Re: Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program

Re: Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program

The National Farmers Union-Ontario (NFU-O) is an accredited farm organization representing sustainable farmers in Ontario and has advocated for farmers across Ontario since 1969. Members work together to achieve agricultural policies that ensure dignity and income security for farmers, while protecting and enhancing rural environments for current and future generations.

The NFU-O is grateful to have participated in OMAFA’s Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program (ADIP) consultation on Wednesday, September 16th. We are appreciative of the Ministry for funding such a critical component of provincial agriculture infrastructure, and for working to make the program more efficient.

The conditions that created the 1930’s agricultural crisis are arising again, with excessive debt and inadequate soil conservation practices. Farmers are seeing increased topsoil from fields travelling to ditches and drains caused by higher levels of soil erosion, leading to a more demand for engineered reports to undertake drain cleanouts. At the same time, municipalities struggle to fund an increase in this critical agricultural infrastructure. As the ADIP is 20 years old and demand has outpaced capacity, the NFU-O believes that now is the time to re-dedicate ourselves to soil conservation to support an improved agricultural drainage program, especially with increasing episodes of excessive heat, wind, and rainfall events brought about by climate change.

The NFU-O advises that the ADIP should be actively promoting and providing education to farmers around soil conservation at this very critical time of declining soil conservation practices and municipal financial resources. Additionally, vegetative setbacks to keep topsoil out of drains should be re-evaluated and monitored, to decrease topsoil build-up and drain maintenance.

Agricultural drainage infrastructure is an essential component to a healthy agricultural system. Approaching agricultural drainage capacity challenges from a holistic lens by promoting soil conservation and re-evaluating vegetative setbacks will not only improve theADIP program for Ontario farmers, but will also reduce future financial strain on governments supporting agricultural systems in their regions.