In 2011, a new provincial cost-shared Risk Management Program (RMP) was created for the Ontario agriculture industry. Farmer leaders across commodity groups came together as the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition (OASC), and worked with the provincial government to design a made-in-Ontario solution to help bring “predictability, stability and bankability to the farming sector.” In the fall of 2013,… Read More
Tag: Jeff Leal
Ontario is proposing amendments to the Crop Insurance Act, 1996, that, if passed, would mean more types of agricultural products would be eligible for coverage by production insurance. Production insurance, a part of Ontario’s business risk management programs, is designed to help farmers manage losses due to events like weather, pests and disease. The costs… Read More
Corn and soybean growers in Ontario know that neonicotinoid-containing seed treatments are under close scrutiny by the public and by the provincial government. When provincial department mandate letters were sent out in September, Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne called for a “meaningful reduction” in neonic use by 2015. As the clock runs down to the end… Read More
Originally announced last fall as part of the Local Food Act, Ontario’s agriculture minister Jeff Leal was on location today to formally roll out a tax credit for farmers who donate food to food banks. The “Food Donation Tax Credit for Farmers” gives farmers a tax credit valued at 25% of the fair market value… Read More
Kathleen Wynne, premier of Ontario, has rolled out mandate letters to each of the provincial departments. Of particular note on the agriculture file headed up by Jeff Leal, Wynne’s set priorities for the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, under the heading “Ensuring Sustainability of Agriculture,” states: Strengthening pollinator health. You will work… Read More
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, near Niagara, Ontario, will soon feature the largest greenhouse facility of its kind in Canada, thanks to a $10 million investment by the provincial government. Vineland is well known for its work in fruit and vegetable research and development, and recently commercialized Pixie grapes, a one-of-kind, ornamental dwarf grapevine, and… Read More
The newly-minted provincial agriculture minister for Ontario, Jeff Leal, has not changed policy or regulation on neonicotinoid seed treatments. Let’s get that out of the way right now. Will the government soon step in, requiring more paper work, perhaps a licensing systems and more monitoring or rules around the use of neonics on corn and… Read More
For a year and a half, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Rural Affairs have had separate leaders, after premier Kathleen Wynne split the ministry to take on the agriculture portfolio herself in February 2013. See the entire new cabinet here. On the heels of the June 12 majority win… Read More