Have YOUR say in the design and delivery of Growing Forward 2 funding
-Guelph, ON
OCO members- Have YOUR say in the design and delivery of Growing Forward 2 funding! If you wish to register your opinion, RESPOND BY NOVEMBER 30th. GF 2 shapes the program priorities for OMAFRA for the next 5 years!
OMAFRA is collecting input on the GF2 Suite of programs- crop insurance, Business Risk Management, innovation funding… These programs shape the kind of agriculture we have and set priorities for investments and policies.
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/
This page gives an overview, then follow the page to the bottom for the link to the survey (or click here to access the survey). OCO will be attending in person sessions and making written submissions on behalf of members. The more often our requests are repeated- and directly from the community- the louder our perspectives will be heard!
OCO’S KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OMAFRA:
We are particularly pleased to see import replacement added as a priority.
Under “Grow Your Profits”, the focus on use of “bio-products” is welcome, but we must also include nutrients as a priority area to reduce costs AND improve profitability. Programs should encourage and support practices that build soil nutrition and animal nutrition.
Under “Manage Shared Risks” there is no reference to human health… this is a huge issue – in light of our work with Sustain Ontario on a comprehensive Food and Nutrition Strategy, and our work with Food Secure Canada on a National Strategy, OCO recommends adding “Human Health” as a priority area.
Generally, the potential for “innovation” dollars to be funneled disproportionally toward biotech and industrial applications leaves OCO concerned. For example, programs that subsidize energy production from field “waste” simply encourage the practice of stripping fields of stubble for feedstock in industrial processes that result in further loss of nutrients in already nutrient-depleted soils. Such practices run counter to the program’s sustainability goals. And while biotech projects will certainly get support, OCO would like to see a commitment through program design encouraging adoption of Green Technologys like organic farming.