The Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance (NOFIA) is receiving up to $100,000 in provincial funds to help promote and expand the North’s agri-food industry.
On April 14, the province announced the funds, from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, would help the organization “study, assess and grow the network of agri-food producers, processors, distributors, procurers, and consumers in Northern Ontario.”
According to the province, NOFIA will use the funds to conduct research, compile market strategies, and host business networking sessions and workshops, which will result in:
- a directory of food producers across the northern region;
- a best practice guide for local food procurement practices for remote communities;
- marketing support to increase the consumption and availability of local food in northern and remote communities;
- resources that support food literacy in Northern Ontario; and
- business-to-business meetings and tours that encourage new market opportunities.
“As Ontario’s population grows, our ability to produce high volumes of quality food must keep up with the pace as we position ourselves to join supply chains nationally and globally,” Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford said in a news release.
“Northern Ontario presents a unique opportunity to meet these demands, and we are proud to support the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance, which has an outstanding track record of advancing innovation in the agricultural sector.”
According to the 2021 Census, Northern Ontario has approximately 711,000 acres of farmland, with about 696,500 acres in production in the districts of Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Algoma, Manitoulin Island, Cochrane, Timiskaming, Sudbury, and Nipissing.
Some of the region’s main commodities include dairy, beef, grain and oilseed, potato, fruit and vegetable, and rainbow trout.
