Can AI help us find tomorrow's crop protection solutions faster? As pest management challenges grow more complex and the toolbox of available active ingredients continues to shrink, the pressure to develop effective new solutions is increasing. But innovation isn't just about what we discover - it's also about how efficiently we get there. At the 2026 Ontario Pest Management Conference, Dr Ravi Ramachandran with Syngenta Canada will explore how artificial intelligence (A), a

What if the next generation of crop protection could be designed with precision at the molecular level? At the 2026 Ontario Pest Management Conference, Wayne Barton, Development & Tech Services Consultant with GreenLight Biosciences Inc., will explore one of the emerging technologies that could help shape the future of the IPM toolbox: RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi uses targeted delivery of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to interfere with specific biological processes in pests.

What if the answer to a shrinking pesticide toolbox isn't finding more active ingredients - but getting more from the ones we already have? At the 2026 Ontario Pest Management Conference, Dr. Doug Baumann, Chief Technology Officer at Vive Crop Protection, will explore a different approach to crop protection innovation: development over discovery. As active ingredients are lost through use restrictions, resistance and obsolescence, bringing a completely new active ingredient t

What does the future of pest management look like when some of the tools that once defined production have been replaced, restricted, refined, or paired with data in ways that have changed the toolbox? Before looking ahead, it helps to look back. At the 2026 Ontario Pest Management Conference, Josh Mosiondz, Provincial Minor Use Coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Agribusiness, will kick off our plenary speaker series with a look at how pesticide use

Mark your calendar for the 23rd Annual Ontario Pest Management Conference

The Ontario Pest Management Conference is hosting its first winter webinar, continuing the conversation from our fall conference: using drones to deploy pest predators. This free event will take place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm EST. What You Will Learn Dr. Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris, a Research Entomologist with the US Department of Agriculture, will lead the conversation, "It's Raining Bugs! Benefits & Challenges of Deploying Pest Predators By Drone" . H

Pest control in large-acre organic crop systems faces a major challenge: how to apply natural enemies evenly and efficiently across vast fields. Traditional methods require significant labor to release these beneficial insects or predators, which limits their use. To address this, growers in Washington State have started using drones to distribute pest predators in organic apple orchards. This new approach could transform integrated pest management (IPM) by making biocontrol

Presentations from the 2025 Ontario Pest Management Conference are now available for download.

We extend our congratulations to the impressive achievements of our students at the 2025 Ontario Pest Management Conference (OPMC). This year’s Student Competition brought forth innovative research and engaging presentations from both undergraduate and graduate students, highlighting the future of pest management. We are excited to unveil the winners of this year’s competition, which included categories for Graduate Oral, Graduate Poster, and Undergraduate Poster presentation

Join us at the 2025 OPMC to hear how researchers are exploring innovative drone use for pest management.

Take advantage of the extended early-bird registration to benefit from lower rates and secure your attendance without the rush!

Get ready for the 2025 Ontario Pest Management Conference (OPMC)! This conference offers an exciting opportunity to learn about the...

Mark your calendar for the 22nd Annual Ontario Pest Management Conference

Presentations from the 2024 Ontario Pest Management Conference are now available for download.

Announcing the winning student presentations from the 2024 Ontario Pest Management Conference

Only a few days left! Hurry to register for the 2024 Ontario Pest Management Conference!

Join us at the 2024 OPMC to hear how researchers are exploring the possibilities of AI and robotics to control weeds.

Join us at the 2024 OPMC to hear how AI and smart learning can be used to monitor insects in agriculture and ecology.

Join us at the 2024 OPMC to hear how conservation dogs can help in invasive species management.

The 2024 Ontario Pest Management Conference is 4 weeks away! Have you registered yet?