In recent years, the mergers of global crop protection companies promised robust R & D pipelines.  But the reality is that fewer products and label extensions will come to horticulture. That’s because there’s a bottleneck of reduced trial capacity at the Pest Management Centre says apple grower Charles Stevens, Newcastle, ON. 

The cost of energy-intensive fertilizer is set to increase under a new carbon tax regime. It’s yet another burning issue for horticulture, on top of labour and crop protection. 

John Molenhuis, business analysis and cost-of-production specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) worked with the grape, tender fruit and apple groups for years, updating baseline measurements every five years that compare the average of the group to the top 25. 

Events by invitation-only became the norm in 2020 as the pandemic curbed in-person contact. The impacts of COVID-19 on research, new product launches and extension efforts will be felt for years to come. 

Dejected workers gather to tear down the brittle leaves of a cucumber crop that perished after Nature Fresh Farms was shut down by public health authorities on June 30, 2020. In a recent short documentary, the story is told how 199 asymptomatic workers tested positive for COVID-19 but no one was ever hospitalized. The devastating effects of losing 7.8 million pounds of produce aren’t just economic but emotional as guest workers have testified. 

In recent years, the mergers of global crop protection companies promised robust R & D pipelines.  But the reality is that fewer products and label extensions will come to horticulture. That’s because there’s a bottleneck of reduced trial capacity at the Pest Management Centre says apple grower Charles Stevens, Newcastle, ON. 

The cost of energy-intensive fertilizer is set to increase under a new carbon tax regime. It’s yet another burning issue for horticulture, on top of labour and crop protection. 

John Molenhuis, business analysis and cost-of-production specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) worked with the grape, tender fruit and apple groups for years, updating baseline measurements every five years that compare the average of the group to the top 25. 

Events by invitation-only became the norm in 2020 as the pandemic curbed in-person contact. The impacts of COVID-19 on research, new product launches and extension efforts will be felt for years to come. 

Dejected workers gather to tear down the brittle leaves of a cucumber crop that perished after Nature Fresh Farms was shut down by public health authorities on June 30, 2020. In a recent short documentary, the story is told how 199 asymptomatic workers tested positive for COVID-19 but no one was ever hospitalized. The devastating effects of losing 7.8 million pounds of produce aren’t just economic but emotional as guest workers have testified. 

In recent years, the mergers of global crop protection companies promised robust R & D pipelines.  But the reality is that fewer products and label extensions will come to horticulture. That’s because there’s a bottleneck of reduced trial capacity at the Pest Management Centre says apple grower Charles Stevens, Newcastle, ON. 

The cost of energy-intensive fertilizer is set to increase under a new carbon tax regime. It’s yet another burning issue for horticulture, on top of labour and crop protection. 

John Molenhuis, business analysis and cost-of-production specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) worked with the grape, tender fruit and apple groups for years, updating baseline measurements every five years that compare the average of the group to the top 25. 

Events by invitation-only became the norm in 2020 as the pandemic curbed in-person contact. The impacts of COVID-19 on research, new product launches and extension efforts will be felt for years to come. 

Dejected workers gather to tear down the brittle leaves of a cucumber crop that perished after Nature Fresh Farms was shut down by public health authorities on June 30, 2020. In a recent short documentary, the story is told how 199 asymptomatic workers tested positive for COVID-19 but no one was ever hospitalized. The devastating effects of losing 7.8 million pounds of produce aren’t just economic but emotional as guest workers have testified. 

Bill George Jr. is re-elected for a third one-year term as chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association at the 162^nd annual general meeting – held virtually for the first time.   

The Niagara Peninsula fruit and vegetable growers are honouring the Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Service and CanAg Travel Service for their 2020 pandemic efforts. The Award of Merit cites extraordinary efforts in managing travel logistics for about 20,000 seasonal agricultural workers arriving in Ontario and advocacy efforts to secure federal quarantine funding.  

Erika DeBrouwer has joined the horticulture crops unit, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. She will be based in Simcoe.

Robert Van Der Geest becomes general manager for Nature Fresh Farms Mexico  leading operations of a 15-acre pepper greenhouse in the central region of the country. Another 15 acres are under construction. 

The president and co-founder of Cave Spring Cellars has been named to the Order of Canada, capping a lifetime of achievements in the wine and hospitality industry of the Niagara Peninsula.  

This resource provides excellent pictures and describes key features to identify the six different species found in Ontario: waterhemp, redroot pigweed, green pigweed, tumble pigweed, smooth pigweed and prostrate pigweed.  

BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions has received registration for Merivon fungicide. It can be used to address key diseases such as black rot and bitter rot in apples, and Septoria leaf spot and botrytis gray mold in blueberries. 

Currently in Ontario the Pigweed family have confirmed resistance to 6 of the 8 Herbicide Groups where resistance occurs. Browse or download the latest version of the Pigweed Species Identification Guide.

The Ontario Pesticide Education Program courses focus on product information, health and environmental risk management, pesticide application and pesticide safety practices. Growers can work through the course at their own pace. 

UPL diversifies its portfolio with OHM, its first biostimulant in Canada.