NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2025
CANADA SUMMER JOBS
Application period:
From November 4, 2025 to December 11, 2025
Who can apply:
Employers from not-for-profit organizations and the public sector, as well as private sector organizations with 50 or fewer fulltime employees
What this program offers:
Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provides wage subsidies to support employers to create quality summer work experiences for youth aged 15 to 30 years
Funding amount:
Not-for-profit employers can receive funding for up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum wage and public and private sector employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 50%
Details in the link https://www.canada.ca/en/ employment-social-development/services/ funding/canada-summer-jobs.html
ONTARIO FARMLAND TRUST WINTER WEBINAR SERIES
Join the Ontario Farmland Trust in a series of free online webinars to explore pressures on farmland, learn about solutions, and share innovative ideas. There will be a new topic each month, and we will be joined by professionals from across Ontario, including land-use planners, lawyers, conservation organizations, and more. Join us over your lunch break from the comfort of your home, field or office.
December 9th, 12-1pm
Understanding Farming as a System for Sustainable Management Farms are complex, interconnected systems where soil, water, crops, livestock, and people all play a role. Join Northern Roots
Soil Solutions’ Claire Coombs, Certified Crop Advisor, and Laura Niell, Soil Health & Field Advisor, as they introduce the principles of systems thinking in farming, looking at how soil health, water, biodiversity, crop and livestock production, and economic decisions are all interconnected.
January 22nd, 12-1pm
Farmland Protection and Policy: An Introduction
Join the Ontario Farmland Trust’s Executive Director, Martin Straathof, and Board Chair, Margaret Walton, for an accessible introduction to municipal planning processes and farmland protection policies. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how municipal decisions impact farmland, what tools exist to influence those decisions, and which levels of government and departments are responsible for decisions affecting farmland.
OFVGA AWARD OF MERIT
OFVGA is currently accepting nominations for the Industry Award of Merit, which will be presented at the event. The Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the fruit and vegetable industry by an individual, group of individuals or organization. Deadline for submitting nominations is January 17, 2026. More information, including the nomination form, is available on the OFVGA website.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
BUDGET 2025: USEFUL TOOLS, BUT STILL NO PLAN TO SUPPORT RESILIENT FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS
Courtesy Fruit & Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC)
The federal government released Budget 2025 on November 4, 2025. The Budget recognizes agriculture as a strategic industry and includes some measures that FVGC has long advocated. However, it does not provide direct, targeted support to help fruit and vegetable growers keep pace with trading partners or manage mounting risk.
What is helpful for growers:
• Capital write-offs: The budget re-establishes an accelerated investment measure to improve capital cost treatment, creating a more favourable environment for needed equipment and technology investments.
• Digital trade tools at CFIA: New funding is earmarked to modernize digital trade tools and export certificates, which should streamline market access.
• Trade corridor investments: A proposed $5.0B Trade Diversification Corridors Fund aims to strengthen ports, rail and airports. These investments can improve the reliability of produce supply chains.
• Signal on PMRA modernization: The government proposes to remove cyclical pesticide re-evaluations in favour of modern risk-based oversight—an approach FVGC has promoted for years.
• Underused Housing Tax (UHT): The budget eliminates the UHT beginning with the 2025 calendar year (no tax or return required from 2025 onward). Filing and penalty rules for 2022–2024 still apply. This should reduce red tape for farm businesses filing on worker housing.
• AgriStability and AgriMarketing: The budget confirms a higher AgriStability compensation rate (90% with a $6M cap) and adds funding to AgriMarketing to help diversify markets.
Where the budget falls short:
• No horticulture-specific relief: Despite tax measures and trade tools, there is no targeted plan to keep Canada’s fruit and vegetable producers competitive with U.S. growers.
• AAFC spending cuts and capacity risk: Planned operating reductions at AAFC of up to 15% over
three years could hinder safety-net modernization and research capacity needed by the sector.
• No commitments to modernize Business Risk Management programs (BRM): While the budget re-announced measures related to AgriStability and the Advanced Payments Program (APP), there were no specific measures to accelerate the review of BRM programs to ensure they can support growers in an increasingly risky environment.
• No investment in Greenhouse growth: Despite commitments in the Liberal platform, and a budget touting generational investments, there were no investments to increase greenhouse capacity and sustainability.
• No top up of the Pest Management Centre’s (PMC) Minor Use Program: PMC funding has been frozen for a decade. FVGC has advocated for funding to be restored to historical levels in constant dollars, absent this, PMC’s capacity to contribute to innovate minor use solutions continues to erode.
FVGC will continue to advocate that the government apply a food lens across federal policy, so decisions consistently weigh impacts on domestic fruit and vegetable supply.
Five priorities:
1. Business Risk Management
2. Crop Protection
3. Greenhouse Investment
4. Labour
5. Trade Competitiveness
Full budget: https://budget.canada.ca/2025/homeaccueil-en.html
2025 CANAGPLUS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The 2025 Annual General Meeting of CanAgPlus, the owner and operator of the CanadaGAP® Program, will be held on Wednesday, December 3 starting at 2:30 p.m. MST in Calgary, Alberta at the Westin Hotel. The 2025 AGM will be a hybrid meeting to allow in-person and virtual participation.
More information and registration form is available at https://www.canadagap.ca/events/annual-generalmeeting/. Registration is required by November 26th.
TFWP RECORD-KEEPING & COMPLIANCE PACKAGE PILOT
The OFVGA and F.A.R.M.S are working with CAHRC on a project to develop a TFWP Record-Keeping & Compliance Package. This package will include a guidance document, editable templates and a selfassessment compliance readiness checklist.
As CAHRC develops this content, they are looking for five producers to participate in a pilot. The first stage of the pilot will include:
1. Providing feedback on past ESDC compliance audits.
2. Review and feedback on the developed guidelines and templates.
Time commitment - Approximately three hours total between December and January, including:
1. A 1-hour virtual meeting (to gather feedback and discuss past audits)
2. 30–60 minutes to review draft materials
3. A 1-hour final review meeting
Producers we are seeking:
1. Mid-size operations (approximately 5–30 workers)
2. Have completed an audit within the last three years.
As the project moves along, the pilot participants will be able to participate in a virtual training session and receive support during future ESDC audits.
Please connect with Ben Murray bmurray@ofvga.org at OFVGA if you are willing to participate.
FREE FARMLAND HEALTH CHECK-UP AVAILABLE FOR FARMERS
Ontario farmers can now access a free Farmland Health Check-Up (FHCU), working one-on-one with a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) or Professional Agrologist (P.Ag) to assess:
• Water, wind, and tillage erosion.
• Soil compaction, organic matter, and soil life.
• Soil chemistry, phosphorus, nitrogen, and pollinator health.
To find an advisor near you, visit: https://www. farmlandhealthcheckup.net/ca-en/find-an-advisor/
OFVC VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
This hand-on assistance is important to the success of the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention. Move in Details:
• Date: Tuesday, February 17th, 9 am – 5pm
• Lunch provided Move out assistance is appreciated, but not as crucial as move-in.
Volunteers receive a code for a complimentary registration.
Volunteers are also needed at the badge station Wednesday and Thursday morning. This could be in addition to or in place of move-in duties.
Email Glenna - glenna@ofvc.ca if you are able to help.
CONVENTION GENERAL MANAGER
CONNECT with fellow farmers and growers
EXPLORE over 3 acres of exhibitors GROW your knowledge from leading industry experts, all in one place
ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONVENTION
Take your growing to the next level.
Scan and
