Reading Time: 2 minutes The Ontario government has released details on the structure and operations of its new agriculture advisory committee. The task force, first announced in November, is intended to strengthen the competitiveness of the province’s agriculture sector while working with industry on farm issues, the initiative was greeted with praise by Grain Farmers of Ontario. Why it […] Read more
Tag Archives ontario federation of agriculture — page 4
Province aims to strengthen farmer input with new committee
The heads of farmer, processor and agribusiness associations will be vice chairs of the committee
DON-infected corn storage and ethanol trials proposed
A meeting of the grain sector last week has yielded some guidance for farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Here’s the latest news on the managing of the DON-infected corn crop. Get the good corn off: Minister Hardeman Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman said the main message from his recent meeting of the industry is to get the good quality corn harvested. Leave the DON-infected corn in the field […] Read more
Knowledge gaps, infrastructure costs perpetuate stray voltage issues
The problem has existed for decades and continues to cause problems on Ontario farms
Reading Time: 3 minutes The devastating impact of stray voltage on farms has been well documented, but determining its true source can often be a long, painful process for farmers and electric utilities alike. Indeed, the immense cost to utility companies of reconfiguring electricity grids — as well as gaps in knowledge on the part of farmers and contractors […] Read more
Agri-sector petitions province for rural investment, common-sense regulation
Farm and processor groups used Ontario Agriculture Week to push their policy goals
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Spirits Canada, and Food and Beverage Ontario attended a lobby day at Queen’s Park on Oct. 2, to request the government hold true to its commitment to grow the sector. The groups also reiterated the agriculture sector’s economic clout, purported to be worth $40 billion each year. Why it matters: […] Read more
Province aims to clear regulatory block to natural gas expansion
A new act will allow a mix of investment options to fund more natural gas access
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Ontario Conservative government is opening up the way to greater investment in natural gas infrastructure in Ontario that don’t have it. Premier Doug Ford announced at the 2018 International Plowing Match (IPM) in Pain Court that a new Natural Gas Act would be introduced soon that will allow for public, private and consumer investment […] Read more
Ontario axes Green Energy Act, leaving some wondering what’s next
South West Oxford mayor suggests that storage continues to be the biggest stumbling block to allowing the renewable energy sector to continue growing without government support
Reading Time: 3 minutes In a widely anticipated move, the Ontario government has repealed the province’s Green Energy Act. Why it matters: Since the Green Energy Act was introduced in 2009, thousands of Ontario farmers have added small-scale renewable energy generation projects to their properties. Most are used as an additional source of revenue. Sweaburg-area farmer and South West […] Read more
Tracking farm tax reductions
Why have some counties managed to get farm tax rate reductions, while others have not?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Ontario farmers are starting to get tax relief from the massive increases in the value of their land, but the amount of tax relief varies. The reduction of the farm tax rate below the long-term rate of 25 per cent of the residential rate, has to be changed at county councils. Local federations of agricultures […] Read more
Look at other high speed rail options, say farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes An organization opposed to the province’s high speed rail plan believes it has a good alternative for the province – high performance rail. High performance rail runs much faster than today’s passenger trains, but without the burden on farmland and rural communities of high speed rail. Why it matters: The province’s proposal to build an […] Read more
Ontario general farm organization fee increasing
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ontario farmers will be paying more for their representation by their general farm organizations in 2018 after the government approved a $30 increase. The annual fee will be $225 plus HST for membership in the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario or National Farmers Union-Ontario. All registered farmers have to pay the […] Read more
OFA pre-election policy targets broader economic development
Reading Time: 3 minutes Stable rural areas and thriving farms can help urbanites with some of their biggest challenges. That’s the message from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture going into next year’s provincial election. The OFA talked about how it is framing its election strategy at its annual meeting, which ran Monday and Tuesday in Toronto. “With the election […] Read more
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