Interius Farms, a company that brings vertical farming technology to greenhouses, won the 2024 University of Guelph Agri-Tech Pitch Competition. The company was one of five selected to pitch their technology to a panel of three investors and experts. The winner was awarded $10,000. Why it matters: Agri-tech pitch competitions give start-up companies the chance […] Read more
Tag Archives greenhouses
Merging greenhouse and vertical farm advantages innovations
Interius Farms won the 2024 University of Guelph pitch competition
Innovation centre fills greenhouse industry R&D gaps
Centre for Horticultural Innovation aims to expand greenhouse vegetable production in Ontario
Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are the greenhouse crops for which Ontario is probably best known. The province is home to North America’s largest vegetable greenhouse cluster with more than 3,900 acres under glass, and the industry is always searching for new crops and newer, better ways to grow them. Why it matters: The hunt is […] Read more
Greenhouse expansion a costly prospect for local government
Southwest municipalities frustrated at lack of provincial support, seek alternative infrastructure funding
Citing the pressure that large-scale greenhouse developments place on water, wastewater and other services, Chatham-Kent and the Municipality of Lakeshore in Essex County want greenhouse operators to pay more for new builds. In Chatham-Kent, a March municipal council decision increased water and wastewater development charges for new greenhouses, a move the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers […] Read more
Major strawberry plant producer changes hands
New owners get funding to buy Lareault business
The Quebec company billed as Canada’s largest producer of strawberry plants has picked up new ownership after nearly 70 years. Production Lareault, based on just over 450 acres at Lavaltrie, Que. — about 40 km northeast of Montreal, in the province’s Lanaudiere region — has been acquired by investors Antoine Casimir and Andrea Borodenko for […] Read more
Internal dispute over privilege, bullying allegations ties up C-234
New amendment to farm fuel bill now under debate
A proposed amendment, and a dispute over senatorial behaviour, further geared down progress Tuesday of a federal private member’s bill to carve out a carbon tax exemption for grain drying and heating of barns and greenhouses. Bill C-234, which passed the House of Commons in late March, remained on the Senate’s order paper for debate […] Read more
Anti-viral technologies can reduce pathogen transmission in the greenhouse
Pandemic battle to reduce COVID transmission gave researchers a unique opportunity to study anti-viral potential in tomatoes
Three new anti-viral technologies could help prevent the transmission of both COVID-19 and a plant virus that affects tomatoes in commercial greenhouses. That’s according to a recent Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) research project to refine and apply technologies used in other industries to greenhouses to test their effectiveness at inhibiting virus transmission. The project […] Read more
Potato industry looking to diversify mini-tuber production
With closure of SPUD Unit, industry considers options
A well-known Ontario potato breeder is looking to enlist participants in the production of potato minitubers. Peter VanderZaag, a potato breeder with Sunrise Potato in Alliston, Ont., gave a presentation on minituber production at the Ontario Potato Conference March 2 in Guelph. With the impending closure of the University of Guelph’s SPUD Unit in New […] Read more
Carbon price exemption for farm gas clears Commons
Bill C-234 next headed to Senate
Legislative amendments that would exempt farmers’ eligible purchases of natural gas and propane from federal carbon pricing are now en route to Canada’s Senate. Bill C-234, a private member’s bill sponsored by Ben Lobb, the Conservative MP for the southern Ontario riding of Huron-Bruce, passed third reading for adoption in the House of Commons on […] Read more
Opinion: When investment comes to town
Leamington and Kingsville are playing catch-up when it comes to greenhouse development
The landscape surrounding Highway 77, north of Leamington, was largely open field not long ago. Within the last decade – less then seven or so years, really – virtually all of it is now under glass, plastic and steel. Yes, greenhouse developments exploded in my home area, bringing hundreds of millions, if not billions of […] Read more
How greenhouse growers can reduce energy costs
Dehumidification technology can be a useful tool to control humidity and heat loss
High humidity levels inside greenhouses are a byproduct of growing crops indoors. Left uncontrolled, humid air can reduce crop growth and result in poor quality produce, so growers have traditionally resorted to ventilation to manage the issue. While effective, this strategy also causes heat loss, which can increase a farm’s energy costs. The Ontario chapter […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
