Anthony B. Shaw

The Niagara Peninsula viticultural area: A climatic analysis of Canada's largest wine region

Abstract A semi-continental climate moderated by two of the Great Lakes coupled with a wide range of mesoclimates, topographies and soils are some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Niagara Peninsula viticultural area. The history of grape cultivation spans over 150 years, while that of wine production using European grape varieties dates back about 30 years. Although Vitis labrusca is still grown commercially, French–American hybrids and French European varieties are used exclusively for table wines. This study examines the topographic and climatic attributes of this cool climate wine region and provides a general comparison of growing season conditions with those of other established wine regions in Europe and North America. Generally, such factors as the growing degree days, monthly mean temperatures, precipitation and sunshine hours compare favourably with Frances Bordeaux and Burgundy regions. Nonetheless, as is typical of cooler mid-latitude continental climates, the Niagara Peninsula experiences frequent damaging temperatures in the winter, late spring and early autumn as well as year-to-year variability in growing season conditions. These characteristics together with heavy and poorly drained clay soils constitute the main limitations to viticulture.

The Emerging Cool Climate Wine Regions of Eastern Canada

Described as marginal, cold winters and a short growing season pose the greatest challenges to growers and winemakers in the provinces of Nova Scotia and Quebec, Canada. In areas with suitable mesoclimates, and topographies, growers have mostly planted well‐adapted cold‐hardy hybrids. However, large‐scale production of the cold‐sensitive Vitis vinifera varieties demanded by consumers will depend greatly on their surviving the extremes of winter and reaching maturity in the short, cool growing season.

Climate Change and the Potential Use of Weather Derivatives to Hedge Vineyard Harvest Rainfall Risk in the Niagara Region

The widespread recognition of current and impending climate change has led to the examination of possible impacts and potential adaptation strategies to deal with the prediction of increased variability of weather. Viticulture in particular faces a myriad of weather-related risks that could increase significantly with climate change. In addition to changes in agricultural practices, the use of financial solutions must also be sought in order to deal with the impending economic risks. Weather derivative contracts are a growing market that provide for the hedging of many of the financial risks due to weather. Although their use is widespread and increasing, their adoption by the agricultural sector, including viticulture, has been relatively slow. Using the Niagara region of Canada, we provide an example of how a weather contract can be designed to hedge the financial risk of a critical weather-risk factor common in viticulture, that of excessive rainfall during the harvest season. The variability of rainfall in the Northern Hemisphere has been predicted to increase with climate change and if weather-related risks intensify, weather contracts could prove to be useful tools for the viticulture industry.

Approaches to agricultural technology adoption and consequences of adoption in the third world: a critical review

Abstract There is a large body of literature spanning many disciplines on the adoption of agricultural innovations in the Third World. Each discipline has identified its own set of factors which are concerned with particular aspects of the adoption—diffusion process. However, seldom are these findings consolidated so that clear perspective exists for policy makers and development specialists. In this paper, studies from a wide cross-section of disciplines have been grouped under four areas and are critically examined. Variations in adoption are linked to a combination of on and off farm factors which vary in importance depending on the socio-economic and institutional contexts in which the farmers operate. Widespread adoption occurs when opportunities are equally available and farmers are provided with the means to take advantage of them.

CONSTRAINTS ON AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION ADOPTION

Prototypes of Green Revolution varieties of rice have diffused widely but unevenly in major rice-producing regions of Guyana since imported strains were first introduced in the late 1960s as part of Guyanas rice modernization program. This paper examined the relative importance of the socioeconomic characteristics of rice farmers and access to information vis-a-vis structural and institutional factors on the adoption of new high-yielding varieties of rice. Analysis of farm level data revealed that the latter set of factors provided a more satisfactory explanation of adoption pattern. Four principal but inter-related factors were of particular importance: frequency of crop failures (quality of water control), amount of purchased inputs, access to machinery, and access to drainage and irrigation canals. Where physical infrastructure was selectively mandated by government there appeared to be a clear relationship between risk levels and adoption. High-yielding hybrids were perceived as the best investment in irrigated areas where risk levels were minimized by a more effective system of drainage and irrigation.

Pelee Island and Lake Erie North Shore, Ontario: a climatic analysis of Canada's Warmest wine Region

The longest growing season and the highest number of heat units are the two primary characteristics distinguishing Pelee Island and Lake Erie North Shore from the other wine regions of Canada. Nonetheless, frequent damaging temperatures in winter are still the chief limitation to the production of Vitis vinifera varieties. So far, scrupulous site and cultivar selection has enabled growers to reduce the possibility of major freeze damage, enabling the production of wines of quality and distinction. This, together with the willingness of the growers and wine makers to adopt new vineyard and winery technology, makes the future of wine production in these areas highly promising.

Hedging Adverse Bioclimatic Conditions Employing a Short Condor Position

Weather derivatives are a relatively new form of financial security, providing firms with the ability to hedge the impact of weather related risks to their activities. Participants in the energy industry have employed standardized temperature contracts trading on organized exchanges since 1999, and the availability and use of non-standardized contracts designed for specialized weather related risks is growing dramatically. The primary goal of this paper is to consider the potential design and use of a weather contract to hedge the risks faced in viticulture as measured by bioclimatic indices. Specifically we examine the Winkler and Huglin bioclimatic indices over a 43 year period for the Niagara region of Ontario, Canadas largest wine producing region, and identify a mixed jump diffusion stochastic process for cumulative growing season index values. We then employ Monte Carlo simulation to derive a range of benchmark prices for a “short condor” contract employing the Huglin index as the underlying variable. The results show that valuable hedging opportunities can be provided by such contracts. (JEL Classification: G13, G32, Q14, Q51, Q54)

A Climatic Assessment of the Niagara Peninsula Viticulture Area of Ontario for the Application of Wind Machines

Recurrent risk of freeze injury to Vitis vinifera vines limits the production to only a few favoured areas of the Niagara Region of southern Ontario. This study examined the characteristics of the inversions that would allow use of wind machines when freezing temperatures were exacerbated under clear calm conditions. The characteristics of the inversions were determined from the temperature data obtained from eight 18.3 m high towers that were established at representative vineyards in the main grape growing area of the region. As a minimum requirement for freeze protection, the temperature at the 18.3 m level was expected to be at least 2°C warmer than the cold air layer at the canopy level.

Ecologically Sustainable Development: A Caribbean Fisheries Case Study

ABSTRACT Self-sufficiency in fish production has been an elusive goal of many Eastern Caribbean nations despite decades of fishery development. The thrust and the outcome of fishery development strategies have been quite different in Barbados and Jamaica and have resulted in the orientation of effort to different fish resource types. Barbados has a major offshore fleet while Jamaica has a large reef fishery but no offshore fleet. An analysis of these fisheries is used to develop a broad concept of development incorporating a range of concerns, from the long-term sustainability of the resource base (the sustainable development approach), to the socioeconomic development of the fishermen.

METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DAILY MAXIMUM GROUND-LEVEL OZONE FOR THE NIAGARA REGION

Ground-level ozone has become a problem of major concern in urban airsheds in Canada, owing to its adverse effects on humans and crops. As a secondary pollutant, its formation is dependent on the presence of certain precursor gases in conjunction with appropriate meteorological conditions. Several studies have examined the relationship between maximum concentrations and key meteorological variables at the regional scale during episodic conditions. This study sought to understand this relationship at the local scale using surface and upper-air meteorological data for the Niagara Region. In the methodological approach, factor analysis and linear regression methods were used to determine the best combination of variables that would explain the highest percentage of variance in daily maximum ground-level ozone associated with different event categories. Each event category had a combination of unique meteorological characteristics. Factor analysis yielded seven factors that together constituted 20 of the orig...