Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) appreciates the opportunity to comment on ERO 019-6813 Review of proposed policies adapted from A Place to Grow and Provincial Policy Statement to form a new provincial planning instrument. BFO represents the 19,000 beef farmers in Ontario by advocating in the areas of sustainability, animal health and care, environment, food safety, and domestic and export market development.
A key priority for BFO and our members is the preservation of Ontario’s agricultural land base. We strongly believe the best way to protect Ontario’s agricultural lands is through sound provincial land use policy that sees agricultural lands, including marginal lands used for livestock grazing and carbon sequestration, protected as the highest and best use of Ontario’s arable land. Ontario’s beef sector contributes $2.69 billion to Ontario’s GDP on an annual basis and sustains more than 61,000 jobs through primary production, processing and retail.
Ontario’s beef farmers also provide important ecological goods and services, especially through the management of grasslands, that protect and enhance Ontario’s environment. This includes sequestering carbon in the soil, providing habitat for wildlife and species at risk, oxygen production, water and nutrient cycling, and maintaining and improving soil health. The ability to provide these ecological goods and services on lands managed with cattle is threatened by competing land uses.
We thank the government for taking the time to meet with BFO and our industry partners to discuss our concerns regarding proposed changes outlined in the PPS. BFO is very pleased with the government’s commitment to continue engaging with the agriculture sector regarding alternatives for supporting multi-generational farm families without the use of additional severances in prime agricultural areas.
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