The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is Canada’s largest voluntary general farm organization, representing more than 36,000 family farm businesses across Ontario. These farm
businesses form the backbone of our robust food system and rural communities with the potential to drive the Ontario economy forward. Many Ontario farmers are located in areas where black bears commonly occur. Farmers face losses of both crops and livestock, when local bear populations exceed the capacity of the natural landscape to support them. Farmers also face losses when there is a large scale failure in one or more of the bears’ natural food sources. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture welcomes this proposal to extend and expand the Black Bear Pilot Project. We believe that it will enhance black bear management across Ontario, and reduce human-bear conflicts.