OFA Commentary: July 20, 2018
​By Brent Royce, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Every community across Ontario has dreamed up, created and carried out interesting programs and events to support their local agri-food sector. These local initiatives are powered by volunteers, and anything that helps get these ideas and projects off the ground saves valuable time and energy.
 
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has created a new online resource to give communities and local municipalities a head start on their next project. It’s an idea bank full of existing projects, programs and tools that any community can access to help with a local initiative. The Agri-Food Initiatives Ontario Directory was created to encourage the pay-it-forward premise – sharing resources to encourage others to get a great idea off the ground. By sharing, you can avoid duplication, avoid pitfalls or challenges, and use limited resources more efficiently.
 
The new directory includes more than 700 resources available to the public in an interactive directory including zoning bylaws, local food studies and funding programs. The directory is designed to help connect ideas and information between communities across Ontario. If you have an idea for a new event or program in your area, chances are that somebody has already done some of the legwork for a project somewhere else in the province. The directory is the link that can help avoid duplicating some of the planning and execution around an idea by connecting communities with resources that already exist from a similar activity.
 
There were three key drivers for OFA to pull this directory of resources together. To support economic development activities by sharing best practices across the province. To showcase the work communities are doing to promote and support their agri-food sector. And to provide examples of projects that will support the work done by local county federations.
 
There are more than 400 municipalities in Ontario, and OFA has already catalogued more than 700 initiatives that might be just what your community needs to get the next agri-food event or project underway. The new directory of existing resources encourages greater collaboration between communities and will build more capacity for agricultural activities across Ontario to showcase our innovative and dynamic sector.
 
-30-
For more information, contact:

Brent Royce
Director
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-291-8279

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

​By Drew Spoelstra, Executive Member, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Weather, climate and trade are all hot topics in Ontario right now. The recent elimination of Ontario’s cap and trade program is leading the news in the province and leaving Ontario farmers with questions.
 
Fulfilling an election promise, Premier Ford has formally scrapped the cap and trade program that was designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has supported the concept of a system that would allow farmers to sell offset credits for the greenhouse gas reduction that often occurs when implementing beneficial management practices. Farmers have always prioritized the health of their soils and overall environment, and it was an appealing option to be recognized for these actions by offset payments from other industries and companies emitting greenhouse gases. The end of the cap and trade program in Ontario won’t stop farmers from continually improving their environmental footprint but the incentives and recognition to further drive performance could be lost.
 
OFA is waiting for the full details of Premier Ford’s announcement that deals with the funding available from cap and trade revenues. We are hopeful that funding promised to the agricultural sector through the Climate Change Action Plan will survive. This funding flowing from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Account was intended to support soil health initiatives for farmers. Healthy soil is vital to production today and tomorrow, and farmers are working diligently on projects to control phosphorus and improve carbon sequestration by developing new tillage and soil improvement practices. Funding from the Greenhouse Gas Account could have also helped farm businesses retrofit their barns and buildings to conserve energy. Farmers have always been eager adopters of energy conservation initiatives because energy in all its forms is one of the largest input costs in a farm business. We’re hopeful that funding for these types of programs will continue.
 
OFA will also be closely watching the upcoming carbon tax debate to be had with the federal government. Farmers are large consumers of fuel to run machinery and to heat barns and greenhouses. For a farmer to produce a crop and raise livestock, few economical alternatives currently exist to replace fossil fuel energy meaning a tax on carbon is an ineffective deterrent to consumption and only serves to take money out of margins and threaten our food security. If the federal carbon tax is imposed in Ontario because of the demise of the cap and trade system, OFA will seek a complete exemption on all farm fuels from the federal tax. We’ll be watching as Premier Ford challenges the federal government on their proposed carbon tax.
 
These are early days for this issue and many details remain unclear. But OFA has been taking stock of all policies and regulations impacting Ontario farm businesses and we’re ready to get to work with Premier Ford and his government to ensure Ontario’s agriculture and food sector is positively accounted for in any changes to existing programs, including cap and trade.
 
 
-30-
For more information, contact:

Drew Spoelstra
Executive Member
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
905-379-5751

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

​Guelph, ON [June 29, 2018] – With the announcement of Doug Ford’s new provincial cabinet today, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is anxious to get down to work with all new ministers who will interface with and have an impact on Ontario’s agriculture industry.
 
“We’re pleased with Ford’s choice of Ernie Hardeman for the minister responsible for agriculture, food and rural affairs for Ontario,” says Keith Currie, OFA president. Long-time MPP, agriculture minister under the Harris government and a recent agriculture critic, Hardeman comes to the job with plenty of experience. “And we look forward to working with the all other ministries that affect the agricultural industry including Environment and Climate Change; Infrastructure; Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade; Municipal Affairs and Housing; Health and Long-Term Care; and Transportation.”
 
OFA is the leading provincial advocate for the agri-food industry, and its lobbying efforts on behalf of its 38,000 farm members depends on an effective working relationship with most provincial ministries.
 
“One of our key roles is to ensure that the governments regulations and policies that impact agriculture are considered from all angles, and well thought out about the impact on our agri-food sector,” says Currie. “OFA takes every opportunity to engage with politicians to talk about how vital our sector is to the province’s GDP and jobs.”
 
OFA’s outreach with Ontario’s 124 MPPs will be a continuation of the key messages presented through its Producing Prosperity in Ontario campaign. “We are ready to go with in-the-field events and Queen’s Park briefings to reinforce the needs of our sector – from energy to infrastructure to ensuring a reliable, affordable and safe food system for all Ontarians.”
 
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 37,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer.
-30-
For more information:
Keith Currie
President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
keith.currie@ofa.on.ca
 
Neil Currie
General Manager
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
neil.currie@ofa.on.ca