It's Ontario Agriculture Week! And other Food & Farming news across the Golden Horseshoe

Food and Farming across the Golden Horseshoe

a Golden Business spotlight

Hatch Beverage Co. founder Alfonso Tupaz has moved around a lot in his life — from Canada to Nigeria, back to Canada, to England, to Nigeria again, then finally to Markham, where he launched his growing coffee business.

“I could have chosen any other country to start a business, but I chose Canada—and Markham—because I had built great friendships and relationships here,” Tupaz said in a recent feature in MarkhamBusiness.ca. Check out the full story here!

Ontario Agriculture Week

It's Agriculture Week in Ontario — a time to recognize all of the hardworking farmers and agri-food workers who help get an abundance of good food to our plates!

To celebrate, support local and find farm fresh food across the Golden Horseshoe (and beyond) with these online maps and resources!

Durham Region has also launched a Gather at the Farm website, highlighting farm stores and special events happening at Durham farms this month. (If you have a resource you'd like us to share, please get in touch!)

Selling Food to Ontario

Are you a food producer or entrepreneur looking to start or expand a food or beverage business?

Join Halton Region for a two-day Selling Food to Ontario event in Milton on October 17th & November 12th, where attendees will hear from industry professionals and experts.

Learn more and register online here.

Local Food Infrastructure Fund

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is currently accepting applications for a new intake of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund.

The Fund supports projects that strengthen community food security and increase the availability and accessibility of local, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food through food production-focused activities for equity-deserving groups, particularly Indigenous and Black communities.

This intake closes on October 31, 2024. Learn more.

Cultivating Local Workshop Series

In response to a growing interest in local selling opportunities, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is hosting an upcoming Cultivating Local Workshop Series, with nine online workshops from November 2024 to February 2025.

The workshops will provide key experts and resources for producers and prospective producers to learn more about the opportunities to sell in-demand products direct to consumer in Ontario.

Learn more on the OFA website.

Image from First Choice Beverage website

Investing in Plant Modernization

First Choice Beverage, a producer of juice and dairy alternative products in Mississauga, is investing $50 million to boost its manufacturing capacity. The company will acquire new equipment, including robotics and automation features. In support of the investment, the Ontario government is providing First Choice Beverage with $5 million in funding through the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC) stream of the Regional Development Program (RDP). Read more in this Food in Canada article.

Funding for Food and Agri-Tech Businesses

The Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP) invites southern Ontario food- and agri-tech businesses to lead projects that accelerate sustainable growth through the adoption and integration of clean technologies, practices, and process enhancements into their operations. Recipients will receive up to $100,000 in non-repayable contributions.

The deadline to apply is October 30, 2024. Learn more here.

Grains Innovation Fund

Grain Farmers of Ontario’s 2025 Grains Innovation Fund is currently open for applications!

The Grains Innovation Fund supports industry-led innovation projects that have potential to expand market opportunities for Ontario-grown barley, corn, oats, soy, or wheat. Successful project applicants may receive up to 60 percent of the total project costs up to a maximum of $50,000. The application intake closes on November 1, 2024.

Learn more here.

Dairy Processing Modernization Initiative

The governments of Canada and Ontario announced an investment of up to $8 million, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), to create or increase processing efficiencies and enhance food safety in the province’s dairy processing sector.

The intake for the Dairy Processing Modernization Initiative opened on April 2, 2024, and is open until November 30, 2025, or until funding runs out, whichever comes first. Learn more here.

OSCIA is hiring

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is currently hiring for a new role within their department of Research and Knowledge Transfer - Stakeholder Relations Manager on the Living Lab program. The deadline to apply is October 13, 2024. Learn more.

Some more food news to chew on...

Check out the list of semi-finalists that have been announced for AAFC’s Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge
A new study by WWF-Canada has uncovered new details about how much carbon is stored in Canada’s landscapes.
EarthFresh Farms has announced the purchase of Colorado-based Mountain King Potatoes
Does place branding really count in foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction?
Food Processing Skills Canada is offering Canadian food and beverage businesses a training program for frontline workers — they're also offering a Student Work Placement Program
Over 100 climate groups are pressing big banks to stop financing livestock production over climate concerns
These states tried, and failed, to cut food waste — but one succeeded
Check out this Food in Canada article that explores Ontario's food ecosystem
Researchers at McMaster University have invented a suite of tests for food packages that can indicate if the contents are contaminated, aiming to reduce food waste and prevent illnesses
This article in The Grower outlines why climate change policy for agriculture should refocus on adaptation

Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance

www.FoodandFarming.ca