Lincoln, ON (November 4, 2022) - The Agri-food Innovation and Food Safety Conference was held on November 3, 2022, at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area. The conference was hosted by Clean Works, Moyer’s Apple, and the Town of Lincoln to showcase the diverse economy in the greater Niagara region and promote Agri-innovation in Lincoln and Niagara.
Lincoln has an abundance of tender fruit farms, greenhouse operations, and award-winning wineries, distilleries, and breweries. Lincoln is a Centre of Excellence for Agriculture, and we are a community that prides itself on having agricultural innovation at the forefront of this growing sector of our economy.
“Investing in the agri-food sector provides the opportunity to invest and contribute and support broader objectives like food safety, food security, and ag-innovation. It helps job creation and supports our farmers”, said Mayor Sandra Easton. “Being forward-thinking, investing, and supporting this sector, is choosing to take an active role in preparing the workforce of tomorrow; creating and filling positions in agri-food innovation is essential to increase the capacity to grow the sector.”
“I am overwhelmed by the interest and involvement of our partners in this conference, and the professionals in the community that chose to spend the day with us to learn more, listen and understand,” said Paul Moyer, owner of Moyer’s Farm. “It is refreshing to see the opportunity we are presented with to continue our collaboration and innovation through education and taking advantage of technologies to revolutionize the industry.”
“It still amazes me that the technology of Clean Works came out of wanting to find a solution to save our Caramel Apple business,” said Mark VanderVeen, President of Moyer’s Apple and Clean Works. “Clean Works provides safety from a pathogen reduction standpoint and extends shelf life, reducing food waste while saving one of our most precious natural resources, water. This technology’s impact on many people’s lives by providing safe food supplies worldwide is remarkable.”
The Town has strict land use policies with the Greenbelt and Niagara Escarpment Commission that protects our valuable land from the future development of the lands. Our Economic Development Strategy recognizes agriculture as a top sector in our community and on-farm diversified uses to support agriculture and tourism growth. Our food and beverage industry remains vital and accounts for a large portion of our local economy.
Thank you to The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs conference sponsor and the University of Guelph Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance for sharing your sector experience.
Conference speakers included:
- Mayor Sandra Easton, Town of Lincoln
- Dr. Keith Warriner, University of Guelph
- Paul Moyer, Co-owner Moyer’s Apples
- Andrew Moore, Sobeys Inc.
- Maxwell Cawley, HMC Farms
- Joe Symons, Clean Works
- Allan Schmidt, Vineland Estates Winery
- Andrew C. Wylie, Ph.D., Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
- Dan Collins, E&J Collins Limited
- Mark VanderVeen, President Moyer’s Apple and Clean Works
Learn more about Moyer’s Apple and Clean Works.
Learn more about the University of Guelph – Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance
For media inquiries, please contact:
Liliana Busnello
Manager of Corporate Communications
Town of Lincoln
Direct: 905-563-2799 ext. 230
Email