A $7.2 million investment in Ontario-led research and innovation will increase agriculture and food sector competitiveness.
The funding is through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaborative effort between the province, Agriculture Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO) and the University of Guelph.
“Through this investment, we are helping to create an environment where farmers and agri-businesses can leverage the latest research advancements, products and innovations,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA). “This will strengthen their operations and position the entire agriculture and food sector for growth and economic success.”
Why it matters: OMAFA has several ambitious goals for the industry, and research and innovation play a critical role in achieving them.
The 44 approved projects focused on animal and plant health, the growth of sustainable and competitive production systems, environmental sustainability will happen in labs and fields across the province, including Ontario’s agri-food research centres, a network of 13 U of G-managed sites to provide state-of-the-art testing ground for agri-food research and innovators.
“The University of Guelph brings unparalleled expertise to deliver solutions for Ontario’s agri-food sector,” said Rene Van Acker, University of Guelph vice president (Research and Innovation). “With this investment, we will continue to train the next generation of agri-food leaders while supporting a safe and healthy food supply for Ontarians.”
Sustainable and competitive production systems research and innovation will delve into cost-effective carbon capture and re-use systems for sustainable farming, carbon-neutral packaging alternatives from agri-food resources to reduce single-use plastic reliance, a provincial legacy database for phosphorous and potassium research in corn and soybean and optimizing fertilizer management in winter wheat and vegetable crops.
“It is innovative research like this that positions the agri-food industry to stay on the cutting edge of best production practices and implement new technologies and techniques that will increase the competitiveness and sustainability of the agri-food sector,” said Lorne Hepworth, ARIO chair.
Project examples include:
Developing a harvesting robot for tomato greenhouses; and automation and autonomy for growing strawberry in greenhouses – Dr. Medhat Moussa, School of Engineering
Enabling responsible AI-driven agri-food innovation in Ontario – Dr. Ataharul Chowdhury, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development
Microplastic-free green composites as single-use plastic alternatives – Dr. Amar Mohanty, Department of Plant Agriculture
Dietary supplementation to improve growth and genetics of rainbow trout – Dr. David Huyben, Department of Animal Biosciences
Low-cost bio-graphene made from agricultural residues for electric batteries – Dr. Manjusri Misra, School of Engineering
Progressing towards dairy calves resilient to heat stress – Dr. Trevor DeVries, Department of Animal Biosciences
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