In late March, under sunny California skies, plant breeders from across the globe showcased some of their latest and long-standing cultivars and varieties. Visitors of the 2024 California Spring Trials were treated to many breathtaking breakthroughs and innovative improvements but one of the big themes at this year’s CAST was the continued push to make things easier for growers. Whether it was by reducing the need for specific inputs or improving a crop’s uniformity or even adding colours to a series in response to grower feedback, it was evident that growers’ needs, and bottom lines, were top ..read more

Canada will soon have new Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on May 24 the appointment of Lawrence Hanson as Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, effective June 3, 2024. Hanson is currently Associate Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Previously, he served in several Assistant Deputy Minister roles, including Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy at Transport Canada, Assistant Deputy Minister of Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications Sector and then of Science and Innovation (both at Innovation, Scienc ..read more

Food producers in Nova Scotia who are looking to expand their product line or improve their processing can now access funding from the 2024-25 Value-Adding Equipment Program. Value-added refers to the addition of ingredients or processes to produce higher-valued food products or improve the way a food product is made. Funding will be available to agricultural food processing businesses doing value-added processing on-site. The Value-Adding Equipment Program is designed to help build capacity, competitiveness and growth in the Nova Scotia agriculture sector by providing funding to adopt new and ..read more

Rising food costs are squeezing Canadians around the country. Nearly everyone is feeling the pinch, and it’s not just an inconvenience — high food prices are a major threat to food security for many Canadians. Understanding why food prices are so high and why they are changing is critical to the well-being of our society. Unfortunately, consensus on why food price are so high is in short supply. Explanations given in reports like Canada’s Food Price Report and the news media range widely, from the war in Ukraine to supply chain issues to the carbon tax. Each year it seems the key drivers chang ..read more

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and the Regina Food Bank (RFB) are partnering to fight food insecurity and advance indoor agriculture in Saskatchewan. Thanks to a $250,000 contribution from FCC, the RFB will have a modular produce growing container at its Winnipeg Street location in Regina. According to a news release, the container is 42-feet in length with four growing racks that can support shallow-root produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, and strawberries. The container has the potential to yield up to 600 heads of lettuce per week, the release continued, which will allow the RFB to have a steady s ..read more

In a deal that expands its greenhouse footprint, Kingsville, Ont.-based fruit and vegetable grower Mucci Farms has acquired grower partner Hacienda North Farms, a 160-acre greenhouse facility located in Coatsworth, Ont. The financial terms of the deal have not been announced. Hacienda North Farms specializes in growing bell peppers for the Canadian and U.S. markets. In addition to its greenhouse facility, the acquisition also includes a land bank spanning 120 acres that can be used for future expansion and innovation. “Working directly with Hacienda Farms for several years has given us insight ..read more

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) has appointed George Pitsikoulis as 2024-2025 CPMA chair. The appointment was made during a board meeting held concurrently with the 2024 CPMA Convention and Trade Show in Vancouver. According to CPMA officials, Pitsikoulis brings to this role “comprehensive knowledge and experience,” having worked in the industry for more than four decades. He is currently the president and CEO of Canadawide Fruit Wholesalers Inc., a role he has held since the early2000s. He has also served on several boards, including the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolutio ..read more

A $650,000 donation to Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), in Surrey, B.C., will support student success in horticulture and sustainable agriculture programs in the Faculty of Science. The donation from the estate of Evelyn Oberg will be invested in an endowment fund, providing annually 15 awards of $2,000 to students in financial need. “This is a transformational gift,” said Randall Heidt, CEO of the KPU Foundation. “We are just so grateful to Evelyn Oberg for her incredible investment in these students, who will help define and shape horticulture and sustainable agriculture practices now ..read more

Vertical farms look hi-tech and sophisticated, but the premise is simple – plants are grown without soil, with their roots in a solution containing nutrients. This innovative approach to agriculture is growing in global market value and expected to reach US$23.23 billion (£18.55 billion) by 2029. Typically, this soilless cultivation happens in huge greenhouses or warehouses, with plants stacked high on rows and rows of shelves. Parameters such as lighting, temperature and humidity can be controlled by computer systems, so vertical farming is sometimes called controlled environment agriculture ..read more

Canadian medical cannabis company Aurora Cannabis Inc. is now offering its branded products to the New Zealand market. In a May 8 news release, company officials said the new line of premium dried flowers represents “a significant milestone in medical cannabis accessibility in New Zealand,” an emerging market poised for growth. The initial product portfolio includes cultivars grown exclusively by Aurora, with each strain being bred and cultivated to address a variety of patient needs. “As a global leader in medical cannabis, Aurora is proud to be at the forefront of advancing patient access in ..read more