Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Farmer-Driven (Science-Based) Blueprint to Save Ontario Agriculture - Farm Action Now

Farm organizations launch Farm Action Now to address bleak fate of Ontario agriculture

GUELPH, ON, Nov. 13, 2014 /CNW/ - On the cusp of government regulations that will negatively impact family farming, last night marked the first meeting of Farm Action Now, a task force of farm organizations across the agriculture sector, formed to evaluate the fate of Ontario agriculture. With over-regulation driving farmers out of the province, Farm Action Now plans to develop a farmer-driven science-based blueprint on the future of agriculture in Ontario.

"Shortly, the government will announce the most restrictive measures yet," said Henry Van Ankum, Chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. "We need to halt policies and practices that restrict growth and threaten the future of Ontario'sfarming sector."

Farm Action Now immediately announced that a balanced plan is in development to reasonably evaluate the challenges with government agricultural policy and process. Priority areas include the responsible regulation of agricultural practices, access to science and technology such as pesticides and seed treatments, and on-farm implementation of regulatory changes. The coalition strongly urges the appointment of an agricultural commissioner to advise the government on the implications of existing and new regulations and to help grow the agricultural sector.

Farm Action Now is launching a broad consultation process at this time to evaluate the impact of agricultural restrictions on communities and will include farmers and beekeepers, rural municipal representatives along with industry and environmental groups and Chambers of Commerce.

"We're all in this together and this isn't just about farmers – it's about the future of Ontario as a whole," emphasizedRay Duc, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association.  "We want to send a message from farmers and about farmers, but one that is aimed at benefitting all Ontarians."

Farm Action Now is positioned to expand with numerous agricultural organizations expressing similar concerns at this time.

About Farm Action Now
Farm Action Now is a coalition comprised of Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Bean Growers, Ontario Canola Growers Association, Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, and Ontario Pork and supported by other agricultural organizations. The farm-led group has been formed to develop a farmer-driven blueprint for the future ofOntario agriculture and ensure regulations are made with a clear understanding of the practicality of on-farm implementation and down-stream implications.

SOURCE Farm Action Now

Follow on Twitter @FarmActionNow

Views: 187

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Ukraine-Russian Peace Deal Impact on Grain, Fertilizer and Energy Markets

A peace framework that reduces geo-political tensions in the Black Sea region would likely exert downward pressure on crude oil prices.

Ontario government invests $1.5 million in Morrisburg's Alinova Canada Inc. plant

Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli was in Morrisburg on Tuesday to announce a $1.5 million investment in Canada’s first non-GMO soy milk powder processing plant. Alinova Canada Inc. is a joint venture between Japan’s second largest soy milk producer, Marusan Ai, and Ontario-based David J Hendrick International Inc. (DJHII) valued at $23.9 million. The facility in Morrisburg, located at the former Homestead Organics site, is still being retrofitted and is expected to open early in 2026. Once it is fully operational, the plant will process food-grade soybeans from Eastern Ontario farms into powder for use in soy-based products. The operation is expecting to ramp up to eventually produce over 1,200 metric tonnes of soy milk powder per year. Putting South Dundas on the map for agri-food processing and innovation, DJHII founder Hendrick said he expects to eventually hire 15 staffers for the plant and has already started onboarding, sharing kind w

Ontario Secures $24-Million Agri-Food Investment with New Soymilk Powder Plant in Morrisburg

Ontario’s agri-food sector is set for a significant boost as Alinova Canada Inc. invests nearly $24 million to build the country’s first non-GMO soymilk powder processing plant, a project expected to create 15 jobs and strengthen the province’s export capacity. The provincial government announced the investment Monday, positioning it as a strategic move that will expand domestic processing capacity and reinforce Ontario’s reputation as a global supplier of soy-based ingredients. “Alinova Canada’s investment is a vote of confidence in our province’s manufacturing capabilities and in our world-class workers,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “With their new Morrisburg facility, Alinova is onshoring key processing capacity from Japan for Ontario’s agri-food supply chain, creating good-paying jobs, and driving long-term economic growth in Eastern Ontario.” Alinova is a joint venture between Japan’s second-largest soymilk producer, Marusan Ai, an

Advancing Sustainability Solutions Through Collection Audits

One of our duties and responsibilities as Recycling Ambassadors for Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC) was to travel around the province and spread the word about proper drop off for oil, antifreeze & diesel exhaust fluid containers. We have learned that a farm can produce dozens of these containers every year, as well as hundreds of other plastic containers, like pesticide and fertilizer jugs. We saw this first-hand when we joined Cleanfarms for two projects in June 2025: a Rinse Rate Study and a Seed, Pesticide & Inoculant (SPI) Bag Audit. We had the opportunity to meet Cleanfarms Program Advisors, Tammy Shields and Serena Klippenstein in Naicam, SK, at Curtis Ltd. We split into two teams for efficiency and got to work. One team examined the SPI bags, and the other examined the rinse rate for chemical jugs. In the SPI bag audit, we sorted, counted, and weighed different materials – multi-layered paper bags, low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags, and polypropylene (PP) totes.

Interesting Facts About Our Agriculture Industry

The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is home to over 300 different farms. Farm Cash Receipts were $163.9 million in 2023, up 9.8% from 2022. The largest crop commodity is Greenhouse and Nursery, accounting for 6.1 per cent of total Farm Cash Receipts. Value of vegetable production remained unchanged at $7.0 million; the top two vegetable crops in 2023 were turnips and potatoes. The top five crops in 2023 accounted for 71 per cent of all vegetable sales; they are as follows: potato, turnip, carrot, cabbage and pumpkin. Farm Cash Receipts for fruit production rose 13.0 per cent in 2023 to $1.9 million; with strawberries being the highest valued crop at $0.9 million. In terms of berries, strawberries are the largest in terms of value, cranberries are largest by volume produced and blueberries are the largest by area of production. The province has ten commercial apiculture (beekeeping) operations producing a variety of honey and beeswax products plus providing pollination services fo

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service