New Environmental Farm Plans for Ontario farmers available July 14

Jul 04, 2025

A new 5th edition Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) will be available to Ontario farmers starting July 14, 2025. The updated edition reflects current regulatory requirements and latest science on best management practices, includes links to new tools and new areas of focus such as biodiversity and farming in a changing climate.

The EFP is a confidential and voluntary environmental risk assessment tool that helps the owners of all types of farms—large or small—take a whole-farm view and identify incremental improvements that support long-term sustainability, profitability and productivity. There is no cost to farmers to participate. Since its first edition was published in 1993, the EFP program has helped farmers develop comprehensive plans for their lands to help them achieve their goals as good stewards of the land.

Development of the 5th edition relied on technical expertise from staff at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) and other provincial ministries and federal departments and has been supported by the farm organizations that originally launched EFP as co-chairs of the former Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition (OFEC). These founding leaders — Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Farm & Food Care Ontario, and the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association — remain committed to the EFP’s fundamental principle of helping farmers adopt innovative and sustainable best management practices.

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Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.