OFA Commentary 1010

Farmers want a role in Open Ontario Plan

By Mark Wales, Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Anyone looking for an at-length mention of agriculture or farming in the recent Ontario Throne Speech were most likely left disappointed or cold.

At the mid-way point of the speech, we heard: ‘Your government will also support growth and expansion in our agri-food sector....because the world needs the good things that grow in Ontario.’

The balance of the speech offered a multitude of opportunities, sometimes obscure, where farmers and other professionals in agri-food can go to work and potentially thrive by using their skills and training to meet the needs of a growing country and a growing world.

Ontario farmers are already tapping into a rapidly expanding field of opportunities for green energy production. We have wind turbines popping up in our fields, we have biodigesters taking shape on our farms, capable of making a contribution of clean, renewable energy to the province-wide grid, solar energy can find a home on our roofs, and we are learning of other new opportunities to enter the green energy business.

We have said many times in the past that agriculture is capable of driving the province’s economy to new heights. We have also said that prudent government investment is necessary to make this happen. In a recent commentary, we said: ‘Our government leaders are not clearly seeing that the economic backbone that is agriculture is beginning to crumble at an alarming rate.’

If our government is serious about relying on agriculture to power the province to new economic levels, it is going to have to make some serious investments in our industry. We will have an opportunity to measure the level of commitment to agriculture’s future when the provincial government presents its next budget later this month.

There should be no doubt about the desire of Ontario farmers to play a role in realizing the dreams expressed for the province in the Throne Speech. We really need to see a greater commitment to agriculture’s future with investments from our federal and provincial governments.

The Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition has developed a comprehensive agenda outlining the urgent economic needs of farmers in the livestock, horticulture and grains and oilseeds sectors. We are concerned with the apparent lack of will by our governments to step up and provide solutions.

We anticipate the next budget will be focussed on job creation. Rural Ontario relies strongly on agriculture for a wide variety of good jobs. The agri-food sector in Ontario has the potential to provide good jobs in rural Ontario, but what can be done will depend on the level of government investment in agriculture in the sectors represented by the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition.

Health care was highlighted in the throne speech as an essential component of a strong future for the province. Locally grown food has long been identified by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture as a source of nutrition for healthy and productive Ontarians. Our farmers recognize this fact and we call on our government to ensure we are positioned to provide that food.

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