OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO NORTHERN AGRICULTURE

Funded through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance

There is renewed interest in agriculture in northern Ontario but barriers related to economic, social and environmental issues are not well understood. The recently completed study, "Understanding the Barriers to Livestock Production in the Clay Belt: An Economic, Social and Environmental Analysis" explored these issues and developed a series of toolkits for farmers, municipalities and provincial agencies. As part of this study, an additional toolkit, aimed at overcoming perceived barriers and northern myths was also created and provides foundational information regarding the realities of northern Ontario. These toolkits provide best practices and actionable items that each stakeholder group can utilise to initiate or enhance agriculture in the north. Once disseminated, these toolkits will enhance the agricultural sector in northern Ontario. It is important to note that the initial study focused on the Clay Belt region; however, the findings of this study are applicable across northern Ontario.