Agriculture and food is Ontario's second largest economic sector. The province of Ontario is Canada's largest exporter of agri-food products. Add to this the fact that the Ontario agriculture and food sector, benefiting from a temporary truce in international ag trade wars, has regained its historic vigour and enthusiasm. The sector is benefiting from recent trade agreements and expanding international and domestic markets for products of Ontario agriculture and food. Interest grows daily in new ideas, new ventures, and new ways of doing things better.
Innovative technologies offer substantial, new opportunities.
It makes no sense for a government, which wants to be known for its commitment to economic expansion, to cut its investment in agriculture and food - and in a ministry which is a vital component of this industry. Most farmers and rural residents support the Harris objective of less government, less government spending, and a balanced provincial budget. The NDP slashed its budget. The PCs have cut more. OCPA will be speaking out loudly on this issue as the Ontario budget-setting process progresses.