Provincial agricultural growth committee to release report this year Thursday, February 5, 2015 by SUSAN MANNA new committee established to give Ontario Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal advice and recommendations on how the agricultural industry can double its annual growth rate and create 120,000 new jobs by 2020 is slated to release a report later this year.Leal says in an email from his press adviser the committee will deliver a report on its progress and recommendations at the 2015 Premier’s Summit on Agri-Food. The committee has already met for the first time last week and will meet again this spring.“I look forward to receiving advice from this committee as we work to support and grow the agri-food sector,” he says.The agriculture ministry named deputy minister Deb Stark and Ontario Pork chair Amy Cronin as co-chairs of the Agri-Food Growth Steering Committee.The challenge to double the agricultural industry’s growth rate and create 120,000 new jobs by 2020 was issued by Premier Kathleen Wynne in 2013.In its Feb. 3 press release, the agriculture ministry says the committee will provide advice on growth opportunities and on the development of a growth measurement system.Other members of the committee are:Ted Bilyea, president of a consulting firm and chair of the board of directors for the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.Jim Brandle, CEO of Vineland Research and Innovation.Christian von Twickel, executive vice president of Dr. Oetker Canada Inc.Norm Beal, president and CEO of Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery and executive director of Food and Beverage Ontario.Scott Graham, chair of Egg Farmers of Ontario and an egg and cash crop farmer.Jamison Steeve, executive director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity. BF Chicken just in time for the Pan Am Games Ailsa Craig lab plans to add in-house testing
Ontario Grows Most of the Nation's Celery Friday, July 24, 2026 When Canadians reach for a stalk of celery at the grocery store, there is a good chance it began its journey on an Ontario farm. While celery occupies only a small share of Canada's overall vegetable acreage, the crop continues to play an important role in the country's fresh... Read this article online
University of Guelph Receives $1 Million Gift to Advance Sustainable Materials Research and Bioeconomy Growth Friday, July 24, 2026 The University of Guelph has received a $1-million gift from The WB Family Foundation to expand research into sustainable materials and support the continued growth of Ontario's bioeconomy. The investment will support the University's Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre... Read this article online
Southco Launches R4-50 Rotary Latch with Dual Triggers for Equipment Cabs Friday, July 24, 2026 Southco has launched a new cab access solution aimed at improving safety, durability, and ease of operation in demanding environments. The company’s latest product, the R4-50 Rotary Latch with Dual Triggers, is designed specifically for agricultural and heavy-duty... Read this article online
Zucchini Harvest and Summer Squash – Ontario leads the way. Friday, July 24, 2026 Ontario has the largest field vegetable sector in Canada, with approximately 859,000tonnesof field vegetables produced in 2024, representing about 34% of total Canadian field vegetable production. Quebec was second at about 694,000tonnes. Ontario also has the largest number of field... Read this article online
Pilot project supports Ontario and Quebec ag Friday, July 24, 2026 A new two-year pilot project is designed to help livestock farmers in Quebec by giving them access to an Ontario abattoir. The project, a collaboration between the Quebec and Ontario governments, with additional support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), would see a limited... Read this article online