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CFFO: Protecting Prime Farmland

Earlier this year, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) introduced its policy tour for 2015. This tour involved the districts of the federation discussing a variety of issues related to Ontario agriculture across the province. The tour held its last sessions last week in Thunder Bay and Emo, getting a good perspective from the North. During the previous week, meetings were held along the Highway 17 corridor. The entire tour has been successful, with good attendance and lively conversation during the meetings.

The food industry in Ontario should remain healthy for the next decade, especially with the projected population growth, both in Canada and globally. When farmland preservation and land use planning were discussed, many members expressed their hope for strengthened provincial regulation protecting Ontario’s prime agricultural land. Recognizing that we do need to provide housing and transportation for the expected increase in population, members expressed concern that some of Ontario’s best farmland is taken out of production and used for development.

Members are understanding of the need for aggregates in Ontario, since this is where raw resources come from for infrastructure, but are also hopeful that CFFO’s call for complete rehabilitation will become a required part of aggregate licencing. The growth of cities is inevitable for a growing nation, but how cities grow and develop has an impact on the surrounding countryside. The CFFO would like to see more growth upwards before cities grow outward. Brownfields and grey fields should also be developed before more land is annexed for development around cities.

Many people like the idea of preserving farmland, but do not realize that land in food production needs to be protected from well intentioned but counterproductive requirements. For example, ditches meant for land drainage should not be considered habitat for other species, native or endangered; these ditches were developed for a specific reason. Species that have been relocated or introduced to specific areas should not be protected when they begin to do damage to farmers’ crops or animals. There needs to be an understanding that rural Ontario has an industry within it and is not all parkland.

The CFFO is confident that with good dialogue we can help the Ontario government to strengthen regulations protecting farmland and maintain the ability to produce food in Ontario for the local and global population. Ontario and Canada depend heavily on exporting much of the agricultural products we produce. This industry creates many jobs in Ontario and the economy benefits greatly from it. The message we received during the CFFO Policy Tour is that the sector is healthy and wants to continue to progress in Ontario for many generations to come.

Source: CFFO


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