GoodLeaf Farms is Growing in Quebec

Jun 22, 2021

GUELPH, ON - GoodLeaf Farms expects to break ground on a new indoor vertical farm in the Montreal area by autumn.

It will be the first expansion for the company since establishing its commercial-scale farm in Guelph, Ont., in 2019. GoodLeaf produce like pea shoots, micro radish, micro arugula, micro Asian blend, spicy mustard medley, baby kale and baby arugula grown at the Quebec farm are expected to be in grocery stores across Quebec and in Atlantic Canada by fall 2022.

"It is GoodLeaf's intention to build a stable of indoor vertical farms that support the Canadian grocery network, food service industry and consumers — starting with an expansion into Quebec," says Barry Murchie, Chief Executive Officer of GoodLeaf. "We are committed to growing in the Province of Quebec and are encouraged by the support and collaboration we have been getting from stakeholders and all levels of government. We are looking forward to finalizing all of the details."

GoodLeaf's indoor vertical farms use innovative technology to grow microgreens and baby greens in Canada year-round, no matter the season, climate or weather. The plants are grown in a complex hydroponics system with traditional ebb-and-flow watering to feed nutrient-rich water to the plants, and specialized LED lights that are engineered to emulate the red and blue wavelengths of the light spectrum to mimic the spring sun — ideal conditions for plants to maximize photosynthesis.

Because the farm is indoors in an environment that is almost clinical, there are no pests, bugs or birds — and thus no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides are used. It is also environmentally sustainable, using 95 per cent less water than a traditional outdoor farm would.

Vertical farming is a potential game changer for Canadian agriculture, providing fresh produce year-round, displacing leafy greens that are typically grown in the Southwestern United States and trucked to Canada.

"We want to be a global leader in vertical farming," says Mr. Murchie. "But our first step is growing across Canada and establishing GoodLeaf as Canada's leader in vertical farming. That starts with our expansion into Quebec."

GoodLeaf also has plans to open a farm in Western Canada. More details on that announcement will be available soon. GoodLeaf's microgreens and baby greens can currently be found at Loblaws, Fortinos, Zehrs, Your Independent Grocer, Longo's and Whole Foods stores across Ontario, and will be coming soon to Metro

Source : Cision

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.