Agriculture is a major economic driver in Ontario\u2019s Greenbelt, yet less than five per cent of the area\u2019s 66 municipalities have reached out to research institutions for information or advice, says a recent Greenbelt Foundation report.<\/p>\n
Brock University\u2019s Niagara Community Observatory (NCO) is aiming to bridge that gap locally through a project called Enhancing Municipal Capacity to Promote and Support Agriculture in the Niagara Region.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project is helping municipalities build capacity to support and promote a competitive sustainable agriculture sector in the region by sharing information, resources and tools to help them make evidence-based decisions,\u201d says NCO Research Fellow Amy Lemay, who is heading up the project\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
With funding from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the NCO research team is setting up the Niagara Agriculture Municipal Learning Network<\/a>, which among other things will provide a series of briefing notes and infographics to municipal staff and elected officials on specific agricultural issues.<\/p>\n Also included will be summaries of Brock University\u2019s agricultural studies. These include research by Professor of Biology Liette Vasseur on how cover crops protect soils<\/a> against climate change effects and research on high-quality, virus-free plant materials<\/a> conducted by Sudarsana Poojari, Senior Staff Scientist at Brock University\u2019s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI).<\/p>\n NCO plans to launch the network at a virtual meeting to be held Thursday, June 9.<\/p>\n The team has already reached out to regional and municipal councillors, mayors, chief administrative officers and economic development officers in all of Niagara\u2019s municipalities to invite them to join the network. However, participation is open to all regional and municipal staff.<\/p>\n The team is also consulting with stakeholders in the Niagara agriculture industry to identify key issues that the network will address, says Lemay.<\/p>\n In August and September, the project team will be conducting farm tours \u201cwhere municipal staff and elected officials will have the opportunity to engage with local farmers, learn about emerging, evolving opportunities and challenges facing the agriculture industry and how municipal policies, planning and program decisions impact the industry,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n