On-Farm Diversification
Date:
May 03, 2024
Location:
Virtual
Time:
9:00 AM (EST)
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Virtual Workshop - A meeting link will be emailed upon registration.
Member Fee: $250 + HST
Non-Member Fee: $300 + HST
OPPI Student Fee: $210 + HST
PLEASE NOTE THIS SESSION IS SOLD OUT. THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD AGAIN VIRTUALLY IN THE FALL 2024 AND REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SHORTLY.
This new On-Farm Diversified Use (OFDU) on-line workshop will introduce the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Guidelines on Permitted Uses in Ontario's Prime Agricultural Areas and specifically review how planners can create responsible OFDU's.
Dr. Wayne Caldwell, Dr. Pam Dueslingk, and Emily Sousa will share their award winning OFDU research entitled Guidelines on Permitted Uses as a Tool to Achieve Farmland Protection Farm Diversification and Economic Benefits: Assessing effectiveness and identifying best practices.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for planners to review together current OFDU examples and utilize a new tool for assessing appropriate OFDU's. This workshop will provide best practices related to Official Plan policies, Zoning provisions and Site Plan Control. It will also discuss specifics related to size and scale, servicing, parking, parkland dedication, event barns, traffic, engineering, industrial uses, farming conflicts and more. Learn from the experts in the planning profession on what makes responsible OFDU's.
Workshop Outline:
- Introduction to OFDUs and research
- Overview of the Guidelines
- The “Five Tests of an OFDU” tool
- Best practices to undertake in your work – baseline for good planning practice when it comes to OFDUs
- 10 Myths of an OFDU
Wayne J. Caldwell, Ph.D., RPP, FCIP
Wayne Caldwell is Professor Emeritus in Rural Planning at the University of Guelph where he has received a number of awards for his research and teaching. He previously held interim positions as Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College and as Associate Vice-President Research. His interests include planning for agriculture, farmland preservation, rural communities and community-based approaches to economic and environmental issues. He has eleven books to his credit including i) Planning for Rural Resilience; ii) Farmland Preservation: Land for Future Generations and iii) Planning for Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems.
He is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners and has served as Chair or President of a number of local, provincial and national organizations including President of OPPI. He recently received the 2023 OPPI PLANON award for leadership in the profession.
Pam Duesling, Ph.D., MCIP, RPP, EcD, CMM3
Pam is a Registered Professional Planner and Economic Development Professional who has been practicing in rural southern Ontario for 25 years. Pam formerly worked in both Haldimand and Norfolk County and is now the General Manager of Development Services in the County of Brant.
Pam has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Urban and Regional Planning, a Masters of Applied Environmental Studies in Local Economic Development from the University of Waterloo and a PhD in Rural Studies from the University of Guelph. She also holds a Diploma in Public Administration from the University of Western and a Masters Certificate in Municipal Leadership for Schulich Executive Education Center at York University.
Pam is a lifelong volunteer with OPPI and is currently serving on OPPI Council. Pam understands the challenges and opportunities of On-Farm Diversification as she is a sixth generation family farmer in Norfolk County.
Emily Sousa, MSc (Pl), RPP
Emily is a Planner with the County of Brant and specializes in agricultural development review, Agricultural Systems planning, and rural community development. She graduated from the University of Guelph with an M.Sc. in Rural Planning and Development and is a Registered Professional Planner with OPPI. She is a past award recipient of OPPI's Gerald Carrothers Graduate and Southwest District scholarship and a recent PlanON Award recipient for her innovative research on on-farm diversification. Being passionate about local government, agriculture, and food systems planning, you can find Emily volunteering as an appointed member of the City of Cambridge’s Farmers Market Advisory Committee in her spare time.
