Before you dismiss it out of hand because it comes from the National Farmers Union, try reacting as if the response was presented by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture or the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. You might find a few things to agree with.
The NFU agrees with some of what Ontario Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson outlined in the Grow Ontario Strategy, but “we are concerned that by prioritizing supports for large-scale producers and retailers, increasing agri-food exports, and incentivizing technological advancements . . . . it fails to strengthen short supply chains, sustainable and climate-friendly production systems, or agri-food sector labour standards.
The NFU-O supports efforts to increase consumption and production of Ontario grown food by 30 per cent, especially where this increased consumption reduces Ontario’s reliance on agri-food imports, it said in its response to Thompson’s policy announcement.
“It is disappointing to learn that the measures Ontario plans to implement will primarily benefit large-scale producers and retailers.
“Localized food production and distribution needs to be prioritized to make our food system more sustainable and reliable,” it said.
It calls for more direct-from-farms marketing, small-scale food processing and on-farm value-adding initiatives as opposes to “emissions-heavy and unreliable long supply chains.”
It said “where we need the most innovation is in supporting farmers in the transition to climate-friendly production systems.
“What would be truly innovative would be the establishment of an OMAFRA Organic Agriculture Extension Service or Research Branch that provides independent research and financial support programs to help farmers measure and monitor soil carbon and adopt practices to mitigate the climate crisis.
“Equally innovative would be the hiring of a dedicated OMAFRA Organic Agriculture staff specialist. An investment in the transition to organic agriculture, and understanding the biology rather than the chemistry or technology, are key to realizing increased crop yields and plant health in a climate-stressed future,” it said.
As for labour, it said “if the goal is to increase employment by 10 per cent in the sector, we will need to improve the labour conditions of agricultural workers.
“It is time that Ontario labour laws, including minimum wage laws, the right to form a union, and other key labour protections are extended to all farm workers.”
