‘AI will be key in improving productivity and profitability’

Intelligent robotics

When looking at the future, Mr. Kim thinks one of the key innovations that will determine the long-term sustainability of the horticultural and smart farming industries is intelligent agricultural robotics. “Population decline, labor shortages, and rising labor costs are common challenges facing agriculture worldwide. The use of vision AI and precision-control robotics to automate labor-intensive tasks, such as harvesting and plant training, will become increasingly essential to maintaining productivity and operational efficiency.”

Ontario Plants in Canada is a leading North American horticulture company that specializes in growing and distributing high-quality young plants for organic and hydroponic greenhouse growers. The company propagates over 60 million young plants annually for the production of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and strawberries. As Manager Greenhouse Operations, Michel Hoogendoorn oversees the company’s 36-acre greenhouse facility in St. Thomas, Ontario, and works closely with the growing team. “Our team combines North American and European growing experience. Together we keep looking for ways to improve plant quality and consistency, while lowering production costs and using water and energy more efficiently.”

Two years ago, Ontario Plants also opened a 13-acre high-tech greenhouse facility in Glencoe, Ontario, built around biosecurity, quality assurance and sustainability. Speed doors help maintain an optimal growing environment, and the facility has certified cleaning stations, comprehensive pest management and continuous monitoring by in-house food safety specialists and entomologists. “Glencoe sets a high standard, and we apply what we learn there in St. Thomas as well.”

A whole-greenhouse approach

According to Hoogendoorn, good results come from a combination of factors. “You cannot look only at energy, or only at technology or labor. Everything in a greenhouse influences everything else, so you have to look at the big picture.” One approach gaining attention among Canadian growers is Plant Empowerment, a cultivation philosophy that focuses on the natural balance between energy, water and assimilates rather than on fixed growing recipes. “It helps growers make better decisions and build more resilient, sustainable growing systems,” says Hoogendoorn. “Applying it means looking differently at screening, air movement and light. Across the industry you see growers investing in better screens, roof coatings that let PAR light through while keeping heat out, and LED lighting with spectrum control.”

“Growing tables and insect netting are also becoming more common, both to deliver a better product and to support organic growing. There is a strong focus on plant resilience: the less chemical intervention needed, the better. Sustainability is a clear priority for growers and their customers here, and it keeps driving further innovation.”

Labor and automation

Labor is another important theme. Hoogendoorn expects that finding experienced people will become more challenging across the industry over time. “Experienced growers are valuable, so we invest in developing our own people and in tools that support them.” Developments in mechanization and robotization are therefore followed closely. “As labor costs rise, you look for ways to operate more efficiently. Mechanization will become very important in the coming years.” There is also growing interest in autonomous cultivation systems. “Operations are getting larger, while the number of experienced growers is not growing at the same pace. AI-driven systems can help bridge that gap, but human knowledge and experience remain essential for fine-tuning.”
Hoogendoorn sees strong interest in new developments among growers in the region. “Growers here are open and collaborative. They regularly get together to share knowledge, visit each other’s operations and attend trade shows such as GreenTech to see what is new.”