The Authorities of Ontario, the College of Guelph, and Agricultural Analysis and Innovation Ontario are celebrating a 12 months of world-class analysis, innovation, coaching and laboratory testing which have delivered sustainable options for Ontario’s $51-billion agri-food sector.
In its first 12 months of a renewed five-year settlement, the collaboration generally known as the Ontario Agri-Meals Innovation Alliance contributed almost $207 million to the province’s rising agri-food financial system, rising companies and serving to the sector thrive.
The Alliance is fuelling the event of farm-ready robotic expertise, addressing challenges corresponding to rural veterinary shortages, on-farm cybercrime and unlocking the keys to sustainable, environment friendly livestock, fish and egg manufacturing, all whereas equipping college students with the hands-on expertise they want for the long run.
These are simply among the options developed for the province’s farmers, agri-food companies and shoppers and rural communities which are summarized in Rising Ontario Options, the Alliance’s annual report.
“Analysis and innovation are key belongings for our agri-food business’s long-term competitiveness, resilience, and adaptableness in a altering world,” says Rob Flack, Minister of Agriculture, Meals and Agribusiness. “The Alliance continues to generate great technological momentum, and our authorities will proceed to take a position to reinforce it. We’re excited and desperate to see the fruit of additional analysis findings, innovation, and commercialization throughout our rising $51 billion agri-food sector.”
“The Ontario Agri-Meals Innovation Alliance exemplifies the collaborative method that’s important to shifting agriculture ahead on this province,” says Dr. Rene Van Acker, interim president and vice-chancellor on the College of Guelph. “The College of Guelph is proud to contribute our world-class experience in agricultural and veterinary sciences to this joint effort, which incorporates coaching future agri-food leaders. Along with our authorities, business and tutorial companions, we’ll proceed to unravel challenges so farms, communities and companies can prosper, and Ontarians can take pleasure in a protected, wholesome, homegrown meals provide.”
4 key Alliance advantages a powerful financial system, a talented workforce, revolutionary options, and protected, wholesome meals stem from cutting-edge analysis and innovation, coaching and laboratory providers that come collectively below the Ontario Agri-Meals Innovation Alliance banner.
A analysis technician with a robotic weeder at Ontario Crops Analysis Centre in Bradford, Ont.
Ontario Agri-Meals Innovation Alliance by the numbers
In 2023/24:
$72 million was invested by the Authorities of Ontario.
$135 million was leveraged and invested by U of G.
74 new Alliance analysis initiatives had been awarded to drive financial growth, shield animal well being and welfare and assist sustainable, homegrown meals.
Alliance researchers labored with 164 companions on new initiatives, delivering options tailor-made to Ontario.
22 new patents had been issued for Alliance-delivered improvements.
577 college students gained job-ready expertise by means of analysis initiatives.
7,400 farmers and members of the agriculture group had been educated on protected pesticide use, manure utility and subject drainage.
14 new licences had been granted for Alliance-funded analysis, together with new crop varieties like dry beans for home consumption and worldwide export.
$1.2 million in commercialization income was generated from licences related to Alliance-funded analysis.
738,000 Animal Well being Laboratory exams had been accomplished to observe ailments and ship solutions for farmers and veterinarians
99.99 p.c compliance with laboratory meals security program turnaround instances was achieved, giving companies fast solutions to meals security questions.
Concerning the Ontario Agri-Meals Innovation Alliance
The Ontario Agri-Meals Innovation Alliance is the longstanding collaboration that brings collectively the College of Guelph, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Meals and Agribusiness, and Agricultural Analysis and Innovation Ontario to ship Ontario options with international impression. Collectively, we’re coaching the following era of agri-food innovators and delivering world-class analysis, innovation and laboratory providers for Ontario’s $51-billion agri-food sector.
