The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $2.5 million to help farmers improve environmental sustainability and water quality in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds. In addition to delivering on its continued commitment to protecting our environment, this investment will also improve productivity for farm operations in the region.

The Lake Erie Agriculture Demonstrating Sustainability (LEADS) initiative will support 235
farmer-led projects to be completed this year, targeted to improve soil health and reduce
the risk of nutrient losses in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds. LEADS is a
regionally targeted cost-share program funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership
(the Partnership).

“Our government continues to invest in the sustainability of our land and water, now and for the future,”

said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“We know the importance of environmental and water stewardship to farmers and all Canadians and we are committed to supporting on-farm projects, such as LEADS activities, to further improve environmental sustainability and the health of our Great Lakes.”

“LEADS projects demonstrate our agricultural sector’s commitment to environmental stewardship and keeping our waterways clean for future generations,”

said Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

“It’s another great example of what we can do when we work with the other levels of government and our agriculture partners to improve the environment and protect our natural resources.”

“Farmers in Ontario have been and continue to be stewards of the land. We want to continue to make a positive impact on the environment, the economy and our communities,”

said Jan VanderHout, member of Environmental Collaboration Ontario (EcoAg).

“Partnership programs like LEADS are important tools for achieving innovative and effective environmental outcomes.”

Now in its third year, these 235 LEADS projects build on the environmental successes achieved through the more than 500 on-farm projects completed in this key watershed area in the first years of the initiative.

LEADS-supported projects have helped reduce the risk of soil loss and soil nutrient loss and improved water quality in its target region through implementing a variety of best onfarm management practices. These have included planting cover crops, modifying equipment to reduce soil tillage, improved nutrient placement and the planting of vegetation to serve as windbreaks.

LEADS supports the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan and aligns with the Made in Ontario Environment Plan, committing to a 40 per cent reduction of phosphorus run off into Lake Erie and its watershed.

Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed cost-share support to more than 2,500 projects through the Partnership, to help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow.

Quick Facts

• LEADS is a five-year, $15.6 million commitment by the federal and provincial
  governments, available until March 2023, to help farmers take action to improve soil
  health and water quality in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watershed areas.
• The Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial
  and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors.
• The Ontario agri-food sector supports more than 837,000 jobs in Ontario and
  contributes more than $47.5 billion each year to the province’s economy.

Source: Government of Ontario

The post The Government of Canada and Ontario Invest to Help Farmers Protect Water and Lakes appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Today, Representatives Darin LaHood (IL) and Jimmy Panetta (CA) introduced the Providing Liquidity for Uncollectible Sales (PLUS) Act. This legislation provides a tax credit to offset uncollectable debt incurred as a direct result of COVID shutdowns. It is supported by the United Fresh Produce Association, the International Food Distributors Association, and National Fisheries Institute.

The foodservice distribution industry collectively experienced more than $12 billion in uncollected debts as restaurants and other facilities shutdown in response to the global pandemic and were not able to pay their distributors. Seafood distributors reported approximately $2.2 billion of debt owed to them, fruit and vegetable distributors hold an additional $5 billion in such debt, and broadline foodservice distributors reported more than $5 billion of debt.

“Produce foodservice distributors absorbed a devastating blow with the spring shutdown of the restaurant and hotel industry. The impact of lost inventory and unpaid bills is not recoverable,”

said Tom Stenzel, President & CEO of United Fresh Produce Association.

“I commend Representatives LaHood (IL) and Panetta (CA) for introducing the Providing Liquidity for Uncollectible Sales (PLUS) Act, a helpful solution to an insurmountable challenge for produce foodservice distributors and the companies on both ends of their business agreements.”

Foodservice distribution is a crucial part of the food supply chain, delivering fish, fruits, vegetables, meat, and other products to restaurants, schools, hospitals and long-term care facilities. Distributors provide not only food supplies but the essential financing their customers need to purchase these products. Restaurants buy their supplies on payment terms that allow them to generate revenue before the bill comes due, normally 30-60 days after delivery. In the aftermath of the sudden and near complete closure of the food-away-from-home channel, sales plummeted, customers were unable to pay their bills and distributors were left with more than $12 billion in debt.

“Family-owned seafood businesses support restaurants by providing fish on credit, but now are stuck with billions in debt owed them by these customers,”

said John Connelly, President, National Fisheries Institute.

“This legislation will significantly help revive a complex system that brings seafood from water to table. If we don’t have functioning distributors bringing seafood to market, fish will simply rot on the dock, effecting everyone from boat owners to restaurateurs.”

While many of the provisions of the CARES Act provided critical assistance for foodservice distribution companies, it did not account for the biggest issue they face: large, unpaid debts owed to distributors for food that restaurants could not use due to COVID-related shutdown orders. Tax credits for this $12.2 billion in outstanding debts will provide the liquidity distributors need to continue to extend credit to their restaurant customers and help them get back on their feet as the economy restarts.

“The PLUS Act would provide tax credits for uncollectible accounts receivable, ensuring that distributors can continue to provide assistance to their restaurant customers,”

said Mark S. Allen, President & CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).

“I applaud Representatives LaHood and Panetta for their commitment to the foodservice distribution industry, a vital part of our economy.”

Foodservice distributors themselves suffered more than a 50 percent decline in sales due to the global pandemic, making it difficult to provide the financing their customers depend on to run their businesses; jeopardizing restaurants’ ability to purchase food and ingredients. Without restaurants and other places where people eat out, the economy will be missing a significant part of the $1 trillion food-away-from-home economic driver. The PLUS Act provides a solution to this complicated and critical challenge for the food supply chain.

Source: United Fresh Produce Association

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