Overview

The Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance (the Alliance) is a collaboration between:

  • Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA)
  • University of Guelph
  • Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO)

Through the Alliance, OMAFA, the University of Guelph and ARIO work together to advance research and innovation that contributes to the success and competitiveness of the province’s agri-food sector.

The Alliance also puts the Grow Ontario Strategy into action by developing skilled talent and supporting innovation throughout Ontario’s agri-food supply chain.

Alliance agreement

In 2023, OMAFA, University of Guelph and ARIO renewed the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance Agreement. The agreement aims to ensure Ontarians have access to healthy, safe food and that farmers and businesses have the information needed to be competitive and sustainable.

The collaborative efforts work to usher in the next generation of agri-food innovations by supporting people, places and programs.

Alliance programming:

  • focuses on research and innovation in relation to the agri-food sector
  • supports the development of highly skilled workforce and maintenance of intellectual capacity
  • enables a research network
  • supports infrastructure that produces, synthesizes, transfers and invests in world-class research

The Alliance agreement funds:

  • agri-food research and innovation
  • veterinary capacity
  • laboratory services
  • regulatory training
  • research centre management

Desired outcomes

The desired outcomes for the agreement are:

  • supporting public confidence in, and competitiveness and productivity of, the agri-food sector through activities that provide assurance in food safety and quality, protect plant, animal and related public health, and that support environmental sustainability
  • ensuring that Ontario has the tools and ability to quickly and effectively respond to emergencies within its agri-food sector, including disease outbreaks and extreme or sudden unpredictable events that threaten the viability and security of the agri-food sector
  • supporting an effective agri-food research and innovation system that:
    • sustains core capacity and may generate new capacity to undertake world-class research
    • maximizes the use of research infrastructure in a manner that provides benefits to all of Ontario’s regions
    • informs evidence-based public policy
    • increases public awareness and dialogue
    • supports the commercialization of new technologies
  • fosters frequent and quality collaboration among the agri-food and rural research community, the University of Guelph, the agri-food sector and rural Ontario
  • supporting the development of a skilled workforce that is ready for employment opportunities offered by the agri-food sector and rural Ontario, including development of highly qualified veterinary capacity to meet Ontario’s needs
  • growing third party investment in research, innovation and data initiatives, which are focused on the agri-food sector and rural economic development
  • improving access to and sharing of data to facilitate new agri-food and rural research and the application of research funded under the Alliance agreement

Funding programs

Program for Research and Innovation

The Program for Research and Innovation (PRI) is a main component of the Alliance agreement. It funds research projects that support the agreement’s strategic outcomes, including:

  • achieving assurance in food safety
  • protecting animal, plant and public health and the environment
  • growing Ontario’s capacity to produce food
  • supporting a globally and domestically competitive agri-food sector

Learn more about research, knowledge translation and transfer and innovation programming.

Funded projects

Alliance-funded projects contribute to the success of the province’s agri-food and rural sectors.

Find projects funded by the alliance through:

Other programs and services

Laboratory services

The Alliance agreement funds diagnostic and analytical services for agri-food clients, government, industry and academia.

Learn more about the services and the associated laboratories.

Veterinary Capacity Program

The Alliance agreement funds the  Veterinary Capacity Program at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) which supports its programming, infrastructure and capacity building.

Regulatory Training Program

The Alliance agreement funds the development of training, education and certification for regulatory requirements under legislation related to nutrient management, drainage and pesticides.

It also supports the delivery of online courses for food safety, traceability and farm business management.

Research centres

The Alliance agreement funds the maintenance, operation and management of 13 research centres.

These research facilities are owned by Ontario through Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario, and operated and managed by the University of Guelph.

Knowledge transfer and translation

Experts from the University of Guelph (Agri-Food Partnership, Office of Research) and OMAFA work together to help researchers, faculty and University of Guelph staff and students develop plans to support projects.

Their services help to ensure information reaches users in the agri-food and rural community. Learn more about the support available from the Alliance.

Publications

Stay up to date on news, events and research innovations through the Alliance Innovations monthly e-newsletter.

Read the Alliance’s publications, including annual reports, articles and impact case studies on the agri-food sectors and rural communities.