Fruit and vegetable growers stand together to support food rescue efforts

Oct 15, 2024

As part of Ontario Agriculture Week and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, fruit and vegetable growers across Ontario are stepping up to help combat food insecurity in the province.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) has announced a $25,000 donation to Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue charity. This contribution will help provide nutritious food to families in need.

This donation aligns with Ontario Agriculture Week, a celebration of Ontario’s fresh, healthy food and a recognition of the vital role farmers play in feeding communities.

“Supporting Second Harvest in its mission to reduce hunger and food waste is one way growers are working to give back to their local communities, while also working tirelessly to fill grocery shelves and drive the local economy,” says Shawn Brenn, potato grower and OFVGA chair.

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Video: Democratizing Gene Editing - Pairwise’s Vision for the Future of Agriculture

Pairwise has built its business around an idea that runs counter to how many companies approach innovation: make transformative technology easier to access.

In this Seed World interview, CEO Tom Adams discusses why broader access to gene editing could speed crop improvement, expand innovation opportunities and help agriculture address emerging challenges. He explains why Pairwise believes no single company can solve all of agriculture's problems alone—and why making advanced breeding technologies available to more organizations could accelerate progress across the industry.

The conversation explores how consumer trust influences technology adoption, why innovations like pitless cherries and seedless blackberries matter beyond convenience, and how future crop improvements could help address labor shortages, automation, harvest efficiency and other production challenges. Adams also shares his perspective on what the industry may be underestimating about the next wave of gene editing innovation.

Watch the full interview to hear why Pairwise believes agriculture is approaching an important inflection point for gene editing, and why the pace of innovation over the next decade could surprise the industry.

Topics Covered:

o Democratizing agricultural innovation

o Consumer trust and technology adoption

o The business case for sharing innovation

o Expanding innovation beyond major crops

o Next-generation breeding technologies