Explore research at Ontario’s Agricultural Research Stations in this four-part webinar series hosted by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. These webinars will demonstrate how Ontario’s agricultural research stations provide a platform for innovative research and collaboration that benefits Ontario’s agri-food sector.

Owned by the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario and managed by the University of Guelph through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, these research stations facilitate innovation and learning for all major Ontario agriculture sectors. Participants will hear from researchers and industry partners about how the research stations facilitate the robust research necessary to maintain a sustainable and competitive agri-food sector throughout Ontario and Canada. Over four sessions, the audience will learn more about:

• the unique aspects of the profiled research stations;
• research currently being conducted there; and
• collaborative partnerships between researchers and industry.

At the end of each webinar, viewers will be invited to participate in a Question and Answer session with the speakers.

Anyone interested in learning more about how these research stations facilitate innovation, collaboration and positive impact for the Ontario agri-food sector are welcome to attend. For more information please contact researchstation.info@uoguelph.ca [1].

Webinar 1: Ontario Crops Research Centre – Simcoe

Our first webinar featured the Ontario Crops Research Centre – Simcoe [2] (Simcoe Research Station), located in the highly productive Norfolk sand plain in central Erie region of Ontario. Research at the Simcoe station focuses on horticulture, from vegetables and fruits to alternative crops like hazelnut.

From the webinar:

• Slides from Barbara Yates’ and Prof. Praveen Saxena’s presentations: Micropropagation and conservation of hazelnut [3] (PDF)

Webinar 2: The Ontario Crops Research Centre – Elora

The second installment of this series will feature the Ontario Crops Research Centre – Elora [4]. This site facilitates research on a variety of crops including corn, soybeans, cereals, forages and canola.

Participants will hear from:

• Prof. Claudia Wagner-Riddle, School of Environmental Sciences
• Angie Straathof, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA)

Date: Tues. Dec. 1, 2020 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Register here [5]

Webinar 3: The Ontario Beef Research Centre – Elora

Tune in to learn about the recently opened Ontario Beef Research Centre [6] located in Elora, Ont. With construction completed in Sept. 2019, this station is now open and can facilitate the latest and most innovative beef-related research during all stages of production. 

The speakers for this webinar will be confirmed.

Date: Tues. Feb. 2, 2021 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Register here [7]

Webinar 4: Ontario Aquaculture Research Centre

Join us for the final webinar of the series as we explore the Ontario Aquaculture Research Centre [8] (Alma Aquaculture Research Station). OMAFRA, in collaboration with the University of Guelph and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, established this research station to facilitate research and commercialization of the fish farming industry in Ontario.

The speakers for this webinar will be confirmed.

Date: Tues. Mar. 30, 2021 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Register here [9]