Reading Time: 5 minutes Wholesalers and patrons of the Ontario Food Terminal are worried there is another agenda behind a government-ordered review of the facility. Although the stated purpose of the study commissioned by the Ford government is to determine how best to expand and modernize the facility, many worry that its location just into Etobicoke, west of Toronto’s […] Read more
Tag Archives ontario federation of agriculture — page 3
The food terminal debate
Large volumes of produce go through the Ontario Food Terminal every day, but it also sits on valuable land
Farm management training organization ceasing operations
The Agri-Food Management Institute’s programs will be carried on by two other organizations
Reading Time: 2 minutes As a result of “changes to its funding structure,” the Agri-Food Management Institute (AMI) — a Guelph-based organization supporting farm and other agri-businesses with resources, workshops and training — has announced it will cease operations by April 30. AMI’s resources will now be hosted by two other organizations. Why it matters: AMI was one of […] Read more
OMAFRA takes a large cut in Ontario budget
Investments made in broadband internet, focus put on reducing deficit
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) was budgeted for a cut of more than $200 million by 2020 in the recent provincial budget. The first budget from the provincial Progressive Conservative government included modest increases to health and education budgets, but cuts to most other ministries, including agriculture. The actual budget […] Read more
OFA responds to Middlesex tax change rejection
Letter to the Editor: The county continued to support further tax burden shift to farmer
Reading Time: < 1 minute Dear Editor: The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has serious concerns with the recent comments made by Middlesex County Warden Kurtis Smith in the March 27th London Free Press article, ‘Middlesex County rejects farmers’ bid for lower tax ratio’ by Jonathan Juha. Warden Smith’s comments clearly indicate Middlesex County’s lack of understanding of Ontario’s property […] Read more
Farmers need to file form to be exempt from fuel charge
The new program starts April 1
Reading Time: < 1 minute [UPDATED: Mar. 28, 2019] The federal carbon pollution pricing system will add a charge to fuel delivered within Ontario for use in air, marine, rail and road use. Farmers are exempt from this additional charge but must complete an exemption form available through the Canadian Revenue Agency. The new program starts April 1, so farmers […] Read more
Succession can be taxing if some land ownership isn’t considered
Does your succession strategy account for Land Transfer Tax? If not the repercussions could be costly
Reading Time: 4 minutes When it comes to transferring land, handing the farm to the next generation can be expensive. Ontario’s Land Transfer Tax (LTT), more specifically, can take a significant bite out of a family’s farm succession finances if an exemption can’t be achieved. Consequently, it’s important for farmers to know when LTT applies — and how to […] Read more
Ontario Federation of Agriculture general manager stepping down
Long-serving Neil Currie will retire at the end of the summer
Reading Time: < 1 minute After 19 years as general manager of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), Neil Currie has announced his retirement. Currie, the longest-serving general manager in the organization’s 83-year history, will continue in his role until Aug. 30, 2019. “We’re grateful for Neil’s long-term leadership of OFA, Canada’s largest general farm organization,” says Keith Currie, OFA […] Read more
Editorial: A farm leadership foundation
Reading Time: 3 minutes I didn’t really connect with my Greig grandparents when I was young. To my young self, they lived in a tidy house in Listowel, with a lot of breakable knickknacks, but always lots of food. We usually had to dress up to visit on a weekend. Rambunctious play was discouraged. They came across to the […] Read more
13 ways to kill your… farm
Observations about rural communities could also apply to farms
Reading Time: 3 minutes Doug Griffiths has spent a lot of time looking at rural communities and he’s come up with 13 things that communities do to themselves to lose business, momentum and size. Griffiths spoke at the recent Ontario Federation of Agriculture annual meeting. His 13 points could apply to farms just about as well as rural communities. […] Read more
New funding continues 4R nutrient program
The program, with several local partners, will continue for three years
Reading Time: 2 minutes Government and farm groups have renewed their investment in 4R nutrient stewardship, ensuring the program, popular in Ontario, continues for three more years. The renewal of the partnership between Fertilizer Canada, Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the Ontario Agri Business Association (OABA), Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the Ontario Federation of […] Read more
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