Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Day 3: More farms and fun in Quebec

After participating in the famous local tradition that is Montreal International Jazz Festival, the class packed up and headed for the border, making stops along the way before crossing.

The first stop was La Ferme Quinn, a 150-acre agri-tourism farm on the borders of Montreal. We were enthusiastically greeted at the farm by Farmer Phil and his wife Stephanie, and we eagerly jumped on a wagon ride for a full tour. With so many different crops on the farm, including strawberries, sweet corn and Christmas trees – each available in u-pick for the public – Farmer Phil stressed the importance of his success by providing each guest on their farm with the best quality product and the best quality experience. This includes communicating to the public all on-farm practices that go into producing the best quality product. This open communication allows for people to have a greater connection to what they are eating and why they are paying the highest price in the province for the product. To end the tour, we were able to walk through their construction zone, where they are expanding their storage and retail space threefold. Their pride and spirit for the farm was contagious and there was an urge for more as we all headed back to the bus.


Continuing our travels, we stopped for lunch at Centre de santé Euro-spa. This quiet country inn was certainly spa like. After a delicious buffet, Robin lead the class in a few needed stretches on the lawn. Then it was back on the bus. Our next stop wasn't far off, the Bonduelle plant in Bedford, Quebec. The plant manager Robert Deschamps met us at the spa and led us to the site. We split into two groups to alternatively tour the plant with Sebastien Smith and learn about Bonduelle from Robert. During Robert's presentation, we watched a video about the multinational and learned just how large this multinational company is. The plant in Quebec is one of 44 plants in 11 countries. Their mission is "Living well through wholesome vegetables" and they take quality, safety and relationships with stakeholders very seriously. It's obviously working. They package 100 brands for other labels, co-pack and have their own brand Arctic Gardens. This multi-pronged approach is very effective as Bonduelle enjoys 85% of the Canadian market share. With 12 plants in North America including Quebec, Ontario and Alberta they focus on having plants very close to the farms who supply them due to the perishability of the product. Timing is critical.


Next it was off to tour the plant. We watched as cutting edge equipment received, cleaned, sorted and blanched about a trillion peas an hour. Kidding of course, but it sure did seem like it, as waves of peas worked their way through the various processes. You could tell that Bonduelle doesn't entertain tours here regularly and it was just another example of the AALP program opening doors for us.


After thanking Robert and Sebastien, it was back on the bus. Our border crossing was uneventful and the day ended at the Ramada Inn in Albany, New York.


All in all, another great day of learning, touring and spending time together.

Views: 396

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Supporting B.C.’s food security with new technology, training B.C. companies, research institutions advance food security through smart-farming systems

A new smart-farming project in Delta is helping strengthen food security for British Columbians, while two new training programs will ensure more people have the necessary skills to succeed in the growing agritech sector. “With a changing climate and uncertainty from the U.S., it’s critical that two of British Columbia's greatest strengths, technology and agriculture, come together to ensure British Columbians can rely on healthy food grown here at home,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “Through our Look West plan, we are connecting innovators with industry partners to turn made-in-B.C. ideas into real-world solutions that create jobs and drive our economy forward in a sustainable future.” With support from the B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI), Delta-based Windset Farms is developing a new smart-farming system that automates decision-making with sensors that monitor plant stress and efficient greenhouse crop management. By using advanced data analy

Provincial AGM to include Elections and Resolutions

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission (APG) invites farmer-members and other industry stakeholders to attend its provincial annual general meeting on January 27 in Edmonton. The AGM will take place during CrossRoads: Alberta’s Crop Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton from 10:30 am to noon. The meeting will include a provincial update for growers, resolutions and director-at-large (bean and non-bean) elections. Resolutions and nomination forms must be submitted to the provincial office by January 15. Director-at-large forms are available on the homepage at albertapulse.com. “The provincial AGM is a good opportunity for pulse farmers from across Alberta to get together and help shape APG’s future,” said APG Chair Shane Strydhorst, who farms at Neerlandia. “We look forward to sharing APG’s accomplishments and plans for the future with our members and stakeholders as we work towards pulses on every farm, on every plate.” Producers who have sold pulses in Alberta in the l

New Research Takes Aim at Canola Pod Shatter

An agricultural science team at the University of Calgary has uncovered several new ways to improve shatter tolerance in canola, a breakthrough that could help farmers cut costs and reduce harvest losses. The findings, published last month in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, address one of the most persistent challenges facing canola producers: pod shattering during harvest. Canola seeds are enclosed in small pods that can easily burst open when crops are cut, scattering seed before it can be collected. While farmers want canola plants to be dry at harvest, that dryness increases the risk of shattering. According to the research, pod shattering leads to average seed losses of about 3% — roughly $1.3 billion annually — and can climb as high as 50% in harsh weather conditions. To manage the risk, farmers typically use a two-step harvest process, first swathing the crop to dry it and later returning with a combine. The research could allow m

IGC Raises World Grains Production to Another New High

The International Grains Council is continuing to revise its 2025-26 world supply estimates higher amid monster crops in many parts of the world. In its latest monthly Grain Market Report on Thursday, the IGC revised its production forecast for total world grains (wheat and coarse grains) to a record-smashing 2.461 billion tonnes, up a hefty 31 million from the agency’s November estimate and 6% higher than 2024-25. (The IGC did not release a report in December). It marks the fifth straight month the IGC has raised its total grains production estimate, with the January increase the largest to date, topping even the 27-million tonne hike in August. Average yields are estimated up 5% year-over-year, while harvested area is expected to rise by 1%, delivering a wave of new supply across nearly all major grain categories, the IGC said. Corn and wheat are leading the production surge, with both crops expected to post bumper harvests. Barley and sorghum output is also forecast at multi-s

Bushel Plus rebrands to BranValt for global harvest-tech growth

Founder Marcel Kringe emphasized that the same experienced team and commitment to farmer success will continue under the BranValt name.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service