Let's Put Pen to Paper: Agri-food Strategies
Our team has worked with more than a dozen communities to support agricultural and rural development. So, we wanted to take what we’ve learned through this breadth of experience and share some key tips to consider when your community is ready to advance its support of agri-food sector development.
Top 5 reasons why your community should consider developing an agriculture and agri-food strategy:
The agri-food sector is an economic driver – Ontario’s agri-food sector employs more than 752,000 people and contributes more than $47 billion to the provincial GDP.
Approximately 319 acres of farmland are lost every day in Ontario. Municipalities and regions are at the front lines to protect farmland for the future while meeting the needs of a growing population.
Despite the strength of the agri-food sector, 10% of Ontario households are considered food insecure – reinforcing the need to connect the dots between food production and community needs.
Strategy development demonstrates your municipal/regional commitment to supporting the agri-food sector.
Strategy development enables your municipality/region to quantify and measure success towards agri-food sector development.
Wondering where to start?
Check out examples to inspire your work: We have collaborated with many communities that have taken leadership roles to support the agri-food sector through strategic municipal support. Some recent and powerful examples include:
· York Region Agriculture and Agri-food Sector Strategy
· Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Action Plan: A Vibrant Future
· City of Kawartha Lakes Agriculture and Food Action Plan
Here are a few tips for you to consider as you plan the development of an agriculture and agri-food strategy:
Gather and review existing work: Take stock of work already done on the agri-food sector in your area. Explore the work already completed by your municipality, community groups/not-for-profit organizations, and academia.
Leverage your team: Gather support in the form of an interdepartmental advisory committee. Consider the ways in which the agri-food sector is impacted by local decision making between departments like planning, economic development, parks and recreation, tourism, and others. As the agri-food industry touches so many aspects of our lives and the economy, you’ll want to bring diverse perspectives to the table.
Take stock in your capacity: While you may have the expertise to develop an agri-food strategy in house, you may want to consider the benefits of working with an external party. Third parties can provide expert and unbiased research, analysis as well as a fresh perspective to support the development of your strategy.
Determine your timeline: Reflect on the timeline needed to develop and implement your strategy. Your strategy development timeline will vary depending on the scope of your project. Your strategy implementation timeline will vary depending on your community needs. Generally, we recommend revisiting and refreshing your strategy approximately every 5 years, as community needs and the agri-food industry evolve quickly.
Use it as an opportunity to better serve your community: Everybody eats. The agri-food sector is present in every Ontario community. Municipal leadership on agriculture and agri-food sector development benefits everybody. The nature of the agri-food sector also varies from one community to the next – which underscores the importance of identifying and serving local needs.