There have now been two in person meetings to review the Canadian Organic Standards. This is a 2 year process with people from across the country meeting for the review process. Every question is reviewed and reported on it is then voted on and put up for comment. Every aspect of the organic standard is in the review process from rabbit production to packaging granola. Many of the changes are being made to make the meaning clearer for the producers and the inspectors. Some are being done to make life easier for the producer. Of particular interest might be the proposed changes to the parallel production rules. Vancouver 2014 TC report for InfoBio rev (2)
Hello PEI Strawberry Growers
Strawberry E-newsletter 2014-5 – May 26th J.Lewis
Critical Spring Temperatures for Strawberries!
A number of growers have asked me about critical temperatures for injury at different bud development stages this spring and since we are still in frost season I thought I would put them in print for this year and future reference. I obtained them from an extremely comprehensive article by Pam Fisher and Rebecca Shortt from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the full article can be found at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/frosprot_straw.pdf for those of you who would like to dig into the science of irrigation for frost protection in strawberries.
Critical Temperatures for Injury in Strawberries (Perry and Poling, 1985)
Strawberries Approximate critical temperature for injury (⁰C)
Bud development stage
| Tight bud | “Popcorn” | Open blossom | Fruit |
| -5.5 | -2.2 | -1.1 | -2.2 |
Board update to members
The Board of Directors met recently with Alan Miller from Dynamic Outcomes Consulting to finalize the survey and start the process of carrying out your wishes as expressed through the survey and the Annual meeting. Board member Matt Dykerman has agreed to further flush those ideas out and along with Joyce our Executive Director, develop a work plan for the Board’s approval. The Board hopes to finalize that plan by May 23, 2014 and once it has been approved the plan highlights will be conveyed to you, the membership.