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Question:
How can Ontario make the agriculture industry (produce and protein) more sustainable?
Current Situation & Context
- Ontario has a large and diverse agricultural sector with more than 125 different types of crops and livestock raised on family farms across the province. Most Ontario consumers invest in international produce. This results in overpriced transportation costs. Another issue in the agricultural industry is an over-production of meat from both local and international industries, which results in inhumane animal conditions and a decrease in human health.
- Ontario farms help prevent climate change by lessening the pollution emissions from transportation
- Mass producing farms create a lot of methane gas from large amount of cows.
- Ontario farms support the economy.
http://www.sustainablefarms.ca/facts/
Ontario has more than half of the highest quality farmland in Canada. There are 51,950 farms in Ontario (Census of Agriculture, 2011) and they make up almost one-quarter of all farm revenue in Canada.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-ontario
https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-ontario
More than 70% of Ontario farm products remain within the province.
Agriculture contributes $13.7 billion to Ontario’s annual GDP.
Ontario loses an average of 350 acres of farmland every day.
158,000 jobs are generated by the farm sector.
http://www.readersdigest.ca/health/healthy-living/should-we-fear-factory-farm/
Answer to Question
- Lessening meat intake
- More greenhouses
- Uncaged animals
- Lower produce prices
- More climate investigation to prevent animals and bugs and use less pesticides
- Having available produce will encourage others to eat healthy if it’s at a lower price, decreasing obesity.
Action to Take
- We as citizens of Ontario can tell the government to cut down meat products entering the province or raising meat prices. Eating meat overall is not healthy for us. If the Government of Ontario cuts down the meat industry it will be doing a favor towards the citizens of Ontario.
- Build more greenhouses to continue produce growth during harsher seasons
- Build a wider span of farmland for animals to be uncaged
- Lessen veal (or ban)
- Transportation will cost less.
Sources: the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Beef Farmers of Ontario, Farm Markets Ontario, Farm & Food Care Ontario, Egg Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Pork, Economic Contribution of the Ontario Farm Sector – JRG Consulting Group, University of Guelph, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Farmland Trust.
