Maximum Yield Cannabis Canada 2016 January/February | Page 16

Hydro Company Wins Innovation Award
One of Cornwall, Ontario’s most innovative young companies has been formally
recognized by the Province of Ontario with a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation
Excellence. Smart Greens grows fresh greens in a box—a 320-sq.-ft. box, to be
precise. It is a fully-functioning hydroponic farm inside a shipping container,
complete with LED lights, a closed-cycle irrigation system and a mobile
app that allows employees to monitor crops remotely. Inside the
climate-controlled container, Smart Greens can produce more
than 3,000 leafy greens, herbs and peppers each week,
without using pesticides. The technology was developed in
the United States and Smart Greens is the first company
to use such a system in Canada. Smart Greens is currently
working with the MaRS Centre for Social Impact Investing to
help raise funds to expand the business. The goal is to have
50 Smart Greens locations growing food across Canada in
the next few years.
(Source: omafra.gov.on.ca)

MAXFACTS
GROWING TIPS, NEWS AND TRIVIA
Strong Beefsteak Tomato Market
Ontario greenhouse growers are benefiting from higher prices on beefsteak
tomatoes this season, thanks to strong demand and reduced production from
competitors. The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, a trade association
representing more than 200 growers, has seen a noticeable spike in prices
compared with 2014. “For beef tomatoes, the current pricing is about $1-1.50
higher on the spot market than last year,” notes OGVG representative Fiona
McLean, who adds that the pricing spike has not extended to on-the-vine
greenhouse tomatoes. While several factors have played into this year’s market,
McLean believes lower production from other regions has been the driving force
behind the strong prices.
(Source: ogvg.com)

PEI Produce in Taiwan
Organic produce from Prince Edward Island is being featured in Leezen organic chain stores in Taiwan.
For the past four years, Grain Essence Garden of Charlottetown has worked with the province’s department
of agriculture, local farmers and vendors to support sustainable farming, encouraging
them to gradually move toward pesticide-free gardening practices. “We work with
many researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario as well as the University
of Prince Edward Island,” says Kevin Carver of PEI Berries. “Everybody believes
we actually do not need chemicals, we can coexist peacefully with Mother
Earth and not go against her all the time.” The resulting products, featured
in Leezen stores, include organic soy milk produced with organic soy beans
from Alpha Mills, PEI Juice Works wild blueberry juice, PEI Berries wild
blueberry puree, PEI Preserve fruit spread and pure cranberry juice from
the PEI Cranberry Growers Association.
(Source: freshplaza.com)

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Maximum Yield Canada  |  January/February 2016