To recap activities in the past couple of weeks, GCI Life Sciences is meeting with key personnel from the Ontario Institute of Agrology (OIA) and Flowers Canada (Ontario). The agenda items include representation at conferences including both the Canadian Greenhouse Conference and the ETech conference among other items.
We have also developed several case studies that demonstrate what we've done in the past, which will be included on this site soon. We will also be including links to key industry groups involved in Ontario agriculture, including the two mentioned above. To supplement our discussion groups (links and registrations for each are located in the side panel to the right), we are contemplating including links to interesting or offbeat postings related to agriculture or environment from other discussion groups.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Easter Weekend
GCI Life Sciences wishes everyone a Happy Easter!
Easter lilies are seasonal and traditional flowering plants. 95% of the bulbs for the Easter lily market are produced by 10 farms along the California-Oregon border.
More information on these unique flowers can be found at this site. The plants are under special controlled conditions and nutritional requirements to bloom specifically for the Easter Holiday.
Some issues specific to Easter Lilies include fungus gnats, Pythium root rot (on which my M.Sc. and Ph.D dissertations are on) as well as Rhizoctonia. Graeme Murphy, a colleague from OMAF outlines these issues quite well in his article titled "Fungus Lilies And Easter Gnats (or something similar)".
Many of the issues surrounding Easter lilies can be combated with a little bit of foresight and planning. Producers familiar with the crop know many of the tricks of the trade that surrounds the management of these issues, but new problems arise almost on a yearly basis, and so do solutions. There are a few biologicals on the market, but it's hard to pick just one and say it'll do the trick. Experimentation with several biologicals is time consuming and yields ambiguous results if not done properly.
But why experiment in the first place? Well, one greenhouse can differ from others - research greenhouses in which the tests are done in originally are rigidly controlled, meaning that the natural fluctuations in temperature, light or even nutrition are absent or minimized to such a degree that it would be almost uneconomical in a commercial facility. The results should then be approached with a degree of salt-taking!
Secondly, it's not a good idea to rely on one or even two methods of preventation and/or control - something that many experimental trials fail to cover. Think of your strategy as being comparable to a rocket launch. In case the primary system (your first choice of biological control) fails, you want to ensure there's a back-up in place at the same time the primary is working. What, then, if the back-up fails too? The rocket (your crop), if no third or fourth fail-safe is in place, crashes. This is a bit of a hard-case example which illustrates the worst-case scenario, as a 100% loss is clearly not an acceptable solution.... but it's a scenario that can be preventable with a plan and some hindsight.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Clean Water Act: more info
More information on how the proposed Clean Water Act impacts agricultural producers can be found in the February 2006 publication of The Eastern Ontario Farmers Forum which also includes a list of areas with ground water aquifiers (Almonte, Carp, Munster Hamlet, Kings Park, Kemptville, Merrickville and Westport) and surface waters (Smiths Falls, Perth, Carleton Place, as well as two areas on the Ottawa River near the city of Ottawa).
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Agricultural Legislation in Ontario: Part 1
The Nutrient Management Act of 2002 (NMA) is a key landmark legislation in Ontario that helps to consolidate and simplify previous legislation (both federal and provincial) and directs activities relating to the environmental safety of waterways as well as surface and ground waters. (important changes to the assistantship programme can be found here, and more information can be found at the website for the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association)
The overlying principle of the NMA was to control agricultural runoff, which included manure, pesticides/herbicides, fertilizer (including hydroponic nutrient solutions), and other materials that potentially contribute to environmental pollution. The NMA is based on solid scientific research that demonstrates the harmful effects of agricultural runoff on fish and other aquatic life, land/aquatic plants and microbial diversity. In fact, by adhering to the NMA, farmers potentially reduce problems in their crops. Changes in microbial diversity is a key contributor to increasing disease and reducing crop productivity in the long term.
Although the NMA is solidly in place, Ontario has proposed a Clean Water Act (CWA) in 2005. Already, some issues have been identified by Ontario Pork which can be read in their report here. These valid concerns can be broadly applied to other agricultural operations including fields and greenhouses.
The overlying principle of the NMA was to control agricultural runoff, which included manure, pesticides/herbicides, fertilizer (including hydroponic nutrient solutions), and other materials that potentially contribute to environmental pollution. The NMA is based on solid scientific research that demonstrates the harmful effects of agricultural runoff on fish and other aquatic life, land/aquatic plants and microbial diversity. In fact, by adhering to the NMA, farmers potentially reduce problems in their crops. Changes in microbial diversity is a key contributor to increasing disease and reducing crop productivity in the long term.
Although the NMA is solidly in place, Ontario has proposed a Clean Water Act (CWA) in 2005. Already, some issues have been identified by Ontario Pork which can be read in their report here. These valid concerns can be broadly applied to other agricultural operations including fields and greenhouses.
Monday, April 03, 2006
April 3, 2006
Today, in order to put emphasis on the agricultural aspect of the Life Sciences Division, we have re-done our business cards to read "Agricultural Consulting and Life Sciences" - it may seem inconsequential, but often business is lost because of vague or unclear titles. For example, Life Sciences could mean health care, microbiology, and so on - it may not be immediately clear that agriculture also falls under this heading.
We will be beginning a letter-writing campaign to key industry personnel, groups, and associations in Ontario to describe our services and develop additional contacts.
We will be beginning a letter-writing campaign to key industry personnel, groups, and associations in Ontario to describe our services and develop additional contacts.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
March 28, 2006
In addition to writing the new discussion groups, I wrote the first posts for each, just to get things started. I could not think of much, except for an article that I read in New Scientist or Nature (I forget which) that described the effects that antibiotics excreted in urine and manure of livestock had on microbial communities and plants in the soil that the manure sludge was applied to (This posting can be found in Agricultural Issues in Field Crops). Look for more in the other two discussion groups involving greenhouse and hydroponic crops.
Additionally, I identified a few areas (in Ontario) in which the Life Sciences Division of GCI could make an impact in. I did a lot of reaserch during my M.Sc. and Ph.D. with various independent operations in Leamington, Ontario (which is the largest growing area for greenhouses and hydroponic operations in the entire expanse of North America... the amount of produce from hydroponic crops in Leamington accounts for more than the entire corresponding U.S. industry!)
As such, many of the independent operators I came into contact with, whether part of my research or not, would be pleased to have my continued interest and input in their operations. The thing about me, and which I hope to instill within the working environment of the Life Sciences Division of GCI, is that every contact should feel like they came out of the meeting with something that will benefit their organization, even if it's just a first meeting. I view consulting as a "give-and-give" situation in which the client has the first and last word on everything - the consultant is merely incidental, and guides the client to their own business solution. True, the framework, guidance, and actual solution and its implementation may represent the work of the consultant, but ultimately the credit belongs with the client for first identifying the need, then initiating the work.
Thus, the true key to a successful operation is the ability to recognize that certain task and work needs to be delegated either to a subset of your own employees, and where that experienced subset does not exist, to an outside source. By providing the experience base located within the Life Sciences Division of GCI, we know we will be able to dispense not only clear advice, but also a plan to implement this advice, and the manpower to oversee and implement it through from start to finish.
I know that this must be beginning to sound like an advertisement! I have to admit that it is, of a kind, but it is also an indicator of the conviction, determination, and confidence of the kind of experience that we have, and will be able to provide to you.
Additionally, I identified a few areas (in Ontario) in which the Life Sciences Division of GCI could make an impact in. I did a lot of reaserch during my M.Sc. and Ph.D. with various independent operations in Leamington, Ontario (which is the largest growing area for greenhouses and hydroponic operations in the entire expanse of North America... the amount of produce from hydroponic crops in Leamington accounts for more than the entire corresponding U.S. industry!)
As such, many of the independent operators I came into contact with, whether part of my research or not, would be pleased to have my continued interest and input in their operations. The thing about me, and which I hope to instill within the working environment of the Life Sciences Division of GCI, is that every contact should feel like they came out of the meeting with something that will benefit their organization, even if it's just a first meeting. I view consulting as a "give-and-give" situation in which the client has the first and last word on everything - the consultant is merely incidental, and guides the client to their own business solution. True, the framework, guidance, and actual solution and its implementation may represent the work of the consultant, but ultimately the credit belongs with the client for first identifying the need, then initiating the work.
Thus, the true key to a successful operation is the ability to recognize that certain task and work needs to be delegated either to a subset of your own employees, and where that experienced subset does not exist, to an outside source. By providing the experience base located within the Life Sciences Division of GCI, we know we will be able to dispense not only clear advice, but also a plan to implement this advice, and the manpower to oversee and implement it through from start to finish.
I know that this must be beginning to sound like an advertisement! I have to admit that it is, of a kind, but it is also an indicator of the conviction, determination, and confidence of the kind of experience that we have, and will be able to provide to you.
Monday, March 27, 2006
March 27, 2006
Today, I created a few discussion groups that will attempt to provide a forum for independent producers to discuss issues and problems related to their operations. The moderators involved in each discussion will then have a chance to review and research the 'common theme' that appears immediately obvious during any one week, then write a comment on this common theme for the group. Not only will this provide a starting reference point for producers, but it will also keep people involved with the Life Sciences Division an opportunity to test their mental mettle! These discussion groups are listed in the sidebar to the right.
However, the following disclaimer applies: we are not responsible for any losses or damages resulting from our advice on any single topic so long as it is applied through these discussion groups. This may sound alarming, but this disclaimer is standard practice in consulting, as similar issues/problems can be caused by different factors in many cases. For individual solutions, we strongly suggest you contact Nathan and arrange to have a consultant meet you in person.
However, the following disclaimer applies: we are not responsible for any losses or damages resulting from our advice on any single topic so long as it is applied through these discussion groups. This may sound alarming, but this disclaimer is standard practice in consulting, as similar issues/problems can be caused by different factors in many cases. For individual solutions, we strongly suggest you contact Nathan and arrange to have a consultant meet you in person.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
March 25, 2006
Today, I researched ideas for marketing strategies based on my agriculture-based experience, knowledge and skills, aimed towards the agricultural community in and around Ottawa.
What do I mean when I say "agricultural community?" This is a community of independent agricultural producers of field and greenhouse crops, including those involved in horticulture, ornamentals, tree & berry farms, and nursuries. This extremely diverse market exists, particularly in the area spanning the distance from within Ottawa, past Kemptville, to Prescott (or highway 401).
Although most agricultural advice can be solicited from federal and provincial sources, many issues and problems encountered in agriculture occur suddenly and need immediate solutions that can only be arrived at from understanding the issue/problem on a first-hand basis. So what does this mean for my market strategy? Obviously there is a need for marketing (i.e. advertising) but what is the best way to go about doing it? The best way to display ourselves? How should we make ourselves accessible to farmers/producers in this area? These were some of the questions that came up at this point.
What do I mean when I say "agricultural community?" This is a community of independent agricultural producers of field and greenhouse crops, including those involved in horticulture, ornamentals, tree & berry farms, and nursuries. This extremely diverse market exists, particularly in the area spanning the distance from within Ottawa, past Kemptville, to Prescott (or highway 401).
Although most agricultural advice can be solicited from federal and provincial sources, many issues and problems encountered in agriculture occur suddenly and need immediate solutions that can only be arrived at from understanding the issue/problem on a first-hand basis. So what does this mean for my market strategy? Obviously there is a need for marketing (i.e. advertising) but what is the best way to go about doing it? The best way to display ourselves? How should we make ourselves accessible to farmers/producers in this area? These were some of the questions that came up at this point.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Read Me First!
Welcome!
I started this blog to allow interested people follow what I do on a day-by-day basis, and will also be using it to post hints or how-to-do's that will potentially reduce headaches during normal field or greenhouse operations, including tips on irrigation, soil, greenhouse & hydroponic infrastructure, identifying and eradicating insect & disease pests as well as how to choose your biological control and manage nutrients and environmental variables to reduce the potential for problems. In essence, any hints, how-to-do's and tips you read will be all about how to prevent problems in the first place, and when they do occur, how to manage them so you get the best possible yield out of your crop.
I started this blog to allow interested people follow what I do on a day-by-day basis, and will also be using it to post hints or how-to-do's that will potentially reduce headaches during normal field or greenhouse operations, including tips on irrigation, soil, greenhouse & hydroponic infrastructure, identifying and eradicating insect & disease pests as well as how to choose your biological control and manage nutrients and environmental variables to reduce the potential for problems. In essence, any hints, how-to-do's and tips you read will be all about how to prevent problems in the first place, and when they do occur, how to manage them so you get the best possible yield out of your crop.
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