Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative recipients
Browse the list of projects that received funding through the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI).
Overview
The Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative (OAFRI) provides funding to advance key agri-food research and innovation projects for Ontario. The initiative was launched in 2019. Priorities and focus of the call for applications evolve over time. OAFRI is designed to deliver outcomes that will help achieve the ambitious goals set out for the Ontario agriculture and food sector in our Grow Ontario Strategy.
As of 2023, financial support for OAFRI is provided under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). Sustainable CAP is a $3.5 billion, five-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028) between the federal, provincial and territorial governments.
Summaries of funded projects are also available on the Ontario Agri-Food Research and Innovation Portal.
2024–2025 projects
The 2024–2025 call funded:
- commercialization projects that support market validation and product development
- knowledge translation and transfer projects that help Ontario’s agri-food sector apply research findings
- applied research projects that find new solutions and generate new knowledge
- pilot and demonstration projects that test new technologies, practices or systems in real-world settings
Stream: commercialization
| Project title | Lead applicant | Start to end date | Research priority area | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHF ElectricWeeder market research and commercialization | David Tao | April 1, 2025 to September 1, 2026 | Soil health, innovative products and product improvements, competitive production systems, sustainable production systems, water quality and quantity, food safety | BH Frontier Solutions Inc. |
| Market validation of spent substrate soil amendment p-roduct | Rob Imbeault | April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 | Soil health, sustainable production systems | Heartee Foods |
| Commercialization of minirhizotrons for disease/pest management and precision agriculture | Matthew McReynolds | April 1, 2025 to September 1, 2025 | Sustainable production systems, plant health and protection | SparkForm Technologies |
| Market feasibility of sustainable agriculture using nanobubble technology innovation | Robert Liang | May 1, 2025 to August 30, 2025 | Water quality and quantity, innovative products and product improvements, animal health and welfare, soil health, plant health and protection, food safety, sustainable production systems | WaterPuris |
| Bio-based soya road paint for sustainable infrastructure | Shevy Horowitz | April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 | Trade market and target sector growth opportunities, innovative products and product improvements, water quality and quantity, sustainable production systems | Prisum Coating Solutions Inc. |
| Innovative hybrid synthetic and biological disease management trials targeting priority soybean and corn diseases | Megan Wheeler | April 1, 2025 to September 29, 2026 | Soil health, water quality and quantity, competitive production systems, sustainable production systems, plant health and protection, innovative products and product improvements, trade market and target sector growth opportunities | Vive Crop Protection |
| High Immune Response (HIR™) genomics for beef cattle | Francesca Malchiodi | April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 | Competitive production systems, animal health and welfare, sustainable production systems, innovative products and product improvements | The Semex Alliance |
| Risk management platform | Julie Pilon | April 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026 | Competitive production systems, trade market and target sector growth opportunities, innovative products and product improvements | Triple M Livestock Premix & Consulting Ltd. (Gowans) |
| Development and commercialization of a Canadian-made modular electric roasting system for sustainable on-farm feed production | Jasmin Hofer | April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 | Competitive production systems, innovative products and product improvements, sustainable production systems | Energrow |
| Dual-purpose biodegradable sachets for predatory mites | Ishtiaq Rao | April 14, 2025 to March 27, 2026 | Trade market and target sector growth opportunities, innovative products and product improvements, plant health and protection, sustainable production systems, competitive production systems, food safety | Crop Defenders |
| Soil nutrient investigation to expand autonomous application to include phosphorus, potassium and sulfur | Jana Tian | April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 | Plant health and protection, soil health, innovative products and product improvements, sustainable production systems | Upside Robotics |
| MoistSilage Pro: advancing precision feed management for Ontario dairy farmers | Mahla Mirali | April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 | Innovative products and product improvements, competitive production systems, sustainable production systems | Grain Data Solutions |
2023–2024 projects
The 2023–2024 call funded:
- applied research projects to find new solutions and generate new knowledge
- pilot and demonstration projects to develop and test new technology (products, practices, systems) prototypes
- commercialization projects to scale up technology prototypes for use in real world or commercial environment
Stream: applied research
| Project title | Lead applicant | Start to end date | Research priority area | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closing the knowledge gap in plant cell wall signaling to open new avenues for engineering plant resilience and renewable bio-products. | Heather McFarlane | May 15, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Innovative products and product improvement | University of Toronto |
| Harnessing the power of nontargeted data acquisition in high resolution mass spectrometry and machine learning for the determination of emerging PFAS in agri-food systems | Yaxi Hu | July 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Food safety | Carleton University |
| Native enzyme activity in fruit and vegetable by-products and applicability in food formulations | Alexandra Grygorczyk | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Competitive production systems | Vineland Research and Innovation Centre |
| Production of lignocellulolytic enzymes by mushroom solid-state fermentation: enzyme cocktail production, characterization and optimization | Sheng Chang | July 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | University of Guelph |
| Enhancing agricultural decision-making in Ontario: developing a centralized large language model (LLM) with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for comprehensive crop advisory | Mahla Mirali | June 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Competitive production systems | Grain Data Solutions Inc. |
| Development and optimization of a continuous precision fermentation technology for natural protein based sweeteners using the Hyprcreet™ Expression System | Louis Lo | June 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | Biofect Innovations |
| Valorization of agri-food waste to high value bioproducts: Closing materials loop to enhance the circular bioeconomy | Shakirudeen Salaudeen | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Competitive production systems | McMaster University |
| Hydrogen and carbon innovations for agricultural sustainability | Rupp Carriveau | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | University of Windsor |
| Understanding housing improvement and enrichment options to develop best management practices within Ontario’s goat sector | Tracy Burnett | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Animal health and welfare | University of Guelph |
| Waste to wealth: developing yeast cell factories to convert dairy waste into propionic acid | Eugene Fletcher | June 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | Carleton University |
| Maximizing crop potential through nutrient management for alfalfa and sustainability practices for Sorghum-Sudan Grass in relation to seeding rate and allelopathy effects. | David Thompson | April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026 | Plant health and protection | Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre |
| Optimization of known and well-characterized beneficial microbes as biocontrol agents to protect soybean from Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum | Zhongwei Zou | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Plant health and protection | Wilfrid Laurier University |
| Enhancing northern horticulture through Terra Preta and Indigenous wisdom for sustainable soil health in Northern Ontario | Paulette Steeves | June 1, 2024 to March 26, 2027 | Innovative products and product improvement | Algoma University |
| Evaluation of the effects of CleanWorks technology on multi-coloured Asian lady beetle (MALB) in laboratory and vineyard trials | Malkie Spodek | June 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Plant health and protection | Brock University |
| Validation of Ontario N rate recommendations in relation to increased yield and 4R practices in corn | Adrian Correndo | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Sustainable production systems | University of Guelph |
| Formulation of biochar and hydrochar for delivering beneficial microbes in turfgrass applications | Rob Nicol | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Plant health and protection | Lambton College |
| Identifying best practices for rehabilitation of aggregate extraction sites to productive agriculture land | Margaret (Amy) Lemay | July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027 | Productive land capacity | VISTA Science & Technology Inc. |
| Evaluating the role of invariant natural killer T cells in parasite immunity of sheep | Emma Borkowski | June 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Animal health and welfare | University of Guelph |
| Home compostable and soil biodegradable meat packaging for enhanced food safety | Amar Mohanty | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Innovative products and product improvement | University of Guelph |
| Characterization of soil health parameters and classification of soil profiles through image analysis | Asim Biswas | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Soil health | University of Guelph |
| Transport and fate of phosphorus from rural point sources in agricultural landscapes | Merrin Macrae | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Water quality and quantity | University of Waterloo |
| Minwanjigewin: towards food security and food sovereignty with Williams Treaties First Nations | Ashleigh Domingo | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | University of Guelph |
| Assessing fungicide efficacy and timing for controlling Ilyonectria mors-panacis, which is involved in ginseng replant disease | Amy Fang Shi | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Plant health and protection | Ontario Ginseng Growers Association |
| Ontario industrial hemp as a feedstock for the production of short fibres for plastic biocomposites | Leonardo Simon | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Innovative products and product improvement | University of Waterloo |
| The health path to advance dairy sustainability | Eduardo De Souza Ribeiro | October 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Animal health and welfare | University of Guelph |
| Identification of potential management tools for invasive Spotted Lanternfly in Ontario | Darien Temprile | May 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Plant health and protection | Ontario Grape and Wine Research Incorporated |
| Navigating Canadian trade disputes: implications for Ontario's agri-food exports and the role of provincial economic diplomacy | Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Trade, market and targeted sector growth opportunities | University of Guelph |
| Improving the production efficiency and sustainability of pasture systems by optimizing grazing management plans to reduce the need for pasture renovation via a farmer-focused decision support system, informed by high-resolution mapping of pasture productivity, using a vehicle mounted Gryphon Pasture Canopy Scanner (GPCS) | Eric Lyons | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Competitive production systems | University of Guelph |
| Management of Botrytis Grey Mould in Ontario strawberries | Victoria Buma | April 1, 2024 to March 1, 2026 | Plant health and protection | Berry Growers of Ontario |
| LandSteward: Measuring and monitoring agroforestry | Sean Rudd | May 20, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Sustainable production systems | Korotu Technology Inc. |
| Quantifying the impact of geographic and socio-economic drivers of carbon loss hotspots in the Ontario farm sector | Michael Drescher | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026 | Productive land capacity | University of Waterloo |
| Development of a novel class of conjugation-driven antifungals | Bogumil Karas | June 3, 2024 to May 29, 2026 | Plant health and protection | University of Western Ontario |
| Harnessing soil microbiomes for climate-change adaptation of corn crops | Kari Dunfield | September 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | University of Guelph |
| Low-cost paper-based tests for mycotoxin detection in grains | Maria DeRosa | July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026 | Food safety | Carleton University |
| Building indigenous agricultural leadership | Brent Niganobe | July 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | Mississauga Gitigaan |
| Occurrence, genotypic characteristics and antibiotic resistance of enteric disease-causing pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes) in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat, and dairy processing plants from 2024–2026 in Ontario, Canada. | Max Hincke | April 1, 2024 to March 30, 2027 | Food safety | University of Ottawa |
Stream: Commercialization
| Project title | Lead applicant | Start date to end date | Research priority area | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product market fit for animal-free collagen for functional foods and nutraceuticals | Fei Luo | April 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025 | Animal health and welfare | Liven |
| Development of an in-line, remote sampling system for the ExactBlue platform | George Botos | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Food safety | Exact Blue Technologies |
| Cattle Scan system for the early detection of health issues in dairy cows; validation of our health alert model and development of standard operating procedures for installation on dairy farms | Denis Tokarev | April 1, 2024 to May 30, 2025 | Animal health and welfare | Cattle Scan |
| Demonstrate the value of Farm Health Guardian digital biosecurity technology to protect Ontario farmers and food processors from animal disease spread | Robert Hannnam | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Animal health and welfare | Farm Health Guardian |
| Project GreenYeast: advancing sustainable practices in yeast cultivation | Richard Preiss | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Sustainable production systems | Escarpment Laboratories |
| PGP2R and PGP4 - Analysis and plot trials and regulations | Amber Kivisto | April 1, 2024 to September 14, 2025 | Plant health and protection | BioNorth Solutions |
| Farm medication prescription creation, management and fulfillment | Colin Yates | April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 | Food safety | VETSon |
| Prototype development and testing of mobile in-field decorticator for technical agricultural fibers including but not limited to industrial hemp | Reuben Stone | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Soil health | Stone Farms |
| Carbon intensity corn traceability | Rory O'Sullivan | April 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025 | Sustainable production systems | Grain Discovery |
| Implementation and monitoring of a bespoke task management system designed to meet the needs of Ontario dairy farmers | Shari van de Pol | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Animal health and welfare | CATTLEytics |
Stream: Pilots and Demonstration
| Project title | Lead applicant | Start date to end date | Priority | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry tissue culture mass propagation | Jorden Fehr | April 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025 | Competitive production systems | South Essex Fabricating Inc. |
| Validating computer vision apple-tree vigor models to improve farm outcomes | Tess O'Mara | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Competitive production systems | Vivid Machines |
| Farm assessment of liquid encapsulated essential oils to Control NE | Itzel Bautista | April 1, 2024 to March 30, 2026 | Animal health and welfare | Gowans Feed Consulting |
| HALBR technology: All-in-one solution for complete dairy wastewater treatment | Hossein Bonakdari | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Water quality and quantity | University of Ottawa |
| Wild rice program | Alyssa Warren | April 1, 2024 to April 1, 2027 | Food safety | Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation |
| End-of-life management, aggregation and new markets for agricultural plastic in Northern Ontario | Leia Weaver | April 1, 2024 to October 15, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance |
| Precision fermentation and scale-Up optimization of a protein sweetener brazzein | Christian Delos Santos | April 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | Biofect Innovations |
| Launching and expanding vegetable agronomy research in Ontario | Dan Oliver | April 1, 2024 to December 1, 2026 | Competitive production systems | Nortera foods Inc. |
| Prototype - Mycionics pointer system and harvest management system | Matthew Leader | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Competitive production systems | Mycionics Inc. |
| Advancing detection and surveillance fleabane in soybean via DIY platform | Peyman Saidi | April 1, 2024 to August 30, 2025 | Competitive production systems | Saiwa Inc. |
| Demonstrating the versatility of a novel food production technology | Jennifer St. Onge | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | New School Foods |
| Optimization of on-farm biochar production from agricultural source materials | Angela Straathof | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Sustainable production systems | Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association |
| Demonstrating automated minirhizotrons for precision farming of corn-soybean rotations | Cameron Proctor | April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026 | Innovative products and product improvement | University of Windsor |
| Development and optimization of sow productivity through precision farming methodologies | Courtney Werth | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Competitive production systems | South West Ontario Vets |
| Sustainable digital electricity (power over IP with zone controls) first pilot in greenhouse | Mary Del Ciancio | April 1, 2024 to October 31, 2025 | Sustainable production systems | DC Farms |
| Pilot and demonstration of greenhouse robotic cucumber harvesting | Brian Lynch | April 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | Vineland Research and Innovation Centre |
| Strawberry pest management utilizing UV-C light and automation | Victoria Buma | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Plant health and protection | Berry Growers of Ontario |
| Autonomous UV light weed control implement | Chuck Baresich | April 1, 2024 to November 28, 2026 | Plant health and protection | Haggerty AgRobotics |
| Web portal development for on-farm trial analysis and decision making | Caleb Niemeyer | April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025 | Competitive production systems | Woodrill Ltd. |
| Removal of zinc from greenhouse stormwater runoff | L Jeanine West | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026 | Water quality and quantity | Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. |
| Spornado validation for early disease surveillance in corn, wheat, soybean and dry beans in Ontario | Kristine White | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027 | Plant health and protection | Spornado |
| Upcycled beef hide - localizing a rare comfort food | Aramide Taiwo | April 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | Tileyi Marketing Inc. |
| Prototyping and piloting near-net-zero CEA facilities optimized for Canada's climate | Paul Bishop | April 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025 | Sustainable production systems | Can Grow Here Inc. |
| Novel biodegradable plastic blends from upcycling dairy waste | Jonathan Parkes | April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026 | Innovative products and product improvement | MetaCycler BioInnovations Inc. |
| Tangho hemp pellets | Douglas Casetta | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | Tangho Green Canada Inc. |
| Tree nursery digital inventory and automated tree caliper system | Medhat Moussa | April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025 | Competitive production systems | Smart Pix Robotics Inc. |
| Production of heme as a novel flavour and nutritional ingredient | Pratish Gawand | April 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 | Innovative products and product improvement | Ardra Inc. |
| High-yield and operationally efficient boston lettuce cultivation in SmartGrow systems | Adnan Sharif | April 1, 2024 to April 30, 2027 | Innovative products and product improvement | Lyrata |
| White corn project | Paula Hedgepeth | April 1, 2024 to October 15, 2026 | Food safety | Kakhwa'u:kwe |
| Using electronic sow feeders to feed commercial ewes | Sean McKenzie | April 1, 2024 to October 14, 2027 | Competitive production systems | Tulach Ard Farm |
| Indigenous agri-food centre for excellence | Summer Garcia | April 1, 2024 to October 15, 2027 | Trade, market and targeted sector growth | Walpole Island First Nation |
| Innovative thermal management for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) food production | Benjamin Feagin Jr. | April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 | Sustainable production systems | AgriTech North |
2021–2022 projects
The 2021–2022 call funded 2 different streams of projects. Projects aimed to maximize the impact of research results by supporting knowledge translation and transfer activities, research synthesis and advancing innovative technologies, services and products by funding market validation and product development activities.
Stream: Knowledge Translation and Transfer
| Proposal title | Lead applicant | Start date to end date | Priority | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation Tillage 2025 (CT–2025): Revisiting Tillage 2000 (T–2000) after 30 years to assess the benefits of long-term conservation tillage on crop production | Andrew Graham | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Soil health | Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) |
| Best management practices for varroa growth assessments | Colette Mesher | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Animal health and welfare | Ontario Beekeepers' Association |
| Farmnorth Revitalization - Northern Ontario Agricultural Research Results Hub | Emily Potter | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Innovative products and product improvement | Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance |
| Spray on and prefabricated natural coatings as plastic substitutes for sustainable agricultural practices | Erica Pensini | May 2, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | University of Guelph - School of Engineering |
| Development and delivery of a training series on climate trends, impacts, on-farm resiliency and risk assessment in Grey, Bruce and Huron counties | Erik Sparling | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | Climate Risk Institute |
| Research synthesis: increasing the adoption of environmental stewardship practices by Ontario landowners | Heather Watson | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | Farm Management Canada |
| Workshop for increasing awareness of hydroxyl-radical and forced air ozone process within the agri-food sector | Keith Warriner | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Food safety | University of Guelph - Department of Food Science |
| The use of digital agriculture by Ontario's small farmers: barriers and opportunities | Kelly Bronson | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Innovative products and product improvement | University of Ottawa |
| Innovative solutions to attracting and retaining newcomers to employment in agriculture | Laura Greaves | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Competitive production systems | Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board |
| Mobilizing knowledge to enhance municipal capacity to promote and support sustainable production systems in the Niagara Region | Margaret (Amy) Lemay | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | Brock University |
| Analysis of the adoption of best management practices by crop and livestock producers to improve uptake of agri-environmental programs | Sean Rudd | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | Korotu Technology |
| Use of blockchain technology to promote and improve food safety | Stanko Dimitrov | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Food safety | University of Waterloo |
| Incorporating Windsor-Essex newcomers in the local agri-food industry | Tashlyn Teskey | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Competitive production systems | Workforce Development Board Windsor Essex |
| The Ontario soil network challenge: peer learning and influence for soil health | Tori Waugh | April 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 | Soil health | The Ontario Soil Network |
Stream: Commercialization
| Proposal title | Lead applicant | Start date to end date | Priority | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neo-detox, aflatoxin detoxification for low-moisture food | Matthew You | February 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Food safety, | Agri-Neo Inc. |
| Optimization of fermentation process for leaf-aldehyde | Pratish Gawand | February 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Plant health and protection | Ardra Inc. |
| Development of the use of BioLiNE fulvic acid technology on Ontario’s horticultural crops | Mohammad Rahbari | February 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Plant health and protection | BioLiNE Corp |
| PGP2R and PGP4 – plot analysis and regulatory requirements | Amber Kivisto | February 15, 2022 to December 31, 2022 | Plant health and protection | BioNorth Solutions |
| Designing and building custom yeast stains for Ontario craft brewers | Richard Preiss | February 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022 | Innovative products and product improvements | Escarpment Laboratories |
| Pre-commercial development of a novel proprietary process using an Engineered Aqueous Solution Enhancer (EASE) for extraction | Mehdi Nouraei | February 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Micellae Delivery Systems Inc. |
| Osiris 2.0 prototype testing | Corey Ellis | February 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | The Growcer |
| Optimization of nanolaminate metal-oxide barrier coatings for sustainable food packaging | Kevin Musselman | February 15, 2022 to January 9, 2023 | Food safety | University of Waterloo |
| A smart crop load management system for horticulture to improve farm outcomes | Jenny Lemieux | February 11, 2022 to December 31, 2022 | Plant health and protection | Vivid Machines Inc. |
| Bioremediation media testing | Elizabeth Thorn | February 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Plant health and protection | Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association |
| Light arabinoxylan dietary fiber product development | Darian Budarick | February 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | Comet Bio |
| Validation of rapid E. Coli test kit for water quality testing | George Botos | February 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022 | Food safety improvements | ExactBlue Technologies |
| Development of a zero-turn autonomous robotic platform equipped with a mowing deck and a mechanical weeding system for vegetation management in vineyards and orchards | Sougata Pahari | February 15, 2022 to October 31, 2022 | Food safety | Korechi Innovations Inc. |
| Commercialization of euglena paramylon as an all-natural alternative to methylcellulose | Scott Farrow | February 15, 2022 to January 20, 2023 | Food safety | Noblegen |
| Agricultural applications of a novel bio-resin; alternatives to plastic film, improved packaging and erosion control | Phil Richardson | April 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Plant health and protection | Biodiffusion Technologies Inc. |
| Overhead harvest quality vision scanner project | Jeff Chemeres | February 15, 2022 to January 23, 2023 | Competitive production systems | Dragonfly Information Technology Inc. |
| Feasibility analysis of hydrogen as an alternative energy source in field crop and livestock production in Ontario | Tori Waugh | March 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario |
| Automated, real-time detection of microbial load in water | Nisha Sarveswaran | February 15, 2022 to July 1, 2022 | Food safety | Kraken Sense |
| Market validation of animal-free gelatin | Fei Luo | February 15, 2022 to November 30, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Liven Proteins |
| Validating the market for the MonCataLog prototype in Ontario | Theresa Schumilas | March 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 | Innovative products and product improvements | Open Food Network Canada |
| Containerized gasification for small and medium waste producers | Daniel Bida | April 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | ReGenerate Biogas |
2020–2021 projects
The 2020–2021 call funded 21 projects through a $2.76 million investment to provide Ontarians with safer, healthier, and more locally grown and made food items while boosting trade and rural economic development.
| Proposal title | Lead applicant | Start date and end date | Priority | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitigation and management of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) resistant corn rootworm in Ontario | David Hooker | June 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 | Plant health and protection | University of Guelph |
| Agro-based game changing oxygen scavenger in reducing food wastes in high barrier compostable plastic packaging | Amar Mohanty | July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | University of Guelph |
| Finding solutions to upcycle organic waste streams: re(purpose) network – seeing food differently | Cher Mereweather | June 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Provision Coalition Inc. |
| Impact of changing temperatures on bacteria-based bio-immunization in crop plants | Keiko Yoshioka | July 1, 2021 and January 22, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | University of Toronto |
| High-throughput breeding (directed evolution) to improve reliability of probiotics in the field: applying the strategy to reduce nitrogen and water in turfgrass | Manish N. Raizada | July 1, 2021 and January 22, 2023 | Plant health and protection | University of Guelph |
| Automated fire blight detection and digitization for apple and tender fruit | Medhat Moussa | June 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 | Plant health and protection | University of Guelph |
| Early alert of airborne fungal disease and the determination of fungicide resistance in several Southern Ontario horticultural crops using air sampling monitoring | Kristine White | June 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 | Plant health and protection | Spornado Inc. |
| Early detection of grapevine viruses in young and asymptomatic grapevines using portable, Sensor-based Hyperspectral Imaging System (SHIMS) | Sudarsana Poojari | June 1, 2021 and December 1, 2022 | Plant health and protection | Brock University |
| A metabolomics-based platform for standardized evaluation of biostimulants | David Liscombe | May 21, 2021 and March 31, 2022 | Plant health and protection | Vineland Research and Innovation Centre |
| On-farm augmentation of indigenous mycorrhizal inoculum for more sustainable and profitable canola-soybean rotations | Pedro Antunes | April 15, 2021 and October 31, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Algoma University |
| Development of innovative molecular technology to identify strains of potato late blight and evaluate portable testing for on-farm detection in Ontario potatoes | Kevin Brubacher | June 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 | Plant health and protection | Ontario Potato Board |
| Novel methods for the management of clubroot on canola and brassica vegetables in Ontario | Mary Ruth McDonald | June 1, 2021 and November 15, 2022 | Plant health and protection | University of Guelph |
| Limits of detection and feasibility of DNA-based detection of salmonella in poultry production | Alex Wong | June 1, 2021 and December 22, 2022 | Food safety | Carleton University |
| Invertebrate bioconversion of agri-food waste and bioplastics to renewable fertilizer | Rob Nicol | June 1, 2021 and December 22, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Lambton College |
| What's the hold up? Understanding adoption of best management practices in livestock agriculture | Jean Howden | July 1, 2021 and December 16, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Livestock Research and Innovation Corporation |
| Inhibition of plant and human pathogens for the protection of food crops through enhancement of rhizosphere microbial communities | Robin Slawson | July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 | Food safety | Wilfrid Laurier University |
| Effective digital simulations for meat plant safety training: improving outcomes through extended reality interactive training | Renuka Waduge | July 5, 2021 and December 16, 2022 | Food safety | Conestoga College |
| Mobilizing knowledge for the adoption of BMPs in Ontario's horticulture sector | Charles Conteh | July 15, 2021 and January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | Brock University |
| Improving ready-to-eat meat food safety in Ontario meat processing plants: a positive deviance approach | Ian Young | July 1, 2021 and January 22, 2023 | Food safety | Ryerson University |
| Overcoming barriers to adoption of environmental best management practices in the Ontario farm sector during times of structural change | Michael Drescher | August 1, 2021 and January 31, 2023 | Sustainable production systems | University of Waterloo |
| Effector-enabled mining of soybean for novel immunodiversity | David Guttman | August 1, 2021 and January 31, 2023 | Plant health and protection | University of Toronto |
2019–2020 projects
The 2019–2020 call funded 11 projects through a $1.4 million investment. Projects focused on food safety, trade, market and growth opportunities, automation and bio-based production systems.
| Proposal title | Lead applicant | Start date and end date | Priority | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building a competitive production systems in Niagara and Ontario's agrifoods sector: accelerating the adoption of automation and robotics technology | Charles Conteh | August 10, 2020 to January 27, 2023 | Competitive production systems | Brock University |
| Proposal to conduct a study of automation in the Ontario food and beverage processing industry | Jason Crawford | September 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 | Competitive production systems | Food and Beverage Ontario |
| Investigation of bacteriocinogenic probiotics as an integrated strategy to reduce salmonella and campylobacter in broiler production | Riadh Hammami | September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2022 | Food safety | University of Ottawa |
| Comprehensive evaluation of a high throughput culture-independent diagnostic test (CIDT) against standard methods for simultaneous detection of common food-borne pathogens in foods | Shu Chen | September 1, 2020 to October 31, 2022 | Food safety | University of Guelph |
| Culture independent testing and monitoring for controlled environment food safety and crop protection | Trevor Charles | September 1, 2020 to July 31, 2022 | Food safety | Metagenom Bio Life Science |
| Evaluation of a high throughput CRISPR sequence-based method for identification of multiple salmonella serovars in a sample from poultry production environments | Shu Chen | September 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022 | Food safety | University of Guelph |
| Use of high pressure processing (HPP) to enhance safety and self-life of Ontario processed meats without compromising quality and/or additives inclusion | Shai Barbut | June 1, 2020 to January 31, 2023 | Food safety | University of Guelph |
| Control of salmonella and campylobacter in poultry production and processing through the application of novel technologies | Keith Warriner | January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022 | Food safety | University of Guelph |
| Development of an oral intervention method to eliminate shedding of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 by pigs | Doug Cossar | September 1, 2020 to January 31, 2023 | Food safety | PlantForm Corporation |
| Analysis and development of an agri-food waste to biopesticides value chain | Rob Nicol | May 1, 2020 to December 30, 2022 | Sustainable production systems | Lambton College |
| Building Ontario food brands on China’s e-commerce market | Ying Jiang | October 1, 2020 to July 31, 2022 | Trade, market and targeted sector growth opportunities | Ontario Tech University |
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Updated: July 25, 2025
Published: October 29, 2021