Agrogreen® Canada was honoured to participate in a collaborative research and development project for the production of organic greenhouse vegetables. The project was carried out at Canada's Greenhouse and Processing Crops Research Centre, Harrow, Ontario Canada.

Collaborating on this project was Dr. Tom Papadopoulos , Research Scientist.

Increased competition at the market place is forcing the greenhouse vegetable operator to evaluate all aspects of production. The change from soil production to soiless culture has resulted in increased productivity (10 to 20%) and has been received well by the consumer in North America. Demand for organically produced vegetables is significant, and increasing. The development of methods for the production of organic greenhouse crops has taken a new urgency in the minds of many growers.

Combining Canada's mandate and expertise to conduct research and Agrogreens mandate to market organic and environmentally friendly products including fertilizers, pesticides and cleaners together will contribute to a sustainable and competitive global greenhouse industry. Together with a common objective, to identify commercially available organic media, formulate new organic media, and evaluate both as substrates for the production of greenhouse vegetables. Developing appropriate nutrient feeding schedules based on commercially available organic liquid fertilizers and to develop complete integrated methods for the organic production of vegetables in greenhouses and to provide appropriate detailed recommendations to the greenhouse industry.

This research and development project, upon completion, will have delivered to the greenhouse vegetable producers of Canada, and the Canadian people in general, integrated systems for the production of the three main greenhouse vegetable crops by organic means. The availability of proven methods for the organic production of greenhouse crops will facilitate the implementation of such methods in commercial greenhouses with economic benefits to the producers, the country economy (i.e. employment opportunities in a strong greenhouse industry, domestic and international market development), the health of Canadians (i.e. more types of fresh vegetables through out the year), and the health of the environment (e.g. less reliability on inorganic fertilizers; more recycling of nutrients).

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