Agricultural conference in Sudbury focuses on the future of farming

Farmers, politicians & business leaders gathered in Sudbury to discuss regional agricultural matters at the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance conference

The Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance is hosting an agricultural conference in Sudbury, with more than 150 farmers and business representatives taking part.

Officials said they are growing agricultural opportunities in our region. The two-day conference aims to share ideas and information about innovations in agriculture in northern Ontario.

“It’s a growing industry, for sure,” said NOIFA chair Yves Gauthier.

Better crops every year

“We are developing more and more land every year and we are growing better and better crops and a lot of that has to do with tile drainage, of course.”

Norman Koch Farms has 12,000 acres in the Timiskaming region, growing several different cash crops.

“It’s a great opportunity for land being developed,” Norman Kock said.

“More land, more agriculture, as southern Ontario land gets used for other purposes than agriculture. Construction, roads, housing that is needed.”

Algoma Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg said that because of tile drainage, we are seeing an increase in agricultural production in northern Ontario.

“What was never available to happen in the north -- growing soya beans, canola, black beans -- that is all going to be available to us,” Rosenberg said.

“As we develop that further, it’s great news for the farmer.”

Gauthier said there are other benefits to tile drainage.

“It takes away the water and prevents flooding if we get these big downpours like we have been experiencing in the last couple of years,” he said.

Another topic at the conference is AI and how to help farmers understand the emerging technology and its possibilities in agriculture.