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Growing Forward 2 helps Ontario greenhouse veggies go global

By Lilian Schaer


Guelph – Ontario’s greenhouse cucumbers have strengthened their presence in the United States and will soon be on the market in Asia. That’s due to Growing Forward 2 (GF2) funding that the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) was able to access for various market development initiatives.

OGVG represents 212 growers from southwestern Ontario to Ottawa and Niagara Region with over 3,000 acres of greenhouse pepper, cucumber and tomato production. Most of their North American markets are less than a day’s drive away.

“With year over year growth in our sector averaging six per cent per year, we are consistently focused on new market development in the U.S. and overseas,” explains Jacquie Trombley, OGVG’s Marketer Liaison Officer.

Those efforts included programs to enter the Pan Pacific market and two projects focused on OGVG’s valuable U.S. markets, as well as development of a strategic plan for entering the North American food service market that includes restaurants, hospitals, and educational institutions.

“We are heavily reliant on Canada and the United States for distribution so we wanted to explore the Pan-Pacific region, setting our sights on Hong Kong and Shanghai specifically,” Trombley says. “We had three projects funded through GF2 that have significantly helped us open doors in that region.”

OGVG representatives attended trade shows and meetings with qualified produce buyers, retailers and government officials in Hong Kong and Shanghai to sample product and gauge interest in fresh Ontario greenhouse cucumbers. Through those relationships, the organization also developed its own branding and packaging for direct-to-retail export into Shanghai.

There will soon be regular shipments of Ontario greenhouse vegetables into the Pan Pacific Region, and OGVG is continuing its own market development activities in Asia as well.

U.S. market development activities included an extensive two-year demo program aimed at getting consumers and retailers in the Midwestern and Northeastern U.S. to try Ontario grown greenhouse vegetables. 

“The success of this demo program was phenomenal and OGVG has made the decision to continue it, funding it exclusively through our own budgets,” Trombley says. “We have seen a significant increase in the number of participants and retailers and the overall reach of this program.”

OGVG also ran a successful outreach program for about 1,500 retail locations in the Southeastern U.S. focused on merchandising techniques and proper storage temperatures for all three commodities to ensure produce is being displayed correctly, reduce shrink and enhance flavour profiles.

Greenhouse vegetable grower and marketer Pure Flavor had long been interested in shipping internationally as well as working more directly with its U.S. markets.

Director of Marketing Sarah Pau credits the OGVG initiatives with helping the company expand its markets and take advantage of new opportunities, as well as develop educational tools to reach consumers.

“The Growing Forward 2 program has helped us explore market development opportunities. Expansion into international markets will help grow our business and requires a different strategy than working domestically. The Growing Forward 2 program has really helped us better understand the Chinese market and related demographics,” explains Pau.

“The product sampling opportunities really help with introducing Ontario grown vegetables to new markets. A positive first-hand experience can help us gain momentum organically with consumers which will strengthen relationships with our retailer partners,” she added.

These projects were funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2­ in Ontario.

Source: AAC


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.