Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay visited southern Ontario today to seek input from youth on key agricultural issues, tour the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, and attend the International Plowing Match.
The youth engagement session was held at the University of Guelph where Minister MacAulay talked with young people involved in agriculture and industry organizations about the challenges and opportunities they face when choosing a career in agriculture. He also asked for their perspectives on the next agricultural policy framework.
While at the University of Guelph, Minister MacAulay also toured the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario which will benefit from the recently announced $76.6 million in funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund to launch the university's "Food From Thought" initiative. This research project aims to use high-tech information systems to produce enough food for the growing human population, while sustaining the earth's ecosystems.
Minister MacAulay ended his visit in southern Ontario by attending the International Plowing Match in Minto and reaffirming Canada's commitment to a strong agricultural industry and vibrant rural communities.
The government is currently engaging with stakeholders from across the country on the next federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) agricultural framework to build on successes of current programming and address challenges and opportunities for agriculture in the coming years. In-person and online consultation activities are ongoing to gather feedback that will help inform the next agricultural framework.
Source: AAFC