Member of Parliament Wayne Easter is named 2019 Produce Champion. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association applauds the PEI member’s support of the produce industry and his effectiveness in bringing forward industry issues on Parliament Hill.

As part of Ontario’s cabinet overhaul, other changes are also underway. On June 26, agriculture minister Ernie Hardeman welcomed Toby Barrett as parliamentary assistant for agriculture and food.

Bioprotec and Dipel biological insecticide labels have been expanded for control of leafrollers on greenhouse strawberries in Canada.

Perspectives on food safety differ in Europe compared to the United States. Shifting trends may inspire farmers to grow more protected crops rather than open field vegetables. Hydroponic lettuce is a case in point.

The pre-harvest interval of Delegate insecticide has been amended to one day for bushberries for the control of spotted wing drosophila.

Earlier this year, Engage Agro changed its name to Belchim Crop Protection Canada. Now, the parent company Belchim Crop Protection NV has purchased 100 per cent control.

Carrot, parsnip and onion grower Doug Van Luyk is one of those in the Holland Marsh who has expanded to 500 acres in both muck and mineral soils with the help of labour-saving technology. Here, his son Bradley stands on top of a self-propelled, two-row carrot harvester near Newmarket, Ontario. Photo by Glenn Lowson.

Minimum wage rates keep going up and that’s a hit to horticulture.

Worsening trade relationships result in tariffs moving from 50 to 80 per cent on American apples destined for the subcontinent. Red Delicious apples are hardest hit.

Advances in artificial intelligence are making an economic difference to greenhouse growers. Koppert Biological Systems in the Netherlands is cooperating with Ecoation, based in Vancouver, BC to better detect pests before they pose real harm.