures in place,” adds Proctor, “and aren’t going to be asking members for PTI in the near future.”

Whatever form the traceability system for produce takes in Canada, Proctor believes it must focus on two main things – the requirements of target markets and compatibility with GS1 standards. GS1 is the leading global organization “dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards and solutions to improve the efficiency and visibility of supply and demand chains globally and across sectors.

“At this time, the only means of implementation of full chain electronic traceability that is fully workable for our industry is via bar codes,” says Proctor, “and even that is not without challenges for the produce sector.” In traceability systems with barcodes, “First of all, the codes must be human readable,” she says, meaning that numbers are placed below the barcodes in the event of a bar code scanning failure. Lot number and contents of cases are already typically labelled as

The Canadian government has set traceability policy goals and provincial governments, commodity groups and other agencies have taken preliminary steps to investigate which technologies and methods should be used. While most initiatives occurring across the country involve livestock, much progress is also being made in the produce sector.

human readable information now on cases of produce, and that practice will continue. This information is all farmers need to provide if they sell their produce to a packer who has the sales brand, says Proctor. However, if farmers are selling produce under their own farm brand and/or exporting produce to the U.S., they must produce their own bar code (assistance is available through GS1 Canada, www.gs1ca.org). “All bar codes contain a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) with a unique company/brand prefix and other information,” Proctor notes.

In the PTI system, bar codes are scanned throughout the supply chain as cases/pallets enter and exit packinghouses, warehouses and distribution centres.

“The information in the bar code links to information already resident in shipper/ receiver systems – such as which GTIN refers to which company/brand and produce item/pack size,” says Proctor. “During human health emergencies, this information would be accessible to government decision-makers by contacting the appropriate point/organization in the supply chain.”

The other main technology being examined for traceability use in some parts of Canada is RFID chips (radio frequency identification chips). This technology has been used to track goods in retail supply chains all over the world for many years.

The data on the chips is accessed wirelessly at a short distance and the information can be added to as a shipment moves. RFID tags are also, for example, featured in new enhanced driver’s licences in Ontario and B.C. to allow quicker border crossings. Border security personnel are able to read the chip as your vehicle pulls up, and a protective sleeve is provided that prevents the chip from being ‘read’ at other times by anyone not authorized by you to do so.

“RFID would be easier, but it’s not ready for produce,” observes Proctor. “The current RFID technology, for example, can be affected by high moisture levels and metal.”

National and provincial initiatives

In 2005, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada created a federal, provincial and territorial Traceability Task Team, which led to the creation of the National Agriculture and Food Traceability System (NAFTS). This system is initially focussed on livestock and poultry. As stated on the AAFC website, “NAFTS will be built upon national standards to ensure credibility, integrity, and efficiency. All parties with legitimate needs and rights shall be able to access information under common requirements that protect the privacy of individuals and proprietary information.

NAFTS will be built using a phased approach – recognizing each sector/user’s unique risks and opportunities.”

“We have a close relationship with industry and we all want to make [traceability] happen,” notes Miller. “Our purpose is strictly emergency management.”

She says how farmers or each commodity group accesses and uses the traceability data in the system for other purposes – such as marketing – is their decision.

Premises identification initiatives are being handled provincially, with Alberta and Quebec currently the only jurisdictions where it is mandatory. With regard to the other two ‘pillars’ of traceability – product identification and movementtracking – Miller says industry is leading initiatives in these areas. In most provinces and territories, this means traceability systems are being developed and implemented by commodity groups with the assistance and funding of provincial Ministries of Agriculture.

Falcon Ridge Farms in Kelowna, B.C., received funding last year to develop traceability, funding that was provided by the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Land’s Enterprise Infrastructure Traceability Program. Established in 2009, the program distributes successful commodity group and farm business applicants with federal money (under the ‘Growing Forward’ funding framework) to study and implement traceability. Falcon Ridge produces many products, including barbecue sauce and honey, but their echinacea-blended teas and health products are sold on a large scale, including in the U.S. market. “With the funding, we purchased software and a barcode scanner,” says coowner Marlys Wolfe. “We now put bar codes on everything that have our GTIN and lot numbers included, and all the information on shipments leaving the farm is automatically recorded. It’s much more efficient. The funding has given us the incentive to upgrade traceability where we probably wouldn’t otherwise, due to time and energy constraints.”

Similarly to B.C., the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has three programs through with commodity groups can access federal Growing Forward funding. These are the RFID Technology Assistance Project, which provides software and hardware for feedlots, the Traceability Pilot Program where livestock industry participants are given funding to explore traceability technol-

ogy solutions, and the Traceability Training program for organizations that wish to provide education on traceability.

In Ontario, OnTrace is an industry organization (that does, however, receive government funding) that is handling traceability for all commodity groups. It was incorporated in 2006, four years after the Ontario On-Farm Food Safety Initiative began. In Québec, a nonprofit industry-government partnership called Agri-Traçabilité Québec was established in 2001. All provincial entities continue to communicate with federal and other

provincial government agencies to ensure coordinated traceability efforts.

“Canada’s agriculture and food industry competes on a global stage,” concludes Tyrchniewicz. “We have a reputation for safe, high quality food…and we will find reliable and credible ways to communicate this to consumers at home and abroad. Traceability is a large part of that.” ❦

For more information, visit the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) website at www.producetraceability.org or GS1 Canada at www.gs1ca.org.

Invest in the future of agriculture Hire a new grad

Are you interested in helping to develop Canada’s newest and brightest graduates for a career in the agriculture industry? The Career Focus Program provides employers with up to $20,000 in matching funds to create internship opportunities for recent graduates from agriculturerelated programs.

For employers, the program offers an economical way to attract new talent and helps provide new graduates with a valuable first job that will help pave the way to a career in the ever-changing agriculture and agri-food industry.

Eligible employers:

• Must offer projects that will give graduates meaningful agriculture career-related work experiences in Canada and skills acquisition through mentoring and coaching.

• Could include organizations such as farm businesses, industry, not-for-profit organizations, provincial and municipal governments, associations, boards, councils, colleges and universities.

Eligible interns:

• Must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant

• Must be 30 years old or younger

• Must have graduated from a university, college, CEGEP or provincial institution within the last three years, specializing in biology, agriculture, veterinary sciences or applied technology.

Deadline for the first round of 2011-12 applications is December 31st, 2010.

To find out more about the Career Focus Program and to obtain a project proposal form:

www.agr.gc.ca/careerfocus

New requirements for grape must from California

As of Oct. 13, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is putting new phytosanitary requirements in place for the import of grape must from areas of California that are quarantined for Lobesia botrana, the European grapevine moth (EGVM). As is the case with other requirements related to Lobesia botrana, it is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine when a phyto is required, and which declaration should apply. There is no requirement for the CFIA staff to verify the county of origin of the consignment relative to EGVM regulated areas.

If the shipment originates from or was produced in an area regulated for Lobesia botrana, a phytosanitary certificate will be required. The phytosanitary certificate must either include the following additional declaration:

“The grapes used to produce the must in this consignment were inspected and found free of European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana.”

Or one of the following treatments must be indicated:

• Material was fumigated with 64 g/ m3 methyl bromide at 4-9 C (4049 F) for two hours at normal atmospheric pressure;

• Material was fumigated with 48 g/m3 methyl bromide at 10-15 C (50-59 F) for two hours at normal atmospheric pressure;

• Material was fumigated with 40 g/m3 methyl bromide at 16-20 C (60-69 F) for two hours at normal atmospheric pressure;

• Material was fumigated with 32 g/m3 methyl bromide at 21-26 C (70-79 F) for two hours at normal atmospheric pressure; or Material was fumigated with 24 g/m3 methyl bromide at or above 27 C (at or above 80 F) for two hours at normal atmospheric pressure.

Changes announced to environmental program

Adjustments have been made to cost-share funding available under Year 3 of the Canada-Ontario Farm Stewardship Program

(COFSP) that will alter project eligibility in some categories. The changes are intended to broaden the availability of funds and come as a result of a review of the funding program completed earlier this year following a high demand for costshare funds under COFSP Year 2.

“We are supportive of changes that will help more farm businesses access costshare funding under this program, “says Barry Hill, a farmer and president of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). “The willingness of farmers to utilize this program has been demonstrated over and over again.”

For the 2011 cropping year, projects in best management practice (BMP) category 14 – Improved Cropping Systems – will be capped at a funding level of $5,000 per farm business to focus on first-time adopters of new technologies. BMP category 26 – Energy Conservation Measures for Agricultural Purposes – has been expanded to support implementation of selected projects involving renewable energy production that are intended for on-farm use only.

Funding for BMP category 27 – Renewable Energy Production for Agricultural Purposes – has been discontinued as support in this area is now available through the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) microFIT program. Funding previously allocated to this category will be redistributed across the remaining BMP categories for other priority projects that may not otherwise be completed if costshare was not provided.

As well, farm businesses with livestock or poultry as their primary commodity must have a Premises Identification (PID) Number from OnTrace for the parcel of land where the project is proposed.

“We have long been advocating for continued support of on-farm environmental activities,” says Bette Jean Crews, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). “Farmers are responsible environmental stewards and their interest and commitment will benefit all Ontarians. We are pleased with the changes and look forward to continued government investment in on-farm environmental programs.”

Project applications for the 2011 cropping year will be available as of Nov. 15,

2010, from OSCIA, which delivers COFSP under an agreement with the OFA on behalf of the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition. For more specific details, contact local OSCIA program representatives or visit www.ontariosoilcrop.org.

Saskatoon Berry Council of Canada looking for members

The Saskatoon Berry Council of Canada (SBCC), which has a mandate aimed at advancing and promoting the saskatoon berry industry domestically and internationally, is embarking on an aggressive membership recruitment campaign across Canada.

The SBCC is a new national organization for saskatoon berry growers and processors across Canada. The organization will act as the voice for the industry relative to market development, policy and research as well as develop an industry strategy to market saskatoon berries outside western Canada with a focus on the fruit’s nutritional benefits.

“The time has come to invest in the marketing that will bring the saskatoon berry to the whole of the Canadian marketplace that would see current and future production flow into profitable and continuous channels of consumption” says Sandra Purdy, president of the SBCC. “Our growers in Canada are proud to produce high quality saskatoon berries that are enjoyed in Canada and worldwide.”

Being a member of the SBCC means that growers will have access to resources such as people and information, helping to put members on the right path toward personal and financial achievement, adds Purdy. SBCC’s success depends upon the member’s participation and support.

Associate membership is available to allied trades people and those interested in this type of horticultural production and Saskatoon Berry business partners.

Canada’s annual saskatoon berry production is estimated to be worth approximately $8.5 million to the Canadian economy. While the Western Prairies are currently the base for most producers of saskatoon berries in Canada, there are approximately 900 saskatoon berry producers located across the country.

For further information about the

saskatoon berry industry and the benefits of becoming a member of this new national organization, please contact the SBCC at (306) 788-2018 or (306) 205-6086.

Ontario farmland values rise again

The average value of farmland in Ontario increased by 4.3 per cent in the first half of 2010, following gains of 3.3 and 2.8 per cent in the two previous reporting periods, according to the Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Farmland Values Report.

This is the highest average increase across Canada.

Published twice a year, the FCC report provides important information about changes in land values across Canada and is available at www.farmlandvalues.ca.

Ontario farmland values have been rising since 1993 and increased by an average of 0.5 per cent per month during the two last reporting periods.

Overall, the average value of Canadian farmland increased 3.0 per cent during the first six months of 2010. Farmland values remained the same or increased in each province, except B.C.

“The prices paid for farmland today often reflect the conditions and events experienced by producers over the past six to 12 months,” says Michael Hoffort, FCC senior vice-president responsible for portfolio and credit risk. “It’s important for buyers to consider those things in determining whether to purchase and what price to pay. Although some commonalities exist, this report shows that each province and even each region had a unique set of factors that contributed to the change in farmland values.”

“Competition for highly productive farmland is strong in parts of the country,” says Jean-Philippe Gervais, FCC senior agriculture economist. “We are seeing various types of land ownership which provides farmers with a choice about how they want to operate their business. Some producers choose not to own land to keep capital costs in check or because they can afford to rent better quality land closer to them. This diversity, and the fact that land is still a desirable asset, demonstrates the strength of agriculture over the long term, which is good for the industry.”

In the last three semi-annual reporting periods, farmland values in Canada increased by an average of 2.9 in fall 2009, 3.6 per cent in spring 2010 and 3.0 per cent in fall 2010.

New Products

Bauer Rainstar A3

The Bauer Group recently announced the Rainstar A3 high-efficiency irrigation system, suited for horticulture and agriculture.

In one irrigation run, the sprinkler can cover up to 230 feet (70 metres) side-toside over a maximum irrigated length of 656 feet (200 metres). A second strip opposite the first area can be irrigated following the initial run, without having to change the position of the unit, providing efficiency and saving labour.

The Rainstar A3 features a galvanized pipe reel that swivels through 180 degrees, and can be assembled by a single operator. The polyethylene pipe is available in lengths of 410, 492, and 558 feet (125, 150 and 170 metres) with pipe diameters of 2-1/8 and 2-1/2 inches (55 and 63 millimetres).

The V-belt transmission drive is designed for three speed ranges. At a working pressure of at least 3.5 bar, the Rainstar A3 achieves precise flow rates of 21 to 88 gallons per minute.

The Rainstar A3 weighs approximately 1,150 pounds dry. The track width of the trolley can be adjusted manually. When the reel is fully retracted, the system shuts off automatically. Speed control and layer compensation are also automatic. When the job is finished, the main chassis with the pipe reel will mechanically lift the Rainer trolley so that the machine is immediately ready for transport.

Equipment options include a speed indicator, an over-pressure shut-off valve, a wide-area rain gun, and a special booster pump. Fine droplet irrigation for sensitive crops can be accomplished with an optional 16-metre-wide sprinkler/spray boom for a maximum irrigated width of 105 feet (32 metres).

www.bauer-at.com

Boxxer T12 Automatic Case Erector

The Boxxer T12 automatic case erector and bottom tape sealer is a compact erector that can run both regular slotted and half slotted style boxes. It can erect and tape 12 boxes per minute.

The Boxxer T12 transfers a blank from the supply hopper to the erecting station where the blank is opened, the minor flaps are folded and then the major flaps. The erected case is moved through the tape cartridge where a two or three inch tape is applied. The box is now ready to be filled.

As a single operator machine, the Boxxer T12 is mobile and easy to move. Capable of producing a wide range of boxes, size changeover is quick with no part changes required. The unit offers a broad range of features including an Omron PLC, colour touch screen, high capacity blank hopper, and easy access panels with safety switches. The unit is built with a welded steel frame construction, including casters for easy mobility, and is available for left or right hand operation.

The Boxxer T12 automatic case erector is manufactured by Eagle Packaging Machinery LLC.

www.eaglepm.com

Converted Organics acquires TerraSphere Systems

Converted Organics Inc. recently announced it has acquired TerraSphere Systems, a Massachusetts company involved in the vertical farming market.

Completion of the $26-million, allstock transaction is the company’s largest acquisition to date and was approved by Converted Organics’ shareholders.

TerraSphere designs, builds and operates scalable systems, featuring a patented, proprietary technology that utilizes vertically stacked modules to house rows of plants, which are then placed perpendicular to an interior light source to grow

pesticide-free organic fruits and vegetables. Due to a controlled, indoor environment, the system generates fresh produce year-round in any location or climate worldwide.

www.convertedorganics.com

New 8R/8RT Series from John Deere

Building on the foundation of the 8R Series tractors introduced in 2009, John Deere has developed and integrated the “smart-tractor” concept into its latest row-crop tractors in the 235 to 360 engine horsepower range for 2011.

The new 8R/8RT Series tractors feature six models with wheels and three models with tracks, each offering 10 to 15 engine horsepower increases over the 2010 models. The tractors come with JDLink™ Ultimate Service and Service ADVISOR™ Remote, complimentary for one year, which allows the tractor to send location, operation and performance data via the web and cell phone.

The new 8R Series also offer the new ActiveCommand Steering™ (ACS) option, which utilizes breakthroughs in steering technology to deliver the ultimate in comfort and control, especially at transport speeds.

In the cab, a new GreenStar™ 3 CommandCenter display can be loaded with AutoTrac and Swath Control Pro applications to eliminate the need for additional displays, reducing cab clutter. The optional touchscreen version integrates video for better visibility of implements.

All 8R and 8RT models are powered by new PowerTech™ PSX 9.0L engines that meet new Interim Tier 4 emissions regulations. These in-line, dual turbo-charged,

six-cylinder engines utilize exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology and an exhaust filter that automatically cleans itself during normal machine operation – without the need for diesel exhaust fluid. All engines feature full-authority electronic controls, high-pressure fuel systems and air-to-air after-cooling systems for hassle-free performance.

The 8R and 8RT Series tractors will be available at local John Deere dealers in January 2011.

www.JohnDeere.com

IAM expands into Canada

IAM Mfg., LLC is expanding its worldwide sales of clamp-on bucket forks, loader forks and tractor forks with the opening of Canada Forks in Ontario, Canada.

The product line focuses on problem solving, cost effective attachments for tractor buckets and loader buckets. IAM Mfg., LLCs’ complete line of universal, quick attach, clamp-on pallet forks, debris forks, hay bale spears, receiver hitches, bucket teeth and tooth bars are now available for sale throughout Canada.

“Now all Canadian owners of tractors and skid steer loader buckets can get more use from their existing equipment and more work done in less time using our universal quick attach clamp on bucket forks,” says Ted McSherry, vice president of sales and marketing for IAM Mfg.

The company operates a two-acre, 19,200 square foot manufacturing facility in Keenesburg, Colorado. All IAM tractor bucket attachments are guaranteed not to harm the bucket and come with a limited lifetime warranty.

www.canadaforks.com

New Holland Boomer tractor

New Holland’s new 28-47 hp Boomer compact tractors feature the maneuverability and operating ease needed to make quick work of tough jobs.

Boomer tractors are designed with a sloped hood for increased visibility further enhanced by a lighting package that illuminates both the front and side for safety when operating in the low light conditions.

The Boomer is powered by a four-cylinder engine that provides power for loading, digging, mowing, blowing snow and more. A dual-pump, high-capacity hydraulic system with an electro-hydraulic engaged independent PTO ensures fast implement and steering response. In addition to the rear PTO, a mid PTO for mid-mount mowers is also available.

The Boomer is available with a choice of a synchronized gear transmission or a three-range hydrostatic transmission with twopedal actuation. The smaller Boomer 30 and 35 models (28 hp and 38 hp respectively) are available with a12 x12 synchronized shuttle shift (SSS) transmission while the larger Boomer 40 and 50 models (41 hp and 47 hp respectively) are equipped with a 16 x16 SSS transmission.

Boomer tractors feature labeled controls that are ergonomically positioned. The flat deck has plenty of legroom, as well as an adjustable high-back seat and tilt steering column. The one-piece hood lifts on a gas strut for access to routine maintenance areas.

www.newholland.com

Royal MH® plant growth regulator

Royal MH® is now available in a new product, marking the first time growers have access to the product.

Royal MH-30 Xtra, marketed by Chemtura AgroSolutions, is a plant growth regulator that provides harvest and storage quality benefits for potatoes and onions.

“We’re confident that growers will appreciate the convenience and versatility of Royal MH-30 Xtra,” said Kevin Brost, Canadian business manager with Chemtura AgroSolutions. “This new product is easy to use and has a wide range of tank-mix options. Royal MH-30 Xtra is proven to reduce shrinkage and improve grade quality in potatoes, as well as preventing sprouting in storage.”

Engage Agro will be handling marketing for the product in Canada.

Royal MH-30 Xtra is available in a liquid formulation and is packed in 2 x 10 litre jugs. Royal MH-30 Xtra is reported to decrease potato shrinkage by up to 15 per cent, and improve grade by reducing the roughness of potatoes. With timely application, the number of undersized potatoes at harvest can also be substantially reduced, states the company.

Potatoes properly treated with Royal MH-30 Xtra can reportedly be held between 7 and 10 C without sprouting, saving growers the cost of low-temperature storage and reconditioning. One application will protect potatoes from sprouting in storage by prolonging the naturally occurring dormant state and stopping internal sprouting in the tuber of the potato or onion. Additional treatments after storage are allegedly not necessary.

www.engageagro.com

www.ChemturaAgroSolutions.com

A.M.A. PLASTICS LTD.

1367 Oxford Ave.

Kingsville,ON N9Y 2S8

Tel: 519-322-1397 Fax: 519-322-1338

Toll Free: 1-800-338-1136

e-mail: ama@amaplas.com www.amaplas.com

ACCESS MECHANICAL LTD.

40 Park Rd.

Simcoe, ON N3Y 4J9

Tel: 519-429-3515 Fax: 519-429-3528

e-mail: accesssupply@kwic.com

ADAMS COUNTY NURSERY, INC.

26 Nursery Rd., P.O. Box 108

Aspers, PA 17304 USA

Tel: 717-677-8105 Fax: 717-677-4124

e-mail: acn@acnursery.com www.acnursery.com

ADVANCED MICRO POLYMERS INC.

P.O. Box 482

Milton, ON L9T 4Z1

Tel: 905-878-2742 Fax: 905-878-7199 www.ampolymers.com

AGCO CORPORATION

4205 River Green Parkway Duluth, GA 30096 USA

Tel: 770-232-8016 Fax: 770-813-6038

AGRATURF EQUIPMENT SERVICES INC.

2887 S. Grimsby Rd. 13

Smithville, ON L0R 2A0

Tel: 866-222-0338 Fax: 905-957-3531

AGRICORP

1 Stone Rd. W., P.O. Box 3660

Guelph, ON N1H 8M4

Tel: 519-826-7605 Fax: 519-826-4118

Toll Free: 1-888-247-4999

e-mail: contact@agricorp.com

AGRICULTURE & AGRI-FOOD CANADA

1341 Baseline Rd.

Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5

Tel: 613-773-1000 Fax: 613-773-2772

info@agr.gc.ca

AGROCENTRE FERTIBEC INC.

20, rue de l’Industrie, RR 5 St-Remi, QC J0L 2L0

Tel: 450-454-5155 Fax: 450-454-4287

Toll Free: 1-877-FERTIBEC

2011 2011

e-mail: info@agrocentre.qc.ca www.agrocentre.qc.ca

AGROGREEN CANADA INC.

1938 Hwy 20, RR 1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6

Tel: 905-892-8286 Fax: 905-892-0111

Toll Free: 1-866-650-1136

e-mail: mike@agrogreencanada.com www.agrogreencanada.com

AGROHAITAI LTD.

P.O. Box 45, 2764 Hwy. 99

Lynden, ON L0R 1T0

Tel: 519-647-2280 Fax: 519-647-3188

e-mail: seed@agrohaitai.com OR agrohaitai@hotmail.com www.AgroHaitai.com

Main Products/Services: Oriental Vegetable Seeds.

ALPINE NURSERIES (NIAGARA) LTD.

RR 4, 845 Creek Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

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

e-mail: plants@sympatico.ca

ALPINE PLANT FOOD

30 Nevilles St.

New Hamburg, ON N3A 4G7

Tel: 519-662-2352 Fax: 519-662-3446

Toll Free: 1-800-265-2268

e-mail: murray@alpinepfl.com www.alpineplantfoods.com

ARYSTA LIFESCIENCE

138 Dovercliffe Rd.

Guelph, ON N1G 3A6

Tel: 519-766-1117 Fax: 519-766-0415

Toll Free: 1-866-761-9397

e-mail: mark.mclear@arystalifescience.com www.arystalifescience.ca OR www.gowithwhatworks.ca

ASB GREENWORLD

332911 Plank Line Rd.

Mount Elgin, ON N0J 1N0

Tel: 519-688-3413 Fax: 519-842-8091

ATAGO U.S.A., INC.

12011 NE First St., Bldg C, Ste. 110 Bellevue, WA 98005 USA

Tel: 425-637-2107 Fax: 425-637-2110

e-mail: tamae@atago-usa.com www.atago.net

ATLANTIC PACKAGING PRODUCTS LTD.

111 Progress Ave. Scarborough, ON M1P 2Y9

Tel: 416-298-8101 Fax: 416-297-2218

Toll Free: 1-800-268-5620 www.atlantic.ca

AYR TRACTOR LTD.

3160 Alps Road, RR 1 Ayr, ON N0B 1E0 Tel: 519-632-8998 Fax: 519-632-8552

e-mail: ayr@jddealec.com www.ayrtractor.com B

BAYER CROPSCIENCE

5-160 Research Lane

Guelph, ON N1G 5B2

Tel: 519-767-3366 Fax: 519-767-3865

Toll Free: 1-888-283-6847

e-mail: info@bayercropscience.ca www.bayercropscience.com

BBC TECHNOLOGIES 1201 Kalamazoo St. South Haven, MI 49090 USA

Tel: 720-771-6325 Fax: 559-292-7488

Toll Free: 1-866-552-0174

e-mail: paul@bbctechnologies.com

BC FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION 1473 Water St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J6

Tel: 250-762-5226 Fax: 250-861-9089

BEJO SEEDS INC.

1088 Healey Rd.

Geneva, NY 14456 USA

Tel: 315-789-4155 Fax: 315-789-1961

e-mail: info@bejoseeds.com www.bejoseeds.com

BEN BERG FARM & INDUSTRIAL

EQUIPMENT LTD.

52034 Hwy. 3 Chambers Corners

Wainfleet, ON L0S 1V0

Tel: 905-899-3405 Fax: 905-899-3507

e-mail: info@benberg.com www.benberg.com

BOBCAT OF BRANTFORD

585 Oak Park Rd.

Brantford, ON N3T 5L8

Tel: 519-752-7900 Fax: 519-752-8900

BOBCAT OF HAMILTON

370 McNally Rd.

Stoney Creek, ON L8E 5H4

Tel: 905-643-3177 Fax: 905-643-1798

BRAEMAR BUILDING SYSTEMS

3149 Haldimand Rd. 9

York, ON N0A 1R0

Tel: 905-772-3551 Fax: 905-772-3422

Toll Free: 1-800-215-1996

e-mail: rbrenzil@braemarbldg.com www.braemarbuildings.com

BRANT FARM SUPPLY

130 Bishopsgate Rd.

Scotland, ON N0E 1R0

Tel: 519-446-3925 Fax: 519-446-3758

e-mail: brantfarm@bellnet.ca

BRANT TRACTOR LTD.

1324 Colborne West, RR 2 Burford, ON N0E 1A0

Tel: 519-449-2500 Fax: 519-449-2501

BURGESS BASKETS

P.O. Box 13

Newport Station, NS B0N 2B0

Tel: 902-798-2200 Fax: 902-798-5471

Toll Free: 1-866-423-0085 www.burgessbaskets.com

CADMAN POWER EQUIPMENT LIMITED

38 Main St., Box 100

Courtland, ON N0J 1E0

Tel: 519-688-2222 Fax: 519-688-2100

Toll Free: 1-866-422-3626

e-mail: paulsontrop@cadmanpower.com www.cadmanpower.com

CANADIAN CLIMATROL SYSTEMS LTD.

307-17665 66A Ave.

Surrey, BC V3S 2A7

Tel: 604-576-7677 Fax: 604-576-7688

Toll Free: 1-877-576-7677

e-mail: ccsbc@ccsbc.com www.ccsbc.com

CHERRY LANE

4230 Victoria Ave.

Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0

Tel: 905-562-4337 Fax: 905-562-5577 www.cherrylane.net

CHESTERMAN’S FARM EQUIPMENT

14493 Bayham Dr., RR 3

Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4G8

Tel: 519-842-5977 Fax: 519-842-9228

e-mail: inquire@chesterman.ca www.chesterman.ca

CODERRE PACKAGING

413, route 122

St-Germain de Grantham, QC J0C 1K0

Tel: 819-395-4223 Fax: 819-395-2636

e-mail: coderre@embcoderre.com www.embcoderre.com

COLUMBIA BASIN NURSERY

P.O. Box 458

Quincy, WA 98848 USA

Tel: 509-787-4411 Fax: 509-787-3944

Toll Free: 1-800-333-8589

e-mail: sales@cbnllc.com www.cbnllc.com

COTTON INC.

2125 Fruitbelt Parkway

Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S4

Tel: 905-262-2000 Fax: 905-262-5738

Toll Free: 1-800-881-1628 www.cottoninc.ca

CRIVELLER COMPANY

6935 Oakwood Dr. Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S5

Tel: 905-357-2930 Fax: 905-374-2930

e-mail: info@criveller.com www.criveller.com

DAVIS SEED CO.

P.O. Box 173

Otterville, ON N0J 1RO

Tel: 519-879-6432 Fax: 519-879-6273

DERTINGER REFRIGERATION, J.W.

RR 1

Simcoe, ON N3Y 4J9

Tel: 519-582-4430 Fax: 519-582-2187

DFK EQUIPMENT SALES INC.

475 James St. S., P.O. Box 938

St. Marys, ON N4X 1B6

Tel: 519-349-2080 Fax: 519-349-2099

Toll Free: 1-800-881-3794

e-mail: sales@dfkequipment.com www.dfkequipment.com

DIATOMITE CANADA INC.

1938 Hwy. 20, RR 1

Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6

Tel: 905-892-8286 Fax: 905-892-0111

Toll Free: 1-866-650-1136

e-mail: mike@diatomitecanada.com www.diatomitecanada.com

DON ARTHUR ORCHARD EQUIPMENT

496426 Grey Rd. 2 , RR 2 Clarksburg, ON N0H 1J0

Tel: 519-599-3058 Fax: 519-599-3378

e-mail: donarthur@georgian.net

DOUGHTY & WILLIAMSON

2173 Hwy #3 E. Jarvis, ON N0A 1J0

Tel: 519-587-2273 Fax: 519-587-2270

e-mail: admin@dwjarvis.com www.dygroup.com

DOW AGROSCIENCES CANADA INC.

2100, 450 - 1st St. SW Calgary, AB T2P 5H1

Tel: 403-735-8800 Fax: 888-296-6188

Toll Free: 1-800-667-3852

e-mail: solutions@dow.com www.dowagro.com/ca

DUBOIS AGRINOVATION INC.

710, Old Hwy 24, RR 3 Waterford, ON N0E 1Y0

Tel: 519-443-4834 Fax: 519-443-8257

Toll Free: 1-800-815-9929

e-mail: info@duboisag.com www.duboisag.com

DUPONT CANADA

Head Office: 7070 Mississauga Rd., P.O. Box 2300

Mississauga, ON L5N 5M8

Tel: 905-821-5132 Fax: 905-821-5505

Toll Free: 1-800-667-3925

e-mail: ag.hotline@can.dupont.com www.dupont.ca/ag

DURAND-WAYLAND, INC.

P.O. Box 1404, 101 Durand Rd.

La Grange, GA 30241 USA

Tel: 706-882-8161 Fax: 706-884-3268

Toll Free: 1-800-241-2308

e-mail: sales@durand-wayland.com www.durand-wayland.com

E

E.R. VOLLANS LTD.

1682 County Rd. 20 West, RR 3

Kingsville, ON N9Y 2E6

Tel: 519-733-5233 Fax: 519-733-2860

EASTERN FARM MACHINERY LTD.

RR 3, P.O. Box 3613

Guelph, ON N1H 6P1

Tel: 519-763-2400 Fax: 519-763-3930

e-mail: sales@easternfarmmachinery.com www.easternfarmmachinery.com

ECO +

416 De Touraine

Sainte Julie, QC J3E 1Y2

Tel: 450-922-9930 (Quebec) 519-803-4878 (Ontario) Fax: 450-922-9930

www.eco-plus.ca

Main Products/Services: Distributor of liquid, soluble and granular fertilizers including a complete line of micronutrients, foliar boosters, and liquid starters. Contact our Quebec and Ontariorepresentatives for a dealer near you.

ECO-LIGHT

21831 Cooks Rd.

Mt. Brydges, ON N0L 1W0

Tel: 519-264-2708 Fax: 519-264-2945 www.eco-light.net

EGGER TRUCK & MACHINE LTD.

85 Robinson Rd., RR 1

Dunnville, ON N1A 2W1

Tel: 905-774-1060 Fax: 905-774-6815

e-mail: roger@eggertruck.com www.eggertruck.com

ELNOVA LTD.

160 rue de la Montagne

Rougemont, QC J0L 1M0

Tel: 450-469-1400 Fax: 450-469-1708

e-mail: contact@elnova.ca

ÉMILE SÉNÉCHAL ET FILS LTÉE

190 Industrial Rd.

Grand-Sault Falls, NB E3Y 3V3

Tel: 506-473-2392 Fax: 506-473-4306

Toll Free: 1-888-966-2247

e-mail: esfltee@nbnet.nb.ca

ENGAGE AGRO CORPORATION

1030 Gordon St. Guelph, ON N1G 4X5

Tel: 519-826-7878 Fax: 519-826-7675

Toll Free: 1-866-613-3336

e-mail: info@engageagro.com www.engageagro.com

ENVIREM TECHNOLOGIES INC.

180 Hodgson Rd.

Fredericton, NB E3C 2G4

Tel: 506-459-3464 Fax: 506-453-1332

Toll Free: 1-800-524-9411

e-mail: sales@envirem.com www.envirem.com

ENVIROGRO - DIV. OF FILCHEM INC.

1225 Gorham St., #22

Newmarket, ON L3Y 8Y4

Tel: 905-853-1363 Fax: 905-853-2334

Toll Free: 1-800-263-7427

e-mail: sales@filchem.com www.envirogro.ca OR www.filchem.com

F

FARM CREDIT CANADA

100-120 Research Lane

Guelph, ON N1G 0B5

Tel: 519-826-2007 Fax: 519-826-2066

Toll Free: 1-800-387-3232

e-mail: richard.gruener@fcc-fac.ca www.fcc-fac.ca

FARM LABOUR POOL NIAGARA

122 Queenston St. St. Catharines, ON L2R 2Z3

Tel: 905-684-3276

Toll Free: 1-866-685-1353 www.employmenthelp.org

FARM & RANCH SAFETY & HEALTH ASSOCIATION (FARSHA)

311, 9440 - 202 St. Langley, BC V1M 4A6

Tel: 604-881-6078 Fax: 604-881-6079

Toll Free: 1-877-533-1789

e-mail: farmsafe@farsha.bc.ca www.farsha.bc.ca

FARMERS’ MARKETS ONTARIO

54 Bayshore Rd.

Brighton, ON K0K 1H0

Tel: 613-475-4769 Fax: 613-475-2913

Toll Free: 1-800-387-3276

e-mail: fmo@farmersmarketsontario.com www.farmersmarketsontario.com

FARR DRAINAGE 2004 INC.

679 Lincoln Ave.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

Tel: 905-641-1234 Fax: 905-641-5414

FLAMIN’ FURY PEACHES

P.O. Box 850, Coloma, MI 48038 USA

Tel: 269-208-4329

e-mail: peach@qtm.net www.flaminfury.com

FOODLAND ONTARIO - OMAFRA 1 Stone Rd. W., 5th Flr, Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2

Tel: 519-826-3947 Fax: 519-826-3460

FRENSCH LTD., C.

4774 Hinan Dr., Box 476 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B1

Tel: 905-563-4774 Fax: 905-563-5053

FRESH VEGETABLE GROWERS OF ONTARIO

120 Main St. E.

Ridgetown, ON N0P 2C0

Tel: 519-674-1592 Fax: 519- 674-1512

e-mail: fvgo@ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca www.freshvegetablesontario.com

FRONTLINK INC.

1492 Windham Rd. 12, RR 4 Simcoe, ON N3Y 4K3

Tel: 519-428-9812 Fax: 519-428-2640

Toll Free: 1-877-553-2524

e-mail: sales@frontlinkinc.com www.frontlinkinc.com

G.W. ALLEN NURSERY LTD.

7295 Hwy. 221, RR 2 Centreville, NS B0P 1J0 Tel: 902-678-7519 Fax: 902-678-5924

e-mail: sales@gwallennursery.com www.gwallennursery.com

GEMMRICH W. NURSERY INC.

278 Line 5, RR 4 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

Tel: 905-984-4324 Fax: 905-984-4300

e-mail: sales@gwnvines.com www.gwnvines.com

GHESQUIERE PLANT FARMS LTD.

36 Evergreen Hill Rd., RR 2 Simcoe, ON N3Y 4K1

Tel: 519-428-1087 Fax: 519-426-0073

GILDALE FARMS

2993 Road 122

St. Marys, ON N4X 1C9

Tel: 519-284-0960 Fax: 519-284-2207

e-mail: info@gildalefarms.ca www.gildalefarms.ca

GILLISON’S VARIETY FABRICATION INC.

3033 Benzie Hwy.

Benzonia, MI 49616-9747 USA

Tel: 231-882-5921 Fax: 231-882-5637 www.gillisons.com

GINTEC SHADE TECHNOLOGIES INC.

RR 1 Windham Centre, ON N0E 2A0

Tel: 519-443-4743 Fax: 519-443-8120

Toll Free: 1-877-443-4743

e-mail: gintec@gintec-shade.com www.gintec-shade.com

GJ’S FARM EQUIPMENT INC.

424996 Substation Rd., RR 2 Burgessville, ON N0J 1C0

Tel: 519-424-9374 Fax: 519-456-1672

Toll Free: 1-888-424-9374

e-mail: gjsequipment@execulink.com www.gjsequipment.com

GLOBAL REPAIR

Tel: 416-686-3690 Fax: 416-686-1744

Toll Free: 1-866-271-0719

e-mail: sales@globalrepair.ca www.globalrepair.ca

GORMAN CONTROLS LTD.

1242 Route 246

South Melville, PE C0A 1C0

Tel: 902-658-2550 Fax: 902-658-2608

e-mail: mailbox@gormancontrols.com www.gormancontrols.com

GOWAN COMPANY

370 Main St. Yuma, AZ 85364 USA

Tel: 928-783-8844 Fax: 928-343-9255

Toll Free: 1-800-883-1844

e-mail: info@gowanco.com www.gowanco.com

GRAPE GROWERS OF ONTARIO

P.O. Box 100

Vineland, ON L0R 2E0

Tel: 905-688-0990 Fax: 905-688-3211

e-mail: info@grapegrowersofontario.com www.grapegrowersofontario.com

GREEN HOE CO. INC.

6645 West Main Rd.

Portland, NY 14769 USA

Tel: 716-792-9433 Fax: 716-792-9434

e-mail: greenhoe@fairpoint.net www.greenhoecompany.com

GRIMO NUT NURSERY

979 Lakeshore Rd., RR 3

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

Tel: 905-YEH-NUTS (905-934-6887) Fax: 905-YEL-NUTS (905-935-6887)

e-mail: nuttrees@grimonut.com www.grimonut.com

GROWERS SUPPLY CO .LTD

2605 Acland Rd.

Kelowna, BC V1X 7J4

Tel: 250-765-4500 Fax: 250-765-4545

e-mail: ron@growers-supply-co.com

HH&W EQUIPMENT

827 Line 4

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

Tel: 905-468-5016 Fax: 905-468-5676

e-mail: info@vineyardmachines.com www.vineyardmachines.com

HALNOR FARM EQUIPMENT LTD.

345 Thompson Rd.

Waterford, ON N0E 1Y0

Tel: 519-443-8622 Fax: 519-443-5125

e-mail: sales@halnor.com www.halnor.com

HANNA INSTRUMENTS CANADA

3156 Boulevard Industrial Laval, QC H7L 4P7

Toll Free: 1-800-842-6629 Fax: 450-629-3335

e-mail: info@hannacan.com www.hannacan.com

HARCO AG EQUIPMENT/HARKNESS

EQUIPMENT

5808 Hwy. 9, RR 4

Harriston, ON N0G 1Z0

Tel: 519-338-2923 Fax: 519-338-2756

Toll Free: 1-800-461-0847

e-mail: harquip@wightman.ca www.harquip.ca

HARDI NORTH AMERICA

337 Sovereign Rd. London, ON N6M 1A6

Tel: 519-659-2771 Fax: 519-659-2821

e-mail: sales@hardi-us.com www.hardi-us.com

HARRIS SEEDS

355 Paul Rd., P.O. Box 24966 Rochester, NY 14624-0966

Tel: 585-295-3600 Fax: 877-892-9197

Toll Free: 1-800-544-7938

e-mail: growers@harrisseeds.com www.harrisseeds.com

HILLTOP FRUIT TREES LLC

60395 C.R. 681, P.O. Box 538, Hartford, MI 49057 USA

Tel: 269-621-3135 Fax: 269-621-2062

e-mail: hilltop@hilltopfruittrees.com www.hilltopfruittrees.com

HINDLE’S CLARKBURG HARDWARE

189 Marsh St., Box 8 Clarkburg, ON N0H 1J0

Tel: 519-599-2031 Fax: 519-599-6541

HJV EQUIPMENT

County Rd. 15, RR 3 Alliston, ON L9R 1V3

Tel: 705-435-3226 Fax: 705-435-8893

Toll Free: 1-877-HJV-FARM www.hjv.ca

HORTAU INC.

1112, Rive-Sud Blvd., Suite 200 St-Romuald, QC G6W 5M6

Tel: 418-839-2852 Fax: 418-839-2851

Toll Free: 1-888-5-HORTAU

e-mail: info@hortau.com www.hortau.com

HUSKY FARM EQUIPMENT LIMITED

7440 Wellington Road 17 Alma, ON N0B 1A0

Tel: 519-846-5329 Fax: 519-846-9378

Toll Free: 1-800-349-1122

e-mail: husky@huskyfarm.ca www.huskyfarm.ca

I

INDUSTRIAL BAGS INC.

413, Chemin Yamaska

St-Germain de Grantham, QC J0C 1K0

Tel: 514-481-2713 Fax: 514-481-1777

Toll Free: 1-800-481-2713

e-mail: info@indbags.com www.indbags.com

JJANZEN EQUIPMENT LIMITED

410 Hwy. 77, RR 3

Leamington, ON N8H 3V6

Tel: 519-326-3261 Fax: 519-326-0298

e-mail: janequip@mnsi.net www.janzenequipment.com

JOHN C. GRAHAM CO. LIMITED

P.O. Box 13, 88 Erie St. N. Leamington, ON N8H 3W1

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

JOHN DEERE

One John Deere Place

Moline, IL 61265-8098 USA

Tel: 309-765-8000 www.deere.com

JOHNNY’S SELECTED SEEDS

955 Benton Ave.

Winslow, ME 04901 USA

Tel: 207-238-5377 Fax: 207-238-5388

e-mail: csiladi@johnnyseeds.com www.johnnyseeds.com

KALALA AGRICULTURE CONTRACTING SUPPLIES

3361 Glencoe Rd.

Westbank, BC V4T 1M1

Tel: 250-212-3452 Fax: 250-768-9711

e-mail: karnail@kalala.ca www.kalala.ca

KILLALOE WOOD PRODUCTS

P.O. Box 160

Killaloe, ON K0J 2A0

Tel: 613-757-2157 Fax: 613-625-1729

Toll Free: 1-800-679-5048

e-mail: jerrysummers@killaloewoodproducts.ca www.killaloewoodproducts.ca

KOOLJET REFRIGERATION INC.

261 Tillson Ave.

Tillsonburg, ON N4G 5X2

Tel: 519-842-2268 Fax: 519-842-8020

Toll Free: 1-866-748-7786

e-mail: info@kooljet.com www.kooljet.com

KOOLMEES ABE IRRIGATION DIESEL PUMP UNITS, MARINE/INDUSTRIAL/ SALES/SERVICE

RR 1 Middle Townline 712651

Otterville, ON N0J 1R0

Tel: 519-879-6878 Fax: 519-879-6319

e-mail: pdeboer@sympatico.ca

KOPPERT CANADA LIMITED

2 - 50 Ironside Cr.

Scarborough, ON M1X 1G4

Tel: 416-291-0040 Fax: 416-291-0902

KUBOTA CANADA LTD.

5900 14th Ave.

Markham, ON L3S 4K4

Tel: 905-294-7477

www.kubota.ca

KURT ZUHLKE & ASSOCIATES, INC.

P.O. Box 609

Bangor, PA 18013

Tel: 610-588-7992 Fax: 610-588-6245

Toll Free: 1-800-644-8729

e-mail: sales@ProducePackaging.com www.ProducePackaging.com

LL & R SHELTERS INC.

461 Hwy. 5

Dundas, ON L9H 5E2

Tel: 905-627-1101 Fax: 905-627-1109

LACTO PRO-TECH INC.

1195 Johnson St. E.

Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7Y6

Tel: 450-774-5757 Fax: 450-773-2042

e-mail: info@lactoprotech.com www.lactoprotech.com

LAKEVIEW VINEYARD EQUIPMENT INC.

40 Lakeshore Rd., RR 5

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

Tel: 905-646-8085 Fax: 905-646-3289

Toll Free: 1-866-677-4717

e-mail: sales@lvequipment.ca www.lakeviewvineyardequipment.com

Main Products/Services: Grape harvesters (multi-function), sprayer (multi-row), shredder, enviromist weed sprayers.

LIFT LINE MACHINERY LTD.

495 Prince Charles Dr. Welland, ON L3B 5X1

Tel: 905-788-0971 Fax: 905-788-2557

Toll Free: 1-800-461-3901

LIPPERT & WRIGHT FUELS

P.O. Box 280

Langton, ON N0E 1G0

Tel: 519-875-2676 Fax: 519-875-1139

Toll Free: 1-800-563-6727

LLOYD BAG CO.

114 St. Clair St., PO Box 208 Chatham, ON N7M 5K3

Tel: 519-352-9300 Fax: 519-352-3413

e-mail: info@lloydbag.com

LOCAL FOOD PLUS

1965 Queen Street East, Suite 2 Toronto, ON M4L 1H9

Tel: 416-699-6070 Fax: 416-699-6076 www.localfoodplus.ca

LUCAS LIFTRUCK SERVICES LTD.

402 Allanburg Rd.

Thorold, ON L2V 1A4

Tel: 905-227-3291 Fax: 905-227-2072

e-mail: ecook@lucasliftruck.com www.lucasliftruck.com

LWB ENTERPRISES

Box 847

Crystal Beach, ON L0S 1B0

Tel: 905-894-0484 Fax: 905-894-9127

Toll Free: 1-877-897-0484

e-mail: lbeverley@cogeco.ca www.lwbenterprises.com

MMANA CANADA LTD.

202, 105 - 150 Crowfoot Cr. NW Calgary, AB T3G 3T2

Tel: 403-988-9879 Fax: 403-697-7742 www.manainc.ca

MANKAR ONTARIO INC.

68 Glenside Ave. Toronto, ON M4Z 2T5

Tel: 647-309-7876 Fax: 888-510-2688

MASSEY FERGUSON 4205 River Green Parkway Duluth, GA 30096 USA

Toll Free: 1-800-767-3221

e-mail: customer.parts@agcocorp.com www.masseyferguson.com

MASTERNET

690 Gana Ct.

Mississauga, ON L5S 1P2

Tel: 905-795-0005 Fax: 905-795-9293

Toll Free: 1-800-216-2536

e-mail: net.info@masternetltd.com www.masternetltd.com

MAXWELL PRUNING

P.O. Box 251 Clarksburg, ON N0H 1J0

Tel: 519-372-0604 Fax: 519-372-2700

e-mail: am_natural@rogers.com

MECHANICAL TRANSPLANTER CO. 1150 Central Ave. Holland, MI 49464 USA

Tel: 616-396-8738 Fax: 616-396-3619

Toll Free: 1-800-757-5268

e-mail: mtc@mechanicaltransplanter.com www.mechanicaltransplanter.com

MEESTER INSURANCE CENTRE

The Village Square, Reg. Rd. 20, P.O. Box 299 Smithville, ON L0R 2A0

Tel: 905-957-2333 Fax: 905-957-2599

Toll Free: 1-800-465-8256

e-mail: info@meesterinsurance.com www.meesterinsurance.com

MOHAWK EQUIPMENT LTD.

P.O. Box 103

Brantford, ON N3T 5M3

Tel: 519-753-3164 Fax: 519-753-3166

e-mail: mohawkequipment@bellnet.ca

OXBO INTERNATIONAL, CORP.

7275 Byron Rd.

Byron, NY 14422 USA

Tel: 585-548-2665 Fax: 585-548-2599

Toll Free: 1-888-656-7826

www.oxbocorp.com

PPAUL BOERS LTD.

3500 South Service Rd.

Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0

Tel: 905-562-4411 Fax: 905-562-5533

e-mail: info@paulboers.com www.paulboers.com

PENN REFRIGERATION LTD.

18 Seapark Dr.

St. Catharines, ON L2M 6S6

Tel: 905-685-4255 Fax: 905-685-0333

Toll Free: 1-877-680-4255

e-mail: info@pennrefrigeration.com www.pennrefrigeration.com

Main Products/Services: Sales, Design, Installation, 24-Hour Service for all types of Refrigeration Equipment & SystemsCoolers, Freezers, Chillers, Warehouses, Controlled Atmosphere Systems, Thermal Storage, Heat Recovery Systems, Heating systems, Cooler/Freezer Doors.

PERSALL INDUSTRIES LTD.

RR 1

Waterford, ON N0E 1Y0

Tel: 519-443-4181 Fax: 519-443-6116

PHILLIPS FARM SUPPLIES

84 Sanford St., P.O. Box 1119 Brighton, ON K0K 1H0

Tel: 613-475-2040 Fax: 613-475-4083

Toll Free: 1-800-811-6238

PLASTITECH

1430 Notre-Dame St., P.O. Box 3589 St. Remi, QC J0L 2L0

Tel: 450-454-2230 Fax: 450-454-2789

Toll Free: 1-866-752-7002 www.plastitech.ca

POWER PRESSURE SYSTEMS

1 South St.

Norwich, ON NOJ 1PO

Tel: 519-468-3886 Fax: 519-468-2078

e-mail: ffarkas@powerpressure.ca www.powerpressure.ca

PRAIRIE PLANT SYSTEMS INC.

#1 Plant Technology Rd., Box 19A, RR 5

Saskatoon SK S7J 3K8

Tel: 306-975-1207 Fax: 306-975-0440

e-mail: pps@prairieplant.com www.prairieplant.com

PRINCETON WOOD PRESERVERS LTD.

P.O. Box 1269

Princeton, BC V0X 1W0

Tel: 250-492-9190 Fax: 250-295-7912

Toll Free: 1-877-797-7678

e-mail: elizabeth@pwppost.com www.pwppost.com

RR.E. MANN BROKERS LTD.

49 Norfolk St. N.

Simcoe, ON N3Y 3N6

Tel: 519-426-2031 Fax: 519-426-2148

Toll Free: 1-800-567-7423

e-mail: insurance@remann.com www.remann.com

R & W EQUIPMENT LTD.

RR 1, 5221 - 11th Line

Cookstown, ON L0L 1L0

Tel: 705-458-4003 Fax: 705-458-1480

e-mail: rwequipment@bellnet.ca www. rwequipment.ca

RAIN-FLO IRRIGATION

929 Reading Rd.

East Earl, PA 17519 USA

Tel: 717-445-3000 Fax: 717-445-8304

e-mail: sales@rainfloirrigation.com www.rainfloirrigation.com

RAYNOX 2000 INC.

1148 St-Michel

Saint-Cesaire, QC J0L 1T0

Tel: 450-469-4822 Fax: 450-469-2112

Toll Free: 1-866-469-4181

e-mail: raynox@raynoxinc.com www.raynoxinc.com

RBC ROYAL BANK – AGRICULTURE & AGRIBUSINESS BANKING

74 Wyndham St. N., 2nd Fl. Guelph, ON N1H 4E6

Tel: 519-767-4001 Fax: 519-767-4071 www.rbcroyalbank.com

REDTRAC INTERNATIONAL

2695 Regional Rd. 24, P.O. Box 460

Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

Tel: 905-562-4136 Fax: 905-562-5333

Toll Free: 1-877-733-8722

e-mail: sales@redtrac.ca

RICHTERS HERBS

357, Hwy. 47

Goodwood, ON L0C 1A0

Tel: 905-640-6677 Fax: 905-640-6641

e-mail: orderdesk@richters.com www.richters.com

RIN ENTERPRISES LTD.

Brampton, ON

Tel: 905-790-3266 Fax: 905-790-3268 info@rinenterprises.com www.rinenterprises.com

RITTENHOUSE SINCE 1914

1402 Fourth Ave.

St. Catharines, ON L2R 6P9

Tel: 905-684-8122 Fax: 905-684-1382

Toll Free: 1-800-461-1041

e-mail: sales@rittenhouse.ca www.rittenhouse.ca

RUPP SEEDS INC.

17919 County Road B Wauseon, OH 43567 USA

Tel: 419-337-1841 Fax: 419-337-5491

Toll Free: 1-800-700-1199

e-mail: info@ruppseeds.com www.ruppseeds.com

RUPP SEEDS INC.

135 Lancefield Place Chatham, ON N7L 2M5 Tel: 519-354-0206 Fax: 519-354-0287

RYDER (J. H.) MACHINERY LIMITED

393 Grays Rd. N. Hamilton, ON L8E 2Z3 Tel: 905-561-4892 Fax: 905-561-4899

SSAC DRUMMOND INC.

192 Station Rd. St-Germain, QC J0C 1K0

Toll Free: 1-877-395-4286 Fax: 877-395-4288

e-mail: denisb@sacdrummond.qc.ca

SAKATA SEED AMERICA, INC.

18095 Serene Dr. Morgan Hill, CA 95037 USA

Tel: 408-778-7758 Fax: 408-778-7768

Toll Free: 1-800-778-7768

e-mail: info@sakata.com www.sakata.com

SEEDWAY LLC

99 Industrial Rd. Elizabethtown, PA 17022 USA

Toll Free: 1-800-952-7333 Fax: 717-367-0387

e-mail: vegseed@seedway.com www.seedway.com

SHEA CAMPBELL & ASSOCIATES

71 W Carmel Valley Rd. Carmel Valley, CA 93924 USA

Tel: 831-659-0436 Fax: 831-659-0353

e-mail: shea@shea-campbell.com www.shea-campbell.com

SHUR FARMS FROST PROTECTION

1890 N 8th St. Colton, CA 92324 USA

Tel: 909-825-2035 Fax: 909-825-2611

Toll Free: 1-877-842-9688

e-mail: info@shurfarms.com www.shurfarms.com

SIEGERS SEED COMPANY

13031 Reflections Dr. Holland, MI 49424 USA

Tel: 519-586-2110, Ernie Szucs Fax: 519-586-2555

e-mail: ernie_szucs@siegers.com www.siegers.com

SKYWAY LAWN EQUIPMENT LIMITED

154 Upper Centennial Pky. Stoney Creek, ON L8J 2T7

Tel: 905-662-2663 Fax: 905-662-8913

SLIMLINE MANUFACTURING LTD.

559 Okanagan Ave. E. Penticton, BC V2A 3K4

Tel: 250-493-6145 Fax: 250-492-7756

SOMMERS MOTOR GENERATOR SALES LTD.

101 Woodstock St. S. Tavistock, ON N0B 2R0

Tel: 519-655-2396 Fax: 519-655-3176

e-mail: laura.mckay@sommersgen.com www.sommersgen.com

ST CATHARINES NEW HOLLAND LTD.

1410 4th Ave., RR 3

St. Catharines, ON L2R 6P9

Tel: 905-688-5160 Fax: 905-688-9994

Toll Free: 1-800-561-1993

ST. GEORGE COMPANY LTD., THE P.O. Box 430, 20 Consolidated Dr. Paris, ON N3L 3T5

Tel: 519-442-2046 Fax: 519-442-7191

Toll Free: 1-800-461-4299

e-mail: sales@thestgeorgeco.com www.thestgeorgeco.com

STAN PETERSON FRUIT TREES SALES

2574 S. Benedict Rd. Ludington, MI 49431 USA

Tel: 231-499-9292 Fax: 231-843-4113

Toll Free: 1-888-333-1464

e-mail: stan@fruit-treesales.com

STANPAC

RR 3, Springcreek Rd. Smithville, ON L0R 2A0

Tel: 905-957-3326 Fax: 905-957-3616

STEVENS IRRIGATION

49 James Ave. Tillsonburg, ON N4G 1A3

Tel: 519-842-9583 Fax: 519-842-7779

e-mail: stevensirrigation@gto.net

STOKES SEEDS LTD.

296 Collier Rd. S., P.O. Box 10 Thorold, ON L2V 5E9

Tel: 905-688-4300 Fax: 905-684-6106

Toll Free: 1-800-263-7233

e-mail: stokes@stokeseeds.com www.stokeseeds.com

STRATFORD AGRI ANALYSIS

1131 Erie Street, P.O. Box 760 Stratford, ON N5A 6W1

Tel: 1-800-323-9089 Fax: 519-273-4411

e-mail: info@stratfordagri.ca www.stratfordagri.ca

STRAWBERRY TYME FARMS INC.

1250 St. John Rd. W., RR 2

Simcoe, ON N3Y 4K1

Tel: 519-426-3099 Fax: 519-426-2573

e-mail: styme@kwic.com www.strawberrytyme.com

Main Products/Services: Certified Nursery Stock (strawberry plants, raspberry canes asparagus, blueberries, rhubarb, horseradish) .

SUNSHINE PICKLES

RR 5

Thamesville, ON N0P 2K0

Tel: 519-692-4416 Fax: 519-692-5590

SYFILCO LTD.

320 Thames Rd. E. Exeter, ON N0M 1S3

Tel: 519-235-1244 Fax: 519-235-1280

Toll Free: 1-877-235-1233

e-mail: syfilco@syfilco.on.ca www.syfilco.on.ca

SYLVITE AGRI-SERVICES LTD.

P.O. Box 430, 773100 Hwy. 59

Norwich, ON N0J 1P0

Tel: 519-468-3720 Fax: 519-468-3687

Toll Free: 1-800-843-9965

www.sylvite.com

SYLVITE AGRI-SERVICES LTD.

P.O. Box 46, 2740 Couch Rd.

Putnam, ON N0L 2B0

Tel: 519-485-5770 Fax: 519-485-0365

Toll Free: 1-800-265-1902

TTERRALINK HORTICULTURE INC.

34625 - 91st St., P.O. Box 45

Oliver, BC V0H 1T0

Tel: 250-498-6406 Fax: 250-498-4022

Toll Free: 1-888-875-9970

www.terralink-horticulture.com

TEW MANUFACTURING CORP.

P.O. Box 87

Penfield, NY 14526 USA

Tel: 585-586-6120 Fax: 585-586-6083

Toll Free: 1-800-380-5839

e-mail: tewmfg@aol.com

THUNDERBIRD PLASTICS LTD.

6969 Shirley Ave. Burnaby, BC V5J 4R4

Tel: 604-433-5624 Fax: 604-433-6231

Toll Free: 1-888-778-2473

e-mail: info@thuderbirdplastics.com www.thunderbirdplastics.com

TOMLYNN FUELS

138 Cushman Rd.

St. Catharines, ON L2M 6T1

Tel: 905-684-3511 Fax: 905-684-3619

Toll Free: 1-800-263-6156 www.tomlynnfuels.com

TOTAL EQUIPMENT RENTALS

1240 Colborne St. W. Brantford, ON N3T 5L7

Tel: 519-449-2200 Fax: 519-449-1244

Toll Free: 1-877-954-7368

e-mail: geoff@totalrentals.ca www.totalrentals.ca

Main Products/Services: Total Equipment

Rentals, a locally owned rental company specializes in Agricultural machinery rental solutions including daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal tractor rentals as an economical option to purchasing or leasing.

TUNNEL TECH

1931 Windham Rd. 19

La Salette, ON N0E 1H0

Tel: 519-582-4424 Fax: 519-582-3550

bcknight2001@yahoo.com www.tunneltech.ca

TWILLEY SEEDS

121 Gary Rd.

Hodges, SC 29653 USA

Tel: 864-227-5117 Fax: 864-227-5108

Toll Free: 1-800-622-7333

e-mail: twilley@twilleyseed.com www.twilleyseed.com

U

UAP CANADA INC.

789 Donnybrook Dr.

Dorchester, ON N0L 1G5

Tel: 519-268-8001 Fax: 519-268-8013

Toll Free: 1-800-265-5444

e-mail: customerservice@uap.ca www.uap.ca

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH - DEPT. OF PLANT AGRICULTUE

4890 Victoria Ave. N., P.O. Box 7000

Vineland Station, ON L0S 1V0

Tel: 905-562-4141 Fax: 905-562-3413 www.plant.uoguelph.ca

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH - LABORATORY SERVICES

95 Stone Rd. W. Guelph, ON N1H 8V7

Tel: 519-267-6227 Fax: 519-267-6240

UPI

3971 Chicory Court

Mississauga, ON L5C 3S8

Tel: 905-275-2525

e-mail: sampath.shetty@uniphos.com www.upi-usa.com

UPPER CANADA ORGANIC PRODUCTS

15 Cardigan Rd. Toronto, ON M8Z 2V8

Tel: 416-233-3205

Toll Free: 1-888-233-3208

e-mail: info@ucorganicproducts.com www.uorganicproducts.com

V. KRAUS NURSERIES LTD.

1380 Centre Rd., P.O. Box 180

Carlisle, ON L0R 1H0

Tel: 905-689-4022 Fax: 905-689-8080

e-mail: sales@krausnurseries.com www.krausnurseries.com

VAILMONT VINEYARDS LTD.

2880 Tintern Rd.

Vineland, ON L0R 2C0

Tel: 905-563-2880 Fax: 905-563-2881

VALENT CANADA

130 Research Lane, Unit 6

Guelph, ON N1G 5G3

Tel: 519-767-9262 www.valent.ca

VANDEN BUSSCHE IRRIGATION & EQUIPMENT LTD.

2515 Pinegrove Rd.

Delhi, ON N4B 2X1

Tel: 519-582-2380 Fax: 519-582-1514

Toll Free: 1-800-387-7246

e-mail: info@vandenbussche.com www.vandenbussche.com

VANWELL NURSERY

P.O. Box 1339

Wenatchee, WA 98807 USA

Toll Free: 1-800-572-1553

Fax: 509-886-0294

e-mail: vanwell@vanwell.net www.vanwell.net

VECTOR ELECTRIC CO.

46942 Talbot Line, RR 3

Aylmer, ON N5P 3S7

Tel: 519-773-5533 Fax: 519-773-3998

e-mail: nancy_vectorelectric@amtelecom.net

VINELAND GROWERS CO-OPERATIVE LTD.

4150 Jordan Rd.

Jordan Station, ON L0R 1S0

Tel: 905-562-4133 Fax: 905-562-7997

Toll Free: 1-800-481-9921

e-mail: info@vinelandgrowers.com www.vinelandgrowers.com

VINELAND RESEARCH & INNOVATION CENTRE

4890 Victoria Ave. N. Vineland, ON L0R 2E0

Tel: 905-562-0320 Fax: 905-562-0084

W

W.J. HEASLIP LTD.

RR 2

Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0

Tel: 905-779-3467 Fax: 905-779-3856

Toll Free: 1-800-493-5001

WALTON LUMBER CO.

P.O. Box 955

Fenton, MI 48430-0955 USA

Tel: 810-714-0666 Fax: 810-750-1662

Toll Free: 1-800-221-0352

e-mail: dave@waltonlumber.com www.waltonlumber.com

WARWICK ORCHARDS & NURSERY LTD.

7056 Egremont Rd., RR 8

Watford, ON N0M 2S0

Tel: 519-849-6730 Fax: 519-849-6731

Toll Free: 1-877-550-7412

e-mail: warwickorchards@barktel.on.ca

WEATHER INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED

P.O. Box 23005

Chatham, ON N7L 0B1

Tel: 519-352-5334 Fax: 519-352-7630

e-mail: jnichols@weatherinnovations.com www.weatherinnovations.com

WEBERLANE MFG. (1990) CO. Line 82/5036, RR 4 Listowel, ON N4W 3G9 Tel: 519-291-505 Fax: 519-291-5281

WEED BADGER DIVISION

5673 SE 95 Ave.

Marion, ND 58466-9718 USA Tel: 701-778-7511 Fax: 701-778-7501

Toll Free: 1-800-437-3392

e-mail: inquiry@weedbadger.com www.weedbadger.com

WELLINGTON WOOD PRODUCTS 410 Sligo Rd. Mount Forest, ON N0G 2L0 Tel: 519-323-1060 Fax: 519-323-3432

Toll Free: 1-800-265-2397

e-mail: wwp@wcl.on.ca www.wwp.on.ca

WILLSIE EQUIPMENT SALES INC. 9516 Northville Rd., RR 1 Thedford, ON N0M 2N0 Tel: 519-243-2616 Fax: 519-243-2617

Toll Free: 1-800-561-3025 e-mail: info@willsie.com www.willsie.com

WPB CUSTOM WELDING

4696 Christie Dr., Unit 8 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B4 Tel: 905-687-2166 Fax: 905-563-0314

YYARA CANADA

1130, rue Sherbrooke, Suite 1050 Montreal, QC H3A 2M8

Tel: 514-849-9222 Fax: 514-849-3362 www.yara.com Z

ZELLER & SONS ENTERPRISES LTD.

RR 1, 2360 Naramata Rd. Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

Tel: 250-496-5338 Fax: 250-496-5886

e-mail: dan@zellerandsons.com www.zellerandsons.com

ALTERNATORS

Koolmees Sales/Service

ATVs

Chesterman’s Farm Equipment

DFK Equipment Sales

E.R. Vollans

Halnor Farm Equipment

Janzen Equipment

Total Equipment Rentals

W. J. Heaslip

BAGS

A.M.A. Plastics

Coderre Packaging

Émile Sénéchal et Fils

Industrial Bags

Masternet

NNZ

Sac Drummond

Terralink Horticulture

BANNERS

Monte Package Company

Ontario Farm Fresh Mktg.

BASKETS

A.M.A. Plastics

Coderre Packaging

Dubois Agrinovation

Industrial Bags

Monte Package Company

Niagara Orchard & Vineyard

NNZ

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Terralink Horticulture

Thunderbird Plastics

Vineland Growers Co-operative

Wellington Wood Products

BED SHAPERS

Dubois Agrinovation

Eastern Farm Machinery

Eco-light

Frontlink

Halnor Farm Equipment

John C. Graham

Mechanical Transplanter

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Willsie Equipment Sales

BIN CARRIERS

Don Arthur Orchard

N.M. Bartlett

RedTrac International

Warwick Orchards

BIN DUMPERS

Don Arthur Orchard

Durand-Wayland

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

Lift Line Machinery

N.M. Bartlett

Warwick Orchards

Willsie Equipment Sales

Zeller & Sons

BINS

Coderre Packaging

Dubois Agrinovation

Émile Sénéchal et Fils

Growers Supply

Harco Ag/Harkness

Industrial Bags

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

Lift Line Machinery

NNZ

Norseman Plastics

RedTrac International

Thunderbird Plastics

W. J. Heaslip

Warwick Orchards

Zeller & Sons

BIRD SCARING EQUIPMENT

Dubois Agrinovation

Frensch, C.

Grape Growers of Ontario

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

RedTrac International

Zeller & Sons

BUILDINGS

Braemar Building Systems

Harco Ag/Harkness

L & R Shelters

BULK BINS

Dubois Agrinovation

Émile Sénéchal et Fils

Growers Supply

Harco Ag/Harkness

Industrial Bags

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

NNZ

RedTrac International

Thunderbird Plastics

W. J. Heaslip

BULK SHIPPING

Émile Sénéchal et Fils

Growers Supply

CIDER MAKING EQUIPMENT

Criveller

Elnova

Raynox 2000

Zeller & Sons

CIDER PASTEURIZATION

EQUIPMENT

Zeller & Sons

CLAM SHELL FILLERS

BBC Technologies

Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc.

Willsie Equipment Sales

CLEANERS

A.M.A. Plastics

Agrogreen Canada

Diatomite Canada

LWB Enterprises

Power Pressure Systems

CO2 SYSTEMS

Canadian Climatrol

Gorman Controls

COLD STORAGE

Access Mechanical

Dertinger Refrigeration

Gorman Controls

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Penn Refrigeration

Vineland Growers Co-operative

COLOUR SORTERS

BBC Technologies

Durand-Wayland

Willsie Equipment Sales

COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE

Canadian Climatrol

Frensch, C. Hortau

CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE

STORAGE

Gorman Controls

Penn Refrigeration

CONVEYOR BELTS

Ben Berg Equipment

Coderre Packaging

Durand-Wayland

Harco Ag/Harkness

N.M. Bartlett

Terralink Horticulture

Tew Mfg.

Willsie Equipment Sales

CONVEYORS

A.M.A. Plastics

BBC Technologies

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Coderre Packaging

Durand-Wayland

E.R. Vollans

Global Repair

Harco Ag/Harkness

N.M. Bartlett

Tew Mfg.

Willsie Equipment Sales

COVERINGS

Gintec Shade Technologies

Global Repair

L & R Shelters

Paul Boers

PlastiTech

Terralink Horticulture

Tunnel Tech

CROP CONSULTANTS

Grape Growers of Ontario

Growers Supply

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

Weather Innovations

CULTIVATION EQUIPMENT

Brant Farm Supply

DFK Equipment Sales

Doughty & Williamson

GJ’s Farm Equipment

Green Hoe

H&W Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Janzen Equipment

John C. Graham

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

Persall Industries

R & W Equipment

RedTrac International

Zeller & Sons

DESTONERS

Harco Ag/Harkness

Willsie Equipment Sales

DIGGERS & SUPPLIES

Doughty & Williamson

Harco Ag/Harkness

Persall Industries

Willsie Equipment Sales

DITCHERS

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Persall Industries

RedTrac International

W. J. Heaslip

DRILLS

Doughty & Williamson

H&W Equipment

John C. Graham

RedTrac International

Tew Mfg.

W. J. Heaslip

ELECTRIC PICKING CARTS

Canadian Climatrol

Terralink Horticulture

ENGINES

Ben Berg Equipment

Halnor Farm Equipment

Janzen Equipment

Koolmees Sales/Service

Kubota Canada

Lucas Liftruck

Sommers Motor Generator Sales

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

W. J. Heaslip

EXCAVATION

Cotton

Kubota Canada

Persall Industries

RedTrac International

FARM SAFETY INFORMATION

Agricorp

FARMERS’ MARKET

Farmers’ Market Ontario

FENCE, POST & WIRE

Growers Supply

Harco Ag/Harkness

Killaloe Wood Products

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Princeton Wood Preservers

RedTrac International

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Vineland Growers Co-operative

W. J. Heaslip

Zeller & Sons

FERTILIZER – DRY

A.M.A. Plastics

Eco +

Envirem Technologies

Growers Supply

Kalala Agriculture Contracting Supplies

FERTILIZER – LIQUID

Diatomite Canada

Eco +

Envirem Technologies

Growers Supply

Kalala Agriculture Contracting Supplies

Lacto Pro-Tech

FERTILIZER APPLICATION –ANHYDROUS AMMONIA

Harco Ag/Harkness

RedTrac International

Sylvite Agri-Services

FERTILIZER APPLICATION –DRY

Brant Farm Supply

DFK Equipment Sales

Eastern Farm Machinery

Harco Ag/Harkness

John C. Graham

Mechanical Transplanter

Oxbo International

R & W Equipment

RedTrac International

Rittenhouse

Sylvite Agri-Services

W. J. Heaslip

Zeller & Sons

FERTILIZER APPLICATION – LIQUID

Agrogreen Canada

Alpine Plant Food

Brant Farm Supply

Cadman Power Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Lacto Pro-Tech

Oxbo International

Rain-Flo Irrigation

RedTrac International

Sylvite Agri-Services

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Zeller & Sons

FIELD PACKING EQUIPMENT

Harco Ag/Harkness

Monte Package Company

FILTERS

Agrogreen Canada

Brant Farm Supply

Criveller

Diatomite Canada

Dubois Agrinovation

enVIROgro

H&W Equipment

LWB Enterprises

Power Pressure Systems

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Raynox 2000

Syfilco

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

FLATS & TRAYS

A.M.A. Plastics

Growers Supply

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc.

Monte Package Company

FOAM MARKER

Durand-Wayland

Eastern Farm Machinery

Hardi

RedTrac International

Rittenhouse

UAP Canada

W. J. Heaslip

FORK LIFTS & LIFT TRUCKS

Doughty & Williamson

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

Koolmees Sales/Service

Lucas Liftruck

Mohawk Equipment

RedTrac International

Ryder Machinery

FRONT END LOADERS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Eastern Farm Machinery

Egger Truck & Machine

GJ’s Farm Equipment

Halnor Farm Equipment

Janzen Equipment

Kubota Canada

RedTrac International

W. J. Heaslip

Zeller & Sons

FRONT HITCHES

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Frontlink

Halnor Farm Equipment

RedTrac International

FROST PROTECTION

Dubois Agrinovation

Eco-light

enVIROgro

Gintec Shade Technologies

Hortau

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Mechanical Transplanter

RedTrac International

Shur Farms Frost Protection

Stan Peterson Fruit Trees

Tunnel Tech

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Weather Innovations

FUEL SUPPLIER

Gildale Farms

FUNGICIDES

Agrogreen Canada

Arysta LifeScience

Bayer CropScience

Diatomite Canada

Engage Agro

Growers Supply

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Lacto Pro-Tech

Mana Canada

Niagara Orchard & Vineyard

Norfolk Land Stewardship

UAP Canada

GENERATORS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Chesterman’s Farm Equipment

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Egger Truck & Machine

Halnor Farm Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Janzen Equipment

Koolmees Sales/Service

Kubota Canada

Power Pressure Systems

RedTrac International

Sommers Motor Generator Sales

GPS/GIS

Agricorp

Doughty & Williamson

Egger Truck & Machine

Hardi

Persall Industries

RedTrac International

Stratford Agri Analysis

Sylvite Agri-Services

Weather Innovations

GRADERS & SIZERS

Canadian Climatrol

Durand-Wayland

N.M. Bartlett

Tew Mfg.

GREENHOUSE EQUIPMENT

Ben Berg Equipment

Canadian Climatrol

Gintec Shade Technologies

Hanna Instruments

Hortau

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Paul Boers

Stevens Irrigation

Terralink Horticulture

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Zeller & Sons

HARVESTERS

DFK Equipment Sales

E.R. Vollans

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Lakeview Vineyard Equipment

Oxbo International

R & W Equipment

W. J. Heaslip

Willsie Equipment Sales

HEATING SYSTEMS

Access Mechanical

Gildale Farms

Harco Ag/Harkness

Paul Boers

Penn Refrigeration

HERB SEEDS

AgroHaitai

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Norseco

Richters Herbs

Seedway

HERBICIDES

Agrogreen Canada

Bayer CropScience

Diatomite Canada

Dow AgroSciences

Engage Agro

Growers Supply

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Lacto Pro-Tech

Mana Canada

N.M. Bartlett

Niagara Orchard & Vineyard

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Terralink Horticulture

UAP Canada

Vineland Growers Co-operative

HERBS

Harris Seeds

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Richters Herbs

Twilley Seeds

HUMIDIFIERS

Access Mechanical

Gorman Controls

Penn Refrigeration

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

HYDROPONIC SUPPLIES

A.M.A. Plastics

Agrogreen Canada

Diatomite Canada

Hanna Instruments

Terralink Horticulture

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Zeller & Sons

INSURANCE

Agricorp

Darling Insurance & Realty

Grape Growers of Ontario

Meester Insurance

R.E. Mann Brokers

INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL

Agrogreen Canada

Bayer CropScience

Diatomite Canada

Grape Growers of Ontario

Koppert Canada

Natural Insect Control

Weather Innovations

IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Dubois Agrinovation

Eco-light

Grape Growers of Ontario

Growers Supply

Hortau

Koolmees Sales/Service

Paul Boers

R & W Equipment

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Stevens Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

LABELLING EQUIPMENT

Criveller

Durand-Wayland

Elnova

Émile Sénéchal et Fils

Frensch, C.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc.

N.M. Bartlett

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Raynox 2000

LABORATORIES

Stratford Agri Analysis

LABOUR AND COMPLIANCE

Farm Labour Pool Niagara

LADDERS

Don Arthur Orchard

Growers Supply

N.M. Bartlett

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Vineland Growers Co-operative

W. J. Heaslip

Warwick Orchards

LAND MEASURING WHEELS

Doughty & Williamson

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

LOG SPLITTERS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Egger Truck & Machine

Halnor Farm Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

RedTrac International

W. J. Heaslip

Zeller & Sons

MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

Ben Berg Equipment

Doughty & Williamson

Egger Truck & Machine

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

GJ’s Farm Equipment

Lucas Liftruck

Persall Industries

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Local Food Plus

Shea Campbell & Assoc.

Willsie Equipment Sales

MARKETING SUPPLIES

Frensch, C.

NNZ

Ontario Farm Fresh Mktg.

MOISTURE GAUGES

Dubois Agrinovation

Harco Ag/Harkness

Hortau

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Warwick Orchards

Weather Innovations

MOWERS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Chesterman’s Farm Equipment

DFK Equipment Sales

Don Arthur Orchard

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Eastern Farm Machinery

Egger Truck & Machine

Frontlink

GJ’s Farm Equipment

H&W Equipment

Halnor Farm Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Janzen Equipment

Mohawk Equipment

N.M. Bartlett

RedTrac International

St. George Company

W. J. Heaslip

Warwick Orchards

Weed Badger

Zeller & Sons

MULCH

A.M.A. Plastics

Advanced Micro Polymers

ASB Greenworld

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Dubois Agrinovation

Eco-light

Frontlink

H&W Equipment

Halnor Farm Equipment

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Killaloe Wood Products

Lakeview Vineyard Equipment

Mechanical Transplanter

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Terralink Horticulture

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Willsie Equipment Sales

MULCH EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Dubois Agrinovation

Eco-light

H&W Equipment

Lakeview Vineyard Equipment

Mechanical Transplanter

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Willsie Equipment Sales

NETTING

Dubois Agrinovation

Frensch, C.

Gintec Shade Technologies

Growers Supply

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

Masternet

Norfolk Land Stewardship

RedTrac International

Syfilco

Zeller & Sons

NURSERY STOCK

Adams County Nursery

Columbia Basin Nursery

G.W. Allen Nursery

Gemmrich W. Nursery

Grimo Nut Nursery

Hilltop Fruit Trees

Mori Nurseries

Mori Vines

Nourse Farms

Prairie Plant Systems

Stan Peterson Fruit Trees

Strawberry Tyme Farms

V. Kraus Nurseries

Vanwell Nursery

Warwick Orchards

ON FARM MARKETS

Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario

Grape Growers of Ontario

Ontario Farm Fresh Mktg.

PALLETS

Dubois Agrinovation

PANEL NETTING

Syfilco

PEAT MOSS

A.M.A. Plastics

ASB Greenworld

Global Repair

Growers Supply

Terralink Horticulture

PEST CONTROL

Agrogreen Canada

Arysta LifeScience

Bayer CropScience

Diatomite Canada

Dow AgroSciences

DuPont Canada

Engage Agro

Frensch, C.

Gowan

Grape Growers of Ontario Growers Supply

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Koppert Canada

Natural Insect Control

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Terralink Horticulture

UAP Canada

Upper Canada Organic Products

Valent Canada

Zeller & Sons

PESTICIDES

Bayer CropScience

Engage Agro

Grape Growers of Ontario Growers Supply

Mana Canada

Niagara Orchard & Vineyard

Upper Canada Organic Products

PHEROMONE INSECT TRAPS

Grape Growers of Ontario Growers Supply

Natural Insect Control

Upper Canada Organic Products

PICKING CONTAINERS

A.M.A. Plastics

Dubois Agrinovation Growers Supply

Industrial Bags

Monte Package Company

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Norseman Plastics

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vineland Growers Co-operative

Wellington Wood Products

PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS

Engage Agro

Hanna Instruments

Niagara Orchard & Vineyard

Sylvite Agri-Services

Terralink Horticulture

UAP Canada

Valent Canada

PLANT MONITORING

Hanna Instruments

Hortau

Weather Innovations

PLANT TESTING KITS

Hanna Instruments

PLASTIC MULCH EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Dubois Agrinovation

Eco-light Growers Supply

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Mechanical Transplanter

Phillips Farm Supplies

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Zeller & Sons

PLOWS

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Egger Truck & Machine

H&W Equipment

RedTrac International

W. J. Heaslip

Zeller & Sons

POLLINATION

Koppert Canada

PONDS & STORAGE TANKS

Harco Ag/Harkness

RedTrac International

POSTHARVEST CHEMICALS

N.M. Bartlett

UAP Canada

POTATO EQUIPMENT

Durand-Wayland

Industrial Bags

R & W Equipment

RedTrac International

Tew Mfg.

Willsie Equipment Sales

PRODUCE PACKAGING

A.M.A. Plastics

Émile Sénéchal et Fils

Industrial Bags

Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc.

NNZ

Sac Drummond

Terralink Horticulture

Tew Mfg.

PRUNING EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Egger Truck & Machine

Frensch, C.

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

Growers Supply

Kalala Agriculture Contracting Supplies

Lakeview Vineyard Equipment

Phillips Farm Supplies

Rittenhouse

Warwick Orchards

Zeller & Sons

PUMPS, LIQUID FERTILIZER

Alpine Plant Food

Brant Farm Supply

Cadman Power Equipment

Hanna Instruments

Harco Ag/Harkness

Phillips Farm Supplies

Rain-Flo Irrigation

RedTrac International

Sylvite Agri-Services

Terralink Horticulture

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Zeller & Sons

PUMPS, WATER

Alpine Plant Food

Brant Farm Supply

Cadman Power Equipment

Dubois Agrinovation

Hanna Instruments

Koolmees Sales/Service

Phillips Farm Supplies

Power Pressure Systems

R & W Equipment

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Rittenhouse

Stevens Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Zeller & Sons

RAIN GAUGES

Agricorp

Cadman Power Equipment

Dubois Agrinovation

Growers Supply

Hortau

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Weather Innovations

REFRACTOMETERS

Atago USA

Elnova

Frensch, C. Growers Supply

Hanna Instruments

Zeller & Sons

REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT

Access Mechanical

Dertinger Refrigeration

Gorman Controls

Kooljet Refrigeration

Penn Refrigeration

Zeller & Sons

ROOFING & SIDING

Braemar Building Systems

W. J. Heaslip

SALES & MARKETING

Cherry Lane

Grimo Nut Nursery

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Persall Industries

RedTrac International

Stan Peterson Fruit Trees

Vineland Growers Co-operative

SANITIZERS

A.M.A. Plastics

Gorman Controls

N.M. Bartlett

SCALES

Coderre Packaging

Terralink Horticulture

Willsie Equipment Sales

Zeller & Sons

SEED

A.M.A. Plastics

AgroHaitai

Bejo Seeds

Dubois Agrinovation

Growers Supply

Harris Seeds

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Monsanto Vegetable Seeds

Norseco

Prairie Plant Systems

Richters Herbs

Rupp Seeds

Sakata Seed

Seedway

Siegers Seed

Stokes Seeds

Terralink Horticulture

Twilley Seeds

SEED POTATO

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Prairie Plant Systems

SEEDING EQUIPMENT

A.M.A. Plastics

Doughty & Williamson

John C. Graham

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Mechanical Transplanter

R & W Equipment

RedTrac International

Siegers Seed

Terralink Horticulture

Willsie Equipment Sales

SEEDLING TRAYS

A.M.A. Plastics

Dubois Agrinovation

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Richters Herbs

SHADE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Gintec Shade Technologies

Growers Supply

Paul Boers

Syfilco

SHIPPERS

E.R. Vollans

H&W Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Morphy Containers

W. J. Heaslip

SICKLE BAR

Brant Farm Supply

Doughty & Williamson

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

H&W Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

RedTrac International

SOFT SORTER

BBC Technologies

SOIL FUMIGANT

APPLICATORS

Sylvite Agri-Services

SOIL TESTING

Global Repair

Growers Supply

Hanna Instruments

Hortau

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Stratford Agri Analysis

Sylvite Agri-Services

Terralink Horticulture

Vineland Growers Co-operative

Yara Canada

SORTING TABLES

BBC Technologies

Criveller

N.M. Bartlett

Tew Mfg.

Willsie Equipment Sales

SPADING MACHINES

H&W Equipment

RedTrac International

Zeller & Sons

SPONGE DRYING DONUTS

Tew Mfg.

SPRAY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

DFK Equipment Sales

Don Arthur Orchard

Doughty & Williamson

Dubois Agrinovation

Egger Truck & Machine

Grape Growers of Ontario

H&W Equipment

Hardi

Lakeview Vineyard Equipment

Oxbo International

Phillips Farm Supplies

Power Pressure Systems

RedTrac International

Rittenhouse

Slimline Mfg.

Willsie Equipment Sales

Zeller & Sons

STAKES

A.M.A. Plastics

Dubois Agrinovation

Growers Supply

Killaloe Wood Products

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Princeton Wood Preservers

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vineland Growers Co-operative

Warwick Orchards

Zeller & Sons

STONEPICKERS

Ben Berg Equipment

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Eastern Farm Machinery

Harco Ag/Harkness

RedTrac International

STORAGE

Braemar Building Systems

Gorman Controls

Harco Ag/Harkness

Kooljet Refrigeration

Penn Refrigeration

RedTrac International

SUB-SOILERS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Halnor Farm Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Mohawk Equipment

RedTrac International

Zeller & Sons

TANKS

Alpine Plant Food

Criveller

E.R. Vollans

Elnova

Frontlink

Growers Supply

Harco Ag/Harkness

Husky Farm Equipment

Koolmees Sales/Service

Raynox 2000

RedTrac International

Rittenhouse

Zeller & Sons

THERMOMETERS, OUTDOOR

Global Repair

Hanna Instruments

Hortau

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Weather Innovations

TILLERS

Ben Berg Equipment

DFK Equipment Sales

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Eastern Farm Machinery

Egger Truck & Machine

Frontlink

H&W Equipment

Halnor Farm Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Janzen Equipment

John C. Graham

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

R & W Equipment

RedTrac International

W. J. Heaslip

Weed Badger

Zeller & Sons

TIRE SALES & SERVICE

Brant Farm Supply

Egger Truck & Machine

Ryder Machinery

TOPPERS

Don Arthur Orchard

Frontlink

TRACTOR CABS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Egger Truck & Machine

Janzen Equipment

RedTrac International

W. J. Heaslip

TRACTORS

Ben Berg Equipment

Brant Farm Supply

Chesterman’s Farm Equipment

Doughty & Williamson

E.R. Vollans

Eastern Farm Machinery

Egger Truck & Machine

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

Halnor Farm Equipment

Harco Ag/Harkness

Janzen Equipment

John Deere

Kubota Canada

Total Equipment Rentals

W. J. Heaslip

Zeller & Sons

TRAILERS

Ben Berg Equipment

Don Arthur Orchard

E.R. Vollans

Egger Truck & Machine

Koolmees Sales/Service

W. J. Heaslip

TRANSPLANTERS

Dubois Agrinovation

E.R. Vollans

Eastern Farm Machinery

Halnor Farm Equipment

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Mechanical Transplanter

Oxbo International

R & W Equipment

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Willsie Equipment Sales

TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING

Harco Ag/Harkness

TRUCKS

Lucas Liftruck

TWINE

A.M.A. Plastics

Frensch, C.

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication

Growers Supply

Industrial Bags

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Niagara Orchard & Vineyard

Norfolk Land Stewardship

Rain-Flo Irrigation

RedTrac International

Terralink Horticulture

Vineland Growers Co-operative

W. J. Heaslip

Warwick Orchards

Zeller & Sons

VALVES

Criveller

Dubois Agrinovation

Rain-Flo Irrigation

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

VENTILATION

Access Mechanical

Gorman Controls

Harco Ag/Harkness

VINEYARD/ORCHARD

SOD AERATION

E.R. Vollans

Grape Growers of Ontario

Halnor Farm Equipment

RedTrac International

WATER TREATMENTS

Agrogreen Canada

Diatomite Canada

Gorman Controls

Hanna Instruments

N.M. Bartlett

Terralink Horticulture

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

WAX & WAXERS

Durand-Wayland

Industrial Bags

N.M. Bartlett

Tew Mfg.

UAP Canada

Willsie Equipment Sales

WEATHER STATIONS

Grape Growers of Ontario

Growers Supply

Hortau

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

Weather Innovations

WEEDERS

Brant Farm Supply

DFK Equipment Sales

Frontlink

Green Hoe

John C. Graham

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Rittenhouse

WPB Custom Welding

WINDBREAKS

Dubois Agrinovation

Gintec Shade Technologies

Grape Growers of Ontario

Grimo Nut Nursery

Syfilco

WINE MAKING EQUIPMENT

Atago USA

Criveller

E.R. Vollans

Elnova

Grape Growers of Ontario

H&W Equipment

Hanna Instruments

Kalala Agriculture Contracting

Supplies

Raynox 2000

Syfilco

Zeller & Sons

WINERY SUPPLIES

Agrogreen Canada

Diatomite Canada

Elnova

Grape Growers of Ontario

Hanna Instruments

Kalala Agriculture Contracting Supplies

Masternet

Zeller & Sons

VINEYaRD

Nova Scotia pair advancing in pears

Stephen Van Meekeren and his brother, Michael, are swimming against the current.

As other orchard operators have been taking out their pear blocks, Van Meekeren Farms Ltd., located near Lakeville, N.S., in the Annapolis Valley, has been putting in new pear plantings.

“We have a small, fresh market,” explains Stephen, adding new pear plantings have been added on the farm in 2008, 2009 and again in 2010.

Now, when many of the pear plantings in Nova Scotia are at an age when they should be replaced, the Van Meekeren’s have new blocks of Bosc, Bartlett and Clapp’s Favorite on Old Home Farmingdale 97 rootstock.

“We are not replanting a huge acreage but enough to fill our fresh market,” says Stephen. “And we could build on it and lengthen our market season.”

Most of the pear production in Nova Scotia has been removed during the past few years, prompted by the recent closing of the local processor, Avon, and by the shutdown of Ontario’s pear processor, where some Nova Scotia growers were shipping.

To date, the Van Meekeren brothers have replaced 10 acres of pears with new plantings. Their replanting effort, however, hit a big pothole this season with the loss of 75 per cent of the trees they planted.

After planting about four acres this past spring, leaves on many of the trees began to turn black. The Van Meekerens applied insecticide sprays, believing the damage was being caused by aphids or two-spotted spider mites. They later discovered the trees had been badly damaged after a freeze the previous fall at the nursery where they were purchased.

The Washington State nursery has agreed to replace the trees without charge, although the brothers will have to bear the expense of replanting.

The Van Meekerens utilize a somewhat unique trellising system on their pear plantings.

“It is similar to V-trellis but we are trying to keep the trees more compact and the alleyways more open,” explains Stephen. “I

saw it in Australia, near Melbourne, on an IFTA (International Fruit Tree Association) tour. That is where I got the idea. They did it as a V-trellis but I decided to do it in row.”

The Van Meekerens suspension system is conduit inclined 15 degrees from the vertical. Stephen feels inclining the newly planted trees will encourage leaf set and he hopes to get his 2009 pear planting into production in 2011.

“Pear trees are slow to bear fruit usually,” says Stephen, adding the farm operation is turning to trellising to try to get their pears into production sooner. “We are also tying limbs down to promote earlier production and less tree growth.”

He believes these tree management techniques will save money on orchard

a 75 per cent mortality rate.

management and pruning, while promoting an earlier return on investment.

“Because there are no dwarfing rootstocks available for pears that are winter hardy; we are trying to get them to produce earlier like the dwarfing rootstocks in apples,” Stephen says.

As for their apple trees, the Van Meekerens planted a block of Ambrosia in 2009. They also recently planted Fuji and Gala, plus they have blocks of Honeycrisp, Royal Cortland and MacIntosh grafted over from Spartan. ❦

This newly planted block of pears at Van Meekeren Farms will have to be replanted due to
Bill Craig, a tree fruit specialist with Agra Point, discusses the pear tree suspension system used at Van Meekeren Farms.
Photos by Dan Woolley

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