GUELPH – Agricultural leaders met in Niagara Falls for the first-ever Agri-Food 2025 event to prepare the sector for the coming quarter century.
Around 125 people attended, representing government, academia, commodity groups, processors, business interests, entrepreneurs, rural organizations and student groups.
Event committee chair Ruth Knight was inspired by the enthusiasim she saw.
“Fueled by the positive energy in the room, we’re now busy digesting what we heard and how that can evolve into next steps on this path toward a healthy, resilient food system for Ontario by 2050,” Knight said in a news release about the event.
Central to the sector’s future are sustainability, resilience, collaboration, and a strategic voice to bring priorities together, polling suggested.
Labour shortages, climate impacts, access to capital, innovation, and artificial intelligence were highlighted as urgent issues facing the sector.
Melanie DiReto, director of the Agricultural Adaptation Council, the group behind the event, noted industry buy-in.
“Agri-Food 2050 will require ongoing support to maintain a space where the sector can set its course,” DiReto said in the release.
A forthcoming report with recommendations will be released this fall.
