By Peggy Brekveld, Board Member, Northern Ontario, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Agriculture drives Ontario’s economy. In terms of actual dollars generated from Ontario farms, primary agriculture contributes $13.7 billion to our province’s GDP and generates 158,000 jobs. Agriculture is on top and we’ve got plenty of potential to grow. Just look to northern Ontario for a great example of the tremendous growth potential for agriculture. North of Parry Sound lies almost 90% of Ontario’s total land mass, and 7% of our province’s total farmland.

As a farmer in northern Ontario, I’m seeing steady farmland expansion across the region. And with 3 million acres of prospective farmland in northern Ontario, we’ve got a lot of potential to generate more food, fibre and profits. Expanding agriculture in the north means greater economic growth for all of Ontario.

There’s plenty of room and opportunity for new and expanding farmers in northern Ontario. Lower land prices balance the higher costs of transportation – whether you are bringing in farm inputs or shipping out commodities.

Growing conditions in northern regions are clearly different. Cooler temperatures create a shorter growing season, but our northern crops benefit from longer daylight hours during the growing season. Northern Ontario is also home to unique micro climates that offer advantages for field crops. Advanced agricultural research has resulted in some great crop varieties and production methods that enable us to produce valuable field crops comparable to our southern neighbours. As well, a significant amount of northern land is pasture, an efficient way to use rough terrain acres that are otherwise unfit for cultivating and growing crops. 

As we prepare to answer to the Premier’s challenge to double growth and jobs in Ontario’s agri-food sector, northern Ontario is part of the answer. In 2012 northern Ontario generated more than $170 million in farm cash receipts. Continued northern research and farmland expansion will further raise the economic contribution of the region. Here in the north we’ve got untapped acres available for agricultural development and pasture land to accommodate livestock expansion. We’ve got agricultural organizations like the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and our affiliated regional federations to support our farmers and advocate for issues on their behalf.

Northern Ontario is home to great potential for agriculture that offers the promise of more food, more jobs and a greater economic impact for the whole province.

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For more information contact:

Peggy Brekveld
Board Member
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
807-935-2154

Neil Currie
General Manager
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 

By Mark Wales, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Canada’s 2014 Economic Action Plan has been released, and it’s a tame budget where agriculture is concerned. Analysis by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) have found references to our sector are modest at best – but the budget still contains some meaningful items for Canadian farmers.

For example, the government’s plan to extend and enhance access to high-speed broadband networks is good news for farm families. Many farms are located in the ‘last mile’ of rural countryside where broadband is still unavailable. Improved access to internet for farmers in remote locations is essential to be competitive in the marketplace.

The government’s $390 million investment in food safety is good news for Canadian agri-food partners and consumers too. In Ontario alone, nearly $20 billion worth of food is imported each year from international markets. Adding 200 more inspectors and enhancing programs that target high-risk foods will give inspectors more resources to ensure imported foods are meeting the stringent food safety standards that are already in place for food that’s grown by Canadian farmers.

The government’s promise to develop a “Made in Canada” consumer awareness campaign is a win for Canadian agriculture. Promoting Canadian agricultural products, at home and abroad, will be a boost for farmers. Both the CFA and OFA have been asking for the promotion of Canadian products through the National Food Strategy and we look forward to the development of a Canadian branded campaign.

The OFA and CFA were disappointed to see some key requests made during the pre-budget consultation period left out of the tabled federal budget. The OFA and CFA both requested key revisions that would reduce red tape and increase flexibility for farmers involved in situations such as the division of sibling-owned farm corporations or intergenerational farm transfers. Eliminating red tape in these areas is key to encouraging the next generation of farm families to stay in business. The OFA and CFA together will continue to push Canada’s federal government to create a more accessible business environment for these farm businesses.

The federal government also continues to disappoint Ontario farmers by its refusal to engage in Ontario’s Risk Management Program. Farmers in Ontario rely on the program as price insurance, and the federal government’s participation is key to the program’s success. We expect the number of Ontario farmers drawing on the program in 2014 to be significant.

The OFA is keen to work with Ontario Premier and agriculture minister Kathleen Wynne to address her recent challenge to double our sector’s annual growth rate and create 120,000 jobs by the year 2020. We have been clear with the provincial government about the tools Ontario agri-food requires to help us achieve those targets. As Canada’s largest voluntary farm organization representing more than 37,000 farm family businesses across Ontario, we will continue to work through CFA to push our federal government for meaningful policies and investments that will enable prosperous and sustainable farms for Ontario, and Canada.

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 For more information contact:

Mark Wales
President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-773-6706

Neil Currie
General Manager
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 

By Mark Wales, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

February 7 marks Food Freedom Day in Canada this year. That’s the date when the average Canadian has earned enough income to pay for their annual grocery bill, and it’s one week earlier than 2013.

Calculated by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), Food Freedom Day recognizes the abundance of food we enjoy as Canadians – and at a relatively low cost. According to a 2012 USDA study, Canadians rank third in the world for the lowest share of total household expenditures on food in the world, behind only the US and Britain. We’re pretty lucky to live in a country with such affordable food, while enjoying some of the highest production, environmental and food safety standards.

Food and our food system is on the minds and lips of Canadians more than ever. Canadians are asking where their food was produced? How far did it travel? Is there anything added to it?

The popularity of local food is growing and Canadian farmers are feeding this movement. When the Ontario government introduced a new Local Food Act in late 2013, it was great news for Ontario’s agri-food industry to ensure locally-produced foods are more readily available. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) urged the government to go one step further with the new act to include the concept of food literacy – the idea of helping consumers of all ages develop an understanding about food and nutrition so they can make better, healthier choices.

Increasing food literacy is also part of the CFA’s National Food Strategy, a collective vision for the future of Canadian food in the years to come. The National Food Strategy sets some specific ideas for how industry and governments could grow Canadian agriculture and improve the health of Canadians. It also includes principles that are easily adaptable to an Ontario-specific food strategy – something the Local Food Act can easily be part of. As farmers, we want Canadians to have a better understanding of their food choices while ensuring they have continued access to healthy food.

Food Freedom Day also serves as an annual reminder of the volume and variety of healthy, safe and affordable food we enjoy having access to. With more than 200 different agricultural crops grown in Ontario, our province is the most diverse food-producing region in Canada. That’s something to celebrate every day. Food is part of our social fabric and families can experience this everyday – by choosing ingredients and creating meals to appreciating the health benefits that come from our nutritious choices.   

As we recognize Food Freedom Day in Canada – and the good fortune we enjoy with such an abundant supply of food – the OFA recognizes the important role Canadian farmers play in feeding our nation.

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For more information contact:

Mark Wales
President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-773-6706

Neil Currie
General Manager
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883