Join Dr. Sara Epp, a recent Rural Studies PhD graduate from SEDRD, for a webinar on the structure, mandate, membership and general experiences of Agricultural Advisory Committees. Findings from a recently released report by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance will be highlighted.

The decisions of local and regional Councils have direct impacts on the short- and long-term viability of agriculture. While farmers make up less than 2% of the provincial population, Agricultural Advisory Committees (AACs) can provide an agricultural lens to local policies, plans, and processes. Generally, an AAC is an advisory committee formed by Council with a mandate to identify agricultural issues and opportunities to enhance the sector. The lessons learned in this report can be utilized by existing AACs, as well as regions and counties interested in establishing an AAC.

The webinar is free to participate, however, registration is required. You can register for the session here [1]. Log-in details will be emailed to you before the webinar.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs have coordinated the Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Community of Practice to virtually bring together economic development and planning professionals across Ontario interested in agriculture and agri-business issues.