OFA represents and advocates for Ontario farmers. We have over 37,000 farm family members who live and operate their businesses across rural Ontario.  We actively promote the business of farming and seek policies and programs to help our farms flourish.

OFA has recognized that, increasingly, the state of our rural communities significantly affects the well-being of our families and the strength and viability of our businesses.

When our local schools close it affects our families.  When we cannot access information, or conduct business over the internet it affects our children’s ability to excel at school and our abilities to grow our businesses.

When health care is not readily available it affects our quality of life and our businesses.  When our energy bills are 30 to 100 percent higher than they would be if we had access to natural gas, it affects our competitiveness and the sustainability of our communities.

Ladies and gentlemen, these issues are real and are seriously impeding the ability of our rural communities to optimize our contribution to the Ontario economy.

But, ladies and gentlemen, these issues can be addressed in a way that will help all of Ontario grow and prosper.

That is why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture has launched our Producing Prosperity in Ontario campaign – a campaign to secure a policy of distributed economic development through prudent public investment.

OFA is urging the government of Ontario, in its next budget, to invest in rural Ontario to jump-start farming and rural Ontario growth.