Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 08.05.2026

OAFT — Ontario Agri-Food Technologies (referred to throughout this document as “OAFT,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is firmly committed to protecting the privacy of every individual who visits, contributes to, or engages with our platform. As a non-profit agri-tech accelerator and online science journal dedicated to advancing agricultural innovation in Ontario, we believe that transparency about how we collect and use information is inseparable from the trust our community places in us. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle data gathered through your use of our website at https://www.oaft.org/, any content you submit, or any professional engagement you undertake with our organization. Your continued use of the site constitutes your agreement to the practices described below. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, we ask that you discontinue use of the platform.

What Information We Collect

OAFT gathers only the information that is genuinely necessary to operate the platform effectively, serve our community well, and maintain a secure and reliable experience for all users.

Personal Information

• Contact and Professional Details. When you get in touch with us — whether to pitch an article, discuss a partnership, request information, or make a general inquiry — we may collect your full name, email address, job title or professional role, organizational affiliation (such as a university, agribusiness, government agency, or research institute), and any phone number or mailing address you choose to provide.
• Submitted Material. Any information contained within articles, research summaries, commentary, or other content you send to us for publication, including the credentials and biographical details needed to properly attribute your work.
• Partnership and Commercial Information. Details shared in the course of partnership discussions, sponsorship negotiations, or advertising arrangements, such as your organization’s name, project scope, and relevant contact details.

Technical and Anonymous Data

• Website Usage Data. When you visit OAFT, our systems automatically record standard technical information, including your IP address, device type, browser version and operating system, pages visited, time spent on individual pages, navigation paths through the site, and the source from which you arrived.
• Cookies and Tracking Tools. We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to support site functionality, analyze how our content is being used, remember your preferences, and improve overall performance. You can manage or disable cookies at any time through your browser settings, though doing so may affect certain features of the site.

How We Use the Information We Collect

Every piece of information OAFT collects is used in direct support of our mission to advance agricultural knowledge and serve Ontario’s agri-food community. Specifically, we use collected data to:

• Operate and improve the platform — to maintain site stability, diagnose and fix technical issues, and refine content, structure, and features based on how readers engage with the site
• Respond to communications — to reply to inquiries, process article submissions, and advance discussions related to partnerships, sponsorships, or other professional arrangements
• Publish contributed content — to review, edit, and feature submitted material with appropriate author attribution, always subject to your prior agreement
• Deliver relevant content and advertising — to tailor editorial recommendations and, where applicable, serve interest-aligned advertising that supports our continued independent operation, including measuring the effectiveness of campaigns
• Meet legal and security obligations — to comply with applicable law, respond to lawful requests from authorities, protect the rights and property of OAFT, and maintain the security of our platform and its users

How We Share Information

OAFT does not sell, rent, or trade personal information under any circumstances. Any sharing of data occurs only in the limited, controlled situations described below:

• Third-Party Service Providers. We engage carefully vetted external vendors — such as web hosting services and analytics platforms — to help us operate the site. These providers are bound by contractual obligations to keep your data confidential and to use it exclusively for the purposes we have specified.
• Partners and Sponsors. In the context of approved collaborative projects or advertising arrangements, limited professional contact information may be shared with the relevant partner or sponsor organization.
• Legal Requirements. We may disclose information when required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of OAFT, our contributors, our readers, or the public.
• With Your Explicit Consent. For example, when publishing your name, role, and affiliation alongside a contributed article or public statement.
• Organizational Changes. In the event of a merger, acquisition, or transfer of organizational assets, personal data may be transferred to the succeeding entity, subject to privacy protections equivalent to those described in this policy.

Data Security and International Transfers

• Security Measures. OAFT applies appropriate technical, administrative, and organizational safeguards — including data encryption, restricted access controls, and periodic security reviews — to protect personal information from unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, or loss. We take these obligations seriously, though we acknowledge that no system operating over the internet can guarantee absolute security.
• Cross-Border Data Processing. OAFT is administered from Ontario, Canada. However, some data may be processed or stored in other countries where our service providers maintain infrastructure. Privacy legislation in those jurisdictions may differ from Canadian law. By using our platform, you acknowledge and consent to this possibility. We take reasonable steps to ensure that adequate protections are maintained wherever your data is handled.

Your Rights and Choices

You retain meaningful control over your personal information at all times:

• Cookie Preferences. You may configure your browser to block cookies, delete existing cookies, or alert you when cookies are being set. Note that some site features may not function as intended if cookies are disabled.
• Access, Correction, and Deletion. You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you, to ask that inaccurate information be corrected, or to request that your data be deleted. We will respond to all such requests promptly and in accordance with applicable legal and operational requirements.

Additional Provisions

• Minors. OAFT’s content is developed for adult professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, and members of the agricultural community. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under the age of 16. Should we become aware that such data has been collected inadvertently, it will be deleted without delay.
• Policy Updates. This Privacy Policy may be revised periodically to reflect changes in our practices, organizational structure, or applicable legal requirements. The current version, along with its effective date, will always be available on this page. Continued use of OAFT following the posting of any updates constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact Us Regarding Privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise any of your data rights, or require assistance with a privacy-related matter, please contact us through any of the following:

OAFT — Ontario Agri-Food Technologies
381 Elmira Rd N, Unit 1 Guelph, Ontario N1K 1L5 Canada

Emails:

When submitting a data-related request by email, please include the phrase “PRIVACY REQUEST” in the subject line to help us direct your message to the appropriate team member and respond as quickly as possible.