Kevin Smith, a veteran of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, is joining the Dispute Resolution Corporation in Ottawa as vice-president, operations.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association has announced 20 participants for the Passion for Produce program to be delivered virtually around Fresh Week in April.

Cindy Rouet will be joining the asparagus breeding team of Fox Seeds on May 3. She will work closely with Dr. Dave Wolyn to transition the University of Guelph’s breeding program to Fox Seeds over the next two years.

Larry McIntosh, president and CEO of Peak of the Market for the last 27 years, plans to retire in June 2021. One of his volunteer roles will be on the new Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council.

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 shift to remote work and the migration from food service to food retail are driving trends for the 2021 season writes Retail Navigator columnist Peter Chapman.

If a grower has product with old label instructions for a use that has been removed by a re-evaluation decision which required label amendments, there will be 24 months following that decision before updated label directions must be used. Columnist Chris Duyvelshoff clarifies timelines for product use.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the entire horticultural industry, but also strengthened relationships between the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association and the provincial government.

Charles Stevens, chair, crop protection section, OFVGA, discusses the restricted capacity at the Pest Management Centre to conduct toxicological trials needed to register crop protection products.

The Plant City, Florida grower of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries has expanded operations to Oxnard, California. The Frontera strawberry variety will be grown there.