A Calgary-based start-up is about to start trials on an innovation for food processing facilities it says can prevent foreign material contamination of food products. E.O.I Technologies is preparing to launch a pilot project with a major poultry processor in the southern United States that focuses on large-scale, remote monitoring and predictive analytics of conveyor […] Read more
Sensor technology could prevent foreign material contamination in processing plants
Contamination is detected from a distance away from the assembly line, avoiding extra cleaning and processes
Growth opportunities coming for oats
The crop has become a leading alternative to cow’s milk in beverages
Oats have long had a reputation as a heart-healthy cereal, but the plant-based eating trend is creating new opportunities for this crop. That includes oat-based dairy alternatives, in particular oat beverages. Nielsen data shows an almost 250 per cent increase in Canadian oat beverage sales over the last two years, and in the U.S., oat […] Read more
Livestock research evolves under COVID-19
University of Guelph research in livestock is an essential service
Livestock research is moving quickly to adjust to the COVID-19 reality. The disease also means new research opportunities at the University of Guelph. Most active livestock research at the university falls into three categories: shut down, scale back, or continuing/new, said Ontario Agriculture College Dean Dr. Rene Van Acker. “We aren’t closed as we fall […] Read more
Ontario company creates solution for COVID-19 monitoring
Farm biosecurity and traceability systems could monitor worker movement and reduce shutdowns
A Guelph start-up has developed a tool to help in the fight against COVID-19 using technology from two of its smart livestock monitoring applications. Virtual Studios founder Joel Sotomayor says their Tactical Response Against COVID-19 Epidemic (TRACE) solution can help maintain essential services and reduce disease spread by letting employers locate and isolate COVID-19 on […] Read more
A helping hand for agriculture and food start-ups
The RH Accelerator aims to provide mentorship and to help fund new agriculture businesses
Throughout his career, Joe Dales has had a passion for innovation, agriculture and bringing new tools to farmers. He caught the entrepreneurial bug in the early days of the internet, creating what today is Farms.com. Now he’s putting his network and years of experience to work helping early stage entrepreneurs get their ideas off the […] Read more
Guelph students ‘hack the farm’ for innovative solutions
Students tackled agricultural issues ranging from improved food packaging to better crop yield predictions
An idea for better waste water management at a local brewery won top honours in the third annual Improve Life Challenge Hackathon at the University of Guelph on March 6. The theme for this year’s day-long event was Hack the Farm in a Climate of Change where teams of students worked with community partners to […] Read more
Plant growth boosted with water-based carbon dioxide
The Canadian system allows hoop-structure growers to use carbon dioxide as a growth enhancer
An Ontario company has patented technology to dissolve carbon dioxide into water and apply it to plants to make them grow faster while also reducing disease problems. Toronto-based CO2 GRO launched early in 2018 and has sold systems to growers of crops like lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, cannabis and microgreens. Although many greenhouse growers are already […] Read more
Raising the bar on soil testing
SoilOptix maps show soil’s chemical and physical properties
A southwestern Ontario company has developed technology that goes far beyond traditional soil sampling to help growers make better soil management decisions. Tavistock-based SoilOptix’s system delivers high resolution top soil maps that detail in-field variability of soil’s chemical and physical properties. Why it matters: Rising costs and tight margins combined with growing societal pressure around […] Read more
Mushroom waste shown to provide extended food and drink shelf life
Canadian company is using a part of the mushroom that often is discarded, creating value for mushroom growers
A waste product from the mushroom industry is being put to use as a natural shelf-life extender for processed food products. New Brunswick-based food technology company Chinova Bioworks is using a dietary fibre and antioxidant extracted from white button mushrooms called chitosan to produce its trademarked product, Chiber. Why it matters: The stem of the […] Read more
Making better spraying decisions with low-cost, early fungal disease detection
Spornado is being tested across Canada, especially in higher value vegetable crops
It was a call from a client looking for a low-tech method for early detection of a fungal disease in potatoes that charted a new course for Toronto microbiology lab Sporometrics. The resulting innovation, Spornado Sampler, has been called the first reliable, early alert system for fungal crop diseases that’s available to farmers at an […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
