1. IPM Workshops are here!

There is still room to register for the upcoming IPM workshops.

• Tuesday, February 27 (8:30 a.m. to noon): Hampton Community Hall, Hampton (North of Bowmanville). Sponsored by Kobes Nurseries
• Wednesday, February 28 (8:30 a.m. to noon): Bethany Community Church, St. Catharines. Sponsored by J.C. Bakker & Sons
• Thursday, February 29 (8:30 a.m. to noon): Copetown Community Centre, Dundas. Sponsored by NVK Nurseries

The IPM workshops will feature presentations from Cassie Russell (OMAFRA’s Nursery and Landscape Specialist) on vexing pests of 2023, Katie Goldenhar (OMAFRA’s pathologist) who will provide a refresher on disease diagnosing skills, Ree Laforet (Sheridan Nurseries) to talk about Sheridan’s experience utilizing biological controls in the nursery and Mike Short (Eco Habitat Agri Services, consulting) to discuss natural enemies and biological control. Note: each of these half day workshops will all have the same material presented. These free workshops are in-person only. Meals are not included. Register here.

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2. Nursery Scout Program 2024

Time to sign up for a scout! Cost will be approximately $4,000 for weekly scouting (16 weeks), and $2,000 for every other week (eight weeks). We only have capacity for up to four-weekly or eight-fortnightly farms with the scout, and we are limiting the program to farms within a two hour radius drive from Guelph to ensure the scout has sufficient time at the farms and for the post-visit reporting. Contact Jeanine at jwest@landscapeontario.com if you’re interested before March 15.

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3. Invasive Species Update

On January 1, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) regulated additional plants under the Invasive Species Act. While most of the plants are not grown by our members, please note that none of the following may be propagated or traded in Ontario (including the entire genus where no species is indicated):

• Flowering-rush (Butomus umbellatus)
• Eurasian Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
• African Oxygen Weed (Lagarosiphon major)
• Floating Primrose-willow (Ludwigia peploides)
• Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
• Water ferns (Genus Azolla)
• Water mosses (Genus Salvinia)

More information on each of these regulated plants was presented at the Growers Short Course (an excerpt can be found here) and on the MNRF website.

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4. Nursery Growers Short Course recap

We had a jam-packed room on February 7. Read Cassie’s summary. We are in the process of securing a larger venue for 2025.

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5. New federal “Forced Labour in Canadian Supply Chains” obligations

Businesses meeting two or more of the following criteria MUST report to the Minister of Public Safety by May 31 of each year to detail the steps taken in the prior year to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used by them or in their supply chains:

• $20 million or more in assets
• $40 million or more in revenue
• An average of 250 or more employees

More information can be obtained from the government website.

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6. CNLA Update

BTM Consultation:
CFIA’s consultation on expanding the regulated area for BTM (RMD-23-05) beyond Ontario has now closed. Option 2 (regulate all provinces east of Ontario) was recommended by both CNLA and LO. See attached for the submissions from both associations. We hope to have an answer before the end of March, but the change to Directive D-22-04 depends on the Federal Minister of Agriculture (from P.E.I.) agreeing to the recommendation. Plan to renew your Preventative Control Plan/Pest Module just in case! In any event, maintaining the BMPs in the pest module will support our efforts to resume trade of boxwood with the U.S.

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