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I’ve always been slow to adapt to new technology. It took me years to finally switch my film camera over to digital. Even now, I miss the unbelievably crisp result achieved using a medium-format Hasselblad film camera compared to a digital, which explains why I still have my grandfather’s camera equipment squirreled away in suitcases under my bed.
I was slow to catch on to digital voice recorders as well, instead scribbling on a notepad like a cub reporter, ink staining my fingers and the inevitable rain soaking and ripping my pages. Now I have this funky, space-age recorder that plugs into my computer’s USB port and downloads mp3 files of audio notes. It’s supposed to be a time saver but it usually takes more time to transcribe the audio than to take good notes in the first place.
I have also been slow to adapt to the new phone technology currently available. I am one of the few people left on the face of the Earth who still owns a cellular phone that is just that – a cellular phone. It does not take photos or videos, it does not have a calendar function, I have no idea how to use it for texting, or if it even texts. It has no colour display or cute ringtones. When it rings (sounding like a normal house telephone), I push a button and talk into it. I’ve had the phone for so long, the service plan I use has been grandfathered and is no longer available – and my cellular service provider is waiting for me to get with the 21st century so they can scrap it altogether. Well, I’m here to say I am a Luddite no more. My new (well, new to me) iPhone is in the mail and soon I will be as “connected” as everyone else in the world.
As part of my role as editor of Fruit & Vegetable Magazine, I’ve already been Twittering (FruitVeggieMag) and Facebooking and following grape growers in British Columbia and Ontario plus vegetable growers in Holland Marsh and berry growers in Nova Scotia. Now I’ll be able
to do it directly from the field. Or from the barn, or from the Hort Nova Scotia conference, the OF&VC, the airport, my hotel room, my car (while parked), and maybe while I’m on my holidays.
According to a recent article by CBC News –“Tweeting farmers bridge gap between farm, table” – the social gap between rural and urban Canada has been growing. “Eighty years ago, one in every three Canadians lived on a farm,” the article states. “In 2006, it was one in 46.” With the arrival of social media, farmers have been presented with a handy way to bridge that gap, the article concludes.
I highly recommend giving the story a read – http://www.cbc.ca/news/busi ness/smallbusiness/story/2011/10/14/ f-twitter-farmers-agriculture-socialmedia.html – not just for the great information and insight into the use of social media on the farm but also to see some firsthand examples of the disconnect between farmers and urban dwellers within the article’s comments section.
“How responsible is it to (text) while operating large farm equipment?” vents The Grendel. “There are already enough deaths a year around farm equipment before you add distracted farmers.”
“I thought texting and driving was illegal for them too,” writes PQ guy in TO. “These things flip on their roof if you don’t look where you’re going.”
Alas, it would appear many in Canada’s cities have never heard of GPS technology and its use for systems like EZSteer and other automated tractor steering programs. There’s not a lot for a person to do in the cab of a tractor as he/she waits to turn around at the end of the field. Why not tweet?
“Maybe this kind of communication will eventually inspire some responsibility in agricultural practices,” states QunorW. “I’m not a fan of eating poisoned food. Yes, it’s poisoned. Pesticides and herbicides are poisons; we
just don’t get them in the end result in quite high enough concentrations to do us provable harm. Not that I think most farmers are malicious or anything, just lazy.”
WOW! Farmers are lazy because they use pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that have been reviewed and registered by a branch of Health Canada. What are they supposed to do? Go out and hand weed a 100-acre crop of sweet corn? Or potatoes? Pick all the bugs off by hand? Sounds like a quick way to starve half the world’s population.
I can attest to the labour of pulling weeds as I was once ordered to the field by my father to hand weed a 50-acre plot of field corn. There had been a malfunction of the sprayer and no herbicide had been applied. It was living hell. The mosquitos were horrible, my hands were cut and bleeding from pulling all manner of weeds (nettles, Scotch thistle, etc. – only weaklings wore gloves according to my dad) and my sweat stung the open wounds. It took me days to weed that field.
I’d like to see “QunorW” do the same and observe how “lazy” he/she is.
I won’t even relate some of the other ignorant and ridiculous statements made by the uneducated masses. But there were a few readers very warm to the idea onfarm tweeting.
“I can finally communicate with a farmer,” wrote pistonbroke. “Now I can make arrangement to buy my product directly from him instead of buying at a grocery store at a 400 per cent mark up! THANK YOU!!!!!”
“Great article guys,” stated shaunhaney. “Farmers are some of the fastest adopters of technology. Running a farm requires very cross-functional business management skills. Social media tools provide some opportunity for farmers to distribute and collect information in a very timely manner amongst their peer group. Great job.”
Perhaps there is hope to bridge that gap. Get tweeting! ❦
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Examining fiddlehead production
Researchers studying plant as potential alternative crop
FBy Dan Woolley
iddleheads – delicious wild vegetables much beloved in the regional cuisine of Maritime Canada – also appear to offer a nutritional bonanza.
Research by Dr. John Delong and his Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada colleagues, Dr. Robert Prange, Dr. Charles Forney, Dr. Mark Hodges and Dr. Lihua Fan, is demonstrating that fiddleheads, which are produced by ostrich fern, has many health benefits.
Besides being low in sodium, fiddleheads are a good source of dietary fibre and contain vitamins A and C, niacin, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium. Fiddleheads also contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), says Dr. DeLong, who has been studying the nutritional composition of fiddleheads at the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre in Kentville, N.S.
“Nutritionally, the fiddlehead is similar to spinach, which we know as a ‘good for you’ vegetable. But, unlike spinach, fiddleheads contain this EPA omega-3 fatty acid as well as high concentrations of phenolic compounds, a broad range of antioxidants.”
He observes that both omega-3 fatty acids, which are rare in plants, and antioxidants, have been shown to have antiinflammatory properties that could make them very useful in the treatment and prevention of many diseases, adding, “the fiddleheads’ total antioxidant activity is twice that of blueberries.”
The impetus for his research was a combination of several things, says Dr. DeLong. “A few years ago, our department put an emphasis on research investigating the healthful, nutraceutical, functional food and even pharmacological properties of common or uncommon food crops.
Fiddleheads are currently harvested in the wild but researchers believe there is potential for the plant to be grown as an upland horticultural crop and managed as a perennial crop, similar to asparagus.
“My colleague, Dr. Prange, had extensive experience in the 1970s and 1980s with ostrich fern fiddleheads, so there was an historical research connection with the crop.”
As the fiddlehead harvest was a maritime tradition and basically a cottage industry, it was felt “we could focus on efforts to enlarge our knowledge base on a wild, natural plant that has played an interesting cultural role in the region,” Dr. DeLong says.
“We knew that older literature indicated that fiddleheads were healthy, but this data was 30-years old. With better analytical techniques and capacity, we felt that an investigation into the nutritional profile was in order to see how potentially healthy these plants are.”
Dr. DeLong admits scientists are unsure if fiddleheads have actual antiinflammatory activity. “I strongly expect they do, he says. “However, this must be demonstrated in the lab.
“They are one of the most nutritious vegetable crops that we can consume. All of the health benefits associated with eating green
vegetables can be applied to the fiddlehead.”
Fiddleheads are currently harvested in the wild but Dr. DeLong says they can be grown as an upland horticultural crop and managed as a perennial crop, similar to asparagus. The crop likes lots of water and establishing healthy crowns would be essential to their successful cultivation.
His future fiddlehead research will look at the effects of cooking or steaming on the nutritional, health-promoting compounds in the plant and the effect of cooking time on the bacteria and fungal populations in the tightly coiled heads of the ferns.
“This work will help Health Canada more accurately advise the public on fiddlehead preparation,” he says.
Adequate cooking to kill bacteria and fungi in fiddleheads is imperative to avoid possible gastrointestinal upsets in people who eat the ferns, says Dr. DeLong.
“One does not eat raw chicken and one should not eat raw fiddleheads.”
Although associated with the Maritime provinces, fiddleheads are also found in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. ❦
Which direction are herbicides heading?
2,4-D is coming back. What many might consider a dinosaur may be the best solution for growers fighting weed resistance today, said Dean Riechers, University of Illinois associate professor of weed physiology.
“Farmers can’t imagine going back to 2,4-D or other auxin herbicides,” Riechers said. “But herbicide resistance is bad enough that companies are willing to bring it back. That illustrates how severe this problem is.”
In a recently published article in Weed Science, Riechers and his team of research colleagues suggest that tank-mixing auxinic herbicides with glyphosate may be the best short-term option available to farmers interested in broad-spectrum, postemergence weed control.
“Resistance has become a big problem,” Riechers said. “In 1997, researchers predicted that glyphosate resistance would not be a big issue in Round-Up Ready crops. For the most part, they were right. But they underestimated a few weed species and resistance mechanisms.”
Since the 1950s, 29 auxin-resistant weed species have been discovered worldwide. In comparison, 21 glyphosate-resistant weed species have been discovered since 1996, when Round-Up Ready soybeans were commercialized. And interestingly enough, two of the most problematic weeds in Round-Up Ready soybean and cotton – common waterhemp and Palmer amaranth – are not yet on the list of auxinresistant weeds, Riechers said.
Ideally, chemical companies would come up with a new herbicide to fight these resistant weeds. But new herbicide development is expensive and time-consuming. Riechers said he does not know of any new compounds on the horizon.
“If we don’t find completely novel and new herbicides, our next best bet is to mix glyphosate and another herbicide with relatively minor resistance problems,” Riechers said. “Auxin resistance is not considered a huge problem in the United States, particularly in corn, soybean and cotton. It has only occurred in isolated incidents.”
Why have auxinic herbicides escaped the resistance problems of the more modern herbicides used today?
Riechers said there are three major
Some farmers are concerned about going back to 2,4-D and other auxin herbicides because they are considered old compounds that tend to drift and move off-target to sensitive plants.
reasons that help explain why resistance to auxin herbicides has not become a big problem yet. First, the auxin family of herbicides has a very complicated mode of action. In theory, a weed would have to develop a very complicated resistance method to overcome it. Riechers said the auxin herbicide family is very unusual because it has multiple target sites, which were only recently discovered.
“In addition, resistance to these compounds is rare because a plant that evolves resistance may have a fitness cost,” he said. “The resistance mechanism that overcomes the herbicide could have a negative consequence to the plant in absence of the herbicide. Basically, for auxin herbicides there may be a ‘penalty’ to having resistance.”
The third explanation is that auxin herbicides have rarely been relied on by themselves and are normally mixed with other herbicides. A good example is the frequent use of several auxinic herbicides in tank mixes for weed control in home lawn care and golf course applications.
Some farmers are concerned about going back to 2,4-D and other auxin herbicides because they are considered old compounds that tend to drift and move off-target to sensitive plants. Riechers said Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences have an-
nounced that they are working on new formulations to reduce drift, and agricultural engineers are exploring spray application technology to reduce the problems, too.
“This is a risk/reward decision,” Riechers said. “If you have a huge resistance problem in your field and are concerned about losing yield, this may be your best solution for now. The alternative is to give up and do nothing. For some growers, this technology may be worth the risk because they have no other choices.”
So the question remains – how long will it take for plants to form resistance to the combination of auxin herbicides and glyphosate?
“We are trying to predict the future, but all we can do at this point is speculate,” Riechers said. “However, we can use the past to help us make wise choices for the future. We have resistance to almost all herbicide families now. Tank-mixing auxin herbicides with glyphosate may work for the short term, but I expect that auxin resistance will likely increase over time. Nature always finds a way.”
Until the next novel herbicide comes out, Riechers said you only have to look back at what happened with glyphosate to see how important it is to be a good steward by using herbicides in a sustainable, beneficial way. ❦
Improving soil quality through management practices
By Dan Woolley
Management practices to improve soil productivity and quality present challenges for Atlantic vegetable growers according to the nutrient management chair at Nova Scotia Agricultural College.
Dr. Mehdi Sharifi says low organic matter in regional soils is a big challenge for producers, as Maritime soils only have capacity to hold between five and 10 per cent organic matter. As a result, failure to fertilize or compost will mean low organic matter in the soil.
Light, sandy soils have a low nutrient capacity and heavy precipitation on light textured soil leads to nutrient leaching, he says, adding that wet and windy conditions also lead to high nitrogen emissions from soil. This is particularly challenging considering there is no nitrogen test available for Maritime soils. (Dr. Sharifi is developing a soil nitrogen test for Atlantic Canada, which he hopes to release soon.)
Maritime soils also have low sulphur content due to minimal sulphur molecules in the rain, says Dr. Sharifi, adding many crops are sensitive to low sulphur content, particularly in cole crops and forages.
Low soil pH is also an important factor in soil health as it results in a nutrient imbalance in the soil, says Dr. Sharifi.
“Data indicates we don’t have enough lime to maintain pH,” he says, adding this results in an imbalance of nutrients.
A nutrient imbalance of phosphorus -–with high phosphorus in strawberry nurseries and low phosphorus in organic farms – can also affect productivity and nitrogen fixation in the soil, says Dr. Sharifi.
Weak soil structure and compacted hardpans are typically due to low organic matter plus too much tillage and equipment weight, says Dr. Sharifi. The soil conditions contribute to an abundance of weeds, pests and diseases, which need “more sustainable solutions than pumping more pesticide into the environment,” he says.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Sharifi sees many opportunities for producers to
employ better management practices.
“We have access to manure and offfarm compost to biologically stimulate the soil and improve its nutrient contents,” he says.
Green manure cover crops also provide organic matter and nitrogen, biologically stimulate the soil, control weeds and reduce leaching, he adds.
Dr. Sharifi advocates using rotation between high nutrient demand crops and low nutrient demand crops, such as cereals to legumes to corn and potatoes.
He also recommends growers think about the timing and the method used when planning the application rates of their amendments. Increasing manure application rates on upland soils will increase the dry matter content of soils, he says.
“Beyond a certain point, there is a negative effect because there is an increased loss of nutrients to ground water.”
It will also take time to change the soils’ nutrient balance, says Dr. Sharifi. No-till has increased the proportion of nitrogen in test plots, with a significant increase in three out of four test plots, he says, adding there are definitely some benefits to no-till.
In rotation trials when no nitrogen is applied, Dr. Sharifi has noticed a significant improvement when peas and clover are added to the rotation and a significant difference with rye grass due to its high carbon content.
A five-year sustainable management trial to improve the soil is also currently underway at the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada test site in Truro, N.S. Dr. Sharifi and fellow researchers are looking at how green manure should be used in the rotation and how much nitrogen to apply.
The team is working with four different rotations using green manure, red clover, oats, peas, vetch, carrots, potatoes and beans, with applications of composted municipal food waste and paper mill bio-solids.
They are looking at total tuber yields and total nitrogen uptake. So far, they
In research trials, green manure with oats, peas and vetch in the rotations did not work as well at reducing carbon dioxide soil emissions as red clover did.
have observed very little nitrogen uptake from paper mill bio-solids and a similar nitrogen uptake in tubers treated with municipal solid waste.
Dr. Sharifi said the total nitrogen uptake was greatest with fertilizer. Green manure with oats, peas and vetch in the rotations did not work as well at reducing carbon dioxide soil emissions as red clover did, he adds. During the winter, the soil did lose nitrogen. As a solution, the team planted a cover crop to capture and return the nitrogen to the soil over the fall and winter.
Dr. Sharifi is also testing mussel sediment as a soil amendment as he feels it will be useful on vineyards and orchards.
As well, he has tested soils in the Annapolis Valley for sulphur deficiency with 71 per cent of the test samples testing critical or below the critical level. Dr. Sharifi also plans to look at New Brunswick and P.E.I. soils. ❦
Maintaining soil productivity during climate change
By Dan Woolley
Attendees at the 2011 Scotia Horticultural Congress received a brief overview of what climate change in the Maritimes could do to their soils and what they might do to adapt.
Dr. Derek Lynch, the Nova Scotia Agricultural College’s Canadian Research Chair in organic agriculture, says soil and climate are intimately linked together as climate is one of the five factors driving the types of soils the Atlantic region has.
Soil plays a major role in determining climate through the loss of methane and nitrogen to the atmosphere, noted Dr. Lynch, who is predicting warmer, longer growing seasons, greater warming in the
summer, and warmer, more open winters.
He also predicts wetter seasons but greater seasonal variations year to year, with a potential for drier summer conditions. There will also be more extreme weather events with greater climatic variability across Atlantic Canada, which will influence the regional distribution of crops, he added.
The greater frequency of weather extremes will impact soil functions, said Dr. Lynch, with more droughts requiring more irrigation and on-farm water storage. More extreme rainstorms will also mean more soil erosion, nutrient leaching and the need to look at planting more cover crops.
Growers will also have to look at improving soil quality and adding organic matter to increase the resiliency of their soils, he said, adding this process is an important component of ecosystem resilience. Soil provides a service to an ecosystem by decomposing dead matter and removing contaminants, said Dr. Lynch. The water supply, therefore, is regulated and protected by the soil ecosystem, which stores water, plant nutrients and carbon.
Warmer conditions, he observed, will increase soil biodiversity, with increased organic matter decay and nutrient mineralization.
A wetter climate will increase leaching potential, said Dr. Lynch, noting more weather variability means more frequent extreme events with more drought and more erosion, including more open winters when most leaching occurs.
Increasing soil organic matter will increase water-holding capacity and the soil’s hydraulic conductivity, he said, thus reducing the risk of erosion and protecting against extreme rainfalls, while removing contaminants from ground water. Composting will also help retain soil moisture.
Climate change, by altering soil temperature and moisture, can result in changes to the crops raised in an area and their productivity, said Dr. Lynch. It can also
The greater frequency of weather extremes will impact soil functions, with more droughts requiring more irrigation and on-farm water storage.
change the rate of organic matter composting and the quality and quantity of the soil’s organic substrate. These processes combine to alter the rate of organic matter production, he said.
As a result, he believes there will be a greater focus in future on the shoulder seasons of seeding and harvesting. Many of the impacts on soil organic matter happen during the fall as a result of freezing and thawing and nutrient loss in the fall can be prevented with cover crops and increasing organic matter to increase carbon sequestration to reduce CO2 emissions and improve soil quality.
“Eastern Canadian soils sequester less carbon than Western Canadian soil because we lose less organic matter over time … because of our traditional forage based cropping systems and our cooler seasons,” said Dr. Lynch.
He recommends increasing carbon in the soil, increasing forage in the rotations and, perhaps, reduced tillage. Better tools are also needed to monitor the soil’s biological status to determine if organic matter is degrading or aggrading, the rates of nutrient release and if biodiversity is being sustained.
One of the more effective strategies to adapt to climate change will be to increase soil resiliency through increased organic matter and increased carbon storage, said Dr. Lynch.
He also sees a need to promote cropping systems that will increase carbon storage because production systems that sustain soil biodiversity will be more robust and resistant to the impact of climate change. ❦
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Manuka oil shows promise as weed deterrent
Weeds have a greater impact on crop yields than any other pests. Over the past several decades, farmers have continually turned to synthetic herbicides because they are the most effective deterrent against weeds. However, public sentiment toward synthetic herbicides is increasingly negative. There is a need – and a market – for new, natural weed management tools.
The current issue of the journal Weed Science reports on the possibilities of manuka oil as a natural herbicide. Distilled from the manuka tree, this essential oil showed good results in field tests as both a pre- and post-emergent herbicide. Field tests were conducted in Stoneville, Miss., against crabgrass, velvetleaf, pigweed, and other species of broadleaf and grass weeds.
Natural alternatives to synthetic herbicides are often essential oils, used after weeds emerge to “burn down” the undesired plants. To be an effective herbicide,
these oils often require multiple applications in high amounts. The cost of the oil and the cost of making numerous applications drive up the overall expense.
Manuka oil contains natural betatriketones, which target the same plant enzyme as some commercial synthetic herbicides. With this component, small amounts of manuka oil can be combined with a commercial organic herbicide of lemongrass oil to achieve greater results. In this study, this combination made the lemongrass oil more potent in post-emergent applications, causing as much as a 94 per cent reduction in dry weight of remaining crabgrass collected.
However, it is the potential of manuka oil as a pre-emergent treatment that makes it an attractive option for developing a new natural herbicide. Large crabgrass growth was reduced 50 per cent to 90 per cent in the current study, depending on the dose of manuka oil used. No other essential oil currently in commercial use for weed control has shown such strong activity.
The study found that manuka oil and its main active ingredient – leptospermone –were stable in soil for up to seven days, with half-lives of 18 and 15 days, respectively. This longer-lasting, but natural, effectiveness opens more possibilities for this oil in both organic and conventional farming.
Full text of the article, “Manuka Oil, A Natural Herbicide with Pre-emergence Activity,” Weed Science, Vol. 59, No. 4, October-December 2011, is available at http://www.wssajournals.org/.
B.C cranberry industry receives funding
The federal government recently announced support for the British Columbia Cranberry Marketing Commission to establish a Cranberry Research Centre in the Lower Mainland.
The new Cranberry Research Centre will conduct research aimed at increasing cranberry yields across B.C. and Canada.
Funding will aid in the construction of a Cranberry Research Centre, the first of its kind in Canada and the fourth such centre in North America. The research centre will serve as a cranberry test and demonstration facility where current and new cranberry varieties can be evaluated using various growing mediums and alter-
nate production techniques.
“The B.C. cranberry industry is thrilled to receive funding … for our Cranberry Research Centre,” said Todd May, president of the B.C. Cranberry Research Society. “Cranberry farmers deeply appreciate this support and the recognition of the importance of this facility. This acknowledgement further reinforces the dedication and financial commitment of our farming families towards the future of the cranberry industry in British Columbia.”
The Government of Canada is providing a $203,000 investment through the Western Diversification Program (WDP) to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Delta’s agricultural economy.
Self-steering automatic tractor more precise in the field
A farmer rising at the crack of dawn to till his fields in a tractor all day? This could soon become a thing of the past. Flanders’ Mechatronics Technology Centre (FMTC), with some help from other engineering departments and firms, has engineered a fully automated, self-steering robotic tractor. The tractor adapts itself to terrain conditions and adjusts its speed and turning radius automatically. It can complete a pre-programmed route with exceptional precision…and without the intervention of a driver. The researchers behind the machine unveiled a prototype at the 30th Annual International Agriculture and Horticulture Days of Mechanisation in late September.
“We started by installing a linear propulsion system to press the gas pedal down and steer,” explained Erik Hostens, project engineer for FMTC. “Then we equipped the tractor with a computer and various additional positional sensors, including a GPS system.”
The most important challenge came after these modifications were complete: engineering a steering system that effectively takes over the role of the operator.
“Only experienced tractor operators have the skills needed to work a field with precision. The job of an operator is really quite complex: he observes the tractor’s current position, makes a judgment based on terrain conditions and the route to be followed, and, based on all this, decides the speed and
orientation of the tractor. All these actions had to be integrated into the automated steering system. The system registers positional changes in real-time with a GPS and adjusts itself accordingly.”
The constantly changing ground conditions in the field present a particularly sticky challenge when developing an automated tractor.
“The tractor must be capable of driving in both hard and wet terrain,” explained Gregory Pinte, of FMTC. “Traditional navigation systems are unable to handle multi-terrain conditions. Instead, a different setting must be calibrated for each terrain type. That’s why we developed a steering system that intuits terrain conditions and estimates the expected wheel slippage. Based on a model of the tractor, the optimal speed and turning radius is calculated, in real-time, for the current terrain type. This ‘smart steering’ allows for precision down to the centimetre.”
What is the benefit of an automated tractor? “The importance of precision steering for agricultural machines has increased significantly, particularly with the arrival of organic farming,” says Dr. Wouter Saeys of the MeBioS division. “The accurate positioning of the machine is essential.”
Another important trend in agriculture is automation. “By putting automated agricultural machines in the fields, everincreasing operator costs can be significantly reduced,” said Vincent Theunynck of New Holland. “On top of that, thanks to the ‘smart steering’ capability of the robot, changes in terrain type have become superfluous.”
The tractor-robot is an example of the successful cooperation within the IWT-SBO project Learning Control of Production Machines (LeCoPro) between participating academic knowledge centres and a Flemish industrial partner. As part of the project, the FMTC partnered with the Flemish universities K.U.Leuven, VUB and UGent to establish a knowledge base geared toward developing smart steering strategies for use in production machines. The techniques developed in the course of this program will allow Flemish industry to bring the ‘smart machines’ of the future to the market.
United Potato Growers of Canada hires new GM
The United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) has hired a potato industry veteran as its new general manager. Kevin MacIsaac of Bear River, P.E.I., has joined the UPGC in this senior role.
Along with his brother, MacIsaac has owned and operated a family farm for more than 25 years, producing seed, tablestock and processing potatoes in rotation with soybeans, canola and other crops. A graduate of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and the University of Guelph, he served as a field crops specialist with the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture prior to returning to the family farm.
MacIsaac has been involved with many agricultural and community organizations over the years, including the Potato Producers’ Association, the PEI Soil and Crop Improvement Association, the Island Grain and Protein Council, the Souris River Watershed group, and his parish council. He served two terms as the chair of the P.E.I. Potato Board, and was a director for six years. MacIsaac was an Atlantic finalist in Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer Program, and his farm has received numerous awards, including the Soil Conservationist of the Year Award for
cash crop producers (2007); a Cavendish Farms Top 10 Grower award (2007); the Gilbert R. Clements Award for Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture (2009); and the Lieutenant Governor’s Greenwing Conservation Award (sponsored by Ducks Unlimited Canada). He also received a 25 Year Service Award from the Canadian Seed Growers Association in 2010.
United Potato Growers of Canada chairman Ray Keenan cited MacIsaac’s in-depth industry knowledge and experience, integrity and leadership skills as being key factors in the board’s hiring decision. “Kevin’s skill set and practical approach, along with his respect for growers and the challenges we face, make him the ideal candidate for our general manager position. We know he will contribute immediately to our key initiatives, such as the development of a Grower Return Index across the country, and the 2012 United Potato Partners Program seminars, which will be held across Canada beginning in January 2012,” said Keenan.
MacIsaac’s decision to stop growing potatoes in 2011 allowed him to accept other challenges.
“I feel strongly that growers can achieve more when we work together on issues of common interest,” he said. “United Potato Growers of Canada’s goal of providing accurate potato production and marketing information is a simple one, but it has huge potential to help improve the viability of Canadian potato farms, and to ensure we are producing what consumers, retailers, processors and food service operators need. I’m eager to work with growers from right across Canada to build on the progress that’s been made to date.”
Prior to MacIsaac joining UPGC, Mark Drouin of Ottawa served as general manager on a part-time basis. Drouin decided to return to the federal government this fall.
New Products
Massey Ferguson unveils 7600 Series tractors
Massey Ferguson® recently introduced the new Massey Ferguson 7600 Series high-HP row crop tractors to North American producers in search of a versatile, hardworking tractor that combines technology with exceptional comfort features.
The new mid-frame row crop tractor is modeled after the popular Massey Ferguson 8600 Series and replaces the 6400 and 7400 Series. Four completely new models ranging from 170 to 225 engine horsepower (140 to 180 PTO HP) give producers more choices in power, productivity and comfort from Massey Ferguson.
The 7600 Series boasts some innovative technology. The new series is powered by Tier IV interim emissions-compliant AGCO POWER™ diesel engines with e3™ selective catalytic reduction (SCR) clean-air technology for improved emissions, minimal maintenance and exceptional fuel consumption. AGCO’s new Generation 2 e3 SCR system incorporates a catalytic converter and diesel oxidation catalyst that work with the tractor’s engine to maximize efficiency and simplify maintenance. This approach provides a functional SCR system and offers owners best-in-class total fluid usage.
With a choice of Dyna-6 (24-speed, partial-powershift) or Dyna-VT™ (CVT) transmissions, plus redesigned cabs that offer a wide-angle view and superior operator comforts, these machines are designed to make a long day of work more enjoyable. To make the most of the CVT transmission, Dynamic Tractor Management (DTM) provides greater communication between the engine and gearbox so that the engine speed can automatically adjust to the load for more consistent power to the ground and improved fuel efficiency.
SCR is regarded as a well-designed engineering answer to meet new exhaust emission rules. Unlike the alternatives, it
does not require any additional valves, extra turbochargers, expanded cooling packages or extensive changes to existing engine designs. It also does not employ any complex internal engine components or external filter housings and is nearly maintenance free.
SCR technology allows these AGCO POWER engines to run better, stay cooler and last longer. The 7600 Series comes with a 114-gallon-capacity diesel fuel and 11-gallon diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks to allow for longer periods of work between refueling.
New for the 7600 Series is the inclusion of an OptiRide™ Plus cab suspension system. This cab suspension system relays information through an electronic control unit to automatically adjust the cab suspension to control bounce, rolling and pitching for a comfortable ride in the field or down the road.
Inside the redesigned cab, a right-hand control armrest, new multi-pad control and new multi-function joystick provide easy-toreach, fingertip control and ergonomic design that are comfortable for the operator to use. A new Datatronic CCD display offers greater performance and functionality and increased legibility so producers can accurately monitor and adjust tractor and implement settings. www.masseyferguson.com
Split-Fire Sales Inc. Model 2203
Split-Fire Sales Inc. has introduced the model 2203, a new three-point-hitch log splitter for farmers and rural equipment dealers. Featuring a unique two-way splitting action from the knife, which splits wood in both the forward and reverse stroke, the 2203 Split-Fire log splitter can be operated on small tractors with hydraulic flow rates of only four gpm operating at 2,700 psi or more. Operators don’t have to wait for the knife to cycle back before putting another log on as they can now split wood on the return stroke, making wood splitting fast and easy.
Rated for logs between 18 to 20 inches in diameter, the model 2203, two-way log splitter features a unique stop design that prevents fly-outs from knotted hardwoods, or from logs that have been cut on an angle.
Manufactured from a solid steel tube, the cylinders are inside the frame sliding on hardened plastic sliders running down the entire bearing area. This design avoids metal on metal friction and keeps the cylinder positively in place to prevent the rod from bending and the frame from bowing.
www.split-fire.com
Rittenhouse WeedSeeker
Rittenhouse has added a new product for weed control management. The WeedSeeker is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tool that can automatically detect weeds and apply a precise amount of herbicide to the weed, reducing the amount of herbicide needed to achieve the same results as blanket spraying.
The WeedSeeker’s optics and spray delivery system are manufactured by Trimble. Using advanced optics, the WeedSeeker is able to detect weeds over gravel, grass, pavement, railroads, and golf course pathways. When a weed enters the sensor’s field of vision and detects a different colour pattern, it signals a spray nozzle to deliver an accurate amount of herbicide to the weed. It will only spray the weed and not the bare ground, making it very effective where weeds occur intermittently. Chemical waste is effectively reduced as it is only being applied to selected areas.
While the WeedSeeker is already used extensively in agriculture and industrial spray applications, Rittenhouse is introducing a smaller spray system. It can be easily mounted in the cargo box of a utility vehicle, and it is factory set up and tested.
WeedSeeker’s coverage area can be expanded by adding more spot spray sensors. The WeedSeeker controller can operate up to 40 sensors.
The WeedSeeker features a 30-gallon tank, 12-volt powered pump, fully adjustable pressure regulator, return flow tank agitation, four or six WeedSeeker spot spray sensors, an 80- to 120-inch-wide coverage area, adjustable speed range from three to 10 mph, and the WeedSeeker controller. www.rittenhouse.ca
Coming events
January 4-6, 2012 – Potato Expo 2012, Loews Royal Pacific, Orlando, Fla.
January 9-10, 2012 – Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers’ Annual General Meeting, Sheraton Fallsview, Niagara Falls, Ont. www.ofvga.org
January 25-26, 2012 – Manitoba Potato Production Days, Keystone Centre, Brandon, Man. www.mbpotatodays.ca
January 26-29, 2012 – 2012 Guelph Organic Conference & Expo, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont. www.guelphorganicconf.ca
January 26-28, 2012 – 14th Annual Pacific Agriculture Show & Horticulture Growers’ Short Course, Tradex Exhibition Centre, Abbotsford, B.C. www.agricultureshow.net
January 30-31, 2012 – Scotia Horticulture Congress 2012, Old Orchard Inn, Wolfville, N.S. www.hortns.com
January 31-February 2, 2012 –Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association 2012 Annual Convention, old Orchard Inn, Wolfville, N.S. www.nsapples.com
CAFA is a national, not-for-profit professional umbrella organization dedicated to assisting farm families and farm businesses by increasing the skills and knowledge of farm advisors and consultants.
The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association is a membership based group that represents top quality farmers who market directly to the consumer. We offer networking, educational and promotional opportunities.
ONTARIO FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
Ontario AgriCentre, 100 Stone Rd. W., Suite 206
Guelph, ON N1G 5L3
Tel: 519-821-8883 Fax: 519-821-8810 www.ofa.on.ca
ONTARIO FRESH.CA
68 Scollard St., Suite 201
Toronto, ON M5R 1G2
Tel: 416-960-0001
e-mail: mhunter@greenbelt.ca www.ontariofresh.ca
Ontariofresh.ca is a free online marketplace for local Ontario food. A strictly businessto-business resource, Ontariofresh.ca links restaurants, caterers, buyers and distributors with growers and producers. Get connected, register at Ontariofresh.ca.
Exclusive grower of more than 15 species of Canadian hardy grafted and seedling nut trees. For commercial growers we recommend heartnut, hazelnut and sweet chestnut. We also carry Persian and black walnut, butternut, buartnut, shagbark and shellbark hickory, ultra northern pecan, ginkgo and pine nut. Specialty fruits include the pawpaw, American persimmon, mulberry, quince and fig. Free customer consulting. Catalog free on line at; www.grimonut.com. Paper copy - two current postage stamps or $1.
Lift Line Machinery Ltd.
LIFT TRUCKS
New and Used, Sales, Rentals, Service and Parts (We rent rotators)
