OMAFA’s Research Priorities, guided by the Grow Ontario Strategy [1] and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) [2], aim to enhance the competitiveness, productivity, and sustainability of Ontario’s agri-food sector. This page outlines the 2024-2025 Alliance Project Operating Funding [3] research priorities, including 11 high-level Research Priority Areas aligned with the Ministry’s core business areas: Protection and Risk Resilience, Environmental Stewardship, and Productivity and Growth.
Important information:
- Researchers must select one specific Research Question. To select your question, explore the drop-down accordions below, or download the attached PDF and search keywords by using Ctrl+F to search the document.
- The RIB IDs indicate the year the question was first created, with new questions for 2024-2025 starting with 2024.
- Important: All proposals involving product or service development must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP).
Protection and Risk Resilience
Ensuring protection and risk resilience in the agri-food sector.
Goals
- Enhance public confidence in the sector to deliver on food safety, animal health, plant health, emergency management, and animal welfare expectations and demands.
- Anticipate, detect, mitigate and/or reduce food safety hazards along the supply chain.
Research Focus Areas
Climate Change Resiliency: Understand risks and mitigation strategies to support an agriculture and food sector that is resilient and adaptive to climate change.
Detection and Surveillance: Baseline data.
Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices: Identification verification, validation, demonstration and adoption of new, innovative, and disruptive technologies and practices to support a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food sector.
Multi-disciplinary Research to Address Integrated Priorities: Multi-disciplinary collaborations to address complex needs: Research that includes multiple disciplines where goals are set under one thematic umbrella.
Performance Measurement: Measure performance through baseline information, trend and gap analysis, impact assessment, and BMP adoption to quantify and benchmark performance.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Change Resiliency | Foodborne human pathogens and toxins are moving into areas where they were not previously an issue due to several factors including changing weather. What are the food safety risks associated with this, and how can these risks be mitigated? | Hilary Graydon | 2020.009 |
| Detection and Surveillance |
What are the residual levels and data required to establish better usage guidelines and withdrawal times in livestock for drugs that have no current documented withdrawal period and no established maximum residual limit (MRL)? |
Hilary Graydon | 2019.066 |
| How can practical and feasible interventions or technological developments be applied throughout the value chain to effectively reduce or mitigate the pathogen burden in minimally processed or ready-to-eat (RTE) fruits and vegetables produced in Ontario, particularly for small scale producers and processors? | Hilary Graydon | 2024.006 | |
| What effect do traditional and/or modern processing methods for non-thermally treated, dried ready-to-eat meat products (both whole and comminuted) have on foodborne pathogens? How can foodborne pathogens be controlled? | Hilary Graydon | 2024.007 | |
| How prevalent is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in dairy products in Ontario, and what is the virus's survivability in both raw and temperature-treated dairy products such as milk and cheese? | Hilary Graydon | 2024.023 | |
| Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices |
What innovative research projects can be developed to improve the safety of the Ontario food system, specifically addressing food safety issues related to food grown and/or processed in Ontario? **Note: Proposals must clearly indicate the challenge or opportunity being addressed, and stakeholders who would benefit. |
Hilary Graydon | 2023.015 |
| Multi-disciplinary research to address integrated priorities | What are the science and policy gaps related to emerging food safety hazards and what mitigation strategies, including public policy solutions, could be investigated, and implemented across the agri-food supply chain to manage the associated risks? | Robin Smart | 2024.005 |
| Performance Measurement | What innovative solutions and practical applications would be most effective to support behavioural change to increase adoption of food safety best practices along the value chain? | Hilary Graydon | 2020.010 |
Goals
- Enhance public confidence in the sector to deliver on food safety, animal health, plant health, emergency management, and animal welfare expectations and demands.
- Anticipate, detect, mitigate and/or reduce animal health hazards and antimicrobial use along the supply chain.
Research Focus Areas
Development of BMPs: Development of best management practices to improve farmed animal welfare (e.g., housing, equipment, pain management).
Emergency Management: Developing and implementing strategies and protocols to enhance preparedness, response, and resilience to emergencies in the sector. This includes managing risks associated with issues such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters, agribusiness, and supply chain disruptions to ensure the safety and stability of the production system.
Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices: Identification verification, validation, demonstration and adoption of new, innovative, and disruptive technologies and practices to support a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food sector.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development of BMPs | What best management practices can be employed in the livestock industries to mitigate the risk of zoonotic diseases or livestock diseases where animals are models for human disease, to improve animal welfare while also informing, or, minimizing the impact of disease on, the health of people working in those industries from a one health perspective? What are the potential risks or benefits of these BMPs to the immediate environment shared by both livestock and humans (e.g., barn, farm premises) and/or to the broader environment (including feed production, impacts on wildlife, etc.)? | Robin Smart | 2022.011 |
| How can we promote the prudent use of medications or chemotherapeutics, including antibiotics, in food animal minor species (including aquatic species) through drug depletion studies to obtain appropriate milk and meat withdrawal information? | Robin Smart | 2022.012 | |
| Emergency Management | What are the most effective strategies and protocols for enhancing emergency preparedness and response capabilities across various types of livestock farms in Ontario, considering factors such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and supply chain disruptions, to ensure the safety and resilience of livestock production? | Robin Smart | 2024.002 |
| Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices | What are the most effective methods and practices for improving animal welfare across various types of livestock farms in Ontario, considering factors such as housing, nutrition, health management, and humane handling, to ensure ethical and sustainable livestock production? | Robin Smart | 2024.001 |
Goals
- Enhance public confidence in the sector to deliver on food safety, animal health, plant health, emergency management, and animal welfare expectations and demands.
- Help strengthen the agri-food sector’s sustainability and social license through increased utilization of integrated pest management (IPM) and other pest mitigation strategies.
- Anticipate, detect, mitigate and/or reduce plant hazards along the supply chain, and improve plant resilience and resistance.
Research Focus Area
Biology of Current and Emerging Pests: Understanding of the biology, climate resilience, ecology and management of current and emerging pests, and resistance management. Includes identification, tracking, monitoring, biosecurity practices and protocols, diagnostics, and surveillance.
Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices: Identification verification, validation, demonstration and adoption of new, innovative, and disruptive technologies and practices to support a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food sector.
Integrated Pest Management: Improved integrated pest management strategies through efficacy studies; alternative control options; development of management strategies.
Pathway Analysis: Pathway analysis is a systematic assessment of the pathways along which a pathogen or pest might enter or move within and between Ontario farms resulting in an outbreak in plants, animals, or humans.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology of Current & Emerging Pests | What strategies, including agronomic, in-field, and post-harvest practices, are most efficacious in reducing the impact of mycotoxins/DON, and provide the most value to the entire value chain, while also identifying or developing commercial corn hybrids, wheat, and barley varieties that are resistant and/or tolerant to DON? Projects must include economic analysis and aim to provide more transparent information on the DON risk of these varieties/hybrids to drive future research direction. | Anna Formusiak | 2020.087 |
| How do we improve our understanding of the development, life cycle, spread, economic impact, and management of new and emerging pests that threaten Ontario crops (including pests with expanding ranges, pesticide resistant pests, invasive pests)? How can this research improve the resiliency of crop sectors? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.102 | |
| Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices | Which new potato varieties can provide a 12-month supply of high-quality potatoes to the Ontario fresh and chip processing industries including important traits like early maturity, long term storage-ability and nutritional potential? | Anna Formusiak | 2022.010 |
| How can we manage and mitigate the environmental impacts of controlled environment agriculture (greenhouses, warehouses, and vertical farms), such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing night-time light emissions, without negatively affecting production? | Anna Formusiak | 2023.006 | |
| Integrated Pest Management | What are some integrated pest management (IPM) technologies or strategies that improve labour efficiencies, incorporate pesticides, alternative control measures, host resistance and/or take a systems approach to controlling pests? What are the economics of these technologies? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.063 |
| What are the barriers to developing a clean plant (e.g., disease, insect, and/or virus free) supply chain and what techniques or methodologies are needed for creating clean/true to type plant material for existing or new cultivars for the supply chain of that crop species? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.068 | |
|
How can robotic and artificial intelligence systems supplement existing agronomic practices such as planting of seeds or transplants (e.g., horticulture crops, corn, soybeans, etc.), weeding of row crops (grain, oilseed, and horticulture crops), surveillance of pests/diseases, identification/rouging of male flowers (e.g., hemp), pollination (e.g., hazelnut) and debudding/berry harvesting (e.g., ginseng)? How will new robotic technology in field work be integrated into current production systems? How can these systems help with effective sharing of pest and disease information among plant agriculture sector members/ partners? Projects must include cost benefit analyses and efficiency assessments. **Note: Proposals may require a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Anna Formusiak | 2020.074 | |
| What strategies can be developed and implemented to enable horticulture crop growers to effectively detect viruses in their crops, understand the impact of these viruses on yield and quality, and make informed management decisions? | Anna Formusiak | 2021.048 | |
| Can effective controls be identified for vertebrate pests in horticultural crops? For example: squirrels and jays, birds, deer, and voles. | Anna Formusiak | 2021.049 | |
| Corn rootworm and Bt resistance: 1. What are new effective rootworm management tools to reduce risk of resistance development to Bt traits and soil applied insecticides? 2. What methods, tools and resources are needed to help influence behavioural change to encourage crop rotation options away from continuous corn? Why do these methods work? Determine the most sustainable approach to corn rootworm management in areas with Bt resistance. 3. How can predictive tools for key corn pests be improved and what influence and impact climate change will have on the phenology, impact, and management of corn rootworm? |
Anna Formusiak | 2021.058 | |
| Pathway Analysis | How can new disinfection and sanitation technologies and/or processes minimize biosecurity risks from pests throughout the production cycle and through distribution channels for horticultural production? | Anna Formusiak | 2019.084 |
| What are the impacts of abiotic factors and stresses (e.g., fertility, weather, moisture, mechanical injury, pesticide injury, allelopathy, and crop metabolites etc.) on plant health and/or plant pests, how do we distinguish the causes of complexes that involve multiple potential abiotic and/or biotic stresses (e.g., replant diseases, sudden decline, early dying syndromes etc.), and how can these effects be mitigated? | Anna Formusiak | 2022.017 |
Environmental Stewardship
Providing environmental stewardship of Ontario's capacity to produce food.
Goals
- Protect and enhance soil health and water quality, supporting improved public confidence in the sector to deliver on sustainability expectations.
- Improve soil health and conservation to support agricultural productivity.
Research Focus Area
Baseline Soil Health Information: Baseline soil health information (i.e., relationship between physical, chemical, and biological components) and development of robust and measurable soil health indicators.
BMP Development: Develop, validate, and continuously improve practices and technologies to support water quality and quantity, soil health, and sustainable agri-food production and processing systems (environmental, economic, social).
Environmental Impact of Management Practices: Environmental impacts of fertilizer use, nutrient management, and integrated pest management.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline Soil Health Information | How do the interactions between cover crops and other components of the crop production system (e.g., tillage, fertility, crop protection) influence the economic and environmental effects of including cover crops in the system? How would this contribute to furthering the understanding of the economic and environmental role of cover crops alone and in combination with tillage and other components of the overall crop production system. | Dave McLeod | 2021.059 |
| What novel processes, methods or tools can assist in quantifying soil properties and productivity across spatial (e.g., field to provincial) and temporal (e.g., seasonal to interannual) scales? How do management decisions (e.g., tillage methods and timing, rotations, and cover cropping) influence our ability to measure and understand soil property and production changes? | Dave McLeod | 2023.005 | |
| How can producers evaluate soil health tests for accuracy, saliency, and interpretability, determine the minimum dataset (MDS) for cost-effective assessments, and identify the best indicators for assessing soil nutrient supply, carbon cycling, soil structure, water dynamics, and plant health across different production systems? | Dave McLeod | 2024.013 | |
| BMP Development | What are the tools and methods (e.g., soil and plant tissue/sap testing, use of optical/digital sensors, etc.) to develop and/or update soil fertility recommendations and plant tissue nutrition guidelines in horticultural crops (existing crops as well as newly introduced crops and cultivars) in Ontario? | Dave McLeod | 2022.019 |
| Environmental Impact of Management Practices | Consolidate and synthesize existing BMP effectiveness data to help determine: What is the current amount of soil erosion and nutrients leaching occurring with current agronomic and tillage practices? Are erosion and leaching rates with changing practices still aligning with our current expectations of soil health improvements, losses in organic matter, and transport of nutrients from fields? | Dave McLeod | 2023.009 |
| How do we determine the actual economic and environmental impact of soil compaction? Are there scientific methods and/or sensors already available or that can be developed and validated to measure i) the on-the-go stress applied by rolling equipment, ii) the ROI of compaction, and iii) the environmental impact of soil compaction across variable soils? What are the immediate and longer-term economic and environmental effects? | Dave McLeod | 2020.080 |
Goals
- Protect and enhance soil health and water quality, supporting improved public confidence in the sector to deliver on sustainability expectations.
- Strengthen the agri-food sector’s sustainability and social licence through improved water use and water quality.
Research Focus Areas
Analysis of BMP Adoption: Understand the behavioural, social, and economic barriers or incentives to BMP adoption by the agri-food sector.
BMP Development: Develop, validate, and continuously improve practices and technologies to support water quality and quantity, soil health, and sustainable agri-food production and processing systems (environmental, economic, social).
Climate Change Resiliency: Understand risks and mitigation strategies to support an agriculture and food sector that is resilient and adaptive to climate change.
Environmental Impact of Management Practices: Environmental impacts of fertilizer use, nutrient management, and integrated pest management.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analysis of BMP Adoption | What are the environmental and economic opportunities for farmers for planting switchgrass, miscanthus perennial biomass crops as filter media for capture of phosphorus and as farmable vegetative buffers and or riparian area from harvest sale? | Dave McLeod | 2021.064 |
| BMP Development | What opportunities exist to collect and manage stormwater on-farm? | Dave McLeod | 2019.045 |
| Climate Change Resiliency | What are the potential pathways that pesticides may be transported to surface water and what are the potential impacts to aquatic life? What are some cost-effective mitigation measures/management practices that growers can adopt to reduce the movement of pesticides to surface water from the agricultural application area? | Dave McLeod | 2020.084 |
| Environmental Impact of Management Practices | What are the differences in phosphorus losses in different cropping production systems? How are different forms of phosphorus transported from fields with highly erodible soils to rivers (e.g., dissolved phosphorus, vs. organically bound phosphorus vs. clay-bound phosphorous)? | Dave McLeod | 2019.006 |
| How can phosphorus losses from cropland research sites in the Great Lakes region over the last decade be quantified? | Dave McLeod | 2019.007 |
Goals
-
Strengthen the sustainability of the agri-food sector through (1) Soil health and conservation, (2) Improved water quality (e.g., reduced phosphorus runoff and pesticides), (3) Increased water/waste/energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and (4) Increased utilization of 4R Nutrient Stewardship (Right Source @ Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place ®).
Research Focus Areas
Analysis of BMP Adoption: Understand the behavioural, social, and economic barriers or incentives to BMP adoption by the agri-food sector.
BMP Development: Develop, validate, and continuously improve practices and technologies to support water quality and quantity, soil health, and sustainable agri-food production and processing systems (environmental, economic, social).
Climate Change Resiliency: Understand risks and mitigation strategies to support an agriculture and food sector that is resilient and adaptive to climate change.
Environmental Impacts of Management Practices: Environmental impacts of fertilizer use, nutrient management, and integrated pest management.
Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices: Identification verification, validation, demonstration and adoption of new, innovative, and disruptive technologies and practices to support a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food sector.
Multi-disciplinary research to address integrated priorities: Multi-disciplinary collaborations to address complex needs: research that includes multiple disciplines where goals are set under one thematic umbrella.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analysis of BMP Adoption | What are the economic and environmental benefits, barriers, and management options for incorporating more perennial crops in Southern Ontario (i.e., forages, pastures, biomass crops, annual grasses) in corn and soybean rotations? | Dave McLeod | 2019.014 |
| Determine what are the BMP adoption rates through the collection of baseline data on BMP adoption at the provincial, Lake Erie Basin and sub-watershed scales and via conducting ongoing monitoring to further understand BMP adoption ceilings, set adoption targets, monitor progress towards targets and provide data for input to models. | Dave McLeod | 2019.016 | |
| How can landowners, who do not participate in Environmental Stewardship programs, be engaged to improve the environmental stewardship of their lands? | Dave McLeod | 2019.019 | |
| Increasing demands for sustainably produced food coupled with a focus on reducing plastic pollution are increasing demands for alternatives to plastics in Ontario’s food production systems. How can the agri-food sector adopt better practices, products, and alternatives to reduce plastic waste and potential impacts on the environment and human health? | Robin Smart | 2024.019 | |
| BMP Development | How do Ontario crop fertility recommendations meet the needs of modern production practices and modern crop varieties, cultivars, hybrids of all crop types? | Dave McLeod | 2019.029 |
| How does nutrient stewardship practices (4R) apply to horticulture crop production? | Dave McLeod | 2019.030 | |
| What is the baseline of cover crop adoption in Ontario? What are the costs and benefits of harvestable crops that provide soil cover (wheat, rye, oats, etc.)? Which private sector partners are effective in increasing adoption of cover crops? What changes in the equipment industry are needed to increase the adoption of cover crops? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.003 | |
| What novel crop management systems can be developed which enhance economic and environmental benefits in field crop production, for example, multi or relay cropping, including forages, canola, cover crops, and/or other fall seeded crops in rotation? How do these systems affect the economic, agronomic, and environmental impact of the whole cropping system? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.040 | |
| What best management practices are funded as part of stewardship programs in other provinces and the United States? How do these compare with Ontario? The research should also consider how land prices vary in the different jurisdictions examined. | Dave McLeod | 2021.025 | |
| Climate Change Resiliency | Building on the results of the Provincial Climate Change Impact Assessment (PCCIA) and conducting finer-scale assessment of impacts, and targeting specific critical regions and/or commodities (e.g., tender fruit in southwestern Ontario) what are the adaptation options/practices required to help build region and/or commodity-specific resiliency and adaptive capacity? | Robin Smart | 2019.010 |
| What are the market trends with respect to use of sustainability standards in Ontario and other jurisdictions? How are agri-food companies and retailers responding to these trends, which standards are emerging as leaders, and what are the advantages/disadvantages/challenges and opportunities of Ontario’s agri-food sector aligning its sustainability efforts with those that are already leading the way nationally and internationally, or where are we seeing common themes? | Robin Smart | 2019.041 | |
| What are the effects of climate change on the yield, resilience, pest complex, biomass accumulation, and overall health of tree-based and other perennial crops? | Anna Formusiak | 2022.022 | |
| What adaptive strategies and resilient practices can be developed and implemented across various livestock farming systems in Ontario to mitigate the impacts of climate change on livestock health and productivity, reduce the environmental impact of livestock on climate change, enhance animal welfare, and ensure the sustainability and economic viability of livestock production? | Robin Smart | 2024.018 | |
| Environmental Impacts of Management Practices | How can agricultural-based RNG be incented in the province? What are the economic, regulatory, feasibility and/or program-based barriers to broader RNG production? How can the changes in Ontario’s Emissions Performance Standards to allow off-site production of RNG as a compliance tool for emitters be leveraged by the agriculture sector to up-cycle organic waste materials into RNG? What implications would increasing RNG production in Ontario have on other organic waste diversion or processing such as composting or direct land application? | Dave McLeod | 2019.023 |
| What is the extent, presence, and concentration of environmental chemicals (agrochemicals and agrochemical residues) in beehive products (honey, wax, pollen, propolis, etc.)? What are the adverse effects of these chemicals, including synergistic effects, on bee health, bee reproduction and the environment? | Robin Smart | 2021.069 | |
| How do management practices (including inputs) impact the carbon sequestration potential of tree-based and other perennial crops? | Anna Formusiak | 2022.023 | |
| Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices | How can we validate precision agriculture protocols and equipment for Ontario agricultural systems and identify opportunities for economic gain and environmental protection? An assessment of the differences between precision agriculture and precision conservation and how producers understand these terms is also needed. | Anna Formusiak | 2019.043 |
|
How effective are agricultural biologicals from plant and soil microbiomes for plant protection, for increasing crop productivity and for substitution of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides? What measures (e.g., environmental, economic, plant health) can be used to verify the effectiveness of these biologicals? **Note: Proposals may require a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Dave McLeod | 2020.081 | |
| Multi-disciplinary research to address integrated priorities | In what ways could the Ontario agricultural sector access market opportunities through sustainability measurement, reporting, and verification? What is the sector’s readiness to meet these requirements, and is government or other support needed? If yes, identify the opportunities. How can environmental data collected by industry or government programs support the sector across more markets as well as on-farm decision-making? | Robin Smart | 2024.020 |
Goal
-
Land use policies contribute to a secure land base that allows the agri-food sector to thrive and reach its full potential.
Research Focus Area
Evidence to Support Land Use Policies: Document evidence to inform land use policies that support the long-term success of the agri-food and agribusiness sectors.
Research Question
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence to Support Land Use Policies | What are the most effective methods to quantify the value of farmland in Ontario? Consider economic value, (including prior public and private investment/infrastructure value) environmental services, and social benefits (considering any costs as well). Is this value impacted by class of land, location within the province, existing systems, and networks (e.g., ag system)? What is the best way to communicate these figures to make the implications of farmland loss understood? | Robin Smart | 2024.012 |
Productivity and Growth
Fostering the productivity and growth of the agri-food sector and rural Ontario.
Goals
- Improve production efficiency, productivity, competitiveness and public trust efforts through technology adoption and innovation and technology development such a labour-saving technology or practices, automation, waste reduction, recycling, and increased water/waste/energy efficiency and reduced GHG emissions.
Research Focus Areas
Climate Change Resiliency: Understand risks and mitigation strategies to support an agriculture and food sector that is resilient and adaptive to climate change.
Improved Management and Processes: Improved management and processes (e.g., crop and livestock productions systems that improve yields and quality through agronomy, production practices, genetic methods, efficient fertilizer use).
Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices: Identification verification, validation, demonstration and adoption of new, innovative, and disruptive technologies and practices to support a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food sector.
Input Use Efficiency: Input use efficiency (e.g., alternative feeds, feed efficiency, automation in horticulture; irrigation efficiency in greenhouse, reproductive performance, food processing resource efficiency).
Labour Access/Efficiencies: Research and evidence to support the development of strategies to ensure that the economic growth and sustainability of the agribusiness and agri-food sector is supported by adequate access to labour and/or labour efficiencies.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Change Resiliency | How can a new apple, tender fruit or grape cultivar be developed so that they are: 1) suitable for Ontario’s climate, 2) fit current and emerging consumer preferences and 3) disease tolerant? | Kelly Jackson | 2020.052 |
| Improved Management Processes | What are management methods and techniques that result in the production of sustainable, high quality (genetics and/or production) and high efficiency honeybees (queens and/or nucleus/colony production)? | Robin Smart | 2021.067 |
| How to manage crop residue challenges and optimize crop production, profitability, and sustainability under minimal till/no-till cropping systems? | Anna Formusiak | 2023.008 | |
| What are the most effective strategies for improving livestock production efficiency across various types of farms in Ontario, considering factors such as feed optimization, breeding practices, animal health, resource management, and technological advancements, to achieve sustainable and economically viable outcomes? | Robin Smart | 2024.004 | |
| How can production and post-harvest information for new or emerging crops (e.g., industrial crops, specialty fruit, specialty vegetables, specialty grains, tree nuts, culinary and medicinal herbs, hops, biomass crops, hemp) be evaluated and adapted for field production in Ontario (e.g., agronomy, cultivar evaluations, maximizing yield and quality under Ontario growing conditions, storage technology, packaging)? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.033 | |
| What are potential techniques and tools to increase post-harvest quality for horticulture crops (i.e., optimal harvest timing for new major cultivars, packing and cold chain management systems, and practices to increase quality and storage/shelf life)? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.036 | |
|
Can new high yielding and high-quality crop varieties/hybrids/germplasm be developed through advanced crop breeding, new technologies and testing methods for field crops (e.g., corn, soybeans, dry beans, canola, winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, barley, forage crops)? This includes new varieties for value-added and identity preserved markets. **Note: Proposals must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Anna Formusiak | 2020.047 | |
| How can we grow a greater diversity of suitable edible and non-edible crops in Ontario’s controlled environment agriculture facilities (greenhouses, warehouses, and vertical farms) in a commercially sustainable manner, while also improving the quality and health of propagation material and finished product through advanced lighting, heating/cooling technologies, and/or integrated pest management (IPM) strategies? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.092 | |
| What are the optimal production practices for adzuki beans in Ontario and by soil type, e.g., practices could include reduced tillage, crop fertility management? | Anna Formusiak | 2021.032 | |
| Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices | How can the identification of new technologies and strategies to mitigate weather risks in horticulture crops help with climate change adaptation? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.037 |
|
What new tools and techniques can be developed to improve production and reduce energy and labour requirements in horticultural crops (e.g., a litmus test to detect maple buddy sap before it’s made into syrup, sap testing for nitrogen nitrate content used to adjust in-season nitrogen rates (e.g., in hops), adding ash to calcium-deficient maple sugar bushes)? **Note: Proposals must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Anna Formusiak | 2021.036 | |
| What new tools and techniques (e.g., automated sensors) can be accessed and developed to improve nutrient decision making in horticultural crops and field crops? How can nutrient deficiency and/or excess in soil, plant tissue, recirculated fertigation, and substrates be determined? | Anna Formusiak | 2022.018 | |
| How can alternative growing mediums reduce the dependence on peat-based soilless media, to help support Ontario’s ornamental sector going forward? | Anna Formusiak | 2022.024 | |
|
What new technologies (e.g., AI) and/or processes can advance Ontario’s digital and technology ecosystems in agribusiness and agri-food sector value chains to enhance competitiveness, new products development, grow market opportunities, and strengthen Ontario’s agribusiness and agri-food sector? **Note: Proposals must clearly indicate the challenge or opportunity being addressed, stakeholders who would benefit. |
Robin Smart | 2023.011 | |
| How can innovative management practices and technologies be integrated into diverse livestock farming systems across Ontario to enhance competitiveness, productivity, and sustainability at the farm level, while ensuring economic viability and environmental stewardship? | Robin Smart | 2024.003 | |
| How can we improve strategies for production and IPM through energy efficient and novel lighting technologies for floriculture, ornamental, fruit, and vegetable crops grown in controlled environments (greenhouses, warehouses, and vertical farms)? | Anna Formusiak | 2024.022 | |
| Input Use Efficiency | How can we develop and implement new or improved technologies and strategies for controlled environment agriculture (floriculture and vegetable greenhouses, warehouses, and vertical farms) to enhance energy efficiency and resource management sustainably? This includes exploring alternative energy sources, efficient lighting, improving electricity generation and storage, optimizing water usage, and capturing and utilizing carbon dioxide for enrichment. | Anna Formusiak | 2019.089 |
| What production practices and management recommendations can be developed to improve the yields, berry quality, season extension and competitiveness of berries produced in soilless/substrate culture? | Anna Formusiak | 2020.035 | |
| What are the optimal 4R nutrient stewardship practices (right source, rate, time, and place) for applying macronutrients (N, P, K, S) and micronutrients (e.g., copper, boron) to field crops to maximize economic crop response and minimize environmental losses, while improving tools for making nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium rate decisions? Key Areas of Interest: 1. Nitrogen Loss Risk: Evaluate the general risk and relative loss of nitrogen due to product type, application timing, placement, use of inhibitors, soil texture, drainage, and weather conditions post-application. 2. In-Season Loss Risk Estimates: Assess the risk of nitrogen loss from volatilization, denitrification, and leaching following pre-plant applications. 3. Optimal In-Crop Practices: Determine the best in-crop nutrient application methods for fertilizers and organic amendments. 4. Decision-Making Tools: Enhance tools for making accurate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium rate decisions. |
Anna Formusiak | 2020.042 | |
| What are the best tillage practices to optimize crop production, profitability and sustainable soil functioning (e.g., soil structure stability, erosion resistance, water dynamics) while minimizing nutrient losses? -comparisons of modern (e.g., strip-till, high speed disk, vertical tillage, bio-strips) and traditional tillage equipment -considering tillage timing, intensity, tillage depth, equipment setup and speed -across soil types, soil conditions, and across the crop rotation/multiple years -including livestock operations with manure in the system | Anna Formusiak | 2020.043 | |
| Labour Access/Efficiencies | What labour saving technologies and management practices can improve efficiencies in horticultural crops? Additionally, what cost-efficient technologies can reduce manual labour shortages in the agribusiness and agri-food sector, and how do they compare in productivity and cost/benefit to manual labour? | Anna Formusiak | 2021.006 |
Goal
-
Enhance competitiveness, profitability, and growth of the agri-food sector through new or improved products.
Research Focus Areas
Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices: Identification verification, validation, demonstration and adoption of new, innovative, and disruptive technologies and practices to support a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food sector.
New Product Development: Investigate new products (physical products, services, or processes) to improve marketability and profitability, meet consumer demands, and enhance productivity in the sector, from concept to prototype (e.g., alternative proteins, foods of the future, new crops, bioproducts).
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative and Disruptive Technologies and Practices |
What new automation tools and techniques can be developed to improve production efficiency and/or reduce energy, labour, and pesticide use, and improve plant health decision-making and pest detection in greenhouse, warehouse, and vertical farm production of edibles (vegetables and fruits), and ornamentals (flowers, landscape)? (e.g., autonomous growing, sensor technology for climate and irrigation, packaging alternatives, vision systems and scouting software for integrated pest management (IPM), etc.) **Note: Proposals must require a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Anna Formusiak | 2020.050 |
| What are some technologies (existing or potential) that could be used to enhance the food safety inspection process and/or food safety? | Hilary Graydon | 2022.029 | |
|
What new innovative opportunities (technologies, products, practices) address challenges facing Ontario’s agri-food sector and/or capitalize on prospects to enhance competitiveness, grow market opportunities, and strengthen Ontario’s agri-food sector? **Note: Proposals must clearly indicate the challenge or opportunity being addressed, stakeholders who would benefit. **Note: Proposals must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Kelly Jackson | 2023.001 | |
| What are the most promising agrivoltaic racking solutions for farmers in Ontario? | Kelly Jackson | 2024.008 | |
| What are the benefits and risks of incorporating photovoltaic modules (thin film, crystal silicon) into Ontario’s field and horticultural production systems? Do these benefits and risk change based on the types of field / horticulture crops and/or geographic area? Are these benefits and risks likely to change based on predicted climate changes in the next 25 + years? | Kelly Jackson | 2024.010 | |
| What are the market opportunities and costs, including labor, resources, and government/industry funding, for expanding the market for aesthetically imperfect produce and reducing food waste? How can AI be used in processing and manufacturing such produce, and what are the implementation costs? What are the policies, systems, and/or processes required to enable and/or support food processors to contribute to addressing Ontario's food waste problem? | Robin Smart | 2024.011 | |
| New Product Development |
What are the processes to profitably develop value-added products for locally grown hops, including extracts for brewing and natural health products? **Note: Proposals must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Kelly Jackson | 2021.039 |
|
How can biomass crops (miscanthus, switchgrass, big blue stem), hemp and other agricultural crop fibres be suitably used in the construction/ building materials and for potential carbon storage and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction? **Note: Proposals must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Kelly Jackson | 2022.007 | |
|
How can next-generation, sustainable, and biodegradable plastic alternatives be developed with superior properties to assure food safety along the supply chain? **Note: Proposals must include a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). |
Kelly Jackson | 2023.003 |
Goals
- Growth of the overall agri-food sector through expansion of existing and access to new domestic and international markets.
- Improve economic performance of identified priority sub-sectors and increased production of niche and/or value-add products.
Research Focus Area
Domestic Market Analysis: Research, data, and analysis to support Ontario’s agribusiness and the agri-food sector to remain competitive in domestic markets in response to change and challenges.
Global Market Analysis: Research, data, and analysis to support Ontario’s agribusiness and the agri-food sector to remain competitive in global markets in response to change and challenges.
Targeted Sector Growth: Identify (in partnership with industry stakeholders), investigate and research opportunities to address targeted sector growth opportunities that will remove key barriers and improve competitiveness of sectors that are strategically identified for growth in the agriculture and food sectors.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Market Analysis | How can we increase market uptake and consumer education on how to use new and underutilized crops (e.g., haskap, ginseng, Jerusalem artichoke, pawpaw)? | Robin Smart | 2021.063 |
| What are the direct shipping lanes between Ontario and North American market areas, including the carriers for those markets by mode (truck, port, or rail) and class (dry van, refrigerated or less than truckload, etc.)? | Robin Smart | 2021.065 | |
| Global Market Analysis | Among the secondary group of Ontario’s U.S. state trading partners, which ones (i.e., Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina), present the best regional opportunities for market diversification for Ontario’s agribusiness and agri-food sector to seek realistic success in the next 2-5 years considering changing consumer preferences and shifting consumer trends? | Robin Smart | 2019.080 |
| How can Ontario effectively collaborate with the Canadian federal government and other provinces and learn from international examples to address non-tariff trade barriers and improve market access? How do other sub-national jurisdictions influence the advancement of market access issues? | Robin Smart | 2019.081 | |
| What are the international market opportunities for specialty crops and what are the regulatory and non-regulatory barriers/challenges with serving these markets? | Robin Smart | 2019.092 | |
| Targeted Sector Growth | What are the key challenges and growth opportunities for Ontario’s agribusiness and agri-food sector in key global hubs? Which global hubs (i.e., Dubai, Ethiopia, Singapore, Netherlands) present the best opportunities for Ontario’s agribusiness and agri-food sector to seek realistic success in the next 2-5 years? Which subsectors of Ontario’s agribusiness and agri-food sector might be most compatible with each market’s needs? What are the potential barriers to overcome? How can these barriers be addressed? | Robin Smart | 2019.082 |
| What are the most promising economic end use market opportunities for biomass crops (switchgrass, miscanthus), hemp, crop and food processing residues and by-products and for potential industrial bioproducts manufacture and value chains in Ontario? | Robin Smart | 2019.093 |
Goal
-
Enhance competitiveness, profitability, and growth of rural communities.
Research Focus Area
Labour/Access Efficiencies: Research and evidence to support the development of strategies to ensure that the economic growth and sustainability of the agri-food and agribusiness sectors are supported by adequate access to labour and/or labour efficiencies.
Multi-disciplinary Research to Address Integrated Priorities: Multi-disciplinary collaborations to address complex needs: Research that includes multiple disciplines where goals are set under one thematic umbrella.
Rural Community Development: Research that strengthens municipal, agri-food and agribusiness sectors’ capacity to identify and successfully implement provincial and other initiatives that are economically sound, environmentally sustainable and support rural community development.
Research Questions
| Focus Area | Research Question | Lead RA | RIB ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Access/Efficiencies | What are the incentives and disincentives that influence domestic local workers (unemployed, under-employed or employed) to pursue or dismiss potential pathways into employment in the agriculture sector in Ontario? How is does this vary for immigrants and equity deserving groups? What are the barriers for employers to incentivize workers, including immigrants and equity deserving groups, to purse employment in the agriculture sector in Ontario? What models, supports, interventions, best practices and other levers can be applied within Ontario by governments and industry to attract local workers to the sector, including immigrants and equity deserving groups? | Robin Smart | 2022.002 |
| What are the barriers faced by under-represented groups in entering and/or succeeding in the agri-food/business sector, and what are the potential solutions? What actions can governments take to support individuals from under-represented groups, including Indigenous peoples, racialized groups, women, youth, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, to start and/or grow their businesses? | Robin Smart | 2024.014 | |
| Multi-disciplinary research to address integrated priorities |
Develop a research project to address key needs, challenges, or emerging opportunities in support of Indigenous agriculture and food production systems in Ontario. **Note: Proposals may require a Value Assessment Plan (VAP). **Note: Proposals must clearly indicate the challenge or opportunity being addressed, and the communities and people who would benefit. |
Elin Gwyn | 2023.012 |
| Rural Community Development | What are suitable business, funding, and financing models for various scales of Indigenous agri-food farms and or farming systems, aquaculture, and other related businesses along the supply chain? These models will help to support start-ups, improvements to existing businesses and business expansions. | Elin Gwyn | 2022.009 |
| What are the potential costs of drainage and maintenance for municipalities with federal rail line crossings, and how will these costs impact property tax rates and property owners? How will evolving climate patterns influence future drainage needs, and what are the opportunity costs of not upgrading or maintaining drainage projects considering these changes? | Robin Smart | 2023.007 | |
|
How are rural communities meeting current and planning for future demographic challenges (i.e., growing percentage of seniors, fewer working age residents and youth out-migration) to thrive and remain resilient? What are the innovative solutions that small Ontario communities and those in other jurisdictions are using to address these challenges? |
Robin Smart | 2023.010 | |
| To what degree are recently developed provincial agricultural land use policies (e.g., adopting an Agricultural System approach, completing Agricultural Impact Assessments, permitting additional residential unit in prime agricultural areas, etc.) being effectively implemented? What performance measures or key indicators can be used to evaluate policy outcomes in Ontario’s prime agricultural areas and are there barriers, tools or strategies that can be profiled to improve policy implementation by municipalities or consultants? | Robin Smart | 2024.015 | |
|
A jurisdictional scan of mega manufacturing investments located in small communities in other provinces, states, or countries. What were the economic/social impacts of such large investments on small communities? What are lessons learned (successes and challenges) and what recommendations could be made that would be applicable to the Ontario context that would help small Ontario communities prepare for such investments? |
Robin Smart | 2024.016 | |
| Develop a research project to address key needs, challenges, or emerging opportunities in support of agriculture and food systems in Northern Ontario. **Note: Proposals must clearly indicate the challenge or opportunity being addressed, and the communities and people who would benefit. |
Robin Smart | 2024.017 |
OMAFA Contacts
OMAFA's Research Priority Area Contacts
| Priority Area | Research Analyst | |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Health and Protection | Anna Formusiak | Anna.Formusiak@ontario.ca |
| Food Safety | Hilary Graydon | Hilary.Graydon@ontario.ca |
| Animal Health and Welfare | Robin Smart | Robin.Smart@ontario.ca |
| Competitive Production Systems | Robin Smart | Robin.Smart@ontario.ca |
| Innovative Products and Product Improvement | Kelly Jackson | Kelly.Jackson@ontario.ca |
| Trade, Market Targeted Sector Growth Opportunities | Robin Smart | Robin.Smart@ontario.ca |
| Strong Rural Communities/ Productive Land Capacity | Robin Smart | Robin.Smart@ontario.ca |
| Soil Health | Dave McLeod | Dave.McLeod@ontario.ca |
| Water Quality and Quantity | Dave McLeod | Dave.McLeod@ontario.ca |
| Sustainable Production Systems | Dave McLeod | Dave.McLeod@ontario.ca |
Additional Contacts
| Focus | Research Analyst | |
|---|---|---|
| Indigenous Agri-food Systems | Elin Gwyn | Elin.Gwyn@ontario.ca |
| Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | Robin Smart | Robin.Smart@ontario.ca |
| Knowledge Translation and Transfer | Tieghan Hunt | Tieghan.Hunt@ontario.ca |
