NFU-O President engages with policy makers and community leaders to enact change

Ontario farmers face a range of challenges, from the threat of farmland loss to mental health concerns. Max Hansgen, NFU-O President, is addressing these issues head-on.

On March 29, Hansgen, along with NFU President Jenn Pfenning, met with MPPs at Queen’s Park to discuss the ongoing risks to farmland protection in Ontario. Bill 23, which weakens the province’s protections for agricultural lands and opens them up for development, remains a primary concern. Farmland is a finite resource, and once it is lost to development, it cannot be regained. We already lose 319 acres of farmland a day, and Bill 23 will only accelerate this loss. The NFU-O calls for policies that prioritize farmland protection and urges MPPs to take action to ensure that farmland is preserved for future generations, which includes repealing Bill 23.

As well, the NFU-O advocates for land grabbing prevention legislation, which would help prevent foreign and domestic investors from acquiring large amounts of agricultural land for non-farming purposes.

“Agricultural land should be owned by the farmers who grow our food and not by companies that are speculating on land prices rising even higher, or seeking to increase dividends through high rents – or both – at the expense of eaters and growers alike”, urges Hansgen.

Hansgen then visited FoodShare Toronto, where he met with Orlando Martín López Gómez, NFU-O’s BIPOC Advisor and FoodShare’s Community Food Growing Senior Manager. FoodShare is a nonprofit that addresses hunger and advocates for policy to strengthen food security and justice. They also deliver food boxes and operate an urban farm. The need for urban agriculture is growing, as it offers an alternative model for food production as land becomes ever more difficult to access. As well, urban agriculture serves as a valuable teaching and community building tool.