Oleen Smethurst, general merchandise manager for Costco Canada, flies all over the globe from Berlin to Bogotá to taste test fruits and vegetables.

Sweet potatoes are not native to Canada, but for the VanBerlo family near Simcoe, Ontario, sweet potatoes have become second nature. 

Oleen Smethurst is known for her quest for flavour. As assistant vice-president, general merchandise manager for produce, Costco Canada, she jets all over the world from Berlin to Bogotá, meeting with growers and seed suppliers. While touring southern Ontario in late August 2019, she visited Martin’s Family Fruit Farm near Waterloo, Ontario.

Quinton Woods, sales and plant operations, Gwillimdale Farms, oversees the second phase of a storage facility near Bradford, Ontario that will be filled with onions and carrots in the fall of 2019. 

New packing lines are revolutionizing how tree-ripened tender fruit can be speedily handled and shipped to consumers. The largest peach grower in Ontario, the Tregunno family, installed a Spectrim vision system three years ago at the farm near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Ryan Tregunno stays sharp for 10 weeks as traffic controller in his computer pit above the lines of peaches and nectarines.

Carrot, parsnip and onion grower Doug Van Luyk is one of those in the Holland Marsh who has expanded to 500 acres in both muck and mineral soils with the help of labour-saving technology. Here, his son Bradley stands on top of a self-propelled, two-row carrot harvester near Newmarket, Ontario. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

For the last two years, Rebecca Compton has chaired the Asparagus Farmers of Ontario through a challenging marketing period. While managing 60 acres and an on-farm retail outlet, Big Red Barn near Delhi, Ontario, she encourages her young children – Sable and Anson – to be at home in the field.

Systemic fungicide Cevya will be available for the 2020 crop year.  

The Delegate insecticide label is now expanded for control of spotted wing drosophila on grapes and other pests in fruiting vegetables in Canada. 

A strategic communications professional, Christina Stroud has joined Syngenta Canada as the new head of corporate affairs.

The spectrum of weeds in orchards and vineyards is changing says Kristen Obeid, OMAFRA weed management specialist – horticulture. She offers timely advice for post-harvest treatment. 

Kam’s Growers Supply is teaming up with the Bioline brand of biological control.  It’s a growing trend of learning how to integrate biologicals and traditional methods of pest control.

Five new board members have joined the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. Experience and breadth of knowledge of Canada’s food system adds to a dynamic board of 11.

The 28^th annual Ontario Produce Marketing Association Gala shone a light on four of the industry’s brightest and best on November 15. One of them was Steve Bamford who won the Cory Clack-Streef Produce Person of the Year Award.

Former farmer Blaine Pedersen is the new minister of agriculture and resource development.

Passionate and politic – that’s the best way to describe this year’s crop of Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture who competed at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair on November 2. This year’s senior champion was Ellie Stauffer from Alberta. The junior champion was also an Albertan:  Ryley Mappin. 

Farm and Food Care Ontario announced its Canadian charity status at its 12^th annual Harvest Gala. It’s an important milestone for the organization that’s been building public trust for more than 30 years. 

Systemic fungicide Cevya will be available for the 2020 crop year.  

The Prowl herbicide label is now expanded for control of labelled weeds on garlic, shallots and transplanted leeks in Canada

A strategic communications professional, Christina Stroud has joined Syngenta Canada as the new head of corporate affairs.

The spectrum of weeds in orchards and vineyards is changing says Kristen Obeid, OMAFRA weed management specialist – horticulture. She offers timely advice for post-harvest treatment. 

Kam’s Growers Supply is teaming up with the Bioline brand of biological control.  It’s a growing trend of learning how to integrate biologicals and traditional methods of pest control.