Canada is Getting Berry Serious About Year-Round Production

Judging the Future of Canadian Farming: Scaling Innovation in the Homegrown Innovation Challenge ????

As someone deeply passionate about the future of agriculture, food security, and climate-smart farming, I’m honored to serve as a judge for the Homegrown Innovation Challenge, evaluating Canada’s best and brightest agricultural innovators as they scale solutions to grow berries year-round in Canada—without imports.

Why This Challenge Matters ??

Currently, Canada imports over $1.5 billion worth of berries annually, primarily from Mexico, the U.S., and South America. These imports fill a major off-season gap because Canada’s short growing season (May-October) makes year-round production difficult. However, with climate change, rising transportation costs, trade uncertainties, and increased demand for fresh, locally grown produce, there’s a major opportunity to rethink how berries are grown in Canada.

Key Factors Driving the Need for Local Berry Production

?? Trade & Supply Chain Risks

• Canada is part of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), but rising transportation costs, labor shortages, and weather disruptions have made imported berries more expensive.
• Tariffs and regulatory changes could increase costs of foreign fruit.
• Food safety concerns with imports have raised questions about pesticide use, contamination risks, and recall issues.

??? Climate Challenges & Food Security

• Canada has one of the harshest climates for fruit production, with long winters, short growing seasons, and unpredictable frosts.
• Droughts and extreme weather events in California (where much of Canada’s imported berries come from) have created supply shocks and price fluctuations.
• Indoor and controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) offers a stable, climate-proof alternative.

?? Health & Consumer Trends

• Berries are a superfood—they are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins and linked to better brain health, heart health, and lower inflammation.
• Canadian consumers are prioritizing fresh, local, and organic food—and are willing to pay a premium for year-round, pesticide-free berries.
• Retailers and foodservice providers (grocery stores, restaurants, smoothie chains, etc.) have a growing demand for local sourcing to reduce carbon footprints.

Given these factors, the Homegrown Challenge is not just a research project—it’s a blueprint for the future of Canadian agriculture.

Read more about the Challenge here

Meet the Teams: Scaling the Future of Berry Farming

Each of these teams is developing game-changing technologies to make year-round, sustainable berry production a reality in Canada.

?? Team MacLean (University of Ottawa)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Allyson MacLean

Berry: ?? Strawberries

Innovation: Developing a Totally Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) system enhanced with microbial plant growth promoters, CO? capture, and free-cooling technology to maximize efficiency.

Collaborators: Fieldless , Ceragen , Vertiberry , Skytree

Why It’s Exciting:

• Utilizes plant microbiome optimization to enhance strawberry health and yield.
• Incorporates on-site CO? capture and smart climate control to reduce emissions.
• Features a fully automated system for precision agriculture.

?? Team Henderson (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Deborah Henderson

Berry: ?? Strawberries and Blackberries

Innovation: Developing an advanced greenhouse system that employs AI-driven robots for pest management and climate control, aiming for carbon-neutral, pesticide-free berry production.

Collaborators: 加拿大西蒙弗雷泽大学 , Star Produce, Argus Control Systems , Sollum Technologies , Ecoation Innovative Solutions, AltaStream Energy

Why It’s Exciting:

• Integrates AI-driven climate control optimizing irrigation, lighting, and pest management.
• Employs robotic systems for early detection and management of pests and diseases.
• Utilizes energy-efficient greenhouse designs with geothermal heating and dynamic lighting systems.

?? Team Mattsson (Simon Fraser University)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Jim Mattsson

Berry: ?? Blueberries

Innovation: Developing a high-intensity production system that combines optimal environmental conditions with advanced plant genetics for indoor blueberry cultivation.

Collaborators: Beritech , The University of British Columbia , Fall Creek Farm and Nursery

Why It’s Exciting:

• Focuses on identifying and cultivating blueberry varieties best suited for indoor environments.
• Applies gene editing to develop compact, high-yield plants.
• Utilizes precision-controlled environments to maximize fruit quality and yield.

? Team Pearce (Western University)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Joshua Pearce

Berry: ?? Strawberries, ?? Blueberries, ?? Raspberries, Blackberries, Ground Cherries

Innovation: Implementing an agrotunnel agrivoltaics hybrid system that combines indoor vertical farming with outdoor solar-shielded cultivation to enhance productivity and energy efficiency.

Collaborators: Food Security Structures Canada , SolarCities, Vertical Green, Adragone Aeroponics

Why It’s Exciting:

• Employs a dual-environment approach using specialized solar panels to support both indoor and outdoor berry production.
• Features a modular and scalable system adaptable to various Canadian climates, including northern regions.
• Has the potential to generate surplus energy for non-agricultural use.

?? Team Campbell & Bougherara (Toronto Metropolitan University)

Lead Investigators: Dr. Lesley G. Campbell and Dr. Habiba Bougherara Berry: ?? Raspberries and Blackberries

Innovation: Developing the iGrow Platform—a microclimate-controlled, multilayer vertical growing system equipped with self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology (SMART) to optimize plant health and yield.

Collaborators: Argus Control Systems, Vivent SA, University of Windsor, EASTechnology, Falcon Blueberries

Why It’s Exciting:

• Utilizes biosensors for real-time monitoring and adjustment of environmental conditions based on plant feedback.
• Incorporates an energy-efficient design with triboelectric generators and potential for solar power integration.
• Aims to reduce labor demands and enhance year-round production, supporting sustainable farming practices.

?? Team Dixon (University of Guelph)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Mike Dixon

Berry: ?? Strawberries

Innovation: Applying lessons from space agriculture to develop a hybrid production system that combines advanced greenhouse technology with vertical farming methods for year-round strawberry cultivation.

Collaborators: Mucci Farms , University of Guelph Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility

Why It’s Exciting:

• Leverages space-based agriculture research to create resource-efficient, high-density planting systems.
• Combines natural sunlight with customized LED lighting to extend growing seasons.
• Offers a scalable design adaptable to various challenging environments, enhancing food security.

?? Team Boréal (Collège Boréal)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Sabine Bouchard

Berry: ?? Strawberries

Innovation: Optimizing small-scale strawberry commercial viability in greenhouses tailored for rural and remote areas, ensuring economic viability and local food security.

Collaborators: Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre – Rural Agri-Innovation Network, Smart Indoor Farming Solutions

Why It’s Exciting:

• Designed for small-scale growers in remote and rural areas to enhance food security.
• Developing cost-effective greenhouse solutions tailored for challenging climates.
• Creating new economic opportunities for farmers in underserved regions.

?? Team Dorais (Université Laval)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Martine Dorais

Berry: ?? Strawberries

Innovation: Developing energy-efficient controlled environment agriculture facilities (EE-CEAF) to enable year-round strawberry production in cold-climate regions.

Collaborators: CycloFields Indoor Farming Technology Inc. , Université Laval

Why It’s Exciting:

• Utilizing advanced greenhouse technologies to reduce energy consumption.
• Implementing sustainable farming practices tailored for cold climates.
• Enhancing local food security by producing fresh strawberries year-round.

?? Team Hamid (Ontario Tech University)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Osman Hamid

Berry: ?? Strawberries

Innovation: Developing an autonomous controlled environment system for year-round berry production, integrating advanced sensors, AI automation, and smart climate monitoring to optimize conditions with minimal human intervention.

Collaborators: Ontario Tech University, Willowtree Farm, Turnkey Aquaponics Inc., Moduleaf Technologies

Why It’s Exciting:

• AI-driven automation reduces labor costs and improves efficiency.
• Real-time monitoring and data analytics optimize plant health and production.
• Ensures consistent, high-quality berry yields regardless of weather conditions.

?? Team Zheng (University of Guelph)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Youbin Zheng

Berry: ?? Strawberries

Innovation: Optimizing seasonal strawberry production using a hybrid approach that integrates controlled environment agriculture (CEA) with field-based farming to extend the growing season and boost food security.

Collaborators: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, University of Guelph, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Koidra

Why It’s Exciting:

• Combining high-tech greenhouses with traditional field farming to maximize output.
• Developing climate-resilient farming solutions to mitigate weather risks.
• Reducing input costs and improving yields for more sustainable strawberry production.

Judging Criteria: What I’m Looking For

I have just started visiting 5 of these teams in person across Canada ( Paul Gauthier is visiting the others) to continue the judging process. These are some of the focus areas me and the other judges are looking for:

?? Scalability – Can this model expand beyond pilot-scale into commercial production?

? Energy & Sustainability – How efficient is the water, light, CO?, and waste use?

?? Market Readiness – Can this be cost-competitive with imports?

?? Innovation – Are they pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in CEA?

?? Risk Reduction – How well does this system mitigate climate & trade risks?

Learn more about the assessment criteria here.

A Berry Important Moment for Canadian Agriculture

The Homegrown Challenge is about more than just berries—it’s about reshaping the future of farming in Canada.

This challenge is proving that we can grow fresh, high-quality berries year-round while reducing our reliance on imports, increasing food security, and making Canada a global leader in climate-resilient farming.

I can’t wait to visit these farms, evaluate their progress, and share my insights with all of you. Follow along for updates! ??

What excites you most about the future of berry farming in Canada? Let me know in the comments! ??