OFA supports the Ontario government’s efforts to increase competitiveness and build a stronger agri-food supply chain by removing unnecessary and burdensome red tape and ensuring farmers are paid for the agricultural commodities they produce and sell. OFA wholeheartedly supports the proposed Protecting Farmers From Non-Payment Act as specified in schedule 30 of Bill 91. Creating this new Act will not only enable the merging of protections currently provided under the Farm Products Payments Act, Grains Act and Livestock and Livestock Products Act, but it will make it easier to expand programming to cover payments for agricultural products that currently do not have such protections. OFA was pleased to participate in OMAFRA’s consultation process with the agricultural sector that began in 2019. OFA supports efforts to make it easier to expand programming to cover agricultural products beyond the existing commodities. OFA has recommended that OMAFRA engage and assist other commodity groups, expressing interest in developing a financial protection program to protect their producers, with drafting the needed business plan. OFA supports streamlining the legislative and regulatory framework. Consolidating all legislation governing farm financial protection programming into a single Act would result in a clear understanding of authorities, responsibilities, and obligations. OFA is also supportive of the updates that clarify licencing requirements, expanding the available compliance tools and allowing for greater flexibility in program delivery.
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