on July 6 | in Ag News | by atmlogin | with Comments Off on Four New Kent County Agricultural Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced

Kim Cooper grew up in the city, but he discovered a love of agriculture working at the former M.J. Smith Grain Company, which developed into a career that lasted more than four decades. Cooper, who writes a popular weekly agriculture column for The Chatham Daily, is retiring on Aug. 2. Photo taken on the outskirts of Chatham on July 5. Ellwood Shreve/Postmedia Network – PHOTO BY ELLWOOD SHREVE /Ellwood Shreve/The Daily News.

The Kent County Agricultural Hall of Fame will welcome four new inductees this fall.

Kim Cooper, George Denys, Dennis Jackson and the late Dr. Ron Pitblado were announced as this year’s nominees during Monday’s Chatham-Kent council meeting.

Agricultural hall of fame association vice-president Alice Uher said this year’s nominees are “four men who have provided a positive influence on agriculture in the Chatham-Kent community and beyond.”

Cooper, a Wheatley resident and a former agricultural specialist for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, had a four-decade career that took him to more than 30 countries working for different agricultural organizations.

Known as the “Ag Guy,” Uher said Cooper had “provided a wealth of knowledge, agricultural information and guidance to many groups, organizations and committees.”

She added he had helped many local businesses to grow and expand in the global marketplace.

Uher also noted Cooper, a former longtime columnist for The Chatham Daily News, had “also educated and informed the public through columns in newspapers, farm magazines and radio programs.”

Denys, who farmed in Raleigh Township and served on council, was described by Uher as “selfless in his efforts to support both local and Canadian agriculture.”

She said this included his efforts to create crop insurance, promoting farm education events, researching innovations for farming and “for being a strong advocate for all residents while on Raleigh Township council.”

“He is recognized as an educated and well-informed leader,” Uher added.

Dennis Jackson of Chatham Township,“has been a champion of high-quality Ontario food-grade soybeans,” Uher said.

She added Jackson worked to capture market premiums for local growers.

“He recognized the extra value for growers from the newest genetics and benefits to quality, yield and research that certified seed offers,” Uher said.

Dr. Pitblado, who died Nov. 11, 2009, researched vegetable pest management and taught thousands of students at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph, “sharing his excitement for the development of insect and disease strategies for horticultural crops,” Uher said.

Pitblado developed Tom Cast, a weather-timed pesticide spray program used worldwide in processing tomato production. He also developed a similar program for sugar beets.

Another of Pitblado’s achievements was helping to develop the Ontario Weather Network.

“He had an unstoppable passion to investigate new possibilities for Ontario’s fruit and vegetable industry,” Uher said.

South-Kent Coun. Mary Clare Latimer, council’s appointed representative to the hall of fame association, praised the committee for its “hard work at discerning and selecting these most deserving individuals . . . for demonstrating outstanding and consistent achievement in the realm agriculture and service to the rural community of Chatham-Kent and beyond.”

The ceremony to officially induct the new hall of fame members will take place on Nov. 22 at the Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club.

Original Article: https://www.chathamdailynews.ca/news/local-news/four-new-kent-county-agricultural-hall-of-fame-inductees-announced

on December 6 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on November Food Bulletin

November 2019 Food and Beverage Industry Information Discover something new this November. Brand new funding opportunities, including the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s Cost Share Program (for processors), are available now! Register for the Eastern Ontario Local Food conference to learn about this year’s theme, “Growing Communities Together”. The Guelph Food Seminar Series is back for another month and will be hosted by OMAFRA. Prepare yourself for an action-packed November! INDUSTRY NEWS 1. Grocery Innovations Canada, A Success 2. Cannabis Innovation Business Accelerator Program for Early Stage Start-ups 3. Canadian Grocer Introduces ‘New on Shelf’ Newsletter 4. Ontario Announces Next Steps to Improve Recycling and Tackle Plastic Waste FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 5. Canadian Agricultural Partnership: Cost Share Funding for Processors 6. Regional Development Program 7. CanExport: Small and Medium Sized Enterprises 8. Ontario Job Grant Program 9. Mitacs Accelerate 10. Agri-Innovate Program 11. NSERC Engage 12. Market Access Initiative EVENTS 13. Information Day on Intellectual Property 14. Eastern Ontario Local Food 15. Canadian Bio-Economy Cooperative R&D Partnering Mission to Germany 16. Global Summit Plant-Powered Menus 17. Guelph Food Seminar Series (GFSS) 18. Participate in the Ontario Pavilion at the Restaurants Canada Show 2020 RESOURCES 19. Brewing Technician Program at the Canadian Career College 20. Tech for Food at IFPT-Conestoga College FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @RegionalEcDevON and FACEBOOK to stay up-to-date on the latest news, events and more! INDUSTRY NEWS Grocery Innovations Canada, A Success Grocery Innovations Canada on October 22-23, 2019 was a success. The Ontario Pavilion generated a strong buzz on the show floor and had a surprise special guest, Premier Doug Ford. Grocery Innovations Canada showcases Ontario’s best and most innovative manufacturers to a national audience of retail decision makers and buyers. This event has created countless opportunity for small business within Ontario. If you are interested in registering for a booth for 2020, please contact Rolster Taylor. Cannabis Innovation Business Accelerator Program for Early Stage Start-ups Leaf Forward is a global launchpad for cannabis innovation and through its business accelerator program and venture fund it can invest up to $75 000, time and expertise into promising early stage cannabis startups. Over a 16-week period their team works closely with you to help build your business. Leaf Forward’s in-house resources are bolstered by an industry wide network of leaders and subject matter experts. If you think you have what it takes to be the next great cannabis startup apply HERE. Canadian Grocer Introduces ‘New on Shelf’ Newsletter Canadian Grocer has launched “New on Shelf”, a twice-monthly roundup of products launching in Canada. The newsletter editors will carefully select four products to feature in each newsletter, which will hit inboxes every second Tuesday. From snacks and sweets to drinks and dairy, they will give you a glimpse of the products ready to hit grocery store shelves. If you aren’t yet receiving New on Shelf, visit the subscriber page to sign up HERE for free. If you’re launching a product, send information and high-resolution photos to online editor klaird@ensembleiq.com. Ontario Announces Next Steps to Improve Recycling and Tackle Plastic Waste Jeff Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, announced the next steps to transition the costs of the Blue Box Program away from municipal taxpayers and make the producers of products and packaging fully responsible by 2023. Over the coming year, Ontario will develop and consult on regulations to support the new producer responsibility framework for the Blue Box Program. Once producer responsibility is fully in place, recycling across the province will be more consistent, with a standard list of materials that can be recycled. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Canadian Agricultural Partnership – Cost Share Funding for Processors Processors and Other Agri-businesses can now apply for cost-share funding to support projects within development and commercialization of technology or equipment to increase labour productivity for farmers and processors, economic development in the agri-food and agri-based products sectors and protection and assurance in food safety and plant and animal health. The application intake window for Processor and Other Business cost-share funding assistance is from November 4th – 26th, 2019 at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. If you are interested, please review the Program and Application Guides. Applications can be submitted at www.ontarioprograms.net. Regional Development Program The Regional Development Program takes a coordinated approach to supporting business growth in Eastern and Southwestern Ontario. The program supports eligible small- and medium-sized businesses investing in new equipment and training to expand operations in these regions. The program also provides support to municipalities and not-for-profit organizations investing in economic development projects. Eligible applicants may receive financial support and advisory services to help navigate other government programs, such as guidance on compliance approvals, assistance with skills and talent, and information regarding Ontario’s corporate tax credits. The intake period will be starting on December 2nd, 2019 and ending on January 20th, 2020. For more information, click HERE. Can Export: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Program This program provides direct financial assistance to SMEs registered in Canada to help them develop new export opportunities and markets, especially high-growth emerging markets. Applications are accepted year-round through an online platform. In order to apply, companies must be for-profit, an incorporated legal entity or a limited liability partnership (LLP), have a Canada Revenue Agency business number (unless Indigenous-owned or led), employ no more than 500 full-time equivalent employees and must have declared between $100K and $100M in annual revenue in Canada during the last 12 months. The CanExport SMEs program requires applicants to submit a project for which expenses total between $20 000 – $100 000. The program reimburses up to 75% of eligible costs to offer between $15 000 and $75 000 in funding per project. For more information, click HERE. Ontario Job Grant The Ontario Job Grant provides direct financial support for employers who wish to purchase training for their workforce. Employers choose the individuals they would like to have trained and the training that meets their workforce development needs. The grant covers up to 50% of direct training costs for large employers and around 80% for small employers (less than 100 employees). However, small employers may qualify for 100% funding and up to $15,000 per trainee if the employer is hiring and training unemployed individuals. For more information and to apply, click HERE. MITACS Accelerate The purpose of this internship program is to connect companies with over 50 research-based universities, where graduate students and post-doctoral fellows are given the chance to apply their specialized expertise to your business projects. The project evaluation proportion of this program will take approximately 6-8 weeks. The project can be as long as desired, however, there is a minimum length of 4 months. For every $7 500 invested in the project, another $15 000 of research funds are attributed to the project. Contact accelerate@mitacs.ca to confirm your start-up’s eligibility. For more information, click HERE. Agri-Innovate Program This program aims to accelerate commercialization, adoption and/or demonstration of innovative agri-based products, technologies, processes or services that increase sector competitiveness and sustainability. In order to be eligible for funding, applicants must clearly illustrate how proposed projects will commercialize/adopt/demonstrate an innovation new to the sector or country. The funding will be repayable and may cover up to 50% of eligible costs, up to $10M. Applications will be accepted until March 21st 2023. Before applying, please read the Applicant Guide. To learn more, click HERE. NSERC ENGAGE Engage Grants are designed to give innovative companies access to the knowledge, expertise and capabilities available at Canadian colleges. These grants are intended to foster the development of new research partnerships by supporting short-term research and development projects aimed at addressing a company-specific problem. A 2-page letter of support from the company involved in the project must be provided and must outline the company’s support for, contribution to, and agreement with the research project plan, by responding to a list of points. A maximum grant of $25,000 over a period of normally six months will be awarded to support the project costs. For more information, click HERE. Market Access Initiative The Market Access Initiative is a targeted cost-share intake available to help businesses and organizations across the Ontario supply value-chain that are directly involved in, or support the production, processing and/or sales of agri-products for domestic or export markets. Funding is available for 75 per cent of eligible costs. Please refer to the project category description for further details on what cost-share dollar amount is available. Applicants may only apply to one project category per application. Applicants who have been notified of application decisions may then apply again for funding consideration. For more information, click HERE. EVENTS Information Day on Intellectual Property November 12th, 2019 from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM International Centre 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) invites you to an information day on intellectual property (IP) for the food processing sector. Speakers from federal departments and Niagara College, as well as private sector stakeholders, will explain patents, trade secrets, designations and other IP assets, opportunities for cooperative research, and various funding programs. The event will take place concurrently with the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) 31st Annual Suppliers’ Tabletop Exhibition on November 12th, 2019 from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM at the International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga, Ontario. Please register by November 8th, 2019. To register, please contact Anik Boivin directly at 450-768-9679 or by email at anik.boivin@canada.ca with the following information: your name, title and name of your company or organization, contact information (phone number and email address). Registration is free of charge; however, to attend and access the hall, please also register for the CIFST Suppliers’ Night Tabletop Exhibition. Eastern Ontario Local Food The Eastern Ontario Local Food conference is only a few days away! This two day event focuses on the development of local food economic development. The conference begins on November 13 with three half-day tours to choose from. The three routes are: Mohawks of Akwesasne, Cornwall and SDG and the Highlands; and Cornwall and SDG and the Seaway. All tours will offer stops featuring local food and beverage tastings, and inspiring projects led by visionary community leaders. Register HERE before Monday, November 11th to reserve your spot. Canadian Bioeconomy Cooperative R&D Partnering Mission to Germany The bioeconomy sector is a key priority in both Canada and Germany. This mission will focus on introducing Canadian companies that have strong R&D expertise and capacity in this sector to potential leading German partners for the purpose of R&D collaboration. Areas of focus for the Canadian Bioeconomy Cooperative R&D Partnering Mission to Germany could include: Innovative side-products from cascade utilization of waste streams. Optimization and scale-up of modern bio-products. Metabolic engineering for bio-based products such as high value chemicals, composites and plastics. Securing food production and production of biomass for industrial use by novel smart agricultural production systems and breeding approaches. Improved abiotic and biotic stress tolerance of agricultural production systems. Innovative high-tech approaches for sustainable agricultural production systems. To apply, request application form from bruno.wiest@international.gc.ca. Note that interested companies must apply no later than December 20th, 2019. Global Summit Plant-Powered Menus The Global Plant-Powered Summit is an exclusive gathering of up to 250 food service leaders (mostly multi-unit operators), innovative plant-powered suppliers and global experts from Europe and across North America. Some of the world’s biggest food service, restaurant and food brands are signed up! Who is attending? Senior executives, food & beverage directors, culinary directors, executive & corporate chefs, buyers, menu and product developers, marketers, dietitians, nutritionists, CSR managers, supply chain experts as well as food entrepreneurs, farm organizations, trade media and other invited guests. The summit kicks-off November 12th at 4:30 PM with a trends and global supply chain discussion at the Scotiabank Theatre, followed by a VIP reception at The Fifth Social Club. The conversation continues November 13th at The Globe and Mail Centre for a full-day of additional learning, connecting and tasting innovative new products! Full agenda with 22+ speakers is HERE. Guelph Food Seminar Series (GFSS) Various dates, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM OMAFRA Meeting Room 1 1 Stone Rd W. Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2 The speaker name and title of presentation is announced one week prior to the seminar. All Monthly Seminars are available in-person and through webinar on Adobe Connect For AUDIO: Conference Number(s): 1-866-633-0848, Participant Code: 5555973 November 13th, 2019, Hosted by OMAFRA December 11th, 2019, Hosted by CFIA Participate with the Ontario Pavilion at the Restaurants Canada Show 2020 The Restaurants Canada Show is a three-day event in March of 2020, featuring over 1100 exhibits including the Ontario Pavilion, where local food and drink will be put on display. By participating in the Ontario Pavilion, you will join the experience of showcasing your product alongside 84% of Canada’s top 100 food service companies representing over 700 unique brands. If growing your business is a priority, then take the time and register an exhibit with the Ontario Pavilion and receive benefits such as access to OMAFRA business lounge, material handling from loading dock, listing in the official RC Show Guide and promotion on the show website. While exhibiting in the Pavilion, you will be able connect with Canadian and international industry buyers as well as chefs, caterers, restaurateurs and food service operators. Networking opportunities, workshops/seminars, and industry competition make the RC show one of the most engaging events of the year. If you are interested in registering for a booth for 2020, please click HERE. RESOURCES Brewing Technician Program at the Canadian Career College This diploma program prepares the graduate for work in various breweries, including large-scale breweries or craft breweries. The classroom instruction will primarily be done through an online distance learning model, enabling students to remain within their respective communities and not have to relocate for an extended period to take their theoretical training. Upon completion of the 3-4-month virtual classroom portion, students will be assigned to various breweries for the practical aspect of the training in a 360-hour internship. For more information visit Canadian Career College. Tech for Food at IFPT-Conestoga College The applied research program at Conestoga College’s Institute of Food Processing Technology (IFPT) offers food and beverage manufacturers the opportunity to address their technical challenges through research collaborations. From 2017, IFPT has been awarded 15 grants for funded research and is currently working in collaboration with 26 industry partners. IFPT has capabilities in several research areas such as, new product development, optimization of processes and formulations, development of new/effective packaging systems, food safety and shelf life, and process automation. They are well-equipped with labs for food and packaging testing; and a pilot plant with a test kitchen, UHT, retort, and three main production lines i.e., bakery, fresh vegetables, and beverages. At this one-of-a-kind facility, Conestoga offers expertise and innovation in the areas of food safety, food science, packaging technology, and food process engineering. Please contact Luis Garcia at lgarcia@conestogac.on.ca for more information.

on December 4 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Ag Business Update – November 2019

Business Strategy / Business Planning

Financial Management

Human Resources

Production Management

Risk Management

Conferences, Workshops and Seminars

on December 1 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Fresh Vegetable Growers Of Ontario – Annual General Meeting

NOTICE OF MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the FRESH VEGETABLE GROWERS OF ONTARIO will be held in the Town of Woodstock, Ontario at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (large boardroom).

December 5, 2019

9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

Election of Directors of the Association for Commodity Reps, discussion of financial reports and any other business that may arise will take place.

Lunch will be provided.

Meeting Agenda will be posted to the FVGO website when it is finalized.   www.freshvegetablesontario.com

To register for the meeting please call the FVGO office, 519-674-1500 Ext 63592

or email mmcdonal@uoguelph.ca

on November 8 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Ag Business Update – September 2019

Business Strategy / Business Planning

Financial Management

Human Resources

Marketing

Production Management

Risk Management

Conferences, Workshops and Seminars

on October 21 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on A Scattered Start For Leek Moth In 2019

Originally published in the September edition of The Grower

Leek moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella) is a destructive pest of Allium species including onions, shallots and chives, but prefers leeks and garlic. All parts of the plant including the leaves, stems, flower stalks, scapes, and bulbs are targeted. Feeding injury in leeks and green onions renders the crop unmarketable while in garlic the moth destroys leaves, bores into the scape and cloves and also creates an entry point for fungi or bacteria.

Leek moth was first detected in Canada near Ottawa in 1993 and has since spread west through Ontario, east towards the maritimes (Québec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island), and south into the United States (New York and Vermont). During the 2018 season leek moth was captured throughout Southwestern Ontario and was identified as far west as Lambton and Chatham-Kent counties. So far, leek moth has not been detected in Essex, Elgin, Niagara or Bruce counties.

Managing leek moth once it is established has shown to be difficult. In areas with high infestations, floating row covers are often the most effective pest management strategy. Row covers are generally hard to implement over large acreages and must be applied prior to adult activity in each generation in order to be effective.

The efficacy of insecticide applications is difficult to assess. Leek moth larvae are often found near the plant’s meristem or in the stem or scape which makes it difficult to make contact with an insecticide. As the larvae grows older, it ventures out onto the leaf which makes it more vulnerable to the insecticide application. Not all female leek moths lay their eggs the same day, or in the same week, which makes it even more difficult to time an insecticide application. Population peaks vary based on many factors and this year we found fields that were relatively close to each other had different peaks in the leek moth captures.

The best way to determine the level of leek moth pressure in your field is to monitor using a pheromone trap lined with a removable sticky card (Figure 1). Traps and lures can be purchased from Cooper Mill Ltd (ipm@coopermill.com) and Distributions Solida (info@solida.ca). Order Delta 1 traps with removable liners and mount the trap in the field at the end of April as adult moths emerge from overwintering spots when night temperatures reach 9.5°C. Place at least two traps per field, near the field perimeters, as this is where the highest leek moth numbers are usually observed. Each trap requires at least 14 sticky cards for the season and if the pheromone lure is changed every three weeks, you would require approximately five lures per trap. Extra traps are always a good idea, as traps are sometimes lost or damaged.

This year over 10 conventional and organic garlic and leek fields were monitored in Southern Ontario (Figure 2). There was no clear peak flight of male moths early in the season as there has been in previous years. Many regions in Southwestern Ontario experienced a cool, wet spring which likely influenced the first flight of overwintering adults.

Insecticide applications are best when targeted at the second generation of leek moth larvae which was between the first week of June to around mid July this year. If the number of overwintering moths trapped was low and minimal damage by first generation larvae was seen in the field, a single insecticide application 10 days after the peak of the second flight would be most effective. If the damage to the crop was moderate to severe the previous year, and/or the trap counts of overwintering moths were high and damage by first generation larvae was observed in the field, two insecticide applications may be necessary. Two applications will target the most larvae if they are applied 3 days after the date of peak moth capture and the second treatment 14 days later. Currently, Matador 120EC, Bioprotec CAF, Delegate WG and Entrust are registered for leek moth management in garlic in Canada. These insecticides are most effective when they make contact with the larvae.

In 2019 several of the same fields from the previous year were monitored and differences in the adult moth populations were recorded. With no conventional insecticides applied, the level of captured leek moths doubled in 2019 compared to 2018 at a site in Renfrew county (Figure 3). However, exclusion nets at this field site have shown to be quite effective at eliminating insect damage. At a field site in Huron county, two insecticide applications were applied after the second peak in June 2018 corresponding to peak moth counts using sticky cards (Figure 4). Traps counts at this location suggest that the level of leek moths present are much lower here than they were in 2018.

Work is being conducted to evaluate a parasitic wasp as a biocontrol for leek moth. Releases of Diadromus pulchellus in Ontario have been conducted by researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC, Dr. Peter Mason’s lab) over the last decade. Early research shows that D. pulchellus overwinters in Ontario and its impact in reducing leek moth populations in a commercial setting is currently being evaluated.

Always observe a 3 year or more crop rotation and avoid planting near infested areas from the previous season if possible. Collect and destroy any scapes or stems that show any sign of leek moth damage including the pupae (Figure 4). After the crop is harvested, check for small, 2mm-wide holes in the sheath of the garlic bulb and cloves and cull any that you find. Burying plant debris after harvest will also reduce pupae and larvae populations.

If you are a grower of garlic, onions, brassicas, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn or cucurbits, you might be interested in an IPM Scouting Workshop in Kemptville October 29^th and 30^th.  Register by calling the Agricultural Information Contact Centre (AICC) at 1-877-424-1300. The garlic portion will focus on production as well as pest management while most of the remaining information will focus mainly on pest identification and management. Agenda with times for the different crops will be released shortly. E-mail travis.cranmer@ontario.ca if you have any questions.

We are also hosting a Garlic Production and Pest Management Workshop this winter in Guelph. Topics include purchasing clean seed, row spacing and crop density, cultivar selection, crop insurance options, choosing the right equipment, crop rotation, processing, leek moth management, garlic viruses as well as information on bulb and stem nematode and other garlic diseases. If you or anyone else you know would like to attend the garlic workshop this December, please register by calling the AICC at 1-877-424-1300.

Garlic Workshop – Production and Pest Management of Ontario Garlic

• December 4th, 2019 from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
• 1 Stone Rd. West, Guelph, conference rooms 2 & 3
• Booklet provided; lunch on your own; pay parking available for $12/day

on October 20 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Vegetable Crop Report – October 10, 2019

NOTE: Degree Day data as of September 27, 2019.

This will be the final week for the 2019 edition of the VCR. Thank-you to all who followed along this year!

Did you find the VCR helpful this growing season? Please let us know with a brief survey!

Temperature – Harvest continues to be underway for for remaining vegetable crops fields across the province . Cooler, seasonal temperatures have been seen in all growing regions with small localized patches of frost  reported in some low lying areas. Continue to monitor weather conditions and take appropriate measures to protect crops still in the field from frost damage where possible.

Rainfall – September precipitation varied across the province. Continue (when possible) to avoid entering fields which are still wet from precipitation events or morning dew, especially in fields which may be a few a couple of weeks from harvest in the southern portions of the province. This will help to avoid the potential spread of pathogens from plant to plant in the field. Harvesting equipment should be cleansed between the harvesting of fields to avoid the spread of soil-borne pathogens.

Crop Updates

Brassica Crops – Harvest continues though out Ontario and the warm weather over the last two weeks has allowed many head brassicas to mature. Flea beetles continue to be a major pest in most areas. Alternaria and bacterial head rot has been a problem for some broccoli and cauliflower plantings. A clubroot pathotype study is underway; if you have Brassicas with clubroot and are interested in determining what pathotype of clubroot is present, E-mail travis.cranmer@ontario.ca for more information. Are you interested in pest and pathogen identification training? Save the date for the spring Brassica IPM workshop – Thursday, April 30th, 2020 at 1 Stone Road in Guelph. A registration announcement will be posted on the ONvegetables blog in early 2020.

Carrots – It was a great year for carrots as most fields look good above and below ground. Anecdotally cavity spot incidence was up this year, likely from the wet spring we experienced in most regions.

Celery – Harvest is underway but overall it has been a decent growing season for celery. While there are multiple pathogens present causing celery leaf curl and other diseases, in general the disease incidence is low relative to other years. There is a celery IPM session planned for May 7th, 2020 at 1 Stone Road in Guelph. This workshop will cover scouting for pest and pathogens of celery along with carrots and onions. A registration announcement will be posted on the ONvegetables blog in early 2020.

Garlic – Garlic planting has started across SW Ontario for the 2020 crop. If you are purchasing planting stock, it is extremely important that you ensure that what you are planting is free of bulb and stem nematode. Even cloves with an intact basal plate and no observable damage may have nematodes present. The UofG Pest Diagnostic Clinic in Guelph as well as A&L labs in London conduct nematode testing. There will be another full day workshop in Guelph on December 4th from 9-4:30 that will cover every part of garlic production including clean seed, cultivar selection, seeding density, nutrient testing, scape removal, weed control, crop insurance, harvesting, grading, storing as well as scouting/pest management. If there is time at the end of the workshop we will go over a cost of production spreadsheet. To register, call the Agriculture Information Contact Centre at 1 877-424-1300. s. The level of thrips has reached the spray threshold in most areas. Downy mildew was confirmed in Ontario transplant onions a few weeks ago; but conditions have not been favourable for sporulation and infection in the major onion growing regions. Conditions were favourable for pink root and onion smut development this year and will impact the yield in many fields come harvest.

Onions – Harvest continues for dry bulb onions. Sporulation and infection may have been conducive for downy mildew in the Holland Marsh which has potential to damage late plantings of green onions. The level of Stemphylium leaf blight development seemed to be less than last year and the level of thrips this year was low in most areas. The level of pink root and onion smut seemed to be higher this year but overall yield and quality seems to be good across the province. There is a onion IPM session planned for May 7th, 2020 at 1 Stone Road in Guelph. This workshop will cover scouting for pest and pathogens of onions along with carrots and celery. A registration announcement will be posted on the ONvegetables blog in early 2020.

Peppers – Many processing and fresh market peppers are staying in the ground until frost, with hand harvesting continuing until then. Overall, the season seemed good for peppers. As of October 10, 2019, there have not been any pepper weevil caught on outdoor traps in Ontario.

Potatoes – Harvest continues at full speed with most growers on-schedule and storages filling fast. Overall quality looks great with yields variable across the board. Many non-irrigated fields just didn’t get enough rain during bulking to fulfill their potential while some irrigated fields and fields that caught the later rains bulked up nicely. We’ve seen a slight increase in scab incidence likely from the dry weather we experience during tuber initiation. Growers did an excellent job controlling late blight this season as there were no outbreaks, even with some stretches of susceptible weather later in the season

Tomatoes – Processing tomatoes are wrapping up harvest within the next week or so and fresh market tomatoes will continue until frost. Yields look average compared to other years, though there was a lot of variability between growers and varieties. Bacterial disease was a struggle in both the spring and late summer for many growers, due to the wet conditions.

on October 17 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Nova Fungicide Label Expanded Via Minor Use Program For Control Of Powdery Mildew On Globe Artichokes And Greenhouse Eggplant In Canada

J. Chaput, OMAFRA, Minor Use Coordinator, Guelph

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of URMULE registrations for Nova^TM Fungicide for control of powdery mildew on globe artichokes and greenhouse eggplant in Canada. Nova^TM Fungicide was already labeled for use on a number of crops in Canada for control of several diseases.

These minor use projects were submitted by Ontario’s minor use program as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel.

The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Users should be making pest management decisions within a robust integrated pest management program and should consult the complete label before using Nova^TM Fungicide.

Nova^TM Fungicide is toxic to birds, small wild mammals, aquatic organisms and non-target terrestrial plants. The use of this chemical may result in contamination of groundwater particularly in areas where soils are permeable (i.e. sandy soil) and/or the depth to the water table is shallow. Do not contaminate aquatic habitats when spraying or when cleaning and rinsing spray equipment or containers.

Follow all other precautions and directions for use on the Nova^TM Fungicide label carefully.

For a copy of the new minor use label contact your local crop specialist, regional supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/pesticides-pest-management/registrants-applicants/tools/pesticide-label-search.html

Note: This article is not intended to be an endorsement or recommendation for this particular product, but rather a notice of registration activity

on October 16 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Vegetable Crop Report – September 19, 2019

Temperature – Degree day values continued to steadily grow this week despite cooler daytime and night temperatures. Chatham and Essex, have continued to stay on track with their average degree day accumulation while the remaining growing regions continue to accumulate below their average values.

Rainfall – Precipitation continued this week with all region receiving rainfall. Most regions are at, or above the halfway point of their respective precipitation averages. Essex county in particular is quickly approaching its monthly average, and on its way to exceed it should rainfall continue in the region. Continue (when possible) to avoid entering fields which are still wet from precipitation events or morning dew, especially in fields which still have a few more weeks of growing before harvest. This will help to avoid the potential spread of pathogens from plant to plant in the field

Crop Updates

Brassica Crops – Fresh market cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are being harvested. The latest plantings are establishing well and the warm weather forecasted for the next two weeks should allow for some late season growth. Alternaria, flea beetles and diamondback moth were found in high levels this year and flea beetles continue to be a major pest in some fields. Bacterial head rot has also been found to be a problem again this year in both southwestern and eastern Ontario. Brussels Sprouts are maturing and harvest will likely start in early fields over the next few

Carrots – With the cooler weather, carrots are really bulking up nicely. We’ve seen some cavity spot on harvested carrots and leaf blights have also been increasing with the cooler weather and closed canopies. Continue to monitor for leaf blight and use a spray threshold of 25% incidence in the field.

Celery – Harvest is underway. Multiple pathogens are present causing celery leaf curl, white mold and bacterial rots but disease incidence is low relative to other years.

Garlic – Yields were down over 25% across the province this season and a cloudy spring as well as a winter of flooding and freeze/thaw cycles are being blamed for a decrease in yield. Planting has started across SW Ontario for the 2020 crop. Register for the December 4th garlic workshop by calling the AICC at 1 877 424-1300.

Onions – Harvest is underway in transplants and direct seeded onions. The level of thrips has reached the spray threshold in most areas. Downy mildew was confirmed in Ontario transplant onions a few weeks ago; but conditions have not been favourable for sporulation and infection in the major onion growing regions. Conditions were favourable for pink root and onion smut development this year and will impact the yield in many fields come harvest.

Potatoes – Many fields are being top-killed currently in preparation for harvest. There have been multiple reports of late blight in New York close to the Ontario border so remain vigilant in scouting for late blight. Refer to Publication 838 for fungicides registered to prevent tuber blight.

Peppers – Fresh market growers are continuing to hand harvest. Growers that plan to keep their crop until frost should expected decreased fruit set and size due to the cooler night time temperatures. Some processing peppers have started their bulk, destructive harvest, though most are still hand picking. The pepper weevil survey will be continuing until the end of September. As of Friday, September 13, no pepper weevils have been observed on outdoor traps.

Tomatoes – Harvest is ongoing in both fresh market and processing tomatoes. Processing tomatoes yields looks like they will be average, at least. Fresh market growers planning to keep their crop in until frost should be aware of bacterial diseases, which are affecting both fruit and foliage. Also, growers should be on the look out for late blight as a new report from New York states there is now late blight on tomatoes

on October 2 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Current Late Blight Risk In Ontario Field Tomatoes

By: Amanda Tracey, Vegetable Crops Specialist, OMAFRA, Ridgetown and Cheryl Trueman, Department of Plant Agriculture, Ridgetown Campus – University of Guelph

As mentioned in a previous post, this is Year 1 of a three-year research project to assess the value of different spore traps and forecasting models to predict late blight risk for field tomatoes. We are comparing the Spornado and rotorod spore traps at eight sites in Kent County (Fig. 1), along with the BliteCast forecasting model.
DNA of Phytophthora infestans, the organism that causes late blight, was detected bySpornado traps at 1 of 8 sites for the August 22-26 sampling period (Table 1).
Rotorod traps detected spores of P. infestans at 7 of 8 sites for the August 19-22 sampling period and 0 of 8 sites for the August 22-26 sampling period (Table 1).

Table 1. Number of sites out of eight (8) in Kent County, with a positive detection forPhythophthora infestans, the organism that causes late blight.
* first sampling period with a positive detection for late blight.
– data currently unavailable

Late blight symptoms have been confirmed on a few potato plants in Norfolk County.

Late blight caused by the US-23 genotype has been observed in Wisconsin on potato and in New York and Pennsylvania on tomato and potato, but there are no reports of symptoms on any crops in Michigan.

A summary of fungicides for late blight management is available here.

If you suspect late blight in your tomato crop, please reach out to Amanda Tracey (Amanda.tracey@ontario.ca, 519-350-7134) to confirm the diagnosis. Cheryl is away on parental leave and will not be available for the remainder of the growing season.

Project collaborators: Tomecek Agronomic Services, Sporometrics, Phytodata, and Genevieve Marchand (AAFC).

Funding acknowledgement: Ontario Tomato Research Institute, Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario, and the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.

Links to previous late blight posts from the 2019 season: June 20, July 10, July 20, August 7, August 14, August 21.

on September 26 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Tilt Foliar Fungicide Label Expanded Via Minor Use Program For Control Of Cercospora Leaf Spot On Garden Beets In Canada

J. Chaput, OMAFRA, Minor Use Coordinator, Guelph

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an URMULE registration for Tilt 250E® Foliar Fungicide for control of Cercospora Leaf Spot on garden beets in Canada. Tilt 250E® Foliar Fungicide was already labeled for use on a number of crops in Canada for control / suppression of several diseases.

The following is provided as an abbreviated, general outline only. Users should be making pest management decisions within a robust integrated disease management program and should consult the complete label before using Tilt 250E® Foliar Fungicide.

Follow all precautions and detailed directions for use on the Tilt 250E® Foliar Fungicide label carefully.

For a copy of the new minor use label contact your local crop specialist, regional supply outlet or visit the PMRA label site http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/registrant-titulaire/tools-outils/label-etiq-eng.php

Note:  This article is not intended to be an endorsement or recommendation for this particular product, but rather a notice of registration activity

on September 25 | in Ag News | by Jodie Deprez | with Comments Off on Current Late Blight Risk In Ontario Field Tomatoes

By: Amanda Tracey, Vegetable Crops Specialist, OMAFRA, Ridgetown and Cheryl Trueman, Department of Plant Agriculture, Ridgetown Campus – University of Guelph

As mentioned in a previous post, this is Year 1 of a three-year research project to assess the value of different spore traps and forecasting models to predict late blight risk for field tomatoes. We are comparing the Spornado and rotorod spore traps at eight sites in Kent County (Fig. 1), along with the BliteCast forecasting model.
DNA of Phytophthora infestans, the organism that causes late blight, was detected bySpornado traps at 0 of 8 sites for August 12-15 sampling period 4 of 8 sites for the August 15-19 sampling period (Table 1).
Rotorod traps detected spores of P. infestans at 3 of 8 sites for the August 12-15 sampling period and 3 of 8 sites for the August 15-19 sampling period (Table 1).

Table 1. Number of sites out of eight (8) in Kent County, with a positive detection for Phythophthora infestans, the organism that causes late blight.
* first sampling period with a positive detection for late blight.

Late blight symptoms caused by the US-23 genotype have been observed in New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin on tomato and/or potato. However, there are no reports of symptoms on any crops in Ontario or Michigan.

A summary of fungicides for late blight management is available here.

If you suspect late blight in your tomato crop, please reach out to Amanda Tracey (Amanda.tracey@ontario.ca, 519-350-7134) to confirm the diagnosis. Cheryl is away on parental leave and will not be available for the remainder of the growing season.

Project collaborators: Tomecek Agronomic Services, Sporometrics, Phytodata, and Genevieve Marchand (AAFC).

Funding acknowledgement: Ontario Tomato Research Institute, Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario, and the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.

Links to previous late blight posts from the 2019 season: June 20, July 10, July 20, August 7, August 14.