From a news release
Greenhouse vegetable farmers in Ontario were happy to learn of the new Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative announced on Thursday.
Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, made the announcement at Link Greenhouses in Bowmanville
The new provincial support will help Ontario’s greenhouse sector maintain its leadership position in Canada while also growing its export markets.
The initiative will help the sector to create, adopt and invest in innovative new technologies to reduce production costs, increase productivity and improve produce quality, enabling operations to expand their businesses, attract new investment and create good jobs. Ontario will also continue to provide the greenhouse sector with supports to foster jobs and economic prosperity in the province.
“Ontario’s greenhouse vegetable farmers thank Minister Leal and Premier Wynne for announcing this initiative,” says George Gilvesy, chair of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG). “We look forward to working with the provincial government to ensure the Ontario greenhouse vegetable sector remains competitive into the future by strengthening investment in Ontario, creating local jobs and continuing to provide fresh, healthy produce for Ontarians year-round.”
The $19 million initiative promises to help Ontario greenhouse farmers continue to make a significant contribution toward meeting the Premier’s growth challenge to Agri-food and ensures a secure food supply for Ontarians through the winter months.
Sector growth will occur both through the expansion of acreage and by moving toward 12-month production, allowing Ontario growers to retain and expand their market share.
OGVG is responsible for licensing all growers, packers and marketers of Ontario greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Currently, OGVG has over 200 growers, representing nearly 2900 acres of high-tech hydroponic greenhouse production.
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