The Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union (NFU-O) has won a court case in Ottawa that clears the way for it to be re-accredited for stable funding under Ontario legislation.
The tribunal rejected the NFU-O applications for re-accreditation after public hearings last year and again this year.
The organization filed an appeal in Ontario Superior Court and recently Justice Robert Beaudoin ruled that the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Appeal Tribunal erred in rejecting the NFU-O application.
He also said he would approve an application from the NFU-O to order the tribunal to grant it accreditation.
The court victory paves the way for farmers who pay the annual $195-per-year farm business registration fee plus HST) to select the NFU-O to have their money.
They currently have a choice between the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. Francophone farmers can join a French-language organization which is funded indirectly via the OFA and CFFO.
The entire annual fee and farm-organization funding system is currently under review. None of the three general farm organizations were happy about the way the tribunal handled their applications this year.
