Speaker Spotlight #1: Then, Now & Next
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 in Canada has evolved over the past 75-100 years - and what that history can tell us about where crop protection is headed next.
In "From Dusts to Data: The Evolution of Pesticides", Josh will trace the changing landscape of pesticide use, from early products and technologies through the development of increasingly targeted tools, while examining the technologies that have been introduced, lost and replaced along the way.
The story isn't simply about new pesticides replacing old ones. It's about how the pest management toolbox itself has changed - and continues to change.
With active ingredients being lost and fewer conventional options available for growers, the industry is increasingly looking beyond traditional chemistry for solutions. New technologies, approaches and tools are opening different pathways for managing pests and filling gaps in crop protection.
Josh's presentation will connect the history to the present-day landscape and explore where pest management may go from here.
Meet Josh Mosiondz
Josh Mosiondz is the Provincial Minor Use Coordinator for the Province of Ontario. Working in collaboration with growers, industry and the federal government, he helps identify pest management needs and pursue new pesticide registrations for horticultural growers in Canada through the National Minor Use Program.
That work matters because many horticultural crops are grown on smaller acreages compared with major field crops. The pest issues can be serious, but the market size may not always support a full registration pathway without coordinated effort like Minor Use.
Josh's work provides a front-row view of the challenges involved in maintaining an effective crop protection toolbox - and the opportunities for finding new solutions.
Join the Conversation
From dusts to data, the pest management toolbox has come a long way. What comes next?
Join us at the 2026 Ontario Pest Management Conference on November 3 in Guelph, ON and be part of the conversation as we explore The Next IPM Toolbox: Finding Tomorrow's Solutions.
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