Special Initiatives Projects

Improved NASM framework for food processing wash-water and solid residuals

Lead Applicant: Richard G. Zytner

Research Priority: Soil Health

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Exploring policies and practices used by jurisdictions outside of Ontario to identify improvements for the management of non-agriculture source materials from the processing of various foods.

 

Enhancing Soil Health Knowledge with the Ontario Topsoil Sampling Program

Lead Applicant: Asim Biswas

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Building on Ontario's topsoil sampling program by adding more soil samples, developing a dataset for Ontario's soils, and developing a soil health assessment tool.

 

An inventory of rural municipal drainage infrastructure in Ontario

Lead Applicant: Glenn Fox

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Developing an Ontario-specific inventory of rural municipal drainage infrastructure that will include information such as length, state of repair and new construction.

 

Characterization of nuisance stray light, and evaluation of abatement strategies on crop productivity, in year-round greenhouse production

Lead Applicant: Thomas Graham

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Understanding light pollution coming from year-round greenhouses and exploring ways to reduce it without compromising crop health or economic outcomes.

 

Investigating noise impacts of grain dryers on neighbouring land uses

Lead Applicant: Erica Pensini

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Gathering information about the type, size, location and use of grain crop dryers in Ontario and measuring their noise and particulate emissions.

 

Assessing cover crop herbicide tolerance for adverse weather response

Lead Applicant: Darren Robinson

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: Ontario Crop Research Centre- Elora & Ridgetown

Research Summary: Exploring approaches to improve the success of terminating cover crops in the spring and examining cover crop tolerance to corn herbicides.

 

A synthesis of benefits and challenges of adopting cover crops in a temperate humid climate

Lead Applicant: Laura Van Eerd

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Gathering cover crop research evidence to identify solutions to accelerate their adoption in Ontario cropping systems.

 

Odour quantification and mitigation from cannabis production facilities in Ontario

Lead Applicant: Bill Van Heyst

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Evaluating odours produced during cannabis production and assessing odour control technologies.

 

Towards a comprehensive framework for economical, social and environmental sustainability evaluation of Ontario's agriculture

Lead Applicant: Claudia Wagner-Riddle

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Improving sustainability indicators of Ontario's agri-food system by adding environmental and social components to the traditional economic focused evaluation.

 

Potential for re-introduction and commercial wild-simulated production of ginseng in Ontario forests

Lead Applicant: Melanie Kalischuk

Research Priority: Trade, Market & Targeted Sector Growth Opportunities

Program Type: Special Initiatives Projects

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Monitoring performance indictors and forest ecological variables to determine the potential to re-introduce ginseng into Ontario forests.