The Grower Calling The Grower

University of Guelph pomology professor Dr. John Cline has spent his research career in not only apples, but tree fruit.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the May 2024 cover story and speaking with Dr. Cline. He shares information on his most recent trials with a plant growth regulator for peaches and nectarines, that could shave 40 to 50 per cent off the time required to hand thin. That’s new technology eagerly awaited by Canadian growers with 8,600 acres of tree fruit.

The Ontario greenhouse vegetable sector, now valued at close to $2 billion in farmgate value, is facing regulatory burdens on several fronts. The federal carbon tax is one, but Chatham-Kent’s municipal development charges for water and wastewater will escalate from $179,000 per acre in 2024 to $366,000 per acre by 2029.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the April 2024 cover story and speaking with Richard Lee, Executive Director of The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. He shares how these policies are impeding continued investment in Canada as some growers are choosing to expand in the U.S. Advocacy efforts are a priority as close to 4,000 acres of production of fresh tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers contribute to Canada’s food security.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is registering dozens of biopesticides but the uptake by growers hasn’t been as robust. These new products offer suppression, not total control of insects and disease. That means a management shift in how to integrate them with conventional chemistry. There’s also a mind shift – how much faith do growers have in their management abilities to scout more often and react in a dynamic environment.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the March cover story and speaking with Brian Rideout, tender fruit and apple farmer and Crop Protection Section Chair, OFVGA. He shares his personal experiences with integrating biologicals on his farm.

As managing director of the Canadian Agrifood Policy Institute, Tyler McCann sees a need for more investment if agriculture is to meet its superpower goals in food production. That means more foresight amongst both public and private institutions and ambition to build the infrastructure that’s needed for a climate-resilient sector.

In this Digging Deeper podcast, Tyler explains that the future of automation -- adopting AI and robotics -- depends on more than just financing.

Many farmers -- and farm leaders -- are on the cusp of retirement. The Grape Growers of Ontario is planning for the future by sponsoring a Next-Generation Committee. About 15 to 30 growers, chaired by Jessica Solanki, is much more than a social group.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the January 2024 cover story and speaking with Jessica. She shares how they are developing leadership skills, advocating for ag careers and communicating about impacts of government policy on their generation.

Soil health and climate change are linked. That’s one of the emerging themes from a Senate of Canada study into the state of the nation’s soils, the building block of the agri-food industry.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the December 2023 cover story and speaking with Senator Robert Black. After a year of criss-crossing the country, talking to farmers and experts, Senator Black says that a report on soil health is expected in 2024. He’s chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.