TheGrower_April2014 Pag 23

KAREN DAVIDSON

Within a stones throw of LakeSimcoe and a seemingly plentifulwater supply, Paul and Ian Smithare under no illusions: With population increases, we haverealized that going forward, waterwill become a bigger issue.

Along with other family members, they operate SmithGardens, a large carrot and onionfarm that sells domestically andto the U.S. The company hasinstalled a system to recycleabout 70 per cent of the 50,000gallons of washwater used toclean carrots every day.

We wanted a system withmany benefits, explains PaulSmith, who started constructionlast summer. Its a closed-loopsystem that lessens our dependence on aquifers.

Without an engineeringdegree, Smith says its no smalltask to quantify water treatment

needs and to hire the right consultant. A lengthy process ofinterviewing six companies led toNoel Moya of FluidyneCorporation. Hes an electro-mechanical engineer specializingin physio-chemical and microbiological process of wastewater treatment.

Moya recommended an aerobic digester that kills bacteria, treats water and removessolids. A combination of filters,ultraviolet, ultrasound and ozonetechnology is deployed.

The Smiths considerableinvestment on this project is thecost of doing business in a context increasingly pressured bymore Ministry of Environmentregulations. Their motivation is toavoid any potential and unforeseen government shut-downs and, at the same time,build stronger sustainabilityrecognition for their brand.

They are not alone. This storyresonates throughout a supply

chain that is increasingly alarmedby whats happening south of theborder. California growing a$45 billion basket of produceannually -- is in dire droughtstraits. Accounts of the scope ofproblems there have been provid-ed by the Smiths Holland Marshneighbours John and CristinaHambly who recently returnedfrom a trip to the San JoaquinValley.

Ninety per cent of their prob-lem is environmental, saysHambly. There is almost nosnow pack in the mountainswhich means little snow melt tofeed the ponds.

In the San Joaquin Valleyalone, 200,000 acres of tomatoes,melons, onions, broccoli and let-tuce have been idled for lack ofwater. The California Farm WaterCoalition estimates that 800,000acres of land could be fallowedthis year, or roughly 10 percent ofthe states total arable land. Thosefacts plus first-hand observations

are leading Hambly to look hard-er at water conservation on hisown farm. By 2015, he may moveto more drip irrigation.

Its a cautionary tale not onlyfor Ontario but all of Canada, sorichly blessed with fresh water. Inthe Los Angeles Times, editorialcolumnist George Skelton put thedrought into context by quoting apublic affairs official from awater district: We didnt get herethrough nature alone. We also gothere through environmental regu-lations that limited the amount ofwater sent to the nearby San Luisreservoir.

The states current debate isfractious as Governor JerryBrown has proposed a 35-mile,twin water tunnel to divert northern California water underor around the Sacramento-SanJoaquin Delta to central andsouthern parts of the state. Theprice tag? $15 billion.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

APRIL 2014 CELEBRATING 134 YEARS AS CANADAS PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION VOLUME 64 NUMBER 04

SENSE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Water? Priceless! There are some things money cant buy

INSIDEHard cider sourcedfrom Ontario apples

Page 4

Canadian HorticulturalCouncil highlights Page 10

Focus: Irrigation Section B

www.thegrower.org

P.M. 40012319

$3.00 CDN

Brothers Paul (left) and Ian Smith have taken a long-term view to water management on their Smith Gardens family-operated farm near Keswick, Ontario. At their processing plantfor carrots, they are recycling 70 per cent of the 50,000 gallons of washwater required each day. Here, an irrigation rig stands ready to nurse recently transplanted onions with barley as a cover crop to preserve soil moisture. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

NEWSMAKERSKeith Kuhl, a Winkler,Manitoba potato farmerand chair of Peak of theMarkets board of direc-tors, will serve a secondterm as president of theCanadian HorticulturalCouncil. For moredetails, see full CHCcoverage on page 10.

Pradeep Sood hasannounced that Highbury Canco Corporation has come to an agree-ment with H.J. Heinz Company to buy its Leamington-Ontarioplant, formerly slated to close in June. The plan is to transition theketchup factory into a manufacturing, co-packaging and distributionfacility for tomato juice and other products in early July. The groupof Ontario investors, including current plant manager Sam Diab,intends to sell its products domestically as well as in emerging mar-kets. The deal allows the plant to produce domestic tomato juice forHeinz, using locally grown, whole tomatoes. Under the CanadianAgricultural Products Act, Heinz is not allowed to import tomatojuice into Canada. Foodland Ontario recently honoured the best in produce retailingwith Vision Awards in three categories. They went to Sobeys Inc.(conventional); Food Basics, Metro Ontario Inc. (discount), LongoBrothers Fruit Markets Inc. (independent). The British Columbia Tree Fruit Growers Association announcedthe 2014 board of directors at a recent annual general meeting.They are: Fred Steele (Kelowna), president; Bhupinder Dhaliwal(Oliver), vice-president; Peter Simonsen (Penticton), South District;Sukhdev Brar (Summerland), South District; Ravinder Bains(Keremeos), South District; Surjit Nagra (Kelowna), NorthDistrict; Niel Dendy (Kelowna), North District, Sukhdev Goraya(Kelowna), North District.

The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association recently recognizedexcellence in four distinct categories. Amy and Channing Stromwon the Leadership Award for sharing their best practices throughthe OFFMA board and activities. Heather and Brad Fraser,Harvest Goodies won the Food Innovation Award for adding valueto garlic scapes in vinaigrettes, mustard and bean pickle. TheAmbassador Award went to Elizabeth Baird, former food editor ofCanadian Living Magazine. The Outstanding Farm Marketer Awardwent to Anne Just, Kurtz Orchards, an entrepreneur who hasopened several satellite locations including Carmel by the Sea,California.

The federation of Quebec apple producers has promoted twoemployees. Melanie Noel becomes assistant executive director andGenevieve Perigny becomes communications officer.

Congratulations to Ron Koop of Koop Farms, recipient of theCuve Award of Excellence in Viticulture, sponsored by BASFCanada Inc.

Bob Seguin has left his position as executive director of the GeorgeMorris Centre, Guelph, Ontario to become director, economic development, Region of Niagara. Hes responsible for economicdevelopment activities and liaising with municipal economic development officials. His background meshes with the emphasis oneconomic growth in the agri-food sector. In the meantime, Barb Miller and John Scott are acting as interim,co-managing directors of the George Morris Centre.

Congratulations to Sue-Ann Staff for winning the NiagaraEmerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award. She is recognized forsuccessfully steering Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, a Lincoln-Ontario company thats been established in the last five years whichhas demonstrated excellent prospects for continued growth.

THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME

PAGE 2 APRIL 2014

Reported changes toinspection require-ments for U.S. applesshipped to Canada

An unexpected provisionadded to the U.S. Farm Bill hasraised a number of questions per-taining to the compulsory inspec-tion requirements for U.S. applesdestined for Canada. Canadianand U.S. officials are now in theprocess of reviewing the impacts.The added provision exemptsfresh apples shipped in bulk bins(any containers over 100 lbs.)from the provisions of the U.S.Export Apple Act which state thatapples being exported from theU.S. must be inspected beforeshipment and certified that theymeet minimum quality require-ments.

Current Canadian importrequirements still apply andrequire certification for everyload of apples shipped from theU.S. in bulk containers movingunder a Ministerial Exemption orcontainers weighing less than 100lbs. (e.g. the 40 lb. ctn.).Absolutely nothing has changedin regard to the 40 lb. ctn. that isproperly graded and packed to

Canadian standards. These stillrequire USDA inspection andapples imported from other thanthe U.S. still require compulsoryCustoms Clearance inspectionsperformed by the Canadian FoodInspection Agency, e.g. Chile,South Africa, etc.

The following is a summary ofwhat is known related to the bulkimports: Canadian inspection require-ments still remain in place andinspections are still required onall apples in bulk bins upon entryinto Canada from the U.S.according to the requirementsoutlined in the approvedMinisterial Exemption USDA have confirmed that theyhave not changed any proceduresrelated to the inspection of applesas a result of the recently passedFarm Bill and that the inspectionof all U.S. apples will remain sta-tus quo until further notice USDA has indicated that theyare still discussing the de-regulat-ed requirement and that theyintend to collaborate with CFIAbefore implementing any changesThe Ontario Produce MarketingAssociation will be monitoringthe decisions from both USDAand the CFIA and will provideupdates as new information

becomes available.

New fees for DIS

The Destination InspectionService (DIS) is entering its finalphase of a three-year process toimplement full cost recovery as ofApril 1. the hourly inspection rateincreases to $171 (from $145 in2012/13 and $99 in 2011/12) the call-out fee in the amount of$50 per inspection will no longerbe applied.

A year ago, the proposedhourly rate was to increase from$145 per hour to $190. Over thelast year, and upon the request ofthe industry, the Canadian FoodInspection Agency (CFIA) hasstudied the business model fortheir service and been able toshave costs.

Although DIS is no longer adedicated service, it still remainsa prioritized service. In otherwords, destination inspectionsremain the priority of DIS inspec-tors, regardless of other workthey may be expected to performexplains Ian MacKenzie, generalmanager, Ontario ProduceMarketing Association.

Keith Kuhl (L) and Prime MinisterSteven Harper at budget time.

SPAIN

The cherry Ferrarirevs up

Glamour cherries are nowbeing harvested from high-techglasshouses in Lleida, Spain,beating the global market by twomonths. Produced in small quantities, they fetch top dollarin upmarket department storessuch as Harrods of London. A500-gram bamboo punnet cancost between 85and 125 duringthe eight-weekseason of Marchand April.

The harvest isexpected toweigh in at72,000 kg of fruitfrom an area of50,000m2, withan additional10,000m2 ofyoung plantationsdue for harvest in

Water? Priceless! There are some things money cant buy

APRIL 2014 PAGE 3

THE GROWER

SENSE AND SUSTAINABILITY

INTERNATIONAL

UNITED STATES

Use multi-pear varieties in ads

Washington-based StemiltGrowers report that Anjou pearvolumes were 24 per cent higherin the last quarter of 2013, compared to the same quarter theyear previous. Overall, volumesand sales of Red dAnjous,Barletts and Boscs also raised thecategory.

The tree fruit leader says thatmore use of ripening programs,value-bag offerings and multiplevarieties are stimulating consumer sales according to marketing director RogerPepperl. Hes a strong advocateof multiple pears on advertisingblitzes which result in 15 to 20per cent increases in volumecompared to one-item pear ads.Organic pears make up 20 percent of Stemilts pear volumes.

Source: ThePacker.com

two years. The agriculturalresearch team has improved thelevels of fruit sugars and robustness notes Oscar Ortiz,sales manager.

Brand owner SAT Edoa currently markets Glamour cherries to Russia, Dubai, Qatarand the U.K. with its sights seton Canada and Singapore in thefuture.

Source: SAT Edoa news release

MICHIGAN

Green light for treefruit levy

The states tree fruit producershave voted for a levy to createthe Michigan Tree Fruit Research& Development Program. Thelevy will be in place for the 2014season starting April 1.

The levy is not to exceed$2.50 per ton of cherries sold;four cents per 100 pounds ofapples sold; $2 per ton of peaches sold; or $4.50 per ton ofplums sold. The funds will support research stations andextension programs to keepgrowers current with the latesttechnology and marketing opportunities.

Michigans agriculture department reports that of 253valid ballots, 181 producersvoted yes and 72 voted no.

CHINA

Great leap forwardin productivity

Expect faster agriculturalgrowth in China, according toNew Chinese AgriculturalPolicy a report published byRabobank. The pressure of feeding 1.3 billion citizens isforcing the government to reviseagricultural policy.

Agriculture has been thebackbone of the Chinese econo-my for thousands of years,states Rabobank analyst, ChenjunPan. At present, he says the frag-mented supply chain is not work-ing smoothly to guarantee foodsafety or to transport food fromsmall plots to burgeoning cities.

Greater mechanization, newtechnology and the transfer ofland-use rights will createeconomies of scale. Rabobankpredicts that cooperatives, familyfarms and specialized large farmswill coexist and thrive in the nextdecade.

Source: Rabobank news release

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

For some tunnel opponents, its allabout protecting fish, particularly the smeltand the salmon. Theyre not convincedthere is enough surplus water to divertwhen plans are already underway to truckmillions of young California salmon to thecoast this April.

For others, water has become a drug,mainlined by Californias agribusiness

users. The fact that detractors have framedthe Bay-Delta Conservation Plan in termsof agribusiness interests does not bodewell. Already, citizens are talking aboutnon-sustainable versus sustainable agriculture in a crisis that is deepening bythe month. Perhaps even more worrisome,lack of water is pitting farmer againstfarmer in a complex web of water rights.

For large operations such as HarrisRanch, CEO John Harris told theSacramento Bee that even with the

wherewithal to buy water, its a prettyilliquid market because theres not mucharound. The Buena Vista Water StorageDistrict sold 12,000 acre-feet of surpluswater (an acre foot is 326,000 gallons) foran average price of $1,135 per acre-foot four times the normal cost.

While southern competitors cope withan epic drought, its time to shore up waterconservation plans here for the upcomingsummer. And for good reason. Just daysago, Farm & Food Care Ontario released

results of a survey of 400 Ontario farmers.Ninety per cent of those surveyed placedenvironmental issues among farm concerns, listing availability of water, lossof soil fertility, adapting to climate change,soil erosion and ground water contamination.

The Smith family would totally agree.Be mindful of water. Its not a completelyrenewable resource.

Tumbleweed, that ubiquitous symbol of drought, is lodged in an irrigation channel nearCantua Creek, California. Altogether, about 800,000 acres of prime farmland will remainfallow in the state this year at a loss of about $5 billion. Crops ranging from almondsand asparagus to tomatoes and tree fruit will be affected.

This irrigation channel linked to the Lake Simcoe watershed is a critical artery to thecarrot and onion fields at Smith Gardens, Keswick, Ontario. Water conservation effortsare underway to protect soil health. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

APRIL 2014THE GROWER

LOCAL FOOD

VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS

Growers to sign Foodland Ontario logo agreement

Foodland Ontarios mandate is to build an emotionalconnection between consumers and their food and theOntario farmers who produce it. Through various market-ing activities, the depth, breadth and variety of local foodis showcased. This makes the local food choice easier forconsumers at grocery stores, farmers markets and on-farmmarkets across the province.

Responding to consumers demand for recipes,Foodland Ontario continues to develop recipe brochuresthat are distributed in stores, farmers markets and on-farmmarkets. For the remainder of 2014, look for spring, sum-mer and fall brochures. Also coming in 2014, farmersmarket and on-farm market vendors will have access tocommodity specific recipe cards. Twenty-four recipes fea-turing more than 50 different Ontario commodities will beavailable this season. These recipes, along with the regularroster of complimentary Foodland Ontario merchandisingmaterials are free of charge and can be ordered on-line, fax

or by mail. Please visit: www.foodlandontario.ca for a cat-alogue and order forms.

One of the biggest challenges facing consumers today isbeing able to identify local at point of purchase. Ontarioproducers and processors are encouraged to use theFoodland Ontario logo. Nine out of every ten shoppersrecognize the logo as Ontario fresh food. If you are notusing the logo to identify your locally grown andprocessed food, get started today. New in 2014, producersusing Foodland Ontario resources are required to sign alogo agreement to ensure those resources will only be usedto identify Ontario food. This practice protects theFoodland Ontario brand and Ontario growers.

For more information on the Foodland Ontario programor how to get the Foodland Ontario agreement, contactFoodland Ontarios Client Services Officer by [email protected] or 1-888-466-2372 ext. 63947

Ontario apples + processing + marketing = Pommies dry cider KAREN DAVIDSON

Cider is made like wine anddrunk like a beer. With thisinsight, Britain natives Lindsayand Nick Sutcliffe are grafting thehard cider habit of their homecountry to the local food trend inCanada.

Cider is a massive drink inthe U.K., says Nick Sutcliffe,Southern Cliff Brands, Caledon,Ontario. It represents 10 per centof all alcohol sales. When we talkabout cider, we mean hard cider.

Unlike sweet cider, the termdry means that the natural sugarhas been fermented out, leaving ahard cider that contains betweenfive and seven per cent alcohol.Working with Grant Howes, aPrince Edward County applegrower and cider maker, theSutcliffes crafted a recipe thatcontains Ida Red, Northern Spy,Gala, Empire and Russet apples.The result is a refreshing, dry andlight-bodied cider with a crisp,

lasting finish. While the applevariety proportions and yeastremain proprietary, its no secretthat the apples are sourced fromthe Georgian Bay area.

Abandoning former sales andmarketing careers in Toronto,they first approached the LiquorControl Board of Ontario (LCBO)with a private tasting of theirfledgling cider. With a thumbs-up, they began working with alocal advertising company inToronto to brand the product.Pomme is French for apple, soits not too far a stretch to plural-ize the word. And with tongue incheek, theyre proud to invoke theAustralian derogatory term forBrits: pommies.

The Sutcliffes launchedPommies Dry Cider in September2012. Gently carbonated andmade with no added artificialflavourings or colourings, the fiveper cent alcoholic beverage isnow the top-selling SKU in theOntario craft cider category atLCBO. With further insight into

the category, they deliberatelysteered away from the masculinepositioning of Strongbow, a majorcompetitor, to appeal equally tomale and female consumers.

Frequent appearances at foodand beverage shows are helpingraise awareness of hard cider as asparkling alternative to beer, cool-ers and light white wines. Sales ofPommies Dry Cider are expectedto double every year for the nextfive years. For four 355 mL bot-tles, a pack costs $12.95. In justtwo years, the brand is now avail-able in Alberta, Saskatchewanand parts of New Brunswick.

Part of that sales growth willbe pushed by cider tastings and atree give-away at select LCBOstores this April and May.

Consumers who purchase three,four-packs of Pommies Dry Ciderwill be given a three-foot tallGala apple tree with detailedplanting and growing instructions.The dwarf variety trees will notexceed a height of eight-feet tallwhen fully grown, a trait ideal forhome gardeners. The promotionunderscores that Pommies ismade from 100 per cent juicefrom Ontario apples and furthersthe messaging about local, sus-tainable agriculture.

Lots of companies give awaystuff, usually plastic, but wewanted to make sure that weoffered consumers something thatbenefits them for years to come,says Sutcliffe.

Cheers to hard cider.

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One step closer to Canadian Strawberry Promotion andResearch Agency

The Farm Products Council ofCanada (FPCC) is holding hear-ings this month regarding theestablishment of a CanadianStrawberry Promotion andResearch Agency. They arescheduled for Vancouver, B.C. onApril 1, 2014 and in Montreal,Quebec on April 23, 2014.Written submissions were due atthe Farm Products Council ofCanada office by March 28.

An application to create aresearch and promotion agencyfor the Canadian fresh strawberryindustry was submitted to FPCCin December 2013. The proposalis based on the results of consul-tations carried out betweenOctober 2012 and December2013 with strawberry growers andtheir provincial associations, otherindustry associations, buyers, sell-ers and importers. The proposaloutlines a mechanism to raisefunds, based on a fixed rate perpound, from domestically pro-duced and imported fresh straw-berries. These funds would beused to carry out, among otherthings, the following: promotion of strawberries toincrease sales of domestic andimported strawberries research into new varieties,more economic production meth-ods, health benefits, longer shelf-life the development of promotionaltools for retailers, wholesalers, u-picks and on-farm markets consumer research and studies

FPCC must enquire into themerits of establishing an agencyfor any farm product where producer groups file such arequest, and then recommend tothe Minister of Agriculture andAgri-Food in accordance with theFarm Products Agencies Act. Apanel chaired by Tim OConnoralong with member Mike Pickard,will conduct public hearings.Once concluded, the panel willmake its recommendations to theFPCC which in turn will report tothe Minister of Agriculture. It isthen up to the Minister to decidewhether or not to proceed withthe Proclamation of the Agency.

It is important to note that theAct stipulates that in making recommendations to the Minister,Council will not recommend theestablishment of an agency unlessit is satisfied that a majority ofproducers and importers are infavour of such an action. They

will also assess any proposalfor its ability to implement anequitable contribution systemon strawberries that areimported and produceddomestically.

The Ontario ProduceMarketing Association, alongwith other marketing associa-tions across the country, hastaken a neutral position on thematter as directed in the

following motion: The Ontario Produce

Marketing Association (OPMA)supports the marketing and promotion of all fresh produce inCanada and recognizes the rightof individual commodity groupsto self-organize for marketing andresearch purposes. At the direction of the Board ofDirectors, OPMA will not makesubmissions of support or opposition on applications for theformation of Agencies.

However, individual compa-nies may request to appear at the

public hearings or make writtensubmissions to the FPCC.Full details of the procedures,look to http://fpcc-cpac.gc.ca/index.php/en-GB/pub-lichearingsetc/public-hearings-home Or call FPCC at 613-759-1165 or 1-855-611-1165Source: Ontario ProduceMarketing Association newsrelease

THE GROWER

APRIL 2014 PAGE 5

PROMOTION

The Ontario Produce

Marketing Association, along

with other marketing

associations across the

country, has taken a

neutral position.

KAREN DAVIDSON

Maple syrup isnt the first cropanymore. Just as sweet, Ontariosgreenhouse vegetables are out ofthe gate in tandem with the firstday of spring, and often before.

With 2,398 acres now in production, growers are anxiousto supplant Mexican product inthe northeastern U.S. and Canada.Up by 126 acres in the last yearalone, Ontarios industry is striv-ing to maintain market share withpremium product. To sustain thatgrowth, marketing efforts arebecoming more expansive andsophisticated.

The track record of the OntarioGreenhouse Vegetable Growers(OGVG) has earned the awardingof $181,000 in Growing Forward2 funding over the next two yearsto launch a comprehensive U.S.in-store demonstration program.The results of sampling programsare well worth the effort, asproven in a 2013 pilot.

Domestically, initial food-service outreach won early success with last years procurement process to supplyHero Burgers with greenhouse-grown tomatoes. To broaden thatfoodservice strategic plan, OGVGhas been awarded $168,750 infunding over the next two years,also through Growing Forward 2.

Were building brand aware-ness with chefs, buyers, restaurantchains, says Nancy Hewitt, foodservice market specialist,OGVG. These potential clientsare amazed at the size and scopeof our industry. The momentum isstarting to build.

Fresh from last monthsCanadian Restaurant andFoodservice Association tradeshow in Toronto, Hewitt is nowturning attention to about 100culinary students at LiaisonColleges throughout Ontario. Shewill be introducing locally harvested produce right off thevine, coinciding with the officialstart of spring. The surprise ofthat early harvest should stickwith the next generation of chefs.

OGVGs messaging will bereinforced by an advertisement inthe April edition of Foodserviceand Hospitality Magazine withthe tag line: From our house toyours. While artful displays ofplated produce tempt the palate,the ad shows a grower and a beeat work in their natural habitat: agreenhouse.

Beyond promotion, OGVG isdeveloping unique tools to educate the supply chain abouthow to use greenhouse produce.The tomato category is burstingwith specialties that have uniquequalities. For instance, beefsteaktomatoes are rated a one forsweetness, while cherry and grapetomatoes are rated a five. Thosegradients of sweetness are criticalto chefs who may choose different culinary applicationsbased on flavour profiles.

The demands for flavour andquality are changing very rapidlywithin the foodservice market-place and this will provide ourmembers with the opportunity tocater to this growing demand,

says Don Taylor, OGVG chair. This program will allow us toexpand on established and newrelationships to increase the overall demand from foodserviceoperators, chefs and buyers forOntario greenhouse vegetables.

From Toronto to Toledo,Ontario greenhouse vegetables build favour

MARKETINGTHE GROWER

PAGE 6 APRIL 2014

GREENHOUSE VEGET

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THE GROWER

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The quest for flavour in greenhouse-grown tomatoes RESEARCH

THE GROWER

PAGE 8 APRIL 2014

Like the grape industry, thequest for flavour in greenhousetomatoes involves balancing the elusive ratio of sugars and acids.Particularly in tomatoes-on-the-vine (TOV), the OntarioGreenhouse Vegetable Growers isseeking to enhance those qualities. Thats why OGVG hasturned to David Liscombe, aresearch scientist in biochemistryat Vineland Research andInnovation Centre (Vineland).

The research effort is timelybecause the foodservice industryis showing increasing interest inthe tomato category. Along withbeefsteak and specialty tomatoes,TOVs make up 38.4 per cent (921acres) of total Ontario greenhouseacreage. Altogether, the tomatocategory tallies a farmgate valueof about $258 million.

Tomato flavour is governed bya complex mixture of sugars,organic acids and dozens ofvolatile chemicals that affect ourperception of sweetness andflavour intensity. The ratio ofsugar to acid is very important,but the volatiles are just as impor-tant. A tomato variety can havehalf the sugar of another but ispercieved as twice as sweet dueto volatile content. Those crucialelements can vary according tothe varietys genetics and

growing conditions, even in acontrolled greenhouse environment.

Most commercial TOVs produced in Ontario were developed in greenhouses inEurope, says Liscombe. Our

environment here is quite different and thats why its soimportant to do research righthere in southern Ontario, to selectvarieties that perform well andtaste fantastic when producedunder local conditions.

Using a multidisciplinaryapproach, project leaderLiscombe and Vineland colleagues Amy Bowen(Consumer Insights), ValerioPrimomo (Vegetable Breeding)and Travis Banks

(Bioinformatics) are establishingan Ontario breeding program.

The team has sequenced DNAof 285 genetically-diverse tomatovarieties and has determinedflavour chemical profiles for 180varieties. This information will beanalyzed to narrow the contendersto 50 tomato varieties, representing a wide range offlavours.

They are using DNA marker-assisted selection to ensure thenew, flavourful varieties possessresistance traits against a numberof diseases including Tobaccomosaic virus, Fusarium wilt,Verticillium wilt, Fusarium crownand root rot.

Finally, the consumer insightsteam is evaluating for specificsensory characteristics such asaroma/flavour, taste and texture.The taste traits preferred byOntario consumers will berelayed to the breeding team andintegrated into the genetics mapof the perfect Ontario greenhousetomato.

This research project is fundedthrough the Growing Forward 2AgriInnovation Program, withcontributions from the federalgovernment and OGVG.

David Liscombe studies various tomato samples for sugars, organic acids and dozens of volatile chemicalsthat affect perception of sweetness and flavour. Photo by Denis Cahill.

Photo by Denis Cahill

THE GROWER

APRIL 2014 PAGE 9

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THE GROWER

PAGE 10 APRIL 2014

Sitting Canadian HorticulturalCouncil president Keith Kuhl wasre-elected to a second term at the92nd Annual CHC AnnualGeneral Meeting held March 4-6,2014 in Kelowna, BC. Kuhl is thefirst CHC president elected to asecond term. The rule change per-mitting successive term presiden-cies was part of an overall updateof the CHCs bylaws in 2012.

The by-laws were further amend-ed in 2013 to fully comply withthe new federal Not-for-ProfitCorporations Act 2010.

Kuhl is well-known in theindustry as owner and operator ofSouthern Manitoba Potato inWinkler, MB, which he runs withhis two sons. He chaired the CHCPotato Committee and theCanadian Potato Council for near-

ly nine years, and currently servesas Chair of the board of directorsat Peak of the Market and Vice-Chair of the Horticultural ValueChain Roundtable. Keiths father,John, was actively involved withthe CHC for many years andserved as President in 1987.

Keith Kuhl re-elected as CHC President

The late Joe Sardinha, a well-known BC fruit grower, wasposthumously awarded theCHCs Doug Connery Award forhis long and selfless service tothe fruit growing industry. Theson of Portuguese immigrants,Sardinha grew up on his familys4.5 hectare farm in Summerland,BC, which he took over at the ageof 19. Sardinha later served as VPand then as president of the BCFruit Growers Association(BCFGA) during some of theindustrys most difficult and

tumultuous years. The wholeindustry was shocked and sad-dened when he suffered a heartattack and passed away at the ageof 51 in May, 2014.

Joe was a man of high intelli-gence and quick wit, but he hadno pretentions and he put on noairs, said CHC President KeithKuhl during the awards ceremo-ny. He could have led a fulfill-ing, busy and very full life doingnothing but cultivating his owntrees and his own rich andrewarding family life. But Joewas also a man with a profoundcommitment to BCs fruit indus-

try and to his fellow growers, andhe advocated for them tirelessly.The award was accepted onSarndinhas behalf by his wifeJulie.

The award, which celebratesleadership excellence and hon-ours exemplary passion, commit-ment and dedication to advancingthe interests of Canadas horticul-tural industry was established bythe Board of Directors in 2012 inmemory of Doug Connery.Previous honourees include SteveLevasseur, Keith, Kuhl and KenForth.

Joe Sardinha honoured posthumouslyfor his service to the fruit growingindustry

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 92ND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

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THE GROWER

APRIL 2014 PAGE 11

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2014-08 Accessible Weather Data for all Canadian Horticultural ProducersTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councillobby Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for adequate funding of a nationalweather data collection and analysis network.

2014-09 Phytosanitary Certificate Requirements for Leek MothTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the CHC demand the CFIA imple-ment the online electronic signature system by summer 2014.

2014-10 Updating the ReTain label to Maximize Returns for Canadian AppleGrowers THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councilask both Valent Canada, the registrant of ReTain, and the (Health Canada)Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to include a range of use rateson the Canadian label to reflect the wide range of sensitivity to ReTainamong apple varieties; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councilrequest that Valent Canada seek to the (Health Canada) Pest ManagementRegulatory Agency amend the current Days to Harvest Interval in Canada (28days) to match that of the United States (seven days).

LR2014-11

Single Licensing for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Sector THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councilrequest the CFIA and AAFC to: replace the Licensing and Arbitration Regulations for fresh fruit and veg-etable dealers with an industry-led and government-mandated membershipand arbitration model to be delivered by a single entity; name the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC),including its rules and regulations, as the single entity; not require primary producers who only market products that they havegrown themselves to be members of the DRC, and ensure that these primaryproducers have full access to the DRC system on a pay as you go basis, and not increase the scope, requirements or criterion for posting financial securi-ty by applicants to or members of the DRC as the current policies and rulesof the DRC provide a level of security for specific instances without creatinga barrier to entry or needless burden on small and medium size businesses.

LR2014-12

Foreign Worker MobilityTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that CHC makes representations toCitizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Employment and SocialDevelopment Canada, and the supply countries so that employers who havean approved LMO can exchange SAWP workers for a short period of time inorder to meet their manpower shortage.

LR2014-13

Definition of GreenhouseTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the CHC replace the definition of

Greenhouse as it was previous-ly approved by resolution number2011-17 and replace the defini-tion with the following:A Vegetable Greenhouse or

Hothouse means a fullyenclosed permanent aluminum orsteel structure clad either in glassor impermeable plastic whichmust:(a) Use automated irrigation andclimate control systems, includ-ing heating and ventilation capa-bilities: and(b) Utilize hydroponic methodsVegetable Greenhouse/HothouseProduction Standards alsoinclude:i) Minimizing pesticide use byutilizing no herbicides and fol-lowing production practices suchas Integrated Pest Management;andii) Complying with the standardsof a globally accepted FoodSafety program.A certified organic

greenhouse/hothouse vegetablefacility must meet the greenhousedefinition, with the exception of(b), as, according to Canadianorganic standards (CAN/CGSB-32.310-2006), hydroponics arenot allowed and soil must beused as the growth medium.

CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL 92ND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGTHE GROWER

PAGE 12 APRIL 2014

AGM delegates pass 13 resolutions Delegates to the Canadian Horticultural Councils 2014 Annual General Assembly, which took place March 4 - 9 in Kelowna, BC, passed 13 resolutions on significant issues affecting Canadas fruit and vegetable growers.

2014-01 National Clean Plant ProgramTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the CHC demand that the Canadian FoodInspection Agency enact a program similar to the US National Clean PlantNetwork (UCPN) and/or participate in (or join) the existing US NCPN

2014-02 Lack of Consultation with the Potato Industry Prior to Specific CFIAProgram Cuts Made in the 2012 Federal BudgetTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the CHC continue to work with theCanadian potato industry and the federal government to maintain the approvedstandard containers (3 lb. or less, 5 lb., 10 lb., 15 lb., 20 lb., 50 lb., 75 lb., and100 lb.) in Canada,THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the CHC work with the fed-eral government to ensure that future specific program changes are not includedin omnibus budget packages without prior consultation with industry, and that inthe future AAFC and the CFIA work on a more proactive and consultative basiswith the Canadian Horticultural Council on such issues

2014-03 Timing of Approval and Signing of Agreements under Agriculture andAgri-Food Canadas AgriInnovation and AgriMarketing Growing Forward2 ProgramsTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councilcontinue to lobby the federal government for more timely approval and finaliza-tion of funding agreements and the disbursement of funds.

2014-04 Cooperation Required to Assist Growers in Dealing with WirewormPressureTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that: the registration for Thimet be extended until 2017; and the federal government provide further research support to identify chemicaland cultural practice options that may provide solutions to this serious problem.

2014-05 Licensing and Registration by the CFIA Pursuant to the new Safe Food forCanadians Act THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councilwork to ensure that the CFIA will require all license holders to enroll in a foodsafety program equivalent to those managed by CanAgPlus.

2014-06 Limited Stay for Temporary Foreign Workers THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Councillobby Citizenship and Immigration Canada to have agricultural workers (agricul-ture stream of the TFWP) exempted from the 48-month limit.

2014-07 AgriInnovation Programs Agri-Science ProjectTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Horticultural Council are-quest that AAFC allocate specific funding for small fruit, tree fruit, vegetableand greenhouse production projects in Canada as part of the Agri Science Projectcomponent of the AgriInnovation Program.

THE GROWER

APRIL 2014 PAGE 13

KAREN DAVIDSON

The Annapolis Valley is one ofthose icons of Canadian geogra-phy, made famous by its annualapple blossom festival. Now in its82nd year, the ritual focuses onthe rich agricultural heritage of avalley thats just a hop, skip and ajump to the fishing grounds of theBay of Fundy. In addition to thatabundance, there are vegetables.

Dominion Produce is one suchexample operated by brothersPeter and John Swetnam atCentreville, Nova Scotia. Theirsecond-generation farm comprises900 acres of which 325 acres pro-duce onions and carrots. Theonions are packed under theCountry Magic label with partnerNova Agri and carrots includingregular/rainbow varieties arepacked under the DominionProduce label to reach local mar-kets through retail stores, smallchain stores and farm markets.

The issues experienced hereare mirrored across the country.

Were always looking forways to be more competitive,says Peter Swetnam. As a repre-sentative of Horticulture NovaScotia and a director on theCanadian Horticultural Councils(CHC) executive and CropProtection Advisory Committee,he has become very interested inpromoting harmonization betweenCanada and the U.S. It is impera-tive to have access to the samecrop protection products at acomparable price point as theU.S. As one of two Atlantic rep-resentatives to the CHC, Swetnamhas appreciated the opportunity tonetwork at a national level.

Swetnam points to the recentstrawberry virus crisis which hasaffected many farms across NovaScotia. Although there is anational disaster relief program,this provincial catastrophe wasdeemed ineligible to receive reliefunder this program, saysSwetnam. Short term support is inplace while industry is exploringa long term solution.

The prime objective is to pro-tect the strawberry industry byprotecting nursery stock. For thenext two to three years, becauseof the high levels of inoculumstill present, there will be diligenttesting and surveying for the pres-ence of the strawberry virus andaphids.

But just as importantly, weneed more access to insecticideswith shorter reentry periods forharvesting, adds Swetnam. TheU.S. has access to more productswith one-day re-entry labels.These are choices that also offerstrategies for pest resistance man-agement.

With this recent example of apest outbreak, theres more of aresolve than ever to present grow-er needs to the Canadian PestManagement Regulatory Agencyand the Pest Management Centre.

Part of that dialogue hasincluded the pollinator issue inthe last year. Bees are importantto many crops, but as Swetnamhas realized, none of us want tobe alienated on this issue. Heencourages a science-basedapproach to a complex topic ofbee colony decline and unex-plained bee deaths. BayerCropSciences launch of a seedfluency agent for air seeders man-dated by PMRA (PestManagement Regulatory Agency)in November 2013 is an excellentexample of a positive, proactive

approach to a complex nationalproblem.

Without access to specific her-bicides used in the U.S., Swetnamsays that production of his onioncrop this year will once againmean a return to hand weeding;extra field workers will be neededfor hand labour at DominionProduce. This is a perfect exam-ple of how a deficiency in accessto crop protection reveals a needfor strength in another area ofnational concern: the SeasonalAgricultural Worker Program(SAWP).

months CHC annual conven-tion in Kelowna passed a resolu-tion that calls for more foreignworker mobility:

THEREFORE BE ITRESOLVED that CHC makesrepresentations to Citizenship andImmigration Canada (CIC),Employment and SocialDevelopment Canada, and thesupply countries so that employ-ers who have an approved LabourMarket Opinion can exchangeSAWP workers for a short periodof time in order to meet their

manpower shortage.Together, these interrelated

issues harmonization of cropprotection products, importanceof pollinator bees and access toseasonal workers on a timelybasis demonstrate that localneeds require national strategies.To that end, Swetnam encouragesmembership in provincial horti-cultural organizations which aremembers of the CanadianHorticultural Council, who arediligently working on behalf ofthe entire industry.

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THE GROWER

PAGE 14 APRIL 2014

What path will we take?

I often wonder where horticul-ture in Ontario will be in 10years.

I believe that on a global scalethe future of the fruit and veg-etable sector is very bright. Wesee this every day when we go tothe grocery store, an ever expand-ing produce sector more and moreproducts from around the globeand increasing prices. The onlyproblem is that most of Ontarioproducers are not participating inthose increasing consumer prices.

From 2002 through 2012, con-sumers paid nine per cent morefor fresh fruit and eight per centmore for fresh vegetables and thisat a time when food inflation wasrunning at about 32 per cent andCPI (all goods) was running atapproximately 23 per cent. This,of course, is unsustainable and iswhy I am concerned about thefuture of much of our sector.

The consolidation of the retailsector and globalization havechanged everything. Getting thatextra nickel or dime is more diffi-cult than ever before. You, the

farmer, are expected to be pricecompetitive with the cheapest ofimports . . . after all your productwas produced locally so it should-nt have that transportation cost!Oh if life were so simple.

Now you know that transporta-tion is not the reason for competi-tiveness problems; no its justabout everything else we do inproduction including such thingsas the cost of regulations, materi-als and labour.

We live in a high cost of pro-duction society with charges forsocietal benefits often beingdown-loaded onto the backs ofthe farmer. We are not alone inhaving to pay these costs, otherbusinesses also have to pay manyregulatory charges but in mostcases they pass these costs ontotheir consumer. We cannot!

This, more and more, hasbecome our albatross and it keepschallenging our farmers. Theinability to recover these addi-tional costs is forcing many farm-ers out of business. According toOMAF stats there were 2,831 edi-ble horticulture farms in 2007 by2012 there were 2,243. That isabout 20 per cent of the farmersgone in just five years.

Now to be sure many of thosefarms are still in production asthey have been amalgamated withanother farm as the purchaserseeks to achieve furthereconomies of scale. Nonetheless,it is an alarming figure and in myopinion illustrates quite clearlythe severity of the problem manyof our farmers are experiencing.

The Premier has challenged usto add another 120,000 jobs in theagri-food business by 2020 and

also to double the rate of increasein this sector. This will be mostdifficult in horticulture with thecurrent mindset of the retailersand consumers as it pertains topricing and as well, governmentas it pertains to regulatory costs.

It is impossible for many of ourfarmers to absorb any more costsbecause they cannot pass themalong to the marketplace.

I know there are many whowould say if you cannot competeor you cannot be profitable then

stop growing what you are grow-ing, get out of the business. Froma widget point of view I wouldagree, but we are talking aboutfood production and somehow Ithink thats different; maybe Imwrong.

The population of the world isexpanding at a rapid rate and ispredicted to be nine billion by2050 and these people will allneed to be fed. To do this, globalfarmers will need to produce likenever before and Ontario farmersmust be a part of that.

I believe that as a society wemust keep food production sus-tainable and I dont just meanenvironmentally, it also means ina profitable manner, not to everysingle farmer but at least to thesector or we risk losing that pro-duction.

For years we tried to groweverything for everybody but thatwas before globalization and atransportation system that couldmove produce around the worldwithin 48 hours. Maybe we needto rethink what we grow here,maybe it will come down todoing only what we can do best.Im not sure but whatever form ittakes government is going to haveto play a key role if we are to besustainable. For governments,food production will need to be apriority and policies will need tobe formulated with that priority inmind.

It will no longer be acceptablefor farmers and food productionto be collateral damage to non-food policies.

For what its worth, its theway I see it.

ART SMITHCEO, OFVGA

STAFFPublisher: Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers AssociationEditor: Karen Davidson, 416-557-6413, [email protected]: Carlie Robertson, ext. 221, [email protected]: Herb Sherwood, 519-380-0118, [email protected]

The Grower reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Any errors that are the direct result of The Grower will be compensated at our discretion with a correction notice in the nextissue. No compensation will be given after the first running of the ad.Client signature is required before insertion.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is thesole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed inThe Grower are those of the newspapers editorial staff and/or con-tributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may notbe reproduced either whole or in part without the prior writ-ten consent of the publisher.

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The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to allmembers of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association who have paid $30.00 (plus G.S.T.) per year forthe paper through their commodity group or container fees.Others may subscribe as follows by writing to the office:

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Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues withinfour months. If the issue is claimed within four months, butnot available, The Grower will extend the subscription byone month. No refunds on subscriptions.

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERSASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEChair Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeVice-Chair Jason Verkaik, BradfordFruit Director Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginVeg Director Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownDirector Charles Stevens, Newcastle

BOARD OF DIRECTORSApples Charles Stevens, NewcastleFresh Vegetable - Other Mary Shabatura, Windham CentreTender Fruit John Thwaites, Niagara-on-the-LakeON Asparagus Grws. Mkg. Brd. Jason Ryder, DelhiGGO/Fresh Grape Growers Ray Duc, Niagara-on-the-LakeFresh Vegetable - Muck Jason Verkaik, BradfordON. Potato Board Mac James, LeamingtonSmall Fruit/Berries Norm Charbonneau, Port ElginON. Ginseng Growers Ken Van Torre, BurfordGreenhouse Jan Vander Hout, WaterdownGreenhouse Don Taylor, Durham

OFVGA SECTION CHAIRS

Crop Protection Charles Stevens, NewcastleResearch Harold Schooley, SimcoeProperty Brian Gilroy, MeafordLabour Ken Forth, LyndenSafety Nets Mark Wales, AlymerCHC Murray Porteous, Simcoe

When the Minimum WageAdvisory Panel was struck lastyear, ostensibly to take politicsout of future increases, I praisedthe Wynne government. Sounded

like a good plan, one that wecould get behind.

The Minimum Wage AdvisoryPanel agreed with our positionthat future increases should bebased on the Ontario ConsumerPrice Index and be adjusted annu-ally. This method would bringfair, small, annual increases thatwould be both manageable andbankable. The Wynne govern-ment also agreed and adopted thispolicy. The problem is that it alsoreached into the pockets ofemployers for another $0.75 anhour. This was a decision basedon obtaining votes and position-ing for the upcoming election.Pure politics.

While most employers canpass this additional cost on to theconsumer, our members cannot.

The farmers input costs, at leastfor non-supply managed crops,have no bearing on what theyreceive for their farm products.This is a reality that most do notunderstand.

The provincial government setup the panel to take politics out ofthis process but could not resisttaking one more kick at the can.So now we have it -- an $11 perhour minimum wage, the highestin North America.

The cost of this increase isestimated at $30 million to thehorticultural industry in Ontario,money that cannot be found inour global marketplace. We arenot accepting this increase lightly.Over the next couple months wewill be taking the numbers to thegrass roots level to impress on the

Minister what this will cost indi-vidual farms, and show how itwill have a negative impact onjobs and investment. This mini-mum wage increase does not sup-port the Ministers local food pol-icy nor her desire to grow theagricultural industry.

I would encourage all fruit andvegetable producers in Ontario tocontact your local MPPs and letthem know how this increase inminimum wage will affect youroperation. The government willnot reverse its decision to raisethe wage rate, but it must beimpressed on them that this willhave a major impact on ourindustry. We cannot continue topay for social programs when ourmargins are so slim.

I believe the Premier took on

the role of Minister of Agriculturefor two primary reasons: the firstbecause she has an interest inlocal food production and ahealthy agriculture sector; thesecond was to win back votes andseats in rural Ontario.

Forcing another $30 millioncost unto the backs of our fruitand vegetable farmers, causinginevitable job loss and decrease inspending power, I cannot under-stand how anyone could believethat this is a good strategy forwinning votes in rural Ontario.

What good is an increase inwage rates if the result is fewerjobs and less money to reinvest inboth our farms and community?

Keep politics out of our pockets

RAY DUCCHAIR, OFVGA

Photo by Glenn Lowson

THE GROWER

APRIL 2014 PAGE 15

Naysayers who believe localfood is mostly about smoke andmirrors and surprisingly, somestill exist, right here in Ontario --need only look towards Stuart andEsther Horsts greenhouses inElmira, where, yes, you can nowfind local beefsteak tomatoes andgreen beans.

OK, theyre in a greenhouse.But so what? Its been one of theharshest winters in recent memory, and people are dying forlocal produce. Whether its in agreenhouse, a garden or an openfield, local is local.

I learned about the Horstsgreen thumbs when I spoke lastmonth in Guelph to participantsin a local food initiative calledTaste Real. Part of that discussionwas about how to get local foodstories in the media.

My message was pretty simple: know your story, and contact a journalist. Thats aboutall it takes. Journalists thrive onrelationships. Businesses thriveon marketing. When one reachesout, good things can happen.

After speaking to Taste Real, itwasnt long before I received anicely written news release astemperatures hovered around -30C -- with this headline: Tasteof Spring: Floralane GreenhouseProduce Now Ready!

Stuart, along with AnnaContini from FoodLink WaterlooRegion had heard my suggestion.They knew a journalist couldntresist a tomatoes-in-winter proposal. And they were right.

Floralane has an acre of greenhouses, and winter production is now in its 11th year.Following the consumer trail, thecompany wisely branched outinto more value-added productswith its own line of salsa. It willsoon be adding a new pizzasauce, tomato-based soup andhomemade ketchup to their line-up.

Floralane will also be a part ofTaste of Woolwich scheduled forApril 7 at St. Teresas in Elmira.

Federal finance minister JimFlaherty had a goodie for companies such as Floralane inhis recent Economic Action Plan.He said, in one short paragraph, aprivate-sector steering committeewould be struck to lead a pro-Canada branding campaign,to help drive consumers at homeand abroad to Canadian food.

Almost immediately he facedcriticism by some marketers andeconomists who think people buyfood based on price only. I felthis pain often when I writeabout the local food movement, Iget messages telling me Im nuts.When I hear that term [localfood] spoken so reverentially, Ifreeze, said the latest.

But I say when it comes to

branding food, Flaherty is on theright track. And almost every-thing else Ive seen and heardlately suggests Made In Canadahas pop.

For example, in a report entitled Mapping Your FutureGrowth, the federal BusinessDevelopment Bank of Canadacalls "local" one of the top fivegame-changing trends.

Local is also an extremelyflexible term, which drives somepeople crazy but offers up a lot offlexibility. It can be far-reaching,associated with values consumersfind desirable, no matter wheretheyre from. Wholesomeness,sustainability, quality, safety,nutritious, fairness and a sense ofcommunity are among those values.

Do those values sell at homeand even abroad? Absolutely.Beyond its borders, Canada hasalways marketed itself as beinggreen and pristine. Its our image,and it works (oilsands aside).

Even in its embryonic stages,

the campaign has traction withfarm groups. The Guelph-basedOntario Federation of Agriculturecalls it a win for Canadian agriculture, and claims it will be a boost for farmers.

So I hope youll join me in

encouraging Ottawa to stay thecourse. It should be applauded forthis initiative, not criticized.

Just like the Horsts should bethanked for growing tomatoes inwinter.

Local tomatoes in winter: no longer a fairy tale

OWEN ROBERTSUNIVERSITY OFGUELPH

PERSPECTIVE

NEW MODE OF ACTIONCITED IN APHID DEATHS.

www.uap.caWestern Canada: 1-800-561-5444Ontario & Maritimes: 1-800-265-5444Quebec: 1-800-361-9369British Columbia: 1-604-534-8815

THE GROWER

PAGE 16 APRIL 2014

BRUCE KELLY

I may be showing my agehere, but sustainability has beenhere before. The concept is notnew.

In England, King Edward Ibanned the burning of sea coal in1272 after its smoke became aproblem. In Europe, the IndustrialRevolution created modern environmental pollution as it isgenerally understood today. Thegreat factories of the day gaverise to the consumption of greatquantities of coal, resulting inunprecedented air pollution andlarge volumes of chemical dis-charges. The first large-scaleenvironmental law was passed inthe form of the British AlkaliActs of 1863 which regulated airpollution and acid rain from thepollution made in soda ash production.

In my generation of the 1960sand 70s, the environmentalmovement grew rapidly as RachelCarson published the SilentSpring (1962) chronicling theimpacts of the indiscriminatespraying of DDT. This eramarked the emergence ofEnvironmentalist as a profession, as NationalGeographic published monthlyarticles of sights never beforeseen by most people. Who couldforget Jacques Cousteau, using ascuba mask, who explored the

environmental relationshipsbetween man and the oceanecosystems creating underwaterphotographs never before avail-able.

At around the same time inIndia, peaceful protesters whowanted to stop deforestation start-ed hugging trees. Hence the termtree hugger became known as alabel of environmentalists.

Did I mention the little invention called the colour TV,which allowed us to see these natural wonders in our livingrooms and now instantly on theinternet and in high definition.

Another popular vision for thefuture in the 1970s was that withour population growth, we fearedwe would run out of food. In1973 Soylent Green, an Americanscience-fiction film starringCharlton Heston and Edward G.Robinson, portrayed a desolatefuture for mankind, sufferingfrom pollution, overpopulation,depleted resources , poverty,dying oceans and a hot humid climate due to the greenhouseeffect.

This era painted a grim futurefor many at the same time as newtechnologies were making thedream of space travel a realityand the dawn of the electronicsage we now enjoy. What wentwrong with the grim prognostica-tions? Or what went right is likelythe better question.

Some foreshadowed doom; the

Green Revolution (1940 1970)was quietly transforming the foodsystem and increasing agriculturalproduction. Norman Borlaug, theFather of the Green Revolution,is credited with developing high-yielding varieties of cereal grains,hybridized seed, expansion of irri-gation and modern managementtechniques. Since then, sciencehas offered even more opportuni-ties with enhanced breeding tech-nologies that may offer biological solutions rather than relying onchemicals and oil-based products.

The critics of modern agriculture point toward thereliance on chemicals, syntheticfertilizers and oil- derived prod-ucts and declare that they are notsustainable. This brings us to adifference of opinion on whatsustainability is, what it includesand what are its measures of success. What is our time line onsustainability? One generation,two generations or infinity andwhat technologies are we allowedto use in the equation. Are theproblems of today limited bysolutions of today, or do we allowourselves access to solutions wegenerate along the way as wehave done since 1272 when wefirst took steps to save us from

dirty coal burning ways? At a recent talk on sustainabil-

ity at the Ontario Soil and CropImprovement Associations annual meeting, Terry Daynardshared some seemingly conflicting definitions of sustainability and how agriculturefaces challenges in moving for-ward on a topic where everyoneseems to know what it means, yetwhose definitions can be worldsapart.

Take the definition as used bythe United States Department ofAgriculture: Sustainable agriculture is the act of farmingusing principles of ecology, thestudy of relationships betweenorganisms and their environment.It has been defined as an integrated system of plant andanimal production practices hav-ing a site-specific application thatwill last over the long term.

Then consider that fromNational Geographic,Sustainable agriculture takesmany forms, but at its core is arejection of the industrial

approach to food productiondeveloped during the 20th century. The concept of sustain-able agriculture embraces a widerange of techniques, includingorganic, free-range, low-input,holistic, and biodynamic.

I agree with Daynards conclu-sion that this is why mainstreamagriculture has been turned off bythe term sustainability for manyyears.

Its hard to consider pouringunlimited resources into the issueof sustainability where we cannotseem to agree on the definition orwhat the measure of successmight be. Yet not addressing sus-tainability flirts with extinction. In the long run, addressing sus-tainability is good business. Thecost of doing nothing to ensuresustainability is higher than thecost of taking a few wrong turnsalong the way.

Bruce Kelly is environmentalprogram coordinator, Farm &Food Care Ontario.

April 2 Grape Growers of Ontario 66th Annual General Meeting, Club Roma, St. Catharines, ON 7 pm

April 2 4 Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention and Trade Show, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, BC

April 3 Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. 24th Annual General Meeting, The Cutten Club, Guelph, ON

April 4 B.C. Grapegrowers Association Growers Day, Linden Gardens, Kaleden, BC

April 5 Food & Water First: Economic Importance of Ontarios Prime Farmland, Royal Canadian Legion, Shelburne, ON

April 9, 10 63rd Annual Muck Vegetable Growers Conference & Trade Show, Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre, Bradford, ON

April 15, 16 Farm & Food Care Ontario Annual General Meeting and Conference, Teatro Conference Centre, Milton, ON

June 10-13 FMI Connect & United Fresh Produce Association, Chicago, IL

June 25 Alliance of Ontario Food Processors Annual General Meeting, Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery, Beamsville, ON

July 5, 6 Prince Edward County Lavender Festival, Hillier, ON

July 18 University of Saskatchewan Haskap Day, Saskatoon, SK

COMING EVENTS 2013

Sustainability: How can we spend somuch time and money on somethingwe cannot even define?This insect-eating flicker, a sign of a balanced eco-system, wasobserved in Chris Hedges apple orchard at Vanessa, ON. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

GARLIC & ONIONPLANTERS

HARVESTERS

GARLIC SPLITTER

GARLIC GRADER

GARLIC CLEANER

GARLIC BRUSHTABLE

GARLIC LEAF ANDROOT CUTTER

AGRI-DISTRIBUTION INC 370 route 205 Hemmingford, QC J0L 1H0T: 1-514-817-9731 E: [email protected].

Official Canadian importer of Erme garlic and onion equipment

ERME Mechanizationof garlic growing

THE GROWER

APRIL 2014 PAGE 17

Since acquiring the Woolcostores in Canada in 1994,Walmart has invested hundreds ofmillions of dollars in theCanadian market to grow to atotal of 389 stores. Originally thecompany was opening stores thatfocused on general merchandisewith a small food offering. Nowall of the new stores areSupercentres with the sameamount of food as a traditionalfood store, including perishables.Currently Walmart has 247Supercentres and 142 Discountstores in Canada.

Walmarts fiscal year ends inJanuary. In early February theyannounced expansion plans for

the upcoming year. Despite ourover stored market, Walmart willspend $500 million in 2014/15 toopen 35 more Supercentres. Thiswill translate into one billionsquare feet of additional retailspace. With plans like these, it isno secret Walmart needs to gainshare from the competition.

I always find it interestingwhen you talk to consumers aboutWalmart. It can be difficult tofind people who say, I am aWalmart shopper. However,when you go to the stores, it istough to find a parking space. It isimportant to remember that whatconsumers say and what they docan be different.

There are four reasons forWalmarts success:1. Pricing2. Assortment3. Execution4. Size

There is no doubt they areamong the price leaders in themarkets where they compete.Discount stores can get lower, butWalmart will be very close. Oneof the challenges for the otherfood retailers is that, if they wantto get aggressive with pricing inthe discount stores, Walmart willgo down with them. Then retail-

ers are forced to lower prices intraditional food stores, such asLoblaws or Sobeys or Metro. Thiscan be a very expensive strategy,especially when Walmart is clearthey will not be out-priced. Theentire organization is focused onlooking for opportunities toreduce costs and pass some of thesavings on to consumers.

Walmart has very good buyersof merchandise. If you have chil-dren, Walmart has what your kidsare talking about. They also havefunctional items for you and yourhome. It might not be the best,but it usually works and it deliv-ers value for a large segment ofthe population. They are also verygood at timing with assortment.They have systems to understandwhat sells, where and when. Theyare disciplined about movingthrough seasonal stock, and whenneeded, discounting to get readyfor the next season.

Walmart gets things done, andthey get it done at the right time.It is not fancy or high end, but inone stop you can accomplish alot. They are the masters of inter-rupting the shop with items foryou to put in the cart on the waythrough checkout. Greeters arenot really there to be nice; they

are there to give you a cart to fillup in your way around the store.There is a purpose with every-thing they do.

In retail, size matters.Walmarts annual sales for theyear were $473,076,000,000across all divisions. It is interest-ing to note that they did havenegative comparable sales in thefinal quarter in the U.S. Walmarthas stores in 27 countries plus e-commerce in 10 countries. Theyhave the clout to fight a numberof battles, and they have deeppockets to invest for the future asopposed to requiring a short-termpayback. The other advantage oftheir size is the impact on thecompetition. It is daunting tocompete with them and difficultwhen you know they will nevergive you price.

There are examples whereretailers have competed very suc-cessfully with Walmart, such asWegmans in NY, H.E. Butt inTexas, and Trader Joes. Oneconsistent thing with these retail-ers is that they have their ownstrategy and they execute it. Myopinion is Canadian retailers havenot defined their own strategythat will resonate with consumersin the market. They simply try tobattle with Walmart. No doubt itis easier in markets where thereare more people (like the U.S.),but we need to see some differen-tiation and great execution.

Here are my top 10 considera-tions when developing relation-ships with Walmart:1. Understand their philosophyof retail. You cannot changethem so you need to know whatthey are looking for and deliver it.Make sure it is a good fit withyour business. Do not assume it isnot a good fit.2. Walmart expects differentthings from suppliers thanother retailers. It is important tounderstand what they expect assuppliers are a bigger part of theequation. Learn from others whoalready supply them; Walmartdoes not have time to teach you.

3. It is impossible to run theirbusiness without great systems.They have them and you need toensure you have great dataintegrity. You and your item willget lost in their system if every-thing is not correct.4. One component of the systemis retail link. This is the suppli-ers opportunity to understandforecasting and other informationrelated to sales of the products.Use it and learn from it.5. Be prepared to be challengedon costing if you see volumeincreases that are a result ofyour sales to Walmart.6. Logistics at Walmart arevery important. They have a lotto move around and they look foropportunities to eliminate costwith more efficient supply chain.Understand what they are doingand where you fit.7. The best retail websitebelongs to Walmart. Spend timeon it and learn from it. They usethis tool very effectively. Usewalmart.ca and corporate.wal-mart.com.8. Watch who your sales peopleare calling on. Walmart does notreally worry about it, but some ofthe other retailers do get nervouswhen their sales person calls onWalmart.9. Do not underestimate theautonomy at store level. For ahuge business they do give thepeople at the stores power tomake decisions. They cannot listproducts, but they can be advo-cates for local items.10. Walmart is the leader insustainability. Make sure youunderstand what they want andhow you are going to deliver it.

Peter Chapman, a retail foodconsultant and professionalspeaker, is principal of GPSBusiness Solutions, based inHalifax, Nova Scotia. Peter workswith producers and processors tohelp them navigate through theretail environment with the ulti-mate goal of getting more itemsinto the shopping cart. [email protected].

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Walmarts march across Canada

PETER CHAPMAN

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Stemphylium leaf blight is afoliar disease of onions caused bythe fungus Stemphylium vesicarium (Fig. 1). The pathogenS. vesicarium also causes stem-phylium leaf spot of asparagus(Fig. 2). There have been severalresearch projects completed overthe last few years trying to learnmore about the prevalence andmanagement of these diseases ononions and asparagus. Below is asummary of research completedin 2013.

Onion disease survey in Ontario

A survey of foliar diseases ofonion was conducted in the mainonion producing areas in Ontariofrom July 20 to August 23, 2013.A total of 19 commercial dry bulbonion fields in Chatham-Kent,Lambton, Simcoe, York, Niagaraand Waterloo regions/countie

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