The provincial and federal government are spending $330,000 to support research projects that increase capacity and productivity in the horticultural sector at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC).
Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the funding for each project will be used to purchase specialized equipment to improve the research capabilities that will benefit Ontario’s greenhouse sector. The research will focus on improving harvesting and storage practices, as well as inventory tracking and improvements to biosecurity and COVID-19 protocols.
“Supporting new technology solutions like those developed at Vineland will help keep Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector on the cutting edge,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Our farmers and food businesses are leading our country on the road to recovery, and our Government will continue investing in the support they need to grow and succeed.”
At the provincial level, Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs, said, “Agri-food research leads to exciting new products and practices while increasing efficiency and competitiveness across the sector. Our government is investing in agri-food research as part of our commitment to prosperous, competitive and sustainable agriculture in Ontario.”
In addition to these research projects, VRIC will also study urban planting initiatives that will identify the best varieties of trees to plant for urban environments and streetscapes. This research aims to develop best practices for municipalities pursuing urban tree initiatives.
Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed cost-share support to more than 4,400 projects through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to help eligible Ontario farmers, food processors, agri-food businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow.