Guest column: Farmers’ election focus — protect ability to grow food

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By: Sara Wood

Election time in Ontario is a great time for all of us to be involved in our democratic process — focusing on the issues that matter and learning what candidates would do about them if elected.

At the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), we regularly meet with politicians from all political parties and all levels of government, not just during an election. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that agricultural and rural needs and concerns are put in front of decision-makers.

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During an election, however, the OFA puts a particular push on engaging with politicians from all parts of the province.

That’s because agriculture isn’t just a rural issue. As one of the largest contributors to the Ontario economy, a thriving agriculture sector helps keep communities healthy.

Protecting our ability here at home to grow as much of our own food, fuel, fibre and flowers as possible is critically important, especially in the face of trade disruptions, geopolitical upheaval and the impacts of a changing climate on the world’s food-producing regions.

To do so, we need strong farming businesses and a competitive, supportive economic and legislative environment that will let them be sustainable and profitable.

At OFA, we believe candidates must show leadership in three priority areas to best support food, farming and rural development in Ontario:

• Protect and preserve farmland through responsible land-use planning;
• support the agricultural sector to secure Ontario’s food supply;
• invest in rural infrastructure.

Our farmland is the cornerstone that supports every major aspect of life in Ontario. For Ontario farmers to maintain supply and meet demand for local products, farmland needs to be protected, and urban sprawl contained. Agricultural land is a finite resource, making up less than five per cent of Ontario’s land — when it is lost, it is lost forever.

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Long-term land use planning must balance encouraging urban and industrial growth with protecting agricultural land to ensure we have the resources available to continue producing food for the future.

We are asking candidates to support intensification of development in the existing urban footprint and distributing economic development provincewide, as well as support local food and farming businesses.

Buying local matters. Studies have shown that if every Ontario household spent an additional $10 a week on local food and farm products, it would generate $2.4 billion annually and create 10,000 new jobs.

At the same time, farmers need government policy that supports production, reduces regulatory burdens, improves farm business’ capacity to manage risk from challenges like climate change and market fluctuations, and helps address labour shortages in the sector.

We ask candidates to support prioritizing local production to strengthen our control over the availability and safety of our food and protect against disruptions; as well as to create better programs and strategies to promote jobs and careers in the agri-food sector, with education programs that feed those jobs.

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Infrastructure is an essential part of Ontario’s economy and is critical to attract new businesses and residents. Investments into physical and social infrastructure across the province support distributed economic development and growth of Ontario’s rural hubs — the only practical, long-term solution to ease our transportation and housing crises.

This means roads, bridges and proper drainage; affordable, accessible energy; reliable and affordable cellular and high-speed internet coverage; and quality schools and health care.

We ask candidates to support an integrated energy plan that balances reliability, affordability, and sustainability; and continued expansion of rural communications infrastructure to address current inefficiencies and barriers.

Local food and farm products, preserving farmland and strong communities affect all Ontarians, whether rural or urban. Regardless of where you live in the province, I encourage you to connect with your local candidates and talk about these issues.

It’s important that candidates from all parties and in all ridings are aware of the important role that agriculture plays in our province.

Sara Wood is vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

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