Greenbelt tree funding pilot underway Tuesday, October 13, 2015 by SUSAN MANNInterest among tender fruit growers in funding from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation to plant new trees will be strong, says the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers chair.The foundation announced Oct. 14 it’s providing $400,000 in funding for growers in the Niagara Region to plant up to 130,000 tender fruit tree varieties, such as peaches and pears, on 500 acres. The funding is part of a pilot project by the foundation and the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers. The foundation is providing 25 per cent of the cost of a tree or about $3.50 per fruit tree.Phil Tregunno says the growers will pay the remaining 75 per cent for each tree along with planting and the other normal costs incurred in growing trees, such as pruning and fertilizing. A tender fruit tree is about $10 to $11.Tregunno notes growers will initially be limited to a maximum of 10 acres of trees each. “We want to spread it (the funding) around to as many growers as possible.”If there are funds available and more trees need to planted “then we’ll open it up again,” he says. “We want to make sure that everybody gets a chance at the funding.”The pilot project is designed to give Greenbelt growers a financial boost, strengthen the tender fruit sector and increase prosperity in Niagara Region, the foundation’s release says. The funding will “help the industry introduce improved and new tender fruit varieties in the protected Greenbelt that will meet consumer demand for high quality, local stone fruit and pears.”Planting will take place in the spring of 2016, and the new tender fruit varieties will be available to consumers by the summer of 2019, the release says. Once they mature (about three to four years after planting), the trees are expected to generate about $4 million in fruit production.Foundation CEO Burkhard Mausberg says in the release the funding is the largest investment the Greenbelt foundation has made during the past five years “in the economic powerhouse that is Ontario’s agricultural sector. The significant support is a signal of our commitment to partnering with Niagara’s Greenbelt farmers and continuing to grow this important industry.”Tregunno says the funding will enable growers to survey what they currently have planted in their orchards and “strategically replant to meet consumer demand.”He is interested in planting some of the newer varieties of pears, apricots on his Niagara-on-the-Lake farm. “We’re also interested in doing some specialty items like the donut peaches.”Tregunno says, “it’s a great opportunity for us to partner with the Greenbelt Foundation. The Greenbelt and the tender fruit industry share a lot of the same things — we want to see the land preserved, we want to promote local and we want to make sure the agricultural community is sustainable.” BF New grain terminal will be a basis booster predicts GFO chair The deal is done
Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth Monday, June 30, 2025 Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online
Twelve Ontario Agri-Businesses Receive Funding Support Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Bioenterprise Canada has announced the successful recipients of the second call for proposals under the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. Twelve organizations across Ontario will receive support to bring innovative agri-food solutions to the... Read this article online