Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition (OFEC)

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (1991-2016)

Total Carbon Emissions:9 million tonnes (direct agricultural emissions, excluding fossil fuel use)

More than 35,000 Ontario farm families have completed Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs), resulting in improvements in soil quality (74%), water quality (7%), and family health and safety (63%).
Creation of more than 30 Best Management Practices (BMP) guidebooks, with 15 more in development.
Introduction of Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs), mandatory for livestock farms generating a certain amount of animal manure per day.
Participation in Ontario’s Source Water Protection Initiative and development of a Farm Source Water Protection Framework.

Improved safety of Canadian food.
Contributions to quality of life, including agro-tourism.
Support for food bank and food aid programs.
Launch of IMPACT (Innovative Management and Practical Animal Care Training) program for animal welfare.

Establishment of the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition (OFEC) in 1991, bringing together 39 Ontario farm and agricultural organizations.
Development of a Nutrient Management Planning Strategy, which was a precursor to the Nutrient Management Act, 2002 (NMA).
Participation in various Minister’s Advisory Committees related to environmental and agricultural policies.

Medium-term Goals:

Short-term Goals:

Transform EFPs into Sustainable Farm & Food Plans (SF2Ps) encompassing environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

Continuing loss of farmland to non-agricultural development.
Bureaucratic stresses affecting farm family well-being.
Too much fertilizer leaving farm fields, leading to water quality problems and economic loss.
Volatile global farm/food commodity prices.
Increasing labour costs.
Changing climate with periods of more intense rainfall and droughts.
Misinformation about farm practices from activist groups.
Declining real prices for farm products.

Public policies focusing on farm viability and farmland protection.
Development and adoption of precision agriculture technology.
Increased emphasis on developing farm methods and technologies that keep inputs on the farm.
Adoption of new technology, farm consolidation, and efforts to improve farm income.
Development of Sustainable Farm & Food Plans (SF2Ps) to address environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
Improved communication with the public to address misinformation and build trust.
Integration of GYFP process into SF2Ps to improve economic sustainability.
Real-time electronic recordkeeping of performance measures.

Increased use of agricultural waste products for biofuel production
Development of new high-value uses for byproducts of grain and oilseed crop processing