For many, November is a time for reflection on all that has happened over the year. This can certainly be said for the Ontario Farmland Trust, as we reflect on the amazing progress that we have made to protect Ontario farmland. OFT has been working with farmers across southern Ontario – from Bruce County to Frontenac County – to protect their farmland with conservation easement agreements.
Here are just a few examples:
Bruce County – We finalized the donation of a 37-acre farm to OFT in the Tiverton area! This farm consists of pastureland, hay fields, mature trees, a river, a stream, and a farmhouse and outbuildings. It is home to Barn Swallows, Monarch butterflies, and Butternut trees. This truly generous donation will allow OFT to offer alternative ways into farming to local new, young, and equity-deserving farmers, which is new and exciting for both the community and OFT!
Grey County – 101 acres of farmland is being protected near Collingwood, consisting of a range of habitats for wildlife, including a ravine, river, wetlands, woodlands, a cave system, and cliffsides. The valuable Class 1 and 3 soils are incredibly fertile yet threatened by non-agricultural development. This property is located in the Niagara Escarpment Plan boundary. Moving forward, the agricultural lands, along with the many other natural features, will be protected and preserved as a place for species at risk to thrive.
Prince Edward County – Three more farms, totalling 303 acres of farmland, are being protected, ensuring that these agricultural and natural areas will be safe from encroaching efforts to change the land. These properties are home to such a variety of wildlife including water birds, turtles, and frogs, that all benefit from the proximity to rivers and inland lakes, as well as to Lake Ontario.
It has truly been a successful year at OFT in terms of farmland protection. In total, 821 acres of agricultural lands are being protected by OFT this year alone!
We are in the final stages of protecting these properties but we need a final $50,000 to complete them all.
Together with your support, we have nearly tripled the number of projects that OFT completes on average per year. Our team is working diligently to keep up with interested farmers and farmland owners. There are currently 63 farmland owners who have inquired and are interested in working with us. Of these inquiries, 23 are from just this year, marking the most inquiries OFT has ever had in 1 year – and we have another 8 inquiries from land owners that wish to donate their farms!
Our mission has garnered new audiences from across Ontario. We thank you for sharing our posts on social media and passing along our articles to friends, families, and colleagues. OFT has been featured in multiple media platforms – in print, digital, and radio, and we have been invited to spread the message at seminars, conferences, farm shows, farmers markets, and many more events!
With your support, we are protecting more land than ever before, and for each event we attend and each project we complete, more people and organizations are expressing their interest in participating in this effort. The word is getting out about the urgency of farmland protection in Ontario.
Next year, our goal is to protect even more land. We also intend to launch public education activities on the Tiverton farm. In our last Spring appeal, a vision for developing Farmland Access programs and enhancing the agricultural land preserve concept was shared. Your support now is vital to implementing this work. Your generous donation ensures that our team can respond to these landowners in a timely manner and advance our land protection initiatives.
With all this excitement, we know that you’ll help us keep the momentum going. Contributions of any size will make a tangible difference in our ability to safeguard Ontario’s farmland for generations to come, and for that, we are immensely grateful.
Ontarians are relying on us to make a difference for the future of farmland. As a registered charity, we rely on the trust and financial support of donors like you to ensure that our efforts can keep up with the need. Please consider making a gift to OFT at this time, to help us wrap up our current easement projects so that we can keep protecting more farmland for the future.
Warm regards,
Martin Straathof
Executive Director
P.S. We are always here to discuss our initiatives or explore how you can lend your time, thoughts, or resources to further our cause. Reach out to us. Your ideas and enthusiasm are the lifeblood of our mission.
Donate before December 31st to give the gift of farmland to future generations, and to receive a tax receipt for 2024.