Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is gathering information about the vertical farming industry that will help inform their strategy to support the safe and effective use of pest control products in commercial vertical farming facilities. There are currently no pest control products registered for use in vertical farming operations in Canada. “The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain a snapshot of the vertical farming industry that will help inform the PMRA’s strategy to support the safe and effective use of pest control products in commercial vertical farming facil ..read more

Canada’s federal government has launched the new Canadian Internal Trade Data and Information Hub, which is designed to provide growers with open and accessible pan-Canadian data on the agriculture sector. Information contained on the Hub includes the movement of goods and services and interprovincial labour mobility. The interactive data platform includes user friendly tools, graphics, and visualizations to provide insights across the Canadian economy and better assess opportunities to strengthen internal trade, federal officials said. The Hub also has information on the nation’s energy and t ..read more

Flowers may look delicate – but flowering plants, what scientists call angiosperms, are one of the most successful evolutionary organisms on the planet. Including more than 350,000 known species, they dominate the ecological system, shape food webs and play a vital role in oxygen production. Plus, many of them are valuable commercial crops – think of roses, grains and tomatoes. Have you ever wondered when flowers first evolved, and what has been unfolding over millions of years of evolution to cultivate these beautiful species? Recent research is bringing new insights to this longstanding deba ..read more

Canada’s food and beverage manufacturers face a mix of obstacles and optimism for profit margin improvements in the year ahead, according to the latest FCC Food and Beverage Report. Released by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), the report says that, after hitting a record $165 billion in food and beverage manufacturing sales last year, 2024 is expected to see sales moderate in sync with slowing inflation and tighter household budgets. But despite sector-specific headwinds and changing consumer shopping habits, FCC says, the overall outlook is more positive, with population growth and stabilizing input ..read more

Following a three-year competition, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has announced Vancouver-based Ecoation Innovative Solutions Inc. as the winner of the Deep Space Food Challenge. As the Canadian grand prize winner, Ecoation will receive $380,000 for their CANGrow modular indoor food production system, which is designed to operate in remote environments like outer space and northern regions. “CANGrow uses an innovative approach to producing a diverse range of fresh foods, including strawberries, cherry tomatoes, mycelial meat substitute, etc.,” CSA officials said. “With the potential to gener ..read more

The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), has produced a number of videos demonstrating important greenhouse integrated pest management (IPM) practices, including a short video on the successful use of biocontrol agents in greenhouses. IPM is a way to control insects without relying solely on pesticides. It uses long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, change of cultural practices, and uses resistant plant varieties. “These ..read more

The Canadian government has approved funds for projects Under the Enhancing Automation in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Farming Challenge. Under the Enhancing Automation in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Farming Challenge, projects include: Exonetik Inc. – Developing a robotic arm to work alongside humans to harvest fruits and vegetables. Mycionics Inc. – Developing a robotic mushroom harvester, packer and harvester lift. Kinova Inc. – Developing a robotic arm to pick, harvest and de-leaf cucumbers and strawberries. “At Exonetik, our team is developing solutions that wil ..read more

Murray Driediger, the president and CEO of BC Fresh Vegetables Inc., has been named the 2024 Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. The award recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to the fresh produce industry. “[Driediger’s] achievements and contributions to the produce supply chain make him one of the renowned key industry leaders in Canada,” CPMA officials said in an April 4 news release. Driediger’s career spans over 40 years, and started at his family’s business, Driediger Bros. Farms Ltd., in 1979, where he worked as the ma ..read more

Growers in Ontario continue to struggle with Thrips parvispinus on tropical crops like mandevilla, anthurium and schefflera. Unfortunately, reports out of Europe also indicate this invasive pest species can also attack poinsettia. Read on for what you need to watch out for, and potential management strategies. The Issue Although poinsettia (Euphorbiae pulcherrima) have not previously been reported as a host plant for Thrips parvipsinus (see https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lsolab/thrips/thrips-parvispinus/ for all reported hosts), a grower in Europe was kind enough to reach out to me and send picture ..read more

Dr. Asim Biswas. Photo Credit: University of Guelph Dr. Asim Biswas, a professor in the School of Environmental Sciences within the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College, has been awarded the 2023 Steacie Prize, one of Canada’s most prestigious awards for researchers 40 years old or younger. The award is named in memory of E.W.R. Steacie, a physical chemist and former president of the National Research Council of Canada. A soil science expert, Biswas aims to increase agricultural production while improving environmental sustainability. “It could take up to 1,000 years for an in ..read more