Year In Review: A look back at this year in agriculture, with Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Jan 05, 2024

As we bid farewell to 2023 and embrace the challenges and opportunities of the coming year, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson, took a moment to look back on the past year and share insights into the province’s agricultural achievements and future goals.

Minister Thompson emphasized the crucial role of farmers in shaping the provincial strategy, looking to invest in Ontario’s food security in the coming years and beyond.

This partnership with the federal government will see $1.77 billion put into Ontario’s AgriFood industry – which contributes $47 billion to Ontario’s GDP.

A significant portion of this investment, $9 million, went towards enhancing soil health. Minister Thompson underscored the importance of understanding and improving soil health for sustainable agriculture.

The minister also discussed the AgriFood Technology Fund, a $25 million initiative aimed at supporting farmers and processors in adopting new technologies for increased efficiency and biosecurity. This fund reflects the commitment to innovation, a key aspect of the overarching Grow Ontario strategy.

Sustainability played a pivotal role in their efforts, with a focus on the Resilient Agricultural Landscape program—a $50 million investment.

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Video: Understanding Nitrogen Loss Through Denitrification

Denitrification is one of the three main pathways for nitrogen loss, but what is it really, and how much nitrogen do we stand to lose?

In this episode, Lyle Cowell is joined by Dr. Erin Daly from the University of Guelph to break down denitrification and the conditions that drive nitrogen loss in the soil. They explore how nitrogen can be lost as nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas, what conditions drive losses and when they are most likely to occur.

Erin also shares how CanN2ONet, a national research network, is helping us better understand nitrous oxide emissions across Canada. From field towers that measure emissions to research into regionally tailored best management practices, discover how the network is working to help growers improve nitrogen use efficiency and help reduce nitrogen losses across the country.