ORD-001 Ontario Pork
Title: Technology Application Assessment
Timeline: June 2008-March 2009
Amount Approved: $10,000.00 (100% of total project costs)
Amount Accessed: $10,000.00

Performance Story: The objective of this project was to undertake a comprehensive assessment of two potential delivery technologies that would be used to determine hog projections and actual hog requirements, projected shipments and actual shipments, and disseminate the information to stakeholders in a timely manner. The costs, benefits, strengths, weaknesses, risks of each system were assessed.

This project was completed successfully. The analysis identified a Microsoft centric approach that could best meet Ontario Pork's technical and budgetary requirements. This solution has Microsoft 2008 Terminal Server with Terminal Services Gateway and Terminal Services Web Services at its core. This single server will provide Ontario Pork with remote access capabilities for up to 25 concurrent remote users. This will benefit 2,900 market hog producers and industry stakeholders within the delivery chain.


ORD-004 Ontario Fresh Grape Growers' Marketing Board
Title: Consumer Research on Sovereign Coronation Grapes
Timeline: June 2008 – January 2009
Amount Approved: $20,685.68 (83% of total project costs)
Amount Accessed: $20,685.68

Performance Story: The intent of this project was to conduct market research related to consumer purchases of Sovereign Coronation grapes. The production of Sovereign Coronation grapes has increased dramatically over the past five years and in order to market the increased volumes of Sovereign Coronation grapes, producers must stay in touch with the consumer and determine the most cost effective ways of promoting fresh grapes. The applicant originally intended to conduct consumer surveys before, during and after a free grape give-away to learn why demand can be influenced by sampling. The retailer agreed to provide free of charge the give away for consumers spending $60 and more of groceries. Unfortunately, the retailer did not carry Coronation grapes prior to the give-away and did not feature them after the give-away, therefore it was determined the intended surveys would not be effective. Instead, the consultant focused on measuring the volume of Coronation grapes that were provided to customers in 2008 compared to volumes sold in previous years, and found volumes sold through Sobeys were 100% more in 2008. Participation in the free give-away was significantly higher than anticipated, and overall it was determined that give-away programs are a very effective method to increase consumer demand. Similar selling tactics will be taken by the applicant in future years.

 

ORD 007 Ontario Canola Growers’ Association
Project Title: BMPs for Ontario Spring Canola
Timeline: April 2008-January 2009
Amount Approved: $14,550.00 (74% of total project cost)
Amount Accessed: $14,550.00

Performance Story: The objective of this project was for the Ontario Canola Growers’ Association (OCGA) to build upon 2007 research results and conduct trials that examined the timeliest foliar micronutrient, fungicide and insecticide treatment applications for canola. In strong contrast to the 2007 trials, the 2008 trials provided no significant effects from any of the treatments. This was not an unexpected outcome as the differences in weather patterns between the two years were extreme with very arid and hot conditions in 2007 and unusually wet and cool conditions in 2008. Achieving second year research and data from two years, each with strongly varying moisture and temperatures, has contributed significantly to building upon valuable data from which to establish credible recommendations for canola Best Management Practices.

Lessons learned are that variances in annual rainfall and temperature create significant differences in a canola plant's uptake and reaction to micronutrient, fungicide and pesticide treatments and multiple year data is essential to develop credible canola management recommendations. The more than 600 Ontario canola producers were the primary recipients intended to benefit from the research generated from this project. The information was disseminated in the OCGA 2009 Canola Growing Guide. The data was also circulated to producers in the OCGA’s December 2008 newsletter and Association emails. The data was posted on the OCGA website (www.ontariocanolagrowers.ca). There was also a presentation of the results at the 2009 OCGA Annual General Meeting held on January 22, 2009.

 

ORD 010 Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers
Project Title: Development of Pest Management Strategies for Insects and Plant Diseases in Processing Vegetables
Timeline: August 2008-January 2009
Amount Approved: $14,904.00 (100% of total project cost)
Amount Accessed: $14,904.00

Performance Story: This project involved the development of pest management strategies for the control of insects and plant diseases in processing vegetables. Several trials were managed to address a number of pest concerns, including: the control of root rot in processing carrots; the control of bacterial spot in processing peppers; controls for powdery mildew in squash; controls for early season pests on sweet corn; controls for European corn borer and corn earworm in processing sweet corn.

The results provide the industry with information on the effectiveness of particular products in controlling pests and diseases. They also provide indications of the cultivar characteristics of peppers showing resistance to bacterial spot and heat tolerance in green peas. Results were disseminated at the Ontario Processing Vegetable Grower Conference on January 27 and 28, 2009, and on their website (www.opvg.org). The project contributed to improved technology transfer between researchers and producers.

 

ORD 015 Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc.
Project Title: A survey of Ontario to understand the distribution of Duponchelia fovealis
Timeline: July 2008-May 2009
Amount Approved: $19,125.73 (100% of total project cost)
Amount Accessed: $19,125.73

Performance Story: Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. (FCO), in conjunction with the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG), conducted a survey of the moth Duponchelia fovealis during the period of September to November, 2008, with the objective of developing a better understanding of its presence and spread in the natural environment in Southern Ontario. Pheromone traps specific to D. fovealis were used to attract and trap the moth. The traps were located throughout Southern Ontario, however a higher concentration of traps was used in areas where D. fovealis was suspected or known to be. D. fovealis was found in specific locations, Niagara and Essex-Kent, which confirmed previous knowledge of the pest. D. fovealis was also found to be present in South-Central Ontario which confirmed the suspected spread of the pest. The information collected about the presence or absence of the moth in specific locations provides growers and the industry with important decision-making information about pest management. This is important in creating an effective long-term pest management program that will address the concern of pest mobility in the natural environment.
The results of this survey are available to all of Ontario’s 1,200 greenhouses flower and greenhouse vegetable growers by contacting the FCO and OGVG offices. The Duponchelia fovealis fact sheet has been electronically distributed to all FCO and OGVG members. The fact sheet was also posted on the Flowers Canada website (www.flowerscanadagrowers.com).

 

ORD 016 Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers
Project Title: Weed Control Evaluation in Processing Vegetables
Timeline: July 2008-January 2009
Amount Approved: $21,950.00 (100% of total project cost)
Amount Accessed: $21,950.00

Performance Story: This project involved the evaluation of herbicides with respect to weed control and crop injury on lima beans, snap beans, sweet corn, green peas, cole crops, pumpkin, squash, peppers, red beets and carrots. Field trials were undertaken for each crop using approved experimental procedures. Effective weed control is one of the major challenges facing growers of these crops. Weed control is crucial to ensure production of a healthy crop with attendant high yields and contributes to maintaining low levels of defects and disease.

One year of herbicide trails were conducted on lima beans, snap beans, sweet corn, green peas, cole crops, pumpkin, squash, peppers, red beets and carrots. The results measured each herbicide's influence on crop yield, crop injury and its weed control ability. Results were disseminated at the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers conference on January 27 and 28, 2009, and on their website (www.opvg.org). The project contributed to improved technology transfer between researchers and producers.


To see a list of ORD projects please click here