Earth Day 2023 is taking place on April 22nd!
Earth Day is a perfect opportunity for us to reflect on the importance of farmland for our future, especially with the recent and widespread changes to land use planning policy that have been happening in Ontario.
We rely on farmland for food, fuel, fibre, and flowers, but farmland is capable of providing us with so much more. With the right agricultural practices, it is possible to sequester carbon in our agricultural soil, which can ultimately help us fight the climate crisis. Farmers are stewards of the land, and they work hard to protect our valuable resources while producing fresh food for Ontarians. The potential to sequester carbon in our farmlands is huge, and could make a big difference for the future. The more farmland that is permanently protected, the more farmland we can put to work for the environment.
Unfortunately, the rate of farmland loss in Ontario has nearly doubled since the 2016 Census of Agriculture. We are now losing an average of 319 acres every day, and this is farmland that we can never get back, and that is losing its ability to be a part of Ontario’s ecosystem.
This Earth Day, OFT would like to encourage you to get in touch with your local MP, MPP, Mayor, and town councilors to let them know that you care about farmland and want to see it protected. Invest your time to help protect Ontario’s farmland. Check out the recent open letter OFT sent to Premier Doug Ford about the current state of Ontario’s agri-food system, and feel free to share the letter to your elected officials!
Also, be sure to check out this map of rallies for Ontario’s Greenbelt happening this Earth Day!