Harper Government Invests in Biocontrol Research for Canada's Greenhouse Sector

Mar 27, 2015

Vineland Station, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)

Member of Parliament Dean Allison, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced today an investment of $143,260 to the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre to conduct research into improving the use of biological controls for pest and disease management for the Canadian greenhouse sector.

This investment will enable the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre to deliver effective new and existing biocontrol products such as biopesticide treatments, demonstrate efficient spraying and trapping techniques, and develop a framework for growers to adopt more biological pest management practices.

The goal is to enhance the sustainability of the Canadian greenhouse industry, delivering economic benefits and growth opportunities along the value chain while enabling the development of more effective and cost-efficient biocontrol products and practices.

Quick Facts

The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre Inc. (Vineland) is a not-for-profit organization incorporated by the province of Ontario in 2007 for the purpose of advancing horticultural research and innovation to support the production of healthy foods in an environmentally sustainable way.
Canada has 23 million square metres of production greenhouses which supply both domestic and export markets, employ thousands and are a significant contributor to the Canadian economy.
This investment is being made through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriInnovation Program, a five-year, up to $698 million initiative under Growing Forward 2.

Source: AAFC

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.