Fourteen winners and 11 honourable mentions of the Ontario Excellence in Agriculture program were named this past weekend during an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair at Toronto, Ont. “I am very proud to present the 2023 Excellence in Agriculture Awards at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, where it is… Read More
Tag: Lisa Thompson
A three-year, two-phase, $1.7 million Ontario initiative is set to promote careers in agriculture through agricultural societies. The Promoting Agri-Food Careers initiative was announced by Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson over the weekend. Funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), the program will be available to 213 agricultural societies, represented by the Ontario Association… Read More
The new five-year ag policy framework between the Government of Canada and the provinces is set to roll out beginning April 1, 2023. Dubbed the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), the overall agreement is worth a half a billion more than its predecessor, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Ontario is the first province to reveal what… Read More
OPINION Travel with me to a time not long ago when the government in Ontario was of the red variety. The former premier, at one point, went so far as to also serve as agriculture minister, in an effort, one can only imagine, to show her commitment and respect for the portfolio. Kathleen Wynne’s government… Read More
Using three priority pillars, the Government of Ontario has announced its roadmap to building agriculture and food success over the next decade through the Grow Ontario Strategy. Announced today, strategy is designed to “make sure the province’s food supply chain remains safe, strong and stable from farm to fork,” according to Lisa Thompson, Minister of… Read More
The last significant update to Ontario’s Veterinarians Act was over 30 years ago, in 1989. Stating that the current act no longer reflects the realities of modern veterinary practice, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Lisa Thompson today announced the Ontario government is launching consultations to modernize the Act. The review will “explore… Read More
Ontario Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson has announced up to $2 million over two years for an initiative the province is calling the “Fertilizer Accelerating Solutions & Technology Challenge.” The province says the funding will support “made-in-Ontario solutions to increase the availability of fertilizer options, alternatives and technology, ensuring farmers have the tools they need so… Read More
Ontario farm groups are welcoming Lisa Thompson’s reappointment as the province’s Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. The MPP for Huron-Bruce is returning to the post she has held in Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet since June 2021, when she replaced Ernie Hardeman. “We are excited to continue the momentum of our positive and established… Read More
The Ontario provincial election is set for June 2. Where do the parties stand on agriculture issues and the challenges facing farmers and the agribusiness sector? Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) has teamed up with RealAgriculture to help you understand the commitments the parties are making to farmers as voting day draws near. On this… Read More
Originally announced in the fall 2021 budget, the $25 million Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund Program will launch April 1, 2022. “Ontario’s food processing sector faces challenges to their ability to process more of the food that is grown in the province, including aging technology and facilities,” the government says in a press release. “Many aging food… Read More
The governments of Canada and Ontario are supplying $900,000 — through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) — to launch an innovative tool to connect meat and poultry farmers with abattoirs that have available processing capacity and to support recruitment, retention, and training initiatives in the industry. The new Farmer-Processor Connections Initiative, led by Meat and… Read More
The Ontario government is increasing loan limits for the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program from $500,000 to $1 million for individual co-op members, and up to $1.5 million for corporations that participate in feeder cattle co-operatives. The government says the increase applies to “experienced” individuals and corporations only. The loan guarantee is designed to help beef… Read More
Welcome to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio. We’re continuing the reflection of the past year with interviews from June and July. On today’s show, you’ll hear: Lisa Thompson, Ontario Agriculture Minister, fresh off being named ag minister and her key priorities; Jeff Yorga, Saskatchewan Stock Growers’ Association, on drought and decision-making by livestock growers in… Read More
The governments of Canada and Ontario are funding two new multi-year mental health initiatives, specialized to support the agriculture sector. More than $7 million dollars through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership will go towards The Guardians Network, a new program modelled after the Farmer Wellness Program, pioneered by mental health specialist Deborah Vanberkel. The program will… Read More
The Ontario government will spend $25 million over three years to strengthen the agri-food supply chain through the Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund. The funding is designed to “incentivize industry investment in projects that help address the processing capacity shortage and increase the sector’s competitiveness and resilience against future disruptions,” the province says. Lisa Thompson, Minister… Read More