Farmland is fundamental to food sovereignty and feeding our communities. 

Farmland is an invaluable gift from past generations that comes with the responsibility to steward it for generations yet to come. Every day, we lose approximately 319 acres of vital agricultural land to development and other non-agricultural uses — land that constitutes some of the most productive soil in the country. This unsustainable trend jeopardizes Ontario's food security - without immediate public action, these losses will only escalate, compromising our ability to provide healthy, local food for future generations. Once the rich soils in Ontario are paved over and lost, it is gone forever. Who owns farmland, how we share it, and how it is tended are critical.

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Protect Ontario Farmland Campaign

Farmers and concerned citizens across Ontario are rallying to safeguard our precious farmland. Use our interactive map and join grassroots efforts to Protect Ontario Farmland today. No Soils, No Land, No Food!

 

No Farmland = No Food

Land is a precious resource and fundamental to agriculture. Protecting against farmland-grabbing is of utmost importance to safeguard our food security, preserve agricultural heritage, and promote sustainable land use. Farmland grabbing is driven by profit-seeking motives that threaten the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities, disrupt ecosystems, and accelerate environmental degradation. New sprawling developments are only good for developers’ profits; the loss of critical farmland near urban centres removes the capacity to feed the people who will live in them.

Holding our ground: Protecting farmland for today and tomorrow.

Permanent farmland protection and access to land for new, young, and BIPOC farmers are among NFU-O's top priorities. There exists a future where we have both food to eat and affordable homes to live in. We believe it’s a future worth fighting for.

NFU-O has been a leading voice against short-sighted provincial policies that weaken farmland protection and expose it to sale and development. We firmly believe that building livable and affordable rural and urban communities while safeguarding agricultural and natural heritage lands should not be an either/or proposition. It is our unwavering position that agricultural production is the most valued and best use of farmland. 

We firmly believe that permanent farmland protections are the only way to ensure this precious resource remains in the hands of those who will responsibly steward the land for generations to come: farmers. These protections would guarantee our ability to produce enough food to feed an ever-growing population, ensure the conservation of vital ecosystems, and contribute to the long-term well-being of our planet.

Get Involved With Farmland Protection

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NFU-O Demands Withdrawal of Bill 5

Bill 5 threatens Ontario farmland by enabling unchecked industrial development in “Special Economic Zones,” bypassing environmental laws, local governance, and Treaty rights. Farmland, especially in regions like Waterloo, faces expropriation and degradation. The Bill prioritizes corporate interests over farmers, ecosystems, and democratic protections, risking long-term harm to rural communities.

Farmland Protection News

Media Release: Addition of the ‘Pickering Airport Lands’ to Rouge National Urban Park a Soaring Achievement, says National Farmers Union

Treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit; Guelph, ON (January 27, 2025) – Chalk up a crucial win for farmland protection. As urban sprawl, highway proposals, land use policy changes, land expropriations, and rampant speculation continue to threaten Ontario’s dwindling agricultural lands, committed supporters for farmland and natural heritage protection have reason…

Response: Highway 413 Act Joint Letter

Re. the Highway 413 Act – Schedule 3 of Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 (ERO #019-9213) We, the nine undersigned organizations, are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed Highway 413 Act, schedule 3 of Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024. If passed, the Highway 413…

Response: Bill 212 Joint Letter

Re. Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 – Building Highways Faster Act, 2024 (ERO #019-9265) We, the eight undersigned organizations, are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed Building Highways Faster Act, under Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act (RGSYTA). If passed, designated “priority highway projects,” including Highway…

L'UNF-O est l'organisation agricole accréditée idéale pour vous.

NFU Ontario Accredited Farm Organization Drawing Man with Shovel Green Flat Edge-01

L'UNF-O est l'organisation agricole accréditée idéale pour vous.

NFU Ontario Accredited Farm Organization Drawing Man with Shovel Green Flat Edge-01