Ontario farmers remain largely confident in their own ability to manage through economic headwinds, but concern is growing about the outlook for the broader agricultural sector, according to the latest Farm Business Confidence Survey from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).
Early results of the annual survey, released Friday, highlight a widening “confidence gap” between individual farm businesses and the provincial sector as a whole. While many respondents said they feel resilient at the farm level, confidence in Ontario agriculture overall has weakened, reflecting persistent cost pressures and market uncertainty.
“This year’s results show Ontario farmers are resilient, but they need greater economic certainty,” said Drew Spoelstra, president of the OFA.
He noted that farm families are carefully managing risk and rising expenses but emphasized the need for a more supportive economic and policy environment to allow agriculture to reach its full potential as a key contributor to Ontario’s economy.
Rising input costs remain farmers’ dominant concern, cited by nearly 79% of respondents. Volatile commodity prices and the cost of insurance followed closely, while trade issues, tariffs, access to export markets and tax burdens rounded out the top five challenges facing producers.
As a result of these pressures, many farmers are delaying major capital investments. The survey shows machinery investment has fallen to its lowest level in three years, with producers increasingly choosing to repair existing equipment rather than purchase new machinery.
The survey’s findings mirror broader business sentiment across the province. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce recently reported that overall confidence in Ontario’s economy remains subdued, with only 23% of businesses expressing optimism about the province’s economic outlook.
In addition to measuring sentiment, the OFA survey outlines farmers’ top policy priorities heading into 2026. Reducing farm taxes ranked as the leading priority, followed by encouraging Ontarians to buy local food and providing support for rising energy costs—issues that also featured prominently in last year’s results.
Full survey results will be released by the OFA during a live webinar on Feb. 25 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
The OFA represents more than 38,000 farm families across Ontario and serves as the province’s primary advocate for agricultural policy, research and farmer interests.
