Ontario-based and Canadian-founded Vision Greens officially launched its lineup of Foodland Ontario certified non-GMO, pesticide-free leafy greens. The company grows lettuce varieties in a vertical farm using proprietary growing technology. It recently raised $7 million from what the company said are “investors that are purpose-driven business leaders, including members of the Canadian grocery segment focused […] Read more
Tag Archives Vegetables — page 5
Vertical farming startup Vision Greens raises $7M
Waste not: Adding value on horticultural waste
A recent study maps out how the horticulture sector can gain value from waste
Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of Canadian fruit and vegetable waste occurs before it reaches consumers, according to a recent study by the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland). One-third of that is landfilled and is considered unavoidable due to current processing and grading standards. To help the horticulture sector improve its environmental sustainability, Vineland […] Read more
Smart LED grow-lights system supports year-round pepper production
Expanding production would boost competitiveness of the Ontario greenhouse vegetable sector
Innovative lighting technology could allow Ontario vegetable greenhouses to grow peppers all year long. That’s the result of a project funded through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative (GCII), which also found that the smart LED grow lights system results in higher yields, better quality and more uniform crops. Why it matters: Year-round production of […] Read more
Demand remains strong for processing tomatoes
Ontario’s contracted acres anticipated to be at least 450,000 tonnes
Ontario’s processing tomato crop is anticipated to reflect last year, if not slightly higher, barring significant production complications. According to the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG), there also continues to be high demand for processing tomatoes worldwide. Why it matters: Demand for tomato products remains high but global supplies are tight. Tom Keller, a Leamington-area […] Read more
Biopesticides find a place within integrated pest management
They are another management tool for vegetable growers
Research is ramping up on how biopesticides fit into integrated pest and disease management in vegetable production, especially for organic operations. When managing any vegetable disease, it’s essential not to depend on conventional or biopesticides alone, said Dr. Margaret McGrath. “You want to have an integrated management program, so you’re using all your management tools,” […] Read more
Italian court upholds veto against Syngenta purchase of seed producer
Rome | Reuters — An Italian administrative court ruled that a government veto of the purchase of seed producer Verisem by Chinese-owned Syngenta was valid, the agrochemicals giant said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Mario Draghi blocked the proposed takeover in October, the second time he used the special “golden power” rules to ward off an […] Read more
Prizes put up to develop year-round berry production in Canada
Weston Foundation's new challenge backed with $33 million
A philanthropic foundation focused on improving public health now wants to improve diets by finding ways to juice up Canada’s home-grown fruit supplies. The Weston Family Foundation on Tuesday pledged $33 million over six years for what it calls the Homegrown Innovation Challenge, a prize challenge pitting ideas against ideas with the goal of extending […] Read more
Processing veg growers align with marketing act changes
OPVG updates governance, continues research investments
The subjects of policy and structural change dominated the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) first virtual annual general meeting. The March 30 session began with a general message of support from provincial agriculture minister Ernie Hardeman, in which he highlighted the provincial government’s plan to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for farm and food sector workers. Why […] Read more
Project aims to study organic value chains
Scale of operation and how it fits with organics is a key consideration
Steady growth in demand for domestic organic food is set to accelerate in the post-COVID reality, according to those who participated in the recent virtual version of the Guelph Organic Conference. A new initiative of the Canadian Organic Growers (COG), funded through the federal government, aims to facilitate bringing additional Canadian acres under organic certification. […] Read more
Organic seed synergies sustain diversity
Vegetable seed companies find growing demand during COVID
Producers and marketers of organic seed in North America set themselves apart from their conventional counterparts by sharing uniquely “synergistic” relationships, said speakers at a scaled-down, virtual version of the recent annual Guelph Organic Conference. “We’re all in this together,” said High Mowing Seeds commercial grower representative Aaron Varadi, during one of five in-depth sessions […] Read more
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