ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 27 SUSTAINABILITY Build coalitions, get involved, and know how to engage local government – just three of many take-away messages for attendees of the 2026 Farmland Trust Forum, held in Elora on March 19. Hosted annually by the Ontario Farmland Trust, the forum is an event where farmers, policymakers, municipal planners, conservation professionals, and others meet to discuss development, planning, and other challenges and opportunities facing Ontario’s agricultural community. With the current provincial government continuing to pursue significant increases in housing and industrial development, the mood at this year’s forum was one of palpable concern. Forum speakers, however, shared perspective to turn concern and frustration into positive action. BUILDING SUPPORT BEYOND THE FARM GATE The day began with a keynote presentation from Rene Van Acker, president of the University of Guelph, in which he stressed the role of building coalitions in preserving farmland and food production. Drawing on expertise once communicated by Preston Manning – the politician behind what became the federal Reform and later Canadian Alliance party – Van Acker asked attendees to consider what groups they could bring into the broader tent of people concerned about farmland loss. He highlighted how efforts to build support must reflect different worldviews, and the fact that perceptions of food and farming can vary significantly even within agriculture. “I’m going to posit that farmland protection is a popular movement. And if it’s a popular movement, which waves of interest in the populace will we, will you, ride to support that movement?” says Van Acker. “The agri-food sector is a massive sector. And we often like to associate very directly food with farming. I think we do that intuitively because we understand the popular value in doing that…Farming is big business. In Ontario, the food sector is even bigger business. Farming and food together is massive business. It’s arguably the largest economic sector in this province. So that’s also important for us in terms of what might be those waves one wants to ride around farmland.” Van Acker also cautioned against some past strategies used to generate change for farmers – specifically, the Farmers Feed Cities campaign. Though the Farmers Feed Cities campaign did have positive benefits when it came to policy in Ontario, he says it was more of a “visceral” reaction sourced from frustration brought on by tough economic times. Rather than coalition building, it was “going to the choir.” Today with regards to farmland protection, the farming community needs to look for partners who are, for example, concerned about the role of food in national defence, or the potential positive impact farming can have on climate change. Terms like “citiots,” and thinking the agriculture community should “farmsplain” to those outside the sector must be terms and habits of the past. “Perception is important. Perception drives so much,” Van Acker says. UNDERSTANDING HOW PLANNING DECISIONS ARE MADE Following the keynote were sessions detailing how planning happens at the local level, and how the agriculture community can influence the planning process by understanding how it works. Pamela Duesling, farmer and director of community planning and development for the town of Pelham, stressed the importance of municipal plans, calling them “the bible” of local development policy. “They are that overarching land use document for specific communities, and they describe local policies, and how land and communities should be developed. It’s continued on page 28 Panelists at the 2026 Farmland Trust Forum outlined the challenges of preserving farmland and some strategies for farmers interested in getting involved. Photo: Matt McIntosh
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