greenhouse Archives | Page 2 of 3 | Alberta Farmer Express

Aurora to buy Ontario’s MedReleaf in biggest-ever pot deal

By John Benny, Nichola Saminather May 14, 2018

Reuters — Aurora Cannabis will buy rival MedReleaf Corp. for $3.2 billion in the biggest deal yet to unify major Canadian pot growers, as the country moves toward legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The deal announced Monday is the latest in a wave of mergers in the industry as marijuana producers — emboldened by pot […] Read more

This image from a 2SaveEnergy promotional video shows how a light-defusing plastic film is incorporated into the greenhouse structure. However, things such as anti-reflective coatings can improve light capture in existing greenhouses, says provincial horticulture specialist Dustin Morton.

Crops, News

Greenhouse advances saving operators big dollars

New state-of-the-art designs are halving energy costs, but even ‘simple things’ make a difference

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry March 7, 2018

Reading Time: 2 minutes Improved construction materials and design are making greenhouses more efficient and cheaper to operate, says a provincial horticulture specialist. “Greenhouses have traditionally been energy-intensive operations, but with increasing scrutiny and slowly shrinking margins, producers need to find ways of trimming costs wherever possible,” said Dustin Morton. For example, research by Silke Hemming of Wageningen University […] Read more

Partners Wayne Lohr and Ulf Geerds have turned their extensive experience in agriculture and horticulture into a growing vertical farming venture near Olds.

Crops, News

Vertical farming grows up and comes of age

Growing food without sunlight or soil is now a reality, but the economics leave little room for error

By Jennifer Blair April 25, 2017

Reading Time: 6 minutes Olds-area greenhouse operator Wayne Lohr and business partner Ulf Geerds are dreaming big — they want to grow an acre of strawberries. That may not sound like a big deal until you consider that acre will take up just 360 square feet and produce strawberries year round. And even though they’re grown in racks on […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Machinery & Shop

Ontario greenhouse growers get competitiveness fund

By John Greig March 24, 2017

The Ontario government is putting $19 million into a new initiative to support the competitiveness of the greenhouse sector in the province. Provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal announced the funding on Thursday at Link Greenhouse near Bowmanville, just east of Oshawa. The Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative aims to provide funding for the creation of […] Read more

Crops

Lake Erie plan’s farming recommendations released

By John Greig March 21, 2017

A federal/provincial action plan to reduce phosphorus loading in Lake Erie has been released for public comment — and many of its recommendations will have implications for farmers in the Lake Erie basin. None of the numerous recommendations are particularly new or surprising and mostly call for using existing funding programs to encourage certain production […] Read more

Crops, Machinery & Shop

B.C. pulls PST for farm telehandlers, skid steers

By Alberta Farmer Staff March 28, 2016

Qualifying farmers in British Columbia are now able to buy telehandlers, skid steers and polycarbonate greenhouse panels for farm use without paying the province’s seven per cent sales tax. The province on Thursday announced the additions, effective Feb. 17, to its list of goods, equipment and services for which eligible farmers are PST-exempt. Farmers wanting […] Read more

News

Learn about the good bugs

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry March 16, 2016

Reading Time: < 1 minute A March 23 workshop will address how biocontrols can fit into an integrated pest management plan to help in greenhouse growing operations. “Biologicals are huge right now in greenhouse production and we’re seeing people introduce them and monitor them carefully for pests but at the same time aren’t quite sure where to take it from […] Read more

News

New profile of Alberta’s greenhouse sector

By Alberta Agriculture November 20, 2015

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has released the 2014 Alberta Greenhouse Profile Report, which is based on a survey conducted in partnership with the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association. It provides current benchmark data on the province’s 230 greenhouses, including size, distribution in different regions within the province, heating systems, water and energy use trends, labour, as […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Reuters

Tomato producer Mastronardi said seeking buyer

By greg-roumeliotis, Lauren Hirsch October 23, 2015

Reuters — Mastronardi Produce, an Ontario grower and distributor of hothouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, is exploring a sale it hopes could value it at as much as $900 million, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. Privately-held Mastronardi has hired Bank of Montreal (BMO) to run an auction process, the people said […] Read more

Fruit/Vegetables, News

Greenhouse growers have new fact sheet on integrated pest management

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry July 15, 2015

Reading Time: < 1 minute A new fact sheet is available to help greenhouse growers with their integrated pest management programs. “By taking appropriate steps, such as the ones outlined in this new publication, greenhouse growers can ensure a quality crop and a reduction in pest-related problems during the growing season,” said commercial horticulture specialist Dustin Morton. Entitled Greenhouse Sanitation, […] Read more

Alberta hog farmers to get set-aside via AgriRecovery

No credit expected for farmers’ past work in new carbon market

Spring road bans coming into effect across Prairies

GFM Network News