Ontario’s farmers are leaders in innovation and adaptation. This is evidenced not only in the way we embrace technology, but also the farm practices we use to ensure that we are competitive, sustainable and profitable – not just for 2020, but for the future generations that farm after us.

Pushing for sound public investments in rural Ontario is a priority for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). We know that investments in our rural communities will jump-start growth, farming, agri-businesses, and in turn stimulate the entire provincial economy. And it’s our job to remind government of these necessary investments – in roads and bridges, broadband, access to affordable energy, schools and healthcare.

Behind every agricultural policy decision, there are real people affected. Real farmers. Near the end of 2019, the provincial government announced critical changes to how processing tomatoes and carrots are marketed in Ontario.

The Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act came into effect January 1, 2020. This new statute replaces the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and brings with it an updated, more uniform approach to delivering animal welfare enforcement in Ontario.

Clean, safe drinking water is one of the most essential resources on a farm and in a home. Here in Ontario, we’re fortunate to have an ample supply of fresh, safe and sustainable groundwater. Ontario’s groundwater is monitored through the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network, that shares the responsibility with conservation authorities, municipalities and cities to regularly test and monitor the quality and safety of our provincial drinking water. Regular water quality testing of private wells is the responsibility of the property or well owner.

A new year, and a new decade, is a great opportunity to reflect on where we have been and look ahead to the opportunities and challenges for Ontario’s agri-food industry.

As we approach the year-end, it’s a good to recap of how the past 12 months have had an impact on Ontario’s agri-food sector, our farms and our families. No one can argue that it hasn’t been a tough year in the agri-food industry with market disruptions, trade issues, weather and labour disputes.

Ontario’s agri-food industry is a powerhouse for the province and we’ve got room to grow – that’s the message the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) took to the halls and offices of Queen’s Park on December 9, 2019. 

A recent survey of Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) members showed that 91% of respondents are having conversations about the future of their family farms. But none of them have a written transition plan to safeguard their farm and family. The results are startling, but align with the 2016 Census of Agriculture that indicated less than 10% of Canadian farms felt they had a written plan for their farm.

For more than a year, Ontario’s beef industry has been in a state of uncertainty and duress. Depressed market prices, trade and market access barriers, a shortage of processing capacity and most recently, the prolonged licence suspension for Ryding-Regency Meat Packers, a significant player in beef processing for Eastern Canada.