Funding Alert: Agricultural Clean Technology Program (ACT) Adoption Stream

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Adoption Stream opens today until June 22nd. Read on for more information on the program and how to apply!

The ACT program, a part of the Government of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, aims to create a supporting environment for the adoption of clean technologies that will support the sustainable growth of the agricultural sector. The ACT Adoption Stream will provide non-repayable grants between $25,000 and $2 million to help producers to purchase and install equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and other associated environmental benefits.

Program priorities are in the following three key areas:

  1. Green energy and energy efficiency
  2. Precision agriculture
  3. Bioeconomy solutions

Examples of eligible activities include:

  • Energy-efficient, low-emissions equipment (heating, ventilation, or solar energy systems)
  • Nutrient efficiency (soil sensors, yield monitors)
  • Bio-product and biomass boiler heating

More examples can be found on the AAFC website.

Cost-sharing contributions towards eligible costs are:

  1. AAFC – a maximum of 40%
  2. You – a minimum of 60%

How to apply

For more information on the program and to complete the application and apply, click here.

REMINDER: “Potential Solutions for Parvispinus” Webinar TOMORROW!

Join us for a GrowON webinar tomorrow (Tuesday May 30th) on potential solutions for Thrips parvisipinus from “boots on the ground” folks. This includes technical reps, industry consultants, and extension specialists.

Read on for more information and how to register.

Potential Solutions for Parvispinus: Lessons from the Field

What:

Previous webinars (from the University of Florida on May 4th and the Horticultural Research Institute on May 10th) have brought you critical information on the history and spread of this pest, monitoring tips, and potential pesticide options from lab-based tests.

With this webinar, we want to give you potential IPM solutions based on field observations and on-farm trials. Although we are a long way away from a tried-and-true IPM program for T. parvispinus, every success – and failure – in the field can help guide other growers.

When:

Tuesday May 30th, from 12-1:30pm.

Where:

Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FR-qlIs-RUO_X1hoJynAnw

Any issues with registration can be directed to sarah.jandricic@ontario.ca

Who:

12:00 – 12:05 pm : Welcome and Intro by Dr. Sarah Jandricic, OMAFRA.

12:05- 12:25 pm: Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, Buglady Consulting. For the past 25 years, Suzanne (buglady@bugladyconsulting.com) has provided expert horticultural/entomological advice to the industry. She specializes in biological control, IPM, pesticides, biopesticides, organics, and sustainable pest management. Her crop focuses include ornamentals, cannabis, hemp, and herbs/vegetables. 

Talk: “Identification, damage and biocontrol options for T. parvispinus in ornamental crops”. Description: with a wealth of photos, the Buglady will teach you what to look for to determine if you have Parvispinus on your farm. She’ll also discuss potential biocontrol options, from mites to nematodes.

12:25-12:45 pm :Steven Arthurs: Technical Sales Specialist at BIOBEE USA. Dr. Arthurs is an Entomologist with 20+ years’ academic and industry experience in arthropod pest management and plant protection. Steven’s current work focuses on implementing and expanding the use of beneficial arthropods in both horticultural and open field crops.

Talk: “Thrips parvispinus, experiences from the field and potential biocontrols“. Description: Dr. Arthurs will share preliminary observations of using beneficial mites and insects to control T. parvispinus in the nursery (gardenia and mandevilla). He will also cover the likely compatibility of such beneficials with insecticides currently being used against T. parvispinus and discuss potential strategies that might be more effective for sustainable control of this pest.

12: 45 – 1:15 pm: Sarah Jandricic, Greenhouse Floriculture IPM Specialist, OMAFRA. Dr. Sarah Jandricic has worked in floriculture IPM for over 25 years in academia, industry and government. Her work focuses on long-term, economical solutions for both pests and diseases plaguing floriculture growers.

Talk: “An IPM program for T. parvispinus in mandevilla: results of an on-farm trial”. Description: This talk will cover efforts to control this pest with mass trapping, biological control and chemical pesticides over 8 months in a greenhouse in Ontario, Canada. We’ll discuss what worked and what didn’t, concerns over pesticide resistance, as well as what we’re trying this year.

1:15 – 1:30pm: Q&A Period.

Upcoming GrowON Webinar on May 30th! “Potential Solutions for Parvispinus: Lessons from the Field”

Webinars on Thrips parvispinus are coming fast and hard lately, as scientists and extension agents try to get you the very latest information on this serious pest of ornamentals and peppers.

Join us for a GrowON webinar next Tuesday on potential solutions for this pest from “boots on the ground” folks. This includes technical reps, industry consultants, an your friendly neighborhood extension specialist in Ontario.

Read on for more information and how to register.

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

It will soon be that time of year again, when Japanese beetle (JB) adults begin to fly! However, there have been some changes to acceptable control products for JB growers need to be aware of in order to be in compliance with certification programs for this pest.

This post highlights changes to treatments and also provides an updated infographic for JB control for those exporting to non-JB areas (both domestically and to the United States).

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Webinars on Thrips parvispinus TOMORROW and May 10th!

Sorry for the short notice folks, but even sometimes I’m out of the loop! There are two upcoming webinars on Thrips parvispinus, the new invasive thrips that is a serious pest of tropical ornamentals and pepper crops.

The first is by the University of Florida Extension folks, and should be a great update on what’s happening at the source. That webinar is TOMORROW (May 4) at 10am-12pm ET, so hopefully you see this in time! Hopefully it will be recorded for those that miss it.

The next webinar is on May 10th, and is being put on jointly by the Horticultural Research Institute, AmericanHort, the Canadian Nursery & Landscape Association, and American Floral Endowment.

For more details on these webinars and how to register, keep reading.

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Upcoming GrowON Webinar on Dynamic LED Lighting plus Other GrowON Webinars you Might have Missed

Please join us for another GrowON lunch and learn event in person (at Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers in Leamington, ON) or online on Friday May 12 from 12:00-1:00. Lunch will be provided compliments of OGVG. You will hear about dynamic LED lighting and it’s effect on the circadian rhythm of crops from University of Guelph researchers.

Keep reading to register for this upcoming webinar, as well as links to webinar recordings on Hop Latent Viroid in cannabis and greenhouse automation.

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Thrips parvispinus (“Pepper Thrips”): The Importance of Inspecting Plants and Dipping Cuttings from Florida

I’ve written about the tropical pest Thrips parvispinus, now being called “pepper thrips”, infesting certain tropical ornamentals in Canada before. But it appears this pest has become widespread in Florida.

As Ontario sources much of its plant material from Florida, it’s a good idea to exercise caution, even on non-tropical plants. The known host range of this pest is evolving, and thrips have the potential to hitch-hike on less-preferred plant hosts and spread to more preferred hosts in your greenhouse.

Read on for information on the situation in Florida and what you can do to help protect your greenhouse from this pest.

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Cannabis Webinar on 4/20: All You Need to Know About Hop Latent Viroid

Dr. Zamir Punja will speak on HLVd.

Hop Latent Viroid disease (HLVd) is a virus of hops has recently starting causing serious issues in cannabis production.

To help growers learn how to spot this disease and minimize it’s impact on cannabis yields, OMAFRA’s GrowON webinar series is cohosting a talk with Niagara College’s Commercial Cannabis Program.

Keep reading to register for the webinar.

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Spring Crops Webinar by Greenhouse Management Next Week

On April 12, Greenhouse Management will be hosting their annual Plant Health Virtual Conference, focusing on the health of spring bedding crops! Register for FREE to listen to talks about nutrient management, sanitation, disease control and thrips control on spring plants. Read on for more details on speakers and how to register.

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A Dark Start to 2023

The winter months can always be a challenge for floriculture producers. But have you found this winter to be unpredictably dark? Has this affected your crop?

Read on to see if this year is unusual, or part of a trend, and how this may influence your production decisions (and energy costs) in years to come.

Continue reading “A Dark Start to 2023”