Introduction

Non-traditional crops are often low acreage, niche crops. These include culinary and medicinal herbs, and plants for industrial uses such as fibre hemp.

A non-traditional crop may be new to a region or simply new to the grower. For many producers, non-traditional crops are a means of adapting to changing trends in agriculture and demographics.

Ontario is home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in North America. This diversity offers great market opportunities for locally grown, non-traditional crops.

The first step in deciding whether to grow a non-traditional crop is to build a comprehensive business case. It provides growers with the opportunity to consider all aspects of non-traditional crop production, including:

  • the agronomics of growing the crop
  • potential food safety and regulatory issues
  • marketing
  • potential benefits and risks

Experience gained producing conventional crops may not necessarily translate directly to producing non-traditional crops. It is important to do detailed research before planting any new crop. This page outlines key points to consider when deciding whether to grow a non-traditional crop.

The crop

Planting material

Ensure the crop is legal to import, export and grow. Regulations may prohibit the import or cultivation of certain crops such as endangered species, noxious weeds or invasive plants. For example, under the Endangered Species Act, 2007, it may be illegal to produce a species listed as endangered or threatened. Ginseng, butternut and goldenseal are some of the species listed under the Act, and these have specific restrictions on their production. Other crops like hemp and tobacco require permits or licenses to be legally grown. Growers are responsible for knowing the laws governing production of any non-traditional crop.

Consider how the crop is established (seeds, transplants and more), and the availability of planting material. Some warm climate crops (such as specialty melons) may need to be started as transplants in order to reach maturity within Ontario's growing season. Other crops (such as Chinese flowering cabbage) may not develop properly if grown from transplants.

Also, consider the availability of seeds or transplants and the source of the material. If seeds or transplants come from outside Canada, an import permit and inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency may be required. A trustworthy and reputable supplier will provide planting material that is the desired variety (free of diseases, insects and viruses) and, if applicable, properly certified (such as organic or virus-free).

Growing environment

Many non-traditional crops originate in southern climates, so it is important to consider whether field or greenhouse cultivation is most appropriate. Greenhouse production may be required for crops that do not mature within Ontario's growing season, or to increase crop quality and potentially decrease pest pressure.

However, some non-traditional crops may not be profitable enough to justify the added expense of greenhouse production, making field cultivation the only economical production choice. For these crops, ensure the production area has the necessary soil type and growing conditions to produce a marketable crop.

Agronomic requirements

Research the agronomic requirements (soil type, fertility and irrigation) of any non-traditional crop. For some non-traditional crops, these requirements are well-established in other geographic areas and can be obtained from publications, growers or extension personnel in these areas. For some non-traditional crops, agronomic requirements from other locations may be easily adapted to existing operations used for conventional crops in Ontario, particularly if the growing environment is similar. It may also be possible to adapt the agronomic requirements of a related crop currently grown in Ontario. In some cases, on-farm experimentation will be needed to determine these requirements. This could affect crop yield and quality for the first few years while production practices are perfected.

Individual non-traditional crops may need the development of novel crop rotation strategies to reduce pest populations and improve overall soil health. Also, planting and harvesting schedules, and labour requirements should be considered to ensure the non-traditional crop fits into ongoing farming practices.

Multiple plantings per season may be possible for such crops as herbs and leafy vegetables. This provides greater flexibility, particularly if scheduling a continuous harvest. Harvest scheduling can be complicated and requires familiarity with crop growth and market demands.

Many non-traditional crops require specialized planting, tillage and harvesting equipment, which need to be factored into the cost of production analysis.

Pest control

Few registered chemicals and biological controls exist for many non-traditional crops. Adopt cultural practices to minimize or overcome production challenges.

Plant pests are rarely found in the initial years of new crop production but emerge later as the acreage increases. However, if you are considering a non-traditional crop that is closely related to a crop currently grown in Ontario (for example, in the same family of plants), research the existing pest complex, since these may also attack the new crop. For example, Indian tinda, a member of the cucurbit family, may be attacked by insects and diseases that attack cucumbers and melons in Ontario.

One of the biggest production challenges is weed control. Non-chemical weed management options (such as hand weeding) are important, since there may be few registered herbicides available.

With most non-traditional crops, preventative tactics to minimize pest problems is critical, since there may be few options once damaging populations appear. These tactics include:

  • appropriate crop rotations
  • use of pest-resistant varieties
  • vigilant field sanitation and management of crop residues
  • use of high quality, certified disease-free seed (where available)
  • intercropping, varying planting dates and densities, tillage and use of trap strips/plots

Careful monitoring and record-keeping helps detect pests before they reach damaging levels. They also provide valuable information on which pests may cause problems in future production years.

Post-harvest requirements

The extent of post-harvest handling depends on the demands of the market. Some crops are sold fresh while others require processing. There may be other regulations for food processing, such as facility requirements to meet food safety laws and labelling. In some cases, additional value-added processing (such as peeling or chopping), may increase profit.

Another consideration is crop storage. Determine whether specialized storage facilities are required and how long the crop can be stored. A short shelf life may provide a competitive advantage if the crop cannot be imported at a high quality. In contrast, a crop that can be stored allows you to spread out market delivery and minimize risk due to fluctuating market prices.

Marketing

Plan and validate market demand before planting. Selling any crop is challenging. It is important to develop a well-defined marketing strategy that clearly describes all steps leading to final sales.

Marketing consists of strategic decisions that affect customer perceptions. Marketing decisions include:

  • product (including labelling and packaging)
  • place/distribution
  • promotion
  • pricing

Key areas to research include:

  • features and benefits of the product
  • who is most likely to buy the product
  • how many possible buyers exist
  • the volume of product that is needed
  • whether the market is seasonal or year-round
  • the best way to reach the target buyers
  • competing products and companies
  • stability of consumer demand
  • expected price
  • the lowest price that is still profitable
  • expected sales

Marketing opportunities

The marketing opportunities for Ontario growers include food retailing and foodservice.

Retailing

Ontario is home to over 12,000 food retailers including:

  • convenience stores
  • grocery stores
  • warehouse clubs
  • drugstores
  • websites selling food items
  • roadside stands
  • farmers’ markets

For information on selling non-traditional crops directly from the farm through a roadside stand, farm store or pick-your-own operation, contact the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association. For information on selling at farmers' markets, contact local market operators or visit the Farmers' Markets Ontario website.

Foodservice

There are more than 30,000 foodservice outlets in Ontario, including:

  • bakeries
  • caterers
  • cafés
  • vending trucks
  • chip trucks
  • home delivery services
  • hospitals
  • schools
  • prisons
  • establishments run by contract caterers (including employee cafeterias)

These outlets may be seasonal or year-round. One way to reach some of these outlets is through the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto.

Choosing a target

Identify and talk to potential buyers prior to planting as this could lead to sales contracts. If the plan is to target large numbers of Ontario consumers, contact Ontario's 3 major chain grocers (who sell more than 75% of Ontario's groceries). Each chain has a produce buyer who will provide specific information on:

  • insurance
  • labelling
  • farm practices/audits
  • packaging requirements

It is prudent to identify these in advance.

It is possible to sell directly to a distributor that specializes in reselling to food retail and foodservice. Organizations such as the Ontario Food Terminal and companies specializing in foodservice can reach a significant number of outlets.

If a retail or foodservice outlet already sells to the target consumer, it will be helpful to identify the distributor for that outlet. Having the non-traditional product available to the distributor can help to increase sales.

Targeting multiple markets helps reduce risk when trying to sell the crop. If only a single market exists, consider its stability and develop a contingency plan in the event this market changes over time or disappears altogether.

Labelling requirements

Be aware of any labelling requirements and the additional expense this may entail. Labels need to follow all applicable acts and regulations (provincial and federal).

Targeting specific consumers

Learn how to increase target consumer awareness, as this can help sales. Simple strategies such as advertising in magazines read by the target grocery shoppers, or painting a market stand in colours that are recognizable to your consumer group (such as the colours of their national flag) boost sales.

Ensure the crop variety chosen meets the demands of the desired market. For example, there are numerous varieties of eggplant, each with different characteristics. Many varieties are unique and preferred by specific ethnic groups.

For non-traditional crops, understanding the target market and making sure there is sufficient consumer demand is critical to success. Due to their low production acreage, there is often a fine balance between supply and demand for many non-traditional crops. Determine the minimum acreage needed to break into the market due to the need to gain experience with the crop prior to investing in substantial acreage. Additional production of any new crop may cause an oversupply that would lower the sale price, particularly if the market is small.

Consider how changes in market supply affect the price of the crop and ensure the business plan reflects a range of crop prices. Competitiveness can be affected by factors such as product freshness, quality and proximity to market.

Risk management

Understand what options are available in the event of crop failure. Crop insurance may not be available for low acreage, non-traditional crops. Consider diversifying by growing multiple crops to reduce the impact of losing one.

The financial risk of crop failure also increases the longer a crop takes to mature. For example, losing 1 of 4 plantings of a culinary herb would have less impact than losing a plantation of tree nuts that takes 15 years to reach full production.