Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) represents a transformative approach to domestic food production. By enabling year-round cultivation of fresh produce while offering greater control over growing conditions, reducing vulnerability to external environmental factors, and enhancing food security, Canada is reducing reliance on imported produce and strengthening its domestic food supply.
Today, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced $5 million for Kinghaven Farms through the AgriInnovate Program to adopt and customize automation and climate control technologies at the company's newly built CEA greenhouse, capable of producing up to 2 million kilograms of baby leafy greens annually.
Building on the recently announced $3.2 billion National Food Security Strategy and its $750 million dedicated to CEA, this funding supported the adoption of an innovative end-to-end mobile gully system that enables higher precision and faster cultivation, reducing labour costs and improving efficiency.
The project supports new to Canada, fully automated greenhouse technology that enables year-round production of local, high-quality leafy greens with the objective of reducing imported greens and carbon emissions, and eliminate long-haul transportation. The company aims to demonstrate the profitability and sustainability of using CEA and encourage adoption across Canada.
By investing in cutting-edge agricultural technologies, the Government of Canada is demonstrating its commitment to fostering innovation and ensuring a stable, sustainable food supply for Canadians.
