OFA Fights for Farmer Rights during Tariff War

Mar 31, 2025
By Jean-Paul McDonald
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

OFA is actively working to support and protect the industry

The agricultural sector in Ontario trades billions of dollars annually with the U.S. In 2023, this amounted to $32.8 billion, it also included a trade deficit of nearly $2 billion.

The impact of tariffs and trade barriers on this trade is significant, as they disrupt supply chains, reduce market access, and impose financial strain on farmers and agri-businesses.

Drew Spoelstra, OFA President, OFA Vice President Sara Wood, and OFA Vice President Ethan Wallace recently shared the following thoughts and updates with OFA members.

Currently, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, as well as certain exports not covered by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement. New automotive tariffs were also announced on March 26. These tariffs have fluctuated, with some temporarily rescinded in March. In response, Canada introduced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Additionally, Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola and pork exports are in place, following Canada's own tariffs on Chinese imports last fall.

A major deadline is approaching on April 2, when the U.S. plans to introduce broader tariffs targeting multiple countries, including Canada. The details of this plan remain uncertain.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is taking active steps to address these challenges. A collaborative approach is being taken with industry partners to assess the immediate and long-term impacts of these tariffs. The OFA has also been engaging with government officials, ensuring the agricultural sector’s needs are heard in discussions at both the federal and provincial levels.

In addition, OFA has been working to secure additional support for farmers, including increased funding for existing programs and calls for new measures tailored to the unique challenges faced by export-dependent producers. Investments in infrastructure, such as market development and food processing, are also key priorities.

OFA is also advocating for the reduction of inter-provincial trade barriers and has been actively communicating the challenges faced by farmers through media channels. Their public outreach efforts aim to promote local food and encourage consumers to support Ontario-grown products.

The OFA remains committed to supporting Ontario’s agricultural sector during this ongoing trade uncertainty. For more details, members can reach out through the designated tariffs email address.

Photo Credit: ontario-federation-of-agriculture-ofa

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.