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The agri-food sector is one of Ontario’s most important assets. It feeds people, supports local jobs and businesses, anchors communities and is a significant driver of economic growth.

Keeping this $53-billion sector strong, competitive and resilient is the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. Through the Alliance, the Government of Ontario and the University of Guelph work together to deliver research, innovation and practical solutions for Ontario’s agri-food sector, supported by a network of research centres owned by Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO).

Demand for protein is on the rise. Just walk the aisles of any grocery store, and you’ll be greeted with a plethora of high protein products, ranging from bars to popcorn to drinks. Researchers at the University of Guelph are proud to be helping Canadian farmers meet that moment. See how research gets to your plate: Hungry for Protein: How Critical U of G Research is Helping Meet Demand

A healthy agri-food system depends on communities where people can access health care, find housing and employment, raise families and build a future. Yet rural communities are not always reflected in the data used to make decisions about them. Through a new community-based initiative, funded in part by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, U of G professor Dr. Leith Deacon is making rural communities more visible.

There’s still time to showcase the research happening across the University of Guelph, and you could win up to $750!

All U of G faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral researchers are invited to submit photos that capture the breadth and impact of research at U of G and show how it makes a real-world impact.

Submission Deadline: November 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

There are five prizes:

For more than 150 years, U of G researchers have worked with partners throughout the agriculture industry to make food better, healthier, safer and more available, from turkey and potatoes to honey and apple pie.

Canada’s Food University brings together top-ranked programs in food, agriculture and veterinary science with expertise, from farm to fork. As Canada faces ever-growing threats to food sovereignty, U of G is at the forefront of innovating our food system and keeping Canadians fed.

The disease outbreak that never spreads. The crop losses that never occur. The emerging threat that is detected and managed before it can disrupt farms, food supply chains or markets.

Success in risk management is often invisible.

Through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, investments in research, talent and infrastructure help ensure Ontario has the expertise and capacity to identify risks early and respond effectively.

The Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance invites project proposals in the following funding stream:

• KTT Mobilization – Activities, Products and Services
• KTT Mobilization – Nodes

All projects, must relate to an established OMAFA research priority and support Ontario’s agri-food and/or rural sectors. Projects will be adjudicated through a one-step review process. Full proposals are due by 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7, 2026.

Dr. Alexandra Harlander, professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Creativity Award from the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE).

Beef Farmers of Ontario recently established the Dr. Ira Mandell Research Award with Animal Biosciences PhD student Madeline McLennan announced as the inaugural recipient. The annual $2,500 award recognizes exceptional research that advances knowledge, innovation and sustainability within Ontario’s beef sector. It honours the life and legacy of the late Dr. Ira Mandell, a respected professor and researcher in the University of Guelph’s Department of Animal Biosciences.

U of G researcher Dr. Adrian Correndo, professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture in the Ontario Agricultural College, explains the value of time when it comes to helping grain farmers making better crop management decisions. He is preparing to harvest long-term plot trials at the Ontario Crops Research Centre - Elora for the 51st time.