OFA is currently working on the following issues with the following Ministries:
Ministry of the Environment
- To get compliance and enforcement procedures acceptable to farmers
Ministry of Natural Resource
- To get adequate compensation for wildlife and predator damage to crops and livestock for farmers
Ministry of Energy
- To get fair electricity pricing for farm operations
Ministry of Finance
- To get flexibility with designation of farmland tax category
- To achieve fair assessment values for agricultural lands
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
- To get province’s 40% share of bridge / transition funding
- To return consumer trust to Ontario’s meat inspection system
OFA’s recent major works….benefits to Ontario farmers
- facilitated discussions with other farm organizations that led to the final terms of the Agricultural Policy Framework and its associated Business Risk Management program
- worked in conjunction with the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to develop and get government support for programs to assist the livestock sector through the BSE crisis
- representing agriculture at source water protection meetings providing the farm perspective to the environmental discussions
- negotiations with Ontario Energy Ministry officials to secure the best possible electricity rates for Ontario agriculture
- provided input into the development of regulations for the Nutrient Management Act to ensure farmers get regulations that are practical and workable, and that funding is provided by the government to farmers to help with upgrades to facilities to permit compliance with the regulations – to ensure farmers are able to stay in business
- negotiating with the Provincial Government to get fairer assessment and taxation legislation for farm properties and farm businesses
- managed approximately $6 million in Healthy Futures for Ontario Agriculture funds that assisted farmers to upgrade or decommission water wells on rural properties – measures aimed at protecting the purity of groundwater resources
- represented Ontario agriculture at the Federal Government level on international trade issues
OFA Working for You