Ontario's minister of agriculture has announced the province is reducing the regulatory burden for the agri-food industry.
Ernie Hardeman, a former London area farmer himself, made the announcement at the Beef Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting in Toronto Wednesday night. He promised a room full of farmers that changes are coming to improve the feeder cattle loan guarantee program, including reducing costly and timely credit checks to allow farmers to save money and grow their businesses.
"Red tape has killed competitiveness. It's strangling businesses and driving jobs and investment out of Ontario to places where the regulatory burden is much less," said Hardeman.
Hardeman added the loan changes will also streamline and modernize the process for transferring cattle from one owner to another once loans are paid.
Hardeman said the province is also changing the Nutrient Management Act by removing the requirement for consultants to do strategies for things such as manure every five years when the stock size and farm density stay the same.
"That simply doesn't make sense and it costs you money," the minister added.
Hardeman said the Farm Business Registration Program is also going electronic to make it easier and more cost effective.
"We're targeting all the unnecessary, costly and heavy-handed regulations that weigh farmers down with paperwork and high fees but don't add any value," Hardeman said.
