About Us

OAFT is Ontario’s dedicated online science journal for agricultural innovation and agri-food technology. We turn complex research, policy developments, and market trends into clear, compelling content for everyone invested in the future of food and farming — from barn to boardroom, from lab bench to global market.

Our Mission

We exist to close the gap between agricultural science and the people who need it most. Everything we publish is shaped by five core commitments:

• Translating frontier agri-tech research into content that farmers, founders, and funders can actually use
• Tracking the technologies, policies, and business models reshaping Ontario’s food production systems
• Spotlighting funding pathways, export tools, and commercialization resources for agri-food businesses at every stage
• Building a shared knowledge base that connects producers, researchers, investors, and government around common goals
• Championing sustainable and innovation-driven agriculture as an economic and environmental imperative for Canada

Taken together, these commitments define not just what we publish — but why we exist.

Who We Are

OAFT is a Canadian non-profit organization and agri-tech accelerator rooted in Guelph, Ontario — the heart of Canada’s agri-food research corridor. Our team brings together science journalists, agronomists, food systems researchers, and business development specialists who share one conviction: that agricultural innovation thrives when knowledge moves freely.

We operate independently of commercial advertising influence. Our editorial decisions are guided entirely by relevance, accuracy, and the needs of Ontario’s agri-tech community.

Our team is built to deliver on that promise in four concrete ways:

• Distilling peer-reviewed agri-food research and translating it into practical, accessible reporting
• Engaging directly with startups, academic institutions, producer associations, and government bodies to cover issues from the inside out
• Maintaining editorial integrity while actively participating in the ecosystem we cover
• Developing resources — from funding guides to technology explainers — that serve readers at every level of expertise

These capabilities are what allow OAFT to function as more than a media outlet — we are an active participant in Ontario’s agri-tech future.

What We Cover

Ontario’s agri-food sector spans an enormous range of disciplines, industries, and challenges. The table below outlines the core topic areas OAFT covers and what readers can expect to find within each:

No matter where a reader sits in the agri-food ecosystem — whether on the farm, in the lab, or at the investor’s table — there is content on OAFT designed specifically for them.

Why We Stand Out

Ontario has no shortage of agricultural news — but OAFT occupies a distinct position: we are both a journal and an accelerator, which means our coverage is informed by direct participation in the innovation ecosystem, not just observation of it. Four qualities define what makes our approach different:

• Embedded Expertise. Our editorial team works alongside the startups, researchers, and institutions we cover, giving us insight that purely media-focused platforms cannot replicate.
• End-to-End Perspective. We follow agri-tech innovations from early-stage research through to commercial launch and export, offering continuity that fragmented trade media rarely provides.
• Community First. Our content is shaped by the real questions coming from farmers, entrepreneurs, and researchers — not by editorial trends or sponsor priorities.
• Practical, Not Just Informative. Every piece we publish is designed to be actionable. Whether it is a grant deadline, a new crop protection technology, or a market entry strategy, we write for people who need to make decisions.

The result is a platform that does not just describe Ontario’s agri-tech landscape — it helps shape it.

How We Work

Sound editorial practice is not incidental to what we do — it is the foundation. The table below outlines the five core principles that govern how every piece of content on OAFT is developed, reviewed, and published:

These principles are non-negotiable. They are what our readers rely on — and what distinguishes OAFT from less rigorous sources of agricultural information.

Want to Contribute?

OAFT’s strength comes from the diversity of voices in Ontario’s agri-food sector. If you are a researcher with findings worth sharing, a founder with hard-won startup lessons, a producer navigating new technologies, or a policy expert with insight into the regulatory landscape — we want to hear from you.

We accept pitches across a wide range of formats, including:

• Feature articles and long-form analysis
• Opinion and commentary pieces
• Research summaries and technology reviews
• First-person accounts of agri-tech adoption in the field

Each of these formats serves a different part of our readership, and together they ensure that OAFT reflects the full breadth of experience and knowledge in Ontario’s agricultural community. Review our contributor guidelines and send your pitch to [email protected]. All submissions are reviewed by our editorial team and may be edited for accuracy, clarity, and fit.

Partnerships

OAFT actively collaborates with organizations that share our commitment to advancing Ontario’s agri-food sector. Our partnerships span five distinct categories, each reflecting a different dimension of the ecosystem we serve:

Across all of these relationships, one principle holds constant: partnerships enrich our content and extend our reach, but they never direct our editorial decisions. If you represent an organization aligned with our mission, we welcome the conversation — reach out at [email protected].

Where We’re Based

OAFT is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario — Canada’s self-described “city of innovation” and home to one of the country’s most concentrated clusters of agricultural research and agri-food industry activity.

Our Office:

OAFT — Ontario Agri-Food Technologies
381 Elmira Rd N, Unit 1 Guelph, Ontario N1K 1L5 Canada

Whether you are looking to contribute, collaborate, or simply get in touch, the table below has the right contact for you:

Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Visitors are welcome by appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.