Wed. September 7th, 2022 – by Chandler James
LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO, CANADA – When we work together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) is working arm-in-arm with a prominent supplier, as the organization has teamed up with Highline Mushrooms. Through the alliance, OGVG will assist Highline and its growers in obtaining raw materials comparable to fertilizer and chicken manure.
Joe Sbrocchi, General Manager, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
“Over the past decade, we have seen unprecedented volumes of organic waste reaching landfills, pushing them closer to their Environmental Compliance Agreement (ECA) thresholds at a quicker-than-anticipated rate,” remarked Joseph Sbrocchi, General Manager of OGVG. “Our vision and core values for the province’s greenhouse vegetable sector is to be global leaders, identifying and developing best practices that continue our improvement in sustainability and being best in class.”
The ongoing collaboration will see millions of pounds of organic waste, specifically in the form of unmarketable tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, as well as plant trimmings, diverted from local landfills. According to a press release, the cost of chicken manure and fertilizer, and access to procuring these growing substrates, continues to become more competitive. OGVG is pleased that Highline Mushrooms will now serve as a key organic waste off-loader.
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers has teamed up with Highline Mushrooms to help divert waste from the landfill and help meet sustainability goals
Joe Cartier, Director of Compost Operation and Mechanical at Highline Mushrooms, commented on the exciting collaboration.
Joe Cartier, Director of Compost Operation and Mechanical, Highline Mushrooms
“This is a winning situation for each party involved. Utilizing historically landfill-destined materials to offset increasing fertilizer costs and decreasing accessibility to manures, we have been able to protect our bottom line without sacrificing the quality of our product which consumers have come to expect,” Cartier explained.
Currently, there are two farms online with this project, and increased participation is anticipated in the coming months.
Through the alliance, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers will assist Highline Mushrooms and its growers in obtaining raw materials comparable to fertilizer and chicken manure
“The reduction in tipping fees and trips to the landfill has provided more on-farm flexibility from a budgetary standpoint, while creating a localized, circular bioeconomy that gives a second life to what was otherwise a waste product,” Lucas Semple, General Manager of Under Sun Acres, commented.
As more formidable produce players join forces, keep coming back to ANUK for the latest.
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Highline Mushrooms
Source: AndNowUKnow