Agriculture and Agri-Tech

The thriving agriculture and agri-tech sector in the Windsor-Essex region is a key industry, with 15,000 employees working in more than 100 food and beverage processing companies and 1,500 growing operations. A temperate climate, long growing season, technologically advanced growing systems, efficient cross-border logistics and close proximity to consumer-rich U.S. markets all make Windsor-Essex an enviable Canadian leader in agri-business.

Agriculture and Agri-Tech Video

Industry profile

Our area's 4,500-plus acres of greenhouse operations make Windsor-Essex home to the largest vegetable greenhouse cluster in North America, and second-largest in the world. Businesses enjoy a very productive 212-day growing season, on average, every year.

A major driver of the regional economy, the food and beverage processing sector generates over $3 billion in annual GDP, making it Windsor-Essex's second-largest manufacturing sector. Approximately 80 per cent of Ontario's greenhouse vegetable acreage is in Windsor-Essex and over 70 per cent of our farmers' produce is exported to the U.S. Because it is primarily an export industry, our lower Canadian dollar helps food processing companies by offering food and beverage products at very attractive prices in export markets.

Crops

Our bustling farm to table industry and farmers' markets produce delicious food for any meal. In our region, growers produce:

Field crops – corn, carrot, onion, barley, soybeans, peas, tomatoes and wheat
Specialty crops – cannabis, white beans, coloured beans, herbs and mushrooms
Livestock – beef, pork, poultry and eggs
Dairy – milk, cream, cheese, yogurt and specialty products
Fruits and vegetables – apples, grapes, tender fruits and berries, tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers and corn

Climate

Surrounded by the Great Lakes freshwater system that provides quality, reliable water sources, and located among Canada's "deep south" (roughly the same latitude as northern California), the region's favourable, consistent weather makes it ideal for growers and food processors.

Location

Our strategic location on the border of the U.S., across from Detroit, Michigan, offers the sector a significant cross-border logistics industry that facilitates access to international markets. Integrated, temperature-controlled distribution allows fresh products to quickly move to market. Duty-free access to the U.S., Mexico and Europe also makes the region an excellent centre for agriculture and food processing.

Workforce

Within the region's more than 100 food and beverage processing companies and over 1,500 growers, 8,000 employees work within the agriculture and agri-tech sector. This includes 4,100 people directly employed in the agriculture industry and 3,250 people directly employed in food and beverage processing.

Leaders in wine production

Our region features 19 local wineries, with more coming online every year. Windsor-Essex's topographic and climatic conditions lend themselves favourably to producers, who provide all sorts of varietals, including Cabernat Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Our wine industry's 154 days of growing temperatures and 200 days of frost-free conditions delight winery owners, with export market sales booming, including those to China.

Cannabis

A rapidly growing market, legalized cannabis distribution in Canada has opened up opportunities for licensed producers, especially in Windsor-Essex. An analysis of the industry by New Frontier Data, a cannabis research firm, noted that the Canadian cannabis industry could be worth up to $5.8 billion by 2024.

Tilray Inc., (formerly Aphria Inc.), a vertically integrated Canadian medical marijuana company, is one of our area's licensed producers allowed to cultivate and sell cannabis under Canadian regulations.

Research, innovation and food safety

The region's Harrow Research and Development Centre is one of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's national network of 20 research centres. It is one of the largest greenhouse research facilities in North America and includes two field sites.

The centre's mission is to develop and transfer new technologies for the production and protection of greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals and field crops, including soybeans, edible beans, corn, winter wheat and tomatoes. Scientists with agriculture expertise in plant breeding, crop physiology and management, entomology, plant pathology, weed science and social science lead important research at the complex.

Ongoing research is also performed in:

Food source traceability under national standard protocols
Integrated pest management, limiting the need for pesticide use
Waste mitigation, comprehensive reduction and re-purposing capabilities

Advanced technology for a competitive advantage

The Windsor-Essex region features a cutting-edge manufacturing sector, which translates into major benefits for agriculture and agri-tech. With a rich history in innovation and efficient operations that have produced high-quality goods for 150 years, leading technologies help industry members gain competitive advantages and optimize yield, BRIX count and grow times.

Quality control

New technologies are also helping our food processors automate quality control, ensuring that every food product is sent to market fully inspected by skilled workers and robotic vision systems. This helps optimize quality, efficiency and food safety.

Major companies

Many large national and multinational agriculture and viniculture companies, food processors, growers and greenhouse companies have significant, longstanding operations in Windsor-Essex. They are major suppliers of fresh produce and packaged fresh food products to North America and Europe.

Some of our region's top companies include: