Ontario Supports Farmers with Farmers' Market and On-Farm Sales

Oct 10, 2019

TORONTO - As part of Ontario's Agriculture Week celebration, Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, announced the government's investments in the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association and Farmers' Markets Ontario, two important organizations that connect farmers with consumers through direct sales experiences.

"We are proud of Ontario's hardworking farmers who grow and sell local food directly to consumers," said Minister Hardeman. "Whether you visit a farmers' market, farm gate or on-farm market to purchase local food, you are supporting our local farmers and Ontario's agri-food industry."

Ontario is home to almost 46,900 farms that grow over 200 agricultural commodities. More than 7,000 farms engage in direct sales with consumers, which is higher than any other province. Foodland Ontario works in partnership with Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association and Farmers' Markets Ontario to promote all the good things that are grown and made in Ontario.

"We look forward to continuing our excellent relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said Kristin Ego MacPhail, President of Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association. "This funding allows OFFMA to increase awareness and sales of local food at on-farm markets across the province."

"Farmers' Markets Ontario is proud to continue its partnership with OMAFRA and Foodland Ontario to increase public engagement and support for agriculture, local food and rural development," said Catherine Clark, Executive Director of Farmers' Markets Ontario.

The Ontario government supports Farmers' Markets Ontario and Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association because buying local supports the province's farmers, economy and a sustainable environment.

Source : Ontario

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.