An Ontario company with predictive crop models that can help farmers optimize when and where to spray fungicides is the only agriculture-focused innovator chosen for the 2022 Google for Startups Accelerator Canada. Ukko Agro Inc. has developed an analytics platform that alerts farmers to disease risk up to a week in advance and predicts crop […] Read more
Startup’s predictive model can help with spraying decisions
Ukko Agro Inc.’s analytics platform said to predict disease risk up to a week in advance
Fish versus farms on the Faroes
How a North Atlantic community has remained self-sufficient in agriculture for 10 centuries
In Canada and indeed in most western countries, agriculture usually struggles to be heard and understood by a largely urban public that has little idea of where their food comes from. In the Faroe Islands, a collection of 18 islands located midway between Scotland, Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic, the fight for agriculture […] Read more
Innovative land-based shrimp farm built on circular economy
German company successful due to co-locating near sewage plant
In the years leading up to the start of the pandemic, land-based shrimp farming in Ontario was gaining attention as a potentially new and growing food production sector. However, high production costs, difficulties sourcing hatchlings, and production challenges eventually combined to dash the hopes of most budding shrimp farmers in Ontario and other parts of […] Read more
Innovative tech solutions for livestock win at international competition
Automated feeding, drug administration are among the winning entries
Innovations focused on automation and artificial intelligence accounted for half of the double gold star winners at a leading international event for animal breeding this year. Organizers of SPACE, an annual livestock and poultry trade show held in France, have announced the winners of their Innov’SPACE innovation competition ahead of the three-day event’s opening day […] Read more
Improving food security in northern Ontario
Finalists named for Northern Ontario Innovation Challenge
Seven agri-food entrepreneurs from across northern Ontario have been chosen as finalists in the Northern Ontario Innovation Challenge run by Bioenterprise Canada, a national accelerator known as Canada’s food and agri-tech engine. The seven agri-businesses will showcase their innovations at a public demonstration day in September with short pitch presentations to a panel of judges […] Read more
Europe’s insect industry enters large-scale production
Sustainable insect farming to play a key role in the future of food and farming
Insects as a food source is not new in many parts of the world, but only in the last decade or so have they gained significant interest in Western countries. Europe is home to many of the world’s leading insect producers, and after about 10 years of research and development, its budding insect industry is […] Read more
Climate solutions found in genes
Making hazelnut trees more cold tolerant is one of eight genomics projects funded in the province
A research program focused on genomics was front and centre at the recent summer meeting of the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC). In 2019 the organization partnered with Ontario Genomics and Genome Canada to announce $3 million in funding for eight projects that would leverage genomics technologies in the agri-food sector. “Each of the three partners […] Read more
Network supports agricultural automation innovation
CAAIN funds ‘plant to pint’ traceability project
The first “plant to pint” commercial traceability system using blockchain technology was recently unveiled in Canada. Grain Discovery can capture every input, movement, process and touchpoint from multiple sources into a shared digital ledger that follows the barley plant from the field to its eventual appearance as beer in a pint glass. The innovative Ontario […] Read more
Accelerator supports companies in advancing sustainable innovation
Programming and commercialization services are available to eligible enterprises
Bioenterprise Canada helps Canadian start-ups and companies in the agri-food sector with sustainable innovation efforts. The Guelph-based national accelerator known as Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine recently unveiled its new sustainability initiative designed to support Canada’s drive to be a leader in food sustainability and security. At the same time, Aramark, Bayer, BASF, MNP and […] Read more
Bringing rapid genetic testing to the farm
Competition win helped Harvest Genomics bring its technology to the agriculture industry
The last two years have been a whirlwind for Harvest Genomics CEO and co-founder Chris Grainger. After his Guelph-based start-up won the University of Guelph Gryphon’s LAAIR pitch competition in 2020, the company has been on a rapid growth trajectory. Launching a business in the middle of a pandemic was not without its challenges, but […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
