Commentaries

Frustration among Canadian farmers because of political meddling in our markets is reaching an all time high. Global trade disputes are putting farmers at a disadvantage and the loss of global markets for our export products is entirely out of our control.

September signals the start of many things in our rural communities. School gets underway. Harvest continues in full swing. And farm shows and fall fairs provide destinations to network, gather new ideas, catch up with friends and speculate about the fall weather.

In another blow to the promise of better broadband access across rural Ontario, Bell Canada recently announced it was cutting back on its wireless home internet expansion into rural areas by 20%. The telecom giant’s move was in response to a Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruling that smaller internet service providers would pay lower “wholesale” prices for Bell’s infrastructure.

Premier Doug Ford announced this week that his government is moving forward with the plan to download the cost of some provincial services to municipalities. Shifting more financial responsibility to Ontario’s 444 municipalities will have implications for those residents in rural communities across the province.

Unwanted trespassers on farm property are a reality for Ontario farmers. With a growing interest by consumers in where their food comes from, and more people travelling to rural areas for outdoor experiences, it’s not surprising that farmers are experiencing unwanted visitors on their farms. And it’s more than just an annoyance…it’s a biosecurity threat.

The numbers might be a few years old, but a recent Statistics Canada report confirms the significant economic contributions made by our agriculture and food industry. Statistics Canada data released last month reports on economic numbers from 2015, but it demonstrates the importance of the overall agricultural industry to the Canadian economy.

Despite commitments to support Canadian agriculture through this challenging year, the federal government is falling short on supporting farmers facing financial stress as a result of global trade disruptions.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) welcomes the long-awaited news of a public investment in broadband and cellular service. The announcement, made this week by the Ontario government, detailed a 2019 provincial budget line of $315 million over the next five years for broadband and cellular expansion.

County and regional federation of agriculture meetings are being scheduled for late summer and early fall. These local meetings ‘kick off’ the Ontario farm meeting season in the lead up to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) annual general meeting in November.

When the federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers gather next week in Quebec City, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) wants to ensure Ontario’s Minster Hardeman addresses our key issues with his colleagues. We’ve provided Minister Hardeman with issues to resolve when he meets with his peers at the annual conference.