In a bid to enhance Ontario's fruit industry's resilience, Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, announced funding of up to $1,099,624 for the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers.
This initiative, part of the AgriScience Program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, aims to develop innovative fruit varieties and reduce the sector's carbon footprint.
The project led by the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, with collaboration from the Ontario Apple Growers, focuses on key outcomes such as establishing baseline data on carbon emissions in fruit farming, evaluating climate-smart practices, and developing superior fruit varieties.
The goal is to bolster production efficiency, extend shelf-life, and mitigate losses due to shipping, storage, and climate change impacts.