Farmers more than most people have a very close relationship with the environment. We depend on air, soil, and water to grow our crops and raise our livestock, so we know first-hand how important it is to care for and nurture our natural ecosystems as best as we can.

Fall is the opportune time to celebrate the bounty that is Ontario agriculture, the hardworking individuals that produce our food and to reconnect. As you make your pre-harvest to do list The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) encourages everyone to prioritize industry events, sourcing local and reconnecting with peers. It’s been a long two-years with cancelled events, pivots to virtual platforms and we’re greatly looking forward to re-connecting with our members in person this fall.

This year marked the return of the annual Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) board tour after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a highlight on the calendar of OFA board members as it gives us an opportunity to get an in-depth look at agriculture in a specific region of Ontario and learn about the issues and challenges facing our fellow farmers in that area.

Few outside the farming community would realize that many farmers begin to plan for the next season before the current one is done. Thoughts are already turning to next year’s crop questions, including how we will feed the crop with nutrients and ensure soil health. This means planning for fertilizer and best management practices around its use.

It might be hard to think about winter when we’re still in the middle of summer, but if you’re a livestock farmer, that’s exactly what is suggested. Specifically, it’s time now to think about how and when you’re going to get manure on the fields before the ground becomes frozen and snow-covered.

Regional meeting season has officially kicked-off across the province with the Kent Federation of Agriculture hosting the first event last week. These locally hosted Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) meetings offer the opportunity for members in every region across Ontario to get involved and engaged in matters that directly impact farmers, their businesses and their communities.

Rural and remote communities in Ontario are experiencing a shortage of veterinary access. What does this look like? It looks like waiting four hours or more for a veterinarian to come out to your farm – if they can come at all. It looks like being forced to euthanize livestock to uphold animal welfare standards, even though the animal could be treated if timely service were available. It also looks like veterinarians are exhausted, overworked and doing their best to provide farmers and their livestock the quality service they require and deserve.

We have all seen the recent headlines highlighting the rising cost of groceries and cost of living. Whether you live rurally or urban; everyone is feeling the impact of inflation and the increased cost to feed our families. It’s more important now more than ever before to support your community growers and producers by sourcing local.

Empty grocery store shelves in the Netherlands have made headlines recently, as farmers blocked food distribution centres in protest of strict government nutrient regulations. They’re very worried that pending legislation will not only put many of them out of business but will also affect food production – potentially making those empty store shelves a more frequent occurrence in the future.

Trespassing on private property is an ongoing concern for Ontario farmers and is unfortunately heightened during the summer season. OFA wants to remind Ontarians that farmers work hard to maintain this landscape and use it to grow and raise healthy crops and livestock to feed the world. It is important to respect this process and avoid disrupting the growth of crops or livestock at a farmers’ expense.