Research Funding
Each year, NPF & VGA sets a research budget to help fund projects that focus specifically on issues that growers are facing in their operations. From pest management to weather mitigation and everything in between, NPF & VGA is committed to helping growers connect to researchers, and their resources, in order to have a sustainable and profitable future growing fruits and vegetables in the Niagara Peninsula.
Below are examples of the projects that are currently being funded or have received funding in the past from NPF & VGA:
- Identifying Your Clean Stock - Accelerated Virus Testing in Fruit Trees: Travis Banks (Vineland Research and Innovation Centre "VRIC")
- Integrating Hexanal into existing post-harvest treatment of tender fruits: Dr. Jayasanker Submanian (University of Guelph)
- Stomata as an indicator for wine grape cold hardiness: Annette Nassuth (University of Guelph)
- Management of Fire Blight in Ontario orchards: Wendy McFadden Smith (OMAFRA)
- Ontario Stone Fruit Harvest and Cold Chain Best Management Practices: Dr. Jennifer DeEll (OMAFRA), Dr. Bernard Goyette (VRIC)
- Evaluation of fungicides for management of Black Knot: Wendy McFadden-Smith (OMAFRA)
- Irrigation Strategy Action Plan: NPF & VGA in partnership with Niagara Region, Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, Grape Growers of Ontario and funded in part by AAC through GF2
- Performance of size controlling peach rootstocks: Kathryn Carter (OMAFRA)
- Development of New Fresh Table Grape Varieties & Test Block Extension: Sarah Marshall (Ontario Tender Fruit Growers)
- Development of a novel method for quantifying SWD in a monitoring program in stone fruit, grapes and berries and determination of impact of SWD on stone fruit and grape varieties: NPF & VGA in partnership with Ontario Tender Fruit Growers and Eastern Ontario Berry Growers and funded in part through Canadian Agriculture Partnership: Dr. Wendy McFadden Smith et al. (OMAFRA)
- Optimizing Fertilizer Recommendations for Ontario Peaches: Kathryn Carter (OMAFRA)
- Improving the efficiency of pheromone monitoring and surveying for brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) on at-risk fruit crops in the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario: Dr. Cynthia Scott-Dupree (University of Guelph)
- Development of New Fresh Table Grape and Tender Fruit Varieties: Sarah Marshall (Ontario Tender Fruit Growers)
- Refinement of cropping systems for soilless tabletop production of strawberries in Ontario (University of Guelph)
Call for Research Proposals:
In early October, NPF & VGA will ask researchers to submit an application to be considered for any available funding. These submissions are due the first Friday in December each year.
Please note that funding through NPF & VGA is generally used as seed money and proof of funding from other sources, if applicable, is a condition of the funding. A percentage of funds may be withheld in the first project year and will not be released until after the final report is received. Major changes to any projects should be expressed to NPF & VGA as soon as possible to avoid funding being delayed, or revoked.
Below please find the standard application form included in our research package, a list of industry related priorities, our project reporting template (for researchers with current projects) and our indirect costs policy. For further assistance, please email [email protected]
| npfvga_call_for_research_proposals_2025.pdf |
| npfvga_research_package_2025.docx |
| 2024-25_research_priorities.pdf |
| npfvga_research_project_report_template.pdf |
| research_fee_policy_2024_final.pdf |