Agricultural
1 October, 2024
Next Leg of Sally Higgins’ Overseas Farm Visits: Exploring Ontario, Canada: Balancing Urban Growth with Agricultural Sustainability
The second leg of my Nuffield Scholarship Global Focus Program took us to Ontario, Canada.
The Greater Toronto Area, with a population of approximately 6.4 million, is experiencing rapid population and economic growth. This expansion has gradually transformed peri-urban farmland into residential land - a similar challenge to what we have observed in the South-East Queensland area. Ontario locals are concerned about the impact of this land conversion on farming production and food security. To address urban sprawl and protect farmland, the Ontario Provincial Government introduced a ‘greenbelt’—an exclusion zone around the city where land use cannot change. While some farmers welcome the greenbelt for preserving arable land, others face challenges as residential areas have expanded on either side of it, encroaching on historically regional land.
However, proximity to a growing population has created new opportunities for some farmers. Station Summit Dairy, located on the main highway 45 minutes from Toronto, is one example. Ben, the third-generation owner and manager, seized the opportunity to transform the business from bulk production to a niche, consumer-facing tourism experience. Summit Dairy milks 300 cows, producing 10,000 litres of milk daily. Ben has opened his dairy to the public for tours and has developed a farm store selling flavoured milk, ice cream, and ground beef. He emphasised the importance of storytelling in translating farming activities into a compelling, positive experience for city visitors. Ben trains his staff in storytelling and marketing, ensuring they can effectively promote the business and maintain strong connections with urban customers.
During our travels, we heard a lot about rising land prices, driven largely by inflation and increased completion for land. The Ontario grain industry is struggling to maintain operating profits in line with rising land prices. One Ontario farmer shared with us that dry land cropping country in the wider Toronto area sells for ~$20,000 AUD per acre. Farmers in that area are seeing an average red wheat yield of 2.5 tonnes per acre and a delivered price of $260 AUD per tonne. Debt serviceability and reduced cash flow were the major challenges for the farmers we spoke with.
Following our time in Ontario, our Nuffield Group will travel to Nebraska in the United States to explore large scale beef and cropping enterprises.
- Sally Higgins
