Newsletter - Volume 1 - January/February 2011 ...Dedicated to the Success of Ontario’s Grape Growers 2011 Grapes for Processing Pricing Agreement The Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO), Wine Council of Ontario (WCO) and Winery & Grower Alliance of Ontario (WGAO) have agreed to extend the 2010 pricing arrangement into 2011, which includes the Plateau Pricing model for four grape varieties - Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The changes for the 2011 Pricing Plan are outlined as follows: 2011 Pricing Plan The parties have agreed to a 1% increase over 2010V prices for all white varieties (Vinifera and Hybrid). The red varieties (Vinifera and Hybrid) remain stable at the current 2010V pricing. Pilot Plateau Pricing Model for 4 Varieties for 2011 It was agreed by all parties to continue the Plateau Pricing model on four varieties for 2011: Chardonnay, Ries- ling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It is important to note that any grapes purchased for Plateau Pricing in 2011 are not subject to tonnage restrictions and all processors participating in the program will need to work with their growers to ensure this parameter is applied. 2011 Grape Growers of Ontario Inside this issue: 2011 Pricing Agreement 1 Annual General Meeting Focus on the Grower 2 Wednesday April 6, 2011 at 7:00 pm Annual General Meeting 3 Savvy Farmer 4 Club Roma—125 Vansickle Road, St. Catharines CleanFARMS™ 5 IMPORTANT: Voter Registration from 6:00—6:45 pm In Memoriam 6 See page 3 for additional information Upcoming Events 7 Industry News/Classified 8 GGO Services Grape Pricing & Promotion Government Lobbying Nutrient Management Grape Research Government Policies & Regulations Crop Insurance Requirements Grape Inspection Farm Labour Legislation & Program Business Risk Management (CAIS & SDRM) Government & Industry Relations Chemical Registration Weather INnovations Incorporated (WIN) P.O. Box 100, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0 p. 905.688.0990 f. 905.688.3211 www.grapegrowersofontario.com Volume 1 - January/February 2011 Page 2 Focus on the Grower: Donna Lailey onna Lailey has seen many changes during her time in the indus- D try, but she’s as positive about the future as she was when she and her husband David left their teaching jobs in Owen Sound to take over Lailey’s fruit farm in 1970. “When I look back on my life, I think some of my best memories have been working in the vineyard with my friends…and the vines don’t tell stories.” Over the years Donna has been actively involved in the industry and has served on several government bodies including the Niagara Parks Com- mission, Grape Growers Marketing Board, the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (“that was an interesting experience,” she says, “because you dealt with all commodities”), was a founding member of VQA and was involved with the creation of the Greenbelt Act. In 1991, she was the first female Grape King in recognition of the vineyard she and David had grown. Although she’s stepped back from these bodies because she realized that “sometimes you can make more of an impact outside,” she’ll be bringing a busload of delegates from the International Greenbelt Conference in Toronto down to Niagara in March to show them this special part of the province. “Change takes forever, but I have- n’t given up on the industry.” Donna Lailey at the 2010 Grape King Installation The vineyard the Laileys created on their 23 acres across from McFarland House on the Niagara Parkway in Niagara-on-the-Lake started with some French hybrids her father-in-law had planted on the old fruit farm and has grown to include a winery in 2000 that principally produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Riesling. Along the way, Lailey Vineyards has won various international awards for their wines including a Silver Medal (2008 Chardonnay, Brickyard Vineyards) and three Bronze Medals (2008 Chardonnay, Old Vines; 2008 Pinot Noir, Canadian Oak; 2008 Syrah) at the InterVin International Wine Awards in November 2010. But Donna is the first to acknowledge there were some growing pains along the way. Their first year on the farm “was a disaster,” she says. In 1971-72, she took a wine course and realized that if they were going to have an industry here, they had to get involved. Their first year operating as a vineyard, they planted Chardonnay and Pinot but they all died. Today they have some of the oldest Chardonnay and Pinot in Niagara. She believes Chardonnay will likely be the flagship grape for Ontario. They’ve learned a lot, primarily through trial and error, continuous reading and travels to other countries. “I learn so much when I travel to New Zealand, Australia. Farmers have to do that—travel,” she says. One of the things she was surprised to hear during her travels was that we’re lucky to have so much acid in our wines. The things we see as a problem are viewed as positives in other countries, she says. There are still some challenges to face in the industry, she admits. “I hope we start to think of our industry in a positive way.” But she fears grape growers are going to be paid to take out their grapes and plant French hy- brids. “There’s no future for the industry with French hybrids,” she states. “We have potential here, but if we take out vinifera and plant French hybrids, that’s the wrong way to go.” At Lailey Vineyards, they educate consumers on the particular character and flavour of each wine and how the wine pairs well with food. Donna says she’d like to see money put into educating consumers on these things. “The more we do that, the more success we’ll have,” she says. People want wines with lower alcohol and something to enhance the flavours of the food they’re eating, she adds. Breaking down the province trade bar- riers would also be a great thing for the industry, she says. “It’s easier to sell across the border than in your own country. That’s ridiculous.” Whatever the challenge, she says, “You just can’t give up on these issues.” Grape Growers of Ontario Volume 1 - January/February 2011 Page 3 2011 GGO Annual General Meeting 2011 Grape Growers of Ontario Annual General Meeting Wednesday April 6, 2011 at 7:00 pm Club Roma—125 Vansickle Road, St. Catharines IMPORTANT: Voter Registration from 6:00—6:45 pm In November 2009, the Farm Products Marketing Commission approved a new structure to be implemented for the 2010 Grape Growers of Ontario elections based on the GGO’s priority of examining its governance structure every five years to ensure that all grape growers and all grape-growing regions across the province are appropriately represented. At the 2010 Annual General Meeting a full slate of Grower Committee members were elected resulting in a full slate of Board Directors. The new structure included three-year staggered terms to allow Board Directors the time to learn their roles and the workings of the Board. At the 2011 Annual General Meeting, the follow- ing Grower Committee positions are open for election with Directors to be elected at the first Grower Com- mittee meeting following the AGM: District Open Grower Committee Positions Open Board of Directors Positions 1—Niagara on the Lake 5 1 2—St. Catharines 2 0 3—Lincoln 5 1 4—Grimsby 1 0 5—Southwestern Ontario 0 0 6—Prince Edward County 1 1 TOTAL OPEN POSITIONS 14 3 Current Grower Committee members: District 1—Trevor Falk (1-yr remaining of Board term); Matthias Oppenlaender and Kevin Watson (2-yrs remaining of Board term); Don Forrer; David Lambert; Steve Pohorly; Albrecht Seeger; Erwin Wiens District 2—Bill Schenk (2-yrs remaining of Board term); George Wiley; Terry Yungblut District 3—Bill George Jr. (2-yrs remaining of Board term); Glen Koop; Jim Morrison; Martin Schuele; Roger Vail; Tom Wiley District 4—Steve Fernick (1-yr remaining of Board term); Harold Ferrier District 5—Bill Jansenberger (1-yr remaining of Board term) District 6—Debra Marshall Grape Growers of Ontario P.O. Box 100, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0 Phone: 905-688-0990 Fax: 905-688-3211 www.grapegrowersofontario.com Volume 1 - January/February 2011 Page 4 Savvy Farmer Canadian farmers now have a powerful new tool to help in- crease their bottom line. When it comes to saving money on the farm, innovation is key. An innovative, web-based technology has recently been launched to help farmers save money in an area where significant costs are incurred every year. Developed specifically for farmers, Savvy Farmer is an unbiased web-based information warehouse created to help farmers save money on pest control. Its database includes every registered treatment for every agricultural crop grown in Canada (over 3 million treatments in total). Each treatment is individually priced and includes important application hints, which will save growers time and money. 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