Two groups that don't always see eye-to-eye have joined forces on farmland preservation.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Environmental Defence are calling on farmland in the province to be recognized as a permanent feature with economic and ecosystem benefits.
Their joint report suggests 75 per cent of the best farmland in the Toronto Metropolitan Area is at risk of being paved over.
Environmental Defence Executive Director Tim Gray says it's time for a new perspective that sees agriculture as an essential component of our economy and cultural heritage rather than being considered an afterthought.
OFA President Don McCabe argues the current provincial land-use planning rules see farmland as development land in waiting.
Their joint report makes a number of recommendations, including freezing urban boundaries in the Greater Golden Horseshoe until 2031 and possibly 2041.
It also suggests the need to better integrate agricultural concerns into land use decision making and requiring municipalities to conduct Agricultural Impact assessments when planning strategies affect agricultural areas.
The report claims agriculture in the Greater Golden Horseshoe contributes 11 billion dollars a year to Ontario's economy and supplies 1 point 6 billion in environmental benefits a year.
