By Mark Reusser, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

This week, farm leaders from across Canada are gathering in Ottawa for the annual general meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA).

It’s our opportunity once a year to get together as farmers from across the country and share our concerns and priorities on issues that are national in scope – like trade, climate change or soil health to name just a few – in hopes of coming up with solutions that will work for everyone.

I farm in Waterloo Region and am a director on the board of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). Our organization is an active member in the CFA, and I’ll be one of the delegates participating in that conference in Ottawa.

Just like our provinces and regions differ from each other, so does farming in each of those areas; the west is more heavily cattle and field crop-focused, from canola and wheat to peas, lentils and more, whereas eastern Canada is stronger in soybeans, corn, dairy, poultry and fruits and vegetables.

Knowing and understanding each other’s differences is key to being able to work together for the greater good of our entire sector, and the opportunity to make those connections face-to-face helps strengthen those relationships.

It’s at this meeting that we debate and approve resolutions that will help shape the direction of the CFA’s national advocacy priorities that make up the backbone of outreach activities with federal elected officials, political staff and bureaucrats.

That’s also why gathering in Ottawa is strategically important; it’s where decisions on policy that impacts our sector are made and we use this opportunity to not only meet with some of those stakeholders, but also invite them to join us at our convention, whether it’s for a workshop, plenary session or informal social event.

This year’s agenda, for example, features speakers from all four major federal political parties, including remarks from the federal minister of agriculture and agri-food, Lawrence MacAulay.

Many of us meet with our own Member of Parliament locally, but we don’t often get the opportunity to speak directly with MPs from other regions – or to meet with members of the Senate, who’ve recently started taking on a much more prominent role in shaping Canadian legislation. This is our chance to make a connection and help raise their awareness of the importance of the farming sector to all aspects of Canadian society and our economy.

In some ways, you could say that the CFA annual conference is all about the future.

For example, joining the OFA at this national meeting this year are five young Eastern Ontario farmers who are actively involved in the industry and building their future in our sector. We’ve invited them to join us so they can see firsthand what the key issues are that affect farm businesses nationwide, how the sector is being proactive in trying to address them, and why advocacy and relationship building is so important.

It’s also about addressing the issues that are important to the future of the agriculture sector. Interest rates, inflation and high food costs are top of mind struggles for Canadians currently, and they’re big challenges for farmers too.

We also worry about trade agreements; federal policy directions on everything from carbon to plastics reduction; challenges with global and domestic supply chains; or the impact of world events on our export markets and cost of what we call inputs – the items we need to grow crops and raise livestock, like fertilizer or feed ingredients, for example.

Other issues are more regional in nature, with drought in the west and urbanization pressures on farmland in the east as just two examples, but ultimately, they all highlight the need for a greater and more coordinated federal focus on agriculture.

Our sector is unique – with the right supports, whether financial or legislative, agriculture has solutions that can help address many of society’s biggest challenges, from climate change and carbon sequestration to hunger and food waste reduction.

That’s why it’s important that the farm voice is united and present at the national tables where discussions take place and decisions are made.

For more information, contact:

Tyler Brooks
Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 ext. 218
tyler.brooks@ofa.on.ca