Funding for Growers: Biosecurity Improvement Initiative under SCAP Program

Overview

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) is a $3.5 billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2028) between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. It replaces the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities by the governments. In Ontario, this includes up to $569 million toward the agri-food industry.

The programs under the Sustainable CAP will:

support the vision and priorities the federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers agreed to in The Guelph Statement
strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector

One program delivered under SCAP that is particularly relevant to greenhouses is the Biosecurity Improvement Initiative.

Biosecurity Improvement Initiative

Will launch Sept 19 2023
Continuous intake until January 6th
$7.5 M available – first come, first serve basis
Reimbursement based
Delivered by OMAFRA by Rural Programs Branch (previously has been OSCIA)
Call AICC for more information
Guidelines are now up on Ontario.ca: find them HERE

Categories include:

Preventing introduction and spread of pests (up to 50K per project)
Innovative pest monitoring tools (Up to 50K per project)
Learning and Education related to biosecurity
Others…

Requirements:

OSCIA biosecurity workshop – click for more details
Quotes
Assessment (e.g. against national biosecurity standards)
Action plan based on assessment

More information will come soon!

New Acting Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist

As we head toward the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, let’s welcome OMAFRA’s new acting Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist. Abigail Wiesner will be within the position until Sept 2024.

To learn more about Abbie, and how to contact her, keep reading.

Abbie has a BSc and MSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of Guelph, with a specialization in entomology. For the past 11 months, Abbie has been with OMAFRA as the Acting Canola and Edible Bean Specialist.

Additionally, Abbie has experience within the nursery and landscape sector conducting leading research on the box tree moth, an invasive insect pest impacting the sector since 2018.

Abbie has a strong passion for helping growers to ensure that they are supported, have economical and effective solutions to production issues and are educated on industry and research advancements. Contact her about all issues related to greenhouse floriculture production, including nutrient and environmental issues, energy, lighting, and labour concerns.

Please contact her through email at abigail.wiesner@ontario.ca and by phone at 226-979-8250.

New Incentives for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) for Greenhouses in Southwestern Ontario

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON ONGREENHOUSEVEGETABLES.CA on September 14, 2023 by Fadi Al-Daoud

The Save on Energy Retrofit program is offering a NEW incentive for Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) for greenhouses in the Southwest region of the province. This new initiative is part of the Retrofit for Greenhouses stream of the program, with a focus on the Southwest region. A Greenhouse Distributed Energy Resources (DER) measure is available to greenhouse facilities within certain areas of Southwestern Ontario. The incentives include those for an integrated Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Storage System where none previously existed.

Incentives

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) $1435.00/kW

and

Battery Storage: $260.00/kWh

Eligibility

Facilities installing DERs must be located in the following postal codes:

N0P, N0R, N8H, N8M, N8N, N8P, N8R, N8S, N8T, N8V, N8W, N8X, N8Y, N9A, N9B, N9C, N9E, N9G, N9H, N9J, N9K, N9V, N9Y

Applications are subject to the eligibility criteria specified within the: Greenhouse Distributed Energy Resources Eligible Measures Prescriptive Worksheet available at Application documents for the Retrofit program | Save on Energy

Contact

For more information on the program, visit the Save on Energy Web site Agriculture incentives with the Retrofit program | Save on Energy or contact the Retrofit Save on Energy Delivery Agent for the SW region at 1-877-247-1095 or SouthwesternOutreach@retrofitprogram.ca

Is Lowering Fertilizer Right For You?

This guest post was written by Jessie deHaan, Research Technician at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland).

*Four chrysanthemum varieties growing side by side at 75ppm (left side of benches) and 250ppm of N (right side of benches) of N in a Vineland trial.*

Economical and high quality plant production has always been a balancing act between fertilizer, light, irrigation and other input costs.

Unfortunately, supply chain issues caused by the pandemic slow-down, and exacerbated by the subsequent war in Ukraine, have negatively affected the global supply of fertilizer and plant nutrients. These supply issues are leading to rising fertilizer prices for growers.

As input costs rise, how can growers respond and save money, while still producing first-rate products?

Continue reading →

Got Tropicals? How to Detect and Monitor for Thrips parvispinus.

*Figure 1.* Thrips parvispinus female. Photo by A. Summerfield, Vineland.

In a previous blog post, we talked about which pesticides can control Thrips parvispinus if you end up with an infestation from imported plant material.

But how do you figure out if this invasive pest is in your facility in the first place? And, if so, what’s the best way to monitor their populations?

After working with this pest for the last 1-2 years, researchers like myself have figured out which monitoring methods are most effective. This can help you identify the problem early, begin a management plan, and monitor the efficacy of your controls.

Continue reading →

Poinsettia Pest Management Pointers: Early Production 2023

Hopefully you’ve read our previous post on pest management in propagation. Now it’s time to cover poinsettia IPM during early production.

This post will cover the first signs of root rots, as well as whitefly and Lewis mite monitoring and management. As healthy plants are better able to defend themselves from pests and diseases, we’ll also give a quick nutrient refresher.

Continue reading →

REMINDER! GrowON Webinar Thursday July 27th: Comforting Lies and Unpleasant Truths about Pesticide Application

Ever wonder why you spray the label rate of a pesticide, and you just don’t see good control? Does it have to do with your application method? Your crop? Or something to do with the label rate? According to Dr. Jason Deveau, OMAFRA’s Application Technology Specialist, the truth lies somewhere in between…

Join our latest GrowON Webinar on Thursday, July 27th, where Jason discusses the pitfalls behind generating pesticide labels, and how growers of horticultural crops can help improve pesticide efficacy on-farm.

This is a great webinar for growers of greenhouse floriculture, greenhouse vegetable, nursery and cannabis crops.

Continue reading →

Poinsettia Pest Management Pointers: Receipt Through Potting Up.

Poinsettias are here! In the next few posts we’ll be breaking down production into into 4 key growing periods: Receipt/Propagation, Early Production, Late Production, and Finishing.

This post on propagation will cover things you can do now to treat pests and diseases in your cuttings to prevent BIG problems later. And make sure to check out Dr. Chevonne Dayboll’s previous post on ensuring cutting quality.

Continue reading →

Upcoming GrowON Webinar: Comforting Lies and Unpleasant Truths about Pesticide Application Methods

This is a great webinar for growers of greenhouse floriculture, greenhouse vegetable, nursery and cannabis crops.

Continue reading →

Japanese Beetles Have Started To Emerge

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Cassie Russell

Back by not so popular demand, Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) adults are starting to emerge and take flight in southern Ontario! We caught our first adults in pheromone traps on June 23rd in Guelph.

Look for these shiny green and copper beetles feeding on grape leaves, roses and many other trees and shrubs. Where possible, homeowners can knock adults into a bucket of soapy water (to smother them). Several insecticides are registered for the adults in the nursery, including BeetleGONE and Imidan.

Preventative applications of Intercept and Acelepryn are registered for white grubs (e.g. European chafer, June beetle, and/or Japanese beetle) in nursery and greenhouse production and the application period begins now.

If you’re looking for more direction on what can be applied (and when) for JB control for phytosanitary measures, below is a link to the JB control infographic and article from a few months ago:

Japanese Beetle Control 2023: Changes to Allowable Pesticides and Updates to Infographic