Hardeman Meets With Farmers And Agribusinesses To Discuss Proposed Regulations On Bill 156

Thursday, 15 October 2020 at 08:52

Oxford MPP and Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman held a roundtable discussion yesterday with local farmers and agribusinesses to address concerns on food safety and more.

WOODSTOCK - Oxford MPP and Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman met with Oxford farmers and agribusinesses for a roundtable to consult and receive feedback on proposed regulations for the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020.

This legislation was introduced during yesterday's meeting to address concerns about food safety, biosecurity and farm families feeling unsafe in their own homes.

Hardeman says he supports the workers in the agri-food industry.

“Our government will always stand with Ontario’s agri-food heroes who work hard everyday so that food remains on grocery store shelves and family dinner tables, especially at this challenging time. I truly appreciate hearing what Oxford’s farmers and members of the agriculture sector have to say about the Act, and I invite the public to provide their thoughts and feedback on the proposed regulations.”

Close to 130 cities passed or supported council resolutions calling on the government to strengthen protections for farm families, employees and animals. This is part of the government’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of the agri-food sector, farm animal welfare and food safety.

The public can visit Ontario's Regulatory Registry to provide input into a potential Minister’s Regulation for the Act until October 15th. This is to ensure the Act is clear and easy to interpret to fulfill its intended purposes.

To address an urgent public safety concern, the Ontario government proclaimed a portion of the Act on September 2nd which prohibits stopping, hindering, obstructing or otherwise interfering with a motor vehicle transporting farm animals.

The legislation respects people's rights to participate in legal protests in public spaces, provided they don't have the potential to cause harm. Careful work was put into crafting this Act to balance the rights of farmers and their farm operations, and the rights for people to participate in lawful protests on public property as well.