The Ontario Sustainability Story Grain Farmers of Ontario is the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers.

The Ontario Sustainability Story

Soy Canada Trade Mission Fall 2019

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

A bit about myself…

• Chief Executive Officer of Grain

Farmers of Ontario

• Farm with my family in Lipton,

Saskatchewan

• Secretary-Treasurer on the Board
• f Directors of Soy Canada

Barry Senft

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

About Grain Farmers of Ontario

Represents 28,000 farmers who grow barley, corn, oats, soybeans and wheat in Ontario, covering more than 2.5 million hectares, producing 13 million tonnes of grain

Our Mission To develop and promote an innovative and successful business environment which will allow our farmer members the opportunity for profitable growth. Our Vision To drive the Ontario grain industry to become a world leader

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

97% of

farms in Ontario are family

• wned

Multi-generational, Ontario grain farms

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

The Soybean Industry is vital to Ontario

• Ontario’s soybean industry plays a

significant role to the economy of Ontario and Canada

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

The Ontario Soybean Advantage

• Ontario is known as a quality, safe

and reliable producer of sustainable soybeans that surpass our customers expectations

• Beyond the quality, safe and reliability
• f our soybeans we have an

advantage that our competitors do not

• Our Environment and our

commitment to preserving and protecting it

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Ontario is home to

1/5 of the

world’s fresh water source

We Preserve and Protect Our Water

Long Point, Ontario

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Ontario is home to

70 million

hectares of forest Ontario’s forest represent

2% of the

worlds forest Encompassing

66% of

Ontario’s land

We Preserve and Protect Our Forests

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

We Preserve and Protect Our Air

Energy use to plant, grow and harvest a crop has dropped by

28%

The impact Ontario soybean production has

• n the climate

has decreased by

18%

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

81 different

species of mammals

483 different

species of birds

154 different

species of fish

3600

different species of plants

50 different

species of amphibians and reptiles

We Preserve and Protect Biodiversity

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Ontario is home to efficient transportation networks

16 days

Antwerp, Belgium

16 days

Rotterdam, Netherlands

17 days

Brake, Germany

*from the Port of Hamilton

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

How are we protecting and preserving our environment?

Research Technology & Innovations Policy Developments

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Climate Change

• Canada signing onto the Paris

Agreement identifies our commitments to mitigating climate change

• Grain Farmers of Ontario

carbon footprint of soybean production identifies our willingness for change

• In agriculture, Ontario’s soils are

where opportunity exist to reduce climate impacts

Carbon Footprint of Soybean Production in Ontario

Direct Energy 7% Fertilizer Manufacturing 3% Seeds & Pesticides 5% Nitrous Oxide Emissions 41% ∆ Soil Carbon 44%

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Research

Funding Priority Research

• Annually we invest $7.8 million in

priority research projects with leading Canadian researchers at local institutions

• Priority research areas that help to

preserve and protect our environment include:

• Environmental and economic

value of soil services

• Cover crops
• Organic matter in soils
• Nutrient use efficiency

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Technology & Innovations

Nitrogen Use Efficiency

• Loss of nitrogen through nitrous oxide

emissions play a role in the carbon footprint of soybean production

• The use of innovative technologies such

as stabilizers or controlled release technologies allow farmers to maximize the Nitrogen availability to a crop

• This minimizes environmental loss in
• ur air and waterways while allowing

farmers to be economically efficient

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Technology & Innovations

Variable Rate Technology

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Technology & Innovations

Cover Crops

• Cover crops a non-harvestable

crop planted to “cover” the soil in the non growing season to protect against wind and water erosion

• The use of cover crops have the

ability to maintain and build soil health which can positively impact our soils ability to store carbon

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Policy Developments

Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program

• Goal of planting 50 million trees

across Ontario

• More than 29 million trees have

been planted in Ontario through the program, producing 16,000 hectares of new forest

• To date, this contributed over $83-

million in annual ecosystem services

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Policy Developments

Managing Nutrients

• Ontario’s Nutrient Management Act

ensures the management of manure and biosolids

• 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program
• ptimizes crop uptake of nutrients and

minimize nutrient losses

• The goal of these initiative is to help

improve water quality in the Great Lakes and contributing watersheds, reduce climate impact from Nitrous Oxide (N2O) emissions while also increasing agricultural productivity

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

SAI Platform

• SAI Platform is the main food and drink industry initiative

supporting the development of sustainable agriculture worldwide

• SAI Platform helps to drive sustainable agriculture through the

value chain by having farmers go through their Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA)

• Through the SAI Platform, Grain Farmers of Ontario are driving

sustainable agriculture outcomes on farm

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

The Ontario Soybean Advantage

• Ontario is a leader of producing quality, safe and reliable

soybeans

• Our natural environment is a unique feature that allows us to

thrive

• Grain Farmers of Ontario are committed to preserving and

protecting our natural environment for the future generations

• As time moves forward, our commitments to ongoing

improvement remain, always trying to advance the industry forward

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Thank you!

Barry Senft Chief Executive Officer Grain Farmers of Ontario b.senft@gfo.ca