Letter to Minister of Finance re: 2024 Budget Consultation

Dear Minister Bethlenfalvy,

On behalf of the National Farmers Union – Ontario (NFU-O), thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Ontario budget development process for 2024. The NFU-O is an accredited farm organization representing thousands of 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. Our diverse membership includes export
producers, direct market farmers, livestock producers, specialty crop growers, and farmers who produce supply-managed commodities.

NFU-O members are interested in funding and programs to shorten and strengthen regional supply chains, create support for new farm entrants, and support regenerative and climate-friendly production systems.

Shorten and Strengthen Regional Supply Chains

The NFU-O supports efforts to increase consumption and production of Ontario grown food by 30%, especially where this increased consumption reduces Ontario’s reliance on agri-food imports. Localized food production and distribution needs to be prioritized to make our food system more sustainable and reliable.

The NFU-O believes we can address weaknesses in our current food system by providing more government support for farmers who are direct marketers, including public investments in local markets, regional food hubs for storage and local distribution, value-added production, and appropriately-scaled localized processing facilities, from small-scale abattoirs to shared canning and freezing facilities.

Support for New Farm Entrants

Approximately 40% of Canadian farmers will retire by 2033. While there are many new farmers looking to replace them, systemic barriers restrict their access to the most essential component of farming – land. There are many benefits to supporting the next generation of small-scale farmers in gaining secure access to land. The value of the environmental practices used by many small-scale farmers can be seen in improved biodiversity and downstream environmental impacts, stronger rural economies, and increased access to local, nutrient dense food, contributing to preventative health measures.

The NFU-O recommends the provincial government develop an Ontario New Entrant Farmer Strategy, in collaboration with agricultural organizations, under the multi-year funding support of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership that includes resources for training, land access, land matching services, business planning, and financial support.

As part of a New Entrant Farmer Strategy, we recommend the Ontario Government partner with the Federal Government to provide multi-year funding for an Ontario land-matching program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The Federal Government has offered support to Quebec under the Growing Forward 2 cost-share program and to British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

As well, providing micro-loans for new and young farm entrants, similar to what Quebec has done, to start up a direct market farm business will be important to support the next generation of farmers in Ontario, and help to grow the amount of food produced locally in each region across Ontario.

Sustainable and Climate Friendly Production Systems

The climate crisis is having increasingly negative impacts on farmers in Ontario. For agriculture to shift to meet the demands of tackling the climate crisis, the provincial government will need to invest in research and innovation that will support farmers in the transition to climate friendly production systems.

We recommend the establishment of an OMAFRA Organic Agriculture Extension Service or Research Branch that provides independent research and financial support programs to help farmers measure and monitor soil health and adopt practices to mitigate the climate crisis.

We also recommend the hiring of a dedicated OMAFRA Organic Agriculture staff specialist. An investment in the transition to organic and regenerative agriculture, and understanding the biology rather than the chemistry or technology of soil health, are key to realizing increased crop yields and plant health in a climate-stressed future.

Thank you again for the opportunity to contribute to the Ontario budget development process for 2024.

Sincerely,

Max Hansgen
President, National Farmers Union – Ontario