{"id":274625,"date":"2026-02-17T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/english-montel-partners-with-tmu-researchers-to-advance-pollinator-independent-indoor-berry-production-in-canada\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T11:00:00","slug":"english-montel-partners-with-tmu-researchers-to-advance-pollinator-independent-indoor-berry-production-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/english-montel-partners-with-tmu-researchers-to-advance-pollinator-independent-indoor-berry-production-in-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"Montel Partners with TMU Researchers to Advance Pollinator-Independent Indoor Berry Production in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><![CDATA[\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n\n]]><\/style>\n<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><span class=\"legendSpanClass\">MONTMAGNY, QC<\/span>, <span class=\"legendSpanClass\">Feb. 17, 2026<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212;\u00a0Montel Inc., Canada&#8217;s leading manufacturer of high-density mobile systems, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) to support the development of a groundbreaking pollinator-independent indoor berry production.<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpg8982left\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"prnejpg8982left\" title=\"MoFarm by Montel - Logo\" src=\"https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2903388\/Montel_Montel_Partners_with_TMU_Researchers_to_Advance_Pollinato.jpg\" alt=\"MoFarm by Montel - Logo\" align=\"middle\"\/><\/div>\n<p>This initiative is made possible through major support from the Weston Family Foundation, via the Homegrown Innovation Challenge Scaling Phase, which invests in innovative Canadian solutions to enable reliable, year-round berry production.<\/p>\n<p>As part of this collaboration, <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=3509652895&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fvertical-farming&amp;a=Montel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Montel<\/a> will build and host a dedicated pilot farm named <b>MoFarm<\/b>, where TMU&#8217;s new airflow-based pollination technology will be tested and evaluated under controlled, real-world growing conditions.<\/p>\n<p><b>A National Effort to Reinvent Food Production<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In June 2025, TMU researchers Professor Habiba Bougherara and Professor Lesley Campbell were awarded a grant that will provide up to $5\u00a0million to advance their work on a novel system that enables raspberries\u00a0\u2014 and potentially other berries\u00a0\u2014 to be grown indoors without bees. Their innovation centers on a patented airflow and microclimate system capable of autonomously transferring pollen between flowers, addressing one of the most persistent challenges in controlled-environment agriculture.<\/p>\n<p>The Weston Family Foundation&#8217;s commitment to strengthening Canada&#8217;s domestic food production ecosystem has been instrumental in propelling this work forward. <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=3509652895&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fvertical-farming&amp;a=Montel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Montel<\/a> is honored to contribute to this national vision by providing the infrastructure where scientific discovery and engineering excellence converge.<\/p>\n<p><b>Montel&#8217;s Role: Enabling Real-World Innovation<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=3509652895&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fvertical-farming&amp;a=Montel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Montel<\/a>\u00a0joins the project as a recognized leader in indoor vertical farming systems, bringing <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=94849913&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fvertical-farming%2Fproducts%2Fmobile-grow-systems%2Fmechanical-assist-mobile-grow-system&amp;a=engineering+expertise\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">engineering expertise<\/a>\u00a0and a purpose-built testing environment to support TMU&#8217;s scientific leadership.<\/p>\n<p><b>MoFarm, <\/b>located adjacent to Montel&#8217;s manufacturing facility in Montmagny, Qu\u00e9bec and designed by <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=3509652895&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fvertical-farming&amp;a=Montel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Montel<\/a>, will serve as a pivotal site to:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Assess the performance of the pollination technology<\/li>\n<li>Run continuous, year-round growing cycles<\/li>\n<li>Provide a research environment that mirrors real vertical farming conditions<\/li>\n<li>Strengthen collaboration between TMU scientists and Montel experts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This pilot farm embodies the shared commitment to building a more resilient, sustainable, and self-sufficient food future for Canada.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<i>Montel&#8217;s mission has always been to help growers &#8216;grow more&#8217; with less space. Collaborating with TMU allows us to push the boundaries of what indoor agriculture can achieve when advanced science and engineering work hand in hand<\/i>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Yves B\u00e9langer, VP Sales \u2013 Vertical Farming, Montel Inc.<\/p>\n<p><b>A Breakthrough in Pollinator-Independent Indoor Farming<\/b><\/p>\n<p>TMU&#8217;s research targets a critical barrier in indoor berry cultivation: achieving effective pollination without bees. By uniting plant science, mechanical engineering, and precise microclimate control, the project aims to:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Support pollinator-independent fruit set<\/li>\n<li>Reduce reliance on vulnerable pollinator populations<\/li>\n<li>Improve yield predictability in indoor environments<\/li>\n<li>Enable multi-layer berry production through compact plant architecture<\/li>\n<li>Advance sustainable, Canadian-grown berries year-round<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#8220;<i>This funding allows us to build and test a system that could transform indoor berry production in Canada. Partnering with Montel gives us the ability to validate our technology under real indoor growing conditions.&#8221;<\/i><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Professor Habiba Bougherara, Toronto Metropolitan University<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=4099836394&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fabout-us%2Four-story&amp;a=About+Montel+Inc.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">About Montel Inc.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Founded in 1924 in Montmagny, Qu\u00e9bec, <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=3700611768&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fabout-us%2Four-story&amp;a=Montel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Montel<\/a> is a North American leader in high-density mobile storage and vertical farming systems. With a legacy of engineering excellence, <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=3700611768&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montel.com%2Fabout-us%2Four-story&amp;a=Montel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Montel<\/a> designs turnkey vertical farming solutions that help organizations maximize space, efficiency, and sustainability. Learn more at montel.com.<\/p>\n<p><b>Montel Inc.<br \/><\/b><a href=\"mailto:sales@montel.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">sales@montel.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>1-877-935-0236<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=597151896&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fmontel.com%2Fmofarm&amp;a=montel.com%2Fmofarm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">montel.com\/mofarm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Photo &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/edge.prnewswire.com\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4619335-1&amp;h=1830263739&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2903388%2FMontel_Montel_Partners_with_TMU_Researchers_to_Advance_Pollinato.jpg&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2903388%2FMontel_Montel_Partners_with_TMU_Researchers_to_Advance_Pollinato.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2903388\/Montel_Montel_Partners_with_TMU_Researchers_to_Advance_Pollinato.jpg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>SOURCE Montel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><span class=\"legendSpanClass\">MONTMAGNY, QC<\/span>, <span class=\"legendSpanClass\">Feb. 17, 2026<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212;\u00a0Montel Inc., Canada&#8217;s leading manufacturer of high-density mobile systems, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) to support the development of a groundbreaking pollinator-independent indoor berry production.<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpg8982left\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"width: 100%;text-align: left\">&lt;img id=&quot;prnejpg8982left&quot; title=&quot;MoFarm by Montel &#8211; Logo&quot;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":274626,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-274625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comida-y-bebida"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274625\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/274626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}