News
Under cover

Judges included, left to right, Xiuming Hao, Rob Butler and Scott Makey; absent from photo was Sarah Baldo.

Festival judged a success

Sunset/Mastronardi Produce’s cham-pagne cocktail tomato was judged Best Overall Hothouse Tomato in the 2008 Hottest Tomato Competition, part of the 25th annual Leamington Tomato Festival. It was also judged Best Specialty Variety by the judges, and earned second-place honours in the People’s Choice Awards.

Other category winners included:

Tomato Master Jacket for most
pledges raised for REACH International: AMCO Produce.
People’s Choice Award: first – ‘Bella Sweets’ strawberry tomato, from CNK Farms, distributed by Mucci Pac; second – champagne cocktail tomato, Sunset/Mastronardi Produce; third (tie) – ‘Oriana’ orange cocktail variety from Pure Hothouse Foods Inc., and ‘Rosso Bruno’ brown beefsteak from Mucci Farms.
Best Hothouse Roma: Pure Hothouse Foods.
Best Hothouse Beefsteak: Sunset/Mastronardi Produce.
Best Hothouse Cluster: Erie Shores.

Thirty-two entries were judged this year. Judges included Dr. Xiuming Hao of the Greenhouse and Processing Crops Research Centre; Rob Butler, district manager for No Frills stores of Western Ontario; Scott Makey, H. J. Heinz agriculture manager in Leamington; and Sarah Baldo, a co-op student with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at Harrow.

The competition, now in its second year, is sponsored by REACH International. This Canadian-based charitable aid agency assists the poor in Canada and in countries such as St. Lucia, Tanzania, Ethiopia and San Salvador. Along with much needed financial support, it provides school supplies, books, uniforms, vitamins, medicine, health care, clothing, tuition bursaries, tutoring, computers and other necessities.

• www.reachint.org
• www.hottesttomato.com

The award-winning Proven Winners booth.

Focus on sustainability

This year’s OFA Short Course in Columbus attracted some 10,000 floriculture professionals to shop the 1,500-booth trade show, learn new techniques during more than 130 educational sessions, and take advantage of numerous networking opportunities.

With five educational sessions, the Town Hall Meeting, and a product area devoted to sustainability, this popular trend was a major new focus this year. Similar to the New Products area, the Project: Green Industry Showcase featured products considered to be eco-friendly.

With everything from packaging ideas to sample displays to interesting new products, the merchandising display area inspired both retailers and growers. All of the displays, sponsored by individual exhibitors, focused on display and merchandising ideas with a proven ability to increase sales.

Next year’s Short Course will be held July 11-14, again at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
• 614-487-1117,  www.ofa.org .

Dr. Ron Howard began his career as a plant pathologist with ARD in 1975.

Researcher receives prestigious award

Dr. Ron Howard, a plant pathologist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, was recently awarded the Alberta Science and Technology Leadership Foundation’s (ASTech) Dow AgroSciences/ASTec Innovation in Agricultural Science Award. This award is presented to an individual, team or individuals or company that has demonstrated exceptional innovation or has developed a technology of significance to Alberta’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-value industries.

Dr. Cornelia Kreplin, director of ARD’s agriculture research division, says Dr. Howard “has used his skills in research and plant pathology to address barriers to industry success.”

He has built his reputation to where he is the primary “go-to” person for help when it comes to plant diseases that threaten the livelihood of Alberta and Canada’s horticultural, field and special crop producers. He is one of the first plant pathologists the industry looks to for information about an imminent threat and for advice on what to do to lessen that threat.

Over his career so far, he is credited with over 1,000 articles, publications and presentations.
Extension has always been a vital part of his career. His work has helped raise the profile of agricultural science and technology in the province, in Canada and around the world.

His outstanding writing, speaking, research, infrastructure and extension skills have served him well in his role as a science and technology ambassador, and have helped him bring a better quality of life to those in the agricultural sector.

Reprinted with permission from the Aug. 5, 2008 edition of the Ropin’ The Web newsletter of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

Farmers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are now earning less than at any time in the last four decades – so little, in fact, that rural communities in both provinces are at serious risk. That’s the conclusion of a new report on farm economic viability released by GPI Atlantic, a Nova Scotia based non-profit research group. For more on this report, visit the News section on our website at 
www.greenhousecanada.com .

NEW PRODUCTS

New Euro Short Mum Pot
ITML’s 19 cm Co-extruded Euro Short Mum Pot is the perfect grower pot for perennials and annuals. It is made from durable polypropylene, which provides an economical, lightweight option without sacrificing strength. These pots offer a sturdy rim and optimum, tri-level bottom drainage. The Euro System® Thermoformed Pots line is offered in a variety of sizes and is co-extruded in green/black, terra cotta/black and grey/black. The pot is also available in custom colours or in tough polyethylene upon special request. Compatible trays are available in black. ITML is one of the industry-leading horticultural container companies of the Myers Industries Lawn & Garden Group.
• 800-736-4865, or  www.itml.com

The new DosaCart fertilizing system
The new DosaCart not only provides the flexibility and mobility to fertilize or treat plants at the point of application, but also enables you to sanitize the greenhouse as well.
Specially designed for Dosatron injectors, the DosaCart can be used with 7, 11, 14 or 20 GPM units. The DosaCart is so simple – you can hook it up to a garden hose and fertilize or treat plants as you water, saving time and money. If you need to spray foam to sanitize your greenhouse, a special spray nozzle is designed to meet your needs.
More information on this product is available at our website at 
www.greenhousecanada.com, or call Dosatron at
800-523-8499, e-mail mailbox@dosatronusa.com, or visit www.dosatronusa.com .

Hypnotica are real eye-catchers
Dahlinova Hypnotica®, from Fides North America, are real eye-catchers in gardens, borders or containers on balconies or patios. The radiant colours of the many large and elegant flowers are overwhelming and will always attract attention. The varieties combine beautifully with other bedding plants and they also contrast nicely against green shrubs. The series provides an abundance of flowers throughout the summer and autumn, from May to October. Characteristics include large flowers, vigorous plant habit, good branching, uniform flowering throughout the season, and an abundance of flowers.
• www.dahlinova.com , info@fidesnorthamerica.com

New Blackmore Ellepot tray
The Blackmore Company’s newest tray for Ellepots is an 84-count unit, specially designed for 25 mm Ellepots. The vented tray has fluted cell walls for extra strength, and is ideal for propagation.
• 800-874-8660,  trayinfo@blackmoreco.com

Big Green Book circulating

Northwest Horticulture (NWH), a provider of premium perennials, ornamental grasses, landscape roses, and groundcovers announces the release of its new Big Green Book. Next to quality cuttings, plugs, and field-grown liners, growers most want information that will help them be successful in the greenhouse and nursery. With the 136-page Big Green Book, they get that – and then some – with the many reference materials contained inside. Growers will turn to this catalogue throughout the year to help clarify, plan, and schedule their crops. Northwest Horticulture is a diversified grower in the U.S., with over 1.6 million square feet of state-of-the-art production facilities and 600 acres of production fields located in two climatic locations for maximum diversity.
• www.northwesthort.com , 800-459-3142