The rise in consumer interest in local food is great news for Ontario farmers who are looking for on-farm sales. However, to meet the diverse demands of producers, Ontario needs a healthy balance of large and small food processors.
The loss of local abattoirs, a crucial food processor, has been concerning for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO). The organization has recently established a committee composed of abattoir owners and livestock producers to look for solutions for the industry.
According to Franco Naccarato, the Executive Director of Meat & Poultry Ontario, Ontario has lost 54% of its abattoir capacity since 1999. The CFFO looks to work with Meat & Poultry Ontario to find opportunities and support wherever they can.
Despite the decline in local abattoirs, research from Meat & Poultry Ontario indicates potential for growth return in the sector. One opportunity would be for individual provincial abattoirs to increase beef and veal production, with the potential the increase production by 82%, which would result in a increased sales capacity of $290,000,000 within 3 – 5 years.
However, solutions will require overall industry growth and interest from the youth. Meat & Poultry Ontario is proposing establishing new training courses and a Meat-Tech Centre of Excellence to provide centralized programming for regional education centres, colleges, and universities. Mentorship programs will also be pushed, as they allow practical training for youth looking for a career in the industry.
The CFFO website can be found via this link: https://www.christianfarmers.org/, and the Meat & Poutry Ontario website can be accessed through here: https://www.meatpoultryon.ca/