Research a key pillar in food, farming advocacy

Fact-based approach helps to inform decision-making, Crispin Colvin says.

For an advocacy organization, informed decision-making is critical and you're often only as credible as the facts and figures supporting your position.

For the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), an organization representing the farming sector, it's important to have solid, fact-based information that reflects the current realities of farmers and rural communities.

At the same time, this must be balanced with a strong vision for the kind of future we want for agriculture and Ontarians. That's why we support and invest in research into the processes and issues that play a key role in developing the policy positions we take to government and other stakeholders on behalf of our members.

This work most often takes place behind the scenes in support of our more publicfacing activities, so it's also important we share it with our members across Ontario so they're aware of what their farm membership organization is doing on their behalf.

For the OFA, our annual research update is a chance for our members to take a bit of a deep dive into the topics that are part of our advocacy agenda, as well as learn more about issues — whether those that are up-and-coming or ones that have been in progress for some time.

Not only will this help inform decision-making in their own communities and farming businesses, but it also supports their advocacy efforts at the local level. Many of the OFA'S county and regional federations regularly meet with government representatives to discuss issues that matter in their areas.

This year, our research update was held both online and live in Orangeville in conjunction with the OFA'S first federation forum.

Here are some highlights of topics covered at the event.

HEALTHY SOILS FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMS

The Greenbelt Foundation and the Soil Health Institute are supporting a four-year project to sample soils across the Golden Horseshoe.

The goal is to evaluate and monitor soil health on three different types of land: sites with frequent or high tillage, sites with low tillage and cover crop use, and sites such as hay fields, fence rows, pastures, orchards or fallow land that are rarely disturbed.

Each farm participant receives a customized report showing how their fields' scores compared to others, along with recommended short- and long-term practices to try as well as any available cost-share opportunities. This year, participation is open to farmers with a grain/ oilseed crop rotation in York, Durham and Niagara regions.

FARMERS, FERTILIZER

Fertilizer is a critical resource for farmers to grow healthy, plentiful crops. It has also come under scrutiny for its environmental effects when nutrients aren't used by plants but instead are lost into the air or water courses.

The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program is a valuable tool to help farmers with nutrient management planning for crop production in ways that also reduce nutrient loss. By applying the right nutrient source in a form that plants can use, at the right rate that plants need, and at the right time of year to the right place where plants can best access them, farmers can minimize impacts to the environment while still maintaining crop yields and quality.

PFAS

Polyfluoroalkyl substances are a large category of chemicals used in a wide range of products, and are found in low levels in people, animals, water, air, fish and soil around the world.

Although there are still many unknowns, efforts are underway in Europe and the United States to ban the use of all PFAS, regardless of their composition, characteristics or effects. For farmers and municipalities, for example, this would affect the use of biosolid pellets as a nutrient source on farmland.

Ontario research has shown so far that the soil health benefits of applying biosolids, which are a human waste byproduct, are higher than risks stemming from the potential addition of PFAS into the soil. And if biosolids cannot be used as fertilizer, the current alternatives are incineration or landfill, which also pose environmental risk.

More research is underway to get a better understanding on this issue and what it means to farmers, consumers and the soil.