A special day at the Ontario Legislature Tuesday when MPP from all three parties given a crash course on the important role Agriculture plays in the Provincial Economy.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture put on the first ever Ag Day at the Legislature for the MPP’s and Federation President Betty Jean Crews says the event was a huge success.
Crews says the event was to help educate MPP’s about issues related to Agriculture and rural Ontario.
She says the day long session was an opportunity for the OFA to help Ontario’s political leadership understand the economic, environmental and social opportunities the agricultural community present.
Crews says the highlight of the event was the afternoon reception where Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky spoke to and met with members of the OFA to discuss their concerns.
In addition Crews says she and other OFA officials had a chance to meet with officials from Finance Minister Dwight Duncan office to talk about what should be in this months budget to help the Agricultural sector.
She says what is needed is a lot of small regulatory changes that really will not cost the government any money, but will help improve the bottom line for farmers.
Some of those changes include fair taxation for farm organizations which sometimes are taxed as commercial or industrial operations.
Crews says she and other OFA officials were pleased with the Ag Day and hope to make it an annual event to make sure Agriculture remains on all MPPs radar screens.