The Government of Ontario and Government of Canada are giving farmers in the province a faster and better way to support integrated on-farm decision-making.
Work is currently underway to rebuild and modernize AgriSuite - a free online suite of tools to support agronomic, environmental and land-use practices with improved features that can be used on phones and tablets. Once fully completed, the new AgriSuite will help reduce burden for farmers, nutrient management consultants and land use planners by making planning easier through a digital-first approach. The new AgriSuite also includes a phosphorus risk assessment to support a whole-farm approach to environmental sustainability and the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan.
"Our farmers need quick, easy access to digital tools when making important decisions about their land, businesses and the environment," said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "We are proud to invest in this new suite of cutting-edge tools which will help them stand out in the marketplace."
"Modern agriculture can be a complex field, and I'm excited our government is modernizing an important suite of tools to make life easier for farmers," said Ernie Hardeman, Ontario's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "Whether it's helping to improve the management of nutrients on farms, identify risk areas for phosphorus and greenhouse gas emissions loss, or make it easier to complete necessary regulatory requirements, I'm confident that the upgraded AgriSuite will help farmers while supporting the growth of Ontario's agriculture sector."
Attendees at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show next week will get a sneak peek of the new AgriSuite and a demonstration of the first tool currently released for use: the Crop Nutrient Calculator. Staff from the Ontario government will be on-hand to welcome feedback from farmers to help improve the app. Feedback can also be made online here.
OMAFRA is developing the new AgriSuite, in partnership with Ontario farm organizations and farmers and with support from the federal government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
AgriSuite is built on scientific evidence gathered and validated by OMAFRA over the course of over 30 years and is continuously improved based on the latest science. AgriSuite continues to support regulatory requirements and land use planning policy under the Nutrient Management Act and the Provincial Policy Statement.
Approximately 14,000 regulatory submissions and voluntary plans and calculations have been completed since it began. AgriSuite has been evolving through various software platforms for nearly 25 years, with the latest iteration of AgriSuite supporting the Ontario government's digital first strategy.