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Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) has completed the Ontario Horticulture Research Priority Report 2026–2029 on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
The report outlines the outcomes of Ontario’s 2023–2026 horticulture research priority-setting process. Led by Vineland, the process was designed to strengthen how research priorities are identified across Ontario’s diverse horticulture sector, improve the usability of the results for researchers and funders, and support a transition from annual updates to a more strategic three-year planning cycle.
Across 16 commodity groups, pest and disease management and agronomy emerged as the most consistently high-ranked research priorities. The report also identifies six research themes for the revised process: agronomy; consumer and market research; pest and disease management; sustainability; technology; and variety evaluation and development.
“Listening directly to commodity groups is essential to understanding the real and evolving needs of Ontario’s horticulture sector. This process helped capture priorities across a highly diverse sector and translate them into a clearer, more practical framework that researchers, funders and industry partners can use to focus resources, strengthen collaboration and advance research that matters to growers,” said Amy Bowen, PhD, Director Consumer, Sensory and Market Insights, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
The process highlighted common sector-wide barriers, including limited funding, constrained research capacity, skilled labour shortages, regulatory pressures in pest management, rising input costs, trade uncertainty, and the need to support smaller sectors. Stakeholders also expressed strong interest in cross-commodity collaboration to address shared issues such as soil health, climate change, pest management, technology adoption, and knowledge sharing.
To help support stronger connections across the sector, Vineland has also developed a searchable horticulture expert directory to improve visibility of available expertise and help connect commodity groups with researchers and organizations that can support priority advancement.
“Ontario’s horticulture sector is a strong economic driver for the provincial economy. The Ontario Horticulture Research Priority Report, along with the underlying process for its continuous review, development and communication, provides a clear framework for identifying and acting on shared challenges/opportunities. This systematic response is intended to connect expertise and provide an integrated perspective on potential individual and collaborative research efforts where meaningful outcomes can be achieved. Through these efforts, we can better align the sector’s short and long-term needs, existing research capacity and the supports required to sustain the economic viability and competitiveness of horticulture in Ontario and Canada,” said Ian Potter, PhD, FCAE, President and CEO, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
The 2026–2029 priorities reflect both continuity and improvement, remaining grounded in long-standing sector needs while providing a more structured, ranked and representative framework for action. The report reinforces the value of maintaining a three-year cycle, complemented by annual check-ins, to reduce consultation burden, align more effectively with research and funding timelines, and support coordinated responses to shared horticulture challenges.