Supporting Agriculture and Local Food Systems

The Greenbelt’s agricultural system is the cornerstone of the rural economy and provides residents of the Greater Golden Horseshoe with a reliable and diverse source of local food and drink.

It is home to the province’s only two specialty crop areas – the Holland Marsh and the Niagara Tender Fruit and Grape Area – whose fertile soils and unique climate conditions allow Greenbelt farmers to grow crops that can’t be found commercially anywhere else.

Farmland has been disappearing in the Greater Golden Horseshoe at an alarming rate – more than 450,000 acres of farmland have been lost since 1991. Thankfully, the Greenbelt has changed that course within its boundaries, but permanent protection is essential for the long-term success of the many food and farm-related businesses across the region. Farmers need the confidence that their land is secure to continue to innovate and invest in their businesses.

The Greenbelt Foundation supports food and farming in the Greenbelt by:

Enabling a community of practice for environmental stewardship and soil health in agriculture
Supporting rural economic development through enhancing and promoting direct-to-market agri-food and culinary tourism opportunities for Greenbelt businesses
Accelerating the commercialization of new crops and innovations that help Greenbelt farmers respond to market demand