Jeff Harrison
Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario
Farming is under intense pressure. We need research to meet the new challenges facing Canadian farmers and the future of food production.
Wherever you live in Canada, farmers are working in or near your community to help feed you and your family. Holidays like Canada Day, celebrated across our country earlier this week, underline how food is so central to special occasions, let alone to our daily lives.
Farmers are key to food security. In Ontario, 28,000 grain farmers proudly grow barley, corn, oats, soybeans and wheat. These crops help provide a reliable, nutritious and homegrown supply of food.
But behind the scenes, food production is under intense pressure. Factors such as extreme weather, global uncertainty and skyrocketing production costs are threatening food security. And that’s why we need research – to support the future of food production.
Growing through research
Research, conducted efficiently and effectively, is a winner. It helps us improve production and quality, and manage tough growing conditions. That includes everything from drought, like we experienced on my farm near Trenton, Ontario last year, to torrential rains, the kind that soaked the southwest part of the province.
The research community has always been there for us. Now, we need its help to manage the extraordinary changes we’re experiencing every day in our fields and on our farms.
Ontario grain farmers are rolling up their sleeves. We already partner with federal and provincial governments, universities and private industry, to develop more resilient, more productive crops. We provide funding and grassroots expertise that help guide research decisions.
We must work together, to make wise choices. It takes about 10 years of plant breeding and testing to develop crop varieties with new traits, such as drought or heat resistance. This activity requires long-term, stable funding.
Across the country, food reflects the diversity and regional distinction that makes Canada unique.
Every crop counts
And here’s the distinctly Canadian element to all this. Across the country, food reflects the diversity and regional distinction that makes Canada unique.
Some of these commodities are produced on a large scale, like wheat, Canada’s highest volume grain crop. Ontario specializes in winter wheats, which can produce twice as much grain as spring wheats,making highly efficient use of farmland.
Other commodities are grown regionally on a smaller scale, such as oats in northern Ontario. They thrive in long, cool days and low humidity. However, like other small grains, they don’t cover enough acres to warrant research investment from the private sector. We need governments to join us in supporting research that reflects their regional importance.
Soybeans tell a similar story. Ontario grows most of Canada’s specialty soybeans, used for soy beverages, tofu, miso, soy sauce, protein supplements and more. This crop’s production also depends on a small number of companies and public programs. Without sustained government support for public variety development, our competitive edge is at risk.
Food worth protecting
Food is a matter of national pride. Farmers are working hard to keep Canada’s food system secure. And through research partnerships, we’ll keep doing our part to make our country strong.
Visit gfo.ca to learn more about sustainable grain farming in Ontario.
