GUELPH – Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, welcomes news from the Ontario government and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food, and Agribusiness (OMAFA) that $100 million will be added to the Ontario Risk Management Program (RMP) and the Self-Directed Risk Management Program (SDRM) over the next three years.
The organization especially thanks Premier Doug Ford, Minister Rob Flack (OMAFA), and Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy (Finance).
“The Government of Ontario understands that agriculture is the best investment for Ontario and this additional support for risk programs underscores that,” states Grain Farmers chair Jeff Harrison in a press release.
“Agriculture is the foundation of society and one of the core pillars of our economy – providing one in eight jobs in Canada and grain farming generating more then $4 billion in production value,”
Grain Farmers of Ontario, along with other non-supply managed farm groups including Ontario Pork, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers, Beef Farmers of Ontario, Veal Farmers of Ontario, and Ontario Sheep Farmers, has consistently been asking the government for a $100 million increase to the risk management program.
“It is great to see our government work with Grain Farmers of Ontario and our partners over the past few years to achieve this success,” stated Grain Farmers CEO Crosby Devitt.
“When it comes to the mechanics and importance of a well working and properly funded RMP, we have been there since the beginning.”
The RMP and SDRM are cost-shared insurance programs designed to provide stability to Ontario’s farms through partial financial protection against downturns in commodity markets and factors outside of farmers’ control.
Raising the RMP by $100 million will not only encourage $224 million in new economic activity but help Ontario’s grain farmers manage risk on-farm, strengthen domestic food security, and keep the industry competitive with its US counterparts, officials state.