We are honored to announce that The Honourable Robert Black, P. Ag. (Hon), Senator for Ontario, will join us at the International Phytobiomes Conference 2026 to deliver the welcome address on 3 November.
With a career spanning the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 4-H Ontario and the Ontario Soybean Growers, Senator Black has been a leading advocate for Canadian agriculture and rural communities. Since 2018, he has represented Ontario in the Senate of Canada. As Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry (2022–2026), he led “Critical Ground,” the Senate report on soil health, and has been a strong voice for a National Agricultural Soil Health Strategy for Canada.
His contributions to soil and plant science have been widely recognized. He is an Honorary Member of the Canadian Society of Soil Science and an honorary Professional Agrologist. In 2025 he received the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) Distinguished Service Medal, the IUSS’s highest recognition, presented to world soil leaders who have translated soil science into action. In 2026 he was inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame and received the CropLife Canada Grassroots Award for advancing the plant science sector.
Senator Black’s work bridging soil science and policy speaks directly to this year’s Conference theme, “Cultivating Phytobiomes: From Systems Science to Agricultural Innovation.” The interactions between plants, microbes and soils that our research community studies are the foundation of healthy, productive agricultural systems. Turning that science into practice requires leaders who can connect research, policy and on-farm impact.
The phytobiomes community looks forward to having him join us in Niagara-on-the-Lake!