Protecting the agri-food value chain from farm to table

By Drew Spoelstra, Executive Member, OFA

Ontario farms are places of business, where animals are raised, safe and sustainable food is produced, and where a living is made. But they are also homes, where families are raised and children play. Ontario’s agriculture industry is experiencing increased incidents of trespass, with activists illegally entering property, barns, and buildings, breaching biosecurity protocols, and causing significant disruptions to the entire agri-food sector. Once-lawful protests have escalated to barn break-ins, theft of animals, harassment and threats, and more. These actions put the entire food system at risk. Without a healthy and sustainable value chain from farm to table, Ontario’s livestock and poultry sector cannot survive or prosper.