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Ontario Beef Takes Centre Stage at Queen’s Park
May 29, 2026
Beef Farmers of Ontario Host 18th Annual Barbecue and Advocacy Day in Toronto
Under sunny skies, the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) visited Queen’s Park this week to host its highly anticipated annual barbecue and lobby day on the lawn of the Ontario Legislature, and just prior to Ontario’s Local Food Week, which takes place the first week of June and celebrates the abundance of food grown by Ontario farmers.
The BFO Board of Directors and staff proudly served more than 700 attendees an all-Ontario meal featuring Ontario Corn Fed Beef and fresh salads prepared with local ingredients. Tyler Fulton, President of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), was also in attendance to support the event and engage with industry and government leaders throughout the day.
In addition to hosting the barbecue, BFO Directors and staff met with numerous MPPs throughout the day to discuss key priorities for Ontario’s beef sector. A central focus of those discussions was the proposal for a government-backed Breeder Loan Guarantee Program.
A government-backed guarantee would help support young farmers entering the industry by improving access to competitive financing for the purchase of breeding cattle. The program would also support the expansion of Ontario’s cow herd, while strengthening food security and economic competitiveness across the province.
“More Ontario-born cattle would mean less reliance on imported animals and greater certainty for farmers, processors, retailers and consumers in the province,” said Jason Leblond, BFO President. “A government-backed Breeder Loan Guarantee Program is a practical, low-risk, high-impact tool that would strengthen the competitiveness of Ontario’s beef farmers, and benefit rural communities and the entire beef value chain.”
Additional priorities discussed throughout the day included addressing the shortage of large animal veterinarians through enhanced incentive programs; aligning the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act with industry-approved standards of care; and expanding agricultural opportunities through the development of community pastures and improved Crown land access in northern Ontario for food production.
CCA President Tyler Fulton and BFO Directors also urged MPPs to engage with their federal counterparts in Ottawa regarding concerns surrounding the proposed free trade agreement with Mercosur countries, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
There is significant concern within the Canadian beef sector that expanded market access for Mercosur beef could be used as a concession during negotiations, posing material risks to Ontario and the broader Canadian beef industry.
“Expanding market access for beef in a Mercosur deal would have immediate and disproportionate consequences here in Ontario,” said Leblond. “The vast majority of imported beef entering Canada lands in Central Canada, particularly Ontario. That means any increase in imports doesn’t get spread evenly across the country. Ontario farmers would feel the impacts first, and they would feel them most.”
The beef sector strongly supports free trade agreements that are meaningful, reciprocal, and fair. Mercosur fails to meet those standards.
The proposed agreement poses a serious risk to Canadian beef farmers by placing downward pressure on domestic prices and undermining the competitiveness of farmers who uphold some of the highest standards in quality, food safety and sustainability. These pressures would come at a particularly challenging time as the industry works to rebuild the national cow herd.
International trade opportunities must not come at the expense of Canadian beef farmers or undermine the long-term viability and stability of Canada's domestic beef sector.
BFO extends its sincere thanks to Premier Doug Ford for taking the time to meet with the organization’s leadership team, as well as to Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, and Parliamentary Assistants Bill Rosenberg and Paul Vickers for helping serve beef to attendees during the barbecue.
BFO also appreciated the participation of Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, who each joined in serving beef during the lunch event.
Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) advocates in the areas of sustainability, animal health and care, environment, food safety, and domestic and export market development. BFO’s mission is to provide leadership that fosters
a sustainable and profitable beef sector to meet producer needs, and have Ontario beef recognized as an outstanding product by consumers.
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Canadian Beef is Not a Bargaining Chip
www.cattle.ca/mercosur
For More Information and Photos
LeaAnne Wurmli
BFO Director of Communications
leaanne@ontariobeef.com