Friday, May 21, 2021 - Karen Davidson

The global pandemic continues to have many local impacts, from the ballooning costs of housing temporary foreign workers during the 14-day quarantine to short supplies of wooden pallets. One spot of good news is the vaccination clinic at the Ontario Food Terminal where just under 6,900 frontline workers, agri-business staff and immediate families were vaccinated in May. This young worker is scooping up bundles of fresh rhubarb to fulfill an order at the terminal’s farmers’ market.

Monday, April 26, 2021 - Karen Davidson

For growers Dino Mastronardi, left and son Dean Mastronardi, right, the day-to-day Leamington, ON operations for the Topline brand of English cucumbers are all-consuming. It’s the job of Dino DiLaudo, centre, to be aware of opportunities and threats in the marketplace in his role of VP, sales and marketing for Westmoreland Sales. About 25% of their cucumber crop is destined for the U.S. where the International Trade Commission is examining the impact of imported cucumbers on seasonal markets.

Monday, March 29, 2021 - Karen Davidson

On the far side of yet another dark pandemic episode, farmers will welcome their slow-moving vehicles to be emblazoned with bumper stickers declaring: WE’VE BEEN VAXED!

Monday, February 22, 2021 - Karen Davidson

In recent years, the mergers of global crop protection companies promised robust R & D pipelines. But the reality is that fewer products and label extensions will come to horticulture. That’s because there’s a bottleneck of reduced trial capacity at the Pest Management Centre says apple grower Charles Stevens, Newcastle, ON.

Monday, January 25, 2021 - Karen Davidson

The cost of energy-intensive fertilizer is set to increase under a new carbon tax regime. It’s yet another burning issue for horticulture, on top of labour and crop protection.

Thursday, January 21, 2021 - Karen Davidson

John Molenhuis, business analysis and cost-of-production specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) worked with the grape, tender fruit and apple groups for years, updating baseline measurements every five years that compare the average of the group to the top 25.