Canadian vegetable growers operate in a competitive environment and face many challenges including labour shortages, profitability concerns and the increasing impacts of climate change. By investing in cutting-edge technologies, the Government of Canada is working to increase sustainability, drive economic growth, and foster resilience in Canada's agricultural sector.
Today, Patricia Lattanzio, Member of Parliament for Saint-Léonard-Saint-Michel, Quebec, on behalf of the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment of up to $497,562 for the Association des producteurs maraîchers du Québec (APMQ) through the AgriScience Program - Projects Component under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. This funding will support the development of a decision support system (DSS) that will help improve the efficiency, productivity and competitiveness of lettuce growers.
The project supports the adoption of innovative agricultural technologies within the sector by integrating and optimizing digital tools to monitor crop growth. The DSS will combine forcasted weather data with data collected under commercial production conditions by a remote sensing tool developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers and VegForecast.
By working with local producers to optimize predictive tools, the project aims to enable growers to make informed decisions, reduce labour costs and food waste, and maximize yield. The Government of Canada is committed to helping producers become more competitive and resilient by leveraging technology to overcome challenges.
