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Kathleen Wynne helmed a tractor and Tim Hudak tightened the bolts on a manure spreader on Tuesday, as the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives strengthened their bid to sway rural voters in the June 12 provincial election.

The top parties entered the final stretch of the campaign battling over the rural vote and preparing to release a barrage of election advertising.

Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne visited a beef farm in Paris, Ont., where she highlighted a plan from the partys proposed budget for a 10-year, $40-million-a-year fund to support farmers and the food-processing industry. She also highlighted the Farms Forever program, designed to protect farmland in the province.

It is absolutely important to the future of this province that we have a strong agriculture and food industry, she told reporters after driving a tractor down the farm lane. Yes, this is about campaigning, but it is more importantly about the future of the province.

PC Leader Tim Hudak countered by accusing the Liberals of creating a rural-urban divide and not paying enough attention to the agricultural industry.

During a visit to Veldale Farms in Woodstock, Ont., Mr. Hudak re-emphasized his plan to reduce government regulations in the province a focus of his campaign on Monday as well asserting that this would help farmers to run their businesses.

He also said that rural municipalities should get a higher share of gas-tax revenues to go toward infrastructure investment.

Every community will get its fair share of gas-tax revenue, Mr. Hudak said.

He repeated a pledge to scale back wind and solar power projects as well, redirecting those investments to lowering hydro bills. The PC camp says its plan will save the average family $384 per year in hydro expenses and that cheaper energy will attract more business and jobs to the province.

To drive the point home, Mr. Hudak also visited Nuhn Industries in Sebringville, Ont., whose founder Dennis Nuhn supports the PC platform.

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Ontario Liberals, PCs make plays for rural voters