Pea planting began on April 9th, and as of today, the first crops have emerged and we are 24% planted.

In the coming weeks, we will begin planting sweet corn and green beans as the soil warms up.

Growers are asked to take their time creating a quality seedbed and to focus on effective weed control.

As a reminder, once planting begins, please diligently enter crop protection records in Agro One as products are applied. This will help the Nortera Ag Team ensure we remain compliant with all necessary requirements.

Provided by Jennifer Thompson, Nortera

Agricorp Production Insurance Reminders

As the season progresses, please remember that it is the grower's responsibility to immediately report any crop damage or an unharvested crop left in the field, by calling Agricorp. An adjuster may contact you for more information or to schedule an inspection of the damaged crops. Do not abandon, destroy, replant, harvest or use damaged acreage for another purpose without Agricorp's consent.

Agricorp can be reached at 1-888-247-4999. Please have your name and Agricorp ID ready when calling. If you need more information on production insurance, you can find it at http://www.agricorp.com.

For more information on 2026 Agricorp rates, dates and updates for processing vegetable crops, click HERE. See the chart below with important dates by crop.

Thank you to everyone who attended our recent Annual General Meeting in March. Your participation and input are what help guide the direction of our organization and ensure we continue to meet the needs of our members.

Responses to submitted resolutions are now available. These responses reflect the feedback, decisions, and next steps discussed by the OPVG Board following the meeting. You can review the full list of resolutions and responses by clicking HERE.

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss a specific resolution in more detail, feel free to contact our office. We value your voice and are committed to keeping the conversation going.

The Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers is currently recruiting for a new General Manager, with support from CulturedHR.

This is a key leadership role that will help guide the future of Ontario’s processing vegetable industry. The General Manager will work closely with the Board and growers to support strategic direction, lead contract negotiations, strengthen industry relationships, and oversee day-to-day operations including communications, research initiatives, and team leadership.

We’re looking for someone with strong leadership experience, a background in agriculture or agri-food, and the ability to build relationships across growers, government, and industry partners. It’s a great opportunity for someone who enjoys both big-picture thinking and being hands-on in the work

.

This recruitment also marks an important transition, as current General Manager Keith Robbins will be retiring this fall after many years of dedicated service to the organization and the industry.

For more information, please visit https://www.opvg.org/careers and feel free to share this opportunity within your networks.

Thank you to those who attended the 2026 Cucumber Day on April 10. The day brought together many growers, industry partners, and researchers. Attendees enjoyed a full program of presentations and practical research insights that highlighted both current challenges and emerging opportunities in the processing cucumber industry.

A huge thank you to our presenters and sponsors whose contributions helped make the day a success!

ACC welcomes $250,000 interest‑free limit for 2026 APP for all non-canola advances

Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) welcomes the Government of Canada’s decision to set the 2026 interest‑free portion of the Advance Payments Program (APP) at $250,000 for all non-canola advances, helping producers manage input costs and preserve marketing flexibility for the coming production year.

Under the APP, eligible producers can access up to $1 million in advances against the value of their commodities, with the government paying the interest on the first portion of the loan.

“Setting the interest‑free limit at $250,000 gives producers meaningful room to buy seed, fertilizer, fuel and feed when they need it, then sell when markets make sense,” said Jaye Atkins, Chief Executive Officer of ACC. “Our team is ready to help producers apply quickly and make the most of the program this year.”

For 2026, advances continue to be calculated on up to 50% of the anticipated market value of eligible products. Most commodities have up to 18 months to repay, or until the crop is sold, whichever comes first. Cattle and bison have up to 24 months.

ACC encourages producers to submit or renew their applications now to ensure timely access to funds. Returning clients can take advantage of a streamlined process, and first‑time applicants will receive hands‑on guidance from ACC’s team.

Why do green pea yields vary so much?

There is significant variability in green pea yields in Ontario, within the same field and between fields. While soil fertility impacts crop performance, the role of the bacterial community living in the soil (or microbiome) – is less understood.

A group of researchers recently looked to identify soil factors that might help explain the differences in pea yields across Ontario fields and ultimately give producers some insightful information. The team included OMAFA, University of Guelph, Nortera Food and McMaster University.

“At this point, genomic and microbiome research in vegetable crops is very exploratory,” says Elaine Roddy, vegetable crop specialist with OMAFA and part of the research team on this project.

In 2024, data was collected on three commercial pea fields including soil fertility, plant tissue, yield and the bacterial community in the soil or microbiome using DNA sequencing. The results gave the researchers some new information, while not completely solving the yield variability riddle.

There were three key findings.

• Soil fertility matters – fields with balanced calcium and pH had distinct microbial communities.
• Microbiomes respond to soil conditions – while microbial composition varied by site, the difference did not directly predict yield.
• Potassium and magnesium levels in the soil appear to be related to yield variability.
• For pea growers looking to improve crop yield, balanced soil fertility (especially with potassium and magnesium) appears to be influential.

“This research isn’t yet providing direct answers to support agronomic decisions for growers,” says Roddy. “Over time, a better understanding of the interactions of microbes will help researchers and industry develop more effective and resilient microbial products to promote yield and crop health.”

Read the full research report Soil health determinants of green pea yield in Ontario: the role of soil microbiomes.

OPVG office hours

8:00 am – 4:00 pm 

Monday to Friday

519.681.1875 opvg@opvg.org