Guelph, ON (April 28, 2023) – Bioenterprise Canada is pleased to announce the successful applicants of the Fertilizer Accelerating Solutions & Technology Challenge (the Challenge)! Ten (10) organizations have been selected to receive funding to lead commercialization projects to bring innovative alternative fertilizer solutions to market. These projects will address the dependency of Ontario agriculture on imported fertilizers, as well as provide alternatives to traditional fertilizers to ensure a continuous and cost-effective supply of fertilizer products to Canadian agriculture.
Through an agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the Province of Ontario is supporting these projects with up to $2M to deliver the Challenge. The Challenge provides successful applicants with up to $200,000 in non-repayable acceleration funding to transition alternative fertilizer solutions from research and validation phases to successful commercialization and market entry.
“Our government will always do what it takes to support Ontario’s farmers, that’s why we developed the Fertilizer Challenge to help mitigate fertilizer supply chain issues,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Projects across the province are underway to provide farmers with fertilizer resources developed and produced right here in Ontario.”
“The Fertilizer Challenge is supporting the manufacturing of Ontario made fertilizer options, alternatives and technology for our farmers,” said Rob Flack, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London. “This will mean farmers will spend less on transportation and procurement costs for foreign fertilizers and can concentrate on what they do best – continuing to competitively grow the crops Ontarians rely on every day.”
“As Canada continues to grow as a global leader in agriculture we must support our internal capacity to be self-reliant, self-improving, and constructively critical of our own processes,” says Dave Smardon, President and CEO of Bioenterprise Canada. “These alternative fertilizer solutions are showcasing the innovation that occurs at all levels of our production value chains, and we continue to work alongside the government of Ontario to ensure we are driving sustainable, economically responsible technologies and practices within Canada’s significant agricultural sectors.”
The successful recipients will be exploring many technologies including, but not limited to, micronutrients for cereal grains and legume crops, fertilizer coatings, and autonomous fertilizer application.
We would like to offer our congratulations to the following successful recipients:
Join our mailing list for updates on this Challenge or contact Bioenterprise today to explore additional commercialization support services and programs.