Thousands of farmers have converged on the Ontario legislature, some on foot and some on tractors, to bring attention to what they say is a financial crisis affecting all agricultural sectors.

"There's a huge financial crisis across all of agriculture, it's across all sectors and it's really unprecedented in anybody's lifetime," Neil Currie, general manager of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture told The Canadian Press.

Ontario's Minister of Agriculture Steve Peters met with the farmers one-on-one on Wednesday, while Premier Dalton McGuinty was unable to attend but expressed his support, CTV News Toronto reported.

McGuinty said he was sympathetic, but he was also careful to point out it wasn't just a provincial problem.

"What we've got to do is continue to work together to find ways to support farmers so that we can help them ride through this, but let's face it, this is a national issue, it affects farmers from coast to coast," McGuinty said.

But one farmer said the province was responsible for its agriculture industry and needed to campaign on its behalf.

Ron Bonnett, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said farmers were telling the Ontario government: "Look, you have a responsibility to your farmers, let's get the money in place, let's get the program in place, let's get confidence for Ontario farmers, and if you need help to fight the feds to get money to cover off their share, we'll be there with you."

Funding is needed particularly in the grains and oilseeds sector, which represents 25,000 to 35,000 farmers.

"The price collapse last summer on top of maybe three or four bad crop years has just made it intolerable out on the farm," Currie said.

"We need a $300-million injection into the grains and oilseeds sector so they can get a crop in the ground this spring."

Currie said tobacco industry was in need of provincial funding as farmers anxiously awaiting a promised $50 million.

Wednesday's protest is the culmination of several others held this winter.

Several other protests were held this winter, with disgruntled farmers and rural landowners blocking parts of Highway 401 in eastern Ontario -- the province's busiest highway.

With files from The Canadian Press