On September 19, 2024, the Grey County Agricultural Advisory Committee held a comprehensive meeting that covered a wide range of important topics for the local farming community.
From farmland preservation and succession planning to road safety and mental health, here’s a quick summary of everything that was discussed and where you can catch each segment.
Presentation by Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT)
Martin Straathof, Executive Director of OFT, gave an informative presentation on the Trust’s mission to protect Ontario’s farmland.
He outlined the use of conservation easements, land donations, and the impact of rising land prices on new farmers. OFT aims to protect 40 farms by 2029.
Key topics included:
Farmland loss in Grey County (18% since 2006)
Succession planning challenges and the need for new farmer programs
Collaboration with municipalities and organizations to protect agricultural land
Watch Martin's presentation below.
Gather Campaign Update by Savannah Myers, Grey County
Savannah provided exciting news about the relaunch of the Gather Campaign in 2024. Partnering with renowned chef Roger Mooking, the campaign will showcase Grey County’s food producers, with videos and promotions kicking off at Thanksgiving. The full campaign will launch on Family Day 2025 and aims to attract visitors from the GTA to explore local culinary experiences.
Watch Savannah’s report.
Agriculture Sector Summit Update by Savannah
Savannah also shared details on the Agriculture Sector Summit, which will gather input from local farmers and businesses on trends, challenges, and opportunities.
This feedback will help shape future county initiatives for the agricultural sector.
Watch the update.
Provincial Planning Update by Scott Taylor, Grey County
Scott presented the latest updates to the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), which will take effect on October 20, 2024.
He highlighted several key changes relevant to agriculture, including:
Additional residential units: Farms in prime agricultural areas can now have up to two additional residential units, provided they are located in the farm cluster.
Surplus farm dwelling severances: Clarifications on policies around severances to prevent over-development in rural areas.
Energy storage systems: New policies allow energy storage on farms, but only on a small scale.
Scott also discussed concerns about settlement area expansions, which could pose risks to agricultural lands.
Watch Scott’s update.
Official Plan Amendment 23 by Scott Taylor
Scott presented details about Official Plan Amendment 23 (OPA 23), which aims to clarify and strengthen policies around non-farm uses in rural areas to better protect agricultural lands.
The amendment focuses on key areas such as:
Rural Special Event Venues: Policies will ensure that events like wedding venues are limited in scale and compatible with surrounding farm operations, avoiding conflicts related to noise, traffic, and land use.
Residential Farm Cooperatives: Updates will ensure that these cooperatives remain true to their agricultural purpose, preventing them from turning into de facto residential subdivisions.
Institutional Uses in Rural Areas: This amendment will introduce clearer guidelines for rural institutional uses such as Mennonite and Amish meeting houses, schools, and cemeteries, ensuring they do not negatively impact agricultural land.
Resource-Based Recreational Uses: The new guidelines aim to better define appropriate uses of land for recreational purposes, keeping them complementary to farming activities and minimizing their footprint.
Scott emphasized that while the proposed changes don’t affect existing applications, they will shape future development in rural areas to ensure agricultural land is preserved for farming.
Public consultations for OPA 23 are expected to begin in late 2024, with final recommendations anticipated in early 2025.
Watch Scott’s update.
Round Table Discussions
The Round Table Discussion covered a wide range of pressing agricultural issues, with committee members sharing challenges and opportunities they are facing. Key topics included:
Cooperatives
Brenda shared an upcoming event hosted by the National Farmers Union on November 3rd in Durham, focused on cooperatives. This kitchen table-style meeting will discuss how cooperatives can help new farmers overcome challenges such as land access, pricing pressures, and market opportunities. Cooperatives were highlighted as a potential solution to succession planning issues, allowing farmers to pool resources and maintain viable operations.
Succession Planning
Succession planning remained a central concern for many committee members, including Gail, who noted the difficulty in passing farms down to the next generation due to high land costs and tax implications. She emphasized the importance of advocacy to push for capital gains tax relief when transferring farms within families. This challenge was echoed by other members, who stressed that without better tools for succession, many family farms could disappear or fall into corporate ownership.
Open Fields Event
Gail also mentioned the Open Fields Event in the Blue Mountains, scheduled for October 5th. This event will feature five different farming operations, giving the public an opportunity to tour and learn about local agriculture. Featured farms include Blue Mountain Fruit Company, Ardell Acres, and others, showcasing a variety of agricultural practices. The event is designed to connect local producers with consumers and strengthen community ties.
Rural Roundabout Concerns
Blair raised concerns about the new roundabout at Grey Road 3 and Grey Road 4. Farmers are experiencing difficulties navigating large farm equipment through the roundabout due to the height of the curbs, which could cause damage to tires and equipment. Randy from the county acknowledged the issue, noting that the county is already planning modifications to improve accessibility for larger vehicles.
Share the Road Campaign
Paul McQueen and Rob provided updates on the Share the Road campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the safe coexistence of farm equipment and urban drivers on rural roads. The campaign will run a four-week radio blitz starting September 25th, along with billboards that will remain up throughout the harvest season. With harvest approaching, the focus is on educating the public, particularly urban drivers, about how to safely share rural roads with agricultural equipment.
Grey Ag Services Updates
Lori from Grey Ag Services provided updates on the Guardian Network Suicide Prevention Training, set for November 27th. This free, one-day training will focus on reducing the stigma around mental health in agricultural communities and help participants engage in supportive conversations with farmers in distress. Grey Ag Services also mentioned the upcoming Grey Bruce Farmers' Week, which will run from January 8th to 14th, 2025, featuring both in-person and live-streamed events.
Insurance Challenges
Insurance costs were a major issue raised by Paul McQueen, who noted the rising premiums and increasing complexity of insurance regulations affecting farmers. He suggested a potential future workshop or panel discussion to help farmers navigate these challenges.
Agricultural Societies and Fall Fairs
Scott Mackey acknowledged the important role of Agricultural Societies in organizing fall fairs across Grey County. These events celebrate agriculture’s past, present, and future and require tremendous volunteer support. He thanked the many volunteers and sponsors for their hard work in keeping these fairs a vibrant part of rural life.
C4 Zoning & Source Water Protection
Paul McQueen and Brenda suggested discussing C4 zoning (Community Farm Organizations) in future meetings, focusing on how it can support agricultural diversity and sustainability. Additionally, source water protection was highlighted as an important topic, particularly regarding residential wells and agricultural runoff. A future session could address best practices and awareness for farmers to ensure water safety.
Canada GAP Certification
Gail brought up the challenges related to Canada GAP certification, a food safety program that many farmers are struggling to pass. She suggested organizing training or panel discussions to help farmers navigate the complex requirements of this certification. The certification is mandatory for farms selling to larger retailers and can pose significant operational challenges.
Watch the Round Table Discussion
Conclusion & Next Steps
The committee concluded with a discussion on future topics, such as Canada GAP certification training and Source Water Protection. The next meeting is scheduled for December 5, 2024.
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