The Grower Calling

Minimum wage rates keep going up and that’s a hit to horticulture. In some crops, labour rates add up to 60 per cent of the total cost of getting produce to market. That’s why growers are turning to labour-saving equipment.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, goes behind the scenes of the July 2019 cover titled 'On top of the latest labour-saving equipment' to talk with John Beardsley. He’s the crop specialist for Exeter Produce, Exeter, Ontario.

For the last two years, Rebecca Compton, based in Delhi, Ontario, has chaired the Asparagus Farmers of Ontario through a challenging marketing period.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, goes 'Behind the Scenes' of the June 2019 cover story to speak with Rebecca about her background and leadership approach to tackling industry issues.

Apple grower Cathy McKay has converted her 27-acre orchard to new varieties and trellis systems to produce a great tasting experience for consumers.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, goes 'Behind the Scenes' of the May cover story titled 'Breeding ‘local’ apples for multiple micro-climates'. Cathy shares her excitement about the potential for new varieties from the Canadian Apple Breeding Consortium.

Canada’s greenhouse vegetable sector is being buffeted by carbon taxes, high energy prices and repercussions from the last year’s sudden cannabis expansion.

The Grower goes 'Behind the Scenes' of the April 2019 cover story titled 'Cannabis clouds competitiveness of greenhouse vegetable sector' and speaks with pepper grower Duffy Kniaziew. Duffy shares his views on how these competitiveness issues affect his Leamington, Ontario business.

The Grower goes "Behind the Scenes" of the March 2019 cover story “Intellectual property: unearthing the gold beneath your feet.” Editor Karen Davidson talks with Shawn Brenn, Brenn-B Farms, Waterdown, Ontario about on-farm research and how that’s led to marketing and packaging a specific potato variety called Goldenheart.

Based near downtown Toronto, the Ontario Food Terminal is a central hub for food distribution in the province and beyond. The Ontario government is currently looking at changes to the network.

The Grower goes "Behind The Scenes" of the February cover story titled 'Taking the pulse of the Ontario Food Terminal' and interviews MPP Randy Pettapiece, chair of the agricultural advisory group as well as Steve Bamford, CEO of Fresh Advancements, a major tenant of the terminal.

Not yet 30. Tom Heeman is chair of the Berry Growers of Ontario and the North American Strawberry Growers Association.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, goes 'Behind the Scenes' of the January cover story titled 'The changing context of leadership' and speaks with Tom Heeman. Tom shares his insights on agricultural leadership today, involving more women on boards of directors and reaching out to the value chain.

Ontario’s ginseng industry has a $250M farmgate value. If the future is to be secured, the issue of replant disease must be solved. Or 160 growers will simply run out of land. A multi-disciplinary research team is working hard to find the answers. Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, goes "Behind the Scenes" of the December cover story and talks with Carl Atkinson, ginseng grower, about replant disease.

Vegetable processors such as Bonduelle and Whytes Foods are investing in plant upgrades in several Ontario communities. Cathy Lennon, general manager, Ontario Vegetable Processors Association, offers a fresh look at this $100 million sector.

Canadian horticulture would be crippled without the efforts of seasonal agricultural workers from Mexico and the Caribbean.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower goes "Behind the Scenes" of the October 2018 cover story titled 'Hand it to 30,000+ seasonal workers who bring produce to market.' In the podcast, Ken Forth, president of FARMS, offers context and history on the 52-year-old Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.