Agriculture and Agri-Business

Agriculture is one of the most important parts of Brockton's economy and cultural identity. Brockton is home to some of the best farmland in South Western Ontario. 

Our farmers take great pride in their land and some of our farms have been farmed by the same family for over five generations.

Our farmers take great pride in running their businesses too. Our farmers are forward thinking and innovative. Brockton is home to a number of agricultural service and processing businesses that help to keep our agricultural sector growing.

Brockton's agricultural products range from the best of Bruce County beef, sweet maple syrup, delicious dairy, bountiful crops and the freshest local fruits and vegetables. 

Brockton is home to two livestock auction markets, at Cargill and Maple Hill.

Quick Facts:

• 390 farms operated in Brockton; 142 (more than one-third) are involved in cattle and dairy farming
• 30,678 hectares, or 54% of Brockton's total land area, in crop production
• Main type of agriculture: livestock, oilseed, and grain production
• Brockton is home to eleven organic farms, ten of which are certified organic
• 2010 saw over $84 million in gross farm receipts in Brockton, the highest of any Bruce County municipality

Agricultural Land Use Planning

Bruce County's Official Plan contains policies intended to protect agricultural land and to recognize, strengthen, and promote agriculture as an important component of the County's economy. The Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program, new to Bruce County in 2012, provides financial incentive to farmers to convert environmentally sensitive and marginally productive lands back to a natural state.

• The Grey Bruce Agriculture & Culinary Association is dedicated to the promotion of "Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Grey Bruce" which links local food producers and processors with consumers. 

Opportunities in Agriculture

Of the top ten economic opportunities that were identified in the Agri Value Added Strategy for Grey Bruce, seven were in the agricultural sector:

• Bio-products: Using newly developing technologies to leverage the abundance of raw      materials to produce a renewable energy resource
• Agritourism: Using a coordinated approach with the existing tourism businesses to attract more tourists to the region
• Farm gate value-added products: Selling traditional furniture and a variety of food products
• Provincial meat and poultry processing: Permitting value-added processing to be kept locally
• Value-added services to farms: Providing opportunities to service local producers. Services include trades, mechanical repairs, small-scale processing and packaging of farm products.
• Commercial aquaculture: Developing fish farm operations instead of open-sea fishing
• Grains and derivatives: Developing value-added processing for the gluten-free food market by establishing an oil producing crushing plant

The Municipality of Brockton is committed to a vibrant agricultural community and supports continued efforts to keep the agriculture industry a key economic driver