Bill 109: Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act, 2026

This bill broadly affects Ontario's agricultural sector. Beef cattle producers — including those who custom-process their own animals — will now need to pay licence fees on cattle they process themselves and must comply with new levying and reporting rules, though small producers can seek reimbursement for up to two head custom-processed for personal consumption. Dairy farmers and milk processors will see regulation of milk product quality shift from the Milk Act to the Food Safety and Quality Act, with new delegated authorities potentially administering inspections, licensing, and administrative penalties — meaning day-to-day compliance around milk testing, grading, and plant operations could change hands. Anyone buying or selling Ontario farmland — whether they are a farmer expanding their operation, a real estate investor, or a corporation — will face new restrictions if they are a foreign national or meet prescribed 'designated person' criteria, and all farmland conveyances will require disclosure of ownership information to the Minister before land registry offices will process the transaction. Agricultural product dealers and storage operators (grain elevators, produce buyers, livestock dealers) will see updated rules around purchase agreements, trust fund obligations, weigh tickets, storage receipts, grading of products, and administrative penalties, with stronger enforcement tools including freeze orders and compliance orders. Veterinary professionals operating clinics or mobile practices may be affected by new inspection powers covering prescribed buildings, vehicles, and land, and new exemptions from accreditation requirements in certain circumstances. The bill affects businesses of all sizes — from solo cattle ranchers and small family dairy farms to large corporate agribusinesses and food processing plants — primarily in Ontario.