COMMENTARY: Support local this fall, help Ontario farms grow

Angela Cammaert is a director with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Every year, in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, our province marks Ontario Agriculture Week. It’s a time to recognize and celebrate the important ongoing contribution Ontario farmers make to our society and our economy in producing food, feed, fuel and flowers.

The agri-food sector contributed $50.7 billion to the provincial economy, provided jobs to 11 per cent of Ontario’s work force and generated exports worth $26.2 billion this past year. Those are impressive numbers, but agriculture is much more than numbers.

It’s also about people – and as a fifth-generation family farmer raising beef cattle and growing crops near the southwestern Ontario community of West Lorne, about halfway between London and Chatham, I’m proud to be part of this vibrant and essential industry.

Our family loves to buy from other farmers; whether it’s a protein, vegetable or tender fruit, we like to have a relationship with the people behind our food and know where that food comes from.

We’ve done direct to consumer sales of beef from our farm, and one of my favourite parts of that business is getting to meet and interact with our customers and answering their questions about what we do on the farm.

In an age where so many people are disconnected from where their food comes from, I strongly believe these relationships matter – and many of my fellow farmers do, too.

I’m also a director on the board of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and in response to growing interest from our membership in local food sales, agritourism and direct-to-consumer marketing, our organization has just completed our third survey about selling to Ontarians.

It’s been our most popular survey yet, garnering responses from 640 respondents. Although more than 60 per cent grow grains and oilseeds, our survey participants came from many different sectors, which suggests that there are many unique possibilities to tap into new opportunities with products ranging from maple syrup, wool and Christmas trees to meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables.

Most farmers interested in local food or agritourism ventures are established businesses, and many have completed special certifications, like organic, CanadaGAP food safety, or commodity-specific quality assurance programs.

Pen and paper is still the most common way for farmers to manage their direct to consumer sales (55%), followed by spreadsheets, and Point of Sale systems like Square. One fifth are using Facebook or Instagram shops and 16% are using an e-commerce platform. And although 60% of respondents said their farm doesn’t have an online presence, you can find those that do on social media (32%) or by visiting their farm business websites (26%).

Annual direct-to-consumer sales continue to be lower than $100,000 per year for the majority of farms (72%), indicating this is very much an opportunity to diversify farm business incomes, although there is a segment of respondents who reported grossing over $200,000 per year through these channels.

Farmers’ markets are the most common way for farmers to sell their products directly to consumers off the farm (27%), followed by wholesale, retail and directly to restaurants. Farm tours, on-farm activities and teaching or educational workshops are the most common agritourism offerings.

To help more farmers explore the potential of direct-to-consumer sales, the OFA and many partner organizations have launched the Cultivating Local: Seizing opportunities to grow Ontario’s local agri-products sector project and hosting a series of nine free online workshops.

Topics include everything from current market trends and how to get started in value-added agriculture to exploring agritourism, selling in rural and remote Ontario, and considering local products beyond food.

The two-hour online workshops will be held Thursday mornings from November 2024 to February 2025; for those who aren’t able to participate, all workshop recordings will also be posted on OFA’s website. More information, including how to register, is available at ofa.on.ca/cultivating-local.

So, what can you do to mark Ontario Agriculture Week? When you’re out shopping, look for local – not just this week but all year long.

Shop at on-farm stores, farmers’ markets and stores in your community that sell products from Ontario farms, from food and beverage to flowers and more. Ask us about our farms and what we do to grow your food.

Your support makes a difference to us, and we appreciate it.