Government announces new Canadian Ag Partnership

St. John’s, Nfld. – Agriculture ministers from across Canada announced that they have come to an agreement on a new agricultural policy framework.

The federal, provincial and territorial ministers had their annual meeting from July 19-21.

In a statement, the ministers unveiled the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, “a five-year, $3-billion investment that will come into effect on April 1, 2018.”

The ministers say the partnership “will strengthen the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector, ensuring continued innovation, growth and prosperity.” The statement adds that producers will still have access to Business Risk Management programs.

These programs are in place to help producers manage the risks that threaten their farms. The government has expanded coverage of BRM for producers, but is also going to review the programs further.

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership will focus on six priority areas. They are listed in the statement as:

• Science, Research, and Innovation – Helping industry adopt practices to improve resiliency and productivity through research and innovation in key areas.

• Markets and Trade – Opening new markets and helping farmers and food processors improve their competitiveness through skills development, improved export capacity, underpinned by a strong and efficient regulatory system.

• Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change – Building sector capacity to mitigate agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, protect the environment and adapt to climate change by enhancing sustainable growth, while increasing production.

• Value-added Agriculture and Agri-food Processing – Supporting the continued growth of the value-added agriculture and agri-food processing sector.

• Public Trust – Building a firm foundation for public trust in the sector through improved assurance systems in food safety and plant and animal health, stronger traceability and effective regulations.

• Risk Management – Enabling proactive and effective risk management, mitigation and adaptation to facilitate a resilient sector by working to ensure programs are comprehensive, responsive and accessible.

The statement goes onto say that the agreement the agriculture ministers reached “sets the stage for all levels of government to conclude bilateral agreements by April 1, 2018.”

For the ministers, it’s a priority “to implement a seamless transition from the current policy framework to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.”

The statement says the “governments will continue to work closely with the sector as Canadian Agricultural Partnership programs are developed and implemented, to reflect the diverse needs across Canada, including the North.”

This year’s meeting also focused on trade negotiations and achieving access in key export markets.