U of G research strength evident as two teams advance in agri-food challenge

Two University of Guelph-led research teams aiming to change the way fresh produce is grown in Canada have entered the second phase of the Homegrown Innovation Challenge, a $33-million challenge prize to grow berries out of season and at scale in Canada.

Dr. Mike Dixon and Dr. Youbin Zheng, both professors in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES) within the Ontario Agricultural College, are leading teams exploring sustainable and cost-effective ways to extend the growing season of berries.

“That two U of G-led research teams have been selected for the next phase of the Homegrown Challenge speaks to University of Guelph’s research strengths, especially our innovative approaches to developing and implementing the most advanced new agri-food technologies, in this case in controlled environment agriculture,” says Dr. Rene Van Acker, interim vice-president (research).  

The initiative is funded and delivered by the Weston Family Foundation.

Read the story on the U of G news site: U of G Researchers Take Agri-Food Challenge to the Next Level