Tag Archives: agriculture

Agricultural Development, Economic Development

Planning for Agriculture Requires Balancing Growth and Compatibility

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On March 5th, 2020, the Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Community of Practice hosted a webinar on planning for agriculture. This webinar fostered a discussion between the audience and the speaker, Dr. Wayne Caldwell, on the impact and opportunities for land use planning and near-urban agriculture. Potential challenges and opportunities were addressed, along with ten methods to create a more viable agricultural sector through planning practices.

As Ontario’s population grows, urbanized and highly populated areas are expanding into agricultural areas. While there are certainly opportunities for agriculture in proximity to urban markets, it can also pose some risks and challenges.

Continue reading Planning for Agriculture Requires Balancing Growth and Compatibility →

Agricultural Development, northern ontario

Building the Brand Northwest Beef

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Developing new markets closer to home can add value and cut costs. Beef Farmers in Northern Ontario working with Local Food and Farm Co-op Ontario developed a new brand called Northwest Beef, focused on accomplishing those two objectives and adding value to the agriculture industry of Northwestern Ontario.

NWO+beef+logo+draft+3-03With some aid from federal and provincial funding, The Local Food and Farm Co-op was able to bring together beef farmers from Thunder Bay, Rainy River, and Kenora districts to look at producing and marketing beef in a new, innovative way. Consumers in the three districts were surveyed to find out what the determining factors for purchasing beef were. The results provided a basis for the farmers from the Northwest. Collectively, the farmers agreed on a brand, production practices, and a marketing strategy. A co-op of participating farmers from the three districts was formed. Each district has a processing facility for harvesting the animals and storing the meat.

Continue reading Building the Brand Northwest Beef →

Agricultural Development, Economic Development

Online Agriculture Economic Development Training

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If your community is looking for ways to support your local agriculture sector; plan on attending the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) online Agriculture Economic Development Training.

The course is split into two sessions (April 8, 10am- 12pm and April 22, 10am-12pm). Click here to register.

This interactive training will:

  • Share key agriculture economic development concepts
  • Introduce the range of agriculture economic development activities your community can explore
  • Give you tools to develop a plan for agricultural economic development in your community
  • Provide an overview of the Agriculture Economic Development guide and its three stages: plant, grow and harvest.

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Agricultural Development

A First-Timer’s Guide to Agriculture in Spain

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I started 2020 by doing something I never thought I would do: travelling to Spain to learn about agriculture and rural communities. This once-in-a-lifetime learning experience from January 7-18 was a part of the Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program (AALP), offered by the Rural Ontario Institute. AALP is an executive professional development program for those working in careers related to agriculture, food and rural communities.

Our trip began in Madrid, then did a circle around the southern half of the country, hitting eight major cities and several smaller communities along the way. The history, culture, music and architecture were fascinating parts of the trip, but for today, I want to focus on the agriculture.

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Local Food

Food, fun and friendship at the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference

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Planning a 2-day regional local food event is no easy task, especially when it includes:

  • three separate culinary tours
  • a local food reception, and
  • a full day program that with a dozen sessions and thirty-seven speakers

The planning process takes time, an incredibly skilled and committed team, and fantastic host communities.

Luckily, this year’s Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference had all these elements, resulting in an ambitious, inspiring program that was delivered to over 200 attendees. The event took place on November 13 and 14, and was co-hosted by the City of Cornwall and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. The theme, “Growing Communities Together”, was demonstrated through the program, which included French and English resources, and topics that integrated Canadian-newcomer and Indigenous perspectives. Continue reading Food, fun and friendship at the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference →

Economic Development

Canadian Agricultural Partnership Cost-share Funding is Open to Help Food Processors Grow their Business

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CAP-EN

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is a five-year, $3-billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-product sectors.

On November 4th , the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) opened to receive applications from Ontario food processors and other agri-businesses. This intake is tailored to agri-food businesses looking to increase food safety, develop new markets and expand their operations with the goal of increasing competitiveness, prosperity and sustainability. Cost-share funding under the Partnership is merit-based, and project funding amounts are individually established based on project categories.

Applications can be submitted until November 26, 2019 at 5:00pm EDT.

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Economic Development

Registration is now open for the 2019 Municipal Agriculture Economic Development Forum!

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tomatoesIf you have agriculture economic development in your portfolio, don’t miss this opportunity to hear about the latest trends, network, learn from your peers, and talk about the future of the industry.  The theme of this year’s Forum is “Embracing the Future: Agriculture and Technology”.  Come and hear about leading edge research and development that is taking place in Ontario, as well as get a glimpse into what the future could hold. Continue reading Registration is now open for the 2019 Municipal Agriculture Economic Development Forum! →

Economic Development

Trade mission to Japan & South Korea presents new opportunities for Ontario agri-food businesses

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Ontario’s agri-food sector is a power house in North America, and a key contributor to the province’s economy, supporting more than 837,000 jobs and contributing $47.7 billion towards the province’s GDP. To maintain Ontario’s leadership in the agri-food sector, the province has launched the Market Access Initiative – targeted cost-share funding available to help businesses and organizations across the Ontario supply value-chain that have been directly impacted by trade restrictions.

This initiative is only a small part of what the province is doing to help navigate trade challenges. Over the next two weeks, Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade are leading an Ontario trade mission to South Korea and Japan.

Continue reading Trade mission to Japan & South Korea presents new opportunities for Ontario agri-food businesses →

Local Food

Attend the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference!

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The Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference is the premier regional event focused on supporting and celebrating the local food sector. This year local hosts, the City of Cornwall and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SDG), are preparing a phenomenal event to inspire, motivate, and feed you. It takes place on November 13-14 in Cornwall. Continue reading Attend the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference! →

Agricultural Development

Celebrating the Cultivation of Agri-food Innovation in Ontario

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The 2019 Excellence in Agriculture program is open to receive applications until October 11, 2019.

The Excellence in Agriculture program recognizes agri-food innovations and advancements that demonstrate leadership, product development or technology advancement that will benefit the sector. The innovations recognized will be those that have potential to help move the agri-food sector forward, so it is better positioned to thrive here at home and on the global stage.

In addition to primary producers, processors, agri-food innovators and agri-food organizations, the 2019 Excellence in Agriculture program has a new category to recognize outstanding youth leaders in the agri-food sector. Youth under 29, who are residents of Ontario and have an innovation with a direct link to the agri-food sector, are encouraged to apply.

Application criteria can be found at ontario.ca/agrifoodinnovation.

The top innovation in each of the five categories will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievement and will be featured in a promotional video. All recipients will have access to the Excellence in Agriculture wordmark to be used for marketing and promotional purposes, and up to 15 honorable mention recipients will receive a certificate.

For further information please contact the Agricultural Information Contact Center at 1-877-424-1300