Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance

What Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance does

Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance (NOFIA) is a non-profit organization, founded around 2012 and headquartered in New Liskeard, Ontario, that provides research and innovation infrastructure for the agricultural sector across all 11 electoral districts of Northern Ontario. The organization operates with a lean team of three paid staff (Executive Director Emily Seed, Communications & Events Coordinator Rachel Kehoe, Project Coordinator Ian McLennan) supported by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of farmers spanning dairy, beef, cash crops, and horticulture commodities, plus an Advisory Council with representation from every electoral district.

NOFIA delivers its mandate through a portfolio of programs and platforms. Core programs include the Tile Drainage Program (administering NOHFC-funded drainage consortia for the Temiskaming and Thunder Bay regions, with $15.4M+ in funding administered across 21 projects since 2014), the Sustainable New Agri-Food Products and Productivity (SNAPP) cost-share program (up to $15,000 per individual / $25,000 per collaborative project), and the Agricultural Plastics Disposal Program (providing on-farm compactors for bale wrap, twine, and silage plastic recycling). Supporting platforms include FarmNorth.com, a revitalized agricultural information hub with district profiles, research database, interactive ArcGIS maps, and online training modules (including livestock emergency preparedness modules co-developed with Collège Boréal for first responders along the Highway 11 corridor). Flagship events include the annual Northern Ontario Ag Conference in Sudbury and the A Day in Farm Country self-guided farm tour.

NOFIA's revenue model is non-commercial and grant-dependent. Funding flows from federal and provincial sources (FedNor, OMAFRA, NOHFC, Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AAFC, NSERC), supplemented by conference sponsorship packages (Platinum $10,000, Banquet $8,000, AV $5,000, hospitality tiers $1,500-$2,000, exhibitor booths $1,000), per-acre tile drainage administration fees ($12 in Temiskaming, $15 in Thunder Bay), and partner-funded applied research projects. NOFIA acts as a regional communications hub, research coordinator, and program administrator rather than a commercial vendor, with partnerships across University of Guelph, Lakehead University, Collège Boréal, OSCIA, Beef Farmers of Ontario, Grain Farmers of Ontario, and numerous other regional and national agricultural organizations.

Name

Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance

Legal name

Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance

Website

https://nofia-agri.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NOFIA is a non-profit organization that builds agricultural research and innovation infrastructure across Northern Ontario's 11 electoral districts, administering government funding programs, operating the FarmNorth.com information hub, and hosting the annual Northern Ontario Ag Conference for farmers and agri-businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Innovation Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Capital Projects & Farm Expansion Advisory (Feasibility, Site Planning, ROI) (AFACAJAN), Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Agricultural innovation programs
• Farm funding administration
• Agricultural information platform
• Regional agricultural development

Headquarters

HQ city

New Liskeard

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: NOFIA receives funding from federal and provincial government programs including Canadian Agricultural Partnership, FedNor, OMAFRA, and NOHFC to administer programs and conduct research projects.
2. Conference & Sponsorship Revenue: Annual Northern Ontario Ag Conference generates revenue through exhibitor booth fees ($1,000), sponsorship packages (Platinum $10,000, Gold tiers), and registration fees.
3. Program Administration Fees: NOFIA acts as program administrator for tile drainage funding consortium, collecting producer administration fees ($12/acre in Temiskaming, $15/acre in Thunder Bay). Since 2014, has administered 21 projects with $15,424,820.62 in funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance (NOFIA) is a non-profit that builds research and innovation infrastructure for agriculture in Northern Ontario by administering funding programs (SNAPP cost-share grants, Tile Drainage funding consortium, Agricultural Plastics Disposal Program) and convening stakeholders through events (Northern Ontario Ag Conference, A Day in Farm Country tour) and the FarmNorth.com information hub. The organization partners with federal/provincial agencies, universities, and industry associations to facilitate agricultural research, innovation, and commercialization for the region's 11 electoral districts.

Product overview

NOFIA (Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance) is a non-profit organization that operates as a research and innovation infrastructure provider for agriculture in Northern Ontario. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the Agricultural Plastics Disposal Program for recycling agricultural plastics, the Tile Drainage Program for funding consortium management, the SNAPP (Sustainable New Agri-Food Products and Productivity) Program for funding innovative food products, and serves as the Regional Communications Coordinator for NEOSCIA. Supporting these programs are platforms including FarmNorth.com as the central information hub, the annual Northern Ontario Ag Conference for knowledge sharing, and events like A Day in Farm Country and the Student Research Poster Contest. Together, these offerings create an ecosystem supporting agricultural research, innovation, and commercialization in Northern Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FarmNorth.com: An agricultural information hub developed by NOFIA to connect people with information related to agriculture in Northern Ontario, including district profiles and a research database.
• Northeast Bites
• Northern Ontario Ag Conference
• A Day in Farm Country

Products and services

• Agricultural Plastics Disposal Program A recycling and recovery program for used agricultural plastics (bale wrap, twine, horticulture and silage plastic) that installs free plastic compactors on-farm across Northern Ontario to aggregate and divert agricultural plastics from landfills. Targets Northern Ontario producers and municipalities.
• Tile Drainage Program Regional tile drainage funding consortium administered by NOFIA for the Temiskaming and Thunder Bay regions, providing producer funding for agricultural drainage improvements; producer-paid administration fees of $12/acre in Temiskaming and $15/acre in Thunder Bay. Since 2014 has administered 21 projects totaling $15.4M+ to improve 37,536.6 acres.
• SNAPP Program Sustainable New Agri-Food Products and Productivity (SNAPP) Program - 50% cost-share funding for Northern Ontario agriculture and food producers for equipment and materials that create innovative food products, enhance productivity, or reduce ecological impact. Awards up to $15,000 for individual projects and up to $25,000 for collaborations of 3+ businesses.
• NEOSCIA Regional Communications Coordinator NOFIA serves as the Regional Communication Coordinator for the Northeastern Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (NEOSCIA), drafting content for OSCIA's quarterly newsletter 'The Innovator' and supporting the eight NEOSCIA district associations across Algoma, Cochrane, Parry Sound, Muskoka, Manitoulin, Temiskaming, Sudbury, and Nipissing.
• FarmNorth.com Central agricultural information hub for Northern Ontario including district profiles, a research database, training modules, and interactive tools for producers, developed and managed by NOFIA and revitalized since 2022 in collaboration with OMAFRA, RAIN, and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Northern Caucus.
• Northern Ontario Ag Conference Annual flagship conference (scheduled for February 6 & 7, 2026 in Sudbury, ON) bringing together producers, students, researchers, agri-businesses, and agricultural stakeholders across Northern Ontario to share knowledge, discover innovative solutions, and network. Features panels, workshops, trade show, and sponsorship/exhibitor opportunities.
• A Day in Farm Country Annual self-guided car tour of farms in the Temiskaming area that allows participants to meet farmers and experience local agriculture operations across dairy, crops, beef research, and horticulture stops (e.g., Loranlee Farms Ltd., Phillips Seeds Ltd., Ontario Beef Research Centre, Arana Orchards).
• Northeastern Crop Caravan Series of crop tours and workshops across Northeastern Ontario that connect producers to OMAFRA specialists for knowledge transfer on regional crop production.
• Livestock Emergency Preparedness Program Two-year project "Emergency Livestock Response Plan for First Responders in Northern Ontario" targeting 9 municipalities along Highway 11 between Thunder Bay and North Bay. Delivered with Collège Boréal, includes municipality-specific preparedness guides and online training modules for first responders available through FarmNorth.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• $15,424,820.62 in tile drainage funding administered, improving 37,536.6 acres
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner supporting numerous NOFIA projects including food systems strengthening, ConnectON mapping, winter barley research, and applied agricultural research reports. OMAFRA also supports FarmNorth.com platform development.
• Lakehead UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on multiple research projects including rotational grazing impact on soil health, land conversion practices on barley and oat yields, malting barley trials, and drone land assessment technology.
• Université de Hearst / Collège BoréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrancophone post-secondary institution partnering on livestock emergency preparedness project, COVID-19 agricultural impact study, and various crop and soil research projects.
• University of GuelphcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor academic partner for agricultural research including student bus trips to Ontario Veterinary College and Ontario Agriculture College, winter barley survivability studies, and malting barley quality research.
• Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOFIA serves as Regional Communication Coordinator for NEOSCIA region. Partners on rotational grazing research, barriers to program participation study, and various crop trials.
• Grain Farmers of OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry funding partner for land conversion study on barley and oat yields, malting barley quality research, and intensive oat management trials.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal department supporting agricultural research and innovation. Partner for Northern Ontario Ag Conference trade show and various research initiatives.
• Northern Producer Animal Health NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization dedicated to enhancing animal health care in northern Ontario. Industry funding partner for livestock emergency preparedness and student veterinary programs.
• Beef Farmers of OntariomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner supporting student bus trips to veterinary college, winter cattle feeding trials, and year-round grazing workshops.
• Ontario Federation of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Fields to Forks campaign, agricultural plastics disposal program (Northern Caucus), and FarmNorth.com development.
• Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional innovation organization partnering on SNAPP program delivery for Muskoka, Nipissing, and other districts, malting barley research, and COVID-19 agricultural impact study.
• FarmNorth.com PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative platform including OMAFRA, Northern Caucus of Ontario Federation of Agriculture, RAIN, NECN, Cloverbelt Local Food Coop for agricultural information hub.
• Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOFIA contracted to assist EFAO in expanding programming to Northern Ontario, covering Cochrane and Temiskaming districts.
• Vineland Research & Innovation CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on horticulture technology roadmap for reducing labour challenges in Northern Ontario.
• Environment & Climate Change CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on watershed characterization of agricultural activities in the Lake of the Woods Basin.
• MITACSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research organization partnering on rotational grazing impact study at Thunder Bay Community Pasture.
• Far Northeast Training Board (FNETB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed agricultural labour attraction strategy initiative showcasing agriculture as viable career option in Temiskaming and Cochrane districts.
• Golden Horseshoe Food & Farming AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on ConnectON project developing understanding of agricultural assets across Northern Ontario.
• New Liskeard Agricultural Research Station (NLARS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch station supporting malting barley trials, oat cover crop research, industrial hemp variety development, and yellow mustard trials.
• Northern Policy InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on ConnectON project mapping agricultural assets across Northern Ontario.
• Agricultural Adaptation CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists in delivery of Canadian Agricultural Partnership in Ontario for livestock emergency preparedness project.
• BioenterpriseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural technology commercialization partner for Fields to Forks campaign.
• Northern Dairy Processing CommitteesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Northern Ontario Dairy Processing Strategy development for building resiliency and adding value to dairy processing system.
• Temiskaming Community PastureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on surface applied lime on pasture research examining soil pH improvement potential.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN): Northern Ontario non-profit that delivers SNAPP, applied research, and innovation programming in Algoma district. Directly partners with NOFIA on shared programmes and serves an overlapping producer base in the same region.
• Northern Producer Animal Health Network: Northern Ontario non-profit dedicated to enhancing animal health care, providing industry funding for NOFIA's livestock emergency preparedness programme. Closely aligned regional mandate focused on livestock sector support.

Emerging players

• Vineland Research & Innovation Centre: Horticulture-focused Canadian research centre partnering with NOFIA on a horticulture technology roadmap for Northern Ontario. Adjacent research mandate with regional overlap on Northern Ontario horticulture.
• Bioenterprise: Canadian agricultural technology commercialization partner collaborating with NOFIA on Fields to Forks. Nationally focused on agri-tech acceleration, partial overlap with NOFIA's innovation-commercialization mandate.
• Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO): Ontario-wide farmer association contracted NOFIA to expand its programming into Cochrane and Temiskaming districts. Direct collaboration with partial mandate overlap on sustainable farming and farmer education in Northern Ontario.

Broad incumbents

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): Federal department supporting agricultural research, trade shows and innovation programmes. NOFIA partners with AAFC and supports AAFC's Northern Ontario Ag Conference trade show. Far larger in scope but plays an enabling role for regional innovation activity like NOFIA's.
• Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA): General farm lobby and service organization for Ontario farmers, with a Northern Caucus that partners with NOFIA on Fields to Forks and plastics recycling. Larger, less regionally focused, but overlapping mandates in farmer representation and programme delivery.
• Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA): Province-wide non-profit association delivering cost-share programmes and coordinating the district Soil and Crop Improvement Associations for which NOFIA serves as Regional Communication Coordinator. Operates at much larger scale across Ontario but with less regional specialization.

Regional players

• Manitoba Crop Alliance: Western-Canadian producer-led commodity organization funding crop research and extension services, comparable in function to NOFIA's crop research and innovation delivery but operating in Manitoba rather than Ontario.

Others

• Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC): Provincial heritage fund that has provided tile drainage funding for NOFIA to administer since 2014. Functions as a key financial partner and funder rather than peer competitor, but central to NOFIA's largest programme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NOFIA_Agri
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmwLo6XazvtgvpO3KNU-Fcw/about
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/NOFIA.Agri/about/?ref=page_internal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/76164709
• Instagraminstagram.com/nofia_agri/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance